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She actually already does right now! If I ignore the heads and cam for now, and get off my *** and bolt the rest of the exhaust back on and bolts the wheels back on, I could drive it out my garage now and get a final tune on it. I've been just busy with the Army, a new job I just started, and have been cramming school work into finishing my Bachelor's by this December. I've been doing at least 3-4 classes per semester this year, so as you can imagine, I've been as busy as a one-legged man in an ***-kicking contest lol
That's why I've been toying with the idea of swapping the heads and cam, but ill be stuck with a car that will need serious tune versus just an update.
I'm actually toying with the idea of buying an entire short block, and build an entire engine from the block up lol See what happens when you let your builds go too long lol you start getting ideas and buy other crap lol
I remember building a car while going to school and working. Not enough hours in the day lol. Just remember a running car beats a snowball project all day everyday.
Did a little work today... even cracked her over to check for leaks So it was one of these kinda days where i needed some gloves!! picked up a whole box, cause i go through a lot LOL Installed my dip stick... boom!! 100hp right there! LOL 😂 Actually had to replace the tube, got all ate up from previous installs. the end that goes into the pan came apart on the last pull out, at least i got it out of the block before hand Here we can see the old one that was chewed up... them C5 brakes dont look to bad in the background though lol Well, it was good while it lasted. Sorry old dip stick tube Them damn wires on the oil level sensor are PITA!!! accidentally ripped the old wires right out of the plug when i was trying to pry it out. had to get a new plug, and got a new sensor while i was at it..... Or so i thought... the new sensor was a different style but the plug that was sent was for the old one!!! WTF... so i but the old one back in. so new senor not of any use, but the plug is, so spliced that in there A little tight spacing to get the o2 sensor just right. might change this out later the next time i go in there. definetly will need to reposition that Looks as good as the day i sealed it back up. Those weather strips work damn good!! actually were a pain to pull off!! lol So here i am about to pull the racetronic pump out to switch out for the 450 and remove the stock regulator... Looks as good as the day i installed it back in 2013 There's that little bugger... stock and tired fuel pressure regulator out and gone Another look. was really easy to take out, just a clip and yank. So heres the walbro 450 sitting next to the 255 racetronic... so those shiney red bracket aint gonna work without some effort, and apparently the plug and wire are different... so that changed my plans there... And these are definetly not going to fit either on the 450. Held on to these back when i chsanged out the original, but alas, they wont work without heavy modification. i guess the curse of the 98 not having a bucket i suppose. so holdong off on the 450 for now. BUT!!!! here we are converting the t block into a true return system. had to dig all through my garage to find that damn plug. I got the actual one that threads in there but i still used thread tape, just as a precaution. And my pre installed return line FINALLY is actually contributing to the cause now after all these years lol had to take the little plastic clip off the old shirt return like and put that on my new line. New fuel filiter... definetly needed that 😭 the old one was over 10 years old. I recommend changing that out a lot more often lol.... like ever other year or so lol Last bit called for an oil change to get all the old oil out and run some fresh oil in the turbo and engine. I perder Castrol Synthetic, and with the turbo i opt for a slightly heavier grade oil. unfortuanly forgot to, or lost, the 6th quart so i had to add a half a quart of royal purple i had laying around. oh well, added zinc and phosphorus at least lol And finally got that damn down pipe elbow in there with the new flange welded on. need to find my wideband extention harness i had so i can stick my wb sensor in the plugged port. so now we get to the 317s... or so i thought. was doing good cleaning them, and this is specifically why you clean them and check them out.... This one was looking really good, and was starting on the next When i found these bastards.... didnt even notice until i started cleaning these that one head has two snapped out manifold bolts inside the head... 🤬🤬🤬 DAMN IT!!! So this put the nail in the coffin today and im holding off on installing these. Im gonna hold off installing a cam in this motor, and build a motor on the side, while i drive this for a little bit longer. Will allow me to get more parts anyway, like a new damper and other things like a 6.0 short block. i know the 5.3s are cheap, but the next build up is gonna be a monster when it goes under the knife, so its gonna be hella worth it when i take the engine out.
Oh I know, I've removed plenty of snapped off bolts in my time, even hardened thread chasers that were a bitch! I figure since I gotta do more work to these heads than I initially thought, I figured id just hold off tearing the whole engine apart and get this thing off the jack stands since its been in there for almost a year already LOL Besides, it will easier to install a cam inside a motor that's not even in the car yet. Plus I need some other stuff anyway to see north of 600hp safely anyway, like 80lb to 90lb injectors, new damper, dual 450 pumps and a harness for the other pump, SFI flexplate, a replacement short block, a two-piece timing cover, and other little bits that will take time. Plus, ita about time I built an actual engine myself.
....Plus I need some other stuff anyway to see north of 600hp safely anyway, like 80lb to 90lb injectors, new damper, dual 450 pumps and a harness for the other pump, SFI flexplate, a replacement short block, a two-piece timing cover, and other little bits that will take time.....
LOL yeah, I looked at that again... I apparently had multiple thoughts running through my head while I was typing that one out, and wasn't paying attention LOL friends don't let friend overthink and type LOL
LOL yeah, I looked at that again... I apparently had multiple thoughts running through my head while I was typing that one out, and wasn't paying attention LOL friends don't let friend overthink and type LOL
need to do some more trimming beforei get the bumper cover back. got all my LED exterior lights done finally 😁 all cleaned up and buttined up no leaks after tightening up a trans line clamp. should be the last time with the nose off again for awhile. man its taken longer than i thought lol hello fans and trans cooler
not too shabby today cleaned up some loose wires, tucked the rear hatch area all back together, got the cabin sorted out, and clearing up the engine comparment. also plumbed back in my manual boost controller and dialed in the fuel pressure. just gotta trim the fog light holes some more and we are almost ready to put it back on wheels!!!
I have a video, but I'm having a hard time uploading it. once i figure out how to upload the damn video, I'll get some sounds clips to go with all these pictures lol
I have a video, but I'm having a hard time uploading it. once i figure out how to upload the damn video, I'll get some sounds clips to go with all these pictures lol
Easiest, best quality way I know to do it is...YouTube. Upload, and share from there.
I tried that but it keeps giving me an error for uploading a video from YouTube for some reason. I'll see if it's just because I'm on the mobile site. I'll try uploading it from YouTube on PC.
I got the bumper all buttoned back on finally! Still trying to figure out where to out the catch can, and i think I need to get a different check valve tower bar bolted back on these little bolts and nuts are a bit tough to get at, but not too bad All bolted back in, although i had to trim the fog light holes more. couldt get the cover to mount to the fenders until i did that so happy to be almost back on the ground
I think I'm going more backwards/sideways then you or ddnspider though...
Little over 2 years ago, got my 2000 T/A already equipped with a cobbled up rear mount setup, that started life as an STS kit. It had been upgraded over the years....76/75 PTE ceramic turbo, Garret intercooler, Tial wastegate, Snow methanol injection, etc...
The "cobbled up" part is what made me less than patient with it, and after a short 6 months, or less, of dealing with the $2500 Precision Turbo leaking/blowing oil EVERYWHERE, I removed everything and sold it off. Re-installed the A/C (which I've never used yet, lol), and sourced all of the plastic, and bumper support related items that were yanked off to make room for intercooler.
Engine (low compression 6.0) was built in Texas by a place called KPE Racing...Has old un-fancy Frankenstein Trick Flow heads, and stout bottom end. Had a Bullet custom cam, but now has a "Sloppy Stage 2"...
Currently has a very complete 35-400hp Nitrous Outlet setup, which has worked great ever since.
Have had reasonable success bracket racing it like this...although I think that I am done with that.
BUT.................... lol...
Somehow yesterday, I stumbled onto a picture of an On3 front mount setup, and see that for right around 2 grand, I can buy what looks like a complete "kit"? In fact, looks very similar to what you have ended up with, for the most part. Of course, I have to lose the A/C, lol. And now that I run E-85 solely, my 60# injectors probably are not big enough...and, so on, and so on...lol.
The car was originally built for a turbo...iron block, Jake's 4L80E, Jake's Triple Disc converter, and since I've had it, a Strange chromoly driveshaft, and Trick Chassis 9" rear...Already has a 340lph primary pump, and a 255l[ph off of a WOT switch, for the nitrous. Can easily re-configure that to a Hobbs switch for boost. I also already have a Flex Fuel segmented, 2 bar OS and my own HPTuners...as well as the old "turbo tune" to use as a starting point.
Anyway, sorry to go off on a story, but I am 99% convinced that I will go back to a turbo, so I will be using this thread as a very relevant reference source, and probably shooting you a few PM's, if you don't mind...
With a conservative tuned 200 shot, on 93 octane unleaded, and a Mustang Dyno, the car has only made a touch over 500 RWHP (went 10.69@126 on a 150 shot, FWIW). The car picked up 3/10ths, N/A, with the E-85, so it surely likes it.
anyway...That'd be my goal...with the bargain turbo setup...500-ish to the tires, which I know is capable to make an EASY 10 second car, without $75 bottle fills.
Sounds like the 1st setup put a bad taste in your mouth. The boost stuff always has more bugs initially to work out but once it's done it's WAY better than NA or the bottle. I would look at the Huronspeed group purchase going on right now. The On3 stuff typically has fitment issues. They have an AC kit as well.
I think I'm going more backwards/sideways then you or ddnspider though...
Little over 2 years ago, got my 2000 T/A already equipped with a cobbled up rear mount setup, that started life as an STS kit. It had been upgraded over the years....76/75 PTE ceramic turbo, Garret intercooler, Tial wastegate, Snow methanol injection, etc...
The "cobbled up" part is what made me less than patient with it, and after a short 6 months, or less, of dealing with the $2500 Precision Turbo leaking/blowing oil EVERYWHERE, I removed everything and sold it off. Re-installed the A/C (which I've never used yet, lol), and sourced all of the plastic, and bumper support related items that were yanked off to make room for intercooler.
Engine (low compression 6.0) was built in Texas by a place called KPE Racing...Has old un-fancy Frankenstein Trick Flow heads, and stout bottom end. Had a Bullet custom cam, but now has a "Sloppy Stage 2"...
Currently has a very complete 35-400hp Nitrous Outlet setup, which has worked great ever since.
Have had reasonable success bracket racing it like this...although I think that I am done with that.
BUT.................... lol...
Somehow yesterday, I stumbled onto a picture of an On3 front mount setup, and see that for right around 2 grand, I can buy what looks like a complete "kit"? In fact, looks very similar to what you have ended up with, for the most part. Of course, I have to lose the A/C, lol. And now that I run E-85 solely, my 60# injectors probably are not big enough...and, so on, and so on...lol.
The car was originally built for a turbo...iron block, Jake's 4L80E, Jake's Triple Disc converter, and since I've had it, a Strange chromoly driveshaft, and Trick Chassis 9" rear...Already has a 340lph primary pump, and a 255l[ph off of a WOT switch, for the nitrous. Can easily re-configure that to a Hobbs switch for boost. I also already have a Flex Fuel segmented, 2 bar OS and my own HPTuners...as well as the old "turbo tune" to use as a starting point.
Anyway, sorry to go off on a story, but I am 99% convinced that I will go back to a turbo, so I will be using this thread as a very relevant reference source, and probably shooting you a few PM's, if you don't mind...
With a conservative tuned 200 shot, on 93 octane unleaded, and a Mustang Dyno, the car has only made a touch over 500 RWHP (went 10.69@126 on a [i]150 shot, FWIW). The car picked up 3/10ths, N/A, with the E-85, so it surely likes it.
anyway...That'd be my goal...with the bargain turbo setup...500-ish to the tires, which I know is capable to make an EASY 10 second car, without $75 bottle fills.
Damn!! lol yeah it's been a process, although not as painful as your issues lol. the rest mount setup did well for me, and if I had more patience, probably would have gotten the stock manifolds back on and hashed out the oil system even more, but I wanted to get back to the basics and get a bigger turbo too. I'm laying the ground work which will eventually have a built motor inplace of the stock ls1, but in the mean time, I'll have fun with what I have at least. everything before was running, but now I have a bigger turbo, more reliable and consistent boost, less clearance headaches, and less concern with which direction the nose is pointing when I park lol
The Cxracing and On3 turbo kits are simulated, but I think cxracing is a hair more refined, and then you got Huron which is like the wine over craft beer lol the one turbo t76 did its job and only went out do to the inherently flawed support systems of a rear mounted turbo ie chewed up turbine blades and blown oil seals. it lasted for about 5 years before I yanked it out, and with a rebuild turbine side, the turbo would be a good replacement for something else.
11-27-2019, 05:03 PM
lol...