Installing TU stainless header questions

[Reaper1]

Ah...I'm sorry to hear about the string of bad luck, but it is good to hear that things were always worked out.

I didn't mean to jump to any conclusions and that's why I asked.

Please be sure to post pictures of the end products of all of this work! It sounds like there were quite a few bugs to work out and you've jumped all of the hurdles so far. I'm sure there are some people out there that have yet to install their headers, so having a good reference like this would be great for those people!

I'm sure all of this will be worth it the first time you can really get in it and experience the fruits of all of your time and hard work!

[inmyshadow]

Here is another lesson.

The oil drain back tube for this header isn't 5/8in diameter. I can't even make it fit with the help of oil. One piece that does fit, my tbolt clamp doesn't fit. I can't even slip a 5/8th heater hose over the pipe, just testing. It doesn't help my tube is oblong at that end either.

Oh, did I mention I work under a carport and Sandy is looking my --- next week.

[inmyshadow]

I'm starting gain a rapport with the parts guy at the local hose/fitting shop. He had a 5/8th silicone hose that fits with very little lube. I even bought a few new larger tbolt bevelled edge clamps. A foot of hose and two tbolt clamps cost me 8 bucks. This is the place I usually go for braided lines, tbolt clamps and fittings.

This guys is starting to be my best friend. We shot the ---- over cars, guns and drinking. He even made an offer to do some welding on my intake when the time comes. Now I'm in a better mood.

[Reaper1]

SCHWEET!!!

[inmyshadow]

The

SCHWEET!!!

is the car is now running.

I only had one hiccup when trying to get the car started. I was getting no fuel. Which turned out to be a good thing because I thought I had already disconnected the hall effect before priming the motor. I swapped ECUs and the car started right up. Ran rough for a few minutes, then smoothed right out. I let the car run up enough of a temp to start baking off the header wrap and paint. I then revved it up past 4000RPM to make sure my timing was correct. Then I shut it down.

Tonight I'll see what is the latest and greatest for code. Tomorrow I'll have to write a new EPPROM.

The car is dead quiet at idle. If I quickly rev it up, I get what I'm hoping piston slap. Since I didn't run the motor up to temp, the pistons were probably still cold. If I gave it constant throttle, I heard nothing. Before I buttoned up everything, I took detailed pictures of each cylinder for future reference.

Once I drive a few tanks of gas through the shadow and pass emissions, It will get parked for the winter. Next year I'll work out all the same problems like adjusting my pwr windows, replace the EGT, install a new wideband O2 sensor and rewire my exhaust cutout directly to the battery.

I can't wait for a fresh tank of gas and wide open cutout. That is going to be fun.

[Shadowjake]

If the pistons are forged, I wouldnt worry about the noise quite yet. After operating temp, if it still makes the noise, then maybe be concerned. I'm a worry wort and forged pistons got the best of me when I heard it.

[Reaper1]

What forged pistons did you go with? That will also play a factor in the noise. Venolia pistons require a pretty large cylinder/piston clearance and are noisy at lower rpms (I have personal experience with this).

Also, like what was just said, until most forged pistons get up to operating temp, they also could be a little noisy.

[inmyshadow]

They motor is needs to come out next spring.

I'm beginning to think the machine shop might have messed up the tolerances on one of the bores.

This is something I've had in the back of my head. A few years ago, a friend used the same shop to build his forged piston motor. I found out form a local turbododge owner that helped tune my friend's rampage. I talked to my friend about this. He confrimed this info by saying his block had to be redone because several of the bores were out of spec.

Right now I can't see it being a bearing. After driving the car for an hour yesterday, the warm oil pressure was 6psi at idle. The rap doesn't happen at idle. It is only happens at around 2000RPM part throttle. When this rap started I checked the oil and didn't find anything. When I drained the oil this time, I found nothing with a flashlight or magnet. If this was a bearing, I should be seeing something. Even when my neon spun a bearing, there was tons of metal in the oil.

The plan is to get it passed through emissions so I can renew my registration. Next spring, I'll have to start over.

[Force Fed Mopar]

This is why I check everything now when building an engine. Building a 383 LS1 right now and checked bore clearance even though it had been done at the machine shop already.

[Reaper1]

Man, that sucks! Again, what pistons did you use?

[inmyshadow]

wiseco

Man, that sucks! Again, what pistons did you use?

[turbovanman²]

What forged pistons did you go with? That will also play a factor in the noise. Venolia pistons require a pretty large cylinder/piston clearance and are noisy at lower rpms (I have personal experience with this).

Also, like what was just said, until most forged pistons get up to operating temp, they also could be a little noisy.

NOT true, the max spec for Ven's is .007" so everyone sets it to that, I set mine at .0035" or .004"-can't remember right now, ack, had no issues and nice and quiet.

They motor is needs to come out next spring.

I'm beginning to think the machine shop might have messed up the tolerances on one of the bores.

This is something I've had in the back of my head. A few years ago, a friend used the same shop to build his forged piston motor. I found out form a local turbododge owner that helped tune my friend's rampage. I talked to my friend about this. He confrimed this info by saying his block had to be redone because several of the bores were out of spec.

Right now I can't see it being a bearing. After driving the car for an hour yesterday, the warm oil pressure was 6psi at idle. The rap doesn't happen at idle. It is only happens at around 2000RPM part throttle. When this rap started I checked the oil and didn't find anything. When I drained the oil this time, I found nothing with a flashlight or magnet. If this was a bearing, I should be seeing something. Even when my neon spun a bearing, there was tons of metal in the oil.

The plan is to get it passed through emissions so I can renew my registration. Next spring, I'll have to start over.

Bummer, 6 psi is really low for a newish engine.

[Reaper1]

You are correct. Most people do set the Venolia's to the max spec (including the shop I had mine done at) and they are ususally noisy because of it. If I'd have known back then that setting them closer would have been fine and reduced the noise...I certainly would have! LOL

Wisecos should not be noisy much, if at all, especially above idle.

Yeah 6psi on a new engine is a bit low. Still in spec, but low. The last engine I built way back when I had my van when I first got it going saw 40psi cold, but once things wore in it was down to 15-20 warm at idle, but had no issues making 50psi going down the road. (having true readings on oil pressure is what convinced me that oil coolers on turbo cars is a MUST)

[85glht]

6 psi of oil pressure..... It must be bleeding inside somewhere. I had a similar issue. The machine shop I used neglected to replace the inner bushing for the oil pump shaft ( inner bushing near the distributor). I managed to replace it in the car.... It was a PITA.... but possible.

[Force Fed Mopar]

I have found that many blocks are missing the oil restrictor in the block for the head. I chased low oil pressure issues for a couple years in my 2.2, changing bearings, rebuilding oil pumps, etc etc. Finally found out about the restrictor and checked for it in the lest tear down, and sure enough it was missing. Haven't reassembled it yet but I am sure that is the problem. Looked through all my blocks, and over half are missing the restrictor. It was still available from the dealer last year.

I have Wisecos in my 2.5, w/ .0035-.004" clearance, they are slightly noisy in the cold weather for the first 5 mins or so, after that they are quiet.

[shackwrrr]

I have Wisecos in my 2.5, w/ .0035-.004" clearance, they are slightly noisy in the cold weather for the first 5 mins or so, after that they are quiet.

Same here but .004-.0045 and they make a little rattle off idle when warmed up. I set them up loose because they are in a van and I planned on towing with it. So long uphill pulls could spike coolant/oil temps and I didn't want to scuff them(again).

[shackwrrr]

Oh and I'm not sure where the 5/8 spec came from for the oil drain came from but I think its more like 18mm. 3/4 is a little loose but fits fine.

[inmyshadow]

I did a little diagnostics today. I tried pulling one plug wire at a time and revved it up to rattle RPM. The rattle was the same across all four. I took out my wooden handled screw driver to give a listen. Really couldn't hear any difference. Later this week, I'll do another compression check.

Right now, it looks like I may pull the motor sometime next week.