On the 'mildly' Cheap SS Monte Carlo chasing a 9.0___

[64nailhead]

I was down to the last thing to be done before Drag Week - install the engine diaper....................................I thought. When trying to install the diaper I discovered the pan is about .020" off the crossmember on the passenger side due to the motor mount is destroyed/melted, crapped out, etc. This wasn't the case a couple of months ago when I decided to not replace them and/or install solid mounts. So :



I should have the correct spaced Moroso engine mounts today. But I did find the frame bracket locally. And to add a little more work the list, the stock steer gear that came on the frame that I swapped in 2 years ago, that has had a damp input seal forever has turned into a dripper. So a new gear is getting installed tonight/tomorrow as well.

I'm sure it's obvious from the pic, but the entire exhaust minus the driver side manifold is off - turbo, downpipe, crossover, WG, etc. So a smoke test is going to get performed as I won't have much street time to do a lot of testing for leaks. On the bright side, my flex joints look great - I'm always concerned about them collapsing as seen on a kajillion turbo/boosted posts indicating that they suck. I've never had one fail, but I'm a worrier and I worry about them.


I can safely say that changing motor mounts in a G with the engine installed SUCKS. Taping the bolts into a wrench and super glueing the nut for the lower bolt in a swivel socket is the only way I could pull it off.

 

[melloelky]

if this stuff was easy,people like me would do it..☕

 

[64nailhead]

Ok, how about another episode of I was down to the last thing.

Sunday morning, when changing the oil and looking at everything for the 2nd and 3rd time I looked up behind the driver side manifold. Seen these pieces of horse hair/piano wire looking strands coming out from between the head and block (head gasket area).



Thought to myself, hmmm, that can’t be good? Looked at the passenger side and seen one. So, after the panic set in and then subsided a little, and consulting a couple of other sources ‘OFF WITH THE HEAD’(s). And not to my surprise, I knocked the head gaskets out of it with a minor (cough cough), okay major tuning snafu.

All day today I was expecting to see some piston pieces missing, but I lucked out.

This is what 12 psi and 30 degrees of timing for 3-4 seconds looks like.

I think the combination of Ethanol, 7 layer LS9 head gaskets and Mr. ARP saved me.


I still have to check the flatness of the heads, but the block is within .001-.0015.

Parts should be here tomorrow and it’ll be back together. And yes, I ordered an extra set of head gaskets.

 

[81cutlass]

Good thing your catching these things ahead of time! You'll be good to go next week!!

Looking forward to seeing some small wheelie action at Byron!

 

[Northernregal]

Lifting heads is a sign you might need a coolant pressure sensor...

 

[64nailhead]

Good thing your catching these things ahead of time! You'll be good to go next week!!

Looking forward to seeing some small wheelie action at Byron!

I haven't picked a wheel since I put on the ARB, but I haven't been on a good track either. I look forward to it as well. Hope I make it there lol. Hope to see ole Bob as well ( vanrah )

Lifting heads is a sign you might need a coolant pressure sensor...

I agree that I should put one in, but I can't say that it would've helped with this snafu. Perhaps it would've.

Preliminary FedEx tracking says that I'm going to get the parts today. I sourced another set (BTR LS9's) from a local source that should be here by Thurs.


And dang, were the head bolts tight. I'll be taking a 1' cheater pipe with me 😉

 

[Texas82GP]

Maybe head studs would be a worthwhile upgrade? I realize this was the aftermath of a tuning mishap, hence the question mark.

 

[Northernregal]

I haven't picked a wheel since I put on the ARB, but I haven't been on a good track either. I look forward to it as well. Hope I make it there lol. Hope to see ole Bob as well ( vanrah )



I agree that I should put one in, but I can't say that it would've helped with this snafu. Perhaps it would've.

Preliminary FedEx tracking says that I'm going to get the parts today. I sourced another set (BTR LS9's) from a local source that should be here by Thurs.


And dang, were the head bolts tight. I'll be taking a 1' cheater pipe with me 😉

You will see it pushing coolant long before you lift a head. Couple of the cool kids on the YouTube swear by them, for stock head applications anyway.

 

[64nailhead]

I got in two test runs today and both were a success. I was concerned about the recent head gasket replacement and wanted to make sure everything was ok. And for the 2nd run I turned it up a little. The 1st was a stupid safe launching at only 2 psi and mild 20 psi. Since that went well I tuned up the launch (a little) and added another lb on top. On the second I managed 10.3/136mph run with a 1.7 60’.

I’ll say again, fingers crossed, I’m ready and looking forward to turning it up as the week progresses.

To compound the fun, Bruce (fleming442) is in the same hotel. We have been hanging together for the past couple of days. Both of us are working on our driving skills - and it’s a work in progress for both of us haha.

Hoping to see Jake in a couple of days at Byron as well. Can’t wait!!!!

 

[64nailhead]

I FINALLY HAVE MADE A MID 9 PASS!!!! ONLY TOOK 2+ YEARS, BUT WE GOT IT DONE!

DW is done, and it was a success too me. After starting out worrying that the newly installed HG job was untested, I decided to start out with low boost, super safe tune and work our way to the last day increasing as I went along everyday. That plan ended up working out mostly. I started out on test and tune Sunday with 19-20 psi, then 20-21 psi on Monday, the 24psi on Tues, 25 psi on Weds, then 26psi on Thurs and ultimately the goal was to run 32-34 psi on Friday over 3 runs. Friday went different than planned due to the logs and the weather.


I attached the files for those of you that have the Holley software to look at. It's obvious (to me) that I have a fuel pressure pressure issue. in the 1st pass on Friday (labeled 1st pass) at 29.5 psi. I turned down the boost in the seconds pass and added 1/2 degree of timing and I managed to go faster. I'll attach some pics of the screen shots that show how crazy the injector DC git.

To summarize, my car has never experienced a misfire, stutter or anything else. During the 1st pass it stuttered twice. Despite that it was a new PB, I knew something was wrong. My son and I had a plan before the 1st pass, I was the 1st one out in our group - I told him that I was going to hot lap it, so meet me back in the lanes with the computer so I could check the log and the plan was to turn it up more - I WAS WRONG. I dropped more than 20 psi of fuel pressure when it was stuttering and it's obvious in the logs because the inj duty cycle (DC) goes crazy as the the fuel pressure drops off. My son was ecstatic until I told him it misfired/stuttered or something. He convinced me to not give up and just turn it down at the big end and work on the 60' - so I did. And shockingly, it went faster with less boost - almost undoubtedly because it wasn't stuttering. It still lost fuel pressure, but only 2-3 psi.

Also, I have a boost controller PID setting issue. Thus is a new issue that I can easily resolve with some testing. I've been battling with getting it to make oost quicker, and now that it does, it is overcorrecting for too much boost - go figure haha.

You can see in these three graphs that the cyan line is crazy on the middle of the 3.That was the 1st pass that I experienced the fuel pressure issue. I tamed it down by lowering the boost which in turn lowers fuel pressure demand. But it still was nothing like the pass from Cordova (attached).