Halfcent's summer of 2012
11-15-2012, 05:12 PM
#80
Awesome work! Rare to see anyone actually keep these cars for the long haul, and even rarer to see anyone do these kinds of things.
Can't wait for the rest of the pictures to come and the final product!
Can't wait for the rest of the pictures to come and the final product!
11-15-2012, 07:42 PM
#81
I'm old school
Thread Starter
Today was scrubbin' and cleanin' day. I literally spent all day washing parts. I've got a pile of nuts and bolts here I need to replace. Couldn't find engine girdle bolts in the aftermarket, had to order those from Tom at CED. I put my Wiseco Pistons in the chem tank for the weekend, they should come out nice and shiny. I actually didn't finish. Still have to a few greasy parts to clean and then I can start taking apart the brake system on the car. I have the LSJ ABS module and the LNF booster to put in. Should be pretty easy (I hope).
11-16-2012, 11:40 PM
#83
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Have you ever worked as a technician? You seem extremely mechanically inclined so I'm wondering where exactly it comes from.
That said, this is some amazing work you are doing. Keep it up.
That said, this is some amazing work you are doing. Keep it up.
11-17-2012, 12:01 PM
#84
I'm old school
Thread Starter
I am trained as an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic (A&P) as well as being a pilot. I never used the A&P professionally so I turned it into my hobby on cars.
11-28-2012, 10:20 AM
#88
I'm old school
Thread Starter
Headed to work, done for the week, here is the progress report...
I got the engine going back together. Got the block on the stand and cleaned the girdle mounting surface.
Test fit the girdle before installing the crank.
And lower have back together, not bolted yet, still waiting for the bolts.
There is a section in the build book that discusses removing excess casting flash and I had been curious about that. How much could there really be? Let me tell you, A LOT! I spent one full morning just cutting and grind **** of the block and girdle. Here you can see the rough edge around the oil drain port in the lower right. That was everywhere.
It was even here, right on the lip edge of the bearing saddle. The picture is a little blurry, but you get the idea.
Then I found this little problem...
Ya, the header is cracked.
So I'm gonna need to go get one of those. Fortunely that's easy. I'm dropping my Eagle rods and Wiseco pistons off at the shop on my way out to get the pins pressed in and then balanced.
Then I swapped out the FE1 ABS, booster and master cylinder for the FE5 parts. Here is the 2005 FE1 next to a 2010 FE5.
Found the new master cylinder has a larger fluid fitting, so I'll need to order the newer brake line, no biggie. The ABS module was a direct swap, harness and lines. No issues.
So that's it for now. Next week should be the engine back together and mated with the trans, hopefull installed on the cradle. Talk to you soon.
Halfcent
I got the engine going back together. Got the block on the stand and cleaned the girdle mounting surface.
Test fit the girdle before installing the crank.
And lower have back together, not bolted yet, still waiting for the bolts.
There is a section in the build book that discusses removing excess casting flash and I had been curious about that. How much could there really be? Let me tell you, A LOT! I spent one full morning just cutting and grind **** of the block and girdle. Here you can see the rough edge around the oil drain port in the lower right. That was everywhere.
It was even here, right on the lip edge of the bearing saddle. The picture is a little blurry, but you get the idea.
Then I found this little problem...
Ya, the header is cracked.
So I'm gonna need to go get one of those. Fortunely that's easy. I'm dropping my Eagle rods and Wiseco pistons off at the shop on my way out to get the pins pressed in and then balanced.
Then I swapped out the FE1 ABS, booster and master cylinder for the FE5 parts. Here is the 2005 FE1 next to a 2010 FE5.
Found the new master cylinder has a larger fluid fitting, so I'll need to order the newer brake line, no biggie. The ABS module was a direct swap, harness and lines. No issues.
So that's it for now. Next week should be the engine back together and mated with the trans, hopefull installed on the cradle. Talk to you soon.
Halfcent
Last edited by Halfcent; 11-29-2012 at 12:21 AM.
12-06-2012, 08:12 AM
#89
I'm old school
Thread Starter
So here is this weeks progress so far.
As I mentioned, I got the booster, cylinder, and resevoir installed.
The two red capped connections are what remain. I need the brake line which Tom at CED is sending me and then there is that nipple fitting that my old resevoir didn't have. I'm just gonna cap it off. Anybody with a turbo SS know what that's for?
Then I started building the engine.
Got the girdle torqued
That's done, on to the pistons:
Balance shafts...
By the way, the shaft chains are by far the biggest pain in the ass when it comes to putting this engine back together. Takes some patience getting the right chain link on the right sprocket tooth.
Moving on to the head...
The foreground is my original head from when the car was new. I had it rebuild and P&P'd. Here is the old head standard cast port:
And the new polished port:
Block with the ARP studs and the Cometic gasket:
And done:
I'm headed out today to mate the trans put everything back in the car. Stay tuned!
As I mentioned, I got the booster, cylinder, and resevoir installed.
The two red capped connections are what remain. I need the brake line which Tom at CED is sending me and then there is that nipple fitting that my old resevoir didn't have. I'm just gonna cap it off. Anybody with a turbo SS know what that's for?
Then I started building the engine.
Got the girdle torqued
That's done, on to the pistons:
Balance shafts...
By the way, the shaft chains are by far the biggest pain in the ass when it comes to putting this engine back together. Takes some patience getting the right chain link on the right sprocket tooth.
Moving on to the head...
The foreground is my original head from when the car was new. I had it rebuild and P&P'd. Here is the old head standard cast port:
And the new polished port:
Block with the ARP studs and the Cometic gasket:
And done:
I'm headed out today to mate the trans put everything back in the car. Stay tuned!
12-06-2012, 08:16 PM
#91
I'm old school
Thread Starter
Today was my last day for this week. Just gave Tom my parts order so I can finish up next week. Here is today's stuff...
Got that nipple on the brake resevoir plugged. Still don't know what that's for.
This next photo shows two things:
First is the repair for that broken tang on the cooling fan. It worked very well. Second is the trans fluid cooling line. It was never designed to fit on the dual-blade fan shrowd. It's pinched between the coolant hose and the shrowd. So I had to re-route it:
That worked well. Got the trans mated up. That actuall went very easy, I was a little worried since I'm working by myself.
Then I found another issue. I'm using the LSJ 6-quart oil pan. Turns out it's missing a couple of trans bell housing bolt holes:
I just had to let those go. I figure there are 8 bolts still holding the thing on, that should be enough. Then I dropped it back into the car...
So that's it for now. I put the front suspension on starting next week.
Got that nipple on the brake resevoir plugged. Still don't know what that's for.
This next photo shows two things:
First is the repair for that broken tang on the cooling fan. It worked very well. Second is the trans fluid cooling line. It was never designed to fit on the dual-blade fan shrowd. It's pinched between the coolant hose and the shrowd. So I had to re-route it:
That worked well. Got the trans mated up. That actuall went very easy, I was a little worried since I'm working by myself.
Then I found another issue. I'm using the LSJ 6-quart oil pan. Turns out it's missing a couple of trans bell housing bolt holes:
I just had to let those go. I figure there are 8 bolts still holding the thing on, that should be enough. Then I dropped it back into the car...
So that's it for now. I put the front suspension on starting next week.
12-11-2012, 07:43 PM
#93
I'm old school
Thread Starter
It's mostly back together. Now I have to work on details, like the brake filling and bleeding, wiring that cooling fan, other little ****. Here is the new front suspension.
And a teaser of the front wheel...
And a teaser of the front wheel...
12-20-2012, 07:41 PM
#99
I'm old school
Thread Starter
Progress has been slow lately. I've done lots of little touch up things while waiting for some critical little parts. Swapped the fuel filter, installed an antenna splitter for the head unit and HD tuner I've got. Replaced a door handle so the peeling foil doesn't cut my finger anymore.
The two outstanding issues left are the brake line problem from above and the cooling fan wiring.
I thought I might get lucky on the brake line by ordering one the SS/TC. But nope, doesn't fit. So I'm gonna have to cut and reflare my original. More on that later with pics when I do it.
I will be able to wire the dual cooling fan just like it should be as in the SS/SC using the fusebox under the hood, but it is involved and will take longer than I wish to have the car out of service. So I'm going to do the quick fix for now to get it back on the road and I'll work on a core unit fusebox on the workbench later when I have lots of time to rewire it all.
I'm off for Christmas, but wont be working on the car during the holiday. I'll post more when I have something for you.
The two outstanding issues left are the brake line problem from above and the cooling fan wiring.
I thought I might get lucky on the brake line by ordering one the SS/TC. But nope, doesn't fit. So I'm gonna have to cut and reflare my original. More on that later with pics when I do it.
I will be able to wire the dual cooling fan just like it should be as in the SS/SC using the fusebox under the hood, but it is involved and will take longer than I wish to have the car out of service. So I'm going to do the quick fix for now to get it back on the road and I'll work on a core unit fusebox on the workbench later when I have lots of time to rewire it all.
I'm off for Christmas, but wont be working on the car during the holiday. I'll post more when I have something for you.