V1 Frank's Florida Street Goblin Build (#227) - 06 SS, 2.4L donor

[Goblin Graber]

What are your plans for the hood and fenders?

 

[CaptFrank2001]

I will be putting on fenders. I will have to widen the rear fenders about 1-1/2" for the wide, "275" tires. So a little fiberglass work to do. I will do a wrap on the hood. I am thinking a military theme since I am a retired Navy Submarine Veteran.

 

[Goblin Graber]

I will be putting on fenders. I will have to widen the rear fenders about 1-1/2" for the wide, "275" tires. So a little fiberglass work to do. I will do a wrap on the hood. I am thinking a military theme since I am a retired Navy Submarine Veteran.

That’ll be an awesome theme. Can’t wait to see the wrap when it’s done! Are you doing side panels too?

 

[CaptFrank2001]

Wire Harness installed today. Gassed her up (3-4 Gals). Turned the key on and the dash came alive. Perfect so far. Hit the starter nothing !!! So for 20-30 minutes I scratched my head. Then I remembered the donor had a starter button installed. Ran out of daylight & will attack that in the morning.

 

[CaptFrank2001]

It's alive !!!

 

[ctuinstra]

It's a great feeling, isn't it?

 

[CaptFrank2001]

It's a great feeling, isn't it?

Oh yeah. Still have a lot to do (bleed the brakes, hook up the lights etc...) but getting the engine running is a major milestone.

 

[CaptFrank2001]

BRAKES - Having a real nightmare bleeding the brakes. I am using a vacuum pump at each wheel and can NOT get the fluid to any wheel at the bleed valves. Must be a common problem somewhere. All fittings are tight, double & triple checked. I took the output lines off of the master cylinder, stepped on the brake and fluid squirts out once and stops. Hydraulic clutch bled fine and works great. Tomorrow I will check the supply tank, maybe it's an issue (Me .... scratching head) !!!

 

[CaptFrank2001]

BC COILOVERS (REAR) - Trying to figure out the best height for the BC Coilovers on the rear. I was adjusting quite a bit and was worried I may adjust them too far. Called the BC guys and spoke to Tek Support. They said the minimum thread contact on the base (which would be the maximum height for the shock) is 80mm or 3.15". I removed the shock from the car, took off the base and measured the threaded section & found it to be just over 3" so he was 100% correct. I needed a way to check that once the shock was on the car so as you can see in the picture the threads end is 3-1/2" from the bottom of the shock. And you can measure this once the BC Coilover is on the car. Just put in a ruler inside the bottom of the shock
(see picture) and If you are over 3-1/2" you are exceeding their recommendations.

 

[Lonny]

Make sure your master cylinder is returning all the way out of it will block the port and not allow fluid to move from the reservoir to the calipers.

 

[ctuinstra]

Make sure your master cylinder is returning all the way out of it will block the port and not allow fluid to move from the reservoir to the calipers.

That was a problem we had. Wasn’t blocking all the way but enough to make it impossible to vacuum bleed them. And then later intermittently a caliper would drag and heat up the brake. It ends up the brake switch was what was holding the pedal down a little.

 

[CaptFrank2001]

Missing or not. My car did NOT Have this spacer attached to the Brake Booster. Now I am having all kinds of trouble bleeding the brakes. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Rttoys]

No “spacer” on mine, like in your pic, but there is a space in between the two, which would have been the area it mounted to the bulkhead on the cobalt.

Does the brake pedal move freely? Make sure no binding from the paint/powder coat on the pedal box.

other than the engine, yours is an early model like mine, so I’d assume it’s the same.

 

[JPas914]

I used a Motive power bleeder at the reservoir. Used it to push fluid through while pumping the clutch/brake pedals a good bit to bleed the master cylinders. It was a lot easier than i had expected.

 

[Rttoys]

Also, make sure the brake switches are not stopping the pedal From returning fully.

 

[CaptFrank2001]

Also, make sure the brake switches are not stopping the pedal From returning fully.

That looks like it was the issue. I even think the bracket the brake switches are attached to is slightly bent.

 

[CaptFrank2001]

After adjusting the brake switches I was able to bleed the front brakes in just a few minutes. Still having issues with the rear brakes.

 

[ctuinstra]

I suspect that there s a clearance issue between the pedal mount and the booster/MC where as a small spacer should be added like you mentioned earlier. I think the spacing is off some from that of the OEM set up. I and others like you have all had this issue and doubt all of us have accidentally bent our switch mounts requiring it to be bent back. But in the end, bending or readjusting the switch is quicker and easier than fabricating a spacer. I haven't actually confirmed this is the case but seems very plausible.

 

[Lonny]

Disconnect the brake pedal from the booster pushrod and try to bleed it. If it still doesn't work then you know it is not a spacer problem.

 

[CaptFrank2001]

Finally got the brake issue resolved. In the brake pedal up position (normal) the brake pedal was slightly (and I do mean slightly) pushing on the rod going to the master cylinder. Apparently that does NOT allow the master cylinder to vent it's fluid properly. Fixed this and it nearly resolved the problem. Then found a very small leak on the right front where the flex line connects to the solid brake line (where it clips to the frame). No amount of tightening worked and the 10mm wrench was slipping on the nut. I took it apart and made sure the solid brake line (tubing) was straight into the braided line & tightened. Hated to do it but had to use Vice-Grips on the 10mm fitting. Problem solved. Thanks to everyone for a lot of helpful advice!