five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Well, not technically. I set the camera up, hit the button, started the engine, let it run and smooth out, shut it off, hit the camera button again, discovered I took two stills. This was the "successful" shot later with a different camera (need to learn how to use my wife's digital cameras. . .).

Details:
Got enough hooked up to put the battery in and see if I had power. The instrument cluster, MIL & brake warning lights, and fuel pump all worked, but for some reason I don't have power to the body (headlights, dome light, etc.). Decided to give it a try anyway, starter turned over, so I put a couple of gallons of gas in the tank, got the camera set up, and tried it for real. I let the fuel pump prime, then tried to turn it over. It cranked for several seconds, caught on about half the cylinders, had oil pressure and the MIL light went off, so I let it run. After about 10 seconds, with a couple of throttle nudges, it picked up on all 8. Showed a steady 55 psi oil pressure. It was 9:30 p.m. by this time, so I only ran it for a few seconds at a time (the video was the 5th start).

Still a bunch to do: Figure out why the body isn't getting power, set the tach to 4 cyl, bleed clutch & brakes, mount the radiator & PS lines, etc., etc., etc.

At least now I know it runs. . .

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (2)

That great man, how long you been waiting to hear it fire? I was DAMn glad to get mine going this week...er last week was it?

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Possible blown fusible link or the power wire wasnt connected

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I've had the LS1/T56 since Sep '07. Got the car in Oct '07. The LG4/TH200C came out in Feb '08. I thought I'd have it running that spring - riiiight. . .

The power wire was connected. I ran it to the same wire that goes to the bus bar that feeds the ignition switch. I'd believe a blown fusible link, but not sure how it could have been fried. There hasn't been any power on it since the LG4 was taken out, and there wasn't any spark when I connected the battery last night.

I'll have to chase it down. Bummer. With all the stuff I did, who would have thought the stuff I changed would work, and the stuff I left alone wouldn't? Even the seat belt buzzer works - guess it's fed by the ignition switch.

cam-

You are a LOT calmer than I am I tell you that. I was doing backflips and handing out beers to the crowds of clingons watching as if it were mine first born when my first fired! Haha congrats though Im proud of ya in a weird kinda way hahaha!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I had a headache all day at work, took me until almost 8 p.m. to get out to the garage. I had the battery on trickle charge overnight. First thing I did was wrap the fuel line along the driveshaft tunnel with heat reflecting tape (disconnecting it made that easier, and disconnecting it before fuel was in it made disconnecting it easier). After that was done, I checked the battery, it was fine, so I decided to hook it up. At that point I started to get excited, kind of like being in the staging lanes for the first round. I verified no smoke was being let out when I turned on the ignition switch, and bumped the starter over (will take a little getting used to the clutch safety switch after having automatics all these years). I had about half a gallon of gas available, put that in the tank, and it wasn't enough to prime the pump. Barely avoided spilling it all over myself with my shaking hands. I grabbed a couple of gas cans and went to the gas station to fill them up. I did manage to spill some on my shoes when I put those in the tank.

I was pretty keyed up when I first went to start it, but the video is of the 5th start (stupid camera - when she got home, my wife showed me which button you need to push to record video ).

My headache went away. . .

3.1EyeCandy

iTrader: (3)

Congrats!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Thanks, it's been a long time coming.

Spike-Z

iTrader: (4)

Congrats Five7kid! Aint it the best feeling in the world? I know I got scared as hell when I tried (for the heck of it) to start it for the 1st time and it fired right up.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I was ready to jump out and disconnect the battery at the first sign of heat or smoke, or whack each injector if they didn't fire since they've been sitting so long, things like that.

I half expected something wouldn't work, but I didn't expect it would be the body electrical. Really pleased to see the warning lights and gauges work.

DJ_91RS

Awesome! Glad to see and hear it spark to life! It will keep me from slacking on mine!

Dave

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

One was, the other wasn't.

Precinct caucuses were tonight so I didn't get much done.

All of the neon lights are working (turn signals, high beam, brake and MIL warning lights), not too bright, not too dim. Instrument lights aren't working, though. Need to pull the panel back and see what's going on there.

I've been boning up on clutch bleeding. I have an access hole in the tunnel so I can get to the bleeder from inside the car. I have a pressure bleeder, haven't heard of anyone using one on the clutch, though. Also have a Mity Vac, not sure how that would work on a currently dry system.

Progress. Still slow, but progress. . .

screeminchicken

iTrader: (2)

57Kid,

Congrats man. long time comming exspecially with all the help you have doing in this section.

About bleeding the clutch, i read somewhere on tech that while using mightyvac you have to keep it at low vaccum psi.....check it out

I think I am going to rethink-redo my wiring. Even though on my 1st startup, the fuel pump clicked on and it cranked and also it seemed like it wanted to run. I never ran....... Non of my gauges worked. So didnt have the ***** to keep trying.

I am going to reread all of Jon's sticky and try again.

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Glad it was something simple. When I built the harness for my 92, I set it up like all the 90-92 harnesses Id built. Unfortunately for me TBI cars use a different C207 pin for the speedo than V6/TPI cars. Since Id only dealt with V6/TPI stuff for those years, I went ahead and ran it that way. I was quite irritated when the speedo didnt work as I triple check each wire before I consider a harness finished. Someone asked a question about a buffer box and I dug up the schematic for them. While it was up I made a passing glance and noticed the C207 assignment didnt look right. It was on pin K like -89 cars when 90-92 cars should be pin D. Turns out TBI has alot more in common with the older cars than the SD stuff. Swapped the pin over and everything was fine

Moral of the story is that the simple things are easy to overlook and can halt a project in its tracks

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (2)

Man, mine was super easy to bleed with a extra foot hitting the clutch pedal.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I've watched that video over and over and over. Next best thing to being there.

That thread was one I was going over.

Since I can get to the bleeder from inside the car, an extra foot won't be necessary for a "conventional" bleed. But, the Mityvac may require someone to handle it while another person pumps the pedal. Guess we'll see.

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (2)

Yea, i just didnt want to put a hole in the tunnel, so i was glad i could get t the bleeder from the bottom.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I had already put a hole in the tunnel to route the clutch hydraulic line through the passenger compartment and away from the exhaust heat, so putting another one in there for the bleed didn't bother me.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Well, I decided I'd see about bleeding the clutch this evening. First I thought I'd try Mityvac, but I couldn't find the thing. So, I pulled the carpet back, looked through the hole in the tunnel, and said to myself, "There has to be a better way." So, I hooked up the pressure bleeder, it wouldn't hold liquid at the cap (and it still required getting the bleeder valve open one way or another), so I started looking for the Mityvac again.

Spent half my evening's garage time hunting for that thing, turned out it was under the front bumper (probably because I planned on using it to bleed the clutch ).

I won't attempt to chronicle all of the events that followed, suffice it to say that after fumbling my way around figuring out the method, and about 5 cycles of actually doing it, I still had zero pedal. I was about the give up, wondering if I had a bad MC or this method simply didn't work with a completely dry system, when a bunch of bubbles started coming out of the line into the reservoir (I had been getting bubbles with the vacuum most of the time, but not just before this happened). I sucked on it one more time, didn't get any bubbles, checked the pedal, and lo and behold, pedal! Fired it up again, ran it through all the gears, seems smooth enough. Easier to push than any clutch (other than a 4 cyl) I've ever driven before (of course, about 25 years newer than the last non-4-cyl clutch vehicle I've owned).

Meanwhile, my son mounted the radiator. I'm going to have to figure out something to keep the PS cooler and air inlet out of each other's way. The lower radiator hose I got doesn't fit the radiator. Always something.

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

Which lower hose are you using, the Vortec 4.3L hose or the old Ford F350 hose? I am using the Ford hose like a lot of others here.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I bought the lower hose so long ago, I don't even remember what I asked for. Probably 2000 LS1.

I searched for the Ford p/n this evening, hope to pick one up tomorrow.

I know I also got the upper hoses at the same time, but can't put my hands on them now. Frustrating.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Checker/O'Reilly had the 21505. $59 by the time I got out of there (lower hose, hose clamps, antifreeze, flush, clip nuts to mount the radiator fans).

Klortho

Sounds awesome five7, nothing like the feeling of starting up a swap the first time.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

I have done a lot of engine first-starts over the years. This is the first time I didn't have to worry about the timing being screwed up. But, that was replaced with being worried about having miswired one of about 50 wires. . . (which I did, good news is it didn't let any smoke out).

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

That 21505 wasn't a very tight fit to the water pump or radiator nipples, but I guess it'll work. Got the radiator & fans all installed except for the steam line (need to adapt the hose to the return nipple on the radiator tank), and PS cooler & lines done (found the two upper radiator hose elbows that I had purchased several months ago). I found a new 3rd gen twin fan upper radiator mount (a long time ago), and the end of the PS cooler sits nicely on the hose support built into it. I'll try to get a photo of all of that tomorrow.

Now I find I need more intake hose parts. I only have a 90 degree reducing elbow, hump sleeve, 6" aluminum tube, and cone filter, and it just doesn't fit in the space available. Ordered a straight sleeve, 45 degree elbow, 12" straight tube, and some T-bolt clamps tonight from intakehoses.com. That should get the filter into the corner above the fuse/relay box where it belongs.

Oh, I hadn't mentioned this yet - with power available now, I've found reverse gear for the first time. And, the back-up lights work!

It's late, need to get some sleep. . .

Fyrstorm

iTrader: (1)

Congrats Five7 I didn't do anywhere near as much work as you but I had that same feeling when I first changed out the intake manifold on the old LG4 I had in there (first time i'd done it). When it fired right up I was tickled pink that I actually had it appart and back together again hehe!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

In 2005 when I installed the 350 shortblock in Berlinetta #1, it fired right up as soon as gas got to the carb (about 3 seconds as I remember it). The timing was only a few degrees off when we put the timing light on it later. That time I was whooping it up and dancing around - my son had helped put the engine together and in the car, and he got the honor of turning the key. I think I freaked him out. No beers, though (he was only 17 at the time - still doesn't drink).