My LQ4 engine swap / build thread...witness the debacle
03-25-2011, 03:28 PM
#104
Launching!
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Thanks for your response, I'd go out and do the piston work but its snowing, and I don't need to get water in the engine
Hell yea to the bastard, got what he deserved
Hell yea to the bastard, got what he deserved
03-27-2011, 09:24 AM
#105
Looks like today will be the big day. I got almost everything wrapped up Friday night and all day yesterday. All I have left now is to put new fluids in (oil, trans, power steering, clutch, coolant) and to bleed the clutch. I got my new base tune from Steve at Frost yesterday so I should be good to go.
A few last pics before I try to start it up...
Coils mounted on the brackets...
Headers installed, engine completely reassembled
Just have to put the lid/maf on...
Its funny how the smallest things will hold you up the longest, and the some of the biggest things seem to go so smoothly. I had the radiator in, mounted, fans on and wired back up, and all the hoses attached in probably 15 minutes, and yet it took me almost half an hour to get the dipstick tube back in the oil pan and to get the bolt that holds the tube mount to the head threaded in. Anyways.
Wish me luck today.
A few last pics before I try to start it up...
Coils mounted on the brackets...
Headers installed, engine completely reassembled
Just have to put the lid/maf on...
Its funny how the smallest things will hold you up the longest, and the some of the biggest things seem to go so smoothly. I had the radiator in, mounted, fans on and wired back up, and all the hoses attached in probably 15 minutes, and yet it took me almost half an hour to get the dipstick tube back in the oil pan and to get the bolt that holds the tube mount to the head threaded in. Anyways.
Wish me luck today.
03-27-2011, 05:20 PM
#108
OK well, I've got good news and some minor concerning news....
It lives! Fired right up, had oil pressure within a few seconds, and it idles well. It feels a little rough, but I guess thats to be expected at this point. Plus, it's a pretty big cam and I'm not used to the poly motor mounts, so that's probably part of it, too. Sounds freaking great through the magnaflow exhaust...idle is a little muted, but that's what I wanted. Idle is set at like 850rpms right now too, so after the tuning is done I can probably lower it a little and it will probably sound a bit nastier.
I'm having issues with my clutch, though. The clutch is what I was most scared of all along. I've gotten all the old fluid and air out of the lines, and I'm getting a steady stream of clear fluid when the clutch is pushed, but no pedal. See more details in this thread, and if you can help me out with some advice, I'd surely appreciate it...
https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-tr...ng-clutch.html
Overall the day is a success...got it fired with no major issues like a rod going through the side of the block or anything. LOL I'll feel a lot better when this clutch is sorted, though.
Updates to come.
It lives! Fired right up, had oil pressure within a few seconds, and it idles well. It feels a little rough, but I guess thats to be expected at this point. Plus, it's a pretty big cam and I'm not used to the poly motor mounts, so that's probably part of it, too. Sounds freaking great through the magnaflow exhaust...idle is a little muted, but that's what I wanted. Idle is set at like 850rpms right now too, so after the tuning is done I can probably lower it a little and it will probably sound a bit nastier.
I'm having issues with my clutch, though. The clutch is what I was most scared of all along. I've gotten all the old fluid and air out of the lines, and I'm getting a steady stream of clear fluid when the clutch is pushed, but no pedal. See more details in this thread, and if you can help me out with some advice, I'd surely appreciate it...
https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-tr...ng-clutch.html
Overall the day is a success...got it fired with no major issues like a rod going through the side of the block or anything. LOL I'll feel a lot better when this clutch is sorted, though.
Updates to come.
03-27-2011, 05:35 PM
#109
You mean you arent watching the Kentucky vs UNC game......GO BIG BLUE. Just kidding, you may not have lived here long enought to be a Cats fan yet.
Glad to hear she fired, sorry to hear about the clutch. No advise since I have not messed with one on the LS1 cars yet.
We need a video!
Glad to hear she fired, sorry to hear about the clutch. No advise since I have not messed with one on the LS1 cars yet.
We need a video!
Wiring Mod 
03-27-2011, 09:29 PM
#114
I'm having issues with my clutch, though. The clutch is what I was most scared of all along. I've gotten all the old fluid and air out of the lines, and I'm getting a steady stream of clear fluid when the clutch is pushed, but no pedal. See more details in this thread, and if you can help me out with some advice, I'd surely appreciate it...
Updates to come.
Updates to come.
03-27-2011, 09:53 PM
#115
i Have had this problem in the past as well. Seems like no matter the method i use to bleed the clutch i still have trouble getting a firm pedal, until i bought a mighty vac with a reverse mode. I simply force a small amount of fluid into the reservoir line and get an instant firm pedal.
I finally got the clutch bled, but it took damn near a full bottle of fluid to get all the damn air out of the lines. What a pain in the ***, but worthwhile. I even got to take the car for a short spin tonight...felt really good. Really rewarding. Monster Level 3 feels like a damn stock clutch! I was impressed.
And without further ado...
(keep in mind the idle is set around 850rpm, so when we drop it, it will sound a little lopier. I think it sounds great, though)
03-28-2011, 08:39 AM
#117
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Good job, great writeup. It sounds angry! I recently went through the same thing, but was too busy cussing and bleeding to do a writeup. Get that thing on a dyno!
03-28-2011, 09:43 AM
#119
Thanks for the comments guys. I cannot tell you how much better I feel today knowing I finally got the thing running and driving, and by myself no less. If I can do it, anyone can.
Funny story...when I finally got everything reinstalled, all I had left to do was fill all the various fluids. So I'm filling the radiator with coolant/water, and all of a sudden I hear liquid hitting the ground. I'm thinking, damn I missed hooking up a hose or something isn't on tight. Except when I go to look under the car, it's like a freaking waterfall coming off the back of the block...
I'm freaking out now with visions of pulling the engine back out, etc. Turns out, there's a plug on the back of the passenger side head that has to be reinstalled (Same plug on driver's side is used for water temp sender). I had forgotten to swap it over. And as minor as that was, I paid for it because it took me probably 20 minutes to get that damn plug back in with the engine back in the car, headers in place, etc. Literally a 2 minute job if I had caught it while I was putting the heads on.
Like I said before, it's the little things that will eat up all your time on a swap like this. Dipstick tube mount bolt, torque arm bolts, intake mani bolts...those things eat up hours. I had to completely readjust my entire exhaust once the motor was back in...I guess the poly mounts changed the angle of the motor, and everything needed re-doing to get good ground clearance. Speed bleeder ended up being anything but speedy, and was a two man job in the end...maybe I got a dud. Anyways...
Thanks again for all the comments and support. I'll get more pics and vid as I get the car out, cleaned up, and tuned.
Funny story...when I finally got everything reinstalled, all I had left to do was fill all the various fluids. So I'm filling the radiator with coolant/water, and all of a sudden I hear liquid hitting the ground. I'm thinking, damn I missed hooking up a hose or something isn't on tight. Except when I go to look under the car, it's like a freaking waterfall coming off the back of the block...
I'm freaking out now with visions of pulling the engine back out, etc. Turns out, there's a plug on the back of the passenger side head that has to be reinstalled (Same plug on driver's side is used for water temp sender). I had forgotten to swap it over. And as minor as that was, I paid for it because it took me probably 20 minutes to get that damn plug back in with the engine back in the car, headers in place, etc. Literally a 2 minute job if I had caught it while I was putting the heads on.
Like I said before, it's the little things that will eat up all your time on a swap like this. Dipstick tube mount bolt, torque arm bolts, intake mani bolts...those things eat up hours. I had to completely readjust my entire exhaust once the motor was back in...I guess the poly mounts changed the angle of the motor, and everything needed re-doing to get good ground clearance. Speed bleeder ended up being anything but speedy, and was a two man job in the end...maybe I got a dud. Anyways...
Thanks again for all the comments and support. I'll get more pics and vid as I get the car out, cleaned up, and tuned.
