L29 454 swap

[marauderprime]

Why not just thread a chunk of brake line into the box and clamp the generic hose to it? Hell I bet you could get a barbed fitting that'd thread into the box as well.

Will a brake line fitting thread into the box? I have an extra one, and I can make my friend see if it fits. Also, can anybody identify which hole is the pressure, and which is the return?

 

[Supercharged111]

IIRC, these boxes are not o-ringed in which case a brake line should work. I used one in my Crown Victoria and never had a problem there.

Disregard that, I just jumped on Rockauto and the pressure hose is clearly o-ringed. Sorry, I can't say if both are the same size and which is which, but if it's like fuel the bigger one should be the pressure side. If you were to swap in a Jeep box you could get the quicker ratio and have the normal flared fittings.

 

[marauderprime]

IIRC, these boxes are not o-ringed in which case a brake line should work. I used one in my Crown Victoria and never had a problem there.

Disregard that, I just jumped on Rockauto and the pressure hose is clearly o-ringed. Sorry, I can't say if both are the same size and which is which, but if it's like fuel the bigger one should be the pressure side. If you were to swap in a Jeep box you could get the quicker ratio and have the normal flared fittings.

I Know the jeep shaft is a substantial upgrade, which is in my near future, but I was under the impression that the MCSS box is the fastest ratio ever made at 12:1. When swapping in the XH boxes from the handling pack third gen f-bodies was all the rage, people were just doing that for the internal stops in the steering box, and it helped people run wider tires without rubbing up front, but the actual ratio was a bit slower at 14:1 which apparently was noticeable. I know I put an SS box in my 95 Impala, and holy cow did it make a huge difference going from 16:1 to 12:1

 

[Supercharged111]

Jeep boxes were faster too, 12 or 13:1? Can you still get MCSS boxes?

 

[marauderprime]

Found an original discontinued NOS return fitting for an 84 mcss, and ordered it off of ebay. $20 shipped. Expensive for what amounts to a stupid fitting, but I like that itll come in a delco bag. So I have the Supply, the return, a 99.5" belt (Also my third attempt at the correct size belt). Basically just the lower radiator hose, and some header collectors with the 02 bungs welded in them, and I believe the project is done for now. I still havent figured out what I am going to do about a hood. Part of me wants to do a harwood ram air hood after I saw a hellcat today, there was a US products ss style ram air hood that I saw look good on a couple of cars. I could do a harwood cowl, a vfn cowl, or a goodmark steel. So many possibilities so few $$$

 

[scoti]

Found an original discontinued NOS return fitting for an 84 mcss, and ordered it off of ebay. $20 shipped. Expensive for what amounts to a stupid fitting, but I like that itll come in a delco bag. So I have the Supply, the return, a 99.5" belt (Also my third attempt at the correct size belt). Basically just the lower radiator hose, and some header collectors with the 02 bungs welded in them, and I believe the project is done for now. I still havent figured out what I am going to do about a hood. Part of me wants to do a harwood ram air hood after I saw a hellcat today, there was a US products ss style ram air hood that I saw look good on a couple of cars. I could do a harwood cowl, a vfn cowl, or a goodmark steel. So many possibilities so few $$$

'SS' style as in 5th GEN SS or early 1st GEN 'stinger' style?

 

[marauderprime]

'SS' style as in 5th GEN SS or early 1st GEN 'stinger' style?

 

[scoti]

I've been looking for one of those for a Bu. Wondered if you were describing the same.

 

[marauderprime]

My car has been quarantined 😡

gauges are hooked up.

even though the car has already run twice, I’m dealing with a no-start issue, and it appears to be fuel related.

updates to continue pending the corona virus outcome.

 

[marauderprime]

My car has been quarantined 😡

gauges are hooked up.

even though the car has already run twice, I’m dealing with a no-start issue, and it appears to be fuel related.

updates to continue pending the corona virus outcome.

it was the cheap chinese fuel pump. I found a $40 temporary napa pump that flows 125 lph (fine for n/a). I was suprised to find a “made in the usa” on it.

the old electric fan setup i had involved a hemi mopar fan affixed to the stock 305 fan shroud. It was a kind of crappy workaround that never really fit well. It doesnt fit with new bbc.

the upper stock fan shroud does not clear the stock gen vi accessories, so until i trim it, im only running the lower with the stock gen vi fan shroud.

power steering works perfectly with the smaller plastic dorman pulley. Valvoline full synthetic dexron vi in it, and the steering feels great. its completely silent.

no heater hoses yet until i replace the heater core.

The gauges were working, now they are off, but when i hit the gas, they blink on and off, so loose connection somewhere.

i hooked up a bluetooth scan tool to the obd 2 port so ive been able to monitor the vitals with my phone.

with the new fuel pump i triple checked everything primed the pump a few times, and it roared to life with the touch of the key.

i let it idle until temperature came up, and topped off all fluids. Thermostat opens around 195-200, and the needle never goes above 205.

i let this go on for a few minutes, checked the radiator again, and dropped her to the ground.

the l29 used hydroboost in its factory application, and there are literally no vacuum ports available for accessories on the upper intake. There is a plug with a square fitting in itthat looks like i could insert a vacuum port, but the square hole in it is not a tool i have. It is larger than a 1/4” rachet head, and smaller than a 3/8” rachet head.

as of right now i have nothing to feed my power brakes, so i just start stopping a year in advance.

i got in the car and took it around the corner for a full tank of 93 octane.

this thing must have been running on whatever fuel was still in the lines, as it accepted 17.031 gallons of gas in the stock gas tank.

i got done, and instead of going back to the house and doing more analysis and buttoning down, i went straight through the light to see if i could take a cruise down the intracoastal on us1. The trans was now up to temp, and was shifting like a brand new transmission. Up through every gear, correctly downshifting at lights. Temperature at speed holding a steady 200 degrees.

over the next few lights iexperimented placing the transmission in each of its forward gears with the shift lever, and it behaved flawlessly.

i left a light, and at about 12 mph in second gear i gave the throttle a quick half way stab, and it immedeately spun, and started to shuffle to the right on me, so i shut that down pretty quickly.

I hit the railroad tracks right before us1 a little faster than i should have, and something somewhere grounded out. The car died completely and all i could do was limp into an assisted living facility right off of the road i was on.

a few attempts at cranking and i discovered that the fuel pump was once again not priming. Im not the happiest with the wiring ive got leading from the relay to the pump, so ill probably take a look at it and redo it. I went through the howell provided fuse box and discovered that the fuel pump fuse had tripped. I swapped it out for another 10 amp fuse, and she cranked right back up.

at this point it was drizzling, so i exercised the better part of valor and postponed my scenic cruise.

i did however stop at the jimmy johns drive through to pick up a sandwich for dinner. Boy did those teenagers get a kick out of an open manifold big block with no hood sitting in their drive-thru.

i hope to have the exhaust hooked up this week. I dont know what configuration I’m going to run, but ive always liked the in front of the rear axle exhaust, ala challenger t/a.
I am also going to pull the trigger and order a dynacorn steel 2” cowl induction hood. I havent decided if im going to paint it body color, or black, ill include some examples of both down below, as well as a video of the first fire since the lst time it fired up.

thoughts and comments welcome, insults or asking why i didnt just ls swap it, keep to yourself.