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Yu-Gi-Ho! posted:THAT'S THE WORST PART Next time: kick it.
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Jul 1, 2017 00:40
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| # ? May 17, 2024 19:26 |
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No pictures because my hands were covered in coolant, but I put a "new" radiator in the yellow sedan. It was still having cooling issues after the leaky water pump was replaced. It was pretty clogged up, as evidenced by how nothing came out when I pulled the petcock. I yanked the radiator out of the gold wagon garage ornament and slammed it in. Only difference between the two is the gold wagon had two transmission coolers, the yellow sedan has one. No big. It fits the same. Just for shits, I also swapped over the fan assembly, since I know it worked in the gold wagon. At some point, perhaps when it's no longer 105 degrees, I will need to replace the engine and transmission mounts on the yellow sedan. They have experienced severe degradation over the years. I have a new set ready to go, but the summer heat combined with the pain-in-the-rear end level of the job has me putting it off. Nothing else to report. The white wagon continues to be a boss despite its black eye. No problems being competitive in the On Ramp Grand Prix. 
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Aug 10, 2017 02:59
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RIP Paul Walker posted:We've all rear-ended someone who probably shouldn't have stopped in the first place (I assume that is what happened here). The saving grace is that it will probably only happen once to you. Pretty sure all '04 GP's had ABS. My GTP did and it was poo poo. When it kicked in during mild braking I got that BbBbbBbbbbbbRrrrrRrbbB sound along with a nice floaty kind of hydroplaning feeling. Heavy braking resulted in shambolic lurching and heaving. Like there was a mad goblin in charge of each corner of the car. Then there were the wheel bearing sensors that would poo poo the bed and make the idiot light shine. And the leads that went to those sensors, that would corrode and crack and make the idiot light shine. I eventually just said gently caress it cause the brakes felt better without the ABS.
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Aug 10, 2017 05:54
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SECRET PROJECT: THE REVEAL CODE NAME DONUT SHOP PHASE 0: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STATUS: ONGOING PHASE 1: PARTS ACQUISITION STATUS: IN PROGRESS Major parts needed: 4 Parts acquired: 1  Shown above is a complete rear axle assembly donated by a 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. Pertinent RPO codes include G80 (limited slip) and GU2 (2.73 ratio). The ratio will be sufficient for my purposes, since (a) it's enough for skids in the Camaro it came out of, and (b) tires will necessarily be short, as there is limited space for (tall) tires on the project car without extensive modification of the rear structure. Feasibility is low. The shafts have some in-out play, so it will need to be taken to a driveline shop at a future date to be inspected and possibly repaired. PHASE 2: TEARDOWN STATUS: ONGOING PHASE 3: FABRICATION AND MODIFICATION STATUS: NONE PHASE 4: INSTALLATION STATUS: NONE PHASE 5: LOOSE ENDS STATUS: NONE PHASE 6: DONUTS STATUS:
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Oct 1, 2017 20:52
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Oct 1, 2017 20:56
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This has gone to the mental place that I both hoped and feared that it might. Godspeed.
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Oct 1, 2017 22:39
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Holy poo poo. Good luck, dude. Is this for the wagon or the sedan?
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Oct 2, 2017 01:39
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Boaz MacPhereson posted:Holy poo poo. Good luck, dude. Is this for the wagon or the sedan?  
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Oct 2, 2017 01:57
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Well that's interesting
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Oct 2, 2017 02:03
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I saw a thread on j-body years ago where some dude did an RWD conversion using a Camaro rear end and some bastard-insane Grand Am(?) rear subframe swap with a little fab.
Seat Safety Switch fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Oct 2, 2017 |
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Oct 2, 2017 02:06
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Is that new? I don't recall how many of these crazy things you have. Going LS or maybe 3800? S/C?
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Oct 2, 2017 02:13
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Boaz MacPhereson posted:Is that new? I don't recall how many of these crazy things you have. Going LS or maybe 3800? S/C? Re-read the OP and you will find the answer to your question and more.
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Oct 2, 2017 02:21
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Boaz MacPhereson posted:Is that new? I don't recall how many of these crazy things you have. Going LS or maybe 3800? S/C? It's the car that I started this thread about! Mad mad plan is a truck LS, probably a 4.8 with this cam, 4L65E, that rear end, F-body V6 wheels with 245-45-16 tires. Suspension mounting points will be cut off the Century's stock torsion beam and welded on the Camaro axle in such a way that it will preserve rear suspension geometry, such as it is. There are currently no plans to narrow the axle to fit under the car. Rather, I will probably just rivet some nasty-rear end flares on to the quarters. I would welcome any input from you guys. Most of the rear drive conversions I've come across have either been body swaps (Lumina Z57) or money-no-object purpose-built drag cars. This is going to be rat rod status. No interior, probably a cage later on, hacked up to fit the transmission, all that. Recall that I paid $200 for the car, so it's a blank canvas. Left Ventricle fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Oct 2, 2017 |
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Oct 2, 2017 02:52
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What RWD GM stuff has a similar wheelbase?
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Oct 2, 2017 03:15
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Fermented Tinal posted:Re-read the OP and you will find the answer to your question and more. What am I, some kinda non-rear end in a top hat that actually reads threads? LV, is there any sort of precedent with this swap or are you venturing ever further into uncharted territory like your last project?
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Oct 2, 2017 03:16
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Boaz MacPhereson posted:What am I, some kinda non-rear end in a top hat that actually reads threads? I was trying to not give it away, then LV did immediately afterwards. 
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Oct 2, 2017 03:37
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The 4.8 and 4L60 should hopefully help that rear end live a little longer.
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Oct 2, 2017 03:40
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Wrar posted:What RWD GM stuff has a similar wheelbase? Best I can determine is either G-bodies or S-Blazers are about the closest I can get. Prior to this car's introduction, the G's were called A-bodies, and there was also a RWD Buick Century at the time (sedan/wagon version of the Regal). The 1980 Malibu wagon, for example, has a 108.1" wheelbase, whereas the FWD A-bodies have a 104.3" wheelbase. Five door S-Blazer is 107", and Camaro is 101.1", so a shaft from an F-body won't work. So I can start with a G or S driveshaft and have it shortened. Boaz MacPhereson posted:LV, is there any sort of precedent with this swap or are you venturing ever further into uncharted territory like your last project? There is a website for an outfit called Smith Performance that apparently used to do these conversions back in the 80s and 90s. I sent them an e-mail several months ago, but did not receive a response. So though this may not technically be a unique project, it will probably be the first one documented in a long time. I think my plan to use the stock wagon suspension probably hasn't been done, but feels like the simplest and easiest path.
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Oct 2, 2017 03:52
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Driveshaft would be the least of my concern to start. Rear suspension, trans tunnel, engine mounts etc would be a bigger concern. You can get driveshafts pretty easily.
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Oct 2, 2017 04:38
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Yeah, you really just need the ends and a length. You'd be extremely lucky to have one just bolt in, next best would be one that has the right ends but is too long. Having one that is too short just saves you some of the cost of fabricating a whole new one.
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Oct 2, 2017 04:46
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Here are the things I am still concerned about, since I have only done internets research so far: -Front subframe is set up for a transverse mounted powertrain, so it is "perimeter-style", I would call it. I do not know if my stock subframe can be modified to accept longitudinal mounting, or I will need an aftermarket k-member setup, which would still need to be modded in some yet-to-be-determined way. -Related to above, the oil pan. I did find one outfit making a "mid-sump" LS oil pan specced for 240SX swaps, but $700 seems a bit steep to me. -Steering: the rack is mounted at the rear of the subframe, near the firewall. This will interfere with the transmission, I'm sure. -Suspension: sway bar will also interfere with the transmission. -Drivetrain: the original hubs accept CV axles. They are sealed, but I am not currently aware if they must have an axle stub in them to hold them together. -Torque arm: how to mount to the body. Perhaps welding a plate to the body? Here are some things I am not overly concerned about, since my brother is a metal worker and has volunteered his services: -Rear suspension mounting points (spring perches, shock mounts, track arm mount, panhard bars) will be cut off the Century's stock torsion beam and welded on the Camaro axle in such a way that it will preserve rear suspension geometry, such as it is. -Trans tunnel seems to be a fairly straightforward cut-and-shut. This assessment may (will) change at a later date. -LS swap engine mounts are available aftermarket for a variety of applications, for what I would consider reasonable prices. Maybe it will be necessary to just make my own. Again, brother is a metal worker. -10 bolt. With the limitations I have regarding tire size, I doubt there will be enough traction to break the diff. If it does, so be it. Weakest link and all that. -Exhaust. I have fever dreams of somehow making this emissions-legal, with cats and all that, but this car will be a toy, so I can probably get away with "Classic Rod" registration and not worry about it. ...and probably so much more that I haven't even thought of yet. That's where you lot come in. Please feel free to ask me about other particulars not listed above.
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Oct 2, 2017 05:30
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Seems like a dry sump would be cheaper than that pan. Alternatively, GTO front sump?
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Oct 2, 2017 05:59
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I'm far from an expert but your plan to use the stock rear fwd suspension welded to a rwd rear axle seems very suspect, aren't they designed to take different loads from different directions?
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Oct 2, 2017 06:19
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cakesmith handyman posted:I'm far from an expert but your plan to use the stock rear fwd suspension welded to a rwd rear axle seems very suspect, aren't they designed to take different loads from different directions? Setting aside torsion beam vs. live axle, the basic design of the F-body and A-body rear suspensions are the same. Both have a coil spring and shock setup, both have panhards, both have a track arm—pretty low-tech stuff. The F-body's mounts are flipped compared to the A-body though—that is, the springs are on the "rear" of the axle on the F, but on the "front" on the A. Shocks are similarly flipped (F front, A rear). If it ends up not working, then I will have to engineer something else, but I would rather start with cheap and easy and go from there.
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Oct 2, 2017 06:31
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Okay, sounds like parts-binning helps you out by having nearly correct components in place already, cool. I like this thread by the way, as other have said if it's less popular or normally disregarded it's nice to see someone who really likes these cars.
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Oct 2, 2017 08:46
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angryrobots posted:Well that's interesting QFT On the rearend - the axles are retained with c-clips in that rearend. They all have in and out play. That's how you get the c-clips out (after removing the pin in the diff - but there will still be a little play with the pin installed.) On the front hubs - they will most likely need axle stubs installed to keep the bearings together. Even Jeep did that on the 2WD Cherokees and Wranglers (they used the same bearing packs, on a straight axle, as they did in 4WD models.) I'd do it just for safety. It's easy enough to find some junk axles and cut off the CV joint.
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Oct 3, 2017 16:30
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Left Ventricle posted:Setting aside torsion beam vs. live axle, the basic design of the F-body and A-body rear suspensions are the same. Both have a coil spring and shock setup, both have panhards, both have a track arm—pretty low-tech stuff. The F-body's mounts are flipped compared to the A-body though—that is, the springs are on the "rear" of the axle on the F, but on the "front" on the A. Shocks are similarly flipped (F front, A rear). If it ends up not working, then I will have to engineer something else, but I would rather start with cheap and easy and go from there. That's probably so the axle can travel properly while attached to the driveshaft. You don't have to worry about your center location so much with a torsion beam, but it's pretty important with a live axle IIRC. I'd try and replicate the F-body geometry on the chassis just so you don't get any nasty surprises, and if you can, add a Watts link.
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Oct 4, 2017 17:06
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Productive trip to the yard. 
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Nov 11, 2017 22:00
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So the wagon is broken now. Fourteen check engine codes. p0122 throttle posision sensor p0171 bank 1 lean p0327 knock sensor p0740 tcc solenoid p0753 shift solenoid a p0758 shift solenoid b p1122 cruise p1406 egr p1554 cruise p1651 fan 1 p1652 fan 2 p1655 evap p1671 quad C p1672 low oil lamp I'm planning to take a trip to a wrecking yard in Fontana, CA, tomorrow morning to pick up a transmission, since it's not acting anywhere close to right (obviously). Regardless of whether the quad C is a culprit of any of these codes, the transmission recently started making tons of concerning noises, so I need one anyway. The EGR code is probably due to the boss for one of the mounting bolts stripping out and the bolt fleeing the scene, so it's not mounted flush with the manifold anymore. The cruise control codes are probably caused by the mounting incompatibility between my stock module and the Lumina cable I'm using, and is completely irrelevant since the cruise works. The fan 1 is a bit of a mystery, but fan 2 is not. It's physically broken. My car does not have a low oil indicator, nor is there even a place in the harness to plug in the bypass Milzy sent me in the swap kit.
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Nov 18, 2017 04:10
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That many codes at once  Do most of those run through one sub-harness, or maybe share grounds? I've had as many as 8 codes before, and that was after a rodent snacked on half of a harness. (not one to talk though.. have 6 codes right now, and I have about 2 weeks to make all of them disappear + make the car pass OBD2 readiness monitors, so I can smog it - to be fair, 3 of them are because of the very dead rear o2 sensor, the rest because the MAF is dying) I'm gonna guess the "low oil lamp" is actually bitching about the low oil pressure light not working properly? At least on the newer ECUs, that's all GM LAN based, maybe it's looking for the low pressure light on the bus? randomidiot fucked around with this message at 13:21 on Nov 18, 2017 |
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Nov 18, 2017 13:16
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I will be checking connections and grounds while I have the drivetrain out. The low oil lamp is not something my car is equipped with.
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Nov 18, 2017 16:22
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Geeze. That’s got to be either the harness like STR said, or the ECU making GBS threads itself.
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Nov 20, 2017 14:11
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After some testing with HP Tuners and a trip to the junkyard, I am just about convinced I have a bad PCM. First thing to tip me off was another scan of trouble codes turned up a different set than before. For example, the throttle position sensor code was gone, and in its place was an oxygen sensor code. I swapped out the cooling fan motor with one from the yard, and it did not work. So I commanded it on in HP Tuners, but it didn't turn on at all. It is possible I got a bad motor from the yard. I also tested a few other functions, like increasing the idle speed on the fly, and setting timing at 20 degrees advanced static, and that worked. Commanding the transmission into a specific gear did not, however, which is in line with the three trans solenoid codes. The trans currently only has one gear (3rd) unless I put the shifter in 2. So I will be purchasing a new PCM from Mike Miller, since he's basically the only person making a '97 PCM run on a '96 car. I also have a transmission lined up. Regardless of the solenoid codes, it is making noises that indicate it is not long for this world. When I posted about the problems in one of the Facebook groups I'm a member of, someone in Ontario, CA, offered a unit from a '96 Grand Prix for less than I would pay locally from a yard. The only difference I know of between a Century and GP trans is the final drive: both have a 3.33, but the A-body has an overdrive chain ratio, while the W-body has a 1:1 chain, so the overall final is 3.33. I've been toying with getting a 3.33 final anyway, so this is a good opportunity to test an upgrade.
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Nov 28, 2017 01:10
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Did you verify there was no voltage at the fan relay (or motor) when you commanded it on? I'm still leaning toward harness issues (specifically grounds), but really, either are possible.
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Nov 28, 2017 09:50
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Yu-Gi-Ho! posted:Did you verify there was no voltage at the fan relay (or motor) when you commanded it on? I'm going to try a couple other things before I fully commit to a new computer. Cooling fan relays are cheap (free) from the yard, and there are a few A-bodies in the yard closest to my house. If that solves the cooling fan issue, it may be that I don't need a PCM. I will also deactivate reporting of some other things, like the cruise lamp and low oil lamp, in the tune file.
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Dec 1, 2017 02:31
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Saw this today and thought of this thread. It was so clean!  Mind you, this is Michigan... in winter. Suburban Dad fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Dec 20, 2017 |
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Dec 20, 2017 18:44
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Finally got around to fixing George's face. Before.  Disassembly in progress.  Reassembly in progress.   Done.    
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Dec 25, 2017 22:44
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Much better. Is it getting hard to find little trim bits like bumper fillers and headlight surrounds?
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Dec 26, 2017 01:19
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Seat Safety Switch posted:Much better. Is it getting hard to find little trim bits like bumper fillers and headlight surrounds? Thanks. The wagon rear bumper does have a filler, and it's wagon only. Mine is still fine, luckily. It's probably a junkyard-only bit at this point. There were enough of these cars made that it's not that hard to get parts yet. This car doesn't have "headlight surrounds"; the header is one enormous piece, as shown in the image where I'm on the right with no headlights or grille installed, and the car is [old/new] enough that that wasn't part of the styling.
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Dec 26, 2017 02:20
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| # ? May 17, 2024 19:26 |
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You know, Buick made some pretty fun engines themselves, back in the day... Your modern build might have a bit more of a chance of actually coming together, though!
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Dec 29, 2017 00:00
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