BUILD THREAD The Mullet Maurader, The Epic of the LS swapped Buick

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Griffin84ss

Master Mechanic
Supporting Member
Apr 14, 2017
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I would say that you Nailed it sounds like a Hot Rod to me.!!! GREAT JOB SIR
 
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Northernregal

Sloppy McRodbender
Oct 24, 2017
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Red Deer, Northern Montana territory
Time for my update, and time to get ready for work.

So went in and picked up a set of water pump gaskets as both my junkyard donors had rough looking gaskets, The dealer had them in stock.

Got back to the garage and set to work. Water pump was quickly installed with new gaskets and rad set back into it's home. Then I got after the wiring, traced all the wires I needed to re-purpose and break out of the harness. Since I had to take out the cluster I need to create a new solution for the signals, high beam indicator and fuel gauge. I then found the starter wire and backup light wire and wired them into the supplied shifter switches from B&M. Tested them out and put the dash and my floor shift MCSS steering column in.

At this point I was getting antsy about firing it up.

I put the engine harness back together, put the plugs back in and double checked the essentials.

I had been just plugging the ECM into the factory fuse block up until now to get IGN power to fire it up, so I plugged it back in with a spade terminal to the same spot along with the Digital dash, texted Injectedcutty so he could die of anticipation for a startup video and turned the key.

Crank but no start..... WTF?

Connect the laptop, check the tune and settings, make sure its set up for the 210lb injectors, check base timing.....

Crank but no start....

Make a couple changes, adjust the Throttle body and reset it in the ECM.

Crank, no start....

Pull plugs and check for fuel, pull one out to check for spark.

No spark...

:oops:

Panic slightly that its not reading the cam sensor to Sync....

pull a couple crank logs to check for cam sensor signal.

Logs didn't have any data, weird...

Meanwhile Injectedcutty is texting for a startup video.... Hurry the F up! hahaha

Swap the power to a battery line in the fuse box.

BAM!!! Fired up immediately.

So somewhere in my wiring mayhem I dont have a steady IGN on power source anymore.

Lesson learned.....

Add that into the wiring diagram, perhaps a switch for electronics to a clean relay with the second purpose of anti-theft device.

Either way, start up was very exciting. Topped up the coolant so it could run for more than 10 seconds and enjoyed the big rumble. The new cam is exactly what I wanted an NA car to sound like. Hubba Hubba, the video does not do it justice. :love::banana::banana::banana::D
 
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Northernregal

Sloppy McRodbender
Oct 24, 2017
3,359
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Red Deer, Northern Montana territory
Got some stuff done today, mounted the rear tires on my 15" rims for mock-up and checked the back spacing on the M3 rims with the spacers, they look like they will work pretty good just need a 1.5" spacer for the front.

Got the Holley 7" dash mounted, just putting some touches on the dash bezel for signals and high beam indicators, hopefully get that sorted out with the wiring on Monday. Put the original column back in as for some reason I couldn't get the steering shaft on the MCSS floor shift column I bought, probably revisit that later.

But accessories are installed, power steering is in and functioning, although unattractive it was a $0 install.

Got the 275/60/15s on for mock-up. I think a 1/2" higher will be just about right.
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Not a lot of other pics this time. It's all little stuff the last 2 days.
 
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Northernregal

Sloppy McRodbender
Oct 24, 2017
3,359
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Red Deer, Northern Montana territory
Big update today.

First I tackled my wiring panel. Laid everything out on some 16ga aluminum, marked and drilled it out and mounted the ECM, fuses and relays. I mounted 5 relays for future use. I mounted it, wired in the ECM and got the dash roughed in. Tomorrow I'm going to get it sorted out and the high beam and fuel gauge wired into it.
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I was going to figure out the E-fan setup I sourced from the junkyard so I pulled my fan shroud out of the shed. Once I mocked it up it sure looked like the truck fan might work... I just happened to have one.

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Turns out it works really well.
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I fired it up and flashed the latest mods on the tune. Let it run for about half an hour and it held 189 degrees, lots of air movement through the front of the rad so I'm gonna try it for now. Can't turn down a freebie.

So I rolled it outside under its own power and got a video. The first time she's rolled on her own since the original motor came out about 10 months ago. Pretty damn good feeling.


I kinda felt the front was too low so I drove it back in and pulled the wheels off to adjust the suspension a bit and add some preload. It needs about a half inch up in the back but I like it.

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Don't mind the black marks on the driveway, it was an accident. 😈
 
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TURNA

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Jul 24, 2009
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Socialist NY
Where the heck did you find that radiator hose?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?


Sounds goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood!!
 
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TURNA

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Jul 24, 2009
10,941
19,990
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Socialist NY
Just seen the other post about he hose!!!
 

Northernregal

Sloppy McRodbender
Oct 24, 2017
3,359
12,826
113
Red Deer, Northern Montana territory
It's A L I V E . . . !!!

Congrats!

Thanks man, feels more downhill now for sure.

Where the heck did you find that radiator hose?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?


Sounds goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood!!

Thanks Turns, good old 2003 rad hose for the win.

Something about big headers, 3" exhaust and a big cam having that badass rumble.
 
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Northernregal

Sloppy McRodbender
Oct 24, 2017
3,359
12,826
113
Red Deer, Northern Montana territory
Got a little more done today.

Finished off the wiring for now. Got the fuse/relay panel done, trans cooler wired in, ecu wiring done and the Digital dash done and ready to put the dash back together.

First the relay panel in place, it's a dual circuit setup so I can run a battery feed to it for the relays in the future and a switched source to switch relays that aren't fired by the ECU for IGN on stuff. It's rubber isolation mounted to the AC delete plate so hopefully that helps keep electronic things alive a bit longer.
20190402_210740.jpg


Then I finished off the digital dash wiring. Got the signal and high beam indicators wired to it so I don't need seperate lights on the dash. Also got the trans pressure gauge wired to it so I can see what my line pressure is. Nifty little unit, it's really starting to show its abilities and I have 6 inputs left for future advancements.


Got under the car and double checked all the suspension, cross member, trans and any other important but or bolt I may have left less than tight.

Also ordered 2 245/60/15 BFG radial TA tires for the front that should be mounted tomorrow.

Next step is put the interior and front end back together. 😀
 
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