OVA1's 396 Stroker Build

[OVA1]

Good progress today.

Got the throttle-body assembled with the necessary gear from the old set-up. This required cleaning and painting the bottom plate. Got the rockers adjusted and the valve covers came in, so we set 'em on to see how they're lookin'.

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I'd say they're lookin' pretty good...

[VendettaV8]

looks good man

[Blubird]

coming along great!

[QC97Z]

Good progress today.

Got the throttle-body assembled with the necessary gear from the old set-up. This required cleaning and painting the bottom plate. Got the rockers adjusted and the valve covers came in, so we set 'em on to see how they're lookin'.

utf-8BL01lZGlhIEN&#104.jpg

I'd say they're lookin' pretty good...

That looks almost IDENTICAL to what my motor was looking like before I got it in, LOL.
Be careful of those Cantons. Both of my valve covers leaked, I re-sealed them both twice, driver's side still leaked. I got a return authorization from Canton, they had NO problem accepting them back...almost like they know their product has quality issues.

[OVA1]

That looks almost IDENTICAL to what my motor was looking like before I got it in, LOL.
Be careful of those Cantons. Both of my valve covers leaked, I re-sealed them both twice, driver's side still leaked. I got a return authorization from Canton, they had NO problem accepting them back...almost like they know their product has quality issues.

Yeah man, I read that when you were goin' through it... what gasket were you using? I'd be lyin' if I said I wasn't concerned about it.

BTW, what did you end up using? I got these from Summit, who didn't really have an option.

[QC97Z]

Yeah man, I read that when you were goin' through it... what gasket were you using? I'd be lyin' if I said I wasn't concerned about it.

BTW, what did you end up using? I got these from Summit, who didn't really have an option.

I tried Fel-Pro's "Cork-Lam" laminated cork with steel layer. I started with using some gasket sealer on the valve cover side, nothing on the head side. Both leaked. I tried gasket sealer on the head side also, they both leaked.
I tried torquing them in different patterns, then just tightening the crap out of them, I got the passenger's side to seal, but no dice on the driver's side.
Then I went with Stock-like gaskets (not GM, but GM replacement) and tried gasket sealer on both sides. Again, the driver's side still leaked.
When I got them, there were several grind/wire wheel marks on them from manually grinding off high spots (thus probably creating low spots). When I took them off yesterday, there was a grind mark right where the cover was leaking, the back outer corner of the driver's side.
The manufacturing process for Canton's (and most other sheet metal fab style covers) is terrible and inconsistent. I don't believe Canton does much for quality control/inspection. They should be running the rails on every cover through a mill for flatness, but what do I know? I'm just a sheetmetal engineer.

My new valve covers are AWESOME! I bought them through Scooter's Performance in Florida, they are manufactured by Carbon Components in CA. They're carbon fiber. They are just like stock covers, but a bit taller, and have no internal bracing to cut for larger RR's. They have the notch for alternator clearance on both covers, so you can mix and match which side you want which cover on (if you wanted oil fill elsewhere, etc).
They start with a "blanket" of carbon fiber, it gets loaded into a 1 piece billet die, and polymers are injected into the die and around the carbon fiber. They're pretty thick, and have a REALLY nice finish to them. Nice and shiny, with a really "deep" look to them from the polymer layer on top of the carbon fiber. They come with an oil fill already installed in the stock location, but you have to drill your own holes for breathers, etc. I liked that, because I decided I wanted a breather on both covers, and went with Mr. Gasket 3/4" neck BB breathers. Using masking tape on the top side and a regular-ass hole saw, I had my holes. Clean them up with a file a little bit, and you have your grommet holes.
I used Fel-Pro VS 50088R, the blue stock-ish gaskets (they have a more dry matte finish than the other stock replacements I had [Victor Reinz]). I used Right Stuff on the valve cover side (after stretching the crap out of the gaskets, but they are purposely manufactured smaller). I put them on the head rails with no gasket sealer on the head side. They fit PERFECTLY, centered right up, hardware went in no problem. You can re-use stock hardware, but I opted for some nicer stainless rounded head hex bolts.
So far, they're sealing like a dream. They are expensive though... $375. But, they're unique, flashy, and just as good as (if not better than) stock. Totally worth the money, especially from the hell I went through with the Canton's and not being able to drive the car for a month after dyno.

[OVA1]

I tried Fel-Pro's "Cork-Lam" laminated cork with steel layer. I started with using some gasket sealer on the valve cover side, nothing on the head side. Both leaked. I tried gasket sealer on the head side also, they both leaked.
I tried torquing them in different patterns, then just tightening the crap out of them, I got the passenger's side to seal, but no dice on the driver's side.
Then I went with Stock-like gaskets (not GM, but GM replacement) and tried gasket sealer on both sides. Again, the driver's side still leaked.
When I got them, there were several grind/wire wheel marks on them from manually grinding off high spots (thus probably creating low spots). When I took them off yesterday, there was a grind mark right where the cover was leaking, the back outer corner of the driver's side.
The manufacturing process for Canton's (and most other sheet metal fab style covers) is terrible and inconsistent. I don't believe Canton does much for quality control/inspection. They should be running the rails on every cover through a mill for flatness, but what do I know? I'm just a sheetmetal engineer.

My new valve covers are AWESOME! I bought them through Scooter's Performance in Florida, they are manufactured by Carbon Components in CA. They're carbon fiber. They are just like stock covers, but a bit taller, and have no internal bracing to cut for larger RR's. They have the notch for alternator clearance on both covers, so you can mix and match which side you want which cover on (if you wanted oil fill elsewhere, etc).
They start with a "blanket" of carbon fiber, it gets loaded into a 1 piece billet die, and polymers are injected into the die and around the carbon fiber. They're pretty thick, and have a REALLY nice finish to them. Nice and shiny, with a really "deep" look to them from the polymer layer on top of the carbon fiber. They come with an oil fill already installed in the stock location, but you have to drill your own holes for breathers, etc. I liked that, because I decided I wanted a breather on both covers, and went with Mr. Gasket 3/4" neck BB breathers. Using masking tape on the top side and a regular-ass hole saw, I had my holes. Clean them up with a file a little bit, and you have your grommet holes.
I used Fel-Pro VS 50088R, the blue stock-ish gaskets (they have a more dry matte finish than the other stock replacements I had [Victor Reinz]). I used Right Stuff on the valve cover side (after stretching the crap out of the gaskets, but they are purposely manufactured smaller). I put them on the head rails with no gasket sealer on the head side. They fit PERFECTLY, centered right up, hardware went in no problem. You can re-use stock hardware, but I opted for some nicer stainless rounded head hex bolts.
So far, they're sealing like a dream. They are expensive though... $375. But, they're unique, flashy, and just as good as (if not better than) stock. Totally worth the money, especially from the hell I went through with the Canton's and not being able to drive the car for a month after dyno.

Dude...

PICTURES!

Puh-LeASE... Carbon fiber valve covers? That has got to be genuine SICK!

I immediately googled "Scooter's Performance" and can only find a chopper shop. Right guy? He's in Sanford... I'm gonna invest a dime to check, but in the mean time, if ya get back over here and you're standing around your hood region... with your phone; shoot me a pix and guide me in.

[QC97Z]

ValveCovers2..jpgValveCovers1..jpgValveCovers4..jpg
ValveCovers3..jpg
Yep, it's the chopper shop out of Sanford. Go to http://www.carbonfibervalvecovers.com. They're all listed. They also offer SBC, BBC, LSX, and others.
Here's a few pics:

[OVA1]

SCORE!

Those things look hot. I ordered up a set and now we wait...

Anyone want a new set of Cantons? They've never been fired and only dropped (from the build) once...

[OVA1]

Well, I just got back to the build after over two months of non-stop work...

Long story short, I was just pouring some light motor oil over the rockers and pushrods to lube and clean everythign up after the delay.

In the process I found that the AFR heads on the Driver's -side was not flowing oil back into the block, through the front hole...

I couldn't find anyone who knew anything about it, so here's the solution I came up with:

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The AFR hole is much smaller than the hole in the stock head, same with the gaskets; the stock hole is much larger than the new triple layer steel gasket.

This results in the AFR hole sitting over the protrusion which exists, but is not a problem using the stock gear; completely stopping the flow of oil, through that hole, as noted above.

So I used a die-grinder to open up the gasket and a little channel for oil to flow back to the block.

The pix below shows the light coming in through the oil hole, in the head, from the lifter-valley.
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