ribs

Well...I was hoping that I would be able to start my car right up by the end of my evening's fiasco in my makeshift shop, but as always, I had some hitches (some pretty major ones, too). I am so tired I don't really feel like writing this, but I have questions I need answered before I start working on it again tomorrow afternoon...I'll respond to the other thread that I read thoroughly (thanks, BTW, whoever suggested vasoline and needlenose pliers for the bushings...it worked like a charm) after I am all done and can thank everybody individually for all of their help. First off, I have to say that Jason from paragon products is the f'ing man. I'll tell you why in a couple of minutes, but for now, I'll tell you what I got done. Today, I got my front swaybar on, banjo bolt for the oilpan on (big trouble with that...read down), crossover pipe with all new nuts, bolts, and anti-seize compound (took me 3 and a half friggin' hours!!!), 1 stainless brakeline on (read down), my aux water pump on then off again (read down), the master cylinder heatshield on but it has to come off again (big trouble with that...read down), my front wheels on, my car off of jackstands (more trouble...read down), and I was somehow covered head to toe in the silvery anti-seize, making me look like the tin man.

Alright...so here is what bad happened today. First off, I borrowed some flarenut wrenches from the owner of the local import shop that has been doing a little work for me (real nice guy, letting me borrow tools and all) to install my stainless lines. I get back to my storage spot, and decide to install my swaybar...all the bushings went in fine, and with some floorjacks on the a-arms to flatten them out, I was able to get them in hitch free. Then from there, everything went to ****. I pull one of the stainless lines from the bag I got from paragon, start twisting it into the caliper, then I go to screw it into the hardline on the body, and guess what...the bolt that is supposed to spin freely of the line doesn't. I spend about 20 minutes molesting the end of this line, trying everything from WD40 to repeatedly whacking it with a 1/2 inch ratchet...nothing...I have a defective line. I am about to cry here because its my spring break and I have been working harder than I have in a long time, and I want to get this car done so I can go home to my parents house, sleep a full 12 hours, and go out to bars with my buddies for a couple of days and get ****ed up. I realized that I could call paragon and have them send me another line...so I call and jason answers. I explain to him the problem, he gets one of the stainless lines to visualize the problem, he tells me he'll send it out today, I tell him I need it by tomorrow because I am almost done with my car and am willing to pay for the overnight shipping ($25!), and he tells me he'll split it with me. What a great guy...a happy customer is a repeat customer.

Anyways, I try to put on the crossover pipe (I never got it split and flanged because the exhaust shop didn't do anything with it the 2 days it was sitting there) and it lines up fine at the turbo and the wastegate, but is about 1/4" off at the headers...so I spend 20 minutes contorting the the flanges on the headers and x-over pipe to get them to line up with a screwdriver...finally I start installing my new stainless bolts, get them all tight, and remember that I probably should put anti-seize on them if I ever want to get this pipe off...so I have to unbolt them most of the way, apply the **** that made me look like the tin man today, and tighten them back down. Then I screw together the bolts on the flange for the wastegate...no problems here. Then I get to the turbo side of the x-over pipe and remember how it took me 2 hours to get 4 bolts out before, but this should take me 20 minutes because I have new non-rusted hardware...boy was I wrong. The new bolts I got were either 16mm or 5/8"...I don't have a 16mm socket or wrench in my set, but luckily I had a 5/8"...I didn't know this until I spent an hour and a half struggling to get the bolts in with a 17mm wrench and socket, only getting 1 in in this whole time. I had to use a screwdriver with the nut duct taped to it to actually get it to line up so I could screw in the bolt. So 2 hours into it, I finally get a 4 bolts and 3 nuts partially screwed into eachother, but the bolts keep slipping when I try screwing them in. What gives, I think. So, I finally realize that the bolts are smaller than 17mm. I end up using my big *** adjustable size wrench and a 5/8" socket to get these in, but it still took me forever.

Then it gets much worse. After I get the x-over pipe in, I go to screw in the huge banjo bolt in the side of the oilpan that I just hand tightened in because I left my adjustable wrench, which, at its largest size, is a perfect fit for this 35mm (?) bolt. I did everything properly...I unscrewed it and made sure the bolt was clean, then I start screwing it in with the wrench, and after about 15 1/6th rotations, it gets really hard to screw...I go for 2 more 1/6th rotations, and at this point I have to literally pull my entire bodyweight down on this bolt to get it to budge...and it still had about 1/4 inch to go...so I unscrew it, and find a bunch of metal shavings in the bolt that weren't there when I started twisting. I cleaned the bolt off, and try again...gets stuck at the same point...I pull the bolt out, and more metal shavings...I look in the hole in the oilpan, and about 1/3 the circumference of the hole's threads were completely stripped out. I did my best to clean it out, making sure I pulled all the shavings out and trying my best not to get any into the pan. I try again...goes a little further, and gets stuck again. This time, I go around each thread with a screwdriver and get all of the shavings out and try to re-align any crossed threads (I have no idea what caused this, BTW), and I clean it out really good. This time, I bolt it into the half stripped out hole, and it goes in without too much elbow grease (but more than it should) all the way. So another hour wasted on one stupid bolt.

So then, I install my new aux waterpump into the two hoses (my old one leaked when the car got hot), in without a hitch, then I go to install my bitch of a sadfk;lfdsakfdsal;kjfsad!!! master cylinder heat shield. I had to remove the aux waterpump that I just installed to get this in (no biggie...took me 1 minute each way) but like a moron I also took out the metal elbow sticking out of the turbo. I struggled with the heat shield to get it in place, but finally I got it over the 3 bolts. I screw in the bottom 2 (the rear bottom one is a 1-click at a time bitch to do...it took me hours to figure out how to get this nut off before), and then I go to screw in the top one against the firewall, and as the nut starts to get tight, the bolt pops off the body where it was riveted! God damn it. Anyways, I figure 3 bolts holding it in will be good enough, so after spending 10 minutes molesting this heat shield around a bundle of wires in the front of it, I finally get the front bolt to line up. I go to screw in the top front bolt, and for some reason the screw won't go in. I try more, and finally it goes in, but goes all the way...it is completely stripped out. So now this heat shield is held in my the bottom 2 bolts only...but I have to take it off again anyways to put the elbow for the turbo to aux pump back in...I was about to cry at this point.

I figured I might as well put the wheels back on and take my car off of jack stands since I don't need to do anything underneath it until I get the stainless line tomorrow (I guess later today) and put the bellypan back on. Fair enough...so I jack the front up by the crossmember with my bigass floorjack, pull the jackstands out, and drop the car...and guess what...it was sitting on my floorjack...no biggie...it did that before, I just forgot. So I used my little floorjack to jack up one side at the front lift point, pulled the big floorjack out, then lowered the little jack. Uh-oh. the car is resting on this one, too. It didn't used to do this. I have my coilovers set to 1 thread from maximum rideheight...I guess it is still a bit lower than it was before. So I have to jack the middle jackpoint up with my big jack, then jack the rear torsionbar mount up with my littlejack to get the bigjack out. So...it is going to be more complicated to lift my car from now on...oh well...the price we pay for performance.

So, after all of these huge headaches, I leave my storage shed at 4 in the morning. I go to wawa to buy a gallon of water and some cigarettes. I come outside, and there is a crackhead rumminging through my toyota! I guess I should lock it next time. I walk up to my car, and instead of running away (there was nothing valuble in the car except my fuel injectors in the glovebox, but they were still there) the crackhead jumps into the passenger's seat! I was just like "what....the....****" and opened my door. The crackhead, sitting shotgun in my car, asks me if I have any change. I said no, and get the **** out of my car. She says "I just need a ride down the street". I told her to get the **** out or I am calling the cops...she told me "please, don't call the cops...blah blah"...finally, after 45 seconds of conversing with this tresspasser, I just start my car and start pulling out of wawa...I was hoping she would hop out at the light, but she tells me "turn left...my house is 3 blocks down". I decided just to give her a ride...I look over, and she asks if I mind if she throws this out...I said "what ever" even though I normally don't litter...it was what appeared to be a red empty vial of crack. ****, only 2 blocks...she somehow gets 2 cigarettes out of me and when I drop her off at her house, she asks me if I "hang out"...I assume that means smoke crack, which I am glad I don't and hopefully never will. I told her I need to go home. She asks me for 2 dollars, and doesn't say thanks for the ride or anything. ****ing crackheads.

I also have decided I am not going to mess with my torsion bars until I can find somebody to help me, becuase I am so incredibly worn out from working over 30 hours in the past 3 days on my back with arms suspended over top of me, pulling a couple of muscles in the process that after I get this back together I don't want to pick up another wrench for at least a week.

Oh, so anyways, questions:

1. If I did incidentally get some metal shavings from the stripped hole in the oilpan, what is the best way to go about fixing this? I was thinking of filling the car 1/2 way with some $1/quart ****ty oil, draining it, and repeating, never starting the car. Any other suggestions?

2. Does anybody know where I can find a diagram of the DME so I can find where to put the line from my air/fuel gauge into it to tap a voltage from the 02 sensor? I got double shielded probe wire to do this...I assume this will be good enough not to distort the signal.

3. I think I am going to tap my KLR for the boost if it infact does get both vacuum and boost...does anybody know the vacuum line size going into it so I can get the proper t's and extra line?

4. Does anybody think that I will actually finish tomorrow? All I have to do is re-install my intake manifold, throttlebody cable, airbox, intercooler and pipes, front center piece, a couple of heat shields, spark plugs and wires, fuel rail and injectors, stainless fuel lines, both rear and 1 front stainless brake lines, battery, rear shocks, rear brake pads, rear replacement swaybar bushings, boost and air/fuel gauges, refill oil, PS fluid, coolant, replace fuel filter, and the belly pan and front plastic scrape guard thing. ****, I just realized that the registration lapsed on my car since I had it in storage...I've had it over 2 years...the longest of any car I have owned!

5. Does anybody think it will actually work once I put it together? Does anybody want to start a betting pool on it. I got 5 on "it's never going to run again".

Geez...I spent over half an hour typing this...and its getting light out. Time for bed (but I'm so damn hungry, and I haven't eaten since last night at this time)...g'night, and thanks as always.

Thaddeus

Wow, what an ordeal. No ideas on the stripped B-Bolt..

Hang in there..

Thaddeus

billybones

WOW! bad day, unfortunatly when your tired things take longer.. as far as the shavings. they won't float and the suction screen is just what that is for.. wait till you see the metal after doing a break in. So don't worry about doing the fill and drain.. it will do no good. the shavings are where that stuff belongs.. bottom of the pan..besides the **** oil might do more damage. any more bad threads though will net you the title of crossthread <img src="graemlins/oops.gif" border="0" alt="[oops]" /> I got 5 that says it will start and that by the way is the best feeling... better than that first time. and lasts way longer.

doyle

Maybe the first thing you should have bought for this project was a good set of tools. An adjustable wrench?? I know there are many mechanics rolling over in their graves.

But seriously, what are the shavings? I assume they are from the Aluminum Pan. If not, glue a strong little magnet to the oil pan drain bolt, this will attract the shavings if they are steel.

_________________________
doyle

billybones

Hmm, mine already has a magnet on it, maybe its after market.

951Tom

Ribs,
I would get one of those long telescoping metal rods with a magnet on the end to reach in the whole a remove the shavings. If its the return oil hole from the turbo, that hole should be plenty big enough to get the magnet all around in there. Auto stores sell them, mine has saved my *** many of times when dropping stuff into small engine crevises that you can't see into. You've got to get those shavings out or they could end up in the oil passages and destroy bearings.

Tom
'87 951
'86 Supra - repairng blown head gskt

jim968

Ribs, you're gonna have to keep that car forever... too many memories & too much sweat equity!!! But hang tough!

While the suction screen on the pump pick-up will stop any big shavings, I'd be happier if they weren't in there, was it my car. I'm guessing aluminum shavings (from threads in the pan, yes?

Two ideas for getting them out, assuming you haven't added oil yet.

(My mental image says this is the hole on the left side of the pan, across & offset from the drain plug, a little above the bottom...yes?)

If so, try this 'un... if they still make 'em, get one of the little cylindrical hand vacs (tiny little thing, fits easily in one hand, sold for vac'ing keyboards, runs off a 9V battery, IIRC).

Rig up an extension tube for the nozzle so that you can go in from the drain plug hole across the pan to the area below the stripped hole. The vac won't suck up the larger particles, but it will hold them on the nozzle so you can get them out. I did this once with the broken bits of ceramic from a disintegrated spark plug...

Alternatively, try a piece of coat-hanger wire with some of the tacky stuff they sell in office supply stores for putting up posters and the like, again going in thru th edrain plug hole. There's a class in the room where we keep ours, so I'll have to wait a few hours before I can get the brand name and play with it to see if it might work...

Jim, just full of bad ideas today...

Ski

Ribs,,man what a spring break! Banjo bolt and shavings: I think the oil thing is a pretty good idea and cheap. If they weren't to large for you to really worry about, the filter should pick them up if they get that far.

DME: I just hooked a A/F-inj duty cycle. I do not remember exact but here goes(double check on racerX homepage - Danno)#15 inj duty cycle, #18 ground, #24 O2, and #35 power. Please double check that info as I am not at home where my manuals are.

Boost: I tapped off of the 2nd line coming off the intake manifold(NOT the KLR line but vaccum line behind the line going to the KLR) with a brass tee and blue purosil, ran it over to behind the fuse box, I had a grommett already there but not in use. Drilled a hole just to the upper right of the fuse box, installed a gromett, and ran the hose through and up the A-pillar pod. There is a blank area by your fuse box that is clear under the dash. No interference and good ground source for gauge pod lights if you have one of the new dual pods.

Mike B

That's a bad break on cross threading the banjo bolt...I think you may have to go with Jim's idea...What else is there...I hope you don't have to take the pan out again cause I think that might be enough to put a guy over the edge...

Tom R.

Im sending your post to everyone I know that is even considering any modifications to their car.

does the crackhead know the schitzo you hung out with? when it comes to women if you didnt have bad luck you'd have no luck.

and if you did "hang out" with the crackhead you better not tell us the details of what you cought. <img src="graemlins/offtopic.gif" border="0" alt="[offtopic]" /> <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

Perry 951

Ribs -

Don't forget that I did my first rebuild over spring break last year. Something about trying to get it all done in a week just does not happen. As for what you have left, take your time. You will have more time to mess with the friends later. A broken car will do you no good.

Everyone forgets that almost the entire motor is made of aluminum, non magnetic. I suggest you get a vacuum and suck out what you can. Unless you want to pull the pan, you'll have to cross the fingers and hope the filter gets it. Most every rebuild, or fresh build from the factory will have some metal shavings in the motor somewhere. 99.9% of the time it is no issue. I would also cross the fingers that the bolt does not leak. ALWAYS ALWAYS stop screwing in a steel bolt in aluminum if there is resistance. Aluminum threads are not strong at all, as you have found out.

As for the crackheads.... crackheads are fun! They give me a laugh. Still.. I would have kicked her *** to the curb.

I cannot remember the pinout to hook up to the O@ sensor at the DME.. but I think Huntley's site has the ARM-1 install guide on their site. I'll try and get that in a few. The line into the KLR is perfect for the boost gauge... but you will need a good brass T and compression fittings to tap into it. Talk to the ricer shop, they could hook you up I am sure.

As far as it working.. sure. Why not? Worse things have happened to other peoples cars and they ran! (well, for a while, but it will run again!) Just triple check everything before you hit the key, and drive it nice for a few hundred miles.

Good luck man... remember to take your time.

Perry 951

The signal from oxygen sensor comes in at Pin-24 and ground at Pin-28.

tt9714

Ribs,
Sorry to hear about all of your difficulties with the reassembly of your car. I just spent about 4 hours trying to reinstall my clutch master cylinder, and I ended up disconnecting the brake booster from the firewall to get enough clearance for my hands.

If there is one thing that I have learned through experience over the last few months is not to rush through these type of repair projects. I know this is easier "said" than "done," but invariably when I try to go too quickly on a job I end up making mistakes. If nothing else, my rebuild has taught me the true meaning of patience.

Unfortunately not everyone has the luxury of having a dedicated garage to work in. Also, some people may only have one car as a daily driver which does not allow weeks of downtime.

I suppose that I really respect the professional mechanics because not only do they have to do ~quality~ work, but they need to remain ~productive~ (i.e. high throughput) at the same time. If I were working as a professional mechanic, I probably wouldn't make much money when I started quoting excessively high labor times!

One other point is that virtually every repair job seems to get easier with practice (isn't everything this way?). That's one of the fundamental principles of this discussion board in that we can all share our own tidbits of advice that really aren't formally written down anywhere.

Take care,
MDW

lordgrommit

Ribs
Hats off to you .. I redid most of the motor and it only took me about 2 months. I have to say once you've done it there is nothing that will scare you about your car again.

The DME Tube will give you Vaccum and Boost as mine is hooked up there and it gives both . Mine is a VDO if thats any help.

I wouldn't worry about shavings in the pan.. the head yes the pan no the oil filter and the strainer on the pickup should take them out but fill the car with oil then change it at after you've run it for an hour or so.

I'll bet you won't have it running tommrow I kept thinking myself today today today.. I had the whole thing done for days before I had it running seems like little things kept poping up.. another thing make shure all your boost hoses are really really secure I kept blowing mine off again and again scaring the hell out of me when I did.. I'd tool along then give it some gas and BANG.. I though oh god the timing belt snaped I'm poo poo. but just a boost hose.. and it will run may take a bit but it will run..

Matt

Perry 951

Ribs.. no update today?

That means he is still working on it, or out for a joy ride.