LQ4 into a 3rd Gen/1972 Nova
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
I could make one for ya, only took about 3hrs.
I'll make a rigid bracket to bolt it to the inner sheetmetal edge of the driver side front fender, up behind the headlight... just need to take it home to mockup the height of the bracket.
I'll make a rigid bracket to bolt it to the inner sheetmetal edge of the driver side front fender, up behind the headlight... just need to take it home to mockup the height of the bracket.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Good to meet you too Ryan, definitely a gorgeous '69 you have that sits fantastically.
Wrapping up the intercooler piping, also finished the oil breath catch can and need to make hoodpin mounting brackets for the rad support. Then just bleed the brakes and get it on the ground again. Will take more pics tonight.
Wrapping up the intercooler piping, also finished the oil breath catch can and need to make hoodpin mounting brackets for the rad support. Then just bleed the brakes and get it on the ground again. Will take more pics tonight.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Getting very close to driving it around, hopefully next weekend! I apologize for the exceptionally shitty quality pics, but oh well.
Got the cold-side piping wrapped up from the intercooler to the throttlebody.
IAT sensor is from a Typhoon, is nice and low-profile and has a 3/8" NPT thread on it...
IAT sensor bung is welded on the underside of the tube so it's nice and hidden. Also tacked on some aluminum cable guides from an aluminum mountain bike frame.. something to zip tie the BOV vacuum hose and the IAT sensor wiring so they aren't dangling about and also so I don't have to wrap a huge zip tie all the way around the 3" piping (would look ugly)...
Installed! Minus clamps..
Got the cold-side piping wrapped up from the intercooler to the throttlebody.
IAT sensor is from a Typhoon, is nice and low-profile and has a 3/8" NPT thread on it...
IAT sensor bung is welded on the underside of the tube so it's nice and hidden. Also tacked on some aluminum cable guides from an aluminum mountain bike frame.. something to zip tie the BOV vacuum hose and the IAT sensor wiring so they aren't dangling about and also so I don't have to wrap a huge zip tie all the way around the 3" piping (would look ugly)...
Installed! Minus clamps..
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Got it from... Mark.. of course. It's just standard eBay-quality 3" pre-bent kit stuff as far as I'm away. Likely 6061, quality really matter too much as long as you give the weld areas a good buff, it welded pretty nicely.
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Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Not much progress recently been tied down at work a lot. Got an ebrake in there and working on installing retracting 3pt seatbelts now but ran out of weld rod so have to wait until next week to get some more.
The ebrake is out of a 240sx, and has a neat mini-cable&housing with a bulkhead stop on it, I think it turned out pretty clean. The clevis and dual-cable stops are from a generic Lokar kit.
The ebrake is out of a 240sx, and has a neat mini-cable&housing with a bulkhead stop on it, I think it turned out pretty clean. The clevis and dual-cable stops are from a generic Lokar kit.
That's a nice e-brake setup. I know I said it already before, but you really did a nice job with planning and executing on your driving space. That kinda stuff will make the car much more comfortable and natural to drive.
Underhood looks dynomite. I like the intake tube. Is it common to use smaller inlet piping on boosted applications? It looks very small, but I suppose that would help with transient response.
Underhood looks dynomite. I like the intake tube. Is it common to use smaller inlet piping on boosted applications? It looks very small, but I suppose that would help with transient response.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
That's a nice e-brake setup. I know I said it already before, but you really did a nice job with planning and executing on your driving space. That kinda stuff will make the car much more comfortable and natural to drive.
Underhood looks dynomite. I like the intake tube. Is it common to use smaller inlet piping on boosted applications? It looks very small, but I suppose that would help with transient response.
Underhood looks dynomite. I like the intake tube. Is it common to use smaller inlet piping on boosted applications? It looks very small, but I suppose that would help with transient response.
Size isn't as big a deal for boosted... it is 3" for the intercooler piping, which should be plenty.
Awesome work on the catch can and intake tube. Your car is gorgous under the hood. Your are inspiring me to work on me LQ4 70 Nova in the 107F heat.
Dont get discouraged on the tune/ wiring. When I was 17 I swapped a 2003 GM 4.3 in a Toyota and had months of problems figuring out the wiring. But after I had the truck running well I had learned a tremendous amount and I was extremely proud of figuring it out. You will work out the bugs eventually and it will just make it that much sweeter in the end.
Dont get discouraged on the tune/ wiring. When I was 17 I swapped a 2003 GM 4.3 in a Toyota and had months of problems figuring out the wiring. But after I had the truck running well I had learned a tremendous amount and I was extremely proud of figuring it out. You will work out the bugs eventually and it will just make it that much sweeter in the end.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Safety stuff.. installed some 3pt seatbelts.. no way in hell I was going to drive this thing with lap belts. Belts are from a 240sx, and have a hidden, fixed retractor end..
Wanted to keep the hidden-retractor-ness of it all since the interior panels are all flat..
Anchor plate for the base bolt of the retractor. Has a 1/2"-13 threaded boss on the backside of it that I guseseted the **** out of for the retractor to bolt to. It was perimeter welded to the sheetmetal as well as the bottom edge welded to the floor/rocker area.
Made this 1/4" plate to locate the should pivot, with the belt installed I put all my body weight into it and it didn't flex or anything, so it should be ok. Template drawing for the plate can be seen here.
Mostly re-used the 240sx setup for the bolt setup. Has an inner spacer that bottoms out on the driveshaft tunnel when the bolt is torqued down, and has these spring washers so that there is enough preload resistance so that it doesn't fall/rotate, but is still easily movable by hand..
Threw the seat in there quickly and it is nice and snug.. feels confidence-inspiring already.. now just need to do it all over again for passenger side :S
Wanted to keep the hidden-retractor-ness of it all since the interior panels are all flat..
Anchor plate for the base bolt of the retractor. Has a 1/2"-13 threaded boss on the backside of it that I guseseted the **** out of for the retractor to bolt to. It was perimeter welded to the sheetmetal as well as the bottom edge welded to the floor/rocker area.
Made this 1/4" plate to locate the should pivot, with the belt installed I put all my body weight into it and it didn't flex or anything, so it should be ok. Template drawing for the plate can be seen here.
Mostly re-used the 240sx setup for the bolt setup. Has an inner spacer that bottoms out on the driveshaft tunnel when the bolt is torqued down, and has these spring washers so that there is enough preload resistance so that it doesn't fall/rotate, but is still easily movable by hand..
Threw the seat in there quickly and it is nice and snug.. feels confidence-inspiring already.. now just need to do it all over again for passenger side :S
Last edited by frojoe; Dec 6, 2012 at 03:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 46
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Wiring update:
When clicking the force-on MIL light button in HPTuners, I can't get it to light up the light.
- PCM is getting good ground as measured at the PCM plug pin
- brown #46 MIL light switchable ground wire is connected to PCM plug
- MIL light is getting +12V
- MIL light illuminates on a 12V bench test setup when wired both ways
I do have some DTC codes that I didn't get rid of and every time the engine has run the light hasn't gone on.. it appears that my PCM simply isn't outputting a ground signal to light the MIL light.
Also, with the proper tach signal wire connected, and even when rigged with the resistor hop-up wiring that is done with Autometer tachs, the tach doesn't register anything. Have yet to check the signal coming from the PCM tach wire while engine is running, but that's next on the list.
This BS along with the inconsistant starts.. could my PCM physically be screwed?
Are there settings in HPTuners to completely turn on or turn off the MIL light or the tach output?
When clicking the force-on MIL light button in HPTuners, I can't get it to light up the light.
- PCM is getting good ground as measured at the PCM plug pin
- brown #46 MIL light switchable ground wire is connected to PCM plug
- MIL light is getting +12V
- MIL light illuminates on a 12V bench test setup when wired both ways
I do have some DTC codes that I didn't get rid of and every time the engine has run the light hasn't gone on.. it appears that my PCM simply isn't outputting a ground signal to light the MIL light.
Also, with the proper tach signal wire connected, and even when rigged with the resistor hop-up wiring that is done with Autometer tachs, the tach doesn't register anything. Have yet to check the signal coming from the PCM tach wire while engine is running, but that's next on the list.
This BS along with the inconsistant starts.. could my PCM physically be screwed?
Are there settings in HPTuners to completely turn on or turn off the MIL light or the tach output?
I think you can disable the PCM in HP tuners.
Have you used any of the tunes that I emailed you?
If yes, you should be running smooth with minimal issues.
If there is more that persist, it might be in the wiring?
Not to jump into the worst case scenario, but you might need to check every wire and connection.
Hang in there, hopefully you can track down the smoking gun and get that Nova rollin!
Have you used any of the tunes that I emailed you?
If yes, you should be running smooth with minimal issues.
If there is more that persist, it might be in the wiring?
Not to jump into the worst case scenario, but you might need to check every wire and connection.
Hang in there, hopefully you can track down the smoking gun and get that Nova rollin!