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Tech / General EngineIs your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!
I've been looking for a decent set of centerline champ 500 wheels. i found a set with 9.5 inch rears and i was stoked. it was two hours away. made the deal and drove up only to find that the wheels he said came off a Camaro had a 4.5 inch ford bolt pattern. so wasted 4.5 hours and didn't get the wheels i really wanted. im bummed dude. I installed a 4th gen rear end last summer and about a month ago i broke it. so im going to put a 9in rear end in but i wanted to get the wheels first to make sure it all fits. i will keep looking
I finally installed an aluminum radiator that actually dropped in without any modification. I tried other brands and never cared for their construction. I ended up with a Mishimoto two core which I purchased from Summit racing. I was just slightly under $400 and honestly, I didn't need a three core like the copper and brass one I just removed. That one served me well as I bought it back in 1994.
I wasn't too crazy about having two extra connections on the new radiator. My car's heater doesn't connect to the radiator like later models. The smaller one bellow (both marked in red arrows), I have no idea what to hook up to it. Either way, I'm pretty happy so far with the installation. Next step is to clean up and modify the used LS1 fans I bought through HAWKS.
Old copper brass 3 core LS1 fans. New radiator info Two optional connections.
If you haven't already, it would be a great time to switch to an OAT coolant to prolong that aluminum as much as possible.
I haven't filled it up yet. I wanted to make sure the transmission cooler lines fit as well as the hoses. I still need to flush out the heater core and block a few more times. I got 99% of the DEXCOOL out.
Got the front fenders filled and a leveled to where I like them after sand blasting. Hoping to be ready for high build primer on Thursday (weather permitting).
Every time I think I am ready I find another low spot! Bonus points one fender still had the GM sticker on it too.
Drove out to a show, went out for a date with the wife, then cruised all over the place saturday evening. Knocked down 21.9 mpg and ran 160-180 deg all day long in the 90 degree heat. Been really enjoying this car especially since the 350 swap and have about got it where I want it. Still kind of looking for some GTA, Recaro, or 4th gen leather seats to swap out in the future but overall really happy with the lil Redbird.
Very nice! Glad to hear she runs as good as she looks. My wife likes taking the car also when we go out. It's a really nice feeling when you just enjoy the ride, especially in a third Gen.
I used rivet nuts to secure the LS fans onto the radiator. My existing 3rd gen dual cooling fans wiring hooked right up to the LS fan motors. I did modify (hacked up) the dual fan upper radiator cover to fit as I wanted to retain the upper hose "rest". It's not the best cutting but it worked. I didn't tighten the transmission cooler lines enough which caused a leak. That has been since fixed. This mod so far, as I haven't taken it out on the road yet, seems to be working a lot better than the Z28/IROC factory dual fans. I will get another upper cover and do some better cuts.
started the install on a quick performance 9 inch rear end with 3:70 gears and a disk brake conversion. i have the 4th gen rear end with bent axels and got the new rear end connected to the car and the car back up on cribs. the rear end went in as expected but the new torque arm mount was a pita because the top bracket had been slightly bent in shipping. when i had it on jack stands i was able to get the mount in but once i had it mounted i couldnt and had to drop it again to open up the bent bracket. they must have parked a truck on it to bend it because its a beefy bracket that didnt yield easily to my forced bend. the second issue i had was the brake lines i had will not work. i may have to buy a set from quick performance but i would rather not as they are $75 on top of the already ridiculous amount i spent on the rear end. if i can get factory disk brake lines to work im sure they will be cheaper. so as it sits 2 feet in the air i need brake lines, to hook up the torque arm and driveshaft. oh and one of the shock bolts is stripped. it will get there. once the rear end is in i have a new BMR torque arm, a BMR transmission mount, and inner subframe connectors to go in. its an exciting time.
when doing the 5 suggested break in sessions on the quick performance rear end i had a couple of issues. issue one there was an intermittent vibration from the rear end and two the car was running hot and leaking like the titanic. the vibration didn't feel like it was the gears. it felt like it was coming from the pass side. i was starting to wonder if i got the axel seated correctly. Put it on stands with the car in drive and i didn't feel or see anything. i pulled the wheel and started looking for rubbing or signs of issues and when i started shaking everything i found the shock were very loose. i guess i left them loose and was going to tighten them once it was on the ground but didn't. i hope this is the issue there. the leak was a freeze plug that was n,a.s.t.y! i replaced it today. i will put some coolant in it tomorrow and hopefully get a nice clean test drive. I also noticed that i didn't put the sway bar back on. im not going to reinstall the original but purchase a beefier aftermarket unit and get that in. its up on stands now and before i drop it tomorrow im going to go over all the fasteners one more time. i installed a new trans mount, torque arm, inner subframe connectors, rear end, and disk brakes. it was a lot. one more thing. the bottom of the car is in beautiful shape. not a smidge of rust. however the exhaust was rusted through in several places. i cut it off and put a cherry bomb on the pipe in place of the catalytic converter, its not going to stay but will work for now.
I changed out a destroyed freeze plug. this seems to have corrected the heating issue. i drove it about 5 miles tonight and it stayed cool. so that's a small victory. the vibration seemed to be better too. the shocks are squeaking on the top mount. so i will address that in the next day or so and then start driving the car regularly again.
05-24-2023, 06:58 PM
