2007 CTS-V Build Thread..nothing new but new to me.
#61
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looks like my buddy who has a mustang cobra obsession. all of the are blown up or in pieces. lol. looks like a fine place to do business. you are making very nice progress sir.
#63
I've spent most of the week after work wiring up an alarm system as my contribution and now should be able to actually get to work!
#64
Made progress on cradle bushings last night. Bottoms slid in by hand; tops were not going the same route(tight). Instructions recommend that a C-clamp is helpful to get the new stuff in but I already had their tool in front of me. I just pumped the lever with my thumb(without the handle/bar) to make sure I wasn't applying much pressure.
After work today, control arm bushings.
Bushing out:
Bushings in:
Sleeve in:
After work today, control arm bushings.
Bushing out:
Bushings in:
Sleeve in:
#65
I got a little lazy and BFH'd the spare tire tub a little to get the passenger control arm bolt out without dropping the cradle all the way.. Meh.
Getting the control arm bushings out was starting to look like a bit of a chore and then I had an epiphany: hole saw in a drill press. It still took maybe 5 minutes per bushing but it turned the job into a "sit on my a$$, drink beer, and let the machine do the work" kind of affair. Then light touch with a hackzall(Milwaukee one-handed sawzall I *love*) and it was done. Hopefully front upper/lower control arm bushings tomorrow or Monday.
Getting the control arm bushings out was starting to look like a bit of a chore and then I had an epiphany: hole saw in a drill press. It still took maybe 5 minutes per bushing but it turned the job into a "sit on my a$$, drink beer, and let the machine do the work" kind of affair. Then light touch with a hackzall(Milwaukee one-handed sawzall I *love*) and it was done. Hopefully front upper/lower control arm bushings tomorrow or Monday.
#68
Everything on mine was in good shape. Almost felt silly changing it all out; especially since it made the bushings that much harder to remove. Like I should have sold the car and bought one that was already all ragged out. But really with the drill press I got to sit and let the weight of my arm do the work.
#69
Also having something for the tool/frame/jack to hang from is good, too. It is SURPRISINGLY HEAVY.
#70
Coilovers, Swift springs and thrust sheets, rear pin mounts, CS cradle, RUCA bushings and toe rods installed...back on all fours so I can focus on building the rear and the engine. Lucky me I noticed that I'll get to disassemble the front again to flip the grease fittings around..so I decided to leave it all hand-tight, push it in the back of the shop, take some long relaxing breaths(and beers!) while putting the rest together, and revisit the entire setup with a fresh head when I have the patience to properly work a torque wrench.
Last edited by Mercier; 05-31-2016 at 04:48 PM.
#71
Mercier, looking good. It's been a while since I've seen a brand-new set of KWs. Unless you've already put weight on the wheels and adjusted the coilovers to your liking, you might want to spin those front coilovers down a tad. IIRC, there should be 62-65mm of thread below the purple adjustment rings.
#72
Mercier, looking good. It's been a while since I've seen a brand-new set of KWs. Unless you've already put weight on the wheels and adjusted the coilovers to your liking, you might want to spin those front coilovers down a tad. IIRC, there should be 62-65mm of thread below the purple adjustment rings.
I'll be taking some measurements in the next week and figuring out exactly where to adjust them to.
#74
Ok so after MANY dumbass, gotcha, and aha! moments, I am now a half-*** accomplished gear monkey. I thought I had a real nice gasket for the 8.8 but apparently all I had was what came in the FMS install kit. Pretty thick but still basically cardboard. I decided on RTV on both sides. Had studs I bought for it and cinched those down to get all the glue setting and will soon remove those and use longer bolts for the CS adapter bracket.
Not the best or worst pattern I've seen but at this point I want it together and can change gears, bearings, etc. in $200 and 2 hours so I'm just OVER it. If it whines I'll just tell them I have a blower.
Pinion preload @ 20 and backlash @ .009" so I'm going to call my first gear install a semi-success.
Not the best or worst pattern I've seen but at this point I want it together and can change gears, bearings, etc. in $200 and 2 hours so I'm just OVER it. If it whines I'll just tell them I have a blower.
Pinion preload @ 20 and backlash @ .009" so I'm going to call my first gear install a semi-success.
Last edited by Mercier; 07-18-2016 at 01:39 PM.
#79
Well, we're past the point of no return on the engine. And she's no virgin. Someone else has been under that skirt...even if just to try to fix a slow rear pan leak. Who knows. Underside of windage tray seems clean as does the pan...couple soft items in the screen. Blue o-ring.
Last edited by Mercier; 07-19-2016 at 11:36 PM.
#80
And there is a shoe in one of the cylinders. Should pick up a few HP just correcting that. Have some cleaning to do on the pistons but pending mics and bore gauges tomorrow, I think this looks like a good candidate for quick refresh and go.
Lifters are a little more "streaky" than I've seen on the last LS2 I pulled apart but not rough at all. Left my puller at home so we'll get the cam out and see how it looks tomorrow or so.
Lifters are a little more "streaky" than I've seen on the last LS2 I pulled apart but not rough at all. Left my puller at home so we'll get the cam out and see how it looks tomorrow or so.