[Insert Cool Name Here] '69 Camaro LS1 Project

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

I haven't made any updates to my thread lately.....BECAUSE I was too busy actually WORKING on the car!

In chronological order........

I ended up buying the Texas Speed stainless steel LS swap headers. My reasoning was based on the SWAG that I would need to modify WHATEVER I bought anyway and that they filled two criteria.

1. They are stainless steel so I can modify them without worrying about a coating.
2. They are cheaper than most so I won't WORRY about modifying them.

Well, I did have to modify them, but not very much. They just made contact with my rag joint.

Sawzall!




Mig with Stainless wire


Here it is installed


Ohh, what's that sticking up through the floor? An MGW shifter! And it's even attached to a T56!


After that we took an entire weekend making a kit that's supposed to fit, fit. IOW, the Magnaflow 3" exhaust had a few issues. Notably where the pipe exits from the rear of the muffler. It just got too close to the axle. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the pictures I took of this anywhere. Oh well.

Then I bought a nice new radiator. Unfortunately, someone else with a 69 camaro ordered one at the exact same time and they had a big block. They sent me the big block radiator and he got my LS one.



After that was straitened out, I was sent the proper one.

Ahhh.....


Then I went about installing my CAI. Unfortunately...AGAIN, I was missing parts. It didn't have the aluminum tube in the package. I called up Spectre though, and they took care of it right away.



Then we decided to finish up (for the most part) the Classic Auto Air system.

Here's the under-dash view. Not much else to see except what's in front of the radiator and in my engine compartment.



This weekend I got a bunch of wiring done.



I actually got the fuel pump working (through the PCM even!) and imediately found a leak in the push in connector on the fuel filter/regulator outlet. Sigh.

Then, my Dakota Digital gauges never even lit up at all. So, I called them today to send me a new brain box. It must have been dead on arrival.

If I didn't have all this bad luck, I'd be done already!

So, waiting on parts again. I'm really hoping to hear this engine fire up next weekend.

[Dave95z28]

Whose radiator and fan combo is that?

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

http://www.wwwsuperiorradiator.com/6...amaro_chevelle
Superior Radiator. Very reasonably priced and the quality seems good as well.

[rickpaw]

You're getting close. Keep at it. I took the easy route with the wiring and ordered wiring kit from PSI. I actually enjoy wiring, but was short on time.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

After fixing the fuel plumbing last night and checking some things over, I couldn't resist seeing if the car would start.

It started fine and no trouble codes (amazingly enough)!

The first time, I ran it for less than a minute and found out how fast the headers heat up on this thing. Even burning my fingerprints off couldn't wreck my day after hearing this thing run for the first time.



Obviously I still have a lot of work to do but I'm getting close:

I need to clean up the wiring.
Put in my new brain box for the VHX gauges (coming today) and hope they work now.
Send my PCM back for some reprogramming based on the AC setup I'm using and because the reverse lockout isn't functioning properly through the PCM.
Figure out why the P/S is leaking at the box.
Get the front end aligned.

After that, it should be on the road and officially be a "Running/Driving Project".

As we all know, there are many many things to do in the driving project stage and most cars never leave that stage either.

[Ron in SoCal]

Congrats man, sounds meaty!

Now clean up that wiring before something not good happens

[rickpaw]

Congrats.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

I was able to get a little bit more done this weekend; and of course, find more problems. Yay!

I cleaned up the wiring and got it routed where it's supposed to go. Unfortunately, I may be digging back in there again as....

The PCM is not turning on my fans like it should. Nor is it disengaging the reverse lockout. My AC request going though the PCM is also not turning on the fan that it's supposed to. These PCM problems should be taken care of this week by the tuner. It's too bad that he's not closer to me and I have to ship stuff back and forth but this was a pretty complex segment swap and I'm pretty sure there isn't anyone closer (That I'd trust) to work on it. In fact, last time I mentioned a "segment swap" to the closest tuner I could find, he was like "huh?".

Other than the aforementioned issues, the PCM works well and runs the engine fine with no trouble codes. That's mostly at idle though with just a little bit of messing about.

As for the Dakota Digital issues: The first "brain box" that came with my gauges must indeed have been dead on arrival. I wired the replacement box in this weekend and my gauges work properly and as advertised.

As we were buttoning up stuff under the dash and tested out the wipers, I noticed smoke coming out of the wiper motor. We kept taking a piece off it and testing it until we had it all the way apart (drilled out the rivets holding the two halves of the housing together) and found out that the smoke was coming from the internal resistor. I can't seem to find any information on the resistor so I guess I'm going to have to replace the whole unit with a rebuilt one. Also, on the same subject, I found that the washer part of my wiper switch may not work either.

The next day I drained the old fluid out of the T56 and put in brand new stuff and topped off the engine oil with another half a quart. Then we got to work on trying to finish up the dash and the center louver for the Classic Auto Air.

First, if I haven't mentioned it before, the instructions for the CAA unit suck. Stuff is kind of out of order and that causes issues when you do something first that should have been done later, etc. The instructions for installing the center louver were almost non-existent. It was kind of like, "cut this and stick it in". So I had to call them today to ask about it and about replacing my louver since the vents were mounted in in crooked. In any case I think I understand it now and should be able to put it in when I get the new unit.

I also fixed my dome light that was actually disconnected from the harness near the rear wheel well. I had to fish in with a clothes hanger to find the plug while my uncle crawled in through the back seat and latched the two together.

Now I'm busy waiting on others (for the most part). Otherwise I could take a day or two off and get this puppy on the road.

1. I need the PCM fixed so I can take trailer it in to the alignment shop and (hopefully) drive it home. Kind of need the fans for that.
2. I need the Wisconsin DMV A.K.A (Dumbass obstructionist Mf'n Vipers) to send me my title and licences. Did I mention that I hate the DMV and believe they are the most useless government agency on the face of the earth? I've had nothing but problems with the Malum prohibitum loving dbags over there. EVERY time I try to get a licence or title there is some sort of issue caused by their stupid rules that don't make any sense and aren't written as laws anywhere that I can find.....anyway....[/rant]

So, now it's mostly a waiting game and I can't stand it. I'm not Ron in Socal after all.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

I drove my car home from the stealership last night where it was in for an alignment. So far, it seems the only real important bug I need to work out is with the cooling system.

I'm running the stock thermostat (195 degree, I think) and fan 1 is set to come on at 226 degrees. The fan does come on at this time but when I shut down the engine and it's close to this temperature I'm hearing boiling coolant in the radiator and I get some coming out of the overflow. I'm running a 16 lb cap.

Anyone have any suggestions on that?

When going down the road it stays pretty cool and I don't THINK I'm having any issues at that time.

As far as thoughts on driving this thing (for any distance at least) for the first time, my overall opinion is SWEET! As my build progresses in the running/driving project stage, I was going to start with power adders but I can definitely see that suspension should be the first thing on the list. It may be only an LS1 but this thing really screams. I'm happy with my power level for now. It needs sub frame connectors as I can feel what I assume to be some body flex as well.

In any case, I was grinning from ear to ear when I really romped on it for the first time. Ron, I even burned a bit of rubber off the rear tires (just to make sure the posi was working of course) but I didn't take a video.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

LS engines run hot for emissions and crank case moisture burn off. I would get the fans to come on sooner. Sitting in traffic,w AC on and low flow you should keep it around 210. T stat temp is fine, you just need to get the fan cycles down. Fan 1? I assume you have 2 fans. Set it up so AC sense will run both fans.

As far as cap pressure , I would go with what the radiator manufacture recommends. Most I have seen are 16 lbs.