Project Blue Balls // Fairmont
#22
79-04 Mustangs, Fairmonts, Zephyr, LTDII, Thunderbirds are all part of the "fox chassis" Since they all share the front subframe more or less, and same style 4 link rear, all rear ends and k members interchange somewhat. Hence why I can use an 01 GT k member in an 81 Fairmont.. making it an easy solution to swap to.
#24
Sounds awesome man! With the availability and power per dollar, you really can't beat these Vortec motors. I have three engines sitting in my garage that I have paid at most $80 for. So they are pretty cheap (in most cases).
#26
I am borrowing an Art Carr 3800 stall Nitrous converter from a friend to see how I like it. It was spec'd for his Mustang which weighs about the same, and has anti balloon plates. Well see how it performs. Today I got a snow day off of school, so I may utilize this day and get my suspension finished!
#27
Too damn cold to work on it right now, freezing rain, 24deg with 40mph winds, **** that. I'll just browse the forums until it's warmer outside lol
Just ordered my Microsquirt, harness, resistors, 3bar map and IAT needed to run this bad puppy. Thanks again to Denmah for answering a lot of questions and for his help!
That way I can lay the harness out on one of my spare motors and it it wired up while I'm waiting for other stuff to come in
Just ordered my Microsquirt, harness, resistors, 3bar map and IAT needed to run this bad puppy. Thanks again to Denmah for answering a lot of questions and for his help!
That way I can lay the harness out on one of my spare motors and it it wired up while I'm waiting for other stuff to come in
#28
Finished all the suspension and put it back together. Nothing to exciting but it is progress. I cut a coil out of the front suspension to get the stance down, and also because it's freakin impossible to get a stock length spring back up under these bastards!
#29
One wrecking yard dominates and pretty much controls the market around here.
#31
#32
Ordered a **** ton of parts this week...
Microsquirt came in today
Torque converter is here
Siemens Deka 80# high imp injectors
H3 oil pan
flexplate spacer / bolts
Ls1 mls head gaskets
Head studs
New lifter trays
bunch of AN line
Stock LS1 cam
LS6 valve springs
Going to tear down one of my 5.3s and make sure it's all good, toss some studs, head gaskets and swap cams. Ready to rock and roll!
Microsquirt came in today
Torque converter is here
Siemens Deka 80# high imp injectors
H3 oil pan
flexplate spacer / bolts
Ls1 mls head gaskets
Head studs
New lifter trays
bunch of AN line
Stock LS1 cam
LS6 valve springs
Going to tear down one of my 5.3s and make sure it's all good, toss some studs, head gaskets and swap cams. Ready to rock and roll!
#33
Got some small stuff done today.. fixed my steering issue (rag joint was a hair short)
Mounted steering rack..
Temporarily sat a spare 4.8 I had in the engine bay, flipped the manifolds and realize I need to remove the sway bar mounts, oops.
Marked where I need to weld the return bung on the oil pan
I'm going to notch the k member a hair where the frame mounts are to move the motor forward about 1/2 in.. give me a little more firewall clearance..
I will be modifying the crossover pipe, currently its for a low mount turbo, im going to make a merge that puts the turbo in the passenger fenderwell
Mounted steering rack..
Temporarily sat a spare 4.8 I had in the engine bay, flipped the manifolds and realize I need to remove the sway bar mounts, oops.
Marked where I need to weld the return bung on the oil pan
I'm going to notch the k member a hair where the frame mounts are to move the motor forward about 1/2 in.. give me a little more firewall clearance..
I will be modifying the crossover pipe, currently its for a low mount turbo, im going to make a merge that puts the turbo in the passenger fenderwell
#36
It fits about as good if not better than a 302!
#37
TECH Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: DFW, TX
Posts: 568
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm diggin the build, ive been trying to find a clean mont to do a similar swap, but no luck around here lately. Let me know if you get bored with that one when its done and want to sell it:p
#38
Got a little progress done today.. oil pan bung tig welded
Motor tear down.. it was NASTY.. popped a headgasket.. nice and milky.
Put the stock LS1 cam in, new timing chain. Swapped windage tray and pickup tube for the new oil pan (Muscle car/hummer pan)
Here is what I use to to remove/install the Balancer .. OTC puller specific for GM vortec engines.. and 1in longer bolt to start the balancer back on 1/2 way, another old crank bolt to finish tightening it up, then locktite and done.
Cleaned the pistons, valley.
Head studs and MLS gaskets
Cleaned up my heads, stopped for the night.. had to study for class lol. Borrowing a valve spring tool from my friend then i'll be about done!
Motor tear down.. it was NASTY.. popped a headgasket.. nice and milky.
Put the stock LS1 cam in, new timing chain. Swapped windage tray and pickup tube for the new oil pan (Muscle car/hummer pan)
Here is what I use to to remove/install the Balancer .. OTC puller specific for GM vortec engines.. and 1in longer bolt to start the balancer back on 1/2 way, another old crank bolt to finish tightening it up, then locktite and done.
Cleaned the pistons, valley.
Head studs and MLS gaskets
Cleaned up my heads, stopped for the night.. had to study for class lol. Borrowing a valve spring tool from my friend then i'll be about done!
#39
TECH Regular
Could you actually see where the head gasket was blown? The reason I ask is because some 5.3s had porous heads and would milkshake the motor. I would hate to see you reuse those heads if they would just milkshake your engine again.
#40
Thanks for the insight, I'll check these out again. I am not reusing the heads originally off this engine, these are some spare 862s I had laying around from a good running 4.8L motor. They seem fine, no cracks and came from a known good running engine.