'04 SRT-4 engine in an '88 Caravan build

[turbovanman²]

Mucho better, nicely done,

[Reaper1]

Mucho better, nicely done,

^^What he said!

[A.J.]

I finally got my intermediate axle debacle sorted out. My spare had a lot of rust in it. My driveshaft builder said to pour 27% muriatic acid in it to dissolve the rust. He said to do it for an hour or two. I bought 31% and did it for 1/2 an hour and then the shaft had too much play on the CV shaft so I had to get another one. I got one from a local friend (well his T-M stash is local he's in Texas) and I had to wire-wheel the Michigan rust of it (that's where he's from) and I'm good to go. So I finally got my axles in and engine centered, again.



While I was waiting for the paint to dry on the intermediate shaft, I had nothing to do since I'm still waiting on my exhaust manifold from the welder, so I decided to mount the Neon injector cover on my PT Cruiser intake. The only reason I did was because it says "SRT-4." I really hate plastic engine covers but this one looks to cool not to use.

PT intake.



PT intake with holes drilled and tapped in the runner supports.



The bracket I built.





Close up.





I had to trim down the rubber grommets. Trimmed one is on the left, unmolested on the right.



Installed.







A.J.

[black86glhs]

Race van!!!!

[turbovanman²]

Looking great,

[A.J.]

Still waiting on my exhaust manifold.

I had to make a timing mark since I'm using a distributor. The 31TH transmission doesn't have a timing window like the A413 does so I had to figure something out. The harmonic balancer isn't splined so I couldn't use that. I though about drilling a hole in the trans bell housing and mark the converter but if I swap out converters and forget to mark the new one I'm screwed. So I notched the front timing belt cover and marked that. I'll have to make a hole in the inner fender splash shield so I don't have too much trouble getting to the mark to time it and maybe have to remove the tire.







I also started to run the hoses for my oil to air oil cooler. I didn't want to use the oil to water oil cooler that the 2.4 uses. Arizona is to hot to add more heat to the coolant. I need to remove the heat load on the cooling system not add to it.





A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Is that oil rated hose?

Do you have a timing light that you can advance? Most likely you do, as then you don't need to mark 12 deg on the cover,

[A.J.]

Is that oil rated hose?

Do you have a timing light that you can advance? Most likely you do, as then you don't need to mark 12 deg on the cover,

Yes it's oil rated hose. 1/2" 400 psi transmission cooler hose. We had this discussion once before.

Yes I have a timing light that I can advance. That's why I did it that way.

A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Yes it's oil rated hose. 1/2" 400 psi transmission cooler hose. We had this discussion once before.

Yes I have a timing light that I can advance. That's why I did it that way.

A.J.

I don't remember what I did yesterday, how the hell would I remember that,

Figured so, just checking and I guarantee others would have asked,

[A.J.]

I don't remember what I did yesterday, how the hell would I remember that,

Figured so, just checking and I guarantee others would have asked,

I can't remember yesterday either. And it turns out the conversation was back in 2008. I didn't realize it was that long ago otherwise I would have cut you some slack.

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/sh...t=oil%20cooler

A.J.

[Reaper1]

WOW...That hose is CLOSE to the intermediate shaft and u-joint! I'd run braided stainless if it were me, just to help protect it. Not to mention it's under the engine. The other thing is I'd try to protect the hose from the sharp edges from the metal "plumber's tape" you've used to hold it up. It's not a bad idea to do what you did, just that stuff will cut into the hose from vibration and such.

[A.J.]

At some point I want to make the lines out of metal. I'm using rubber radiator hose to protect the lines where they might rub. The bracket for the lines that I made are holding the lines tight. They're not going to move so they're not going to rub.

A.J.

[turboshelbys]

Thats right, always use protection

[A.J.]

Still waiting on my exhaust manifold and thermostat housing..................

BUT I GOT IT RUNNING!!!!!

http://youtu.be/gDjuiXAy-eE

I had to use a N/A exhaust manifold and the PT Cruiser plastic t-stat housing to keep water in it.

A.J.

[turboshelbys]

So cool bro. ur awesomely awesomeness is shining bright.

[GLHNSLHT2]

This works better

[A.J.]

I GOT MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD BACK TODAY, only it's the same box of parts I dropped off two weeks ago. I told my welder that I'll fab it up, tack-weld it together, and then he can weld it together. He agreed that would be quicker because he's backed up. I can understand him putting it off, when I get a complex job I try to knock the quick money makers out first.

The first manifold I had welded together is too tall. The turbo was hitting the firewall and it didn't even have the 1/2" flange on it yet. I cut 7/8" out of the T's and elbow to get the clearance I needed and still have enough room to get the nuts on the studs. Then I found that one of the T's I bought two years ago is .100" smaller in inner diameter that the two I just bought a couple of weeks ago. So I have to get one more.

Old manifold that had the turbo hitting the firewall:



New manifold with 7/8" trimmed off the runners:



Back to back:



A.J.

[GLHNSLHT2]

your passenger side mount is installed wrong.

[A.J.]

your passenger side mount is installed wrong.

How so?

A.J.

[turboshelbys]

the large part of the mount faces down, not up like this