Lucy - Im home!

[Facime]

Heh, yeah. Lucy put up a hell ova fight. God threw everything he could at me too, snow, hail, week long freeezing temps, driving rain, lost tools, etc. I was working in the most primitive workspace you can think of, a plastic canopy with no walls only a roof placed over a gravel area beside the garage of my sisters house. At one point the winds blew the canopy over and it looked like a dead bug laying up against the fence. That morning it was also driving rain and hail as I struggled by myself against the wind to "right" it.

At one point I felt like just sitting down and crying, but I persevered. Lucy has a water leak at one of the back firewall hoses, but I can see the problem and will fix it tomorrow. I still have to hook of the SAFCII, but right out of the box Im running only a little rich (a condition I can live with rather than running lean). No oil leaks, electrically everything is perfect. One good day of tuning and I can let it go until I can get to TX.

Im glad to be done. Pics will come tomorrow (ran out of light as I finished)

 

[Rajunz]

Congrats Pete, you have passed the test!

 

[ForcedTorque]

Nope......We have a late scratch...............................sig says build thread still has 5 days remaining

 

[swaq]

Beautiful day in Corvallis today! Hopefully you're making more progress.

 

[Facime]

Nope, I'm about this close to calling TX2K7 officially out of reach.--> | |

Fixed the coolant leak but temps are still skyrocketing under load. A/F is going nuts to the lean side (making me nervous) and fuel pressure bleeds off to ZERO within minutes of pulling the power to the pump. So far I havent been able to build boost, but I havent taken the time to figure out the boost controller.

I am running open DP right now but dont want to risk trying to get to the muffler shop. Also, even after all that Lucy still acts like she gets flooded after shutting off the car when hot, she did it once already.

Sorry guys, I think I failed my TX2K7 gambit. Looks like it will have to be next year.

 

[Facime]

Ok, well I played with the boost controller a little. I can see Im gonna need some help getting it all set up, but I managed to build boost......12 lbs peak and it shot forward like rocket! :love: Of course I hit fuel cut, I assume from the smaller AFM. I'll get my SAFC hooked up, switch AFM's again and see what I get.


Unfortunately guys...I am begining to think I have a blown headgasket already, Its my punishment for taking the shortcut, I accepted the risk. :nono: Coolant temps spike quite high under rpm with load, then cool back off at idle. Im going to try switching thermostats, but I dont hold much hope. That is however the only symptom Ive noticed so far.

Maybe what I'll do is just throw it on a trailer and get it to Houston. Maybe I can get some help figuring it out down there. Its gonna be heartbreaking to make it all the way there and not be able to take Lucy out in public. :cry:

 

[steven89]

Ok, well I played with the boost controller a little. I can see Im gonna need some help getting it all set up, but I managed to build boost......12 lbs peak and it shot forward like rocket! :love: Of course I hit fuel cut, I assume from the smaller AFM. I'll get my SAFC hooked up, switch AFM's again and see what I get.


Unfortunately guys...I am begining to think I have a blown headgasket already, Its my punishment for taking the shortcut, I accepted the risk. :nono: Coolant temps spike quite high under rpm with load, then cool back off at idle. Im going to try switching thermostats, but I dont hold much hope. That is however the only symptom Ive noticed so far.

Maybe what I'll do is just throw it on a trailer and get it to Houston. Maybe I can get some help figuring it out down there. Its gonna be heartbreaking to make it all the way there and not be able to take Lucy out in public. :cry:

if you do decide to trailer it to Houston, ill help ya work on it if ya want..

Sounds like you're making pretty good progress though

 

[Facime]

Im pretty disheartened right now. Im beginning to wish I had never started this. I shoulda just done a CT upgrade and called it a day.

Im back to no boost. Car shuts down violently with some backfire as soon as it starts to spool. Checked for boost leaks, but havent found any. A/F ratios are all over the place, and when I tune one out it will change on its own later. Still got some major issues here and to be honest Im outta my element now. I need a good tuner.

New gauges are great, but now quite scary. Water temps fluctuate alot and go over 200 at times, then drop back down to 185ish. Oil pressure is bottoming out at idle and really isnt great at cruise either.

I dont have the spirit left to consider the possibility that I need to rebuild the bottom end and then go through this all over again. Im sure as hell not doing it here in Oregon.


Anyone wanna buy a real nice project with tons of good parts?

 

[kylefoto]

CLICK ME!


:biglaugh:

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN!!!!
yes, yes yes yes!
holla.

 

[Rajunz]

You'll be able to get alot of help in Houston, that's not a big issue.

Is your coolant actually getting hot, it sounds like a wiring issue more than a BHG. Also, air in the coolant will make hot pockets like that. Get a FRAM fill kit and mount it in the heater hoses on the firewall and fill from that point.

Take a deep breath, just never give up.

 

[Facime]

BHG for me :3d_frown:

I guess my deck prep sucked.

So, I got a bad pump right out of the box, (or a bad regulator), my HG job was crap, and I get to start all over. No TX2K7 for me.

I dont know what I want to do now, besides cry.
looks like a full rebuild is gonna come sooner than I thought. Might try to find a shortblock and go from there.


edit:
OK, enough of the feeling sorry for myself. I knew it was a risk when I decided to do the top end without properly prepping the block. I fucked up. Im mad at myself for that but its not the end of the world. I was planning on rebuilding at the end of summer this year anyway. I guess I get to do it in the spring instead if the fall. Car is running enough to get on and off a trailer, so thats where its going. I'll probably miss the TX event. I dunno if I can make there in time. I'll try, but not having a running supra there when I get there will be tooooo depressing. Anyway, when I do get there Im hoping to find a little help. Im going to pull the motor and trans and start over. If there is anyone down there willing to lend a hand or a cherry picker or engine stand that would be great.

Im gonna look on the bright side...at least when I'm done this time I can turn the boost up over 15lbs!

 

[tookwik4u89]

Good attitude.........+1 to you, we all been there.....at least I have

 

[suprahooked]

we all been there.....at least I have

Ken: Dont tell us that i just put over $8,000 in to my build andits not done yet, I never drove my car more that around the block when i first got it. But i did get every thing machined. Hey weezl keep your head up high and hang in there, Its just a bump in the road. John

 

[buckshotglass]

Weezl,
It's darkest just before dawn... something like that.
My car totally sucks right now too, if it helps any. It will probably never see the road.
Dave

 

[tookwik4u89]

Ken: Dont tell us that i just put over $8,000 in to my build andits not done yet, I never drove my car more that around the block when i first got it. But i did get every thing machined. Hey weezl keep your head up high and hang in there, Its just a bump in the road. John

Fairly new motor, I leaned out when hose popped off AFPR, melted plugs, porcelain dinged up valves. I re-ring it, then had oversize stainless valves put in my P/P head while it was apart. The first time I raced, 2 valve seats popped out. Took it all apart again and had all new valve seats put in.

 

[da89soup]

Weezy we feel ya!!!! I shal pray to the Supra gods to heal your BHG blues.....

 

[Facime]

Fairly new motor, I leaned out when hose popped off AFPR, melted plugs, porcelain dinged up valves. I re-ring it, then had oversize stainless valves put in my P/P head while it was apart. The first time I raced, 2 valve seats popped out. Took it all apart again and had all new valve seats put in.

Ugh, and I thought I had bad luck. Its not that big of a deal for me. I have all the fabrication done now. Also since Ive now done it once I know how to do it, and it should take less time and be alot easier. Only difference is that Im going to pull the whole engine, strip it down and have a machine shop resurface it. Since I was inside and know what the cylinders looked like I know I can avoid a bore and new pistons. I'll have the stock parts cleaned and tested, replace as needed, balanced, new seals and bearings, and put back together. The head is already done, so that will only need a lap job. Anyone able to recommend a good, fast, cheap (yeah I know, pick two and Im in business) machine shop in Houston?

Guess I need to start looking into metal head gaskets.

Anyone have any advice for a gasket? Least expensive route for a fix it once and be done with it deal. I hope to run up to 25lbs max boost. If you suggest one please also mention where to get it.

Finally, if you have been following this thread and you live in the Houston area, AND you are experienced at putting short blocks together, AND you are willing to teach me process, AND you like BBQ...please let me know. My roomate and I can put someone up for a couple days if someone wants to road trip it.

 

[americanjebus]

Dude sorry to hear about your cars hickups, Hang in there and i hope you have a daily driver so this isnt your only hope.

Just keep in mind that these cars are our hobbies and we cant let them take over our lives. They may kick us in the balls every once in a while but if you stick with it and be patient they always have a way of bouncing back.

call this an excuse to go big.
-Luis

 

[speed]

americanjebus, I've had my supra for about 8 months, and your sig is absolutely 100% spot on. Well done.

 

[ForcedTorque]

Pete, GO TO TXTK7!

I recently went to the Alabama meet WITHOUT my Supra, due to a minor water leak that I didn't have time to fix. I had the time of my life without it. I can't explain what it's like to be able to put faces to all the screen names that I've seen here. But ya, it was a little depressing to not have my car there. BUt I'd much rather have been there without it, than to not have been there at all.

And...Americanjebus.........perfect post! I woulda +1'd you for that. That's the attitude that keeps these cars going.