Ok I am in Calgary this week but I got the electric vacuum pump installed for the brake system. It fit nicely out of sight but accessible so I could bolt the trunk into place.
Also the decklid, spoiler and several small parts are painted leaving only the rear clip and roof to finish bodywork prep and paint.
Is this car put back together with that beautiful black paint on all the panels???
Nope this build thread is usually within a couple days of current status meaning I have to do something to post more pics. No history lesson or holdouts here...I use the thread as motivation to keep going on the project.
my favorite part of any build is when you start seeing the final picture. Looks like its going to be an awsome vehicle. Wonder if you could sell the design to GM if they would manufacture them. What are you going to do with your time when its all done?
Ok, Time to dress the motor. Need to start with the front since it's not easily accessible once on the cradle.
First thing I realized was it's been over a year since I took the engine apart so it's a bit of a head scratcher. However I'm not worried because I've got Bubbajoe and pictures from this thread to use as reference. If you're into this build and have time to pull dressed engine pics, please use page 55 as a Table of Contents to find them for me.
Here's the rebuilt .20 over 2001 Northstar from hibernation:
Once unwrapped I finished painting the block with alumi-blast:
The valve covers receive new rubber gaskets so they can be used installed to keep the top end clean:
I used a wire wheel to clean the paint off the reluctor wheel:
Next I noticed that the harmonic balancer may not be neutral balanced? See holes on one side - not sure if this is a problem as the crank was balanced internally:
The crankshaft is keyed but the balancer is not, it can be bolted on in any position:
I am going to use my dial indicator to find TDC #1 cylinder (left front) and use this guage to align the pickup sensor:
The reluctor wheel can also be mounted in any orientation (held by the crank bolt) so it doesn't matter where the balancer is in relation:
you need to have the pickup on the engine before you tie down the reluctor wheel at top dead centre with the notch lined up with the picup coil - OK 1) MOUNT SENSOR 2) SET TDC 3) TIGHTEN ALIGNED WHEEL WITH SENSOR POINTING AT NOTCH
the balancer is neutral ballance as the hole you see is the palce where weight was removed to make it balanced - PERFECT JUST DOUBLE CHECKING
My son Andrew is 14 now so he's more receptive to learn about working on cars. He helped bolting on engine mounts and finding TDC for me this week. I'm hoping to finish the front engine accessories tonight so the engine can go back in the chassis soon.
Mechanical timing is set (trailing edge of 11th took after notch turning clockwise). Gap is 0.025" with no runout and crank bolt torque is 37ft/lbs + 120 degrees:
New compressor is a five rib and smaller diameter pulley. Since I was reducing 2" in length from 71 to 69, I modified a 6 rib belt commonly used on GM 2.8V6 or Jeep 4.0L:
Here is the installed belt after all pulleys and tensioner adjusted:
Next I mounted to cradle using 10.9 grade hardware and energy suspension poly mounts:
Ready to slide under chassis and lower frame to cradle
Last night progress was slow as I spend 3 hours adjusting the exact position (square and level) of the engine in the engine bay. It was my first anal rententive task in quite a while but I've got to be happy with everything or it will haunt me... Tonight's plan is more ambitious as I'm installing the adapter plate, flywheel, clutch, pressure plate and transaxle.
Well more progress made in the engine bay. I realized that previous transmissions I'd installed were all automatics (GM and BMW) so I did some research first.
The Porsche 901 transaxle is by far the lightest I've ever worked with at a featherweight 89lbs, so this was easy to do myself by hand.
Cleaned and installed the adapter plate
Rebuilt Flywheel is neutal balanced that I bolted on at 60ft/lbs (Porsche recommends 79.5ft/lbs but they use 5 large bolts while my adapter uses 8 small bolts with threadlocker)
Next is the new Kevlar clutch (thanks Bubbajoe for the extra input shaft to use as a clutch alignment tool - worked perfectly
Make sure to clean everything well as the flywheel and pressure plate have anti rust coating on them
Next goes the pressure plate onto the 3 flywheel locating pins with 6 bolts torqued to 14.5ft/lbs
The test fit went pretty smooth - slide onto studs, ensure level and slowly turn flywheel by prying tooth with a sflat screwdriver When splines are aligned it moves slightly and you can push the rest of the way home
After a test fit, measured the throw out arm clearance and going to shim the pivot bolt before final installation Make sure to add some grease to the end of the input shaft before reinstall
This long weekend I'll be installing more of the engine accessories...
Originally posted by OHNIKO: JUST WOW!... we want to see it running & on the road by beginning of April at the latest! lol, there's your motivation; you now have a deadline, as we'd like to see it come along to Watkin's Glen in April...
Yes that's the ambitious goal. Let me know the actual date of Watkins so I can co-ordinate a week vacation request leading up to it - I think it's going to be that down to the wire...
Last night I got the slave cylinder, axles and rest of the exhaust mounted:
Need to have it running in a couple weeks time if I am going to have the body back on in a month. Right now it looks like this so I've got a ways to go:
Suspension and drivetrain are done so really engine plumbing, wiring and new brake system are planned prior to body reinstall.
Last night progress was slow as I spend 3 hours adjusting the exact position (square and level) of the engine in the engine bay. It was my first anal rententive task in quite a while but I've got to be happy with everything or it will haunt me...
Yesterday's project was supposed to be simple - install this
GM parts counter in GTA are rude compared to Niagara as they were demanding a VIN to order parts...anyways here's the part numbers for OEM gaskets:
Used my own build thread for reference pics on the bolts then realized transaxle needed to come off again for access to bolt near starter:
I'm sure Bubbajoe mentioned this at some point but anyways now I'm a pro at re/re the transaxle
I'm using the GM service manual for reference so these bolts are torqued to 18ft/lbs or 216in/lbs (someone with a Northstar will google this and find my thread)
Next, I'll be picking up some more body panels including the hood. Fiero2m8
Originally posted by Fiero2m8: Used my own build thread for reference pics on the bolts then realized transaxle needed to come off again for access to bolt near starter:
I don't think it would hurt starter support much if you cut out enough of that ring to clear the bolt/housing.
no you can not cut this out as there is a cut out right behind the ring to clear the water log on the starter hub
I see that it's been cut out for the waterpump bolt. I don't think there would be any adverse consequences of cutting it more, considering that it seems to have studs on either side of it.
Rebuilt Flywheel is neutal balanced that I bolted on at 60ft/lbs (Porsche recommends 79.5ft/lbs but they use 5 large bolts while my adapter uses 8 small bolts with threadlocker)
Where did you get that torque spec? Seems excessive for 8mm bolts...
He did not ask me what the torque was for the flywheel but it is 45 ftlbs on 8 mm 12.9 thats the yeld for that spacific bolt and for the stock bolts its the same
The porsche bolts he is refuring to are 13 mm x 1.25 , 12.9 and they use 75 ftlbs yeld
[This message has been edited by bubbajoexxx (edited 03-02-2011).]
I see that it's been cut out for the waterpump bolt. I don't think there would be any adverse consequences of cutting it more, considering that it seems to have studs on either side of it.
if it was aluminum it would not hurt to much but the case is magnesium and the torque output of the starter is extreemly high turning an engine with 11 :1 compresson so the load is transfered to the case and the starter ring takes that force as the starter has a collar that fits tight in the starter ring
