Started a new project, 78 Freemont wagon-why, I like wagons, and it was cheap, and uses Foxbody stuff (actually Foxbodys use Fairmont stuff, they came first, lol). Body was in good shape, had to make a couple panels, interior is great.
First thing I did was sell off the drive train, reason it became free, and installed a QA1 K member with LS mounts. Installed a bare block and 80E trans to make up trans mounts. Actually made dual trans mounting, 400/4L80E, since I had a known good 400. I picked up a 95GT front brakes and 8.8 rear for $300. That became a learning experience, after buying aftermarket lower control arms, found out I needed longer ones to bring camber into alignment, so had to reorder, so that took care of the camber. Now the tierods are to short, so had to pick up a 95 rack ($50) so all that was sorted out, except the Camaro LS1 pan now hit the rack (would have hit the old rack also). So, offset rack bushings cured that. Picked up some Borg. steering parts and made a new steering shaft, all good now. Since I am facing shoulder surgery soon, sort of looking for short cuts on some stuff, so picked up the LS1 comp, hope its good, and had a $100 80E I patched up, hope it works, lol. Using a VS 78/75 gen 2.5 turbo, same AR as the last one, but looks diff?? I used truck manifolds, welded v bands on them, swapped sides, everything up to the turbo is done, now working on 3" down pipe. I used ICT Billet front drive, Camaro spacing since thats what the engine is, found one that cleared perfect.
Picked up on of the Summit Be Cool bone yard rads (may have put a hole in it while it was sitting in a safe place, engine stand fell over on it) may have to reorder. There's a reason we go over budget. Picked up a Contour fan for it.
Fuel system is all plumbed, Quantum 380 external pumps, was orig going to use the LS1 fuel rail, put hit the coils I was using, so picked up new rails, better in the long run. Holley X Max will control it, prob use the tune from the Hornet, pretty close setup, makes life easier. I am a duct tape tuner, lol, while not all the bells and whistles, it runs fine for me. Hopefully Fire it up in a couple weeks, would like it running before surgery, hopefully after I recover I can redo (correct) stuff I did to just get it running. For now the old 7.5 rear will stay, did use 5 lug axles, and the stock driveshaft fit perfect with a 400 1350 yoke, 1310/1350 adapter joint.
If you read this far, hope you have a wonderful holiday, Merry Christmas.

 

Although the intercooler is mounted, I wont plumb it for now, just run turbo to intake. Trying to figure out a way to pressure test the rad., maybe duct tape would hold 15 lbs for testing, but most likely the thing is toast. Hey Summit, feeling the spirit, I need a rad, lol. I used 2.5 pipe to the turbo, the 2.5 V bands seem to fit the manifolds best, prob won't hurt spooling much. Goal is 500 RWHP, but with the unknown engine won't use much boost, prob build a better alumn. engine later.

 

I like wagons too !! Right after c10s or there gmc cousins. Looks great and will be a nice sleeper if you keep it quiet enough, unless you don't care. Of course you know that you're going to need to install the 8.8 soon . Would like to find 1 like that but no time for another project. Keep updates coming

 

May be surprised, that rad may not leak from what I see in the pics. Maybe hose with a frost plug clamped in it can seal it up for a pressure check

 

Cool build! There was a super early 'mont wagon swap in Houston that was a town terror, big cubes and nitrous.

Are you working fast or just posted 7 months of work in one post?

 

Kind of working semi fast, about three months. Trying to fit having most of it done (read running, lol) and then shoulder surgery, hopefully out of the sling and done with rehap when warm weather hits. Had the left one done a while back, so unfort. know whats coming, lol. Was kind of a budget, lightweight deal, modified stock manifolds, alumn. engine, these things were under 3K (so they say) new, but weight goes on quick. Just going to be a fun car to drive, like my Hornet was.

 

I grew up with my Mom having a '78 Fairmont wagon... creme color! I want to build one someday... I'll be following along! They are cool for sure.

 

Well, some good, some bad, lol. Finally got far enough to fire it up, radiator seems OK, no leaks where it got smashed (so far). I loaded a tune from my Hornet, since it was also V2, same as in the Holley I got. I wanted to update to V3, but knowing my abilities I took the easy path, lol. I tested the fuel system for leaks, all seemed good. I hit the switch to see if the starter worked, kind of used the Fairmont setup, remote sol instead right to the starter. I forgot the fuel system still had pressure, thing fired right up. I really didn't want it running, as planned to prime the oil pump since this motor was used, prob sat a while, but pressure came right up. Since I have fired it up a couple times, checking stuff, feels like it has a dead cyl, seems to be adding to much fuel, lot of blue smoke out the exhaust. My fear is the engines no good, but going to try some stuff first. The injectors are decapped LS3's, I used them in another car, were OK, but loading the info in the Holley is kind of iffy, so ordered some Deka 80's, easy to use the drop down info. Soon as I get them, going to replace the plugs, build a new tune, go from there. Sometimes excess fueling can thin the oil, create problems, but suspect Im not that lucky. If no improvement, start pulling it apart enough to leak test the motor, see where its at. I have enough parts to throw together an L33 shortblock, but def not where I want to be at this point. Almost forgot, another problem, fuel leak at the tank. Welded a sump to a new stock tank, using external pumps, pressure tested it was fine, now a leak popped up, but its where the bung is welded to the sump, it comes that way already done, so not sure what I am going to do there. I'll see how the other stuff turns out, go from there. We having fun yet, lol.

 

I prefer not having issues at all but how often does that happen lol.

 

Still working thru some issues, installed the 80 # injs, makes tuning a little easier. Was still fighting the dead cyl, ran cranking comp, running comp, ck'ed rockers for movement, changed coil, wires, plugs, noid test, all seemed good. Running comp was lower than should be, but still good enough. Finally swapped inj 1 & 3, now #3 is working, but so is #1, go figure, lol. I guess #3 just wanted to be #1, lol. Engine still feels bad, but better than before, I suspect it needs a valve job. The engine doesn't smoke now, suspect it was just overly rich washing the cyls. I can prob get it better man. tuning it, try and trick it, leave the 02 sen. off down low, learn off. Engine needs work regardless. Good news is the $50 4L80E shifts, has all the gears, see how it is when I drive it. Also now have brakes. Might just pull it in the paint bay, throw a paint job on it while I decide on the engine. I figured if I lit a fire under my butt, I could in a week pull the motor, rebuild it (ad a cam) and have it back in and running. Had to push back the shoulder surgery for other reasons, so have 1 1/2 arms avail, lol, all I need. At least I know everything else works as it should.

 

Picked up an L33 motor, pulled it apart, all seems good, going to do a garage rebuild, hone, clean, new rings, bearings, cam bearings, prob throw in a mild cam, most likely send out the heads. It did run under its own power, from one bay to the other, lol, just rough, at least it moves forward/backwards lol. Cold weather is hanging around, rather than waste all my fuel oil in the garage heating up the paint area, just going to block sand the old paint, mark all the areas that need work, bring it back on the lift and start pulling the engine. Once I get all the turbo plumbing out of the way I'll test some more cyls, see if anything jumps out.

 

Little update, rebuilt the L33, added a Summit Ghost cam, just did an old school garage rebuild, polish the crank, dingle berry hone the cyls, change cam bearings, gap rings, lap the valves, 1218 springs. Installed it, still chasing the problem, I knew it was dropping random cyls, just couldn't pin it down, used the noid lights, traced out the wiring, etc.
I upgraded to V3, noticed they now have an ICF for output testing, figured that was a good way to test from the ECU right to the cyls. Sure enough, found two cyls that wouldn't pulse. One was #7, I was kind of suspicious of it from the start, seemed lean, but pulling the plug wire didn't seem to make a diff, and folks say 7 tends to run lean.
I had ordered some Deka 80's orig, figured the unknow injs I had were the problem, ordered EV6 plugs by mistake, my harness was EV1, so I just used the adapters from the other set of injectors-turns out some of the adapters didn't work if you jiggled them. I ordered a new harness to eliminate the adapters, but picked up a new set of adapters for the time being, man, what a relief to finally put this to bed. I had to redo the tune now that all cyls are firing, but its running great, CL/learn is correcting fuel back where it needs to be. Now it gets its new paint job, couple other things, see how it drives. I am normally a pretty good trouble shooter (non comp. stuff), I don't feel to bad though, I had a guy who was a Holley wiz and he couldn't figure it out, but he agreed with what was happening.

 

Nice build, going to be a fun ride.
Good luck, and best FAST recovery when you finally lay down and "Get the Knife".


Please clarify, if you wiil : What was the dropped cylinder issue in the final analysis Counterfeit or clogged injector, OR was it defective injector wiring harness ?

 

It was a couple of the adapters that went bet. the harness and injs, I had EV6 plug type on the injs, but the harness had EV1 plug, so used adapters. They would fire the injs when they felt like it, lol. I was pretty convinced there were a couple wires transposed, maybe causing the injs to fire when not on the comp. stroke. The output test on the X Max was a great diagnostic tool.

 

That ICF for output testing is a really great tool.

Glad to hear you’ve got it sorted out!

 

Getting ready for paint, but decided to get brave and take a maiden voyage around the block-car ran great, did what it was supposed to do, once painted and all the parts are on, will do some driving and tuning.

 

Nice. That's the next thing I want to learn, bodywork and paint.

 

Got the body about as straight as I can, hopefully paint it this weekend, but its been raining a lot. If the humidity gets to high it can make the paint blush, so hopefully I get it in. Should have gotten some slower activator, I'll see how it goes.

 

Don't rush it hoss, you've got plenty of time, spring has barely sprung.

 

Finally in paint, now I can put back on the lift and finish up some things then dial in the tune. Need a couple beers to wash away the paint smell, lol.