What did you do today to your 3/S?

[Street_Chally73]

Finished un-screwing the wiring under the SL's dash. *To the twerp who owned her before me: Someone should take away your tools, and your driver's license. If you are less than adept at installing aftermarket accessories, you should probably hire a pro...

Sounds about on par with how I felt after having to fix all of the wiring on mine.

[familyMAN]

Dayum...that looks good!!

Thanks! .039" wide groove with approx .031" depth .041" SS wire, for approx .010" protrusion. Will be using composite head gaskets with A1 studs.

Finished assembling the short block tonight. All stock 2bolt turbo bottom end with clevite bearings. One rod/pin replaced because it was turning on pin. Clearances came out great with a couple bearing swaps on mains.

[donniekak]

I'd drive it around on wastegate boost, and low timing for a while. If anyone ever deserved to just enjoy a car for a while..........

[AdamVR4]

Thought about randomly going to the track for some street tire fun but opted to wait until a weeknight test n tune when it's not 90+ deg @ 10 pm.

[AdamVR4]

Thanks! .039" wide groove with approx .031" depth .041" SS wire, for approx .010" protrusion. Will be using composite head gaskets with A1 studs.

Finished assembling the short block tonight. All stock 2bolt turbo bottom end with clevite bearings. One rod/pin replaced because it was turning on pin. Clearances came out great with a couple bearing swaps on mains.

Great info. Are you copying Chris' recipe?



Wow, so it just rides on those pins as your rotate it by hand? I had no idea you could avoid using a mill. What'd that tool cost you and how long did cutting each groove take? Did you notice the cutting tool wear out? Did the pins it rides damage the surface? (not that it would matter)

[donniekak]

Isky makes that tool, and I have been dying for either me, or someone I know to give it a shot. I may be buying one now. You can also rent it from them for under $100.

[familyMAN]

I'd drive it around on wastegate boost, and low timing for a while. If anyone ever deserved to just enjoy a car for a while..........

LOL. Very true. Unfortunately, hard to enjoy it on wastegate boost

Great info. Are you copying Chris' recipe?

Nope, copying DSM recipe that donnie has pointed me to. Chris is copper wire with MLS gasket. I am doing SS wire with composite gasket. The SS wire is positioned in the middle of the fire ring of the gasket. I have already done this on my first build, which held 25psi and overheating that warped my block and heads, but no failure of gasket and I attribute that to oring. (machine shop cut the grooves for us on that build)

Wow, so it just rides on those pins as your rotate it by hand? I had no idea you could avoid using a mill. What'd that tool cost you and how long did cutting each groove take? Did you notice the cutting tool wear out? Did the pins it rides damage the surface? (not that it would matter)

As donnie said. Isky tool. I ordered from Summit for $330. Comes with copper wire so also ordered SS wire from summit. It cuts easy and no dulling of tool after 6 cylinders. I am disappointed with my technique which caused me to not have a perfectly even groove depth. In order to get it to cut I had to put a little angle on tool to get it to "bite" and cut. Unfortunately, that also lifted it off the pins. I wonder if playing with the angle of the blade (limited flexibility in angling it) would have got it to bite with keeping the tool level.

No damage to deck surface from pins. It did take a little off my hone in the top of the bores, so if you really care, hone after oringing. Spent almost as much time setting up the depth and width as actual cutting. Isky recommends cutting .025 first on all bores then come back for a final pass .005 deeper. Good recommendation because my target of .025 actually got me deeper on the first pass, so if I had targeted my final depth, I would have overshot.

[JasonY]

Installed my Sake Bomb Garage bi-xenon setup. Not a 3/S but..deal with it.

Here are my install pics. Didnt take step by step but took a few.

Buckets trimmed and lights fitted.

The harness will fit across the inside of the rebar along the front of the bumper.

The ballasts fit nicely under the turn signals on the rebar. These arent final mounted in the pic, but shows where i fitted them.

And all buttoned up and ready to get aimed and go for a drive.

I can see!!!



Jason

[Boost4VR4]

Stripped out the back half of the interior. Tomorrow will tackle the front half of the interior.

[familyMAN]

Heads on and A1 studs torqued down. Several steps. Started at 35 and retorqued several times letting gasket settle for 15-30mins between retorque. Then 70. Then 110. Sweating now. Harbor freight engine stand bends under the load