Ghostknife
Goblin Guru
- Ghostknife Goblin Guru
You have a good handle on it I think. other than what you have listed, I would say get it in the car and running. Next winter you can tear it down and build what you need.
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V1 Neodied's #375 Extended Track - 07 SS/SC donor
You have a good handle on it I think. other than what you have listed, I would say get it in the car and running. Next winter you can tear it down and build what you need.
devianteng
Well-Known Member
- devianteng Well-Known Member
This is exactly what I've decided as well.
My donor just had the head rebuilt anyway, new valves, new ARP studs, new timing chain setup, and also a new clutch but it was never driven after that (the guy couldn't figure out how to bleed the clutch properly which is why he gave up and sold the car; I need to pull the trans anyway to inspect everything and clean it up, etc).
But anyway, easy stuff like dual pass and ic pump are on my list. I'm also going to order the ZZP shorty header because it looks better and also pull the laminova cores to clean them and put on new gaskets. Considering a phenolic intake spacer, maybe the OTTP billet fuel rail. It's too easy to make a big list of things I want to do, lol.
Ghostknife
Goblin Guru
- Ghostknife Goblin Guru
Easy to go down the rabbit hole with mods. Id rather drive it asap and modify as needed next winter.
Sluggonaut
Goblin Guru
- Sluggonaut Goblin Guru
I will be doing many of those along with a head gasket, clutch, and valve springs, but I won't be doing anything until after first start and gremlin removal.
Any work you do before you get past the first start in your build phase is another variable to consider for any troubleshooting you will likely be doing.
Any work you do before you get past the first start in your build phase is another variable to consider for any troubleshooting you will likely be doing.
Ghostknife
Goblin Guru
- Ghostknife Goblin Guru
I didn't find it terrible at all. Definitely use the hose clamp technique to pull them. If you put the hose clamp on the end of the core and twist it in a rotational motion( like a clock) vs in/out motion it will pop free easier without having to crank down hard on the clamp
devianteng
Well-Known Member
- devianteng Well-Known Member
I've pulled laminova cores exactly one time before, and I recall them coming free pretty easily for me. But if you're swapping a dual pass endplate, that means you're draining the system so this is the best time to clean the cores and install new gaskets. I had an 06 Cobalt a few years ago (was my original donor but life got in the way) that I cleaned the cores on and they were quite black and gunked up from recirculated oil and whatnot.
Rauq
Goblin Guru
- Rauq Goblin Guru
The only other things I'd suggest are spark plugs and a clutch. The spark plugs are more than easy enough to do with the engine in, so not that big of a deal there. My donor had 140k on the clock and the spark plugs looked original to the car.
If you're planning on pulling the engine back out later, then the clutch isn't that big of a deal, but if you don't already have those plans, then it'll never be easier to do a clutch.
If you're planning on pulling the engine back out later, then the clutch isn't that big of a deal, but if you don't already have those plans, then it'll never be easier to do a clutch.
neodied
Well-Known Member
- neodied Well-Known Member
Yep, clutch was originally on my list of pre-build items, but as you mentioned I do plan to pull the engine out in the future for upgrades. I'd rather defer the several hundred dollars of a new clutch kit and flywheel, get used to how that drives, then (hopefully) be impressed with a new clutch later. Spark plugs are a good call.
It's weird, I can't recall ever being excited to do maintenance on any other car I've owned.
SmsDetroit
Goblin Guru
- SmsDetroit Goblin Guru
That was my thinking last winter. So I just stuck to the build. This winter I went with the pretty stuff. I’ll do a tune this summer and performance upgrades next winter
. eBay to the rescue! Fortunately it seems to only be a $40 mistake.
neodied
Well-Known Member
- neodied Well-Known Member
Finished Wiring Harness #1 video (unwrapping the harness) and started in on thinning from #2. The stickiness (from electrical tape I assume) is really annoying, but I'm not at the "bathe it in solvent" point yet. The previous owner definitely had some work done on the harness, lots of the split loom was gone and replaced with a mediocre electrical tape job and there appear to be a pair of medium-gauge wires added for some unknown thing.
Very much regretting not labeling the connectors as I pulled it out. I knew this would be the case, but the thrill of disassembly and self-imposed deadlines overrode my common sense. So now I'm plan to use the AutoZone and/or Alldata info to retroactively label the connectors based on wire color and pin count. Should be fun!
Very much regretting not labeling the connectors as I pulled it out. I knew this would be the case, but the thrill of disassembly and self-imposed deadlines overrode my common sense. So now I'm plan to use the AutoZone and/or Alldata info to retroactively label the connectors based on wire color and pin count. Should be fun!
neodied
Well-Known Member
- neodied Well-Known Member
For wrapping the harness back up after the rework, any opinions on split loom (like OEM) vs spiral loom (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FW5ZTVH/) vs fabric harness tape (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074YCG21Z/)? Split loom would be super easy if I have to do future work, spiral would be similar but has the benefit of looking nicer. For both of these, I assume I'd have to get multiple diameters for different thicknesses of the wire bundle. Might not handle high-heat sections as well as tape? Tesa/harness tape would be a bit more of a pain for reworking, but looks very clean and I assume has excellent durability for heat particularly. but I don't know if high heat is as much of an issue given there's no engine bay to cook the components inside.
neodied
Well-Known Member
- neodied Well-Known Member
Yeah, I have access to the GM Service info and may fall back on that (Master Electrical Component List -> Connector End View, incredibly useful) but I was hoping that the requisite info would be available to everyone including people without GM Service access (feels like "cheating").
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Sluggonaut
Goblin Guru
- Sluggonaut Goblin Guru
I used the Tesa tape for the harness and will probably use some split loom in areas I think will have any friction concerns. Although my harness is in place, I'll have a better idea about potential loom placement once I get more stuff bolted in.
I'm using the high-temp Tesa tape during my engine harness cleanup, where I will also be using split loom. I bought a bundle that comes in 3 sizes. I should know later this week if they are the right size or if I have enough.
- snirtman Well-Known Member
I've read so many build threads that I don't remember who posted it, but they said this split loom is the bee's knees: https://www.ebay.com/itm/350999178330?var=620245293937
neodied
Well-Known Member
- neodied Well-Known Member
Finally got a reply back from a powder coat shop in the ballpark of what I expected cost and timing-wise. Annoyance being that it's 1hr away (Monroe, MI) and renting a Uhaul trailer + truck for that trip twice would add 2hr roundtrip drives and $300 in rental time+mileage fees. Anyone in the Royal Oak/Troy-ish area know of a cheaper transport method? (I don't have a truck, just a recent Chevy Blazer that I could probably install a hitch on if that would be drastically cheaper)
Getting replies back from powder coat shops was surprisingly difficult. I tried Quality Powdercoat (Highland) and they didn't respond by phone, then stopped replying to email after a couple back and forth replies. Also Supreme Media Blast & Powder Coating (Clinton Twp) didn't respond to either web form inquiry or any phone calls. I guess business must be booming and no one's hungry... The only one who has been responsive so far is Jeff's Powder Coat in Monroe, but it's kind of far. I may just branch out and try the Yellow Pages for my area, crossing my fingers.
Getting replies back from powder coat shops was surprisingly difficult. I tried Quality Powdercoat (Highland) and they didn't respond by phone, then stopped replying to email after a couple back and forth replies. Also Supreme Media Blast & Powder Coating (Clinton Twp) didn't respond to either web form inquiry or any phone calls. I guess business must be booming and no one's hungry... The only one who has been responsive so far is Jeff's Powder Coat in Monroe, but it's kind of far. I may just branch out and try the Yellow Pages for my area, crossing my fingers.
