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- Radiator hoses installed.
- Cooling system filled. I'm sure it'll burp some air out and need to be topped off once I start it, but it's "full" for now.
- Oil and filter done.
Basically the only thing left is the intake tract (K&N filter is drying out), hook up the battery (which is on a tender and shows it's good to go), then it'll be ready to start. Started to get really windy out in the driveway and I didn't feel like fighting to keep all of the blowing leaves out of the engine bay . Plus it was 9:30 and time to eat something, anyway!
Finally got the tiny pinhole in the exhaust fixed and the pinion seal in my 8.8 is now replaced.
The cerakote I applied to the kooks cats is gone. Like completely gone, I may as well not have applied any at all. I wonder if this is due to the kooks cats using a metal core which may run at a higher temp than my previous ceramic core cats. Or maybe the larger 1 7/8" transfers heat more effectively to the exhaust system. I am unsure of the cause, but I am sure of the effect. No complaints though, the gmpp exhaust sounds amazing and is still quite mellow compared to the previous setup.
Headers still look flawless, and my previous cats look perfect and the cerakote is intact.
I'm putting together a ls7 card style MAF setup, and I'm planning on retaining the 3.5" Volant tube, though I may step it up to a 4" later on when I get some carbon fiber tubing.
- Intake tract installed.
- Battery hooked up.
- It's alive!!!
- Topped off the coolant, oil level looked good.
- Took it for a quick spin in the neighborhood just for the sake of moving it for the first time in a year. 25mph down to a cul-de-sac and back, maybe 1/2mi total.
- Plugged in the EVAP solenoid, which I had forgotten, prompting a P0443.
Valvetrain seems noisy. I don't know how much of that is just me forgetting how noisy it was before (since it's been a year), and how much it's due to me getting my pushrod lengths wrong. I went through and did every valve, and got consistent results, I just don't know if those results were consistently right. I remember having the same uncertainty the last time went through all of this.
Did you get it up to operating temp? Idk what components you have installed, or if that matters on your setup. Mine is a tad noisy upon start up then after a bit, as oil starts flowing and temps start rising, it quiets down; it is essentially silent at full operating temp.
Maybe longer rods with some shims below the rockers?
- Got the PS pump pulley installed. I have a larger Vette pulley on there to slow the pump down a bit, but I guess due to the Vette's different accessory alignment, the pulley has to be recessed onto the pump shaft a little bit.
Since the pulley installer will only get the pulley flush with the end of the shaft, I put a 19mm socket on there to push it back the required amount. I used a straight edge to check the pulley alignment vs the alternator pulley.
[Note that I had to have the back of the Vette pulley machined to remove [url=http://www.submariner.org/thepno95/Pictures/CTS-V%20pics/Power%20mods/PS%20pulleys2%20-%20back.jpg]the raised section in the center, otherwise the pulley would drag against the pump housing, something I discovered way back in 2010 when I put the pulley on originally.]
- Installed the serpentine belt.
- Installed the radiator and fans.
- Got the condenser successfully bolted in with all 4 mounts. I ended up getting 3 bolts loosely in place, then put a floor jack under the condenser and gently pushed it up to get the 4th hole to line up. All good now!
glad I saw this, i didn't notice any difference with my vette pulley, but I'll have to drop a straight edge on my FEAD to determine if i also need to machine off some of the backside and slide the pulley back farther. Better to fix it now than after i start it up and shred a belt.
- Intake tract installed.
- Battery hooked up.
- It's alive!!!
- Topped off the coolant, oil level looked good.
- Took it for a quick spin in the neighborhood just for the sake of moving it for the first time in a year. 25mph down to a cul-de-sac and back, maybe 1/2mi total.
- Plugged in the EVAP solenoid, which I had forgotten, prompting a P0443.
Valvetrain seems noisy. I don't know how much of that is just me forgetting how noisy it was before (since it's been a year), and how much it's due to me getting my pushrod lengths wrong. I went through and did every valve, and got consistent results, I just don't know if those results were consistently right. I remember having the same uncertainty the last time went through all of this.
Glad to hear it's back in the land of the living!
I'm having an ls7 compatible MAF and intake tube built stateside. Should be done up soon. MalCal has been fantastic to work with and will be doing the tuning when it arrives and I can hit the dyno. Finally.
After Dyno I'll be doing the paint work on the tube and unfortunately adding 3 memorial stars to the ones on my intake manifold. Every star represents a friend who is no longer with us, my rolling tribute. I want to do the stars in such a way that they look as though they are shooting into the tube to join the others.
Did you get it up to operating temp? Idk what components you have installed, or if that matters on your setup. Mine is a tad noisy upon start up then after a bit, as oil starts flowing and temps start rising, it quiets down; it is essentially silent at full operating temp.
I did let it idle for a bit before taking my short drive through the neighborhood, but I don't think it was up to operating temp. I'll have to do that and see what it sounds like.
Originally Posted by Byron
I'm having an ls7 compatible MAF and intake tube built stateside. Should be done up soon. MalCal has been fantastic to work with and will be doing the tuning when it arrives and I can hit the dyno. Finally.
I have some 4" intake bits that I bought from someone here on cf.com, and mocked that up a bit the other day. I'm going to have to fiddle with it some more to make it work. Is the LS7 MAF a slot-style MAF?
Sorry to hear about your friends. The paint work is a nice tribute.
I did let it idle for a bit before taking my short drive through the neighborhood, but I don't think it was up to operating temp. I'll have to do that and see what it sounds like.
I have some 4" intake bits that I bought from someone here on cf.com, and mocked that up a bit the other day. I'm going to have to fiddle with it some more to make it work. Is the LS7 MAF a slot-style MAF?
Sorry to hear about your friends. The paint work is a nice tribute.
We were a bunch of gear heads, so it's a fitting tribute.
The ls7 maf is a card or slot style. Research has lead me to switching mine for the ls7 style. It's also quite a bit cheaper to replace as mine is giving me fits lately. The new ls7 MAFs are ~ $45 vs $130 for a factory MAF. They can be scaled to fit a 3.5" in the tune also, and as per my tuner they are much easier to get dialed in. I am hoping it will help with the triple digit daily temps here in Abu Dhabi somewhat.
Ls7 MAFs are most commonly used in a 4" tube, and I have the added space available now as I've relocated the radiator forward just over an inch, and I can go farther if required, plenty of space even with the increase in size with the alradco.
Picked up some refinished stock wheels. I bought these from westwopper almost 2 years ago, but didn't put them into service last winter. They were actually in good shape, I probably should've just left them as-is since they're going to be the winter wheels, but I couldn't help myself. I've actually never had stock wheels in the 12+ years I've owned the car, but I have always liked the way they looked.
Nothing fancy. Got a belt tensioner ordered, got the last few bits for the intake ordered and hit the Denny's in Abu Dhabi.
I also should be getting the MSD 88867 harness soon to hopefully add some giddy up to the ignition. I figured it can't hurt and its pretty cheap. Has some great reviews and is recommended by a friend in Kuwait.
06 V, Yesterday while taking off the Ebrake, I pulled the whole handle out, luckily the brake came off so I wasn't stuck with the ebrake on and no handle to pull. Ordered the Ebrake cable....
yeah when someone broke into my car they pulled the ebrake out and broke it.
Bought it on eBay for $12
Originally Posted by army11b
06 V, Yesterday while taking off the Ebrake, I pulled the whole handle out, luckily the brake came off so I wasn't stuck with the ebrake on and no handle to pull. Ordered the Ebrake cable....
Pushed another 500ml through it, fluid came out perfect.
Took her for a drive, loving the pedal feel all over again. The act twin with stock hydraulics and -4 AN lines has a very light pedal and drives better than stock.
A few posts up I said I broke the Ebrake pull cable... yesterday I fixed it, Also, I have felt the car hard to turn over in the mornings, the volts read fine when driving but I picked up a AC Delco replacement battery, the battery I have looks very old and the insulator cover is all torn up and faded, so I figured why not and ordered the battery insulator too (ebay) will install the battery when I get the cover on monday.
10-16-2019, 08:46 PM
. Plus it was 9:30 and time to eat something, anyway! 
New AC Delco alternator 
