Dean's SLC build thread

[Fran Hall RCR]

From us...Its our front dress and we supplied the waterpump mods and parts.

Unless its an OEM snap on fitting I always use Swaglok compression fittings. too..

 

[Ken Roberts]

The Swagelok part number is #SS-600-6-6AN. They cost about $14 each. Lots of the Corvetteforum members use them. http://www.swagelok.com/search/find_products_home.aspx?part=SS-600-6-6AN

 

[Dean Lampe]

I did a few little things that, when finished, feel like you have completed something when you don't have time for a big evening.

I mounted the accusump on the drivers side out of the way and added a pressure solenoid to protect the engine.

I had been waiting on a few steering column parts and now that I have them, I was able to finish the steering column.

The one piece of advice I would give is that with the race column, the universal at the rack had to be shaved down to keep from rubbing on the bulkhead. Other than that, it went together pretty easy.

 

[Dean Lampe]

I need a little help from the LS guys who have come before me. This will help others with their install as well. I have numbered the ports on the engine and a few extra pieces that come with the engine. Can someone post where these need to go? I have them numbered 1 - 10 and I would like someone to say, for example,

1. PCV port that connects to intake tube before MAP sensor.

Then continue through number 10 in that format.

Here are the pictures.

 

[Ken Roberts]

#1 (intake port behind T body) connects to #8 at 180 degree fitting. If not using a EVAP system then #1 can be plugged and #8 eliminated. Most don't use the EVAP system. I must use it for road registration in my Province.

#2 you can leave plugged. (LS7 engines connect this port with #4 port and then to the dry sump tank. The dry sump tank then connects to the air intake port installed between the MAF sensor and T Body.)

#3 connects to #5 using #10 but your intake is flipped so you won't be using #10 (this creates a metered vacuum source for the engine-PCV) (there is no actual servicable PCV valve just a permanent metered orifice). I used nylon vacuum tubing to connect them together. Others use hose but make sure it's fairly rigid or you risk collapsing the hose.

#4 connects to the air intake tube in between the MAF sensor and T body. Do not connect it to the air intake stream in front of the MAF sensor.

#5 connects with #3

#6 you can leave plugged. (It's for vacuum brake booster). (can be used as a engine vacuum source.)

#7 Steam vent tube connects to the back of the Dorman expansion tank.

#8 Evap pipe and solenoid connects to #1 fitting. The solenoid bolts to the front of the cylinder head under #3. The fitting on the solenoid then runs to the EVAP cannister if equiped. Most eliminate this system. If eliminated the main fuel tank must have some sort of vent with roll over protection valve.

#9 small connector plugs into the bosch MAP sensor. The large connector goes to the GMPP wiring harness.

#10 not used due to the intake being flipped. You need to make your own version much longer.

 

[Ken Roberts]

Dean a note about how you have the tail lights connected. The inner bulbs/lights are strictly for back up lights only. The half side of the lens that is red is strictly a reflector only. The middle pin on the connector is not used. The only wires that were factory connected to the inner lights was for backup lights and ground. If you connect the center pin to your parking lights then it's gonna light up like you have the back up lights on. Also, there is no brake light connection to the innner bulbs/ lens. Once again if you connect the back up light pin to your brake lights then everytime you hit the brakes it's going to look like you are backing up.

The brake lights and turn signal lights share the same pin on the outter bulb/lens. I have all the Dodge factory wiring diagrams for the Dakota tailights. It goes like this:

Outter bulb/lens
#1 pin-Brake/turn light
#2 pin-Park light
#3 pin-ground

Inner bulb/lens
#1 pin-Backup light
#2 pin-(Middle pin not used)
#3 pin-Ground

 

[Wayne]

I noticed in one of your pics that the forward backing plate for the upper control arm is not sitting square to the foot box. Mine were exactly the same.
I removed it a beveled the edge to fit around the weld. My plates are steel and when torquing them I noticed it ate into the weld. Ugly result over time I imagine.

 

[Dean Lampe]

Wayne, thanks for the reminder.

Ken, thanks for the help on my wiring. I don't have reverse lights but I don't need them coming on either.

 

[Ken Roberts]

#5 goes to port #3. This is how the factory stock LS3s are connected. Technically you could use #1 port instead (if you aren't using the EVAP system) but if you look down the throat of the intake the #3 port sticks out into the middle of the air stream for a more effective vacuum draw. Some people even cut this branch off but I wouldn't as the engineers put it there for a reason. (stronger/ more consistant vacuum draw).

#4 goes to the air intake tube between the MAF and throttle body. You could also route #2 port on the opposite valve cover to the intake tube (like the race car) but this isn't necessary. The stock LS3 Corvettes have this port capped. The LS7 Corvettes use both valve cover ports. These valve cover ports are allowing filtered/metered air in to the crankcase for the PCV system.

 

[Dean Lampe]

Alright, my understanding is as follows:

#1. Plugged
#2. Connected to the intake tube
#3. Connected to #5
#4. Connected to the intake tube
#5. Connected to #3
#6. Plugged
#7. Steam line to expansion tank

It doesn't seem so complicated now! Thanks a lot guys!

 

[Ken Roberts]

Dean the C5 and C6 Corvettes have issues with the stock harmonic balancer. There is no keyway on the nose of the crank for the balancer. The balancer is just friction fitted and torqued. Many owners report a bad wobble while rotating. While the motor is out and the balancer is easily accessible I'd recommend you pin it. You remove the balancer bolt and attach a small drill fixture. It acts like a guide for a drill bit. Then a dowel is hammered into the hole. This will prevent the balancer from rotating. The kit is about $50.

The factory remedy for this issue was to install a thin diamond impregnated washer between the balancer and crank snout flange. It helped to stop the balancer from spinning on the crank snout. Your crate motor shoud have this already installed. Pinning the balancer is cheap insurance though.

 

[Dean Lampe]

This is where the next series of questions is going to come from but first I need to drop the engine in the car.

 

[Grant S]

The Swagelok part number is #SS-600-6-6AN. They cost about $14 each. Lots of the Corvetteforum members use them. </title> <meta name="keywords" content="" /> <meta name="description" content="Swagelok designs, manufactures, and delivers an expanding range of the highest quality valves, fittings, gauges, tubing and other fluid system products and solutions throu

Would this be the same part number for the LS7 ?
Cheers,

 

[Grant S]

Would this be the same part number for the LS7 ?
Cheers,

 

[Ken Roberts]

Here is the Edmonton Swagelok dealer About Us - Swagelok

The LS7 fuel rail would use the same fitting as the LS3.

 

[Grant S]

Thanks Ken,
Cheers,

 

[Ben Whittle]

Umm, I think the forum broke....

 

[Dean Lampe]

Sorry about the missing post that looked screwed up. I asked Fran to take a look at the thread and the only way to fix it was to delete to post that were messed up.

I decided to put the engine in the car to do the wiring. That meant getting some things out of the way.

The next step was to get a little help and set it in place.

Here it is in the car about 3 minutes later. That was so easy that it really didn't need a post but after all the cobra's that were so difficult it seemed important to show just how easy it is.

The next step was to drill holes in the frame rail and bolt everything together.

It looks so much better with the engine in the chassis!

 

[Dean Lampe]

I bent a line to connect some of the PCV fittings. If you look at my previous pictures, this is the piece that connects #3 to #5. I am going to run #2 and #4 to the intake tube between the sensor and the intake in the metered air area.

 

[Dean Lampe]

I have been working on the cooling lines and how they attach to the engine. I had to do it about 4 different ways with different lines and tanks but I think this is where I settled. To do this you will need some good generic hoses to cut up for elbows and different bends. Here are 2 that worked for my build. They were about $13 each.

The passenger side was easy but you need to remember that you need to get a tank fill tub in that area for gas as well.

Here is the finished passenger side with the bypass loop and the fuel fill in place.

The drivers side was a little harder because that is the side that has the expansion tank. I used an aluminum tank instead of the stock tank because I must have a catch tank attached to the expansion tank to pass tech inspections at some tracks. I had some fittings left over from the GT40 project so I dusted off the box and went to work. I put a "T" in the return line that has a baffle inside to direct most of the flow back to the engine.

Here it is finished up with the steam line coming into the tank at the bottom. I will add the recovery tank later.

That is about it for the cooling system.

 

[Dean Lampe]

I finished the drive by wire pedal modification last night. I have seen quite a few pictures of different DBW setups but none were the same. I remembered seeing the pedals on Gears while Stacey was building the SLC so I slowed down the tape and looked at it frame by frame and it was pretty similar to what i ended up doing.

I used the factory supplied bracket with the electronics from the LS wiring harness. I had to biuld the linkage but it wasn't to big of a deal. Fran probably does this at his shop for his clients but if you had everything sent to your house instead, you would have to modify the pedal.

I took the plastic pedal off and threw it away. I found a piece of scrap steel bar and bent it as you can see then I welded it to the DBW electronic module. I was extremely careful not to allow the heat to transfer into the plastic unit. Just go slow.

When it was done, the pedal pressure was too high so I removed the Tilton spring. I feels pretty good now. One more note and I don't have a picture but make sure you set you pedal stop on the accelerator. My set screw barely touched the new DBW bracket and it looked like it could get stuck. I just took a file and removed just enough of the material on the set screw to allow it to move freely.

 

[Dean Lampe]

Here is a cooling sytem routing diagram that Sharky sent me. I thought some of you might find it helpful too.

Thanks Sharkey!

 

[Mike]

Dean - that link I sent you has several ways to hook up a "LS" cooling system. I don't have a SL-coupe here (yet) to see the logistics, but the radiator being so far away from the engine presents it's own unique circumstances. I have a LS-6 in my stalker and I am using a pressured/sealed configuration (no heat or a/c) with my steam vent coming off the engine and plumbed back into the upper radiator hose. It's not the proper or best way for hook-up, but at least it's moving any steam/pockets of air from the heads. The pressurized system expels air after several heat/cool cycles and one must re-fill and keep an eye on the coolant recir. tank and fill as air is expunged and coolant drawn back into the system. I am really space limited or else I would have done a more proper routing. Hopefully someone here with a coupe and more knowledge of the LS will jump in.

Regards, Sharkey

 

[Ken Roberts]

Dean, you might have made the pedal assembly too wide now. Most have installed the DBW pedal electronics directly behind the factory accel pedal. Your DBW addition might hit the center tunnel now.

 

[Gary Sharapata]

Lookin good Dean. You have made a lot of progress since I last checked in....