Lonzo's 88 Coupe 3.4 DOHC build thread

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 4:50 pm

It's alright, thanks for trying!

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:45 pm

I got the 3/8" aluminum flanges fabricated today for the N* throttle body and the 3" intake arm. They look good.

I also cut off the mounting tabs from the 96-97 fuel rail, turned it around backwards, and welded the tabs back on. Now the inlet/outlet are on the Fiero side, doing it this way is much better than running the lines all of the way around the engine. Lastly, I installed a known good set of 94-97 injectors.

I cleaned off the valve covers and intake, and prepped them for paint.

I searched through my metric buckets for bolts as well. I was able to find every bolt I needed, which is good, now I won't have to buy any. So every bolt will stay metric, and will be 8/10/13/15mm.

I also cleaned the motor a lot, and changed spark plugs
.
I think that's all I did today. Progress is being held up by the intake gaskets, which are on their way.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:54 pm

A few pics of the engine as it sits, with my newest project in the background. A 1976 Honda CL360 :afrocool:

MstangsBware · Post by **MstangsBware** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:41 am

Aaron wrote:A few pics of the engine as it sits, with my newest project in the background. A 1976 Honda CL360 :afrocool:

Think you can shake a little more--The pictures aren't blurry enough.

Looks like it is coming along pretty good. I am working on a 3800SC swap for a guy and its a few weeks from being complete.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:44 am

I suck at the whole camera thing. I don't know wtf I'm doing wrong. I'll use my usual camera tomorrow. Not like it's any better.

I don't know how far off I am, I could have it done next week, but my ADD owns me, so I work slowly and very on or off. Like yesterday I didn't touch it at all, but today, I worked on it for 5 hours straight. At any rate, he is flying out to pick the car up on the 13th of December, so I think I'll try to have it done by then.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:48 pm

Over the past few days, I replaced all of the mounts with Rodney's poly mounts, added the 4th engine mount, and put on the A/C compressor, but no real pics of this stuff.

I spent the day yesterday working on the newest toy, my 1976 Honda CL360. I had the gas tank cleaned and pressure checked, and had the carburetors rebuilt and cleaned. I also replaced all of the fuel lines, and the points on the distributor. I was able to get it running, and it runs good. The motor isn't exactly quiet, a lot of valvetrain/cranking noise, but my Dad said that they all clacked about. I rode it around the block, and it's down some power, but seems to run ok. I know the carbs are totally out of tune, so maybe next week I'll toss my wideband in and see if I can't get them straightened out.

Today, I put in about 3 hours on the car, and used my other camera, so maybe the pics turned out a bit better. I picked the LIM up from the welder's, he plugged the right coolant port (Stock went to the TB), and welded a 90* elbow onto the left coolant port (This is for the heater core). I then put it on, with the new gaskets. Lastly, I put everything in the car. This is the first time I installed an engine entirely by myself, but it went perfect. Everything on this car is going so smoothly, it's almost got me worried. His engine also sits ont he cradle nicer than any of the DOHC swaps I've done, it has almost an inch of clearance between the timing belt cover and the strut tower! The cradle and shock towers are tight, the ebrake cables are back together (Though not adjusted), and the next step is to run the cooling lines and rework the wiring harness.

fieromadman · Post by **fieromadman** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:48 pm

Aaron wrote:

I want a detailed picture of the coolent passage work on the lower intake. What type of tubing did you use for that?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:26 pm

I'll get one tomorrow. It's really simple though.

I used a piece of aluminum tubing from the A/C system, that had a formed 90* bend in it. Then just had my welder weld it to the port in the LIM. Really simple. I'm not sure what size the tubing is, the larger on the A/C lines.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:47 pm

Here is another pic of the coolant lines. The lower one will need to be cut shorter, as it is running into the shift cable, but that's no big deal. Wow what a great picture, the cable is right in the way....Nice job photographer. Sorry about that. Also, it isn't nearly as close to the exhaust crossover as it looks.

I did the fuel lines today, they turned out nice. I used the car-side ends from the 2.8, and the engine side from the 3.4, then welded them together. I also got the wiring harness all laid out, I'm going to fuck with that this weekend.

fieromadman · Post by **fieromadman** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:01 pm

So what are you doing with the t body/heater line? That's blocked off right?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:54 pm

Yah, that's the right port on the LIM, and my welded just welded it closed.

The left port has the tube coming off of it, which will feed the heater core.

There is one concern about doing it this way. The T-body coolant line serves 2 purposes in the W-body. The first, is to make sure your TB doesn't freeze shut or some stupid shit like that. The second, and more important, is to serve as a pressure bypass. Say your engine is cold, T-stat is closed, and you pin it to 7000rpm one morning getting on the highway (We've all done it). At 7k rpm, the water pump is flowing a precisely calculated metric shit ton of water. The T-stat is closed, so it builds pressure. The only places for it to go are the oil cooler, and the heater core. So in theory, it could damage the heater core (Which is weak to begin with). I'm going to rely on the pressure loss from the long Fiero heater core lines, and hopefully he won't have any problems. I don't think he will, there are thousands of cars driving around with the T-body line blocked off, or no heater core bypass at all.

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:43 pm

It's more than just a high RPM bypass. It provides flow in general when the thermostat in closed. The heater core circuit is not necessarily enough.
On Blue Shift's car, there were wild temperature swings due to poor circulation while the engine was cold. Metal was showing up in the oil, which we figured was the result of main bearing damage due to -something-. I noticed the temperature swings while watching the scanner as he drove around town.
After reinstalling the stock bypass line, the temperature swings went away, and the metal flakes didn't come back. The block was apparently warping enough from the uneven heating to make the crank scrub the mains.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 2:40 am

The oil cooler also offers coolant flow. My car is running with even less coolant flow than that, as mine is setup much the same way. The only difference is that I'm not worried at all about my heater core, as it is fed from the turbo, which is a big enough restriction. I haven't noticed any abnormal temperature swings like you described.

I'll put it together like it is, and I'll carefully watch it on the scanner. There are literally hundreds of these running around with the same basic coolant setup though (There's even new cars that don't have any other form of heater core bypass).

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:18 pm

Aaron wrote:oolant setup though (There's even new cars that don't have any other form of heater core bypass).

They have internal bypasses for closed-thermostat coolant flow.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:45 pm

Update..

I've got the wiring harness mostly finished, though there are a few things still (I'm waiting on more heat shrink). That should be here Tuesday at the latest.

I got the 3" intake arm welded up, however I still need to weld the IAC return in it, and the vacuum source for the brake booster.

I ran all of the heater coolant lines, and the passenger side radiator line, but am waiting on the A/C lines to do the driver's side coolant ones. Unfortunately, I'm having a very difficult time finding the A/C lines. I have a lead though.

I also ran the rest of the vacuum lines, to include the MAP sensor, fuel pressure regulator, PCV, and the valve cover breather. I had to trim the throttle cable bracket and rotate the breather line vacuum source in order to get the decklid to clear, but it works good now. The throttle cable bracket is a bit flimsy, and could bend over time, so I'll be welding in a gusset tomorrow.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:53 pm

It runs! Motor pretty much started right up, and sounds good. I was worried it wasn't going to start on me, so I was going to name the video "Battery Test," but it fired up pretty quickly. There's some slight tapping from the top end, but that's the norm for a 3.4 DOHC, especially one that hasn't been run in a while. I'm going to top off the Mobil 1, and that should quiet it down. I just checked the oil, and as I suspected, it was on the minimum line. The DOHC oil cooler, and the extended capacity filter I use, take an entire quart of oil to fill!

The car is loud as fuck! I forgot how loud it was, it sounds nothing like my car, and is much louder. But it sounds mean!!! The stock fuel pump is also near silent! I could barely hear it priming. The 255 pump in my car whines a lot more (I can hear it at idle).

No SES light, no fluid leaks, and the car held a good idle (Although a bit high, needs time to learn/close loop a bit).

I've got a bunch more things to tie up on it, A/C lines, brake/clutch bleed, adjusting the e-brake, wiring in the clutch switch, and putting the interior back together, but it should be driving in a week or so.

Video:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/88-F ... 204974.htm

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:39 am

Aaron wrote:It runs!

No SES light,

Replace the Bulb! :la:

how much is this costing Lonzo out of curiosity. I know a squeeling belt V8 is around 4-5K, whats a good 3.4tdc swap run?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 3:43 pm

Since it is considerably less than the V8, I'll go ahead and post the numbers. I asked $2000 for the basic swap, exactly as it appeared in my maroon GT. Lonzo chose to upgrade to the set of 96-97 intakes, which have shorter more consistent runners, and 3x the plenum volume. I also made the 3" mandrel bent intake arm, and put on a brand new N* 75mm throttle body. This cost $200 extra. The swap did not include A/C, but Lonzo wanted it. So I am charging him for the compressor and the lines, but I am throwing in the wiring for free. So total is roughly $2250 for everything.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 5:33 pm

Does that include the motor or is that just labor?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:01 pm

It includes absolutely everything. Every part, engine mounts, engine, exhaust, wiring harness, coolant lines, custom fuel lines, everything. It also got a new set of spark plugs, fresh Mobil 1 synthetic, a Pure 1 oil filter, a new cone air filter, new intake manifold gaskets, and the later style upgraded fuel injectors. For $2250, he drops his car off, and picks it up with a high quality 3.4 swap, with no expense spared, running perfectly.

There were a couple problems with the old wiring harness that bothered me. I tore the entire harness apart, and redid most of it. As I said before, he's damn lucky he's not paying me by the hour!