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Well, I seem to be going backwards, lol. Did a pump test and half the fittings leak, esp the 90 degree ones. Thought about trying the conical washers, but decided to just replace everything with Aeroquip. Using the stainless Teflon form the tank to where the bulkhead fittings are since that section is inside the car. The rest will be push lok again. Trying to finish up the rear and got the wrong yoke, app this one was for a Daytona pinion support, so I had to order a spacer so the nut wont bottom out before crushing the sleeve. I did get the parking brake cables hooked up, and rear shock mounts made, so there's that, lol. Since I am running an LS6 intake, and only had LS3 injs, I ordered spacers to use them, but since I finally got my stim. ck, decided to just order Deka 80's, so cures 2 problems, eliminates the spacers, and now I can just pick the inj data from the dropdown in the Holley X max.
Little more progress, Deka 80's installed, radiator mounts made (huge radiator, should cool), all new Aeroquip lines and fittings installed to replace the other stuff, pressure tested and no leaks. Battery mount made, rear set up and installed, even found a driveshaft in the garage that might be perfect. Waiting on my trans cooler, plumb the trans lines, hopefully test fire it next week. Still cant figure out why I cant load pics from my phone to my computer, seemed since 2021 it stopped.
Well I decided I had enough parts to try a test fire, loaded my tune, hit the key, fuel pump primed, then it fired right up.
For some reason the temp & MAT sensors are way off, more concerned about the temp, so I didnt run it long. The valves are a little noisy, I had the lifter preload on the light side, so I will pull the VC's, verify oiling (had 52 lbs pressure) and install my 7.375 PR's (has 7.350's now). Need to work on the brakes before I can see if the trans works, always helps to be able to stop, lol. Prob need a good solid days work to neaten up the wiring, but overall pretty happy with the progress.
Well, I seem to be going backwards, lol. Did a pump test and half the fittings leak, esp the 90 degree ones. Thought about trying the conical washers, but decided to just replace everything with Aeroquip. Using the stainless Teflon form the tank to where the bulkhead fittings are since that section is inside the car. The rest will be push lok again. Trying to finish up the rear and got the wrong yoke, app this one was for a Daytona pinion support, so I had to order a spacer so the nut wont bottom out before crushing the sleeve. I did get the parking brake cables hooked up, and rear shock mounts made, so there's that, lol. Since I am running an LS6 intake, and only had LS3 injs, I ordered spacers to use them, but since I finally got my stim. ck, decided to just order Deka 80's, so cures 2 problems, eliminates the spacers, and now I can just pick the inj data from the dropdown in the Holley X max.
My bulkheads leaked bad with the hard bushings supplied (15 gal fuel cell), I ended up getting some different ones and a little thackdick (joke with a buddy, just a little gray permatex), and then it was good.
The Hornet saw its shadow yesterday (not sure if that's a good thing, lol) was able to back it out of the garage under its own power. Had a bad trans leak, it was the out line to the trans cooler, of course the one you cant see in the tunnel. Rather than pull the down pipe, rem the crossover pipe, Disc the fuel line to the reg, lower the back of the trans, then barely get to it, I took 2 mins. and cut a small window in the tunnel. Using a banjo fitting it wasn't sealing good against the case, so smoothed the area, used copper washers, no more leaks. Going over all the susp. bolts today, get the front alignment close, tidy up the wiring, take it for its maiden voyage next week.
Took the Hornet down the street for its maiden voyage, mainly to see if the unknow condition 4L80E actually works, everything worked as it should. I only went a block, as some stuff is still temp, like the pump wiring, need to run it thru a relay. No leaks, so that was good. Decided to pull the Term X, send it back to Holley for testing, as the sensors were reading off. This way I can button up stuff I might let slid, since it was running, lol.
For now no IC'er, just plumbed from turbo to TB, still on the fence what to do there, might run some kind of closed A/W setup, room is tight. I run 93, no E85 around, also thought about meth spray, not sure how good distribution is with a liquid in an LS6 intake made for air, lol.
Got my ECU back from Holley, they war. it so that was cool-now that I can accurately mont. temps, I think I put the wrong thermostat in the car, I suspect its the 195, so I moved up the temps for the fan to come on and off. While I was waiting for the ECU, I insulated the floor, installed new rug, perm. bolted in the new seats. Anyway, made a few trips around the block, had the laptop hooked up so I data logged my trip. My $400 jasper 80E feels solid, broke the tires on the 1-2 shift, lol. I gave it a little tweak, to much temptation, when I viewed the datalog, it hit a little over 7 lbs, just using spring with a line to the lower WG port. It def spools quick, but the MAT's hit180, so time to come up with a intercooler. I have room for a small radiator in front, and think I can fit the frozen boost oversized barrel style IC underneath, set the pump to come on with boost, or temp.
I have the heater hooked up, I like to drive around up until it snows, lol. There are some 160 deg thermostats out there, and some 180's, but seems the 180's are actually higher, unlike the old gen 1 stuff, where they would actually be 180.
Was going to take the car to a cruise Sat. night, it would be its longest trip, but only a 20 min ride, lol. I took it around the block just to ck things first, dropped a cyl on the drive. Brought it home, found the #1 plug wet, so swapped in another, same result. Ran a comp test, zero comp. Pulled the VC, #1 rocker had backed off, ck'ed the others and the torque was off. Re torqued all, then pulled the pass side and did the same, they were good. I suspect in my rush I torqued the DS to the inch/pounds the VC's are, lol. But I have a habit of jumping around on a build, not tightening bolts thinking I would come back to it-usually have a list. I went all over the car and double checked everything. While it was apart, swapped in the colder plugs. Like my other builds, tried to allow as much room as possible to get to #8 plug, but this one is terrible, lol. Anyway, its ready for another try. Working on the frontend alignment, got it pretty good, and backed off the Cal Traks preload on the spring, gives a much better ride on the street.
The good and the bad lol, I've done that on some parts, I'll probably end up at some point taking mine to a buddy with a lift and just tell him to check all my suspension lol.
The good and the bad lol, I've done that on some parts, I'll probably end up at some point taking mine to a buddy with a lift and just tell him to check all my suspension lol.
Sometimes a second set of eyes in a very good thing
Haven't updated in a while, been driving it a lot tuning, chasing down minor stuff. Got the brakes working good, taking it Thurs for a front end align, I can do it at home, but with this style front end, where the camber is adjusted from the lower control arm, and a strut rod to adjust caster, just a PITA. Getting it ready for a cruise to the beach for the big cruise there, about 180 miles. Have been fighting a leak in the tank, where I cut it out for the in tank pump, I had to work the metal to get a flat surface, wasn't perfect, thought it would seal. Nope, on a fill up, it seeps. I ordered another tank, and used a plate from Tanks Inc already cut for the pump, welded that in, so should cure that. Otherwise, pretty pleased with how it runs and drives, prob take it later for a low boost dyno pull, but it def blows the tires off until you let up, lol.
Took the Hornet on a cruise to the beach last week, I try and go most years for the cruise, lots of diff cars to see, stuff you don't always see. Anyway, down and back, cruising around, prob put close to 400 miles on it. Motor, trans worked flawlessly, rear howled a lot, and the front brakes were dragging, so I kept away from any panic stop, lol.
It really cruised pretty well, was comfortable, exhaust was quite (cant say the same for the rear, lol). Pretty happy with the smaller cam, was able to lock the converter in the upper 40's MPH, still run smooth. Prob. an upgrade to the something like the Summit "ghost cam" would still be doable.
Yesterday I pulled the front brakes off, had the rotors turned, got new calipers, pads (strange, got the correct calipers, but the listing for pads was wrong, ended up with pads for a Ford, lol) so brakes are back together.
Since Summit was at the show, snatched some cats. for the 10% coupons, so ordered a 9" Strange center section, tired of fooling with mine, lol.
Only other problem was the fuel tank vent, on a fill up it spit the fuel out the vent tube underneath, so going to make a small tank, mount it up high underneath, attach the vent hose to the low side, vent the upper side. Works kind of like a radiator overflow tank, used this setup before.
MAT's were around 140, about what I expected rolling around 65 MPH @ 2K, I imagine if I had an A/A would have been lower. I'll work on that one day, lol.
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