BUILD THREAD Tomeal's Elky Build

[Tomeal]

It's only loosely sitting there, but man does it feel nice to make it look more like a vehicle.



Need to rebuild and replace the passenger door so it matches. But for now that one will work.

Now I can start picking away at all the plumbing up front. Also need to finish the wiring harness. Have the un-needed wires pulled from the plugs, just need to strip them from the harness. Hoping to get a couple wires long enough to use for the fan relays.

Also on a side note...with the clip sitting there I got curious if the fan clutch would work. I took rough measurements when everything was apart and figured it would be close.



V8 shroud, ICT billet plates...that thing might actually work. I have an intrepid fan to use, but that might actually fit. I have to do a final fit on everything, but it seems like there is clearance for it. As I move forward I'll check it for fitment for the next guy. I will end up using the e-fans cause I have them.

Progress is progress!

 

[Tomeal]

90 degrees outside. To hot in the garage. If I run the a/c it makes my electric bill stupid high. Looking at this thread realizing I haven't done anything to it for a hot minute.

Decided I am going to buy hptuners. Waiting until September for the new one to be released. I have played with sample files and it seems learnable. I pick up computer software very quickly anyways.

After labor day when it starts to cool a little I'll dive back into it. Got a lot still to work on.

 

[Tomeal]

Got my hptuners MPVI3 the other day. After getting win7 drivers from there tech support, I got it set up on my laptop. Will try letting it read on my 15 Silverado to make sure I don't have any intermittent issues. There are things I would like to change on that down the road anyways. I can download it's file to look at and learn more.

Looks like I'm gonna have to finish up my swap harness and get moving

 

[Tomeal]

Question for you guys that programmed your own ecm.

I have my harness laid out on a table double checking everything I've done so far. If I wanted to connect my HP tuners and copy my os onto the laptop, what all do I need wiring wise to do that.

I figure I'll have to put 12v to my 12v constant wires. Connect grounds. Will anything else freak it out and not work? Don't want to brick my ecm either.

I can wait till I'm done with the harness and start putting back on the engine if you think it might freak out not seeing anything at the connectors.

Just thought it might be nice to start looking through the ecm for changes I'll have to make for the swap.

 

[Tomeal]

This is F'n neat! Now the learning starts!

 

[Tomeal]

Productive weekend. Got the brake hoses in for the 8.8. installed those and ran the hard lines on the axle to the center hose. Found the prop valve pushed to the one side so it wouldn't allow fluid to the rears. Re set the prop valve and gravity bled the lines to get fluid there.

Soldered my connections on the engine harness. Took it over to the car so I could hook it up to the transmission. I have a 6L90e, my tcm is in the transmission. Wired a temp OBD2 port to it, hooked a battery to it and pulled my tune off with HP tuners.

Did some other odd things to feel like I accomplished something. Pulled the cab harness and installed the one I'll use. Adjusted the passenger door so it would open and close. It's not perfect but close for now. Looked at the engine side harness and realized it needs some work.

I'll look at the tune this week and work on programming it.

Feels good to make some progress!

 

[Tony1968]

Wish I could help you with the tuning but I'm computer illiterate. Keep cranking out the good work 👏

 

[DSPbuilt]

The engine and transmission were never to be long term. Just a means to get it to a running and driving point. I've touched everything on this car and it needs a once over near it's completion. Anyways the engine and transmission were acting up. Got a deal I couldn't pass on as a replacement.

View attachment 198796

L96 6.0 with a 6l90e.

Was a pain getting it out.

I'm excited to see the 8.8 in there. I'm hoping to have mine in this weekend. just need to put some 220 in the garage to run the welder.

On the Donor did you pull the whole rad support out? I'm pulling a 6.0/4l80 from one of our old service trucks at work but I'm trying to avoid pulling the whole front off.

 

[Tomeal]

On the Donor did you pull the whole rad support out? I'm pulling a 6.0/4l80 from one of our old service trucks at work but I'm trying to avoid pulling the whole front off.

If it is an express/Savana, I don't see any easy way to remove the engine. The biggest problem is that the engine sits under the firewall.



Before:




There is barely room for a cherry picker under the firewall. I cut the firewall to make room.




You can see what I removed to get it out. It'll make you work for it.

 

[DSPbuilt]

If it is an express/Savana, I don't see any easy way to remove the engine. The biggest problem is that the engine sits under the firewall.

View attachment 210533

Before:

View attachment 210532


There is barely room for a cherry picker under the firewall. I cut the firewall to make room.

View attachment 210531


You can see what I removed to get it out. It'll make you work for it.

That’s how we always did them when pulled unit. I just never tried pulling them separate. I work on it in between jobs. Hopefully have it out by Friday.