When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I find the louvers in the aluminum shroud above the fan a little odd. There does not appear to be anything that would keep the fans from pulling air through the louver and not through the radiator. Normal highway vents in shrouds are flaps that can push out, but close when trying to suck air back through them (when the fans are running).
I totally agree, I was actually going to cut the louvers out and rivet some rubber over the hole to work like you describe. I just havent done it yet. Figured I'd see how they worked before I started cutting them up anymore.
Jessica
I guess I fell off the face of the internet again. It happens (especially with this project). Its update time I suppose.
So as you can see I started collecting transmissions again. Its been a wild few months of being sick, hurting my back and work being way too busy so stuff started to pile up.
The car is back up in the air because it wouldn't shift out of first, I'm not sure why, my transmission builder isn't either (and he's absolutely awesome and stands behind his stuff). So I pulled the unit that wasn't working and I'm in the process of stuffing a new trans in the car.
But you may be asking yourself, "Why is there a 4wd transmission there, and *gasp* a FWD transmission?"
The 4wd is a rebuilt unit for the SS Silverado (also got a 2200 stall converter), because its used 4L80e I put in it 2 years ago finally started to fall apart, it was leaking like crazy, and it was slipping between shifts and at WOT.
The FWD trans is for the Fiero, and due to parts delays its been in my garage for months, but its finally all ready to get put back together.
I got the SS all buttoned up this weekend, and its working great! I also got the replacement unit put into the El Camino, but it all has to be hooked back up. I found I had a leaking fitting at the proportioning valve, and at the rear end T on the brakes. So I need to address that. The driveshaft also rubbed on the driveshaft loop, so I need to adjust it and maybe clearance it to fit better. Fingers crossed it'll be back in action soon. I also heard from hydrotech my new hydroboost unit is delayed again until November now, but its not the end of the world.
The new transmission makes the SS feel like a sport truck again, it felt like a slow 3/4 ton for the last 2 years.
I put about 50 miles on the car so far, about half of which were with my Dad. Ive been telling him he gets the first ride for the last 8 years or so. He was the one who bought this car for me when I was a kid, and I've had it ever since. He was pretty impressed, but he hates how loud it is.
So now I'm at a crossroads: do I cut apart my pretty cool and very efficient exhaust that everyone has said sounds great, or do I just try to extend the pipes out from under the car and dump them in front of the rear tires?
The frugal hot rodder in me is all about just moving the tail pipes and keeping the Magnaflow mufflers first and then addressing a new muffler option if needed later. It just means more work.
Anyways fixing small stuff and putting on miles for the tuner; possibly going more deaf, and loving every minute of it!
Jessica
I have a 1979 EL Camino with 5.3 swap. It has truck exhaust manifolds and dual exhaust with x-pipe and Flowmaster 50s. The pipes go over the axle and past the bumper. It is loud. My friends like it, but I wish it were quieter. My only ideas are to add resonators just in front of the bumper, but I don't know if that will help. There is no cabin noise insulation, and the floorpans have holes in them, so that is probably contributing to the noise.
I have killmat all over the interior and it's still bad in there. I think I'll probably end up building another exhaust that has an H pipe so I can move the mufflers towards the engine more. Then I'll have it neck down to a 2.5" muffler (probably a flowmaster delta 50). Then kick it out the side in front of the tires. It'll likely hurt performance, but its enough changes it doesn't make sense to cut up this exhaust, so I can always throw it back on when I want to.
Jessica
Well the wiper motor took a crap and its raining in Oregon...not surprising I know. So the car is parked for a while. The tuner stopped replying to my emails, so I guess I'm out that money and onto fine tuning it myself with help from friends and the internet.
All in all it does work, it just needs a lot of dialing in done. With no wipers thats kind of out of the question this time of year. Plus its not like the thing car hook on dry pavement, so in the rain its useless.
Jessica
Sorry about the setback. Get the wipers fixed and you'll have some good life experiences tuning. In the end you may be happier.
Thats kind of what I'm thinking. I can tune carburetors and old stuff, so I just need to figure out how that maybe translates to new stuff (maybe it doesn't really translate well).
The wipers are just annoying and hard to get at this point. Hopefully this one works and I can ignore it for a while.
Jessica
Well the weather got to be too gross to really be driving without wipers. I did take it out on a soggy day to move it to its new winter home. I managed not to just do sick burnouts at every light (barely). So its pretty much a solid little ripper, but I'm going to leave it alone for a while. I threw a cover over it and I'll let you all know what else I do to it in the future.
Now those keeping track may be asking yourselves then what will I do with an "empty" garage? I decided to put the Fiero in there this winter and do all the things it needs that I have been ignoring for the last year or more.
I need to build the transmission that is on that engine stand, because the one in the car is missing overdrive, slips, and leaks. The engine is getting headers, a better fuel system, and a later model supercharger from an '03 Grand Prix. It also needs some seals and maintenance things to stop it leaking. Also I'm doing body work for some paint in the spring.
I did have it wrapped in vinyl for about 5 years, but I really would like it painted.
Jessica
FWD automatics in my humble opinion are basically a nesting doll from hell. If you can get the pieces apart thats really a bit accomplishment Then you're left with a billion little discs of various sizes and shapes and seals and snap rings.
So I've been splitting my time with this and doing mods to the daily, mostly because as I get stuck getting something apart I have to wait to get a new tool or scratch my head on how to make something that will work.
Obviously I shouldn't mod the daily, but given all I've done over the years no one should be surprised, especially anyone following this build thread. Had to get a new radiator, so I went with a big 3 or 4 core all aluminum one and upgraded to some e-fans from an 05 Now that the fan shroud is gone I have room to install the TBSS intake, and 90mm Corvette throttle body
I also realized I have 2 TBSS intakes, one with the 87mm TB and the other with the 90mm and I have an LQ4 intake and I'll have the LQ9 I need to clean house, its getting too crowded with parts in here. I also still have the other supercharger to install on the Fiero...
Anyways Hope you're all staying warm and getting your projects done this winter
Jessica
08-31-2022, 07:29 PM
