Here are some exterior shots of the car with the hood on an front air diverter plates installed. Shes looking good if I do say so myself.
The transmission was leaking so I the guys a Mikes Transmission 505-797-9444 go threw it. They found bad seals, damaged pump gear, and the cause of most of it was the converter wasn't fitting properly. The pilot on the converter is not modified and fits like a glove and the trans looks great. I can't wait to take it for spin. I also go the headers wrapped and put back in along with a transmission scatter shield and drive shaft loop.
I started rerouting the wiring in the engine bay to avoid heat and clean up the appearance. Hear are some before and after pictures.
So the initial drive didn't go as planed. The number 1 spark plug wire was touching the header and was destroyed taking the alternator with it. Since I am digging into the car again I decide to relocate the coil packs. I built custom brackets for them and I'm using caprice lt1 plug wires. I am also rerouting some the the engine bay wiring and fixing some leaks I found. I plan on wrapping the hot pipes with DEI Header kit to help battle the heat too.
The coolant lines are installed. I was chasing my tail on this one. I had one line I couldn't install because the compressor housing was in the way. I pulled it off, installed the line then couldn't get it back on. Finally I loosened the turbo bracket and undid the exhaust. I was so sad. But I got it all in there now. 2 steps back to get 1 step forward. It's almost there now. I got the engine oil in, the trans fluid is good to go. I need to get the intercooler back on, fill the coolant, gas tank, check the rear diff, and hookup a couple more wires inside the car.
I got the new blow off valve flange/pipe welded, painted and installed. Here is a picture of the ams-1000 boost controller solenoids. I just finished reading the manual and this thing is wicked!
I hooked up my breather/catchcan setup. I'm running a line from each valvecover and a line from the valley cover. Two 5/8 lines and one 3/8 hose. I also hooked up the tps sensor and wired in one of my sqc boost solenoids as a idle air control valve. In an attempt to keep the engine bay looking cleaner I'm running 3 lines off the bottom of the edelbrock elbow. They go to the IACV, intake air temp, & blow off valve.
Test fitting the hood to make sure everything clears.
I started building the intercooler piping for the car. I picked up 5 feet of straight 3 inch aluminum pipe and 2 slivers of solid 3 inch to cap the original intercooler inlets. I'm routing the pipe into the back of each end tank. I primarily used 15 degree cuts so that 2 put together the would equal 30 degrees. I did this in an attempt to keep the bends smoother. The u bend coming off of the turbo on the hot side of the intercooler is mild steel to accommodate the blow off valve flange that is steel. You will also notice in the pictures I got the rest off the exhaust installed. I also got the bumper cut and remounted.
I made a bracket to hold the intercooler and it is in its new home. Now I can start planing the piping. I'm going modify to end tanks for sure.
I put the intake manifold on and hooked up and tucked the injector and coil wires out of sight. The fuel lines are all hooked up. I got the turbo mounted and the driver side header on. I'm still doing wiring on the passenger side. I also have to come up with a plan on how I'm going to run the intercooler piping.
My Infinity Q45 90mm Throttle body came in on Saturday. The OEM Camaro (76mm) would not fit on the Edelbrock elbow. There was a gap at the bottom. This was one of the cases were things cascaded. I bought the stock throttle body for the Weiand manifold I decide not to use after reading some reviews. Then bought the elbow to match the stock throttle body but it didn't fit. Finally I ended up back at the Q45 throttle body I wanted. What a mess right? So now that I have the Q45 T-body I have to make it fit the Edelbrock elbow. Here is how I did it.
I got my GMPP single plane intake manifold and edelbrock elbow in. I put them together and came up with a mount for the fuel rails. I still need the IM gaskets. It didn't come with any and they are not the standard ls gasket. I also got a 1/4X6X18 3/8 aluminum plate and redid the valley tray with a fitting I will run to a breather style catch can.
Oct 09: I have the custom engine harness pretty much done now. I just need to put it in. I got my fuel rails in the mail. They are the professional products rails. I was concerned with the internal diameter but the bore is much larger than the -8AN fittings I'm using so it should be fine. I also got the coil brackets tapped for the coil bolts. The Comp 3.75 push rods and stock rocker arms are now installed under the valve covers. I also ordered my 4inch thick 1000hp intercooler.
The moment I have been waiting for. I got the engine in the car. I installed the lifters and put the heads on. I got the flexplate on and now the motor is on the motor mounts. I still need to attach the torque converter. I also measured the push rods with a write up that TR posted and figured out I need 3.75 push rods. So I got those ordered. I also got the weiand intake and figured out that it wasn't going to work with my oil pressure sensor along with some negative reviews and resold it. I now have on order a GMPP single plane manifold and edelbrock elbow coming. It is similar to what the previous owner ran. I also read in gmhtp that a car gained 90hp on same boost (19psi) by switching from stock manifold.
I got the coil brackets in and painted them along with the valve covers. I need to tap the holes for the coil bolts. I had to come up with a solution to the water crossover pipe that had been cut off. I ground flat the area, then drilled and taped for a fitting. I'm very happy with how it came out. As a last note for this entry I finally got the lifters in. Now I can put the heads on.
The first customizing hurtle has arrived. The bracket for the alternator I have was intended for an aluminum ls1 block and doesn't fit the 6.0 iron block. The iron block is missing the location for a bolt I have labeled 2 and a I needed to drill and tap location 1. I was able to modify the bracket I had by adding another arm going to a bolt location on the head.
I put the windage tray, crank sensor, and oil pan on. I was putting the flex plate on when I discovered the motor was hanging up on something internally. I have been checking as I go along so allot of cursing in sued. After rechecking the windage tray and disassembling it. I discovered that the crank sensor was hitting where the machine shop had welded in the weight when the crank was balanced. I ground it down and now everything is happy again.
I got the Z06 cam, trickflow double timing set, melling oil pump installed. I had to grind alittle on the front cover to get it to fit but its on now along with the water line fittings. I also started on the wiring harness.
Final putting it together. At this point I have the pistons in. I'm still waiting for my lifters to show up(3wks so far). Then I can put the heads on and measure for pushrods. I need to pick up some misc small stuff to. I'm sure it will add up quick though.
I started measuring my clearances and gapping my rings. I'm using cartech's How To Rebuild an LS as my guide. Along with wiesco's and arp's spec sheets.
After mocking up the truck pan on the motor and measuring the bottom of the pan compared to the motor mounts I determined I only had 2 inches of ground clearance with out the weight of the motor in the car. This would probably rest the motor on the ground once installed. I picked up this corvette oil pan with the idea that I would have to cut off the wings and weld it up but I think I might be able to keep it as is. It is 5 inches deep compared to 9 inches of the truck pan. I do not plan on running the exhaust under the car and it looks like the wings will clear the frame.
I finished cleaning up the heads and put them together. Here is a shot of the Comp 918 valve springs next to the oem springs. My Cometic Head gaskets, TCI Flex plate, and oem damper came in too. Now the rotating assembly will get balanced.
I started working on the heads this week. I pulled the valvesprings out because I plan to upgrade them. The head wasn't as clean as I hoped after being hot-tanked so I pulled the valves out and started scrubing. Then I decided the casting need to be smoothed out a bit a the valve could stand to be lapped. I have one head cleaned up but still have the other to do.
The engine was in pieces when I got it. I have about 60% of the engine and I'm starting to get parts now. Below you see the bare block I am tring to piece together. Also the new Wiseco pistons, Manley rods, Melling Oil Pump, Trickflow timing set, and some used Comp Cams Valvesprings.
The Borg Warner s480 along with the hot side piping/exhaust that is going back on the car.
Here are some shots of the fuel system that came with the car. Its a magnafuel 750 pump with regulator and -10an feedlines -8an Return. Also pictured is the 4linked ford 8.8 rearend with moser internals and the tranny cooler.
Here are some interior shots and the empty (for now) engine bay.
Aug 09: I picked up this 240z off a member of Hybridz.org. It has alot of stuff I was planing to do to a 240z once I found it. I got it for a reasonable price and have a great car to start my new project.
