Joel’s SL-C Build Thread

[Del]

Unreal how clean of the build this is Joel!

On the topic of electrical, I know you already have your direction for your build, but figured was an opportunity to kick another option out there that I haven't seen mentioned.... I came across the Motogadget Mo.Unit years ago and considered it for the SLC. At the time there wasn't too much info out on people using them and always was on motorcycles. I'm currently in the process of turning a track-only bike something entirely my own including making it street legal and gave me the opportunity to get a Mo.Unit. I plan to wire it up soon, but reading through the manual I don't see any reason it couldn't be used for the SLC and would simplify wiring and a small footprint for the brain.

I purchased to simply wiring, like running 1 wire from the brain to the handle bars to control all 5/6 inputs. Built in alarm (nothing crazy, but good bonus), bluetooth connectivity so when you walk up to your vehicle it'll automatically wake itself, disarm and allow you to start it. Brake light modulator, turn signal patterns, etc can be changed. There's other goodies I didn't realize until after i purchased it.

 

[Joel K]

Unreal how clean of the build this is Joel!

On the topic of electrical, I know you already have your direction for your build, but figured was an opportunity to kick another option out there that I haven't seen mentioned.... I came across the Motogadget Mo.Unit years ago and considered it for the SLC. At the time there wasn't too much info out on people using them and always was on motorcycles. I'm currently in the process of turning a track-only bike something entirely my own including making it street legal and gave me the opportunity to get a Mo.Unit. I plan to wire it up soon, but reading through the manual I don't see any reason it couldn't be used for the SLC and would simplify wiring and a small footprint for the brain.

I purchased to simply wiring, like running 1 wire from the brain to the handle bars to control all 5/6 inputs. Built in alarm (nothing crazy, but good bonus), bluetooth connectivity so when you walk up to your vehicle it'll automatically wake itself, disarm and allow you to start it. Brake light modulator, turn signal patterns, etc can be changed. There's other goodies I didn't realize until after i purchased it.

Thanks Dell, appreciate the feedback.

I’ll check it out.

 

[Joel K]

Not a fun topic, but a necessary one if you plan on registering your SLC in NJ.

Home built cars registered in NJ must meet the emissions standards of the date the engine was manufactured or the model year of the vehicle it is a stock replacement for. For example, a pre-1970s engine block requires no emissions equipment. The engine I chose is a stock 2015 GEN V LT4 and it needs to meet ODB2 emissions requirements.

I haven’t found another NJ builder who has registered an ODB2 compliant kit car so a bit on my own trying to figure out how to comply. Ken Roberts has similar requirements for his build and he has given me some good ideas on how to proceed.

In general, the approach is to use a production car ECU and all the emissions components from a 2015 Corvette Z06. The only slight variation is not using the GM cats because of a lack of room and not using the dual Z06 fuel tanks. From what I understand if the car passes the ODB2 emissions test all is good.

Production car fuel tanks have functionality for a fuel pump nozzle cut off to prevent fuel pump overfilling. Below is a diagram of a typical modern fuel tank vent layout…

Decided to design in the same functionality. Pic of my modified SLC fuel tank with fuel vent weld bungs…

Here is a generic diagram of an ODB2 emissions system. One tricky thing left to figure out is the EVAP leak down test. The Corvette has two fuel tanks and two fuel senders. The SLC has a single tank. Apparently the EVAP leak down test is sensitive to the amount of fuel in the tank when the leak down test is performed. Speartech wired both fuel senders to the ECU. One of them will be connected to the GM fuel pump/sender. The other I may need to fool with a constant ohm resistor but that will be one of the last things I worry about. From what I understand there are some ECU tables which provide the data for the EVAP leak down test. I may need to modify those values to correctly map it to the size of the SLC tank…

Purchased the following items..
1)Vapor Canister GM #22785596 includes fuel tank pressure sensor
2)Vapor Canister Bracket GM #20958879
3)Vent Control Solenoid GM #13576005
4)Canister Hose GM #22850205 - Vapor Canister to Vent Solenoid
5)11/32” Fuel Hose - Fuel tank to vapor canister
6)5/16” Fuel Hose - Fuel tank to filler neck and Vapor canister to purge solenoid
7)Speedflow SFL-SF83310BLK - Bulkhead Fittings, Bulkhead Adapter Fittings, 90 degree, -10 AN Male AN To -10 AN Male AN, Aluminum, Black Anodized
8)Speedflow SFL-SF83306BLK Bulkhead Fittings, Bulkhead Adapter Fittings, 90 degree, -6 AN Male AN To -6 AN Male AN, Aluminum, Black Anodized
9)Vibrant VPE-11215 Fitting, Adapter, AN to Hose Barb, Straight, Aluminum, Black Anodized, -6 AN, 5/16 in. Hose Barb
10)Qty 2 Racetronix Fitting, Push-Lock -10AN Female - Black
11)Speedflow Bulkhead Adapter Fittings 832-06-XL-BLK
12)Vibrant Performance AN to Hose Barb Fittings 12025
13)Vibrant Performance AN to Hose Barb Fittings 12028
14)Speedflow Reducer Fittings 951-06-08-BLK
15)Various quick disconnect fittings purchased from eBay

Pic of the stock 2015 Corvette Z06 EVAP canister and vent solenoid…

First up is connecting the EVAP hoses to/from the EVAP canister. The fuel tank pressure sensor for the EVAP leak down test is on the bottom of the EVAP canister and not the fuel tank nor fuel pump hat like on some other GM vehicles. Speartech added this to the ECU harness as requested.

Pic of the fuel tank vent connected to the EVAP canister and EVAP vent and Purge hoses to bulkhead fittings…

Purge line connected to purge solenoid on the engine. I used quick disconnect fittings where possible…

Fabricated a small bracket to attach the EVAP Vent solenoid to the upper rear frame rail. Pic of the Vent Solenoid attached to the frame. It connects to the bulkhead fitting behind the intercooler tank bracket…

Now for the fuel filler neck vent line. Ran a line through the rear chassis member. Speedflow makes a nice “frame through” aluminum AN fitting made to run through a 2” frame member. Due to the tight fit, needed to use 90 degree fittings on each end to connect to the fuel tank vent valve and filler neck…

Installed and connected to the fuel tank vent valve…

Used quick disconnect fittings to connect the vent line to the fuel filler neck…

Lastly, I’ll add constant tension clamps on all the lines on final assembly.

 

[Joel K]

I ordered the optional side impact bars for some extra protection on the street or a track day. This post covers a modification to make them easily removable…

As discussed in an earlier post. The way the bars are designed they created some real challenges to fit the seats. I worked my way through those challenges, but now wanted to make them easier to remove.

To remove the rear portion, a bolt running through the rear roll hoop needs to be removed as well as 4 bolts and lock nuts which secures the base to the chassis. Pic of the rear mounting points…

To remove the front portion, there is an interlocking tube joiner which is secured by two cap head screws. Pic of the font mounting points…

To make removal easier, I wanted to add interlocking tube joiners on the rear potion of each bar. This way, I can simply unscrew four cap head screws and the impact bars come out leaving the rear portion mounted in the chassis.

Pic of the pair of interlocking tube joiner…

First step was to cut where one end of the tube joiner would go…

Next, I cut enough away for the other half of the joiner and fit it up…

Then added a small bevel to increase the surface area on the existing tubes and tacked it up. Back from from the welder and the fit is great…

Pic of the now easily removable side impact bar sections. I’ll add roll cage foam padding which slips over the bars for extra safety…

All painted up and looking good…

Machined up nylon stubs to finish the look when the bar is removed…

A nice mod that makes the side impact bars more practical.

 

[Joel K]

Time to mount the shifter. My kit included the upgraded Billet Shifter for the Graziano transaxle. In 2018 when I ordered my kit. If you purchased the Graziano completion kit you received the Billet Shifter for no additional cost. It’s a beautifully crafted shifter.

Here is a video on the process…

RCR provides a bracket which attaches the shifter to the chassis center spline. It mounts the shifter 2.5” offset to the passenger side. Pic of the shifter and the mounting bracket…

If you are using the RCR interior tub and supplied center console you will need to find a way to accommodate the upgraded shifter. The shifter is actually wider than the center console so a bit of planning and fabrication work is required. The center console was designed for the standard shifter which is only about 2” wide.

First step was to decide how far forward to place the shifter. For me, I wanted the shifter further forward and still clear the dash. I figure I would align the gate with the shifter opening area molded into the center console. Then cut out a section of the interior tub to expose the chassis center spline. Used a Dremel oscillating tool to cut out the fiberglass. It worked well…

Here you can see the initial fitment, definitely some more work to do…

Decided to modify the mounting bracket to center the shifter to the spline and console. Cut off the inside mounting tab first and welded it over 1.25”. Used some aluminum scrap and made a 2x3.25” spacer as a jig and tacked it up…

Then cut the other mount tab off and now used a 2” wide jig to locate where to tack up. Tabs welded up and nicely perpendicular to the bracket…

Shifter now centered on the chassis spline. Much better fitment and it now clears the right side of the dash and passenger seat…

Was still thinking the shifter is too far forward…

So put a seat in the chassis and sat in the car a bit to see. Turns out moving it back 1.5” inches really improved the fitment...

The black base of the shifter is now mounted 7.5” from the center vertical frame rail. Now there is plenty of room for the shift knob…

From the driver’s side, shifter placement is looking good!

Now on to the shifter cable install.

 

[Joel K]

This post covers running the fuel lines and connecting the fuel pressure sensor and control module.

The stock LT4 engine has direct fuel injection and a mechanical high pressure fuel pump located on the engine and driven by the camshaft. A tank mounted low pressure PWM controlled fuel pump feeds the high pressure pump. Earlier posts(#40, #50, and #262) documented the modifications to the SLC fuel tank to accept a stock Camaro Gen 5 ZL1 pump. This is the pump recommended by Speartech for their LT1 and LT4 PWM set up so did not want to deviate. Pic of the fuel pump installed…

To complete the fuel system setup required the following:
1)Run the fuel line which has an in-line fuel line pressure sensor(FLPS) from the fuel pump to the engine.
2)Mount the fuel pump control module(FPCM)which connects to the engine harness.

Pics of the FLPS and FPCM…

These components were purchased…

1)GM Fuel Pressure Control Module(GM #23382215) - Supplied by Speartech
2)GM Fuel line pressure sensor(GM #13516496) and adapter - Supplied by Speartech
3)Fuel line pressure sensor adapter and 6AN Tee fitting - Supplied by Speartech
4)Speedflow 180 degree swivel AN6 fitting(SFL-SF136-06-BLK) - Summit Racing
5)Speedflow 6AN Bulkhead Fitting(SFL-SF 136-06-BLK) - Summit Racing
6)Russel Performance(RUS-644123) Push-On EFI Adapter, Straight, Male -6 AN, Female Quick-Connect 3/8” - Summit Racing
7)Qty 6 - 811 Stainless Braided PTFE Racing Hose, 6AN - per foot(3480-06-FOOT) - Pegasus Racing
8)Qty 2 - 6AN Straight Hose End for 811 / 825 / 910 Hose(3481-06-000) - Pegasus Racing
9)6AN Hose End for 811 / 825 / 910 Hose, 45 Degree (3481-06-045) - Pegasus Racing
10)6AN Hose End for 811 / 825 / 910 Hose, 90 Degree (3481-06-090) - Pegasus Racing
11)Aeroflow EFI Adapter, 6AN Male to 3/8 Female QC, 90 degree - Pegasus

A few notes on the Fuel Line Pressure Sensor:
This sensor is necessary for operation of the Fuel Pump Control Module. The fuel line Pressure Sensor should be installed as far away from the engine as practical in the fuel feed line. This will help dampen any fuel pressure spikes from the engine mounted high pressure fuel pump. Do not use an impact drive to install the sensor. Torque to 15 NM +/- 5 NM. The sensor must be mounted on an M10x1.0 port with an o’ring seal capable of sealing fuel. The Fuel Line Pressure Sensor must be mounted at an angle between 5 degrees and 85 degrees.

A few notes on installing the FPCM:
The Fuel Pump Control Module(FPCM) reads data from the ECU and fuel line pressure sensor(FLPS) and controls the speed of the low pressure pump via PWM. The whole idea is to provide just enough fuel for the high pressure pump. Thus not overheating the fuel and overworking the pump.

The Fuel Pump Control Module should be mounted as close to the fuel pump as practical and the wires powering the fuel pump must remain twisted. If additional length is needed, maintain a twist of 27 turns per meter (8 turns per foot) to ensure adequate protection from Electromagnetic Interference with the rest of the vehicle (i.e. radio and other control modules). The Fuel Pump Control Module is fully sealed and can be mounted in any orientation but best practices should be maintained (i.e. away from heat sources, maintain adequate clearance to moving parts, maintain adequate ground clearance, connector pointed in a downward direction to prevent water intrusion etc).

Ken Roberts recommended the Goodrich fuel hose. I chose the stainless version due to its high temperature rating since some of the hose will sit above the exhaust manifold. It’s really nice hose, but cutting this line and keeping the braided ends from fanning out is really a challenge. Also, the outside of the hose is not the same size of other AN braided rubber hoses so a handy Kool Tool used to assemble those hoses doesn’t work.

So I came up with this method which worked really well. Used a zip tie to mark the cut. Have to make sure the zip tie is as tight as possible…

Cut the hose with a Dremel cutting wheel…

Put in freezer for about five minutes. That seems to keep the ends from immediately fanning out. Then push the zip tie off and quickly insert into the hose end. I recommend practicing this a few times before you make your hoses since it requires some practice and finesse…

Needed to angle the FLPS so it cleared the front fuel tank close out panel. Ran the fuel line hose to a bulkhead through the rear fuel tank close out panel. I debated whether to just use a grommet which is a less expensive solution but in the end decided to use bulkhead fittings…

Fabricated a mounting bracket for the FPCM…

The Speartech Harness connects to the Fuel Pump, FLPS, and FPCM. Bracket and FPCM installed…

Ran the fuel line from the rear fuel tank close out panel bulkhead to the engine. The Goodrich Stainless fuel lines are rated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit so should work well for this purpose. To help avoid Vapor-lock I’ll cover the line with a head shield sleeve and also planning on a heat shield panel as well…

Lastly, found a nice compact EFI to AN fitting made by Aeroflow. This shaped minimizes the stick out and just clears the rear window…

Ok, so the EVAP and fuel lines are done, the fuel tank area is ready to be sealed up!

 

[Joel K]

This post covers the PKE and Keyless Entry Setup…

Battery management seems to be an issue when using either the Infinitybox System or a Power Distribution Module Setup. Keeping either system powered on when the car is sitting will drain the battery in a couple days if not sooner.

Here is a short video on the Key FOB and PKE activation of the PDM…

So I wanted a way to seamlessly power up the PDM when the car was unlocked and power down when it was locked. Sounds easy enough. I found inexpensive immobilizers on eBay and thought about using one of them.

They can power up the PDM when the RFID Tag comes within 2 meters of the car. That solves one problem, but those systems do not have a Key FOB for auto locks. So I could pair the immobilizer with an inexpensive auto lock key FOB system and all would work just fine.

Although that approach would work I prefer a single system that does both. The Compustar system from Firstech can do both and a whole lot more so decided to go with that system.

The Compustar system has a couple features that can be used for this job. It can close to ground when armed or can send ground pulse signals when armed or disarmed. It also has a proximity feature so this will trigger with or without pressing the key FOB buttons when approaching or leaving the vehicle. If it had a close to disarm channel, that would have made this job simple, but unfortunately it does not so had to use the arm/disarm triggers to integrate it with the PDM.

Compustar Modules Purchased:

1)Compustar 2WT13R-SF LCD Remote + 2WR5R-SF + ANT-2WSF Antenna + Cable + FT-TEMP
2)FirstTech OP500 Compustar Programming Device FT-OP500
3)Compustar Firstech START IT Universal Remote Start Controller Kit FT-CMX-HC

Pic of Key FOBs and Antenna. The LCD Key FOB is slick and can be used to set options like turn proximity on/off, turn auxiliary channels on/off, etc…

There is an available Programming Device which you can use to assign inputs and outputs and change the personality/settings of the inputs and outputs. It cannot do if-then-else logic so not a full PDM. Pic of the optional Compustar programming device…

Pic of the Firstech controller/Compustar CMX…

The other item to address is triggering the power lock solenoids. The Compustar has both low current and high current setting outputs to activate the door lock solenoids. In my case I’ll use the high current outputs since it needs to power the solenoids directly. Locking systems that are low current would require a relay which just complicates things.

Pic of the wire outputs of the CMX controller. The high current lock/unlock outputs need to be custom programmed with the OP500. Their default settings are for ignition and starter. I’m using the PDM for that functionality so the programmable feature to change how the outputs behave is really nice. Pic of the wire assignments used to control the door solenoids and power up the PDM…

Also purchased a couple add on electric modules to integrate the PDM with the Compustar CMX. First is a small latching relay circuit to power up the pdm when the CMX senses the Key FOB is in range and shutdown the PDM when the CMX is armed. When latched, this circuit draws no AMPS which is really nice…

The second module is a delay off timer module which will keep the PDM powered up for 5 minutes after the CMX is armed. This provides time to run the intercooler fans and cool the engine compartment to prevent the shifter cables from cooking. It will also keep the PDM powered up if the lock button is hit by accident…

Here is the sequence of powering up the PDM



Pic of the Key Fob Armed and PDM off

When the key FOB is in range, the proximity feature will send a 1 second negative pulse to the latching relay to close the circuit and power the delay timer relay. The delay timer relay then powers up the PDM…

If I accidentally hit the lock/arm button on the key FOB, within 15 seconds the CMX will automatically re-disarm because the key FOB is still in range. The delay timer will keep the PDM powered up so there will be no interruption of power to the PDM.

To lock/arm the CMX, press the lock button or have the key FOB leave the vehicle range. The CMX will send a negative pulse to the latched relay to open the time delay relay. The key FOB will show lock/arm status and after 5 minutes the PDM will power down...

As far as battery management, the CMX plus the antenna draws a total of 15 milliamps. The Antenna draws about 10 milliamps. It can be put into one way mode after 1-3 days to save battery life if desired. The CMX can send a battery voltage warning to the Key FOB when it drops to 11.7 Volts. The FOB can also display the current battery level. Pretty cool…

Just doing some basic math, my 48 AMP hour battery will draw down 50% over a 2 month time frame. Hopefully the battery shouldn’t need to trickle charge too often.

Lastly, there are a few CMX features which can customize the arm/lock operation and I’ll play with them when I integrate the door solenoids…

1)Lock the doors when RPM > 1000
2)Rearm if you don’t open a door after a specified time period
3)Passive locking when you shut the car off and exit the vehicle. If you leave the keys in the car it will Auto Unlock.

 

[Coleman Bee]

This is sweet--I would def want this level of features on the car if I ever hope to get my wife to approve of it lol

 

[Neil]

This post covers the PKE and Keyless Entry Setup…

Battery management seems to be an issue when using either the Infinitybox System or a Power Distribution Module Setup. Keeping either system powered on when the car is sitting will drain the battery in a couple days if not sooner.

Here is a short video on the Key FOB and PKE activation of the PDM…

So I wanted a way to seamlessly power up the PDM when the car was unlocked and power down when it was locked. Sounds easy enough. I found inexpensive immobilizers on eBay and thought about using one of them.

They can power up the PDM when the RFID Tag comes within 2 meters of the car. That solves one problem, but those systems do not have a Key FOB for auto locks. So I could pair the immobilizer with an inexpensive auto lock key FOB system and all would work just fine.

Although that approach would work I prefer a single system that does both. The Compustar system from Firstech can do both and a whole lot more so decided to go with that system.

The Compustar system has a couple features that can be used for this job. It can close to ground when armed or can send ground pulse signals when armed or disarmed. It also has a proximity feature so this will trigger with or without pressing the key FOB buttons when approaching or leaving the vehicle. If it had a close to disarm channel, that would have made this job simple, but unfortunately it does not so had to use the arm/disarm triggers to integrate it with the PDM.

Compustar Modules Purchased:

1)Compustar 2WT13R-SF LCD Remote + 2WR5R-SF + ANT-2WSF Antenna + Cable + FT-TEMP
2)FirstTech OP500 Compustar Programming Device FT-OP500
3)Compustar Firstech START IT Universal Remote Start Controller Kit FT-CMX-HC

Pic of Key FOBs and Antenna. The LCD Key FOB is slick and can be used to set options like turn proximity on/off, turn auxiliary channels on/off, etc…
View attachment 133568

There is an available Programming Device which you can use to assign inputs and outputs and change the personality/settings of the inputs and outputs. It cannot do if-then-else logic so not a full PDM. Pic of the optional Compustar programming device…
View attachment 133567

Pic of the Firstech controller/Compustar CMX…
View attachment 133566

The other item to address is triggering the power lock solenoids. The Compustar has both low current and high current setting outputs to activate the door lock solenoids. In my case I’ll use the high current outputs since it needs to power the solenoids directly. Locking systems that are low current would require a relay which just complicates things.

Pic of the wire outputs of the CMX controller. The high current lock/unlock outputs need to be custom programmed with the OP500. Their default settings are for ignition and starter. I’m using the PDM for that functionality so the programmable feature to change how the outputs behave is really nice. Pic of the wire assignments used to control the door solenoids and power up the PDM…
View attachment 133575

Also purchased a couple add on electric modules to integrate the PDM with the Compustar CMX. First is a small latching relay circuit to power up the pdm when the CMX senses the Key FOB is in range and shutdown the PDM when the CMX is armed. When latched, this circuit draws no AMPS which is really nice…
View attachment 133569

The second module is a delay off timer module which will keep the PDM powered up for 5 minutes after the CMX is armed. This provides time to run the intercooler fans and cool the engine compartment to prevent the shifter cables from cooking. It will also keep the PDM powered up if the lock button is hit by accident…
View attachment 133570

Here is the sequence of powering up the PDM



Pic of the Key Fob Armed and PDM off
View attachment 133571

When the key FOB is in range, the proximity feature will send a 1 second negative pulse to the latching relay to close the circuit and power the delay timer relay. The delay timer relay then powers up the PDM…
View attachment 133572

If I accidentally hit the lock/arm button on the key FOB, within 15 seconds the CMX will automatically re-disarm because the key FOB is still in range. The delay timer will keep the PDM powered up so there will be no interruption of power to the PDM.

To lock/arm the CMX, press the lock button or have the key FOB leave the vehicle range. The CMX will send a negative pulse to the latched relay to open the time delay relay. The key FOB will show lock/arm status and after 5 minutes the PDM will power down...
View attachment 133573

As far as battery management, the CMX plus the antenna draws a total of 15 milliamps. The Antenna draws about 10 milliamps. It can be put into one way mode after 1-3 days to save battery life if desired. The CMX can send a battery voltage warning to the Key FOB when it drops to 11.7 Volts. The FOB can also display the current battery level. Pretty cool…
View attachment 133574

Just doing some basic math, my 48 AMP hour battery will draw down 50% over a 2 month time frame. Hopefully the battery shouldn’t need to trickle charge too often.

Lastly, there are a few CMX features which can customize the arm/lock operation and I’ll play with them when I integrate the door solenoids…

1)Lock the doors when RPM > 1000
2)Rearm if you don’t open a door after a specified time period
3)Passive locking when you shut the car off and exit the vehicle. If you leave the keys in the car it will Auto Unlock.

Consider what the implications of a failure would be. At a Studebaker-Mercedes dealer in Charlottesville, VA where I bought my first Ferrari, they were demonstrating a very fancy top-of-the-line Packard to an older lady. This car was optioned up to the hilt, and on a test drive the car's battery died and, of course, the car stopped. What the salesman did not anticipate was that the optional all-electric door unlocking mechanism couldn't be actuated- trapping them inside. After a long time (this was before cell phones) they ignominiously crawled out of the trunk.
Beware of "gadgets".

 

[Brian Kissel]

Things have come a long way Niel. I’m sure our clever builders have a manual backup as do the new cars. If it wasn’t for innovation, we would all still be driving black model T’s. Build what you want, but incorporate a manual back up plan.

Regards Brian

 

[Neil]

Things have come a long way Niel. I’m sure our clever builders have a manual backup as do the new cars. If it wasn’t for innovation, we would all still be driving black model T’s. Build what you want, but incorporate a manual back up plan.

Regards Brian

I agree but too many times a person out-smarts himself by not having a back-up plan.

 

[Joel K]

LOL, all great comments. Thanks Coleman. First off, this forum is so great in many ways. It’s unique because of the candid and knowledgeable feedback. We all use our real names and many provide input to help others along. This is my first build and without this forum and the member feedback it would Be much more difficult.

Neil, here are few thoughts. The electric door lock buttons are always powered so don’t rely on the cheap eBay circuit board to power up the PDM. I’ll also have manual unlock handles so no worries there.

Compustar has been around for many years so I’m confident the lock/unlock features are reliable. Easy to add an override somewhere to power up the PDM.

Because the Ignition logic is in the PDM, just because you get in the car, doesn’t mean you will know how to start it. For example, to go from IGN to Start, I could program the PDM to look for three consecutive pumps of the clutch pedal, then depress both clutch and brake, otherwise it won’t start. So lots of options here. But once again, always appreciate someone with your experience pointing things out.

 

[Alberto M.]

Hi there my first post and ive been reading for about 2 hours on your build. In a good way, there's too much good information on your build page lol great information very informative!

 

[Joel K]

Hi there my first post and ive been reading for about 2 hours on your build. In a good way, there's too much good information on your build page lol great information very informative!

Welcome Alberto. Plenty of great build threads on this forum. Happy to answer any questions you have.

 

[Joel K]

This post covers sealing up the fuel tank close out panels and chassis seams. The main purpose is to reduce engine noise and keep rain, heat, and fumes out of the cabin and fuel tank area.

Here is a short video on the process…

I decided to use polyurethane chassis sealer. The general approach is to remove the aluminum oxidation with a medium stainless wheel brush and wipe the area down with acetone. Then apply blue painters tape around the seam areas…

Used 3M seam sealer and some disposable acid brushes to smooth out the sealer and give it a factory texture…

Pic of applying the urethane sealer…

Smoothed it out with the brush..

Then remove the tape. Nice and neat…

Finished up the rest of the seams. The best technique was to apply a small amount of sealer and then brush it out thin where the tape edges are…

Pic of the cooling and liquid to oil cooler lines before the fuel tank rear close out panel is installed. These attach with p-clamps to the rear close out panel stand off, dry sump tank and intercooler tank brackets to prevent flopping around. The p-clamps are slightly oversized to allow a small amount of movement of the tubes if the engine rocks slightly on acceleration…

Pic of the rear fuel tank close out panel ready to be installed. Cut and drilled out all the holes in the external heat shielding. Also added a cooling tube stand off and engine harness zip-tie aluminum mounting clips(Pegasus part #4335-10)…

Attached the rear panel with silicone sealer and M6 screws. Once dried, I sealed some remaining small gaps with urethane…

Pic of the installed rear close out panel with external heat shield installed…

Time to finish sound dampening and heat and sound block and install the fuel tank.

 

[Joel K]

Time to start applying the sound dampening and interior heat and sound barrier. This post covers applying these products to the fuel tank area. The same process will be used on the rest of the chassis.

Here is a video on the process…

The general approach is to drill all the mounting holes in each panel before applying any of the sound dampening or heat shielding.

Used the following products for the job:
1)DEI Floor and tunnel shield - Aluminum/Fiberglass based heat shield with acrylic adhesive
2)Second Skin Damplifier Pro - 2mm thick butyl rubber dampening sheets
3)Dynamat Dynaliner heat and sound shield - Closed cell foam sheet with acrylic adhesive

The logic being to minimize the heat from reaching the aluminum chassis panels with the Floor and Tunnel Shield, dampen the metal from resonating with Damplifier Pro, and reduce any residual sound and heat with Dynaliner. Pic of each product…

In a prior post the rear fuel tank close out panel was installed. Floor and tunnel shielding was applied to the outside and Damplifier to the inside. I used hole saws run backward to cut larger holes in the Damplifier and step drills for the smaller holes. Sprayed the bits with WD40 which help the butyl rubber from sticking to the bits…

First step was to apply the Damplifier Pro to the floor. It is easy to cut with large scissors. I also apply a little WD40 on the blades to prevent the butyl rubber from sticking to the scissors…

Next was to apply the Dynaliner on the rear close out panel. Used scissors to cut most areas out and a step drill for the small holes. This was done before the panel was attached to the chassis.

Pic of the trimmed up Dynaliner panel ready to be applied…

Used studs screwed into the rear panel to orient the Dynaliner correctly. It line up beautifully…

Now to apply the rest of the sound dampener. Made patterns with craft paper for each section and carefully cut it out with scissors…

Lastly installed the rest of the Dynaliner. It’s a shame all this hard work will get covered up and never seen again. You can see the AN fittings are reinstalled. I used thin AN aluminum washers as trim rings so turning the AN nuts on the bulkheads do not tear the Dynaliner….

Ready to install the fuel tank for what I hope is the final time!

 

[Neil]

Time to start applying the sound dampening and interior heat and sound barrier. This post covers applying these products to the fuel tank area. The same process will be used on the rest of the chassis.

Here is a video on the process…

The general approach is to drill all the mounting holes in each panel before applying any of the sound dampening or heat shielding.

Used the following products for the job:
1)DEI Floor and tunnel shield - Aluminum/Fiberglass based heat shield with acrylic adhesive
2)Second Skin Damplifier Pro - 2mm thick butyl rubber dampening sheets
3)Dynamat Dynaliner heat and sound shield - Closed cell foam sheet with acrylic adhesive

The logic being to minimize the heat from reaching the aluminum chassis panels with the Floor and Tunnel Shield, dampen the metal from resonating with Damplifier Pro, and reduce any residual sound and heat with Dynaliner. Pic of each product…
View attachment 134253

In a prior post the rear fuel tank close out panel was installed. Floor and tunnel shielding was applied to the outside and Damplifier to the inside. I used hole saws run backward to cut larger holes in the Damplifier and step drills for the smaller holes. Sprayed the bits with WD40 which help the butyl rubber from sticking to the bits…
View attachment 134254

First step was to apply the Damplifier Pro to the floor. It is easy to cut with large scissors. I also apply a little WD40 on the blades to prevent the butyl rubber from sticking to the scissors…
View attachment 134255

Next was to apply the Dynaliner on the rear close out panel. Used scissors to cut most areas out and a step drill for the small holes. This was done before the panel was attached to the chassis.

Pic of the trimmed up Dynaliner panel ready to be applied…
View attachment 134256

Used studs screwed into the rear panel to orient the Dynaliner correctly. It line up beautifully…
View attachment 134259

Now to apply the rest of the sound dampener. Made patterns with craft paper for each section and carefully cut it out with scissors…
View attachment 134263

Lastly installed the rest of the Dynaliner. It’s a shame all this hard work will get covered up and never seen again. You can see the AN fittings are reinstalled. I used thin AN aluminum washers as trim rings so turning the AN nuts on the bulkheads do not tear the Dynaliner….
View attachment 134258


Ready to install the fuel tank for what I hope is the final time!

An aircraft counterbore is another way of "drilling" holes in sheet aluminum. More $$, though than step drills.
Suggestion- round off the corners of the brackets with a belt sander. It gives a more professional look.

 

[Joel K]

Now that the shifter is located, time to finalize the routing of the shifter cables. As supplied, the shifter cables are 93” & 91” long. Due to the extra length, some builders route the cables up and over the exhaust system, around the frame and then through the fuel tank conduit…

Here is a video on the process…

I wanted to take a short and straight path from the transaxle to the shifter. Decided to run them down along the engine block then through the fuel tank. This should provide a smooth and crisp shifter feel. Pic of the cable route coming off the transaxle behind the heat shield…

Pic of the RCR Factory cables…

Then they run through the center console and attach to the shifter mounting bracket. You can see they are significantly longer than needed. About a 7-8” surplus…

The choice was to feed the excess cable length back into the engine compartment which would work, but each line would be forced to bow out quite a bit. The other option was to have the supplier (Cableshift) shorten the cables.

So spoke to Jim at Cableshift and he was so nice and helpful. He offered to exchange my set for a shorter set. I provided the new dimensions and they made up a custom set. He also used a black casing which is a hi-temp case rated to 340 degrees Fahrenheit. The standard gray casing is rated to 230 degrees…

Now ready to install the new cables. Well not so fast. I wound up moving the cable mounting bracket to make things work better and provide some adjustability. The cable mounting bracket can be flipped and that moves the mounting tabs +- 1.5”. I found the tabs were either too close for the side to side cable or when flipping the bracket too far away for the front to back cable.

So flipped the bracket to the rearward orientation and drilled new mounting holes 1” toward the shifter. This moved the mounting tabs .5” back from the most forward setting and worked well…

Next was to adjust the rod and cable ends at the shifter so they move through the full range. You can tell how far the shifter cable is pushed or pulled by the amount of the non threaded end sticking out of the case. Pic of the adjusted cable ends at the shifter, the length is now perfect…

Now to focus on adjusting the cable ends at the transaxle. Used a transfer punch to fix the transaxle in neutral. This allows you to easily get a base setup. Adjust the front-to-back rod end and cable to position the shifter ball dead center in the neutral position. Then adjust the side-to side rod and cable end to the center position.

That process worked well and the shifter found all the gears. Here is a pic of the adjusted cable ends in the neutral position…

Pic of the cables run behind the heat shielding and through the conduit in the fuel tank…

I added a small rubber o-ring onto the shifter pin. The rod end seemed to get hung up on the tapered pin end. This mod allows the ball in the rod end to reach it’s maximum angle without hanging on the edge machined into the pin end…

Lastly, before final install, the cables will be wrapped with a heat shield sleeve. Planning on using Heat Shield Products Hot Rod Sleeve.

 

[Jim B.]

Joel, I am thinking about building a similar throttle body adaptor like you did for my GT-R coyote. Do you think it would work ok on a normally aspirated motor?
I was looking for the ballast clamps brackets you purchased from Southwest speed. I did some google searches but I cant find them. do you have any links to them?
Thanks, Jim

 

[Joel K]

Joel, I am thinking about building a similar throttle body adaptor like you did for my GT-R coyote. Do you think it would work ok on a normally aspirated motor?
I was looking for the ballast clamps brackets you purchased from Southwest speed. I did some google searches but I cant find them. do you have any links to them?
Thanks, Jim

Hi Jim,

Here is the link to the ballast brackets…

Southwest Speed - Performance Auto Parts

Huge Inventory of Parts for Street, Racing, & Off-Road Applications. One Stop Shop for Performance Auto Parts at the Lowest Prices. Order Online or By Phone.

www.southwestspeed.com

As far as the throttle body reversing elbow. Here are a few comments…

1)If you could reverse the intake on the Coyote like on the LS my guess is that is a better solution.

2)Mark B did something similar on his N/A LS7 intake and it worked fine. I really have no idea if what I made will actually work. I just used some math to keep enough diameter as a 4” tube. I’ll be firing the car up around March and will see if it works.

3)If you have enough room up front for the throttle body and then add a rubber cobra head elbow that would be an easier solution. That was my original plan but I did not have enough room.

4)Or go with the super cool looking ITB setup