If you have VVT you have to replace it. Not if you don't.

 

Awesome, thanks!

 

Yea I was confused about this at first too. You only need that cover if you are deleting vvt.

I feel like I made big progress tonight! Got the heads on. I doubted myself but you can in fact drop the heads on with all studs in place and the exhaust manifolds still on the y pipe. I had to do some redneck engineering (ratchet strap) to hold the passenger manifold out of the way while I dropped the head on. I torqued them down and then put the pushrods and rockers on. I was hoping to get the front cover on also but ran out of time. I also realized my torque wrench only goes up to 150ft lbs so I'm not sure what I'm going to so about the arp crank bolt that is I think is somewhere around 240 (still have to double check). I wish I would have just bought the stuff to key the crank.

 

About that crank bolt. I used to work in a chevy dealer and not once did i see torque wrenches near a balancer bolt. They liked using 1/2" impacts to get that sucker on there. Ive personaly done several this way and have never had a problem. My truck being one of em and ive spun it to 6700 rpm way too many times for the last 70k miles and no problems. In order to torque it down to spec your gonna need to find a way to hold the balancer/flywheel from moving as you torque it down if you go the torque wrench route.

 

Yea I wedged a half inch extension in the spokes of the balancer and just got it as tight as I could with my 150lb torque wrench it clicked at 150 and then I just kept going till I couldn't anymore. We shall see!

On a side note...

ITS ALIVE!

It's 10 here and I live in a townhouse that backs up to others so I just idled it up to operating temp and I'm going to drive it tomorrow. No funny noises, leaks or anything. It purrs like a sewing machine. So excited.

 

Well. I've been driving the truck today. It runs great. Very happy with the results. I wish it had a little more lope though. I think I'll get justin to durn down the idle a little.

Then I had a stroke of bad luck. A mustang was getting on the interstate next to me and lost control and hit me. I am praying it's not totalled after all of this work.

 

WTF man!!! I would have jerked a knot in their a-hole if someone ran into me after I had spent that much time getting it perfect. Good luck getting it fixed up and back on the road though.

 

What do y'all think? 2007 121k miles and it's in great shape. Totaled or no?

Bed, c-pillar, rocker and door all need to be replaced.

 

I dont think that would be quite enough to them to write it off but it will be close.

 

Depends if they use aftermarket or oem replacement parts. Glad your ok tho.