Alex and the Extended City Frame - 08 Sport/Automatic Donor

k.rollin

Goblin Guru
Lastly, a question on the transmission cooling lines. The video shows reconnecting the adapter below to the front of the engine, but unless we missed it, there are still open ends that used to connect to the radiator. Don't we have to close this loop somehow?
The hard lines get removed and hoses get looped sort of like the heater hoses near the water neck. Alternatively, you can extend them as necessary to support the installation of a transmission cooler, as the stock cooler was removed with the donor radiator.
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
If you ground off the powder coat where the engine contacts the frame, you really don't need the ground wire that connects to the frame. Its up to you. I'm not using mine as it just gets in the way and is extra clutter I'd rather not have.
Agreed, I left mine on because I hated to just toss it out but frankly it's not even connected to the frame, it's just dangling. I need to either connect it just because or remove it.
 

Bretter

Well-Known Member
7/4/2018 First Start Completed!

Thanks for all of your help! We got the grounds on, fixed the fuel line to make it click properly and got the transmission cooler line looped back and sealed properly.

And July 4th is a great day for America -AND- a great day in Goblin Country! First start completed and everything working well so far!

The first several times it would start and then die pretty quickly. We finally figured out that we had to connect the MAF sensor and put it over the air intake. Then, I had to hold my hand over the air intake to regulate the air flow somewhat and we managed to get it to run long enough to get the coolant up to temp and flowing. Coolant temp reached 185F and stayed steady so we shut it down and moved on to the next step! I do have some video but it won't let me upload .mp4 files so someone please let me know the best way to upload video files here :)

Very exciting!
 

Bretter

Well-Known Member
7/4/2018 Stage 1 Video 22 Almost Complete

We got the subframe and all the fixing on - have to wait to get some more silicon to get the firewall in.
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We finished Stage 1 with an extra bag of spacers - they seem to be for the automatic transmission version (which we have), but nowhere did we end up using them. Are we missing a step? Or did we forget something somewhere? Or perhaps were these for the original mounting plates for the transmission and we have the new solid mounts?
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Bretter

Well-Known Member
7/4/2018 Started Front Suspension Video #23

We got the 4 control arms on and front shocks mounted. Then going into vertical assembly. We think that the aluminum rod end mounts in the video are replaced with the 4 steel L-brackets. Then the question becomes which way to mount the L-brackets - i.e. should the center of the rod end bolt be aligned with the inside or outside of the upright. See the 3 pictures below - we think that the one on the right/bottom is correct. We think the one on the right/bottom places the rod end bolt on the inside edge of the upright - the same place that the video shows as correct. Can someone please confirm? Or if not, which way is correct?

Edit: Actually found Shadow Lou's picture at http://www.dfkitcar.com/forum/index.php?threads/shadow-lou-racing-street-track-autocross-goblin.395/post-10489 We had assumed that the rod ends were aligned vertically but I just checked ours and they are not. They match Shadow Lou with the bottom being further "out" from the center. We can make ours match this way.

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Bretter

Well-Known Member
7/4/2018 Started Front Suspension Video #23

With help above, we did get the front uprights built and mounted - thanks!
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From there we put all of the components near each wheel anticipating moving around and getting all 4 setup rather quickly. But, then Murphy decided to visit...

In torquing down the front hubs, we broke a bolt on both of them! These are after market 4-lug hubs and not the original OEM hubs. Needless to say, we are now in the process of reviewing our plans for hubs... We already have wheels and tires with 4-lugs on all 4 corners so no option to change away from 4 lugs right now. Anyone seen something like this or experienced this before?
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Waterdriver

Goblin Guru
Did your hubs slide all the way in on the studs?
I had to file out the holes some to be able to seat them all the in against the aluminum upright.
 

Bretter

Well-Known Member
Did your hubs slide all the way in on the studs?
I had to file out the holes some to be able to seat them all the in against the aluminum upright.
Yes both slid in all the way flush - one of the uprights needed to be filed slightly. The other worked as is.
 

Bretter

Well-Known Member
Got torque wrench? 50 lb-ft. Those are fairly hefty studs to snap like that.
We were very surprised as well! Surprised at the first one and when the 2nd one happened were shocked. Yes on torque wrenches - on the 2nd one, we actually used a 2nd torque wrench thinking the first one broke or something. We re-checked both torque wrenches settings, and even ran both down to 0 and back up to 50#. One breaking might be a defect in the material - 2 breaking back to back... hmmm...
 

Bretter

Well-Known Member
Just out of curiosity, are those Moogs? Just wondering if you might have purchased some cheapo Chinese hubs.
Not Moogs - purchased from Rock Auto and now going back and doing comparison of what we got vs. what should have purchased! I'd feel better if they are actually cheapo and found the problem now rather than later!
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
This does not look good at all! Man, at this point, I would move very far away from those and go with MOOG.


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Bretter

Well-Known Member
Moogs 513205x2 front and 512248x2 rear on order - will be here Tuesday.

Still trying to figure out what I actually have - were ordered in 10/2017 (long long time ago to remember exactly :) and not from Rockauto...
 
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