Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
Posts: 250
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« Reply #180 on: November 19, 2009, 03:10:21 am » |
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Man I hope it runs as good as it looks!  I'm just really very glad that the next time I need to yank the engine out I'll just have to remove the front end with a few bolts and just lift the engine like 4 inches off the mounts to pull it forward out of the engine compartment. I just laugh at how much work I've been putting into this thing but when I hit the street/dirt it will all come together I hope.  I'm shooting to fire this thing up next week. I'll be securing the wiring this weekend, installing the MAP sensor (for the new engine computer), hooking up the intake and taking care of a couple more loose ends. My local Carquest store (and all Carquest all over) told me that all WIX filters (air, fuel, oil etc) are for sale this week only - for the stores pricing that they buy them for. So instead of like $7- $8 a pop I bought them for like $3.20 each for oil filters. I bought half almost 20 filters for my 1UZ and 2 other vehicles. Check with your local store because those WIX are as good as oil filters get! I'm laying down my Optima so it tucks up above the tire area as far as possible. I'll need all the clearance I can get when I redo my front suspension for longer travel. I made a sweet shelf for the battery, junction box and charcoal box. I'll post pics when everything gets back from being coated.  |
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
Posts: 250
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« Reply #181 on: December 07, 2009, 01:17:05 pm » |
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A lot has changed! Soooo close. Now that I finished building the new front end I can get back to the wiring of the new ECU. I'm almost done with that and now I can start wiring the negatives and positives finally. I'm waiting on my new hood which is being painted by a buddy. But I should have everything hooked up and hopefully running by the time he's done with it. I hope it's done in time for Christmas!  |
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Cebby
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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« Reply #182 on: December 07, 2009, 03:01:51 pm » |
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That's looking really good! what kind of mesh is that grille insert? Is it a welded wire?
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
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« Reply #183 on: December 07, 2009, 04:50:24 pm » |
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Thanks. It's stainless weave. A friend of mine ordered a sheet of it in the smallest size he could and it was about $200. We were able to make his grill for his 350Z and mine. We bent and welded stainless 3/16" rod around the outside of his but that wouldn't look as good on my grill so I just filled the whole opening.
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
Posts: 250
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« Reply #185 on: December 14, 2009, 12:36:13 pm » |
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Good to hear that beast start up for sure. Haha that thing isn't rolling yet! I think mine is closer to actually being driven.  I'm just going to leave it silver for now. I just don't care what color it is. I might paint it evil black in the future but right now I'm happy enough with the upgrade as it is. I'm really just so glad to get rid of the old square front grill and lights. Ok back to doing the last of my wiring this morning. |
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
Posts: 250
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« Reply #186 on: January 11, 2010, 01:20:55 am » |
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 !! UPDATE !! THE DAMN THING RUNS!! I need to adjust the Adaptronic ECU obviously - I started it up after dark so I couldn't mess around too much tonight. But getting the idle speed controller in check will just take some tinkering with the software... and I'll have to richen it up a little I'm sure. Have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYMwn4lIEfsHmmmm the exhaust sounds perfect! Can't wait to hear it rip at high rpm. Vrooom!!  |
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« Last Edit: January 11, 2010, 01:23:18 am by Smitherz »
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Cebby
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« Reply #187 on: January 13, 2010, 10:52:10 am » |
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That is AWESOME!!! Some motivation for me!!
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
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« Reply #188 on: January 13, 2010, 11:22:48 am » |
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And all the sudden I get slammed with some work! Figures! The real fun begins and now I got all this other stuff popping up. I'll be getting to work on it later this morning. I don't think getting it to run consistently will be a big issue. Just have to find the right button to click in this software. =]
Come on Cebb get yours started buddy. Just do one thing a day to keep the ball rolling. That's what I keep telling myself... At the least 1 accomplishment a day on the truck.
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« Last Edit: January 13, 2010, 11:33:52 am by Smitherz »
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
Posts: 250
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« Reply #189 on: January 20, 2010, 03:27:47 am » |
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Gettin closer guys! Been trouble shooting and setting up the ECU for 2 straight days now. Tomorrow I'll be making the wiring more permanent and pretty in the morning now that I'm getting ready to take it for a drive. Gotta love the Nascar sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtFTWxuVim0 |
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
Posts: 250
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« Reply #190 on: February 08, 2010, 12:35:41 pm » |
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Ok since my last post I tore down the engine and had to put ARP hardware inside to hold it together >=] I made a few changes here and there and the wiring is now cut to length and nearly complete. I just have to cut a couple more to length and mount it against the firewall to make it look clean and secure. I can't belive I'll be driving it here really soon. I have to make a couple easy mods to the transmission mount as it needs beefing up before I take off. I'll have that done and a new alternator is coming today at noon. Then it's computer tuning time. I'll be heading out on the open road to do some initial testing on some country roads to get it dialed in a little better. I'm expecting the throttle response to be a little more crisp once it gets driven some. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmhoAtU7-cYThis is why Cebby hasn't made any progress! This crap takes forever! The closer I get to the finish line with my swap the more I'm paying for last minute stuff!! It's crazy. You really have to pour the money in these things and it kills your bank.
YAY ARP head studs and hardware... last minute mod cost me over $300! Damn. That's what happens when you try and use Cometic steel head gaskets! You can't cheap out and not upgrade the hardware that clamps your heads on.   And here we go again! Hand me down racing radiator had some cracks in it and once I modified it I had so much time invested in it that I had to repair all the cracks and reinforce is MORE. I have so many hours into this custom radiator its ridiculous! Never take a used radiator... just go buy one! I'm planning to order a generic sized radiator brand new and then buy some new stock so that I can modify it to be perfect and dependable. I'm sure this one would last but I don't want to go on any trips and have it leak on me where a weld might not be so thick. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to weld up some of the dirty and oily cracks on this bastard. I had to have a couple drinks to calm me down it was so aggravating! I'm lucky my friend let me put my radiator in his pool to check for leaks! We couldn't detect the leaks by listening to them at all. You can only see them when you put it under water. So we put the pressurizing pump on it and submerged it. And of course the radiator had been cleaned and flushed so it was environmentally friendly.  This is a green truck.  It's almost too good to be true. It starts up and idles perfectly without having to stab the throttle to get it going or anything. I can't remember driving this truck without ever doing that. With the 3RZ 4cyl engine I made a custom intake and exhaust so free flowing that the throttle had to be blipped to get the rpms up to 1200 where it would kick in and take off. Yeah the idle was crap without much response down under 1000 rpm but the top end was worth it! After having that much top end power I decided I would sacrifice the idle speed and response off the bottom and be happy.  It really was a fast 4cyl and people would ask me if I had the supercharged 6cyl in it at the dunes. The key to speed was keeping the truck lightweight and setting up the suspension as best as I could. Now it's time for some REAL fun out there. I'm asking around to see if anyone has some sand paddles I can borrow and I think I know where some are locally that a friend of mine owns. |
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« Last Edit: February 08, 2010, 12:52:34 pm by Smitherz »
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
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« Reply #191 on: February 13, 2010, 01:09:41 am » |
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toylexus
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« Reply #192 on: February 20, 2010, 02:44:38 pm » |
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Right on, man! i Saw the video of it running... looks good! i agree 100% with you. The money is what kills it. Money and time to work on it. If i work on it during the day, i'm not working and losing money. It's a real tight situation; make money and survive, or finish the project. i did finally go to Paso bearing and hydraulic this week and got my fuel pressure line made up, though. That alone was a 100 dollar bill.
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bushwhacker
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Location: Newport, south Wales, U.K.
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« Reply #193 on: February 21, 2010, 04:03:14 pm » |
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Dude, thats badass!! Congratulations, I bet your face is aching due to the non stop grinning. |
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Keep on truckin'!
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Smitherz
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Location: Central Coast
Posts: 250
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« Reply #194 on: February 24, 2010, 02:10:03 am » |
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Thanks guys this thing is a dream come true. It sure is fun but I'm STILL adjusting the hydraulic throwout bearing to get the clutch action perfect. Tomorrow I'll be finishing up installing another muffler to make it drivable. It's insanely loud as of now and the fun wears off. Yeah me and my friends laugh like Beavis and Butt Head when we drive around in it. Now I need to pick up a fuel cell and get working on a roll cage design. I want to move the battery and air intake back to the rear along with a fuel cell. Another buddy of mine offered to let me borrow his sand paddles so I'm really asking to blow my rear end to smithereens. That would do it for sure. TL: I'll be cruisin by Golden Hill soon to show the guys. Oh yes.... |
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