Alright, so we finally got my dad's Chevelle running again (the backfiring was caused by faulty points). BUT, on the 2nd run, the oil pump went and dad had to nurse the car home. We had to take the engine back out anyway, so not too bad. Lets just hope no internal damage has resulted.
Back on topic, we'll be taking the Chevelle's engine back out tomorrow. I have all of next weekend off of work, so on Friday when I get home from school, dad and I will get started on the HO conversion. I'm extremely excited, we have almost 3 full days to work with, and I'm just ready to see what my 5.0 was made to do :D . With that said, I will be ordering a gasket set and new timing chain from summit very soon.
Unfortunately, I dont think I'll be able to get the H-pipe ordered for the conversion just yet, so for now I'll be stuck with the crummy Y-pipe (I dont expect it to keep it that way for long though). Also, I've got a set of 3.27 gears to put in the 7.5in rear end.
Installing new rear end gears is probably the only thing my dad isn't 100% sure about doing, and I don't want to spend $165 on getting them installed, so I was wondering if any of you could provide any help.
Any tips/steps/etc about the conversion itself or the gear installation will be greatly appreciated. It's also worthy to note that I have the 5-speed Mustang computer, not the auto (my car is AOD).
I CANT WAIT!!! :D :D :birdsmily:
Well congratulations on a monumentous achievement.
Can't wait to so how it all turns out.
Good luck with it! Take your time, have fun and most importantly, don't get frustrated if you end up putting a little more time or money into it for stupid inconveniences.
I'll finally be working on my car next weekend as well (weather permitting)
Yeah, thats one reason why I asked dad if we could get started right after I get home from school on Friday; I get home a little after noon, so that leaves us a bunch of time over the weekend. Hopefully we can get it done within that time frame, but if not, I'll have to drive the 85 Trans Am for a week (oh darn!). And also, I have plenty of extra space in my savings account (up until now, I have ONLY used it for gas and kept the left over money as savings). So that should all be ok. Lets just hope everything goes smoothly enough. Especially now that all the ricer guys at school are coming out of the woodwork due to the nice weather, someone has to put them in their place :evilgrin: :toilet: :shakeass:
Good luck with the work.3 days should be more than enough time.If you're installing headers,the Y pipe probably won't work right.The 5 speed computer won't work as well as an AOD computer.Find a Mark VII or AOD Stang computer.They're all over E-bay.Keep us posted on everything.Be methodical,and watch what you're doing and all should be well.I would suggest pulling the engine to do all of the mods to it.It really doesn't take that long,and in the long run,it'll probably take less time to do it that way,plus,it'll save you and your Dad's back.just a thought.
Right on man. Too bad you weren't able to acquire a TC rear end. Be nice to have discs on all 4 corners.
Come to Ardmore,Ok.There's a TC rear 2 miles from me....still on the car,which there isn't much left of.I know where 3 more TC's are about 50 miles away.I've been picking at them from time to time.
I heard that the 5-speed Mustang computer will work on AOD cars just fine (and actually have slightly more aggressive shift points too). Would anyone else like to comment on this? I wanted the 5-speed computer because I plan to install a T-5 down the road.
EDIT: From the coolcats site
"By the way, it is acceptable to use a manual transmission computer in an automatic car (but you cannot do the reverse). The timing curve and sensor adjustments are a little more responsive with a manual computer, giving you better throttle response and slightly improved 0-60 times."
Yes, I'll be installing headers and we will have holes drilled in the y pipe to put the O2 sensors in; this is only temporary.
I'm not sure what we'll be doing about pulling the engine out or not. We should have plenty of time to do it, so thats probably what we'll do.
This car will see 4 wheel discs at some point, but not right now. And Ok is a bit too far away :( . A TC rear would be nice though.
Thanks for the tips! Any other comments are welcome.
be sure all your stupid little electrical connections are alright!
ONE wire, the oxygen sensor harness ground, wasnt grounded, prevented the car from starting!
and ive still gotta sort out this oxygen sensor lean business and actually get that extra 75 hp.
hopefully yours goes better!!! keep us updated and let us know the difference you feel!!!!!!
Maybe you should consider holding off on the headers until you can get an h-pipe worked in there. If I'm thinking correctly, headers including factory shortys from a Lincoln/Mustang don't seal or fit quite right on our cars y-pipe. I could be wrong on that though.
You can get away fine with the stock exhaust manifolds for the time being. That's what I did and had no problems. Plus it will save you the extra time/effort of putting in the bungs for the O2s on your y-pipe.
You also double checked to make sure the computer isn't an '89 and up mass air unit right?
Yeah, I matched the numbers to those on the coolcats site. I had all these parts bought back last April.
Ok, so about the headers: Would it be a pain to just open the hood and switch out the manifolds for the headers when I do get the H-pipe? Should I go ahead, bite the bullet, and get the $169 H-pipe (which already has holes in it)? Well if I end up having to use the y-pipe for now, I guess I wont even see any benefit from the headers. But, depending on how much I have to spend on the whole thing next weekend, I might be able to order the H-pipe when I get my next pay check.
@Zonda - whats keeping you from getting that hp?
Oh and trust me, once she's up and running, I'll be on here blabbin all around about how she runs. Thanks for all the tips! :D
Shouldn't be bad at all. Unbolting the manifolds/headers from the heads isn't a problem. The pain is getting them where they bolt to the exhaust.
In theory, when you get your h-pipe, you should be able to unbolt the manifolds from the heads, cut or unbolt the exhaust before the lers and drop the y-pipe and the factory manifolds as a unit.
Then bolt your new headers to your new h-pipe and put it up into the car as a unit.
I can say that I didn't put my pipe or my headers on my car, a friend who has a shop did it for me. I don't see where there would be a problem but maybe someone else can shed a bit more light on that.
I forgot, are you having cats on the h-pipe?
I bought my catless one with the O2 holes for something like $120.
I think the key is whether it fits your budget. If you feel you can afford it and it won't adversely affect you, then go for it. If you are unsure, the factory manifolds and y-pipe will work just fine for now. I drove with mine for a year after the HO swap and the car still ran great.
Yes, the H-pipe I'm talking about has cats. I want to steer away from even a slight possibility of getting a fine (we do have emissions here in NC). I'll have to see how much I have saved up before I can make a decision on the H-pipe. Thanks for the installation idea.
Ok, I just finished calling Summit's tech line because they have 2 different 302 timing chains (on pg160, # SUM-G6514 and G6504) but our cars dont have fuel pumps. The guy told me that the G6504 (with 2 piece eccentric) is the one I should get. My dad is a bit uneasy about it. We also looked through the Jegs catalog and the timing chain listings are confusing (for example, they have one timing chain for 302HO/351W and then a whole different part number just for a 351W). Could anyone shed some light on this? What timing chain works?
EDIT: After a little more searching, it seems that the chain the guy recommended will work, but if anyone has any insight, it is still welcome.
dont get any that say "double roller". the HO engine has a double roller, which is basically two chains right next to each other. the timing gear is essentially two sprockets fused together with a gap in the middle. ours are a "link belt" type. i ran into this trying to get a chain for mine. i just had to get the right part # at advance auto, the first one listed on the site was the roller type.
and about MY hp, i think its running rich. i cant be absolutely sure but if you want the details look for recent threads by me in the Engine Tech section. im getting codes saying the driver side o2 sensor is reporting lean all the time, and the car is actually a little slower than stock, yep no bs, and the gas mileage dropped severely. so i gotta find the bad ground/connection/whatever thats making it dump too much fuel in. i think ill have that nailed down pretty soon though, just process of elimination :hick:
About the exhaust, I would use the manifolds until you get your H-pipe. I really don't feel you will see much difference using your y pipe with headers because your y pipe is more restictive than the manifolds.
GOOD LUCK ON YOUR PROJECT!:D
Just ordered the gaskets and timing chain; should be here Wed/Thurs next week. Thanks for the help.
Ok, got another question for yas - When we take the cam out, will we need to take out the grill and/or AC condenser too?
OH YUP. fortunately the a/c conenser is attached to its supply/return lines by the same type of connector on your fuel rails. they do rotate, and there are flexible rubber hoses as part of the lines. so you can, standing in front of the car, swing the condenser up 90* to the left, right out of your way.
So we can move the AC condensor, thats good. Will the grill have to come out? Thanks for the info :) .
pull it anyways for extar clearance. it's just 3 phillips screws.
Ah ok, should be nice and easy then, thanks!
As for an update, dad and I started doing some prep work last night. Cleaned and painted the upper intake, cleaned the rockers, cleaned the throttle body, even painted the intake plate. I should have some pics up later tonight for you all. The bulk of the prep work this week will be with the heads; everything else is pretty much ready.
i dunno why you'd have to remove the grill.... i'd think you'd have to remove the entire header-panel to free up space, the lil ol grill hole doesnt seem to do much. but then, what about the rad support?
good luck!!
you just gotta pull off the grille so you have room to pull the cam out. thats ALL you have to remove from the front end. with the fan shroud and fan and radiator out of the engine bay youve got ALOT of room to work.
especially once all of the accessories--a/c, p/s alternator are out of the way that good ol "big" 302 looks lonely in the cavernous engine bay!
Ah ok, I see. Thanks!
btw, the intake plate is gonna look really cool when we're done with it :D .
haha i love how this is an actual countdown thread WITH updated title each day! nice.
Hahaha yeah. It makes me feel better to see that number getting smaller. :D
WOOOOO, PIC TIME!!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/upperintake.jpg)
nice work man looks great
Oooo shiney :D
Yeah, you should just send it to me... I will take care of it! lol
Looks good. Keep us up dated.
Thanks for all the compliments; I hope to have pics of more finished/fully prepped items tonight.
In other news, my gaskets and timing chain arrived today, so now we have every piece needed! The gasket set even comes with Umbrella seals, which I think dad wants to replace while we have the heads out. Like I said earlier, most of the prep work is in the heads. We're just going to clean up the TB and EGR a little bit and other than that, we just have to replace the Umbrella seals, reassemble the heads (we cleaned the rockers), and paint em. I'm going to paint the heads black for ease of cleanup. I cant forget that its still a daily driver, so I cant get too detail crazy. I will be cleaning the engine compartment since its in great shape, just with a lot of surface grime, so hopefully I can go to a few cruise-ins this spring/summer.
Ok, I have a nice little predicament on my hands here. I got my paycheck today, and it's really nice. It gives me enough to get my H-pipe. BUT, I dont know if I should do my rear end gears or have someone do it, which is $165. I did some googling and some recommend having a professional do it due to all the shimming and preciseness required. So which would benefit me more, going from my 2.73 gears to the 3.27s, or the H-pipe and headers instead of the Y-pipe?
Get the H-pipe done and get a TC 8.8 with 3.55 or 3.73 later. You can spend a little more and get a stonger axle with better gears with T/L and disc brakes.
Thats a pretty good idea, I'll definitely ponder it.
to bad you live in n.c my dad has 2 8.8's
Get the exhaust now and the gears later.The exhaust will really help the engine a lot,and there will always be gears to buy.
Well I already have the 3.27s, its just the installation fee I'm talkin about.
I guess I'll get the H-pipe; I'd love to get the cat-back part done this summer with some Flowmaster 40s and some stainless tips out the back.
U'll love the flows! Can't wait to throw one on my moms 318 jeep, just need to find where its puking oil form now. As far as the rear goes, when you get it done, pay to have it do. Much less headaches
+1
That's why I bought a rear end that's been recently rebuilt, with 4.10's I might add :evilgrin:
I wanted 4.10's,but I'm sticking with 3.55's for the gas mileage.I'm happty with them.They turned in some nice times last fall at the track.Let me know how the 4.10's work for you.
I thought that the 3.73 8.8 I put in last summer hadn't made a bit of difference until right before I put it away (to take it all apart) I bumped the timing back up to where it should be and holy hell! She'd go sideways quite easy!
Sideways.I like going sideways.Mine does it pretty easy.next year,or late this tear,we're planning to swap in a 5.8 and see what we can do.I don't think the extra cubes will hurt anything,and,I like a 351.
hi kingcars, good luck with the HO conversion. I have an 88 XR-7 I converted to HO last winter and I used the 5 speed Speed density HO computer and love it. I kind of wished I used a stock HO cam instead of the Crane I used, I dont have the bottom end torque with this cam and 3.08 gears my car has but I have great throttle response and no speed limiter with this computer. I have a stock Mustang 4 cat hpipe that has never been used with emmission plumbing for sale, if interested make me offer. Nice looking intake, by the way!
Alrighty, thanks for the tips. I'll definitely have someone put the 3.27s in at some point (assuming I dont get a good deal on an 8.8 by then).
Thanks for the offer on the H-pipe, I'll definitely consider it. I'm assuming is still has the cats and everything intact.
if you wanted a t/c rear badly i could sell one cheap. Its just in west virgina, in the middle of no where.
Take it nice and easy and it should be a breeze.Good luck to you.You'll love it when it's finished.
O when you take everything apart keep track or all bolts and screws are for what, because youll get quite confused afterwards wondering which blots are for which holes
take lots of pictures. it keeps your mind on track for a reference point.
Gettin it bored out too? or not going that far down?
Most definitely; every time we take the Chevelle apart, we put bolts in seperate containers and label them. Saves a ton of hassle!
Only 12 hours away from D-day!! :evilgrin:
hpipe is what Ford reissued for recall on Fox Mustangs due to bad cats. Never been installed, also have stock Mustang headers, those are used but in good shape.
We just got the timing chain cover off and my chain is a double roller. I'll post a pic later, but it's a double roller. Time to go get the right one. Weird stuff.
As for our current progress, everything is off except for the heads and timing chain. I have to go in for a haircut appointment in a few minutes here, but dad is going to continue working. We plan to have everything apart tonight, and I plan to clean some stuff up after I get back home. Tomorrow morning we'll finish cleaning and begin assembly, and my uncle will be coming by to help. If all goes well, she'll be running tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed. Pics are coming tonight.
Fingers crossed.Good luck.I hope it's running tight and strong tomorrow.
yup same here bro!!! i wonder why youve got a double roller chain! maybe 88 they changed over?
Thanks guys.
Yeah, I dont know what the deal is with the double roller, but this engine has NEVER been taken apart aside from when dad and I did the valve cover gaskets a couple years ago, so it's all original. She was due for some new gaskets though; had a small oil leak at the back of the intake.
Ok, time to eat some dinner and get back out there; still some work to do.
glad to hear its going good, keep up the good work, take lots of pics for us!
Alright, we're callin it a night. Wev'e been workin since 1pm and now its time to rest up for tomorrow. We didn't quite get to where we wanted to be, but we're close. We'll also have a 3rd person tomorrow to help us, which will speed things up a ton. There is A LOT of cleaning to be done tomorrow. Without further ado, here are the pics I promised:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic1.jpg)
Please dont pay attention to my rather...gay...looking hand posture there....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic2.jpg)
The engine about halfway through today
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic3.jpg)
How she sits right now
EDIT: Almost forgot...there's gonna be a nice little surprise touch done at the end of the project. I wont tell what it is though :) .
looks like youve been kicking ass good work man
Ewww, Fram oil filter! I'd trust a SuperTech over a Fram, but that's only based on what I've heard from others.
I'm glad to see someone posting pictures of their work. I think I'll start a project log for my car once I get going on it again.
We've used Fram filters in our cars without problems here. :)
Great work so far.Keep us posted.
Thanks!
Well it's about 9am and we're about to embark on another day's work. I'll keep you guys posted (probably during lunch and dinner breaks).
:laughing: :laughing: [SIZE="6"]AMEN![/SIZE] :yuck: :yuck:
in all the years i sold auto parts.. since i was 12 years old.. i allways refused to sell farm oil filters unless that was all that was on the shelf. that would get you FIRED! if we sold other brands i sold them instead!
if i went to a parts store and was in a jam and they did'nt stock motorcraft oil filters and my only choices where lets say
one of the six most popular oil filters..
on one side.. being one of three they may carry.. FARM, PENZOIL or HASTINGS..
OR
on the other side being one of three they may carry.. AC DELCO,PUROLATOR or STP..
i'd pick one of second choices.. EVEN a AC DELCO for a FORD!!
the oil filters to stay away from are "FRAM,PENZOIL and HASTINGS!!"
check out this link they give a good description on most oil filters..
http://www.sadik.net/nissan/howto/oil_filter_study.html
any other questions please ask..
Nick
Ok thanks for the info.
We have the cam and everything out now, so we can finally start on the cleaning and assembly phase. We're about to run out and get my timing chain and a few odds and ends. Thats about it for now, I still hope to have her done tonight.
well dont be too hasty!!! took me almost a month before it was all back together! i know how you feel though, im sure youre really excited.
just noticed something. you bled the a/c system and pulled off the compressor!? i guess as long as you can get it back together why not, but isnt it just a big hassle? you could have just tied it off to the side. though honestly i will say if i could have had it right out of there it would have been a little more convenient, not gonna lie.
Yeah, when we got to the compressor, it turned out to just be easier to bleed it and take it off. Which also helped later when we had to take the condensor out.
As for today, we made a BOATLOAD of progress. Almost everything is cleaned and we have the lower intake, fuel rails, and injectors all installed. Tomorrow should be a breeze, barring any huge difficulties. I'll be uploading a bunch of pics tonight.
nice can't wait to see
Alrighty guys, here are the pics I promised! Beware, there are a whole bunch of em!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic4.jpg)
Nice painted E7 head
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic5.jpg)
Eeewww, grungy engine!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic8.jpg)
Ohhh clean engine...and with a set of E7s installed!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic6.jpg)
Like the grungy intake?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic10.jpg)
Well we didnt
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic12.jpg)
Me torqing the heads
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic9.jpg)
I looooooooove the chrome fuel rails
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic11.jpg)
My uncle is up to something...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic13.jpg)
Here is our current progress
C'Mon,C'Mon,start it already !!! This is great.
Hahaha tell me about it...we're so close. Hopefully the next time I post here, it will be about how well she performs :D .
Why are you doing here here talking? Get out to the car and start twisting some wrenches !!!! I'm going as soon as the sun comes out.
nice work man..
I wish my garage was that orderly.. i have a nova blown to bits all over my garage.
whats up with the stock exhaust manifolds man? gotta let her breathe.
I'll be looking to see what you say tonight. Good luck.
It's been hours.....let's have an update.
i don't think hes coming back unless its running!
i think he couldnt get a pair of headers yet, but thats coming soon.
So is it running?
Yes everyone, SHE IS RUNNING. We hit several snags when tryin to get her to run, like a bad O-ring on one of the fuel injectors, and then a tranny fluid line leak, but we fixed them both and got her on the road. I still havent gotten to drive her yet, but I can tell you that the power is AWESOME. And even with the stock exhaust system, she sounds pretty good.
So you're probably wondering why I havent driven it yet. Well, for the first drive, I figured my dad went through so much shiznit with this project that he deserved to get the first drive. So we went around the block and came back, and noticed that the temperature guage was hovering just barely below Hot. There is no pressure in the radiator hose that goes out from the thermostat, so we're pretty sure its a bad thermostat. But I wont be able to take her out drivin until we get it fixed. After 3 days of 10-12 hours of work, I'm drained. Me, my dad, and my uncle are all drained. Hopefully tomorrow we can snap a new thermostat in there and it'll be good to go. But nonetheless, she runs beautifully and the power is just awesome. I cant wait to go cruisin.
PS - I would upload pics, but I'm way too tired. Sorry, you all will have to wait till tomorrow night :P
You're tired,so no pics?Tired?That's no excuse.LOL.Great job,and good work!!! I'm glad for you.It feels good to be so close doesn't it?Two thumbs up for you.I remember how I felt when we dropped the H.O into the 'Bird.awesome.
NICE. congrats, now get some rest!!!
im almost there with ya. i realized for one thing my timing was retarded about 20 friggin degrees, cuz i did it without pulling the SPOUT connector:toilet: . so i did it right this time, mileage came back up and so did the power. all the way there? gotta do some more testing to find out.
but thats really great to hear that yours just WORKED right of the bat!
have fun, but dont get the cops on your case :evilgrin:
Yeah, still sucks that I cant take her to school tomorrow though. Oh well, hopefully a new thermostat will fix the problem and I'll get to cruise around tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for all the help, tips, and encouragement.
Cool:D I'll be there with ya in a few days. I start my GT-40 HO swap on the 12th. I can't wait.
glad to hear you got her going man
I'm really dying to drive her and get to cruise some. I cant stop thinkin about backing her outta the garage listenin to the slow rumble of the engine, thinkin to myself "Hell yeah."
now impinge it with headers, a bigger exhaust and flows god
hahaha dont even get me started...
um I HOPE you were awake enough to check for an air lock and not just assume it was a bad thermostat. otherwise you will have the same problem with the new one.
Bleed all the air out of the rad, before you try changing the thermostat.
We drove her a couple of times and nothing changed. Also, dad and I both remember seeing the thermostat sitting in the housing before we installed it, and it was in backwards (although nobody noticed it). If that doesnt fix it, then we'll probably try that. But we're both pretty sure its just a backwards thermostat. He got a fail-safe one so a little bit of water was still moving, which would explain why the car hovered below Hot and never went higher.
Sweet! Congrats on getting it together.
good job!
That would do it, alright.
Always remember: spring side towards engine. ;)
It actually wasn't a backwards thermostat, it was just the wrong one. My dad has some pics that he might post up of that here soon (if you noticed the newest member MrBill88Tbird, thats him).
But now the car runs amazing. It just hauls ass. Unlike the SO that would die out at 4 grand, the HO can be rollin at 5 grand and still be askin for more. It's a whole different car; she just takes off like there's no tomorrow. I absolutely love it. And just to think there's more juice left in it with some headers/exhaust and better gears. Man, I'm just ecstatic, but tired also. Doesnt matter though, it's worth it.
***PIC TIME***
Some 'before' pictures
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic15.jpg)
Ugh...dirt
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic16.jpg)
Ugh...more dirt
Some 'after' or 'WIP' pictures
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic17.jpg)
Ooooo, pretty
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic18.jpg)
Two brothers doing what they've been doing for 30 years
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic19.jpg)
Hyped up on caffeine and ready to start her up!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic20.jpg)
She ruuuuunnnsss!!!
More pics coming soon.
Woo-Hoo !!! Happy dance !!!
The happy dance for me was when I first got on the gas and got pushed back in my seat :D . A great way to go home from school.
***MORE PIC TIME***
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic22.jpg)
Ooohhhh yeeaaah
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic24.jpg)
Whatta quiet little grocery getter....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/kingcars/projectpic21.jpg)
:bowdown:
Sweet:D
O.K.,now you need new wheels (get some meat under that car !!!),and to do the 3G alternator upgrade.Headers would be good also.Also,did you remove the air silencer from the inner fender?
Is it just me or does the car look like it's smiling now?
Really looks sweet. Great job!
Oh and if you did happen to want wheels, I've got a set of 15x7 10 holes with t-bird center caps that I really don't need. (They're on my '86 right now but just to keep it from being on blocks lol)
And I'm heading to Charlotte in May so if you're interested let me know.
Yes we did.
@5.0 - Can you take some pics of those wheels?
dude! Your progress puts me to shame. I've sat around and moped over one stubborn bolt on my suspension for almost 2 days now. It's inspiring to see someone kick ass on a car like that. As others have said, I'm hoping your next move is some serious exhaust for the car. It should really wake it up.
Congrats and enjoy the feel of 200 horses under your right foot.
Thanks :) .
Well I also had 2 super experienced car guys helping me as well (or maybe I was just helping them...), and we put in 3 days straight of 10-12 hours. We're all drained, and dad even took today off of work to fix the thermostat and rest. I was only half concious at school today too.
Also, on the way home, we stopped by some shops to get estimates on exhaust systems. I have some saving to do.
Yes he does!!!!!!!!!!!!!:flame:
Oh lord....my dad has arrived...
lol...puttin a quiet exhaust on that car is just like tellin Jenna Jameson she can't take her clothes off in front of a camera! :hick:
let'er rip tater chip! :D
exhaust SYSTEMS? do like i did--cheap ass Summit off road h pipe, 8 year old flowmasters with dumps welded on from some random mustang guy you met on corral :hick:
yeah i CHEAPED out wherever i could lol. im gonna get some tailpipes though, sometime.
No off road pipes here - NC has emissions. :(
Nice work. Cool sig. :D
Nice work! How's it run?
Hah yeah, I thought the sig pic worked out awesome :) .
@88BlueBird - She runs awesome. Way more responsive and the power and torque is just awesome. Even with the stock exhaust, she has a nice rumble when sittin at the stop light, and even better when I get in the gas a little :D .
That's
exactly what I was going to suggest as that's just what I did except I used new summit chambered lers. But I see that NC has emissions, so poo on that idea. It might still be affordable to get a cheap O/R H-pipe and have some small cats welded in. Still has the 02 bungs and everything in it.
Well one shop said that a WHOLE system (from the headers back) with the highest flow cats on the market, Flowmaster 40s, and stainless tips would cost $565. That's about $200 cheaper than if I went with the $269 H-pipe and had the other place put in the rest. It's gonna be a while, since I had to spend about $80 on Saturday in odds and ends for the project and I'm looking for a new job as well. I plan to have the exhaust done this summer.
Sure can and will. I'll pm or email them to you.
Nice job on the car.By the way I have a mack H pipe with high flow cats I"ll probably never use if interested,cheap.
i might be able to get a you set of flowmaster super 40's slighty used, but don't keeo your fingers crossed ill try
Wow, sounds great! Just send a quick pm if anything comes through.
EDIT: I should add that if anybody needs some 5.0 SO parts, I've got plenty. Cam, heads, upper intake (2 of em), TB, EGR, etc.
they were put on a my dads friends car he started it drove it around the block and home and took them off cause he thought they were too loud (pansy) so my dad got them free and now they are sitting in wv with him, ill ask him about them
Wow, too loud? PFFF! Hahaha. :D
it was on a freaking 305 chevy too i was like wow so he put cherry bombs on it like those were much better
My dad's 85 T/A 305 has flowmaster 40s and its not THAT loud. At least, not compared to the Chevelle, which also has 40s on it.
exactly it wasn't low the guy was a cooch!
I have the Warlock lers with built in cut-outs.Pretty cool lers.Not too loud,have a great tone at speed,and you can easily open them up at the track.Nice.
I would also like to add one more detail before this thread fades off into nothingness - the 5-speed HO computer has worked flawlessly; it is a ton more decisive than the old computer. You hit the gas, she responds instantly. No more "Whoa what? Throttle? Hang on just a sec..." Also, the annoying shuttering problem at light throttle at low rpms is gone, which I'm guessing has something to do with the new computer in it. I'm sure someone else could shed some more light on this, but I think it's something you guys would like to know.
On my way to school every morning, there's a slight hill at a part of the route I take to get to the highway, and EVERY morning (it never failed), I'd be cruisin at 45-50mph in overdrive, and if I'd get on the gas slightly to keep my speed, the car would start shuttering until I got on the gas a bit harder so she could downshift and go. It would happen at other places too, but that was the most consistant. So far, she hasnt done it AT ALL to me.
Looks like fun(hahaha)...I'd like to do this with my Grand Marquis sometime!
No problems with the fuel pump? I would guess with the HO the pump would be maxed out.
Nope, no pump problems. I do want a new one soon though, just to be safe.
In another bit of news, I just calculated my gas mileage: 22mpg!! I went 310 miles on 14 gallons of gas...and lets just say that the car hasnt been driven light footed either. Thats as good if not better mileage than the SO. Awesome stuff!
Geez, the Focus only gets around 24mpg.
So wait your using a 5 speed HO computer with a AOD trans? I don't quite understand your last post king.
I called up my dad, and he was extremely surprised as well. I'm pretty shocked myself. The exact numbers are:
309.6 miles
14.066 gallons
22.01 mpg
And just think what it would be if my dad and I werent led foots :hick:
@Manic: Yes, I'm using the 5-speed computer instead of the AOD version. It is said to be a tad more aggressive and it IS compatible with AOD cars, as my car proves (and has been already discovered for a long time). I plan to put a T5 in this car down the road, so it also saves me the trouble of getting a new computer. And it responds really well under any driving conditions.
I just thought it was a bit weird, but i guess it would work since the trans isn't computer controlled. Pretty cool info. :) I hope it all works out and enjoy the new beast.
-Mike
Thanks. I sure am enjoyin it; my friend and I just spent the early afternoon cruisin around. He loves the feel and sound of the 5.0. Cant say I blame em :D .
as for your problem king, sounds like your kickdown cable might have been out of adjustment.
Well considering when my dad had fixed the TV cable a few months ago, the throttle response got A LOT better, that wouldn't surprise me. Whatever the case may be, its fixed now!
btw, I had a Civic wanting to take a shot at me today, but then he turned into a parking lot. I woulda smoked em :evilgrin: . Even when he'd 'frog' the car, it would barely move. I had the Tbird in 2nd and she was just jumpin, ready to go, hahaha.
I know how that feels.......really good.My Bird has surprised more than her share of wannabe's.Our 'Birds and cats are very unsuspecting cars.
If I could find the time to get my tailpipes on,it would quiet the car down a lot,and no-one would be the wiser as to what's under the hood..........Not that it would mater right now since my tranny is toast.....for a few more hours anyway.
Exactly. There are tons of ricer guys crawling all over the place at school, and there I am in my bone stock looking Tbird...just patiently waiting for a victim to fall into my grasp :evilgrin: .
PS - Beware, my dad is hooked on that flame smiley :hick:
yup youll probably get some people pickin fights!
its funny but im hoping some ricer (or anyone really) picks a fight with me sometime this summer when everyone brings their hotter stuff back out. ill be putting tailpipes on sometime soon but shell still have a mean growl. :evilgrin:
, that's really nice. Glad you got everything in and situated on the alotted ammount of time. Now we just need Zonda to get his issues figured out, and Thunderjet to throw his GT-40p beast in, and we'll have a slew of newer improved cars rolling the streets. Keep up the great work guys.
I think Zonda did get his problems cleared out, so now it's up to Thunderjet to join to elite HO group :D .
yup hes comin! unfortunately hes gonna whoop our asses with his high-falutin' look-at-me-im-so-amazing GT-40 heads. :D
i gotta be honest, with the gains you can get from them, me want!!!
ill be real happy with the H.O. for a long time but who knows what the future will bring......:evilgrin:
anyone have any idea what percentage of us has done it? obviously not everyone has. (as Jerry Seinfeld) "Not that theres anything wrong with that!!!!!!" lol i love that episode.
You guys just wait. My bird will fly soon.
I'm starting some time this week:D . I just have to wait for my buddy to get room in his shop and we'll be going at it. Hopefully between us (and me going to school and work) we can get it done by the 26th which is my spring break. Then I can, uh, test it :birdsmily:
Don't forget the 3.73 Trac-Lok and 1&5/8" FMS stailess steel shorties;)
it's not just whats under the hood, but you also gotta know how to drive it. Especially if it has a stick in it like mine.
Dont worry, my dad has been teaching me how to drive a manual transmission (in the Chevelle no less :D ). I was able to launch the car without stalling on my 2nd try, and I'm getting pretty good at it. I've also been manual shifting the AOD :D . The car responds so much better when I do that haha.
the chevelle's a stick!? niiiiiiice. not too many of em did.
also im not sure if manually shifting the aod at all is a good idea. i just think i read on coolcats that its hard on em.
Until it blows up:flame: Get a shift kit and a tranny cooler.
In my family, its against the rules to have a muscle car with an automatic :hick: .
I don't know what this whole idea about the AOD and T5 being weak trannys is all about...a lot of times, it comes down to maitenence and how well everything is taken care of. My Uncle, due to budget constraints, is using dad's old Saginaw transmission (made for a small block) on his 427 and it works fine, as long as he doesnt abuse it. It's not like I constantly shift the car and beat on it. If I did, then I'd worry about the tranny. But every once in a while isn't going to harm it, unless it's just EXTREMELY py, which I doubt since it has gone 128,000 miles without issue.
shiznit a t-5 can take a bit i have one behind my 351w not that it likes it to much. not sure how much it can take for power, since when i rebuild it this summer, i decided its getting bumped up a little, a little hotter ROLLER cam,possibly some flat tops. should be saweet. O and im working on getting those flows
Make some real power, and youll find out how "strong" they really are.
The AOD and T5 are NOT made to handle more power than stock. Just because they do for a little while doesnt mean theyre a strong trasmission. Regarless of maintenence and whatnot, most modified HO's is enough to break a T5 with a sticky tire.
Ive seen em broken from a mustang with intake and exhaust.
Sweet, it should be a really strong engine. Ah cool, the flows would be a nice addition to my HO :) .
And yes, I realize the AOD and T5 aren't meant for much more than stock, but thats all I have - a stock HO. For my purposes, it will serve me fine. Thats all I'm sayin. :)
yea the t-5 is not meant for a bit over stock you can feel just how soft the shifts are in my car, and the tranny does NOT like to go from a slow roll to wot (i NEVER dump the clutch) but i have a original 1969 toploader 4 speed, complete except shifter for it if it dies. O the flows would be like 50 bucks and then shipping if you think thats fair since thats a lot less the new, and its for both
Thats definitely fair; PM sending right now.
The debate on how strong a t-5 is can go on and on. I had a stock t-5 in my 85 Tbird for almost 5yrs, ran at the track on drag radials, on nitrous, on boost and eventually went 11.7.
Jim
well mines gonna see how much it likes drag launches on bfg's in a few years, then ill let you know how strong it is
T-56 and call it good! :D
well, whats the worst case?
you beat on it too much and you have to get it rebuilt or find a spare in a junyard from one of many ford vehicles that had an AOD. if you got the guts you could tear into it and replace the bands/clutches/whatever the hell burned out, and thats it.
all im saying is an AOD isnt like, say, the ultrasuede material in my 20th. you ruin it, its not impossible to find, and the price wouldnt be more than average, even if you have to have a shop rebuild it.
Got some good news, guys. I struck a deal on a mustang H-Pipe (with cats) for $50. Dad and I will be driving down to pick it up in a few days, along with a 350 engine block dad has also bought in the same area (he plans to use his old parts to build a running, working 350 we can use if the 383 keeps being troublesome). Now I just need lers and a cat-back system and I'll be good to go :D .
$50.00 is a good deal.If you don't have smog checks,hollow the cats out.
I'm dissappointed in you, vinnie. Through the last few pages, I've been talking about having trouble finding H-pipes WITH cats because we do have emmissions here. I've had to turn down a few deals because of hollowed cats, in fact. If I didnt need cats, I wouldve just bought a cheap offroad pipe from summit. :hick: Dont dissappoint me next time hahaha
2013 will be a good year for you. youll be able to register it as Historical (usually its 25 years some states you only need it to be 20 years old but not many) then youre expempt from any real in-depth inspection. :D
That will be awesome :) . But for now, I'm getting that H-pipe for $50, then I gotta piece together the cat-back system.
im shooting to have my brother bring home those flows when he goes down next week so, maybe by the end of this month ill be able to get them out then youll have to worry about the pipes and thats it.
That would be awesome! The lers and cats are what always kill the price of exhaust systems, but if this all works out, I should be able to get a nice, affordable system.
you get affordable lers, i get at least some more money towards either a cheaper car (BLAH) or project kiss it. So we both win!
Well guys, yesterday my dad and I took a road trip to Georgia. He picked up a 350 Chevy block so we can build a backup engine so we can still drive the Chevelle until the 383 is running, and during future projects. I got my H-pipe off of an 87 Mustang GT, and I should be getting some extension pipes this week, which just leaves me with the lers and tail pipes. Woo!
lers will be at my house next week
Sweet :D . Then I think my dad and I are gonna hook everything up through the lers, then drive it to the shop to get the tailpipes and stainless tips put on.
one might be a little messed up around the edge i haven't see it yet, my dad says its still usable so the price might drop a little it is a little messed up. which is good for you, so what im gonna do is show you a pic and you tell me what you honestly want to pay and ill take it if its reasonable, sound good? and of course you pay shipping too
Yeah, sounds fine to me.