Build Thread 1978 Fairmont. I bet somebody back home’s thinkin’…I wonder why he don’t write..?

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Oh hey , these reviews sound like what I expected from you . Even though you took the long road - the mike road - you’re welcome :).

im happyto see positive things out of this thread .
Also - why not just get two coolant hose pliers and clamp the heater hose - cut it and add the valve ? So you don’t have to drain to make a mess
 
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Man what a day yesterday was..

The first thing I wanted to do was get the AC system charged, then get the seats in it, and take it for a quick spin before renting the truck, and getting the tool box.

The AC system wouldn’t/ didn’t charge properly. Due to the omission of the heater control valve. Now because I’ve done that, hot water flows through the heater core continually which shares a common plenum with the AC evaporator.
The AC system won’t work when competing with 200 degree water.

So,..... :nonono: Back up in the air the car goes, and the radiator gets drained yet another time. I’ll have to put two manual ball valves in the water lines, and create a bypass using T’s, so i can shut the back flow off to the heater core, while still allowing water to move out of the back of the head to the inlet on the back of the water pump. I’ll shut the water off in the summer, and open it back in the winter ( for all of the freakin driving I’ll never do in the winter anyway).

Ive got no speedometer despite having it hooked to the sender. IDK if it’s the way it’s wired, or if the sender is somehow incompatible. One way or the other, that’s gotta work..even if I have to buy a GPS based sender.

When i first drove it, and the console was back in, and the shifter cover installed, I backed the thing out, put it in low, and pulled out of the drive. I thought “Man, the converter is really loose”.
After driving it, I counted the forward gears.. 1,2,3, neutral.. WTF? either I had no low gear, or the shifter was adjusted wrong.

Turns out, the console, and the shifter cover are going to have to be modified. The handle hits the both in low.

Andd...”modifying“ the console while in place, tore a huge chunk of paint off one of the bars..I don’t even know if I can get the cover clearanced enough to allow the handle full rearward movement.

The trans is noisy in low gear..Googling that reveals that that might be normal for a 4l80,..something about the cut on the gears in the planetary..or, they may be worn. ( or, when the sht fell out of the trans when I dumped it, i may have hurt them):shrug:
Ill find out soon enough i guess.

The one-two shift creates a real un-nerving torque related lurch to the right when the tires break loose..I dont feel confident that i’d keep my foot in it when this thing is making real power...I also don’t think i’m revving the engine into the higher rpm where it’s gonna get even more weird when I shift. The old Monster made enough torque down low to spin the tires almost off idle in low, and when shifting, the tires were already blazing,..now, this stupid thing comes into power exponentially, the longer you keep it in gear, the more power it starts making, and by the time you’re at shift point, it’s ready to raise all kinds of hell....
And i’m not itching to get added to somebodies “Cars and Coffee drive out fails” video.


Its all a new kinda learning curve..20 psi...is gonna be the game changer I think.
that’ll be a minute,..gotta get with Steve, make sure the water meth is flowing, the a2w intercooler pump is moving water,..the afr is right,..all while I’m trying to keep it straight.
 
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Man what a day yesterday was..

The first thing I wanted to do was get the AC system charged, then get the seats in it, and take it for a quick spin before renting the truck, and getting the tool box.

The AC system wouldn’t/ didn’t charge properly. Due to the omission of the heater control valve. Now because I’ve done that, hot water flows through the heater core continually which shares a common plenum with the AC evaporator.
The AC system won’t work when competing with 200 degree water.

So,..... :nonono: Back up in the air the car goes, and the radiator gets drained yet another time. I’ll have to put two manual ball valves in the water lines, and create a bypass using T’s, so i can shut the back flow off to the heater core, while still allowing water to move out of the back of the head to the inlet on the back of the water pump. I’ll shut the water off in the summer, and open it back in the winter ( for all of the freakin driving I’ll never do in the winter anyway).

Ive got no speedometer despite having it hooked to the sender. IDK if it’s the way it’s wired, or if the sender is somehow incompatible. One way or the other, that’s gotta work..even if I have to buy a GPS based sender.

When i first drove it, and the console was back in, and the shifter cover installed, I backed the thing out, put it in low, and pulled out of the drive. I thought “Man, the converter is really loose”.
After driving it, I counted the forward gears.. 1,2,3, neutral.. WTF? either I had no low gear, or the shifter was adjusted wrong.

Turns out, the console, and the shifter cover are going to have to be modified. The handle hits the both in low.

Andd...”modifying“ the console while in place, tore a huge chunk of paint off one of the bars..I don’t even know if I can get the cover clearanced enough to allow the handle full rearward movement.

The trans is noisy in low gear..Googling that reveals that that might be normal for a 4l80,..something about the cut on the gears in the planetary..or, they may be worn. ( or, when the sht fell out of the trans when I dumped it, i may have hurt them):shrug:
Ill find out soon enough i guess.

The one-two shift creates a real un-nerving torque related lurch to the right when the tires break loose..I dont feel confident that i’d keep my foot in it when this thing is making real power...I also don’t think i’m revving the engine into the higher rpm where it’s gonna get even more weird when I shift. The old Monster made enough torque down low to spin the tires almost off idle in low, and when shifting, the tires were already blazing,..now, this stupid thing comes into power exponentially, the longer you keep it in gear, the more power it starts making, and by the time you’re at shift point, it’s ready to raise all kinds of hell....
And i’m not itching to get added to somebodies “Cars and Coffee drive out fails” video.


Its all a new kinda learning curve..20 psi...is gonna be the game changer I think.

So what we gather from this is despite all the planning you can muster, you will forever be Do it twice Mike. It’s ok, one doesn’t need AC as much in the fall.
 
I’m talking to this old man at work who has noticed the screen saver pic on my computer. He’s waiting on his car to get serviced, and I got nothing going on, so I invite him to sit down and I’d be happy to talk with him about it. I’d guess him to be in his 80’s

I’m showing him pics of the thing, and telling him what I've done, including the decision to upgrade to the 4l80.

After talking to him for a while he stops me and wants to know if he's hearing me right..Wants to know why I keep referring to the transmission as......You ready for this?

For a Lady.

NO...YOU CROTCHEDY OLD GUY,..NOT " For a lady" ..

4 EL 80!!!
:nonono:

Actually we both laughed, he said I kept wondering why a guy would use a transmission that was meant for a lady,..
And if there was such a thing, which one is meant for a guy.
 
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I’m talking to this old man at work who has noticed the screen saver pic on my computer. He’s waiting on his car to get serviced, and I got nothing going on, so I invite him to sit down and I’d be happy to talk with him about it. I’d guess him to be in his 80’s

I’m showing him pics of the thing, and telling him what I've done, including the decision to upgrade to the 4l80.

After talking to him for a while he stops me and wants to know if he's hearing me right..Wants to know why I keep referring to the transmission as......You ready for this?

For a Lady.

NO...YOU CROTCHEDY OLD GUY,..NOT " For a lady" ..

4 EL 80!!!
:nonono:

Actually we both laughed, he said I kept wondering why a guy would use a transmission that was meant for a lady,..
And if there was such a thing, which one is meant for a guy.


A "man"ual transmission, duh!! :tss:

Ok, I'll exit stage left...
 
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I’m talking to this old man at work who has noticed the screen saver pic on my computer. He’s waiting on his car to get serviced, and I got nothing going on, so I invite him to sit down and I’d be happy to talk with him about it. I’d guess him to be in his 80’s

I’m showing him pics of the thing, and telling him what I've done, including the decision to upgrade to the 4l80.

After talking to him for a while he stops me and wants to know if he's hearing me right..Wants to know why I keep referring to the transmission as......You ready for this?

For a Lady.

NO...YOU CROTCHEDY OLD GUY,..NOT " For a lady" ..

4 EL 80!!!
:nonono:

Actually we both laughed, he said I kept wondering why a guy would use a transmission that was meant for a lady,..
And if there was such a thing, which one is meant for a guy.

Perfect description of any automatic! :cheers:

That pic of it turned just out of the garage, almost makes me like a Futura! Congrats on finally getting the TooJayZee running, driving, and spinning tires. It sounds like it will more than fall out of a tree now.

And just so I didn't think the world ended, you still have silly issues to fix. The world is still spinning. I'm wondering about the whole heater bypass valve situation. What if you get up and it's 54 (like this morning) and you put the heat on. As you drive throughout the day, it gets to 84, also like today. Would you have to pull over and finagle the valves to get back in and have A/C?
 
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When its all dialed in, we need a driving video to hear that 2JZ ripping some bald eagles pandas? All jokes aside, the build looks amazing and your hours of work show in this beauty.
 
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There are two distinct 2jz noises. One of them I could give a RRBH about duplicating, and thats all of the 2 step popping and banging.......what a bunch of stupid assed racket.

But the other......

* It’s called “ turbo flutter”


Its supposed to be a bad thing, the excess boost pressure can’t get past the BOV, and is backing up against the compressor wheel when the throttle is closed.. Aka compressor surge.
I want this noise. I probably have it, I just don’t know it yet.
Right now when I lift, the BOV is able to vent boost pressure...( I’m sure that’ll change when the boost target goes above 20 psi’)
 
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Perfect description of any automatic! :cheers:

That pic of it turned just out of the garage, almost makes me like a Futura! Congrats on finally getting the TooJayZee running, driving, and spinning tires. It sounds like it will more than fall out of a tree now.

And just so I didn't think the world ended, you still have silly issues to fix. The world is still spinning. I'm wondering about the whole heater bypass valve situation. What if you get up and it's 54 (like this morning) and you put the heat on. As you drive throughout the day, it gets to 84, also like today. Would you have to pull over and finagle the valves to get back in and have A/C?
The fix for the remaining 80+ degree days is already installed wise guy....

I think they call them windows.
 
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When its all dialed in, we need a driving video to hear that 2JZ ripping some bald eagles pandas? All jokes aside, the build looks amazing and your hours of work show in this beauty.
Dude, if this car does anything like some of the other vids out there with the targeted boost numbers i’m going for, there’ll be so many vids of this thing making that noise,..you’ll get sick of it.
 
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I’m talking to this old man at work who has noticed the screen saver pic on my computer. He’s waiting on his car to get serviced, and I got nothing going on, so I invite him to sit down and I’d be happy to talk with him about it. I’d guess him to be in his 80’s

I’m showing him pics of the thing, and telling him what I've done, including the decision to upgrade to the 4l80.

After talking to him for a while he stops me and wants to know if he's hearing me right..Wants to know why I keep referring to the transmission as......You ready for this?

For a Lady.

NO...YOU CROTCHEDY OLD GUY,..NOT " For a lady" ..

4 EL 80!!!
:nonono:

Actually we both laughed, he said I kept wondering why a guy would use a transmission that was meant for a lady,..
And if there was such a thing, which one is meant for a guy.
Seems like a great application for an old Hurst his and hers shifter.
 
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Can't wait to see a video of the Monster now.

That flutter will get on your nerves after a while. I had a Turbosmart BOV on my ecoboost. It made all types of head turning noises. Now that I've swapped out the exhaust and BOV to stock I actually like it better.

Granted...my eco is no Monster at all.
 
There are two distinct 2jz noises. One of them I could give a RRBH about duplicating, and thats all of the 2 step popping and banging.......what a bunch of stupid assed racket.

Its supposed to be a bad thing, the excess boost pressure can’t get past the BOV, and is backing up against the compressor wheel when the throttle is closed.. Aka compressor surge.
I want this noise. I probably have it, I just don’t know it yet.
Right now when I lift, the BOV is able to vent boost pressure...( I’m sure that’ll change when the boost target goes above 20 psi’)

Turbo flutter sounds amazing. Now all these new cars have these fancy recirc valves that work so flawlessly and smooth, it sounds like a mouse sneezing. My new turbo car makes no cool turbo noises at all. I was asking on the forums as to which valve I needed to make it flutter, and everyone thought I was an idiot. "Flutter is bad, it means the recirc valve isn't working right!" I don't care if it's bad, I want it. What's the point of having a turbo car, if it doesn't make turbo noises?

Those flutter noises just come from old BOVs that were a crude but affective design, the vacuum valve and the balance spring get in fight, and the blow off valve bounces back and forth a little bit.

Kurt
 
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