Rocket Man's 02 Denali Build Thread AKA "THE BEAST"

[HiHoeSilver]

Do it, you're there already red

X2 on this. You're a hero, @Red Rocket!

 

[Rocket Man]

****** peer pressure lol. Damn I almost gave up on that oil pan about 10 times. What a *****. I was so close to just saying the timing set and oil pump will have to stay. At one point, with the front diff dropped as far as it would go and the pan looking like it wasn't going to clear, I was sure I made a huge mistake and was going to have to pull the axles and remove the diff. Then I pried some more and there it was. Oil pan off. Must have taken 3 hours. Then I pulled the oil pump and timing chain but no matter what I tried, the lower timing gear wouldn't come off. I tried for over an hour, heating with a torch, driving a tool I made and pounding with an 8 lb sledge but no way. I read online that sometimes they have to be split in half. ridiculous. I stopped before I hurt it. I decided to just replace the chain and the cam gear and oil pump. I measured and tested and checked and the Cloyes chain works perfectly on the lower gear and is the exact same length and width as the OEM. I didn't get crazy with pictures, especially with the part where I was on my back under it (where I think I invented some new cuss words) but here ya go. First pic it starts. Then a shot of the radiator pulled and some of the butterflies I killed. Next is a shot of the front with radiator, intercooler, and A/C condenser removed. That was fun but I had no idea what was coming. A few more bugs, then a shot of what I used to pull the harmonic balancer. I know I shouldn't use the word, but I used a Chrysler balancer puller and modified the old crank bolt to use for it to push against. Easy breezy. The puller hooked on the center spokes of the balancer perfectly. I read this online somewhere.

View attachment 180293 View attachment 180295

 

[Rocket Man]

Stupid forum keeps turning my pics upside down and then I have to mess with them to load right so that post was a bit messy. Anyway, next the cam comes out, then the new cam is in and a new retainer plate is on. Then hours friggin later the oil pan is finally out, and look what I found. It's the piece of the oil filler tube that I dropped when I was doing my headers. Finally, the chain and new cam gear is on and the dots are lined up.

in there

 

[Rocket Man]

Final shot for the day. I spent 10 hours on this today, in record heat of 105 degrees. I'm beat!

 

[Rocket Man]

Almost done. All I have left is the CAI, intercooler, EFans and then fill with fluids. Today I installed the oil pan, transaxle, roller rockers, and all the rest of the engine parts as well as AC condenser and radiator. It was a long day again but it's close. Startup will be in the morning. I'm nervous and excited. In case anybody has to replace the oil level sensor, I included a couple shots of the stupid plug which you can't see the top of so you won't know it has the same clip a lot of other things do, but they made it real hard to release since you can't see it's inside the female part.

 

[Rocket Man]

A few more shots.

 

[Rocket Man]

And more. It was an 11 hour day but it only got to 95 today. Lol.

 

[Rocket Man]

And my Bilstein 4600's for the front came today. I noticed the fronts were feeling soft when I went camping earlier in the week. Amazon Prime had them here in 2 days. Since it's on jack stands and the wheels are off, now's the time. Replacing Arnott's.

 

[95escahoe]

And my Bilstein 4600's for the front came today. I noticed the fronts were feeling soft when I went camping earlier in the week. Amazon Prime had them here in 2 days. Since it's on jack stands and the wheels are off, now's the time. Replacing Arnott's.

View attachment 180442

I might do the same let us know how it rides


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[about20ninj45]

And my Bilstein 4600's for the front came today. I noticed the fronts were feeling soft when I went camping earlier in the week. Amazon Prime had them here in 2 days. Since it's on jack stands and the wheels are off, now's the time. Replacing Arnott's.

View attachment 180442

Didn't like the arnotts?

 

[PG01]

Very good work red, denali has come a long way. Mean ass street/strip/off road machine you have there bud.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Amazing work! You have alot of guts doing it yourself!! Good job.

 

[05Single]

By far the baddest nbs on this forum

 

[cmc76]

Awesome work as always. I cant wait to hear your thoughts after sime break in.

 

[Rocket Man]

Didn't like the arnotts?

They didn't last very long- 2 years or so. I don't have much tolerance in the front with my wheels so when I hit dips in the road my front shocks have to perform perfect or my tires rub. I was on some 2-lane highways and back roads where it wouldn't have rubbed in the past and this week it was, many times. I could tell the Arnott's had gotten soft on me and I have Arnott's premium air shocks in the rear which say they're Bilstein's on them and they work awesome, plus I've never been disappointed in any shock Bilstein makes.

 

[Rocket Man]

It's done! I'm working on getting the first start-up video and first WOT run video done and posted to YouTube. No leaks of any kind and no strange noises so it's all good. Sounds awesome and definitely runs harder. Sounds absolutely insane when I open it up and it friggin' flies. Glad there's no break-in involved with a roller cam 'cause I don't think I could control myself. This thing is a blast to drive. Nobody's gonna mess with this Denali! And thanks for all the compliments guys, it means a lot.

 

[Rocket Man]

And now that I'm done building the engine, I'll do a data log to send to BlackBear and they can tell me how much more boost I can add. I'm hoping for another 3 lbs. Then I can order a smaller blower pulley from Whipple and really see what this thing can do. Of course there's always bigger injectors and even more boost, and I might go that route! I wonder what 14 lbs of boost would do?

 

[Rocket Man]

Ok here's a couple videos; first start and first run at WOT. Enjoy.

 

[95escahoe]

Ok here's a couple videos; first start and first run at WOT. Enjoy.

Sounds badass love this build


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[MadDogDelpho]

Hmm. Something about that doesn't seem stock
Looks and sounds frickin mean, Red. The baddest Denali out there!