Lazy Sunday - Mr. Pibb and Red Vines equals CRAZY DELICIOUS!

Didn't get much done this weekend...I got one of the seat pedestals made....removed all the carpet and sound deadening from the truck...as it was crap anyway...Removed the factory gas tank...because A: it has been replaced by the fuel cell in the bed, B: it had a hole in it which I had patched with tank repair, C: it was in the way of installing the drivers seat....the bolts that come through the floor on top of the tank. That is about it....now that it is light out later maybe I'll get something done during the week...ah probably not.

Please...have a seat.

I picked up a pair of race seats from one of the folks on horsepowerjunkies.com. Nuthin fancy just a couple of Summit plastic seats w/Black covers...but the will be much better than the ripped bench seat in there now...

MSD - Multiple Spark Dipshit

Ok...since the last post...I went to the MSD site to do some poking around...found a support post that told how to trouble shoot getting no spark...one of the tests involved jumping the green and violet wire that go to the magentic pickup...hmmmm...green and violet...green and violet...The control knob has green and violet wires...which yours truely (using logic) spliced to the green and violet from the box...Oddly the green and violet from the control knob do not got to the green and violet on the box...they go to the gray and black. (this makes sense right?)...anyway...I went out just now and simply cut the wires to the knob...boom I have fire...It sill won't stay running but that might be because I jiggered the wiring in my testsing...I'll update when I find out.

MSD - Multiple Spark Distaster

I bought an MSD Boost Master off ebay...well it appears to be my first ebay stinker...I spent the day on Saturday wiring it up...on to turn the key and gt a big ball of nothing. So today I went out and ran som tests to see it it was a wiring issue or what...I and getting a (gounding) signal form the mag pickup (hall sensor) this makes it's way too the MSD ...the MSD returns this signal back to the distributor (which is how it controls retarding the timing)...the wire that returns this gound signal give me a big ball of nothing...

I can jump these wires and it fires right up...so I'm assuming this means the box is bad...I'm gonna call MSD tomorrow and verify this.

I did get the mounting board made and installed right now it has the MSD, a couple of relays (for fuel pump and fan), and a spot for the LC-1 wideband O2 sensor. I installed the sendor (you can see the plug in the pic) but didn't instll the rest as it takes some calibrating and I didn't have time to set it up this weekend.

I got en-gauged

I got the boost gauge hooked up and mounted this weekend. I went over to Loop Road auto parts and they had a bracket cheaper than Summit or Jegs. $8 and change...sweet. The advantage of building an old piece of crap is that you don't have to worry about things like drilling holes in the dash...got out the drill and whacked a couple of holes and screwed doen the braket to the sounds of the dash cracking underneath - there are alrady a crap load of cracks in it so no worries.

Whistle while you work (drive)

I made a small bracket for the throttle cable today...got that mounted up...fired it up...and dropped it in gear for the first time in over a year! I drove it up and down the street a couple of times...put a little bit of foot to it and got to hear the turbo whistle for the first time...small victories.

It runs pretty good so far...lot of blow-through folks have issues with off idle and stumbles...so far so good...it had pretty good manners and no big issues...I wasn't able to hit it hard cause the timing is still not locked out (MSD boost master should be here tomorrow) and it has 93 in the tank...so I'm being careful till I can sneak up on a tune.

Next up - Install the MSD box, boost gauge, wide-band, fix a weeping line for the fuel pressure gauge...then on to tuning.

...this is getting fun.

Cranking from the rear

Almost there...today I got a battery and got it relocated to the bed. Bought some welding cable for the cable...and a marine box...even put some nice grommets in the floor....

Shifting back into gear.

Well, today was like 60 degrees...so I'm calling it spring. Game on. Got out the welder this morning and whipped up this little unit...a stand for the shifter...

Tax check is on the way..so expect to see this mutha rolling in the next couple weeks!

Project in a coma.

Ok this project is on terminal hold...I have run out of cash and can't see any coming my way in the foreseeable future (other family obligations have taken precedence)...So I hope to be able to finish it next spring but I am declaring it dead for 2009....see you in the spring.

I'm a fan of this....

I installed the fan I got from Jay on HPJ. Not much more to say...here it is.

IT'S ALIVE!

That's right...The flying rust bucket lives again! I went out this morning and put in the collector gaskets, and gave the fuel system a test...leaks, leaks everywhere...it was leaking at the pump, regulator, float adjustments, and tap of the gas...fuel sqirting out of both accelerator pumps! Damn it... I went through and tightend up all the fittings and took the carb off and tightened he acc pumps (oops guess I forgot to do that in the carb build - doh!)...any-hoo...leak free...turned the key...nothing... battery dead...it had enought to run the pump but wouldn't even turn the engine over....plan B - Stole the battery out of the wife's car....turned the key. Bang! first revolution fired right up! - Turn on your speakers!

So, I still have a butt-load of stuff to do but it sure was nice to hear it again after being silent for 9 months.

Hello Mr. Murphy

I did get some stuff done today. I installed the fuel pressure gauge.

I also managed to get the turbo mounted for real...with gaskets, feed and drain lines plumbed in.


(no this is not heater hose. It is $8 a foot oil safe hose.)
As well as weld in the wastegate. I had to do a little trimming on the gate where I had welding in the flange previously. I was hitting the valve in the gate and holding it open just a bit...but enough to leak...a little time with the dremel and it now has a tight seal.

You may also notice that it is installed backward from how I had it mocked up. I decided not to plumb it in so close to the turbo outlet as it does cause some power loss at high rpm by putting turbulence right at the mouth of the turbo...which I knew, but initially didn't care too much and it was the easiest routing. Now I will either plumb it in past the O2 sensor or may even just let it dump outside the exhaust all together.

The day was not without it's murphy law moments...I had a kit to install the fuel gauge- wrong fitting for the gauge end. I bought bolts to mount the fuel pump block off- wrong size. I thought I had a tap for a 1/4" NPT fitting - wrong size. So, I didn't get done as much as I would have liked...but progress is progress...

Update tomorrow....

I went out today and rounded up the fittings, hose and such that I need to complete the pumbing of the fuel pressure gauge, boost gauge, wastegate hose, and boost reference for the fuel pump. Look for an update tomorrow...

Back in the Saddle...

Ok so after a short hiatus from the truck (reason: see previous post) I got some work done on the truck today.

First I fixed the electrical issue (see: not very electrifying) ...turned out to be a bad ground...so the pump has got juice. (note: bought a nice new test light at Loop Road - still down one multimeter)

Next, I welded up the rest of the the merge pipe. I ran by RJ's custom piping in Raleigh and picked up the 90 degree pipe I needed. It had all been mocked up and tacked...so I did the "real" welds. I had little scare in the middle of it...my welder just stoppped...dead. Oh, crap. It turns out it just overheated...after cooling down for a while it started working again...whew. Anyway, done.


I also removed the mechanical fuel pump and built the drain to replace it. I fuel pump block off plate that I drilled and welded a bung to and threaded in a 5/8 fitting.


Finally I had an issue when I added the drain to the turbo...it hit the bracket I had made....so I had to rejigger the bracket (note the cut and reweld in the bottom bracket below) to clear the drain and it was just tacked as well...so I burnt some metal there too. I then painted up all the crap I built or modified before putting it all back in...

No work = Lots of Work

Well, I haven't got much done on the truck the last few weekends...why? The wife's Wagoneer blew a head gasket...so I got to tear into the 360...so, here it is: "How to replace head gaskets in 30 seconds or less!"

Not very electrifying.

I didn't get much done today...I did get the fuel pump wired up...but then got a visit from a Mr. Murphy something about a Law.

...I get the pump wired...hook the battery up...Nothing. Dead. I appearently have a short somewhere ...no problem...I pull out my multimeter. Dead. ...Ok there is more than one way to skin a cat...I'll trace it with my test light...I pull out the test light. Dead. I couldn't win today....It was stinking hot...so I decided to cut my losses and call it a day.

This intake pipe blows

Went out this afternoon and rounded up some of the final things needed before I can turn the key...Came home and made the intake pipe. Don't get me started on the fact the NO ONE in this town on a Saturday has mandrel-bent pipe...So, I'm short one 2.5" pipe...which I'll just order..

...and welded up the downpipe and instaled the bung for the O2 sensor.

My activities director (read:wife) has given me the all clear for tomorrow morning...so more updates to come. I hope to get the wastegate welded in place, the fuel pump wired up, and the rest of the hot side welded.

Making a fuel of myself...

I spent the morning installing the fuel system in the truck. I mounted the regulator and the lines...mounted and added clear sight plugs and a 4.5 power valve to the carb...

Installed the fuel cell and lines...although I have the wrong brackets for the cell...not sure why the tag says 5 gallon??...I'll look into that...

and installed the pump...so that about covers it...Fuel system...check.

Summit comes through....

Got home today and the missing Summit parts were here already. Wow...that was fast. My wife is out of town this weekend...so no excuses...I'm getting some stuff done...period.

My usual Thursday night at Benson got rained...so here I sit watching a repeat of pass time..I think I'll go to Kroger and get some french fries to cover with chili and cheese...What this has to do with the truck...nothing...but it's raining and I'm hungry.

Where's the rest of my parts?

Well I got a box from Summit today....opened it up and about half the stuff was missing...I looked at the label...package 1 of 1...Check the packing slip...says it all shipped....wtf?...

So, I called Summit...they got the info about what was missing and said they'll send it out...then he asked "Was the tape clear?"...I said "yeah."...He says "Oh they've been in that box...we only use brown tape UPS has retaped it. We'll file a claim with them.". Anyway...now I have to wait a few more days for the rest of the fittings for the fuel system and oil drain...damn.

I did get my fittings for the carb from Quick Fuel...and bought a 8 foot braided line off ebay...this (and the missing Summit stuff) should complete the fuel system...now if I can just get some dry days to get some work done.