Possibly a stupid question before I top swap...

**slimguns** · 05-24-2013

I am within the month of my top swap and at the point where I choose to do it or find a shop/mechanic to do it. My question is, do I have to drill a hole in the block and tap it? I could've sworn I read somewhere that the L36 needed that to top swap. Am I simply confused or missing that step from te above guide?

TIA,
Slim

**blueguy** · 05-24-2013

Slim.

I'd suggest not having anyone touch the car, including you...if you think the block needs drilled and tapped, for anything other than a broken bolt.

**BillBoost37** · 05-24-2013

Slim, I'm not seeing an above guide.

To topswap though, there is no drilling and tapping, unless you are going further and say modding a lim.

**slimguns** · 05-24-2013

Ok. I've been reading over multiple top swap guides and one stated that a female hole was missing in the block for one of the L67 pulley brackets. It is not mentioned in the instructions in the sticky at the top of this section. So we're back to it basically being a gasket change... I changed my L36 gaskets so I'll do it again.

Thanks Bill, I knew it sounded suspicious.

**BillBoost37** · 05-24-2013

I'm not buying that pulley bracket thing. Can you quote it or something..

**slimguns** · 05-24-2013

I can't even find it anymore (the walk through I read from somewhere on google). That's why I was asking, it didn't make sense.

Again, thanks for the clarification.

**dbextreme** · 05-25-2013

I just top swapped my car and all the holes for the idler pulley you are referring to are there. If you look at your motor, under your ICM bracket you'll see two threaded holes and one 10mm bold in a quasi triangle configuration. You'll remove that one 10mm bolt and trash it, and don't worry because coolant will drain from that hole. Hopefully your top swap will come with a bunch of bolts, use thread sealant when you reassemble. I assume that's the pulley bracket you are speaking of. The other "bracket" is your ICM bracket with 1 idler pulley and your tensioner pulley for the supercharger belt. No need at all to drill and tap!!!

**blueguy** · 05-25-2013

The blocks are idential.

Minus rods/piston compression ratio.

You probably found that info on GTPworld, GPONA, or something.

**slimguns** · 05-25-2013

Who knows. Now that I'm trying to find it I can't.

DB, that was the area I remember it being around. Maybe that's what they were talking about.

**dbextreme** · 05-28-2013

If that's the area, here's a pic that might help. All three bolt holes are in your block... IIRC, the two circled in red should be open on your motor. The one circled in white will have a 10mm bold in it about half an inch - 3/4 inch long. It's threaded into a coolant port so on the NA motors it acts like a plug. When you install your idler pulley you will for sure need to put thread sealant on the bolt going into the hole circled in white!!

Hope this helps.