Torana SS

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VK_3800
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:15 pm
cars: SS Torana
Location: NZ

Re: Torana SS

Post by VK_3800 »

Images relocated, good riddance PhotoBucket.

http://img.v8comp.co.nz/Torana

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VK_3800
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:15 pm
cars: SS Torana
Location: NZ

Re: Torana SS

Post by VK_3800 »

Have had a new engine in the works for a while, finally found the time/energy and funds to make some progress recently. VL block with a bit of a tidy up and clearance work for 3.48” stroke crank, painted and fresh freeze plugs fitted:

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Machined up a new oil pump bushing and fitted with a screw-in retainer (not sure what happened to the roll pin), also threaded oil gallery holes for 3/8” NPT plugs and re-routed driver side lifter gallery feed from front cam bearing:

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Cam is a basic 230@50, 0.535” lift hydraulic flat tappet fitted with 0.002” under bearings. Scat crank with Holden rod journals and matching Scat 5.7” rods, ARP main studs:

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Probe forged pistons which I machined a small extra dish into to keep the compression around 10.2:1 with early heads (59cc chambers). Also cleaned up a few of the casting dags in the block:

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Made a nicer cover plate for the mechanical fuel pump hole in the timing cover:

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Changed flywheel to a “light weight” (not really, its slightly heavier than two different factory items I have here), “explosion proof” steel item:

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Cleaned up and used the existing heads and manifold with a bit of extra porting. I did notice that my PCV baffle in the rocker cover was actually doing the opposite of what its supposed to, causing too much oil to track through the baffle and into the intake. There just isn’t enough space between the end of the cover and the first rocker to improve this with the standard PCV location, so I made an adapter that fits to the top of the cover in the un-used cap location – this also acts as a mini vapour separator:

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Also revised the baffle under it to a version that doesn’t contact the rocker cover. Unfortunately the rocker adjusting nuts need a lot of space (hence the round holes) but should still be better:

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Had a minor snafu with clearance to the sump windage tray on first start, couldn’t actually tell this was touching when turning over by hand. Only took 30 seconds with a hammer to fix, on top of the several hours to remove and replace the front suspension around it (faster than removing the engine again)!

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No photos of it installed since it looks the same as before on the outside. Have done nearly 200km so still only just run-in but everything seems good so far.
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Gareth
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Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2014 8:37 pm
Location: Bacchus Marsh, Vic

Re: Torana SS

Post by Gareth »

Mint AF, love it :thumbup:
According to chemistry, alcohol is a solution...
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oldn64
Posts: 256
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 5:05 pm
cars: Vq Statesman, VE SS wagon, VE Sv6, VY SV8, VL Belina
Location: Country Victoria on a direct road to WINTON

Re: Torana SS

Post by oldn64 »

Yum yum and yum.

While it is not my most favourite torry model I do and have worked on these often. I had a very brief look at the photos and wonder how you find the top loader behind the new stroker?

What was the reason behind the heavier flywheel? I would have presumed you would have wanted to go lighter than stock? What clutch did you end up using? Are you using a hydrolic clutch or the original rat trap crap?

Looks bloody sweet as. Well do matey :thumbup:

cheers
oldn64
immortality
Posts: 3416
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:31 pm
cars: VH, VN, VS, VX

Re: Torana SS

Post by immortality »

Is that steel flywheel the same item I see advertised on TM?
VK_3800
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:15 pm
cars: SS Torana
Location: NZ

Re: Torana SS

Post by VK_3800 »

oldn64 wrote:I had a very brief look at the photos and wonder how you find the top loader behind the new stroker?
Never had an original top loader, used to have a Muncie but changed to a TKO600 some time ago which I guess is kind of top loader family. Its fine, have hardly driven the new engine yet, certainly not in anger, but the box is rated to handle 600ft-lb so I would be a bit disappointed if it was a problem! Bought it brand new and I've never had the 2-3 shift problems that a lot of people complain about.
oldn64 wrote:What was the reason behind the heavier flywheel? I would have presumed you would have wanted to go lighter than stock?
It wasn't supposed to be heavier, its advertised as light weight. According to Yella Terra its somewhere between 10.8 and 11.3 kg, and their standard weight one is 13kg. According to my scales its a little over 11kg, but I have two different factory flywheels which are around the same if not slightly lighter (although at least one has had a skim in the past). I can't see how a factory flywheel would be 13kg though, so it must be based on a Chevy one (the 153 tooth Chevy flywheel is almost identical to V8 Holden, just has one bolt hole in a slightly different spot). The ultra light weight one is something like 9kg I think which might be a bit much, my main concern was adding a little safety factor - I've pulled out cast iron flywheels with scary stress cracks in the past.
oldn64 wrote:What clutch did you end up using? Are you using a hydrolic clutch or the original rat trap crap?
I had an expensive clutch that was organic on the flywheel side and metal on the clutch plate side, it was very worn out after only a couple of years moderate use - at which time the supplier tells me that's normal! So now just a heavy duty organic clutch (10.5"), didn't replace that as its not very old. I have a Tilton hydraulic thrust bearing for the release, pricey but you never regret it once done:
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immortality wrote:Is that steel flywheel the same item I see advertised on TM?
Possibly, MyAutomotive are selling Yella Terra stuff now. Be warned though, they're yet another supplier that pretends to stock items that are ordered on demand. I was almost drawn in by the dash 3 heads they had advertised for $3K but had to confirm since its way too expensive for one but suspiciously cheap for a pair - after my enquiry the price magically went up to $5.5K...
immortality
Posts: 3416
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:31 pm
cars: VH, VN, VS, VX

Re: Torana SS

Post by immortality »

Yeah, I know about My Automotive. Purely an online re-seller.

I did see the flywheel on TM and seeing as one day I want to put a manual in the Senator I was considering getting it and hiding it away for a rainy day.
VK_3800
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:15 pm
cars: SS Torana
Location: NZ

Re: Torana SS

Post by VK_3800 »

The current price is not great considering they are AU$410 direct but weighty to ship so if it came up on special might be worth it. Genuine Yella Terra item and seems pretty good quality, so no issues in that respect.
VK_3800
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:15 pm
cars: SS Torana
Location: NZ

Re: Torana SS

Post by VK_3800 »

Had some minor issues with valve train noise which I tracked down to the springs not seating right, they look like they're standard diameter but they are ever so slightly larger. So heads off and machined the pockets just slightly:
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For some reason I didn't get the rear main seal right this time, so may as well pull the whole engine and re-do that (changed to rubber/neoprene seal). While we're at it the cam was a bit lackluster so drop in something a little bigger:
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That made a nice improvement, although I'm still working through the EFI tuning to make it drive as smoothly as possible. Tried it out on the drag strip with a best of 13.2 but inconsistent again, and running mid 13s @107mph so there's definitely more. Clutch issues again, I didn't do too much damage but the car definitely smelled a bit that day. Ordered one of these to fix it:
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(still on its way)

Also decided that the diff ratio is too in-between at 3.45, it was good with the four speed but with the five speed (fifth gear is 0.64:1 so quite tall) and the new cam liking a few more revs I decided to change it back to 3.91:
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Of course the diff change means I need to fix the speedo again - no problem, I have a couple of spare gears. Oops, none of them are even remotely close. Thought I'd try something different and see if I can get the 3D printer to produce something that will work:
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With a little clean up it fits and works, we'll see how long the ABS plastic lasts (I suspect they are normally nylon?)

While the engine and gearbox were out again I decided to move the shifter to the rearward position so it falls to hand better. Unfortunately that meant the four cylinder console surround no longer fits (I believe someone changed it when the Toyota 5 speed was originally fitted, now long gone - shifter position is more standard again now). Rare Spares sells the parts to change it back to original but wow they are expensive and I don't really like the look of the switch panel in particular. So I made a surround to hold the boot:
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and went back to a bit of CAD drawing and used the 3D printer to create a piece, along with an aluminium panel with a light coating of wrinkle black:
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along with painting screw heads black and continuing the red pin striping, I think it looks OK:
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The console needs a respray at some point to tidy things up.

An no surprises here but the clutch master cylinder is slowly bypassing (can't hold the pedal down too long, it will release by itself!) and starting to leak again due to the strange angles. So I got one of the shorty Tilton master cylinders, and will be attempting some custom bracketry to install this when the new clutch arrives (or before if the current one dies completely):
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Hopefully its just short enough to mount it level to the left of the column under the dash, and the hose will run out the existing pushrod hole so I can still mount the reservoir in the engine bay where it belongs.
VK_3800
Posts: 526
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:15 pm
cars: SS Torana
Location: NZ

Re: Torana SS

Post by VK_3800 »

VK_3800 wrote:we'll see how long the ABS plastic lasts
Turns out about 3 days...
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