manufactures dont add parts to assemblies for fun. They do it out of necessity.

Be careful about this; dowel pins and their mating holes have positional tolerances on the order of 0.1 mm or less; it's impossible to get that magnitude of accuracy by eyeballing it. Also, the point of a dowel pin is so that the bolts don't have to locate the part, which allows the bolt holes to have a larger positional tolerance. This means that centering the through holes over the tapped holes may not actually be "perfectly lined up," even if it were possible to do that by eyeballing it. Finally, due to the very high tolerance involved, dowel pin machining is expensive, and usually avoided if at all possible; so when there is a dowel pin, there's a good reason for it. Just some things to keep in mind.

I mean all 3 of those cars are still running several years later. So I am not to worried about them. Its not something I generally do, but something I have done when not thinking about it or not having the dowels handy. The cars were all also running ARP head studs. So it was more of drop the head straight down, more then put it on and use bolts to line it up.

I would not leave those out, you might not be as lucky as shuiend. They seem critical to me, I am running head studs but made sure to grab the dowel pins from my old block too.

They are on the way.

I cleaned some gasket maker from the oil pump and block mating place and I noticed that the pump is not level with the block - where the oil pan will sit.

On one side the pump is a little low and on the other side it is a little high, I'll take a picture when I 'll get home.

Not my engine just for reference:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e7f182077b.png

You have the locating dowels on the pump? Otherwise, just let a generous amount of silicone sit for 5-10 minutes so it gets tacky and doesn't flow as easily, then throw the pan on.

It is a BE stage 2 pump... the only thing not attached to it was the o-ring - so I believe the locating dowels are there...

Gates vs china and sendblasted valve cover
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...65c72f50c0.jpg
Gates
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fde868de74.jpgChina
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cfdb00b522.jpgSendblast
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...70c8ccb59b.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...11a486b5a.jpegCompressor housing upgrade
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...035a9122b.jpegMore progress

I got an IC for over the rad setup, I need to relocate my dryer... any good tips ?

Thanks
Elior

I noticed my intake VVT camshaft dowel pin is almost flat with the camshaft....Should I be alarmed ?

The pic just for reference: (not my engine)

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ca66ecabfd.png

More progress...
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...364e44ddd.jpeg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2a0d8b4df.jpeg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...357caf742.jpeg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d60bcfbe3.jpeg

Looks nice. is that the msm orange paint?

.

No, got it from amazon

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...378ca7cbe.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e2ce2a82d.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e5f483918.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2067a6713.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4efd0b586.jpeg

.

Yeap. I drilled out the crankcase side on mine, and pressed in a 1/2" ID tube and ran a 1/2" ID hose to it, with no sharp bends. The AN stuff looks pretty, but the crankcase side is likely no better than stock for flow from the fitting and sharp bend, and what looks no bigger than stock either.

Just for looks