V1 Sluggonaut's Extended Track #364 - 2007 SS/SC (Turbo) Donor

[k.rollin]

Battery negative goes to ground at the battery box up front.

There is a ground wire from the trans>engine block that goes up to the chassis ground. The mounts shouldn’t be grounding at all if you have powder coat or paint on them. The weldabke paint MIGHT allow it to ground, but I don’t know.

My MCO took around a week to get.

I would still suggest stripping the paint/powder coat from the underside of the chassis to powertrain mounts to ensure a good ground.

 

[Sluggonaut]

I would still suggest stripping the paint/powder coat from the underside of the chassis to powertrain mounts to ensure a good ground.

I just bolted up the powertrain for the second time and meant to do that but didn't.

My ground posts have all been cleaned (except the one by the battery box I need to find) and I plan to check my grounds once everything is connected. If I have concerns, I will be sure to drop the powertrain and give that a try.

 

[k.rollin]

My car was fine for a little while without doing so, then the day of a Goblin meet up, no start condition. Stripped the underside of the mount plates and cleaned up all the ground lugs in the rear of the car and problem solved. Still missed the meet up though

 

[Sluggonaut]

Fuel pump install...

I followed the video and everything was pretty straightforward until I bottom out before I get to the 1/4" drill bit. I'm bottomed out somewhere between 5/16" and 3/8" - the former fits freely the latter does not fit.

Am I supposed to adjust the nuts that are already on the studs and try to get them all adjusted the same and still allow just the 1/4"?

 

[r3drckt]

You shouldn’t have to adjust the studs at all. You have the fuel pump gasket under the fuel pump when you put it on?

I believe they are threaded studs with a nut on the inside and then the one on top to hold the bolt from spinning so you can tighten down. You could see about loosening the nut on top a tad and then tightening the one on the inside to lower the stud. Should give you a lower thread to tighten down on to get the 1/4”

 

[Sluggonaut]

You shouldn’t have to adjust the studs at all. You have the fuel pump gasket under the fuel pump when you put it on?

Yes, I used one of the ones that came with the fuel pump. There was a blue and green one with the new pump and the blue one may have been slightly thicker than the green one. The one that came off the donor pump was green, but the one in the video was blue so I went with that one. Maybe I'll try the green one and see if that changes anything.

I believe they are threaded studs with a nut on the inside and then the one on top to hold the bolt from spinning so you can tighten down. You could see about loosening the nut on top a tad and then tightening the one on the inside to lower the stud. Should give you a lower thread to tighten down on to get the 1/4”

I didn't think I should have to adjust them, but it's the only way I'll be able to get close to 1/4".

I'm not sure how lowering the thread will change anything. It was hard to tell if it was bottoming out on the nuts or the gasket, but I'll bring a flashlight to get a better look later.

I have the newer plastic tank, so I'm even sure if they are studs as you described. The nuts are a good 3-4 threads above the tank.

 

[r3drckt]

I'm not sure how lowering the thread will change anything. It was hard to tell if it was bottoming out on the nuts or the gasket, but I'll bring a flashlight to get a better look later.

I have the newer plastic tank, so I'm even sure if they are studs as you described. The nuts are a good 3-4 threads above the tank.

Ah I Forgot you had the new tank style. My recommendation to lower the threads was based on the old aluminum tank that I have.

If you take one of the nuts and tighten it down on a post without the fuel pump or gasket in place, can you tighten it down to a 1/4" by itself?

 

[Gtstorey]

So the nuts on the studs sit up higher than 1/4”? Picture?

 

[Sluggonaut]

I ran into a couple of minor issues while working on the car this weekend. I didn't notice it before but it looks like every one of my fusebox tabs is busted off, so even with all the miniplugs bolted down, the top half of my fusebox can just move on its own and bounce around. The donor was running with the current fusebox so I really don't want to swap it out yet and introduce any variables or unknown issues. Is there a quick/easy trick for my situation or do I need to get creative with some metal strapping?

After I got everything crowded in with the coolant hoses, IC hoses, engine harness, and main wiring harness around the fusebox, I realized my clutch cable was still zip-tied to the frame. The new clutch block was still in its packaging on the bench too. I took a peek and I don't see how I am going to install that line without taking everything back off. When it comes to bleeding the clutch, is everyone tearing everything off access the bleeder for the clutch? I don't see how it can be done with everything installed.

 

[Rttoys]

Pics of fuse box damage?

when I had problems with my clutch line, I got pretty good with removing the air intake, loosening the fuse box and sliding it over, then there’s enough access to mess with it. Bleeding is “fun”. Not much room for a wrench, but you get creative.

 

[Brett]

I had some broken tabs on my fuse box and used jb weld to put them back on. It seems to be holding. You might be able to find the bottom half on eBay.

 

[Gtstorey]

Be careful with buying them on ebay. They will all say they "fit" the SS for your model year and that may not be true, especially for the SC. I bought one for my turbo LNF that didn't come from a turbo car that I knew wouldn't be the exact wiring pinout. Ebay said it would "fit" even though I knew it wasn't exactly the same. With the wiring diagrams available, they can be made to work (at least on mine) but will make later trouble shooting that much harder.

 

[Sluggonaut]

I've been trying to buy a new fusebox cover forever and everything online said the fuseboxes are the same between the engine models. After picking up a NA model fusebox cover at the pick and pull, I know this is not the case. If the cover is not the same size, how could the fusebox underneath it be the same?

 

[Gtstorey]

Definitely differences between 08-10 models and the earlier ones. I don't know about the differences for the various engines within the same model years for the earlier ones.

 

[Brett]

As you have learned, they are not the same. The LNF and LSJ Definity use different fuse boxes.

The NA cars also have different fuse boxes.

If using ebay, the pictures of the part that will ship make all the different. When you start getting into the nitty gritty of the parts, then the cross-reference for ebay become less accurate.

Which tabs are broken? Pics?

 

[Gtstorey]

If the NA and SS fuses boxes are visually the same, you can probably swap the circuit board/fuse holder portion (to correct for wiring differences) into the "box" for mounting . At least part of the differences is in that portion. But the the ECU holder may be different.
Again, I'm familiar with the later models ones so there may be other differences in the earlier ones.

 

[Sluggonaut]

Pics of fuse box damage?

Which tabs are broken? Pics?

Sorry, had to run out to the garage to snap a few. The driver side and rear tabs on the top piece are snapped off. the only one intact is the passenger side under the power steering power cable.

 

[Gtstorey]

So the lower portion of the box is mounted and the upper portion doesn't clip into the lower? I epoxied/riveted an L bracket on either side of mine with stainless all-thread through. I then had another piece (used a piece of fiberglass with turn signal & Brake light resistors attached) across the entire top that was screwed down with wing nuts.

 

[Gtstorey]

Picture if you zoom in close you can sort of see it.

 

[Brett]

Sorry, had to run out to the garage to snap a few. The driver side and rear tabs on the top piece are snapped off. the only one intact is the passenger side under the power steering power cable.

Ah, most of the damage looks to be the "middle section" of the assembly, so the fuse box itself. I have seen someone run a bungie cord around the fuse box and the lower piece to hold it together.

I like Gtstorey's solution of epoxying brackets on then securing it. I was thinking about a short self taping screw to go through the sides but you need to be careful of where it is place so that it doesn't hit any critical wiring components.