What you don't see in the picture is the PS pump. I plan to run an F-body style alternator bracket that includes an idler using gen 4 / gen 5 camaro belt routing. At this point it is: Gen 5 Camaro L99 waterpump ps pump and tensioner, LY6 D44 high amp alternator low mounted with gen 4 Camaro bracket & idler, Denso 10S17 ac compressor and bracket, gen 5 LS3 intake, LY6 throttlebody.

To elaborate on the new, new, new, as of this exact moment, subject to change again and again compressor plans:
The back of the 10S17 compressor is about 1" in front of the frame stand using the Doug's adapters at 1/2" setback. If you look at the frame stand, the top forward bolt would interfere with the compressor, so I will need to trim back the frame stand as well as the subframe. For this I think I will drill a new hole in the original stand somewhere between the current two, then use it as the new forwad mounting hole.

The bottom of the 10S17 compressor housing at the lower mounting bosses is actually in almost exactly the same place as the Sanden TRSA12 compressor I was attempting to use before, however I now have the option of cutting the rear lower mounting boss off, which would gain clearance for the lower control arm perch in the subframe. This likely will be needed considering how far back this compressor sits. The result is 3-point mounting instead of 4 for the compressor, but I think this will be okay.

Port location on the 10S17 isn't as good as the TRSA12 compressor. The ports are still at 45 degrees, but they are much lower on the compressor and further out. They will sit just barely to the inside of where the upper control arm cross shaft will be. The discharge port is the worst since it's lowest and furthest out on the compressor. To handle this, I plan to use Docs Blocks PN AA2210 which routes tubing tightly against teh compressor at 90 degrees so it runs forward toward the front of the compressor. Here is an image:



Depending on how much room I have with the UCA cross shaft, I may have the option on the suction port to go straight out from the compressor, but if that doesn't work I can use a similar fitting to the one above (AA2209) to route that tube forward also.

Things will be very tight, especially for getting the compressor in and out. I may have to remove the upper control arm when installing it. Also because of the proximity of the motor mount, frame, and compressor bracket, I will need to have the bracket (but not the compressor) installed when I drop in the engine because there will be no room for a wrench at the lower rearmost bolt once installed.

The nice thing about all this is that even though it will be PITA to R&R, it's not something I'll be doing often and for the price of my time and frustration, I will have a cleaner engine bay and some stories to tell about all the combos I tried.

Also a few other notes on the TRSA12 compressor I was going to use before:
I have since looked at the TRSA12 and found that I could use a neutral position, mount upside-down adapter like the Autokraft (or Ak copies I made) with the OEM TRSA12 bracket trimmed appropriately. With the AK mounts I believe it could work with appropriate frame notching. Both the TRSA12 and the 10S17 tensioner mounts are pretty low and I may need to shim down my sway bar to get clearance in that area.

I abandoned the TRSA12 because with the 1/2" setback, right-side-up Dougs adapters I could not use it in the OEM position. After swapping pulleys so I could move the compressor forward, I mocked things up and was unhappy with the resulting port location and the need to build a custom bracket with idler pulleys to get the belt routing to work. I felt this was too many compromises and I wanted to explore other OEM compressors, after which point I found the answer (hopefully!) right under my nose with the 10S17 that original would have come on this engine.

That's all the so-called logic my brain can offer at the moment.

As for dropping it in for a test fit, fat chance! I am painting the inside of our house for my wife's birthday - just one of the many reasons progress is soooooo slow. But I gotta tell you I've really enjoyed thinking through all the stuff above. Also tsnow, big thank you for sending pictures of your compressor; that was very helpful.

 

All my cutting and welding was done with the engine in place with accy's all in, it was a pain in the butt and thats why my welds look like a 3year old did it lol.

 

They are a nice source for A/C fittings and have a ton of great products to route the hoses pretty much any direction you need to go.

Great project and thanks for putting in all the R&D work for the rest of us

Congrats on hitting five years.

 

clint, at the very least you can likely put this thread on your resume and get a nice gig as an automotive accessory/packaging engineer.

 

Nothing like pure stupid determination and a family to keep a project dragging for years on end!

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

Not the easiest fit-up or welding, but I think this turned out okay, if not acceptable. I had one area at the bottom right of the radius where there was some gap (about half a material thickness), so I did a series of smaller welds at higher wire speed to prevent burning through. Getting this fitted was tough - lots of surfaces needed to be matched. I went vertical down on everything this time - much easier to get a nice looking weld.









I'm very happy to have that buttoned up. Now I've got a bunch of layout work to do on the other side.

 

The notch looks nice! Now to get you to fly over and do mine, lol! There is one more item to check off your list. So you have the compressor located, engine situated around everything, and the notch made. Pretty good for a weeks worth of work. Peck at it and before you know it you will be looking for things to do. Keep up the good work and thanks for the pics.

 

Nice build and workmanship!
Did the TS VVT 2 cam come with instructions to reprogram the ECM?

Mike

 

Your wife figured out what cam you wanted and ordered it? That is kick ***! Great work and keep up the good job... I have high expectations and will be watching!

 

Nice looking welds! Much nicer then most you see on here!

 

Thank you Mike! The cam doesn't come with instructions for reprogramming the ECM, but TSP will modify your phaser tables if you send them your HPTuners file. For now I got some screenshots from another member with the same cam because I don't have HPT. It isn't very complicated. I plan to work with a local tuner to get my combo dialed in.

Thanks! My wife is awesome.

They're definitely getting better now that I've gotten more time with the machine. Thank you!

 

Thanks man! Definitely nice to be checking something off the list. I felt the same way when I wrapped up the G-mod. Unfortunately this is just one of two sides, so there's still notching yet to be done, but progress is progress! Are you thinking about notching yours too?

My next steps are:
- Measure and remeasure the fitment dimensions for the new compressor
- Lay outline for notching the frame
- Agonize over the dimensions
- Drill new upper mounting hole for frame stand and trim for clearance
- Cut a giant hole in the passenger side of the frame
- Plate it back in like the driver's side
- Test fit engine
- Check fitment of alternator
- Trim compressor bracket and compressor mounting flange as needed
- Check fitment of compressor & decide on fittings
- Check fitment of swaybar around AC bracket/tensioner
- Celebrate success and get on with the project

I'm still undecided on whether or not the next test fit should be the final fit. If so I need to paint beforehand.

 

Not sure without looking back, but do you have the tranny x-member? have you fit it with the engine/tranny in the car? What are you using for throttle, dbw or dbc?

 

I have the TH400 crossmember that I was using with my smallblock. I did mate the engine and transmission on the last test fit. Even though the tranny sits a little further forward than stock, it does still sit on the crossmenmber flange. I will need to modify the crossmember flange(s) to get it to bolt up. Driveline angles looked fine last time I fitted this way.

I will be using drive by wire (DBW). Currently I plan to use the LY6 87mm throttlebody, but I'm considering porting it myself (link for reference). For the pedal, while I do have the Silverado pedal that came with the engine, if it will work I would prefer to use a C6 pedal because they are smaller, metal, and easier to attach to the floorboard. It would also be easier to add a kickdown switch to a C6 pedal for my TH400.

 

Not really an update, but I picked up a card style MAF sensor off eBay for $20. It's an LS7 MAF, but don't tell anybody it came off a Cobalt. The P/N is 15865791. Kinda fun scrounging for interchangeable parts and piecing this thing together.

 

That's a good find. Have you been looking into finding someone local for custom tuning or are you going to learn yourself? Please tell me you're not going with a mail order.

 

Mail order is out. I have a local tuner in mind, but haven't met with them yet. I would love to do it myself, but I don't have the experience or time to get it right without a lot of hiccups.

 

Also, the dealerships are removing the gas pedals on certain new corvettes and throwing them away for a certain cosmetic interior package. So you should be able to score one for next to nothing. Just have to switch 2 wires.

 

I hadn't heard that. Where are these turning up?

 

I also wouldn't mind hearing more, if I don't end up liking the feel of my modified one.