Started on the red car tonight...
03-11-2010, 05:15 AM
#1
Started on the red car tonight... I have been gathering parts for my 00' Firehawk for a while now. I had changed my plans and tried to sell everything so I could build a solid roller 406 for my 89 T/A. After all the low ballers wanting me to give my parts away I decided to just get the few parts I needed and build my car. F-it.
I have a 00' Firehawk w/ 47,xxx miles. When I bought the car it had a SLP lid, SLP 3 inch y pipe, 180 thermostat and a lou short stick shifter. After I got it I put new plugs, MSD wires and a Fast Toys Ram Air SSRA on it. It put down 333 hp on a mustang dyno, for whatever that's worth. I took it to the track once but my times were so bad I don't care to speak of them. It was in the high 8's in the 1/8.
I put strano springs and Koni 4/4's on it and loved it. I plan on doing more suspension mods after the engine gets done.
This my "plan".
Engine/Fuel/Exhaust;
TEA 5.3 1.5 heads w/ Comp 921 dual springs, Ti retainers/locks, ARP head bolts
H/S roller rockers
EPS custom grind cam, 226/230 .598/.600" 112LSA +2
LS6 intake w/ ported T/B, 85mm SLP MAF, Fast Toys 98mm lid
Racetronix pump & hotwire kit
Bosch 32 injectors, 36 at 58psi
XS long tubes w/ ORYP, flowmaster merge, 4inch cutout, factory SLP dual/dual exhaust
SLP U/D pulley
Trans;
Tick stage 2 rebuild
Tick adjustable M/C
Monster stage 3.5 clutch
Extras;
HSW 78mm wet plate kit w/ controller+, FPSS, interface and so on.
I really don't plan on starting on the car till late April. By that time I will have ordered the Tick rebuild kit and injectors. Those are the only two things I have yet to order.
I got bored tonight and started cleaning the car. After looking at the nitrous wiring diagram I thought I should go ahead and start on that part of soon. I have never had nitrous before and I am slowly learning about it.
I decided to take the car to the shop I work at and mount the bottle. I decided on the HSW tunnel mount bracket. I thought about putting in it in the spare tire well but didn't want to spend the money on the remote opener and a bottle between the rear seats just looks cool.
I am suppose to get the springs from SDPC later this week and will have them installed and the chambers cc'd. I am looking for 11:1 comp ratio
After we got the car on the lift a short break was taken with some beer to "take in" the car.
After we ran out of excuses to drink I did a little bit of work on the car.
I really like the bottle there but I am going to have to rotate it so I can see the gauge. It will have a bottle heater on it so the HSW sticker on the bottle will be covered up. I am **** about some of those things. I would rather for the HSW sticker to be straight up and the gauge facing me.
It will probably be a while till i post again. I have wiring to do which is not that exciting.
I have a 00' Firehawk w/ 47,xxx miles. When I bought the car it had a SLP lid, SLP 3 inch y pipe, 180 thermostat and a lou short stick shifter. After I got it I put new plugs, MSD wires and a Fast Toys Ram Air SSRA on it. It put down 333 hp on a mustang dyno, for whatever that's worth. I took it to the track once but my times were so bad I don't care to speak of them. It was in the high 8's in the 1/8.
I put strano springs and Koni 4/4's on it and loved it. I plan on doing more suspension mods after the engine gets done.
This my "plan".
Engine/Fuel/Exhaust;
TEA 5.3 1.5 heads w/ Comp 921 dual springs, Ti retainers/locks, ARP head bolts
H/S roller rockers
EPS custom grind cam, 226/230 .598/.600" 112LSA +2
LS6 intake w/ ported T/B, 85mm SLP MAF, Fast Toys 98mm lid
Racetronix pump & hotwire kit
Bosch 32 injectors, 36 at 58psi
XS long tubes w/ ORYP, flowmaster merge, 4inch cutout, factory SLP dual/dual exhaust
SLP U/D pulley
Trans;
Tick stage 2 rebuild
Tick adjustable M/C
Monster stage 3.5 clutch
Extras;
HSW 78mm wet plate kit w/ controller+, FPSS, interface and so on.
I really don't plan on starting on the car till late April. By that time I will have ordered the Tick rebuild kit and injectors. Those are the only two things I have yet to order.
I got bored tonight and started cleaning the car. After looking at the nitrous wiring diagram I thought I should go ahead and start on that part of soon. I have never had nitrous before and I am slowly learning about it.
I decided to take the car to the shop I work at and mount the bottle. I decided on the HSW tunnel mount bracket. I thought about putting in it in the spare tire well but didn't want to spend the money on the remote opener and a bottle between the rear seats just looks cool.
I am suppose to get the springs from SDPC later this week and will have them installed and the chambers cc'd. I am looking for 11:1 comp ratio
After we got the car on the lift a short break was taken with some beer to "take in" the car.
After we ran out of excuses to drink I did a little bit of work on the car.
I really like the bottle there but I am going to have to rotate it so I can see the gauge. It will have a bottle heater on it so the HSW sticker on the bottle will be covered up. I am **** about some of those things. I would rather for the HSW sticker to be straight up and the gauge facing me.
It will probably be a while till i post again. I have wiring to do which is not that exciting.
Last edited by LilJayV10; 05-04-2010 at 12:58 AM.
03-11-2010, 05:23 AM
#2
Staging Lane
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beautiful car. The superbee or sattelite (whatever it is) is very nice too. Good luck. I think if I had a Hawk, I would leave it stock so it would be worth more to collectors. But, I dont have a Hawk, soooo.
05-04-2010, 01:38 AM
#6
I finally started on the car a few days ago. Because of how long it was going to take to get the cam ground and the trans rebuilt I decided to do it at home in the garage instead of the shop. Oh you guys are going to laugh. My current garage is a far cry away from the shop I work at.
I took the engine out the bottom like I have had on several LT1 cars I have worked on. I couldn't imagine pulling it out the top or leaving it in do a head swap. My back can't take that. The LS platform is so much easier to take out than the LT series. You have about half the hoses and wires as you do with an LT1. I honestly think on a lift with air tools I could have it out in under two hours. This is my first LS engine experience so I took my time taking it apart. I was very impressed how easy the car came apart.
I don't have any pics of the car up in the air. I was thinking about 100 other things and taking a pic wasn't one of them.
I ended up getting a set of Comp 921 dual springs w/ lightweight locks/retainers from Tony @AFR. Thanks Tony for the great deal!
I originally was going to use the TR230 cam with stock heads. After I picked up the TEA 5.3 heads I thought a custom cam would be a little bit better. After reading about the EPS cam lobes I decided to give them a try. I talked to Patrick G' via PM's and told him what I wanted. Good low-mid range, I don't want to spin the **** out of the motor to make power and I want to hear the cam at idle. He spec'd me out a 226/230 .598/.600" 112LSA +2. I called Geoff at EPS a few weeks later and told him what cam Pat G had suggested. Geoff said, "That cam will have good low-mid range, you won't have to turn it to 7k to make power and you will hear it at idle." He said exactly what I had asked Pat G for. He said that cam is a "middle of the road" cam. He said I could go bigger but it would be harder to tune and not be as friendly to drive.
At first I thought this cam was to small. I thought I needed something in the 23x/24x range. After seeing countless dyno/track threads where 224 and 230 cars are running mid low 11's and 24x/24x and 24x/25x cars with less than 400lbs ft of tq. I decided I should listen to someone who knows more than me. If the car doesn't perform like I want it I will swap out the cam at a later date.
Traction and blowing the rear up is going to be my biggest concerns first. I am not going to be able to use all the power I am going to have.
Mike Norris is going to be doing my tuning. He was very nice to talk to and I have talked to one of his recent customers who is very happy with him. He suggested the SLP MAF(which I know a lot of people don't like but he does.) and bigger injectors. He said 42's would be OK but would be a little overkill and harder to tune. I talked to FIC injectors here on the board and he suggested the bosch 32 series 3 EV6 injectors. I am not one of these guys who calls a sponsor and when they don't tell me what "I think" is right I tell them they are wrong and do what I want to do.
Anyhow I got the motor apart tonight. Everything looks great. The car had a strange miss in it since I have had it. I have checked everything, changed plugs/wires, cleaned MAF and TB, checked for vacuum leaks but it was still there. I figured it had a bent valve and/or a pushrod. When I took it apart there is a nice impression in the #7 piston from the valve.
There probably won't be any updates for a while. I have to order the cam from EPS which will take a month to get and have the trans rebuilt. I still have to order injectors and am looking for a Fast Toys 98mm lid.
I am going to degree the cam and check PTV clearance.
Thanks for reading. Sorry this is such a long post.
I took the engine out the bottom like I have had on several LT1 cars I have worked on. I couldn't imagine pulling it out the top or leaving it in do a head swap. My back can't take that. The LS platform is so much easier to take out than the LT series. You have about half the hoses and wires as you do with an LT1. I honestly think on a lift with air tools I could have it out in under two hours. This is my first LS engine experience so I took my time taking it apart. I was very impressed how easy the car came apart.
I don't have any pics of the car up in the air. I was thinking about 100 other things and taking a pic wasn't one of them.
I ended up getting a set of Comp 921 dual springs w/ lightweight locks/retainers from Tony @AFR. Thanks Tony for the great deal!
I originally was going to use the TR230 cam with stock heads. After I picked up the TEA 5.3 heads I thought a custom cam would be a little bit better. After reading about the EPS cam lobes I decided to give them a try. I talked to Patrick G' via PM's and told him what I wanted. Good low-mid range, I don't want to spin the **** out of the motor to make power and I want to hear the cam at idle. He spec'd me out a 226/230 .598/.600" 112LSA +2. I called Geoff at EPS a few weeks later and told him what cam Pat G had suggested. Geoff said, "That cam will have good low-mid range, you won't have to turn it to 7k to make power and you will hear it at idle." He said exactly what I had asked Pat G for. He said that cam is a "middle of the road" cam. He said I could go bigger but it would be harder to tune and not be as friendly to drive.
At first I thought this cam was to small. I thought I needed something in the 23x/24x range. After seeing countless dyno/track threads where 224 and 230 cars are running mid low 11's and 24x/24x and 24x/25x cars with less than 400lbs ft of tq. I decided I should listen to someone who knows more than me. If the car doesn't perform like I want it I will swap out the cam at a later date.
Traction and blowing the rear up is going to be my biggest concerns first. I am not going to be able to use all the power I am going to have.
Mike Norris is going to be doing my tuning. He was very nice to talk to and I have talked to one of his recent customers who is very happy with him. He suggested the SLP MAF(which I know a lot of people don't like but he does.) and bigger injectors. He said 42's would be OK but would be a little overkill and harder to tune. I talked to FIC injectors here on the board and he suggested the bosch 32 series 3 EV6 injectors. I am not one of these guys who calls a sponsor and when they don't tell me what "I think" is right I tell them they are wrong and do what I want to do.
Anyhow I got the motor apart tonight. Everything looks great. The car had a strange miss in it since I have had it. I have checked everything, changed plugs/wires, cleaned MAF and TB, checked for vacuum leaks but it was still there. I figured it had a bent valve and/or a pushrod. When I took it apart there is a nice impression in the #7 piston from the valve.
There probably won't be any updates for a while. I have to order the cam from EPS which will take a month to get and have the trans rebuilt. I still have to order injectors and am looking for a Fast Toys 98mm lid.
I am going to degree the cam and check PTV clearance.
Thanks for reading. Sorry this is such a long post.
Last edited by LilJayV10; 05-04-2010 at 12:56 PM.
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05-04-2010, 02:03 AM
#8
I really like the bottle there but I am going to have to rotate it so I can see the gauge. It will have a bottle heater on it so the HSW sticker on the bottle will be covered up. I am **** about some of those things. I would rather for the HSW sticker to be straight up and the gauge facing me.
Geoff at EPS is great at what he does, and that cam sounds like it should suit your needs to a T.
Last edited by squirts11; 05-04-2010 at 02:09 AM.
05-04-2010, 03:30 AM
#9
I know very little if nothing about nitrous. After some reading I realized the sticker has to go up because in that position the feed tube is at the bottom. I am going to find a way to leave it like that and still see the gauge.
I am interested to see what the cam does too. I can't justify a FAST right now. That money needs to go for a 9inch.
05-08-2010, 02:59 AM
#12
Got the heads back from the machine shop, they are 64cc. I guess with the chamber work it opened it up some. I ordered the cam this afternoon from Geoff, he seems be a busy man. Sounds like business is going good for him. I didn't realize he use to own Thunder Racing.
After I measure PTV I will see how much I can mill the heads down.
Right now I am trying to get the harmonic balancer off the motor. Going to do the poly mounts this week and start installing some wiring.
After I measure PTV I will see how much I can mill the heads down.
Right now I am trying to get the harmonic balancer off the motor. Going to do the poly mounts this week and start installing some wiring.
05-31-2010, 02:17 AM
#13
Small update. I decided to ditch the H/S rockers and go with stock with the comp upgrade.
Trans is getting rebuilt now with Tick stage 2 kit. 3rd and 2nd gear needed replaced, everything else looks good. Took a while to find 2nd gear. The Source took care of me and hooked me up with one even though everyone else was on national back order.
I got the flowmaster 3in into 4in out y pipe, rocker upgrade and LS series crank socket from comp cams this weekend.
Fed ex tried to deliver my cam on Sat. (I wasn't home)That's the one part that is holding me up. After I measure PTV I can figure out if I am going to have the heads milled. I have an adjustable timing gear set that I will probably not use. Originally I bought it because I was going to adjust the TR230 cam.
I need to order some stuff from Strano, probably will do that Tuesday. Brake pads, LCA's, relocation brackets. Sam called me back last week because I left him a message saying I was going to order online and I hadn't yet. He was checking to make sure he didn't miss the order. You will not find better customer service in this industry. I am a Strano nutswinger if anyone asks. It's not as bad as Doug with Vengance but close. LOL.
Ordered some misc. gaskets/bolts from John@SDPC, who is also great by the way.
I picked up a set of 28lb injectors and SLP bellows on the cheap. I needed the bellows because I am using the HSW plate kit. I will see what the duty cycle of the injectors are before I have it dyno tuned. I might have to step up to the bosch 32's.
Basically just a bunch of waiting. Hopefully Tuesday night I will have measured PTV and get the heads to the machine shop if needed. I am going to run the most compression I can w/o flycutting.
Thanks for reading.
Trans is getting rebuilt now with Tick stage 2 kit. 3rd and 2nd gear needed replaced, everything else looks good. Took a while to find 2nd gear. The Source took care of me and hooked me up with one even though everyone else was on national back order.
I got the flowmaster 3in into 4in out y pipe, rocker upgrade and LS series crank socket from comp cams this weekend.
Fed ex tried to deliver my cam on Sat. (I wasn't home)That's the one part that is holding me up. After I measure PTV I can figure out if I am going to have the heads milled. I have an adjustable timing gear set that I will probably not use. Originally I bought it because I was going to adjust the TR230 cam.
I need to order some stuff from Strano, probably will do that Tuesday. Brake pads, LCA's, relocation brackets. Sam called me back last week because I left him a message saying I was going to order online and I hadn't yet. He was checking to make sure he didn't miss the order. You will not find better customer service in this industry. I am a Strano nutswinger if anyone asks. It's not as bad as Doug with Vengance but close. LOL.
Ordered some misc. gaskets/bolts from John@SDPC, who is also great by the way.
I picked up a set of 28lb injectors and SLP bellows on the cheap. I needed the bellows because I am using the HSW plate kit. I will see what the duty cycle of the injectors are before I have it dyno tuned. I might have to step up to the bosch 32's.
Basically just a bunch of waiting. Hopefully Tuesday night I will have measured PTV and get the heads to the machine shop if needed. I am going to run the most compression I can w/o flycutting.
Thanks for reading.
06-12-2010, 01:16 AM
#14
I have got everything now except the pushrods. I won't order them till final assembly.
I degreed the cam and with stock gears and a LS2 chain it came out to be 112.5, it's suppose to be at 110. After learning how to degree a cam and figuring out how to use the adjustable gear set I got the ICL to 109.5 which is close as it's going to get. I verified it a few times and was exciting I got it right.
Next I checked piston to valve clearance. This however did not go so well. I have .019@10 degrees ATDC. That's a far cry from the .080 I need. Obviously I am going to have to flycut the pistons which I had not planned to do. This will also give me a chance to have my heads milled down to get my compression ratio up.
As usual things are taking longer than expected but it's better than putting it together, starting it, blowing it up and rebuilding the motor.
I degreed the cam and with stock gears and a LS2 chain it came out to be 112.5, it's suppose to be at 110. After learning how to degree a cam and figuring out how to use the adjustable gear set I got the ICL to 109.5 which is close as it's going to get. I verified it a few times and was exciting I got it right.
Next I checked piston to valve clearance. This however did not go so well. I have .019@10 degrees ATDC. That's a far cry from the .080 I need. Obviously I am going to have to flycut the pistons which I had not planned to do. This will also give me a chance to have my heads milled down to get my compression ratio up.
As usual things are taking longer than expected but it's better than putting it together, starting it, blowing it up and rebuilding the motor.
06-12-2010, 01:25 AM
#15
I should have done a write up on how to degree a cam and still might. I couldn't find any. There are just a few random shots.
I like the LS series degree wheel kit. It comes with the specific parts to bolt to the block and heads. However it didn't come with the checker springs or a box. Oh well.
Next I am going to have to order the Lindy valve cutting tools.
I got the trans back. I am thinking about ordering the bronze shifter cup to replace the plastic one where the gear shifter pivot ball goes into. I don't know how much difference it would make. I am also thinking of doing the Anti-Venom mod to make the trans less notchy. I think I will wait to see how it feels before I go changing things.
I got the Fast Toys 98mm lid and their high flow filter. Ordered some stuff from Strano, roto joint LCA's, LCRLB's and some pads.
Thanks for reading.
I like the LS series degree wheel kit. It comes with the specific parts to bolt to the block and heads. However it didn't come with the checker springs or a box. Oh well.
Next I am going to have to order the Lindy valve cutting tools.
I got the trans back. I am thinking about ordering the bronze shifter cup to replace the plastic one where the gear shifter pivot ball goes into. I don't know how much difference it would make. I am also thinking of doing the Anti-Venom mod to make the trans less notchy. I think I will wait to see how it feels before I go changing things.
I got the Fast Toys 98mm lid and their high flow filter. Ordered some stuff from Strano, roto joint LCA's, LCRLB's and some pads.
Thanks for reading.
Last edited by LilJayV10; 06-12-2010 at 02:13 AM.
06-22-2010, 11:56 PM
#16
If anyone saw my other thread I ended up having to flycut the pistons because the way TEA drops the intake valve. I rented a set of lindy tools from Chris1313 and cut away. Probably to much.
Got the heads cut down to 59cc. Used GM MLS gaskets and bolted them on tonight.
I decided to go with the comp rocker upgrade instead of the Harland Sharps, which are for sale if anyone is interested.
I have to determine push rod length yet.
I got my LCA's, brackets and brake pads from Strano.
Talked to Weld Craft yesterday. Going to send two of my Firehawk wheels off to be widened to 17x11 so I can run a 315 or a 335 tire out back.
I need to put the oil pan back on, I don't see how people put the damn pickup tube back on with the pan still bolted on!
I need to install the U/D pulley but have to check to see if it matters if it's indexed or not with the crank key.
At this rate the car will be done in August, late August.
Got the heads cut down to 59cc. Used GM MLS gaskets and bolted them on tonight.
I decided to go with the comp rocker upgrade instead of the Harland Sharps, which are for sale if anyone is interested.
I have to determine push rod length yet.
I got my LCA's, brackets and brake pads from Strano.
Talked to Weld Craft yesterday. Going to send two of my Firehawk wheels off to be widened to 17x11 so I can run a 315 or a 335 tire out back.
I need to put the oil pan back on, I don't see how people put the damn pickup tube back on with the pan still bolted on!
I need to install the U/D pulley but have to check to see if it matters if it's indexed or not with the crank key.
At this rate the car will be done in August, late August.
