ok people, i need some input on what direction to go in with my project car! i've been tossing around ideas for the past 2 years since i got my X, and i really just dont know what way to go!

http://b3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00415/31/33/415803313_l.jpg

specs:
1992 Dodge Stealth (base model)
3.0 SOHC V6
5 SPD GETRAG MANUAL TRANS
FWD
A BILLION MILES ON THE ODOMETER

i got this car on ebay...well my parents got it on ebay and bought it for me because the car i had before this was on its last leg(91 benz 300E)...before we got it, we knew it had problems...we bought it for dirt cheap, title was true mileage unknown(we figure around 170K)...ran okay for a while, i repainted it, then it started having serious problems...overheating, oil leaks, electrical problems....i drove it for about a year, and i finally couldnt take it anymore, then came the X!

PROs:
-new water pump
-new ignition system (cap,rotor,wires,plugs,ignition module)
-new fuel pump
-new upper/lower intake gaskets
-new t-stat
-lots of other little things i replaced here and there to make it run
....thats about it....lulz

CONs:
-serious issues on startup...sometimes it will start on first crank, sometimes it wont start at all...havent figured this out yet
-suspension is TOAST
-all 4 tires are in bad shape, 2 rear have bulges, 2 front dont match, all are low tread
-wipers,rear defroster,some lights, etc. dont work
-serious oil leak coming from rear cylinder head, dripping onto alternator, wreaking havoc on the alternator(just barely stays at 12V)
-its not pretty by any means...it was my first real experience with body work, and i wanted to do it all myself...my dad helped me along the way, and i must say it came out rather nicely, but i didnt maintain it, didnt let the paint set long enough, never buffed it, and scratched the shit outta it....
-tons more than i can even think of!

now, im tossing around ideas for what to do with it and what direction to go with it....now that the X is pretty much where i want/need it, its time to spend time and too much $ on this heap....heres my options:

1)pull engine + trans, tear entire block apart, replace internals with new + aftermarket parts, and make it a strong all around engine...theres not many aftermarket internal upgrades for the SOHC, so it would mostly be OEM _ equivalent parts...

then, after the engine is in great shape, throw money at it in the form of bolt ons....headers,intake,lightweight underdrive pulleys,ignition,test pipes,etc.etc.etc.....this stock engine puts out around 165 BHP...not much, but it is a FUN 165 HP...in its current condition, the car can still get up and go and put a smile on my face....with enough TLC,time,labor,and of course $s, i can be in the neighborhood of 200BHP, tops...theres plenty of aftermarket bolt ons for the SOHC engine, and they are fairly well priced, plus i can do some head work, etc, to squeeze the most power from it....

price tag for full engine rebuild, internal work, and the array of bolt ons would be in the neighborhood of $1500

2)replace engine!

A) engine option 1 is to drop in a DOHC version of the same engine(which is the exact engine used in the twin turbo version of the stealth/3000gt), but keep it N/A, and throw bolts ons at it...if i find a DOHC in clean shape, i would simply drop it in and go...if its in bad shape, it would get the same internal treatment....stock DOHC put out 222BHP, SIGNIFICANT increase over the SOHC's 165 :)...after bolt ons + upgrades, i can EASILY see north of 250BHP...then, if i so choose down the road, i already have the correct block + internals for a TT swap, so it would require less $ and work to turbo it

price tag: about 1k for an engine with low miles, about 500 for higher(then it needs internal work, about 500 there) THEN bolt ons, probably $2500 to $3000 all said and done...if i TT it in the future, another $1500 or so...

B) engine option 2 is to take the 3.5 DOHC from a mitsubishi montero(or similar engine), drop it in(with some modifications to the engine bay), then throw my bolt ons at it...most people take this engine, THEN twin turbo it, and easily surpass the 350BHP mark...EASILY....cons of this swap would be that aftermarket parts for this engine are a bit harder to find(although some bolt ons can be directly swapped onto it from the 3.0 DOHC, they are a very similar engine), plus, i dont know a whole lot about turbocharged forced induction, PLUS its a FWD and i seriously doubt the stock drivetrain could support 350HP without exploding!....the only other option would be to drop it in and NOT TT it for a while...but thats just no fun!

price tag: min $1500 for the right engine, then bolt ons, fabrication to make it fit, special parts needed, well over $3000...

*keep in mind that, although my 5spd can bolt to ANY one of these engines, i really cant see it taking more than 250HP without shitting...

factors
$, of course
....well, thats about it...money....
i have knowledge, time, resources, tools, and everything else to complete a swap or rebuild,but money is(like always) a limiting factor...

either way, this car will never be pretty, will never be a show car, will never be a daily driver...i plan on chopping the top off and welding in structural supports and having it a targa top...i plan on gutting the interior, lowering the ride height, slapping on nice rubber, rollcage, and then using it at the track....i thought about repainting it and rebuilding it to factory specs, but that will take just as much time and money, and it would be no fun!

keep in mind that, although 165HP doesnt sound like much, the car really is a fun driver...even in its broken down, piece of junk state, i really do have fun driving it....332079579045 BHP isnt necessary, just cool as hell!

so what does everyone think?

WHOA WHOA
i havent read all that yet, but i have to clarify...
that car is FRONT wheel drive?
i thought the were the same as the 3000gt, which were either rwd or awd

wait omg even the mitsu was fwd or awd

my first goal after getting it running good, make it awd, couldnt be that hard, infact, should be just bolt on parts bc they were avail awd from he factory, find an awd at a junk yard and start rippin off parts

now i shall finish reading your post, lol

im an all motor guy

my opinion aside from what i said above is

swap in the dohc, then do your bolt ons towards all motor, fuel/air, get the head worked, etc

how much can that engine be bored out to without dmaaging the integrity of the block

edit: thats a pretty slick paint job from the pix

stealth came in:

base: SOHC, FWD
ES: DOHC, FWD
RT: DOHC, AWD
RT/TT: DOHC TT, AWD, AW STEERING

same for the 3000gt(different trim names though)

swapping from FWD to AWD is :

new trans, transfer case, prop shaft, rear end, cross members

more than i want to spend

N/A DOHC seems to be the direction im leaning towards now...try to find a low mile DOHC that runs strong (and start with 222hp) throw bolts ons at it, and be almost 100HP over the original motor

the only problem though is that if im going with DOHC, i would want to go with the 3.5 because in the future im SURE i will want to turbo it, and if i want to turbo it i WILL want the 3.5L, btu the 3.5L isnt very cool in its n/a form (puts out less than the DOHC 3.0 in fact, only 220HP)

First thing I would do is fix current problems before doing mods. That's my advice, but I do not really follow my own advice.

use it for a trade in lol... sorry im not a big fan of fwd cars and a dodge stealth always reminded me a chick car mainly b/c this hot blonde i used to know how a bright red one lol.

well most of the problems that the car has stem from the engine, which would be the biggest mod i would do to it...so im only gonna fix the problems if i decide to keep the engine

and thanks for the advice but no thanks midget...

sell it mod $$$ for the X

ok well i was kinda hoping for some serious feedback from people....dustin and james, thanks...

im not selling it for mod money for the x, im not selling it because someone thinks its a chick car....

how about some POSITIVE input....sorry if i come across as a dick but when people call my project car a chick car and tell me to sell it, i get a little pissed

Dude you are asking for an opinion and i am giving you one. what you do with your car or any of your cars is your choice. You can't get pissed cause someone gives there opinion. Sounds like you need to dump alot of cash and time in the Stealth. IMO i would sell the car and put the money into something (Xterra or something else) that is going to give you more satisfaction. Sorry if that hurts. If you don't want opinions dont ask.

while i respect your opinion, mike, i asked which of the options did everyone think was best, not what in general should i do with it...

in its current condition(i.e. not running), it isnt worth much to anyone, so its worth more to me as a project car than it is worth the little cash i would get for it

so...what should i do to MOD the stealth?

Sorry man honestly i didn't read all the way to the bottom of the post. i assumed it was going to end with "So should i keep it?" Thats how most of them end. So let me rephrase my comment. If its worth your time and money, find a 2.2 turbo, (i've always like them and you can get some real HP out of that motor) replace all the internals with aftermarked stuff, find a drivetrain from an all wheel drive and swap. Then after all that fix the small stuff. Throw $$$ at the drive train first. Take your time and do it right the first time. Then take your X out and blow off some steam.

wait i might be thinking of the wrong car. The eclipse had the 2.2 Ok nevermind.

Dont get me wrong I'm all for driving something no one else has and beleive me theres a few cars I would love to have most people wouldn't be caught dead in.Like the model A ford pickup rat rod Im going to build as soon as I can find one lol. What do you want the to be capable of doing when your done. You have to start with that then decide how to mod it. I've seen people drag/autocross/enduro/show these cars so your options are only limited to your wallet really. If you wanted to drag it I'd just have the engine rebuilt maybe bored over a lil but nothing serious and put a SMALL shot of nitrous on it. It would be cheaper and easier than a turbo setup not to mention lighter and it wouldn't always be putting the extra abuse on your trans. Auto cross would be similar rebuilt engine only then upgrade the suspension, tires,brakes accordingly.Without knowing what you want the car to do its hard to give a helpful opinion.

for now, probably the next 10 or so years:

strong, solid engine putting out respectable numbers(220ish HP), gutted interior, racing seat, roll cage, chopped roof, open exhaust, etc...no nitrous, i dont see much of a point in it since its only temporary HP...if i ever drag it, i want it to be all motor, preferrably in N/A form

im leaning towards one of the DOHC engines, that way if i ever wanna turbo it i already have the right engine for the job...im only considering keeping the SOHC because its a fun engine and i already have it, just money into rebuilding it....turbo will NOT be happening for a WHILE (unless i find a KILLER deal)

it will NEVER be a show quality car, unless its a track/modded car show...it wont be pretty, but it will be FUN!....like i said, i dont need gigantic HP to have fun with..i enjoy driving it in its busted down state, and i doubt the engine even outs out the original 165HP anymore...

Without knowing what you want the car to do its hard to give a helpful opinion.

That's a valid point. You say "either way, this car will never be pretty, will never be a show car, will never be a daily driver..." so what exactly is it that you want it to be?

In my mind what you said translates to: money/energy sink.

Now if you're more interested in using it as a test bed for learning/practicing new automotive skills, then I'd go with James suggestion of fix whats wrong with it so that it's at least a reliable driver and then take it slow from there.

No point whatsoever of putting a $1500 race engine in a car with thrashed suspension & stock brakes. Either you would never reach the potential of the engine, the extra hp would grenade some other part thus costing you even more in the end or you'll kill yourself/someone else trying to turn/stop.

My advice and you probably won't like it, get it running, bolt some I-beams to the sides and go find yourself a demolition derby.

i said right in my first post what i wanted to do with it...race worthy track car, either drag or autocross


either way, this car will never be pretty, will never be a show car, will never be a daily driver...i plan on chopping the top off and welding in structural supports and having it a targa top...i plan on gutting the interior, lowering the ride height, slapping on nice rubber, rollcage, and then using it at the track....i thought about repainting it and rebuilding it to factory specs, but that will take just as much time and money, and it would be no fun!

My advice and you probably won't like it, get it running, bolt some I-beams to the sides and go find yourself a demolition derby.

ok well this thread is going nowhere...seriousyl how hard is it to just choose from the 3 options i listed as being plausible?

so far i've gotten:

sell it, its a chick car
demolish it
sell it for mod money for the X

thanks guy...big help....

i would go with autocross rebuild the motor you have and up grade suspension and breaks and all that stuff.

how hard is it to just choose from the 3 options i listed as being plausible?

I understand your frustration with the opinions you're getting back but some of us just don't see those 3 options as plausible and that is just that, our opinions.
I'd bet that most of the people responding negatively have done one or more of those options to a beater we had an emotional attachment to and in the end we wish we'd have moved on sooner. May not be that way in your case and whatever you decide I wish you well and look forward to progress pics. :)

I understand your frustration with the opinions you're getting back but some of us just don't see those 3 options as plausible and that is just that, our opinions.
I'd bet that most of the people responding negatively have done one or more of those options to a beater we had an emotional attachment to and in the end we wish we'd have moved on sooner. May not be that way in your case and whatever you decide I wish you well and look forward to progress pics. :)

This is EXACTLY my problem reminds me alot of the 84 Thunderbird I had I sunk 3 grand in the suspension did a full rollcage dropped in a rebuilt 302 first then blew it up and put in a rebuilt 351w and gernaded that one. Went through 2 transmissions after I put in another 302. finally called it quits nd sold the car for not even a eighth what I had in it. The car was a blast and the damn thing would fly. It was a dirt track car and the reason why I quit although ill admit to catch all the ford jokes in the pits then pass the guy on the track.

Baf i honestly think your just not gonna get the answer your looking for on this board. This board is made of mostly off road X's. Kind of like going to a Sr Citizens Center and asking what should i put on the CD player, Britney Spears or David Archuleta? They either dont know who they are, dont' care or both. I think you should ask that same question on a Stealth board. You might get an answer that you will like. I'm not sayin this in a mean way cause trust me if i have a question about how to ship a bumper through Greyhound i'm coming to you. You have been there and you know what to do. (or what not to do) See what i'm saying.

yeah, mike, thats a good call

unfortunately, on 3si.org (stealth/3kgt board), i cant really get a clear opinion either....everyone either says "sell it and put money towards a twin turbo" or "twin turbo swap it and throw $300,000 at it....

guess im on my own for this one....oh, and as far as greyhound shipping, stay away unless you like waiting months for your package to never arrive, get lost, and then enjoy waiting another few months for your package insurance to come

I've been racing about everything under the sun for many (too many, lol) years. I still do autocross, gymkhana, drags, drift, and all kinds more. We built a 600hp eclipse awd (single turbo) a bunch of years back, it was killer fun to drive. If I was in your shoes, I would do the NA dual cam swap (the biggest bang for the buck) just to get you up and running, then deside what kind of racing you want to do. All of them take different setups to be competitive. If you just want to have fun, then you can build an all around car, but don't expect to take any big trophies home, lol. You don't have to have big power to have fun and in a lot of racing, big power actually can limit your fun. I have a buddy that autocrosses an old 82 celica almost all stock, and actually likes racing it better than his newer huge power twin turbo one. Start small and work your way up, try all different kinds of racing with it and find out what really does it for you and go from there.

I've been racing about everything under the sun for many (too many, lol) years. I still do autocross, gymkhana, drags, drift, and all kinds more. We built a 600hp eclipse awd (single turbo) a bunch of years back, it was killer fun to drive. If I was in your shoes, I would do the NA dual cam swap (the biggest bang for the buck) just to get you up and running, then deside what kind of racing you want to do. All of them take different setups to be competitive. If you just want to have fun, then you can build an all around car, but don't expect to take any big trophies home, lol. You don't have to have big power to have fun and in a lot of racing, big power actually can limit your fun. I have a buddy that autocrosses an old 82 celica almost all stock, and actually likes racing it better than his newer huge power twin turbo one. Start small and work your way up, try all different kinds of racing with it and find out what really does it for you and go from there.

Damn Creepy, is there anything you don't know???

I try, lol.

whats your bolt pattern??

just replied in your FS thread for your rims

they would fit perfectly lol....don't have $700 to throw around though

allrighty then, my mind is 75% made up:

keep + rebuild the current SOHC(head gaskets, oil pump, valve guides, head studs, etc.)...i will then do a DIY port and polish job on the heads...actually a common thing to do for a DIY engine builder...basically just sit around with a dremel, carbide grinding/polishing tips, and a beer, and go to town...significant WHP gains can be seen here(some have gotten dyno-proven 15hp to the wheels when combined with minor intake/exhaust mods)

then, have the cams reground for a more aggressive intake/exhaust cycle, slightly longer duration too(engine is not an interference engine so i have a little wiggle room here)....after that, the cams will be reinstalled with cam gears from a plymouth duster(very similar engine, cam gears are 30% the weight of OEM 3000gt ones)...not much gain from the gears, but every little bit helps

best of all, i can get a rebuild kit on the cheap(less than $200), the p-n-p is free (well, a few dremel bits and a few beers), and the cam gears can be found at a junkyard for $50 for both....cam grinding might get a bit expensive, but i dont mind($500 or so for a good job)

after that, your basic bolt-ons will follow: headers+downpipe(aka long tube headers), test pipe(aka cat delete), lightweight crank pulley, intake(will modify an aftermarket intake to be a true CAI, drawing in from the front fascia), hotter spark plugs + wires(MSD possibly), etc.etc.etc....

then, i will gut the interior, pull the stereo+sound system, make up a custom gauge cluster, toss in a racing seat, weld in a chromoly roll cage, chop the top off(targa top status), relocate the battery, etc.etc.etc

THEN, new wheels and tires : my dad works for strauss auto and can hook me up with a nice set of track tires, mounted on 3 spoke dodge VIPER wheels(yes, VIPER wheels, from the earlier model vipers)...

THEN, a low budget suspension drop(maybe 2 inches or so) in the form of eibach coilovers...probably a front/rear strut tower brace so my suspension can keep itself upright

AND AFTER ALL THIS:
at this point i expect to be making between 200 - 210 WHP...if so,i will trailer the car down to englishtown raceway park, and drag race my brother in his 1968 'vette stingray 305 4spd...loser buys steak dinner!

oh, and as far as body work...lookin pretty aint exactly high on the priority list

i will do custom work where i can, luckily gutting the interior, most of the engine work(rebuild, p-n-p,etc.) chopping the top off, and a lot of the other stuff, can all be done for virtually nothing...

i will keep everyone updated with pics + progress!

sweet!

im excited for the build thread

update on cams:

after some research on 3si.org, i've learned that the cams from a certain generation of mitsubishi diamante are a direct fit onto SOHC heads, and they are slightly more aggressive than SOHC oem cams....if the build budget gets tight, i will go to these cams instead of regrinds

wish i still had my old 300zx would have smoked your ass

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/Broden21/300zx/DSC_0023.jpg

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/Broden21/300zx/DSC_0018.jpg

yeah, but i'd smoke your ass on the trail

oh...thats right...you didnt even take your X out for the second half of the day

hahaha j/k bud...why'd you get rid of the Z anyway?

hahahaha your funny. i had more fun riding with you then i did driving.

i sold it cuz it had some wiring harness problems. and i would have a cylender cut out on me all the time. and i drove an hour to work every day. and with that much HP at the wheels in the rain it would be so hard to drive to the point it scared me. and with winter on its way i sold it and got my X.

heres how she sounded.

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/Broden21/300zx/th_P7100031.jpg (http://s427.photobucket.com/albums/pp359/Broden21/300zx/?action=view&current=P7100031.flv)

bad ass...I like the stealth!!! budget build it and then beat it down the track and have fun w/ it. not my favorite car would rather have an old Z instead...but you can't have everything :)
looking forward of seeing it in action

so, minor changes to the build plan:

i still plan on keeping the SOHC thats in it, and building that up as finances allow...but, not chopping the top off or putting a roll cage in....gonna spend that money on interior/sound system upgrades....

decided that the track isn't really where i want to be with the car, i just want to be on a wide open road with it....so, building it for solid, reliable power and fun...not track and time trials

allright, since the credit cards are getting down there and i'll be starting to work full time in a month and a half, i'll have some cash to throw at this beast...

since my parents are selling our house at some point over the summer, i'd rather not begin a full engine rebuild until i have it parked somewhere i can leave it for a while...so, until then, i might as well start working on some other upgrades

the tires that are on there now are shot, as are the rims...i'm looking to get some 17" rims for it and some lower profile rubber...not really lo-pro, just something wider with less sidewall...maybe a lower backspacing so the tires get all the way out to the fenders? any input as to what might look good on it? i want to paint whatever wheels i get in a satin black...

after that, some interior upgrades will start, probably pick up some recaros or corbeau seats and start work on the rest of the interior...needs new speakers, stereo, trim, etc...

i REALLY wanna get going on the engine, i just cant have it immobile for the next few months because like i said, i have to be able to drive it to wherever i move to (probably an apartment, so no more mod days :( )

any inout on some stuff i should do while im waiting for a space to do the engine?

Obviously, cut off the roof, weld in frame stiffeners, make it a convertible (Best for the on road cruising you describe)

Creepies right on about the engine.....but if not tracking, just get the one in there working or swap in one that does and call it a day.

If its a cruiser, you don't need it lowered, as that hurts the ride....and limits your tire choices/adds suspension/steering costs.

A smaller engined car on fat tires that hang on as you hurl down exit ramps etc is a lot of fun.

Take out excess weight to get the moral equivalent of more power...power to weight ratio goes up as it gets lighter, etc.

:nascar-big:

so maybe ya'll can help me figure out the issue with this car that ultimately led to me buying the X...

this is a VERY random issues, i.e. some days it won't happen, some days it has it bad, and there seems to be no correlation between the days it happens on:

i'll crank the engine, and it cranks, cranks, cranks, cranks, cranks, and nothing
try it again, crank, crank, crank, crank, nada
try it again, nada
try it a few more times, nada
maybe after about 10 shots, it will start to sputter to life after you crank it for a second
progressively it gets better, to the point where it will fire right up, after cranking it about 15-20 times
then, after it fires up, it has WICKED throttle lag, where i'll press the gas and it will almost die, sputter a bit, then spring back to life and rev back up
the throttle lag eventually mostly disappears after then engine has warmed up a bit

it holds idle fairly well, i believe it has a very slight misfire on one of the cylinders though...i say slight though, since i did the test for misfires/dead cylinders(pull the plug wires until you find the one that doesnt make it run worse), and they ALL cause the engine to run slightly worse....am i right to think its a misfire?

here is what i have replaced on the car while it was my DD'er in attempt to keep it on the road

-distributor cap
-rotor
-plugs
-wires
-fuel pump
-ignition module
-battery
-alternator
-full timing kit (belt,water pump, etc)

im sure there are other things i've replaced on this damn car, i just can't remember back that far...if i think of anything else i'll let you know

so what could cause it to run EVENTUALLY? once it wakes up and loses the throttle lag and stuff, it runs like a bat out of hell....it really is a fun engine and i don't want to swap it out for a TT motor, but this shit is killing me...

help? i'll buy you a beer if your solution works!

those motors are pretty similar to the DSM motors (ie talon, eclipse, evo) if it was me i'd rebuild the motor thats in it.. replace the rings for sure..(they like to go bad) the base model is actually a good spot to start.. one the motor wont have nearly as much wear and tear as a turbo model. the reason i say rebuild vs. replace... the car is never the same with a engine swap vs. rebuilding.. just my opinion though.. also if you wanna add some boost to it w/o turbo look into cry02 (http://www.designengineering.com/products.asp?m=sp&pid=72&gclid=COCg9I69gpoCFSMeDQod_XxmFg) its similar to nitrous but not illeagle and it'll add a lil more pep to it if set up right... kinda runs on the old school thought about taking extra fuel line and making a basket to hold dry ice.. cars like cool air cool fuel.. thats where that kit comes in... i had one on my talon... which was a non turbo model... with a few tweeks and tuning the base model can def. make itself a contender.. also check out http://www.team3s.com/FAQ.htm they've got some good info too.

oh and one more thing.... that link for the cry02 has a lot of other good products look around... and WRAP YOUR HEADERS! that makes a good difference and wont kill your wallet

not familiar at all with your engine, but work on my freak of a car a lot as well....so im the boat with you.
MY 2 CENTS: even though you plan on keeping what you got, i think i woulda opted for the DOHC swap that was once-overed without all the bolt-ons...probably more fun and cheaper in the long-run..

as far as your issue, what kind of positioning sensors does your car use?
i.e., on mine, if the Cam Position Sensor is off, the car wont run for very long.... if the Crank Position sensor is off, it will only sometimes run and die at odd times...

On my old Bronco, it would be a PIA to crank cold....ran awesome until it would get hot, then run like crap and idle wierd and if it died, not restart for like 4 hours....that ended up being some random sensor as well.....Coolant temp i think actually..it would make it run rich at start and then so lean at hot it would die...

What do your plug ends look like? white, caramel, black?...
what does your tach do when you are cranking on it? jump around?

tachometer sits
plug ends aren't fouled
not dropping a DOHC in, too much $ for a low budget build for fun :)
i like the SOHC, its fun enough for me (used to doing 60mph max in the X so a little car like this is more than enough lol)

i'm going to try and start it just off staring fluid...if i can get it to start first shot with that, im going to look for more fuel system problems, maybe a dead injector?

thanks for the help

Sell it and buy a Patrol!

Have you tried changing your fuel filter? could be clogged. It defintely sounds like your not getting enough fuel. Try testing the fuel pressure to check the fuel pressure regulator

changed the filter already

im thinking its a fuel issue too

will work on it this weekend hopefully...i need it somewhat mobile so i can transport it to its new resting place when i move in a few months

well as long as i can procure and engine hoist/stand from a friend this week, it looks like the rebuild will finally be started....plans haven't changed much, although i have pretty much ruled out a motor swap....too much $$ and headache involved, and i just know that if i swap it to a DOHC 3.0 or 3.5 i will want to twin turbo it, and i just can't afford that....plenty of people looking for used aftermarket parts for the SOHC 6g72, so if i decide to go bigger down the road i can recoup some of the money that way

only way i'll swap is if i tear into the engine and find more carnage than would be worth it to fix

started work on the car yesterday after work....didn't get a whole lot done, but i started unplugging the engine harness from the body harness...today after work i drain the oil and coolant and separate the rest of the harness...picking up the hoist + stand later tonight, hopefully all i have to do saturday is separate it from the trans and unbolt the engine mounts and it will be out for rebuild

hopefully the engine isn't that bad on the inside, i'd like to get away with just new piston rings, oil pump, gaskets/seals, etc....the car already had a timing belt/water pump job not too long (<5K) before i stopped driving it so i save some money there...full rebuild kits w/ pistons aren't too expensive, but i'd rather spend the money elsewhere on the car if i can

depending on how long it takes to pull on saturday, the rebuild might begin this weekend...gonna have a buddy help me out with pulling it and begin gutting the interior

any tips? what are some tools that i should definetly have for the teardown/buildup? what is a decent paint to use for the engine bay?

picked up 1 ton engine hoist, stand, and floor jack for the teardown

now if it just stops freeking raining, i might get something done on it

got it rolled into the garage this afternoon, what a tight squeeze (about 72" wide!)

opinions on these wheels?:

http://www.3si.org/gallery/data/500/97_mitsubishi_3000gt.jpg

ive always loved split spoke wheels, esp aggressive 3 spokes like those

spent a few solid hours tearing the beast down this afternoon....17 year old nuts and bolts made of japanese metal certainly dont like coming out...still made decent progress:

drained oil + pulled filter
drained + removed radiator
pulled front bumper cover
pulled engine harness off
removed battery
removed air intake ducting
disconnected hoses to and from thermostat housing, heater core, radiator, etc...
sprayed trans bolts + engine mounts with PB
other miscellaneous things

tomorrow i drain p/s fluid, remove clutch lines, remove bottom crossmember (for easier removal)...hopefully the engine will be on the hoist on monday, ready for disassembly

few pics:

the fire:
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0756.jpg

the noise:
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0759.jpg

quickie of the interior, love those 3 driver-oriented gauges:
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0760.jpg

engine bay cleared out quickly:
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0775.jpg
pulled the front rocker cover just to take a look, things seem to be pretty clean, no gross buildup

whoooo

long ass day of wrenching and beer drinkin:

remove and drain clutch hydraulics
drain power steering
pull the rest of the harness
remove VSS
removed hood
pull both hub assemblies (rotors, knuckles, hub bearings, and half shafts)....would have liked to have just pulled the half shafts, but the hub nuts are pretty much frozen solid, soaked with PB for a few hours, and 20 minutes with a torch and 18" breaker bar didnt even do it....said screw it and took the whole shebang off

pulled one of the AC lines off and purged the system....started to loosen the fitting on the other line, and the damn bolt just stripped right off....so, pulled the whole compressor off with the entire low pressure line.....its got its own accessory belt, so i might not even put it back on and see if i can gain a litlte power by not having the parasitic drag on the engine
2 of 3 engine mounts off, the 1 trans mount is off....just too damn tired to do any farther with it and we were losing daylight (need to get some cheap work lights)

plenty more done

wednesday the last motor mount will come out and the engine will be out and tear down begins

final build plan:

regrind cams
port, polish, gasket match everything
new bearings, gaskets, valve guides, pistons rings
stock-size lightweight crank pulley
long tube headers

thats all i can think of (or afford) for now...
hoping to dyno it and make 200 fwhp (base is 165)...pipe dream?

not sure if anyone is following this thread, but i'll update anyway

engine and transmission are out, engine is bolted to the stand, awaiting teardown...

upon further external inspection, its pretty obvious why i was having such problems with the engine....rear had gasket must be completely trashed because the thing pissed oil all over itself for the last few months i drove it.....

parts that will have to be replaced so far:
radiator (fist size hole in the front, fins disintegrating off)
starter
rear engine mount
power steering line (from pump to steering rack)
head gaskets
crank + rod bearings


...just like any project car, this thing is getting expensive! lol

pics from wednesday when the engine came out

anyone following this thread?

anyone?

...bueller?

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture001.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture006.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture009.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture010.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture011.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture012.jpg

I'm following it. I just don't have any input. It is a nice car though. A buddy of mine had one; he sold it after he got 13 speeding tickets in 12 months!

What he said. :D

I moved my project car to my buddies shed 2 weeks ago. I had trees of poison ivy growing up through the fenders. Now I need to wait till I heal up before I can dig into the tear-down.

But you're looking good!

Always have to get that obligatory 'standing in the engine bay' shot. LOL

good god theres a lot of shit on this engine

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture001-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture002-2.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture003-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture004-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture005-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture006-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture007-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture008-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture009-1.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture010-1.jpg

figured out a few of the reasons i was leaking oil so badly...oil pan gasket was pretty much disintegrated in some areas, and the pan bolts were barely even hand-tight

got the rest of the block torn down last night...other than some ugly carbon buildup, the pistons dont look too bad...crank also looks too be in good shape

cams are out, going out to crower within the next week or two for machining...got lotsa parts to buy...still deciding on pistons though....i can reuse the same 8.9:1 pistons and just get new rings, or i can put on some diamante 10:1 pistons and just keep an ear open for knocking(just retard the timing slightly if it knocks)....10:1 pistons coupled with freer flowing heads and more aggressive cams will definetly put me above 200WHP, probably in the ballpark of 210-215, which is quite a feat on the SOHC engine...

decisions, decisions :)

pics up later

Nice job with the tear down so far, loved its 3000GT VR4 counterpart, slick cars.

I'd clean up all that carbon build up before re-assembly if you have a machine shop dump/dunk it in a vat of cleaner. God I need a hobby, wish I wasn't so broke :|

I envy your project and commitment, keep posting updates.

head
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture001-2.jpg

ewwww look at all that buildup
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture002-3.jpg

cam and rockers out
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture003-2.jpg

oil pickup
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture004-2.jpg

are these cuts/holes from balancing the crank?
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture005-2.jpg

bottom end coming apart, girdle off
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture006-2.jpg

thank god im changing pistons, no need to get all this gunk off
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture007-2.jpg

all six ladies out
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture008-2.jpg

just have to pull the rear main seal and the crank is out, block gets a wash, hone job, and paint :)
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture009-2.jpg

few more (crappy cell pics)

didnt feel like playing engine games yesterday, so i stripped the rear of the interior :) still debating stripping the front....just weighed the heaviest peices (rear seat bottoms/backs, rear carpet and floorboard, rear seatbelt assemblies)....stripped out ~100 lbs....whatup instant powert to weight boost :)

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/SNC00178.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/SNC00197.jpg

Lookin good!!!

going to see if i can track down a diamante engine in junkyard and get the pistons that way...if not, buying the pistons when get paid next week

few pictures from working on it yesterday...block is scrubbed and painted(yeah yeah, some overspray, but didnt get any in the cylinders....also, decided i didnt like the blue in the engine bay, especially since the engine is going to be cleaned and painted aluminum/silver....went with a satin black high temp enamel....got the passenger side done, now have to do the firewall, drivers side, and the crossmembers

p.s., anyone have tips on how to get coolant buildup out of the channels in the block?

lotsa shit to pull apart to sand:
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture865.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture866.jpg

sanded, cleaned, and masked
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture871.jpg

while paint was drying, time to clean the block (heavy mofo!)
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture873.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture875.jpg

final product, i like how it came out
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture876.jpg

Looks good. Make sure you take some acetone and clean the over spray off the block deck. It could mess up the seal between the head and block by making the surface finish too smooth and not allowing the gasket to get proper bite and seal.

got the firewall sanded and painted, cleaned the decks of the block off, cleaned and sanded the driver's side of the engine bay, and removed the rest of the AC system (AC wont be going back in)

this is what im hoping my idle will sound like (probably wont sound exactly the same, he's turbocharged):

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/The-Junkyards-new-Junk_701799.htm

the guy on 3si.org thats helping me with the rebuild is the owner of that duster...
the engine internals are built up pretty close to what i'm going to do, same pistons and very similar lopey-idle cams....my exhaust will probably be a bit wider and freer flowing, but something deep and lopey like that just sounds nuts to me

I would have the rotating assembly balanced while it was all out. Stock drivelines loose a lot of power to vibration. Think 10-15%.

WHEWWWW just scored a brand new set of $700 long tube headers for $185 SHIPPED

damn i love ebay

ordered new bearings also, full ACL engine bearing kit....need to order a gasket set, although i'll be using Fel-pro for the headgaskets

painted oil pain, valve covers, and the rest of the engine bay

ordered 10:1 pistons!

i like how it came out, should make the clean engine pop a bit more
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture001-3.jpg

valve covers are actually ford racing blue
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture002-4.jpg

oil pan was super fugly with surface rust, 15 minutes with a wire brush and some 80 grit, and a coat of engine enamel, looks much better
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture003-3.jpg

it's looking good.

ordered 10:1 pistons!

maybe I missed it somewhere. What engine management are you using?

maybe I missed it somewhere. What engine management are you using?

im not...theres not much to manage, since im not going forced induction

i'll most likely be using a knock alert style knock sensor, and manually adjust the timing if it knocks...

if it doesnt like the pistons for some reasons, i can always swap in the ECU for the 92-96 diamante (the car that uses the pistons im installing)...it already accounts for the compression and a longer duration set of cams, and its a direct swap deal....i dont htink i'll have too many problems though, lots of guys are running the exact same setup im doing and they run flawlessly, no tuning or management necessary

restore it. If it fits(not sure, dont wanna check) get a VTEC engine in that from like a prelude or somethin, boost it. And if the interior needs something, get it. it'll be worth it.
My friend bought a 96 Mustang GT for $1100. Its really nice for how cheap. They beat a Impreza WRX STi on there way from buying it(the guy couldn't shift to save his life). He's restoring it by getting new interior and blacking everything out. He's gonna sell it for like 4 or 5 grand

restore it. If it fits(not sure, dont wanna check) get a VTEC engine in that from like a prelude or somethin, boost it. And if the interior needs something, get it. it'll be worth it.
My friend bought a 96 Mustang GT for $1100. Its really nice for how cheap. They beat a Impreza WRX STi on there way from buying it(the guy couldn't shift to save his life). He's restoring it by getting new interior and blacking everything out. He's gonna sell it for like 4 or 5 grand

restore it but put a honda engine in it?

:)

It's really coming along nicely!

well, making progress where i can, but i was getting to the point where i couldnt do much without spending some dough....

in my room are 10:1 pistons (with new wrist pins), 3SX headers, and an ACL engine bearing set...went to a buddies shop to use his press and got the old rods off the pistons...

pics to follow

mmmmm

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture006-3.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture007-3.jpg

more yummy parts!

haven't updated in a few weeks, just a little bump:

waiting on a full engine gasket set (should be here early next week)....once thats in, i'll be able to get the shortblock built and i can save some money to get the heads done...still on track to get the engine back in (and running)for xmas

also, got the piston assemblies done last week, they're ready to drop in after the crank goes back in

also, got the cruise deleted...i have an aftermarket steering wheel (no cruise buttons) so the cruise was useless anyway

i have a few pics, i'll get them posted eventually...

gaskets are here, need to find a freeze plug set

pics of piston assemblies, and the hone job:

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture004-3.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture005-3.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture006-4.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture007-4.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture008-4.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/Picture009-4.jpg

The rod on the top left, is it all blackened towards the bottom? If so you may wanna check it for taper and out of round. usually when they get like that they've overheated from a spun bearing and it changes the metallugry of the rod making the metal brittle and prone to failing. Definitely worth checking with the money your spending. Make sure your cross hatch angle is no less than 45 degrees but no more than 60 too while your at it. It ensures proper ring break in. Just take a piece of clear projector paper and draw X on it and put it in the cylinder to see if the surface scratches line up with your crosshatch angle.

woah cant wait to see this done i always liked the stealths i wanted an rt or the tt

thanks for the tip ian...i think its just discolored from the heat when we installed the wrist pins

i'll definetly check it out though....yeah with all the money i have into getting this thing running i dont wanna fudge it up on something like that

oh

wow

completely forgot to update this thread:

project is dead, my friend and i were replacing the freeze plugs and he drilled a 1/8" hole through the freeze plug straight into cylinder #1...new block is more than i want to invest in the project, selling off the parts i bought for it and buying a new project

a rather anti-climactic ending, i know

find a 4.3 engine out of an old blazer and twin turbo it!!

NO way!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYyjL2g12G0/SGLlly9GtcI/AAAAAAAAAis/2M4p8tB2cjo/s400/YaRLY_turt.jpg

Brian...what r you gonna get next??

damn. tat is the sadness.

i was just wondering about this the other day, sucks to hear man

got any ideas ofr a new project or are you just gonna focus ont he x for a while

:)

look what i'm getting on thursday

http://www.jdmenginesinc.com/shop/shopimages/products/normal/01fd_1.JPG


twin 9b turbos
hello 300 horsies :)

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll21/shadow03_photos/motivational%20posters/1tt.jpg

im giddy like a schoolgirl just thinking about it

just to get the engine running, i'll also need the engine wiring harness, ECU, radiator, intercooler, and stronger fuel pump

no love for the X for a while :(

bahhh

the rear turbo on the engine was shot, would barely turn

:(

going to look at another today....hopefully this one is in better shape, there aren't any others in a 50 mile radius for under 2k :(

bought myself a birthday present today :)

http://www.jdmenginesinc.com/shop/shopimages/products/normal/01fd_1.JPG

Kick-Ass!

engine delivered yesterday

no love for the X for a while :)

F@#$ing sweet, dude! I can't wait to see you car up and running!

yeah the guy that had the first one i went to see got another in stock a couple days later, looked to be in great shape, just missing alternator and alt bracket...had him chop off $50 and throw in free home delivery :)

what is really awesome is now i can look in the 'turbo performance' sections of the 3000gt performance sites :)

sick dude

Nice Brian! Can't wait to see the build progress...

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0358.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0356.jpg

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0354.jpg

What no bow on top???

got the engine up on the stand for some minor maintenance (oil pan needs to be replaced, along with the pickup)....gonna pick up new plugs and wires this weekend, and i just picked up a 6 puck ceramic clutch setup on ebay, also got a steal on the main wiring harness

Nice!

bumping the slowest-moving thread on clubX

got the engine all cleaned up with basic tune-up parts replaced, got the clutch installed, put on new accessory belts along with an a/c delete belt, bolted the trans back up, and dropped the bitch in!

going to get the suspension an steering bolted back together so i can roll it out of the garage and have some room to work on the next few steps :

getting the wiring harness swapped
dropping the fuel tank, cleaning it out, and replacing fuel pump for 255lph walbro
tearing dash apart to replace ecu (bidding on ebay ecu right now, hope i win it!)

parts i still need just to start the engine:
ecu = ~300
complete intake system w/ maf, BOV = ~1000
radiator = ~ 200
fuel pump, filter, fpr, lines to/from engine (SS w/ AN fittings = bling) = ~300
new battery = ~100

should be running in the next 2 grand or so, maybe i'll get it started before the winter, but probably not.... :)

i'll be sure to bump this thread in another few months :)

Few pics from yesterday

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0260.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0259.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0258.jpg
Had to trim part of the rear plate between the trans and block to get the starter to mate up
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0252.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0245.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0244.jpg

Nice.

been buying random parts here and there....fuse box setup, alternator, belts, etc...just putting off the inevitable hard pills to swallow(expensive shit)....very close to pulling the trigger on an FMIC kit right now

someone talk me into it :)

FMIC kit with core, polished piping, couplers. clamps, and pre-turbo pipes = $600

getting closer :)

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/au-kit300GTic0048-275.jpg

pre-turbo pipes not shown

do it.

already did :)

not sure how i like the polished look though, and black powdercoat was $100 more....if i really dont like it, i'll shoot the pipes with some flat black rattle can paint

they were out of the polished pipes, so sent me the powder coated black fo' free

the car is now full of win

http://impulse101.org/images/captain-picard-full-of-win-500x381.jpg

:)

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0175.jpg

good day today, got the FMIC mounted, pulled the rest of the old wiring and ran the new harness into the interior, pulled the old ECU, connected most of the new harness, re-connected shift linkage, re-connected clutch hydraulics, removed front crash bar for clearance for FMIC and oil cooler, installed fuel feed and return lines, fuel rail loop adapter for pressure gauge, and re-connected throttle cable

got most of the charge piping installed & bled the clutch system

picked up upper & lower radiator hoses, going to spend some money on rockauto right now :)

Gotta love progress on a project car.


Keep up the good work

so i realized that when i threw out my old (trashed) radiator, i left the old temp switches (fan control switches) in the radiator....FML....

picked up a new 2 row aluminum radiator, new switches, and a used OEM 10 row oil cooler

she's getting there...i'm taking off a few days for my birthday in may to get her running....goal is to have her fire up and idle by the end of my time off...after that comes new wheels, brakes, and tires....drive her around for the summer

in the fall, she'll be getting new struts and coilovers with KONI drop springs (i work for the parent company of KONI so i get a mean discount)...interior is currently 75% ripped out, so i'm going to run all new gauges, install the same seats that i have in the X, run her around for the rest of the fall, and she gets a new paint job next year

feels good to be getting somewhere with it, will feel even better when i hear her run...

running total is just under 3 grand (not including the car)...also, eff the haters, i love ebay auto parts :)

Ok, I don't know if anyone else mentioned this (I got to page 2 and then jumped here):

N/A DOHC seems to be the direction im leaning towards now...try to find a low mile DOHC that runs strong (and start with 222hp) throw bolts ons at it, and be almost 100HP over the original motor

the only problem though is that if im going with DOHC, i would want to go with the 3.5 because in the future im SURE i will want to turbo it, and if i want to turbo it i WILL want the 3.5L, btu the 3.5L isnt very cool in its n/a form (puts out less than the DOHC 3.0 in fact, only 220HP)

DECIDE *NOW*. If you start going the all motor route and want to get any real power out if it.. nearly EVERYTHING you'd have done would need to be changed to do a good turbo setup. The cams for example.. two different beasts. With the turbo you don't want the same cam profile as an N/A, because the N/A overlaps to get the air moving better, where as the turbo it will force the shit in (and you don't want some of that pressure just going down the exhaust manifold). Also, high-comp pistons for NA are great, but so much for a turbo application. Can you do it? Yes, but it's so much harder to tune with less margin for error. Could you use a higher comp piston with a low-compression head gasket? Yes, but most low-comp head gaskets are only going to drop between .5:1 to 1:1 (so 10:1 to a 9.5:1 or 9:1). Timing will be different too.

Not sure what cylinder sleeves are in the NA vs the Turbo, but *most* the turbo blocks are more stout... so if you start with an NA block and build it up without doing anything with the sleeves (if the NA blocks aren't as strong) you'd more than likely be alright, but if you start building that up, and then decide to go turbo.. IF the blocks are different (or use FRM, floating head, etc) you'd want to use some cast-iron sleeves to beef it up.

In all seriousness, decide now and work towards one, don't start towards one and then decide to change up, you'll be kicking yourself in the ass... I know from personal experience (friends car I helped wrench on who didn't heed this advice)

thanks for the advice....what it came down to was this:

if i did a completely built twin turbo set up, i'd be seeing well over 500whp and probably in the ballpark of 700 lb/ft of torque...that type of power would completely annihilate the FWD 5 speed trans that i am using, even in mild daily driving...and, since i don't have a desire (or deep enough pockets) to pull off the AWD swap with the 6 speed, i decided it would be best to stick with the stock turbos, internals, accessories, etc...i basically decided that i want out of the car is a reliable cruiser, something i can take out on nice days, etc.

since i needed a new engine anyway (not sure if you read the whole thread, but my old engine build came to an abrupt halt), and i knew i'd be kicking myself if i went DOHC without the turbos, and dropping the same SOHC would be a waste of time and money since i didn't want to run that engine forever anyway

in other news:
dual pass aluminum radiator showed up today, as did the fan temp switches...the oil cooler came the other day, and it is currently soaking in a mild de-greasing solution...hopefully this weekend i can get the wiring finished up, and get the radiator and oil cooler installed....i have a good lead on an ECU that im hopefully picking up tomorrow

does anyone have tips on building up oil pressure or ensuring that all internals are lubricated before actually running the engine? when i pulled the front valve cover to replace the gasket it was somewhat oily in the head so i would assume the rear head is in similar shape

Granted the torque isn't as high, but a stock Honda 5 spd in my bro's prelude is handling over 600whp no issues and that's with a quaife gear driven LSD and some upgraded drive shaft shop axles (I think stage 3 IIRC.. hub needed changed to fit them)... unless your stock granny isn't that stout it should hold to a good HP/torque level

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S GT-i9000T (Android 2.3.2)

the trans i'm using is known for blowing up easily after turbo upgrades...the quaife for it runs close to a grand installed...just not worth it IMHO

i picked up the ECU today, and ordered a fuel sending unit (found out the pump i need is longer than the one i have now, so the pickup would need to be modified....just easier to get an entire sending unit to drop in)

also just ordered a fuel pump gasket, 2 new lower radiator isolator bushings, and a greddy neodymium magnet oil drain plug

also sorted through the parts pile, and dug out the old radiator fans and power steering lines & reservoir and cleaned them up

I didn't have time to read through all of this... Saw the new engine, nice...

Is it still fwd? If so, are you going to make it awd?

yes, FWD, going to stay that way

Why? Torque steer FTL.

I almost bought a 3000GT VR-4 last year. I could have bought it for cheap, but I was paying for our wedding at the time. I always wanted one of those. Oh well, they are heavy pigs and I'd rather have a '96 300Zx TT. They don't look nearly as dated...

don't be hatin

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYy28aUMtef013CKK8jqn0c4LmPuWTt 4b6sSZoSKcQvPcL3gei

Not hatin. Sorry if it came across that way...

FSU should be here this week....i'm sure i'll need some smaller stuff to get it done, but that was the last major piece of the puzzle

i love selling my old ECU for nearly the same price i paid for the new one

ebay ftw

fuel pump in
radiator & new lower support bushings in
radiator fans in & wired
old exhaust ripped out
old heat shields gone
oil cooler lines installed
air filter to MAF adapter installed

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0228.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0229.jpg

old feed line was kinked slightly before i took it out...here's hoping it holds
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0230.jpg

i'm convinced the manufacturer didn't make my piping right :) for some reason i couldn't run one of the pipes from the rear turbo the way they wanted me to...so i made a hole :)
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0231.jpg

made some spacers from a rubber plumbing coupler so i didn't have to clamp the silicone hose couplers down so much
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0232.jpg

does anyone know what to do with this fitting? i know this pipe has to clamp to the outlet of the turbo, but i can figure out if there is supposed to by a silicone coupler there?
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0234.jpg

i'm convinced the manufacturer didn't make my piping right for some reason i couldn't run one of the pipes from the rear turbo the way they wanted me to...so i made a hole


Don't worry, we ran into the same stuff when we put the first turbo kit on my bother's prelude. To make matters worse, the piping didn't quite clear the hood.. i mean it "did", but the support brace would rub on the tubing and take the powder coating off. We had to cut an arc out of the hood support so it would fit better

i think it might be due to the fact that the kit is made to convert an already TT'd 3000gt from stock dual side mount intercoolers to a front mount....mine wasn't already turbo'd, so it was probably missing a hole that would have been there already

no biggie, thats what power tools are for :)

gotta decide if i want to run EGR block off plates or spend the dough on EGR components, the donor engine doesn't have anything for it....i probably won't be running a catalytic converter, but if i do it'll be a random tech. hi flow....pass emissions legitimately or not...thats the question :)

also, the hood doesn't come close to fitting, it doesn't clear the charge piping, the new radiator, and a few other things....planned on it trough, the VR4 comes with a higher clearance hood

Cut a cat in half and weld it around the test pipe and play dumb if someone notices lol.

If your egr is like the ones on the prelude (and other Honda's) just pop it off, outline it on a piece of sheet metal and cut away. Cheap and worked just fine on Hondas :)

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Err mentioned heat shields from cat

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found a set of blockoff plates for $11 on ebay, with hardware and gaskets

done

picked up a cone filter today
tomorrow i'm ordering:

stainlesss OBX downpipe
fuel pressure gauge (electrical)
oil pressure gauge (electrical)
boost gauge (mechanical)
dual pillar pod (for the oil&fuel pressure gauges)
single pod (for boost, to be mounted on steering column)
oil filter sandwich plate
HKS SSQV & recirculation adapter

hoping, really hoping to fire her up by next weekend

talk about a win:

talking with a buddy of mine, i mentioned the gauges i was getting...he says "oh, i happen to have those gauges in my saab 9-3 turbo"....i check 'em out, and i'm sold....then, he tells me that he has the exact oil pressure gauge i was planning on getting just laying around, and that he wasn't going to install it....and that he'd give it to me, straight up....

saved me a cool $60

so i ordered the other 2 gauges, the pillar&single pod, and oil filter adapter plate...going to order the downpipe this afternoon

this thing kicked my ass today...got the alternator and starter wired....got about 50% of the main harness integrated with the engine....shit just did not match up....we fused some of the old harness with some of the new...

put power to the fuse box, and most of the body electrical systems are functioning....lights still open/close & light up, the stereo popped on, the interior lighting came up, so we are on the right track...tapped the horn and heard the horn relay pop so thats a good sign too...

found out that the AC eliminator belt is a little too long...i ordered it a while ago, so i'm not sure if i can return it :(

also, gotta pull the fuel sending unit back out to heat up the collar fitting, it is frozen in place and i can't tighten it to the main feed line

one step forward, two steps back...thats the way it goes sometimes

one step forward, two steps back...thats the way it goes sometimes

Haha... I said the same thing to my buddy as we were staring at our project car last night. Just gotta keep going at it.


Keep up the good work!

so, the belt is indeed the correct size, i was just routing it wrong...the ribbed side is supposed to go against one of the smooth idler pulleys, and i had it routed so that the back of the belt was going against both pulleys

my gauges came in yesterday, they look seriously bitchin...air filter also came in, along with the silicone coupler and t-bolt clamps that i was missing for the intercooler

just ordered new front & rear bosch o2 sensors

You thinking of adding a bung for a wide band or just rolling like I did with the gauge off of the regular?

... just double.checked your list no a/f listed so NM to my question lol

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honestly im a believer in american muscle...i would have put a SBC in it...i know ill hear a lot of nonsense about it not fitting, but honestly, if you have a welder, and a cutting wheel, you can make anything fit, it would have poked out of the hood a bit but that just adds to the bad assness...and hearing a v8 grumble in that would be rediclious

honestly im a believer in american muscle...i would have put a SBC in it...i know ill hear a lot of nonsense about it not fitting, but honestly, if you have a welder, and a cutting wheel, you can make anything fit, it would have poked out of the hood a bit but that just adds to the bad assness...and hearing a v8 grumble in that would be rediclious

I am going to agree and disagree with you at the same time. I don't like the looks of an engine sticking out of the hood, not really my thing. I also think that the engine he has will sound sweet in a different way. A sbc has been put in just about everything so it isn't that exciting.


Having said that, this is my current project...

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll283/Roschili/280ZX%20Rebuild/markgetsartsy.jpg


SBC into a '79 Nissan 280ZX




So I'm conflicted, lol. However, I really like where he is going so I would say no sbc in this particular car.

so school is finally over and i have a little free time

last night my girlfriend ordered me an early birthday present, a stainless steel downpipe with O2 bungs....today i tried to get some work done but i'm hitting brick walls left and right...

today's goal was to crank the engine, but to do that i needed to fill it with oil, and to do that i needed to finish the plumbing for the oil cooler....come to find out i'm missing two mitsubishi-specific crush washers (copper washers with a rubber insert).....vato-zone doesn't sell them, so that idea is shot

next, wanted to finish the accessory belts, only to find out that a small bracket that holds part of the tensioner assembly is missing, so couldn't finish that

next, we tried running the power steering lines, which we did successfully, only to find out that the reservoir will no longer fit in the original location with the new engine

so, im drinking beer, licking my wounds, and buying more shit

you should paint your intercooler GREEN

once she is running i have a plan for that

just ordered the oil cooler washers, new drain and fill plugs for the trans, a set of custom radiator brackets, a custom intake support bracket (needed when you aren't using the stock airbox), and the bracket i need for the tensioner

budget is creeping up :)

possibly picking up a set of these tonight:

http://www.topgear.co.uk/acatalog/PRORACE3BLACK.jpg

team dynamics pro race 3, 17x8

not that anyone actually reads this thread, but i picked up the wheels and (bald) tires this evening...they are about 1" wider on the overall diameter, but i think it will help to fill the very large wheel wells...they are a 17" and have a pretty low profile sidewall (i forgot the exact size), but should fit nicely...only thing im not thrilled about is the backspacing, they are the same 5.5" backspace as my current setup....i might look into adapter-style spacers for them

those will give it such a good look
GREEN CENTER CAPS!!!

hahaha thought about it, i had blue center caps on my old wheels painted to match the body....i think i'll just respray flat black and leave em, maybe green lug nuts

hahaha thought about it, i had blue center caps on my old wheels painted to match the body....i think i'll just respray flat black and leave em, maybe green lug nuts

That'll look sick!

i don't wanna look like one of the asshats on stancewerks though, so i'll need to keep it classy

im going completely murdered out where i can, flat or satin black on everything, and then a few hits of lime green....the intercooler piping couplers will be green, green calipers, lug nuts, thats it....should be sick

I keep up on this thread :)

how bout a green valve cover?

im going to paint the upper intake manifold black and do the letters in green

everything under the hood is black...repainted the engine bay black, black intercooler piping, re-covered almost all the wiring i black loom

Car is coming together nicely Brian!

I may not post in it much, but I read this thread every time lol

got two of the wheels on, they look pretty sick

i forgot that offset is different than backspace, and the offset is lower (or higher, not sure i completely understand it) so the rims poke quite nicely.... probably wont need spacers

Cool thread man post up some more pics!

its gonna be sick when its "done"

like the X, it won't ever be "done"

it sucks because i keep pushing the deadline back due to missing parts or hectic schedules....my deadline to fire the engine was last weekend, which would have happened if i wasn't missing those few small pieces (which showed up yesterday)

in other news, downpipe came in yesterday too, i now have something resembling an exhaust system for it...

i literally have everything i need to start it up, just the full day of work i need to find is proving to be the hard part

take a vid?

I've been facing the same frustrations as you have. Everytime we get cooking on the car, we run into one little thing we're missing. Its always two steps forward and one back, but I guess thats what keeps it interesting.


Keep on trucking and get a video up when its running. I'm interested in how its going to sound.

a 3.0 V6 with no sound dampening after the turbos? it's gonna sound a little bit like hell on earth

i have a sick plan for the exhaust, something nobody has seen before

Post pics man!

i'll snap a few when i get home

put up an ad on wednesday for free parts that im not using anymore...kid came yesterday and loaded up his corolla with parts for a 99 that he is rebuilding....gave him the entire rear interior, complete AC system, upper/lower intake, airbox & duct, spare tire donut, radiator hoses, and used clutch & flywheel, all for the low, low price of: free

i just wanted the crap gone, and he was ecstatic to get everything for free....craigslist is useful sometimes for things other than hookers

put up an ad on wednesday for free parts that im not using anymore...kid came yesterday and loaded up his corolla with parts for a 99 that he is rebuilding....gave him the entire rear interior, complete AC system, upper/lower intake, airbox & duct, spare tire donut, radiator hoses, and used clutch & flywheel, all for the low, low price of: free

i just wanted the crap gone, and he was ecstatic to get everything for free....craigslist is useful sometimes for things other than hookers

Man, you made that kid's month I bet!

just some proof that i am still working on it:

new (used) wheels, need to be painted:
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0180.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0181.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0182.jpg

downpipe, waiting to be installed:
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/dead%20sloth/DSCF0183.jpg

looking gooood. get it finished!! :D

got motivated yesterday :

oil cooler installed
upper radiator brackets installed (old ones wont fit, this is a thicker rad)
finished intake (FINALLY !) just need to pick up my SSQV BOV

need to find a hood that clears all this nonsense

http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0389.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0388.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0385.jpg
http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l408/cait_brian/DSCF0391.jpg

http://www.greenfilterusa.com/

It looking good.....how long till it moves?

moving right along

:aufkopfhauen-big:

installed my oil pressure sensor and filled her with oil, let it sit for an hour to work its way down into the pan...hooked up a booster pack, popped the key in, and gave her a crank...fuel system is still missing a piece so i couldn't hook up the pump yet, but at least i know the motor isn't seized and the main positive leads are hot

picking up some AEM no-weld O2 sensor mounts for cheap, got to run to home depot to pick up something to make my fuel pressure sensor work

maybe she'll run one day

get that bitch on the pavement

push it down a hill and off a cliff. :)

push it down a hill and off a cliff. :)
really, guy? why ya gotta be a dick?

worked a bit on it this weekend, need to grab a new battery for it, mounting the battery inside right behind the passenger seat and running 0AWG under the chassis to the engine bay

really, guy? why ya gotta be a dick?

worked a bit on it this weekend, need to grab a new battery for it, mounting the battery inside right behind the passenger seat and running 0AWG under the chassis to the engine bay

lol, I was just kidding, though I'm honestly not a fan of heavy FWD cars with lots of HP. Not really a good format for launching or cornering, but if you just want a cool cruiser like you said it's a nice build to play with.

Curious about your custom exhaust plans.