L98 Crate Engine Installation

In April 2002, only 4 months after I purchased my '81 Corvette, the #8 lobe on the cam blew. Not good news for a first time 'Vette buyer! After getting alot of technical advise, I decided to replace the old engine with a brand new crate engine from Scoggin-Dickeys. The original L81 engine was specific to this vehicle only. Because of the higher emission laws being imposed in the early 1980's, the carburetor to this engine was controlled by an ECM (Electronic Control Module.) This was basically a stop-gap for the Corvette until the Cross-Fire Injection system was released in 1982. The new crate engine I installed is standard LM1 long block with L98 aluminum heads and a mild cam (see specs.)

Here's the big mess a computer controlled carburetor makes! Imagine the expression on my face when I realized I had to put all of that back on the new crate motor. (Man, I can't wait till I get TPI.)

Sweet! It's my new engine. Notice the L98 aluminum heads with the shiny center-bolt patterned chrome valve covers. They were even nice enough to include a chrome timing plate and harmonic balancer.

This is the old flex plate attached to the L81 engine. I decided it was a good time to replace it with a new one from Scoggy-Dickens. This step in the project costed me an extra day because I assumed all plates are the same. Nope! They do have plates with differing number of teeth! Luckly, I was able to exchange the one they sent me at no charge with the correct one.

Is that concrete down there? This is the front end with the engine missing. While the engine was out, I decided to power wash front end and add a few coats of black paint. It was actually weird when I was able to stand inside the engine compartment!

New crate engine installed without exhaust headers. Notice the angled plugs on the L98 aluminum heads. It takes some getting-use-to when cleaning or replacing plugs now. But the headers clear!

Since shorty-style exhaust manifolds are stock on all 'vettes, I had to chop of the pipes just below/behind the fire wall to make the new Hooker Headers fit. But notice, the misalignment!

Here's a neat trick! I used some bendable exhaust tubing from PepBoys and a few clamps to temporary rig my exhaust. This allowed me to drive about 15 miles to the muffler shop without burning up my transmission and deading my ear drums!

And another trick! I painted some of the nuts and washers with black semi-gloss by threading them through some masking tape and then hanging them in the air. This allowed me to get all around them without touching the wet paint.

I also decided to save time and money by power wasing the intake and coating it with high-temp chrome colored paint. Nobody really sees it anyway, tucked up underneath the huge air cleaner and numberous wires and hoses surrounding the carb (remember the special '81s).

Here is the old carburetor on the new engine. While it was off the intake, I did give it a once-over with carburetor cleaner.