I noticed that the springs arent tie-wrapped to top spring cap? I can't remember if that was in manual or a tip..
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I noticed that the springs arent tie-wrapped to top spring cap? I can't remember if that was in manual or a tip..
James
FFR33 #997 (Gen1 chassis, Gen2 body), license plate DRIVE IT says it all! build thread
My build: 350SBC, TKO600, hardtop, no fenders/hood, 32 grill, 3 link, sway bars, 355/30r19
Previous cars: GTD40, Cobra, tubeframe 55 Chevy, 66 Nova, 56 F100
I don't remember seeing that in the manual, will check again.
There are C clips that hold them in place.
Is there some concern that the springs and caps could come dislodged?
update....
It does say that in the manual.
Are the tie wraps meant to be left in permanetly or just when the shocks/springs are being assembled?
Last edited by JimLev; 07-15-2018 at 09:19 AM.
pg 39 in my manual "Run zip ties through the holes in the spring hat and around the spring to prevent the spring from becoming unseated."
I assumed they meant while under zero load ( i.e. jacked up or over bumps) the spring may go sideways and not be seated correctly? I put two per spring..
ziptie.jpeg
Last edited by RoadRacer; 07-15-2018 at 09:23 AM.
James
FFR33 #997 (Gen1 chassis, Gen2 body), license plate DRIVE IT says it all! build thread
My build: 350SBC, TKO600, hardtop, no fenders/hood, 32 grill, 3 link, sway bars, 355/30r19
Previous cars: GTD40, Cobra, tubeframe 55 Chevy, 66 Nova, 56 F100
I missed this too. Have to go back and check
I missed it too but I'm running QA1's. Zip ties seem like pretty inefficient way of accomplishing this. They don't hold up well in the elements.
33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
I was thinking the same thing about zip ties. I have some stainless welding wire that I'll use. Thanks for the heads up RoadRacer.
I did get the shorter bolts and thin nylock nuts done today.
Question about the Koni 82-2610 shocks from FFR.
They say adjustable...how? Koni sent me some instructions for the 82 series but it doesn't match these shocks.
Last edited by JimLev; 07-15-2018 at 10:15 PM.
Most stainless steel welding wire is 316 which will work-harden, so on something that moves or flexes often it will just get hard a break. Use safety wire - it's 303 or 304 stainless which is less prone to work-hardening.
If you use a good UV-resistant zip tie, you probably have nothing to worry about. There are several things I would use safety wire on, but in many cases I would use zip ties.
-- Mike -- TxMike64 -- @TxMGarage
Gen1.5 Hot Rod '33 #1094 (Stage 1) - 302/AOD '15 IRS - Quad Built - Build Thread
Mike, I was going to use 0.035 ER309 wire which is mostly nickel and chrome, IIRC.
There shouldn't be much if any flexing between the cap and the top coil.
What do you think, go get some safety wire?
You're probably right about any flexing in this case... so 309 would probably be fine. The high nickel keeps it fairly ductile.
-- Mike -- TxMike64 -- @TxMGarage
Gen1.5 Hot Rod '33 #1094 (Stage 1) - 302/AOD '15 IRS - Quad Built - Build Thread
Glad you guys brought it up, totally missed that
Moving on....got a lot of the wiring done in the last few days, still have some left to do.
The starter had just too many wires going to it and it was too close to the exhaust header for me.
I bought a 4 lug terminal strip to connect all the wires that should go to the solenoid and then ran one wire from the terminal strip to the solenoid.
I then used some left over heat shield to put between the starter and the exhaust.
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The Platinum gauges come with adapter fittings from FFR, they don't fit the LS engine. Other adapters are required and a shorter water temp sensor is required if you want to install the temp sensor in the back side of the pass head.
I decided to just drill and tap the water pump outlet and use the sensor that came with the gauge FFR supplied.
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The oil pressure sensor would also require an adaptor. I just drilled and tapped the block-off plate where an external oil cooler would attach. I had all the fittings, didn't need to buy anything.
Will add a heat shield here too after I have the wiring done.
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Last edited by JimLev; 07-25-2018 at 09:54 AM. Reason: Typos
This is why I plan to use the Can-Bus gauges from Speedhut. They plug directly into the OBDII connector. No additional sending units and you eliminate that portion of the RF harness except the fuel level sender. Also the speedometer has a check engine light, can display trouble codes, and delete them.
33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
That sounds like a nice way to do it. However when I ordered my car I didn't know about the Can-Bus gauges. Now that I have looked into them I probably wouldn't have ordered them due to the additional $700+ cost. I bought a lot of options when I ordered the car including the LS3 and tranny from GM. I'm already over 2x what the 2 stage kit cost and not done spending. The UPS guy and I are buddy's now, he's here a few times a week, he's a car guy too.
I know what you mean about the spending. I am afraid to run a total on what I've spent so far. I took the $350 gauge delete credit, so that paid for half but I'm still over 38K just for the kit and running gear and I haven't bought wheels and tires. I'm not sure if anyone has said it but, fun ain't cheap. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have wanted to build a car from the ground up since I was a teenager.
33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
Same here Andy. I have a mental total in my head, just not waiting for my wife to ask what I'm up to. It's around $45k with the new LS3, tranny, wheels, and tires.
I've done a lot of wiring (AC and heater wired and tested) and just finished the AC lines. Did a vacuum checked of the system for leaks, it's good.
Now I can finish the cooling system lines.
The Mastercool crimper is fantastic, so easy to use.
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33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
Today I filled and bled the brakes, used my pressure bleeder with a vacuum bleeder on the calipers.
Next I wired up the trinary switch to the compressor clutch and the radiator fan. Had to use an additional relay (not supplied) for the AC over pressure circuit to route power to the fan.
Got the radiator connected to the LS3 engine.
Had to use a swivel connection for the t-stat housing as the LS3 housing points the wrong way.
All of the connections are different sizes which makes it a pain, 3 trips to the parts store to find hoses to use.
In the end I did find a top hose that has the correct dimensions.
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The bottom hose had to be pieced together using a real hose, the corrugated FFR supplied stainless using their reducers and coupling.
I needed to use 2 clamps on each side of the coupling to keep them from blowing off/leaking.
The radiator cap is rated at 16PSI. I pressurized the system to 15 PSI for over an hour, no leaks.
I tied the same thing earlier with only one clamp on the FFR coupling, it blew off the t-stat housing.
Got the steam line plumbed as well as the tranny cooling lines to the radiator connected.
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Last edited by JimLev; 08-15-2018 at 11:07 PM.
I stretched the front diff holes. Put in rear diff bolts. Support diff to align holes. Install urethane and steel sleeves for front mounts. Greased the sides of a 5/8 drill and used the steel sleeve as a drill guide and a HD right angle drill to stretch the holes in the diff. You want to have diff within 1 degree of parallel to crankshaft. I flipped the FF LS motor mount plates over to raise motor slightly. I made a 3/4" thick adapter to use the FF trans mount my 4L70E LS376 to get motor/diff angles within 1 degree.
Its alive, the engine and exhaust sound fantastic.
One problem, it doesn't move in D or R.
Tranny (4L65e) and torque converter are full of fluid.
Seems like a torque converter problem.
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33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
Yes, I put fluid into the converter as per the directions before I put it on the tranny.
The level on the dipstick was indicating full before I started the engine, then dropped as expected when the engine was started.
I then added 4 qts. Which brought the level back to full.
Can't work on it today, have to put Tundra big brake kit on our sons 4Runner.
I did use a higher stall speed converter (per Tony's recommendation) than the one that was specified in the GM Connect and Cruise kit. Don't think that had to do with it not moving.
Will post what the problem was when I figure it out.
Andy, do you have your engine running yet?
Last edited by JimLev; 09-07-2018 at 10:07 AM.
Two things....
1. It did not really start until you post a video and we can hear it.
2. I had an issue like this once. Was told to start the engine, then shift into 1st, then 2nd, then 3rd, then drive, then reverse. Then back into park and repeat it a couple more times. Then check fluid level again. It was something about putting it directly into the lower gears forcing the fluid into places that drive might not get. Your mileage may be different but it worked for me.
-- Mike -- TxMike64 -- @TxMGarage
Gen1.5 Hot Rod '33 #1094 (Stage 1) - 302/AOD '15 IRS - Quad Built - Build Thread
33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
Tim, TXMike, yes I know it didn't "really" start. I'll get it posted soon.
Thanks for the tranny info, I'll give that a try and report back.
OK, I'll call it the first, second, third... start, but it's really about the 10th start.
Think I spent way too much time trying to figure out how to use the new video editor.
3rd try at posting video
https://youtu.be/B2JbPqJaP98
Last edited by JimLev; 09-09-2018 at 09:23 PM. Reason: Typo
Tried the shifting method, no dice. Will try it again tomorrow for a longer time in the different gears.
I played around with the tranny software to get familiar with it.
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Jim--Did you use a pressurized system to prime the oil on the LS3 before start? I am worried about getting oil pressure up on first start.
Just want to make sure I do it right. Paperwork that I got with motor does not talk about using pressurized system.
Rick
Rick, yes I did prime the oil system. I connected an old electric 12 volt pump to the oil drain plug on the oil pan and the other end to the oil port on the drivers side of the block. I let it run for 5+ min to circulate the oil from the pan thru the oil galleys.
After that I removed the plugs to spray a little fogging oil in the cylinders, then turned the engine over with the plugs out.
Where did you get your LS3 from? Mine came from GM Connect and Cruise which included all kinds of info including pressurizing the oil circuit using a pricey pump. Need a copy?
Jim,
Looks Like You'll Be Kicking Asphalt Rather Soon!
Looking Good, Really Good!
Steve
Jim, The LS3 came from Pace Performance in Ohio. I bought the 33 from DCC2 in north Texas a couple weeks ago so I am trying to get into it and figure out where to go next. Drew (previous owner) has been very helpful and I have a lot of paperwork from him, but nothing on priming. Yes I would like to see the info you have on pressurizing the system. I will pm you my email. He also had a lot of the wiring done so picking up in the middle of that is a little confusing (not my strong suit anyway). How you don't mind if I pic your brain a little as time goes on.
Thanks
Rick
No problem picking my brains. If I don't know the answer someone else here will.
I emailed you a few things last night.
It's going to take a few more days before I rip up some pavement.
I figured out why it won't move. Time to fess up to a bone head mistake, hopefully this will help someone prevent the same mistake.
When I was sliding the torque converter onto the tranny everything went fine.
When I was struggling to lift the tranny w/tc and mount it on the back of the engine the tc slid forward just a little.
Thru the starter hole I pushed it back before I bolted it to the flex plate, however the notches in the tc that drive the pump weren't aligned with the front pump impeller tabs, which broke them off.
No pump, no go.
I pulled the tranny and have it apart waiting for the parts to arrive.
Pull the pan off and remove 2 solenoids.
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Pulling the front pump assy out of the tranny.
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Didn't need to take the drum and other parts out.
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Pump assy
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Pump assy apart
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The black part of the impeller and the white ring broke.
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Last edited by JimLev; 09-15-2018 at 04:52 PM.
33 Hot Rod (Gen 1) Stage 1 delivered on 4/27/2017, Stage 2 delivered on 9/21/2018
LS3 495hp/480 lb. ft., 4L70E, Electric PS, Classic Auto Air, Lokar electronic sport shifter, 13 inch Wilwood front and 11.68 Cobra rear brakes, Ford 8.8 w 3.73 w 4 link, Billet Specialty Legend Series MAG wheels and Mickey Thompson
Sportsman S/R 26x8x18 front and 29x18x20 rear tires.
Just a question for my own edification. When putting the TH400 in my GTO there was a specific process involving the spacing of the convertor from the flex plate, About 1/8 an inch or 0.125 inch. This was a critical measurement because the convertor would swell with pressure and if you did not space it then it would press backwards on the input shaft and damage/destroy the front pump. I had found that many of my friends having pump problems had not spaced the converters. When your converter came forward I wonder if the vanes did not mesh going back and when you tightened it down that might have damaged the pump? Ask me how I learned all this
Yes, same for the LS3 and 4L65E, spec is 0.125 to 0.250". This is the space between the flex plate and the front mounting (bolt) pads on the converter with converter pushed all the way into the tranny. When you bolt the converter to the flex plate the converter gets pulled forward.
Mine measured 0.157 so I thought everything was OK, this was with the tabs broken. I'm now positive the 2 cutouts on the converter weren't aligned with the 2 tabs on the ID of the impeller. I'll make sure it's correct this time, don't want to repeat the process again.
Not looking forward to putting the tranny back in the car with the engine already in it. It was a PITA getting it out from the top side.
Can the converter swell from pressure, or is it just expanding for the heat?
Last edited by JimLev; 09-16-2018 at 10:51 AM.
Yes, converters will experience some thermal expansion -- most of the heat generated in an auto trans comes from the torque converter. They can expand (balloon) under pressure, sometimes enough that it damages the converter and there is probably some video of this on YouTube (everything is on YouTube). They can also put a great deal of force on the engine thrust bearing from the oil pressure trying to force the converter away from the trans and toward the engine.