Another LS3
It runs. This is very much a cobbled together shitbox tune since I am not an experienced tuner. Interpreting the later PCM differences and trying to make those work on a 411 with a stroker, large cam, and E60 is above my head. But it runs with throttle and stayed lit long enough for me to check for leaks and verify I didn't screw up the build. My GoPros are still stashed away in my closet so vertical video is all I had motivation for.
The weird cluster gremlin is a bad PCM ground. I had hoped I fixed it with my wiring work but it seems it's still there, so I'll ground out the PCM case directly again and move on with my life for now.
The weird cluster gremlin is a bad PCM ground. I had hoped I fixed it with my wiring work but it seems it's still there, so I'll ground out the PCM case directly again and move on with my life for now.
Ready for the dyno, going to pack it up tomorrow and head out Monday morning. When it gets back I'm going to have to spend some quality time with the welder. The 4" Mufflex system REALLY does not want to clear the fuel tank and rear axle so I need to massage it. Unfortunately the dump was already having a hard time meeting the 100dB at 75ft limit with the old motor so I really need to run it out the back to fit more muffler. And even then I'm betting the additional Magnaflow won't be enough. Next step would just be a 2 stage Burns muffler.
Ready for the dyno, going to pack it up tomorrow and head out Monday morning. When it gets back I'm going to have to spend some quality time with the welder. The 4" Mufflex system REALLY does not want to clear the fuel tank and rear axle so I need to massage it. Unfortunately the dump was already having a hard time meeting the 100dB at 75ft limit with the old motor so I really need to run it out the back to fit more muffler. And even then I'm betting the additional Magnaflow won't be enough. Next step would just be a 2 stage Burns muffler.
Sometimes a large resonated tip can quiet the system down.
We'll see. I really need to get the car down to about 96dB consistently to account for site and atmospheric variation (last time out it was 106). That's pretty serious muffler category. The biggest problem is that nobody really seems to make a 4" in/out muffler that will do that in a conventional size and with enough attenuation, so it seems like I'm limited to the race stuff. Would be a hole lot easier if I was running duals but there is no way I can package that.
Last edited by landstuhltaylor; Apr 18, 2021 at 11:16 AM.
Not the update I wanted to make. It became pretty clear while loading the car that it has a serious electrical issue now. This harness originally from my old 1998 car has given me a few fits over the years with some broken grounds and other things. I am now 100% ready to throw it in the trash and start over. Unfortunately I have let my stress level get way too high during this trying to meet deadlines, so I think I'm going to take some time off from this car.
Once I decide to get back into this I'll have to decide if I even keep the GM ECU. I don't ever drive the car on the street any more and the Holley Dominator looks to have some interesting features for data logging, as well as other I/Os I know I could make use of. It is quite a bit more expensive but I also have a hard time wanting to spend ~$1000 (whole new harness and new ECU) just to put a crappy 411 computer back in it. Aside from the cost, I'd like to have something that would be a bit happier controlling a future motor at 8000rpm. And not have to rewire the entire car to accept 58x again later after spending money on a 24x exclusive wiring setup.
Anyway, for right now I think I'm going to get the RX8 running so I can at least get my driving fix at a time trial. Maybe screw around with the welder a bit to get my skills back. And enjoy the nice weather doing non-car stuff now that it's here.
Once I decide to get back into this I'll have to decide if I even keep the GM ECU. I don't ever drive the car on the street any more and the Holley Dominator looks to have some interesting features for data logging, as well as other I/Os I know I could make use of. It is quite a bit more expensive but I also have a hard time wanting to spend ~$1000 (whole new harness and new ECU) just to put a crappy 411 computer back in it. Aside from the cost, I'd like to have something that would be a bit happier controlling a future motor at 8000rpm. And not have to rewire the entire car to accept 58x again later after spending money on a 24x exclusive wiring setup.
Anyway, for right now I think I'm going to get the RX8 running so I can at least get my driving fix at a time trial. Maybe screw around with the welder a bit to get my skills back. And enjoy the nice weather doing non-car stuff now that it's here.
Speaking of which, I've decided I'm going with a Haltech Nexus to run everything. Their traction control works really well and has some other options I liked to give it the edge over the Holley stuff for what I'm doing. Downside is the cost so it will be a winter project.
I also just happened to put it on the scales today, 3100 even with the Hoosiers and a full (by the rules anyway) interior. The BFGs are 20lbs a set heavier, which means the car gained 40lbs with the LS3 and dry sump setup over what I had before. That includes an additional 8an fuel run from the tank and all the other items. Might see if I can skin this junky stock hood and pin it, and maybe make the side windows removable and gut the mechanism to get it down closer to the 3000lb limit without spending any money.
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 214
Likes: 90
From: San Diego
My 2 cents on living with a dry sump pump.
Both my cars have 5 stage dry sump systems with three 1 inch lines going from dry sump pump to oil tank.
1 line to feed the pump and 2 lines for scavenging oil from the engine.
The oil pressure ignition kill is a nice idea.
Unfortunately the belt normally does not fly off when the car is in neutral.
So if you have a big oil pressure light you have to clutch it immediately to avoid mechanically running it with no oil pressure regardless of the ignition cut off.
Sometimes a small rock can get under the oil pump belt, a rock shield under the oil pump belt is good insurance.
Once the belt fly's off most do a complete rebuild to check bearings rather than just risk it and run it after a belt fly's off.
Also since the oil tank is a little above the engine it is common while the car is parked at home for oil in the tank to slowly drain into the engine. If the tank looks low, before adding oil to the tank be sure the engine is not overfilled with oil.
I like to have a sperate starter and ignition switches.
So I can turn the motor over and verify oil pressure before I hit ignition.
Dry sumps are awesome but require different/simple procedures.
Good luck with the wiring, an area for improvement for many race cars.
Both my cars have 5 stage dry sump systems with three 1 inch lines going from dry sump pump to oil tank.
1 line to feed the pump and 2 lines for scavenging oil from the engine.
The oil pressure ignition kill is a nice idea.
Unfortunately the belt normally does not fly off when the car is in neutral.
So if you have a big oil pressure light you have to clutch it immediately to avoid mechanically running it with no oil pressure regardless of the ignition cut off.
Sometimes a small rock can get under the oil pump belt, a rock shield under the oil pump belt is good insurance.
Once the belt fly's off most do a complete rebuild to check bearings rather than just risk it and run it after a belt fly's off.
Also since the oil tank is a little above the engine it is common while the car is parked at home for oil in the tank to slowly drain into the engine. If the tank looks low, before adding oil to the tank be sure the engine is not overfilled with oil.
I like to have a sperate starter and ignition switches.
So I can turn the motor over and verify oil pressure before I hit ignition.
Dry sumps are awesome but require different/simple procedures.
Good luck with the wiring, an area for improvement for many race cars.
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Verdad Gallardo Yep, all things I will have to think about. On the list is building an air dam and radiator ducting so I will be looking at ways to shield the belt from debris at the same time. I think there are some limitations on undertrays in the ruleset but I'll do what I can (edit: splitter can extend back to the wheel centerline, so that should work). And definitely will be checking pressure before firing the car when it's been sitting.
Last edited by landstuhltaylor; Jul 15, 2021 at 10:27 AM.
Started poking around on this thing again. If I do a splitter that extends to the front subframe I'll need to find another place for the air to exit. So...enter a mockup of a forward tilted radiator to send air out the hood. With the latch gone and headlight supports moved there is room to fit a generic 27.5x19 circle track radiator in there easily enough without cutting anything. Should be pretty simple to build a shroud from the opened up nose. The stock style lid/SSRA will be pitched and instead I'll build a new box for a dual snorkel style intake directly behind the nose where the Hawk/Hoosier stickers are. Still going to have to close up a bunch of the stock opening when I'm done.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 8,031
Likes: 661
Finally back really working on this thing since it needs to be at an event in late August. Finishing up the mounting brackets for the Howe 28x16 radiator I bought with an integrated oil cooler (should help getting oil up to temp for autocrosses). Ideally I would have gone a bit bigger but this is about the biggest I could reasonably fit with a forward mount. I'll have a single Spal fan behind it along with my power steering cooler. Intake will go over the radiator and get it's air from somewhere in the front bumper but I haven't gotten all of that figured out yet.
I did wind up picking up a Terminator after all so once the radiator is finished up, I'll add the flex fuel and oil temp sensors and then hopefully get that in. Ideally it runs by the end of this month.
I did wind up picking up a Terminator after all so once the radiator is finished up, I'll add the flex fuel and oil temp sensors and then hopefully get that in. Ideally it runs by the end of this month.
Started poking around on this thing again. If I do a splitter that extends to the front subframe I'll need to find another place for the air to exit. So...enter a mockup of a forward tilted radiator to send air out the hood. With the latch gone and headlight supports moved there is room to fit a generic 27.5x19 circle track radiator in there easily enough without cutting anything. Should be pretty simple to build a shroud from the opened up nose. The stock style lid/SSRA will be pitched and instead I'll build a new box for a dual snorkel style intake directly behind the nose where the Hawk/Hoosier stickers are. Still going to have to close up a bunch of the stock opening when I'm done.
Car is getting closer. Finished making all the fiddly lines for the radiator, which also required reworking many of the dry sump lines as well. The Holley took about an hour to completely wire into the car (I already had the engine harness part of it installed) and I'm at the point I didn't need to reference any schematics to do it. I've spent way too much time in these things. Going to work on building a startup file for it, re-verify all the fuel/oil/coolant lines etc, reinstall the exhaust and starter, and then hopefully see if it starts by mid-week. Assuming it does, then I'll have to spend a lot of time hunting around the bay with zip ties and tackle the rest of the prep to get it ready to go on a trailer.
A full fuel tank. Before the swap it was 3100lbs with the full tank and interior which is only 100lbs above minimum. Nobody was ever close to giving it a run for it's money so there was no need to bother running less.
I'm sure it will weigh more now and I'd like to get that down, but we are in the process of closing on a few acres and building a house and pole barn. Once this thing runs it won't be getting any real money for a while.
I'm sure it will weigh more now and I'd like to get that down, but we are in the process of closing on a few acres and building a house and pole barn. Once this thing runs it won't be getting any real money for a while.
It was fine down to about 3 gallons on the 255 pump and stock 99+ pickup. I just don't feel the need to play that game in the current class. And I still haven't fixed my fuel gauge yet. Easier to just keep it full when it's going to suck down the ethanol.
Well, seems the power issue has gotten worse. Went to turn it over and now the ECU is only getting intermittent power and the fuel pump is making a buzzing noise. Before trying to start it the Holley was getting a reliable ignition source, but now it sometimes comes on with the key and sometimes it doesn't. I can play with the stock wiring and it will kick on/off. Seems like I just need to bite the bullet and eliminate all of the remaining factory wiring.
