Not much to say. I haven't driven it much this summer as the alternator keeps going bad. I sent the last one back to the manufacturer and they said it checks out fine. Suggested I make sure it's getting over 12.5 volts from the battery. If the battery doesn't have over 12.2-12.5 volts it won't turn on the alternator. I was never able to charge my battery above 12.1 volts on a full charge. So I bought a new battery which had 13.2 volts fresh without a charge. But now for some reason since I reinstalled my alternator the belt squeals like crazy and I 'm tired of messing with it. So I just ordered a power steering pump and tensioner from a '91 Allante so the whole belt system will be Cadillac designed and I can just get belts and other parts easily, trouble free. Hopefully I'll get the Caddy pump on in the next few weeks. Not really concerned with how the belt setup looks at this point, I just really want it to be reliable.
-Rick
scrap the allante alternator mounting bracket and alternator.. get a bracket from a 4.9L engine, ANY of them, and the alternator too.. it fits better, and you wont have any issues. the 4.9L caddy alternators are 140 amp too, as opposed to 120 amp for the allante alt. you must have the alt. mounting bracket from the 4.9L also, as it is a slightly different shape and wont fit the allante alternators, and vice versa. it is also entirely possible that the squealing belt and the non-charging alternator are symptoms that the belt you are using is too long, or something is out of allignment? doubtful, but possible. anyways, the 4.9l alternator steup is just better
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02:27 AM
GT Member
Posts: 911 From: Silver Spring, MD USA Registered: May 2003
I'm wondering if you've actually used a 4.9 alternator mounting bracket with an Allante lower intake. I have already tried it (earlier in this thread) and, at least with the parts I have, the bolt holes and mounting points don't match up. And I'm using a custom built alternator (earlier in this thread) that puts out 140 amps. It doesn't have any connections except the B+ connection. It goes directly to the battery. If the battery doesn't have sufficient charge the alternator won't turn on. BTW, did you ever do anything with those rare experimental rockers that your Allante engine came with?
If you clear coated or powder coated your alternator mounting bracket you might not be getting a good ground to the alternator. Try adding a ground wire directly to the alternator to test this.
A friend that I helped with his conversion had powder coated his alternator bracket. His alternator worked intermitently but never very good. He replaced it several times always with the same result. Finally discovered that the powder coating was preventing the alternator from getting a good ground.
Don
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11:28 AM
Jul 30th, 2006
GT Member
Posts: 911 From: Silver Spring, MD USA Registered: May 2003
Thanks don, that was one thing I checked early on. I filed all mounting surfaces to make sure it was getting a good ground.
I found the culprit today. The wire that goes from the back of the alternator to the junction block had a connector on each end. The connector at the alternator end was good. But the connector at the junction block looked good, but was not crimped properly and had come loose inside the crimp. I couldn't tell until I yanked on the wire and it came off. I repaired the connector end and it's charging at 14.5 volts. YAY!
Also, when I had put my alternator back on I used a washer in the wrong place and it shimmed the alternator crooked so it was hitting one of the idler pulleys. I reshimmed it and now it's all nice and straight and makes no noise... I think...
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06:31 PM
Aug 6th, 2006
aaronrus Member
Posts: 870 From: bradenton, FL USA Registered: Nov 2003
I'm wondering if you've actually used a 4.9 alternator mounting bracket with an Allante lower intake. I have already tried it (earlier in this thread) and, at least with the parts I have, the bolt holes and mounting points don't match up. And I'm using a custom built alternator (earlier in this thread) that puts out 140 amps. It doesn't have any connections except the B+ connection. It goes directly to the battery. If the battery doesn't have sufficient charge the alternator won't turn on. BTW, did you ever do anything with those rare experimental rockers that your Allante engine came with?
-Rick
hey, i was not aware that a 4.9 bracket wouldnt bolt up, i only mention it because over several years now, ive known several guys who did it, without any problems, or any "reported" problems.. i still have those rockers and the whole valvetrain that came with it. i tested one of the springs a while back and they are significantly stiffer than stock 4.9L springs, i forget what the readings were now, because its been a while, ... like 120-130 with the valve closed, and 290-300 with the valve open... anyways, its still sitting in my garage, nothing has bene done with it, i recently got divorced and debt has taken up most of my extra time, i am trying to eliminate it all together so i have money to play with my toys...
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09:22 AM
Aug 26th, 2006
motoracer838 Member
Posts: 3751 From: Edgewater Co. USofA Registered: Jan 2006
hi guy dont mean to hijack..but been looking for a number for the longer pushrods and dont want to order untill i can get confermation on the lengths i had noted down a number several months ago and wondered if it seemed correct to you or anybody!!
thanx clynt
spacer CCA-7823-1
$4.69 Estimated Ship Date: Tomorrow overview Application Suggested Parts Warranty Show All Brand: COMP Cams Product Line: COMP Cams High Energy Pushrods For Use with Guideplates: Yes Tubing Diameter (in): 5/16 in. Pushrod Material: Steel Top Tip Style: Ball Bottom Tip Style: Ball Intake Overall Length (in): 7.700 in. Exhaust Overall Length (in): 7.700 in. Quantity: Sold individually. One Piece Pushrod: No Oiling: Yes Tapered: No Tip Attachment: Welded Top Tip Diameter: 5/16 in. Bottom Tip Diameter: 5/16 in. Heat Treated: Yes
Pushrod, High Energy, Steel, 5/16 in. Diameter, 7.700 in. Length, Ball Ends, Hardened, Each CCA-7823-1
$4.69 Estimated Ship Date: Tomorrow overview Application Suggested Parts Warranty Show All Brand: COMP Cams Product Line: COMP Cams High Energy Pushrods For Use with Guideplates: Yes Tubing Diameter (in): 5/16 in. Pushrod Material: Steel Top Tip Style: Ball Bottom Tip Style: Ball Intake Overall Length (in): 7.700 in. Exhaust Overall Length (in): 7.700 in. Quantity: Sold individually. One Piece Pushrod: No Oiling: Yes Tapered: No Tip Attachment: Welded Top Tip Diameter: 5/16 in. Bottom Tip Diameter: 5/16 in. Heat Treated: Yes
Pushrod, High Energy, Steel, 5/16 in. Diameter, 7.700 in. Length, Ball Ends, Hardened, Each
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11:27 PM
Sep 7th, 2006
GT Member
Posts: 911 From: Silver Spring, MD USA Registered: May 2003
The part number for the pushrods was listed on page 6 of this thread. It is Competition Cams # CCA-7823-16. You can see it at: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CCA%2D7823%2D16&N=700+115&autoview=sku . I think the specs are the same as the one you list, in fact I think it's the same pushrod but the number you list is for one pushrod. The number I list is for a set of 16. So yeah, the one you are looking at is the right one.
thanx again i think ive read every post re 4.9 in the last 6mo and coudnt locate it . i thougt it was posted in regards to a dif build and i jotted the no on a pad and had no reference to go by. do these rods give the lope also? as mine just seems to purr. im sorry that i missed carlile this year as i wanted to see that beast in person !! l8r clynt
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11:49 AM
PFF
System Bot
GT Member
Posts: 911 From: Silver Spring, MD USA Registered: May 2003
No, longer pushrods will not increase performance with hydraulic lifters unless you have the wrong pushrods to begin with. The lope comes from cam timing and can't be produced by increasing the lift. I only used the longer pushrods because I had excess valvetrain noise, not as a performance modification.
I might have missed it but what year Allante motor did you end up using? Did you use the whole motor, block and all or just the intake etc.
I used a '92 Allante block, '92 4.9 crank, rods, and sleeves, '92 4.9 heads, Northstar pistons and rings, and all '92 Allante intake components. '91 and newer 4.5 blocks can be used with the 4.9 cranks without any mods. '90 and older 4.5 blocks need to have a little grinding done to get the 4.9 crank to turn without hitting.
I only used the 4.5 block because my 4.9 block turned out to be cracked.
-Rick
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10:12 PM
Sep 12th, 2006
aaronrus Member
Posts: 870 From: bradenton, FL USA Registered: Nov 2003
now the real question on my mind: what did you do about maximizing the tuning on your ecm? what with all the extra air coming into the engine, the higher lift camshaft, the allante intake, etc., the stock caddy program, even the superchips ecm for stock 4.9L's cannot be the most efficient program for that.. i would think some wide-band O2 sensor tuning is an order!
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01:45 AM
Sep 13th, 2006
GT Member
Posts: 911 From: Silver Spring, MD USA Registered: May 2003
Haven't done anything with the chip yet. I'm using the chip that Rockcrawl burned for me. He burned it anticipating the mods that I made to the engine. It definitely never goes lean according to the dyno A/F printout - and I'm using stock injectors. It could be tweaked a bit but honestly I hardly ever drive the car and it runs great as-is. I have to take it in for MD state emissions testing before the end of this month. As long as it passes, I'll be happy for now. I'd like to eventually drive it up to Rockcrawl's house and have him tune it, but it seems like he's preoccupied these days and I just don't have the time. One of these days...
-Rick
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11:39 AM
Oct 3rd, 2006
motoracer838 Member
Posts: 3751 From: Edgewater Co. USofA Registered: Jan 2006
That's what I was thinking! I see the thread starter posted to the thread, I think there's some new info. Isn't there some law against bumping your own thread without adding more info?
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11:37 PM
PFF
System Bot
FieroMaster88 Member
Posts: 7680 From: Mattawan, MI Registered: Nov 2000
Here's what I put down at the Dyno. I have some serious tuneing issues. I have worked a few of them out (wireing to the TPS and MAP sensors) and am wanting to get back to the dyno soon.
Hi all, sorry for the lack of attention. My car was running so rich I couldn't pass emissions so I just put classic tags on it and put a cover over it for the winter. I'll get back to it when the weather warms up some. I went out to try to drive it around the neighborhood a couple of weeks ago but it kept stalling and wouldn't restart unless I jiggled the fuel pump fuse a little. I think the fuse block needs some TLC so I'll add that to the list - it was 20 degrees outside so I just put the cover back on it and went inside.
Thanks FieroMaster88 for posting your dyno numbers. I got 234hp and 304tq in a completely untuned state so I don't feel so bad now. Have you gotten it to the dyno since you worked on the richness?
-Rick
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03:17 PM
Mar 20th, 2007
ducattiman Member
Posts: 674 From: TheNetherlands Registered: Mar 2003
Found out that the stalling was from a loose computer connection. One of the ECM connectors backed out an eighth of an inch. I pushed it firmly back into place and it runs fine now.
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05:38 PM
Jul 19th, 2007
GT Member
Posts: 911 From: Silver Spring, MD USA Registered: May 2003
does the car still run rich or was that all the ECM. What is the MPG. on this beast. did you ever find out what the vibration from the front end was. Would a new front end fix all that.
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07:02 AM
Dennis LaGrua Member
Posts: 15526 From: Hillsborough, NJ U.S.A. Registered: May 2000
The dyno figures look pretty decent. Just a bit less horsepower than a 3800SC but higher torque and you also have a lighter V8 engine. I am considering a 4.9L for the still unfinished convertible project but we will probably just leave it stock. Last we spoke at Carlisle you were working on using a new chip program that would optimize power and improve the gas mileage. Did the new program work as expected? One thing we know for sure; you tend to tackle ambitious projects. You were one of the first to do the 3800SC swap ( see what you've started) and now one of the few to build a modified 4.9L.
------------------ 87GT 3.4 Turbo- 0-60 5.2 seconds 2006 3800SC Series III swap in progress Engine Controls, PCM goodies, re-programming & odd electronics stuff " I'M ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
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12:07 PM
PFF
System Bot
Sep 23rd, 2007
GT Member
Posts: 911 From: Silver Spring, MD USA Registered: May 2003
Sweet project. I used to have a 96 eldo,those northstar engine's are so smooth and sweet I always wondered why people didn't mod them. Got any links you can post up for cadillac specific internals and mods?
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12:34 AM
stickpony Member
Posts: 1187 From: Pompano Beach, FL Registered: Jan 2008
Sweet project. I used to have a 96 eldo,those northstar engine's are so smooth and sweet I always wondered why people didn't mod them. Got any links you can post up for cadillac specific internals and mods?
This thread is about a 4.9L build-up, not a Northstar. but you are right, modding a northstar is sweet indeed
