Defenistrator's L33 powered '90 GXL 8.8 IRS

[mech-head]

You should paint that modified washer bright yellow so it looks like Pac Man!  Damn, I think that I just dated myself...

Keep up the good work.

[Defenistrator]

...Hey everyone, I's not dead though it may seem like it around here. 
To put it simply my project's been on a bit of a hiatus.  Money situation sucks a bit right now, but I am not giving up on the work I started.  Keeping my fingers crossed for a 2nd job opportunity, which may allow me to start chipping away at the thing again.

I have to say that several months back I was silently wondering if I would actually be able to fire this thing up for the 1st time before Nick's car was ever able to hit the road...    Guess I was way wrong!

Well, all I can say is I will tentatively shoot for being able to attend SNS 2012...  A few small things have been worked on since my last post but nothing too giant, mainly been playing around with the HVAC system and making way too much of a job out of it! 

[Sho Amo]

I think this is going to be the way that Im going with mine. I just hope I can find a good deal on the l33 like you!

Good luck with the work situation. Ive been there in the middle of a build like you, had to start finding odd jobs for myself until I could get another full time.

[Defenistrator]

Thanks!  I came from turbo FWD roots as well, mine was an '89 Dodge Shadow with a water/air intercooled 2.5.  Bet yours must've moved out with haste...

[Sho Amo]

Yeah but being a taurus it had no aftermarket and no one making that power. Best I could do was a 12.8 @113 and thats the 2nd fastest in the world lol. Fastest was 12.72

Im having a hard time finding an l33. Seems they were quite rare.

[Defenistrator]

The aftermarket was garbage for the turbo k-cars as well.  My best 1/8 mile time was 8.8 @ 74ish with awful traction.  You just can't put enough tire on the front of those things.

L33s are fairly hard to come by.  Got lucky findingmine on craigslist but it was bare with no accessories.  I think most gen IV trucks 06-up had aluminum blocks though, you could run the trucks ecu and electrical system and slap on an ls2/ls3 manifold I believe.

[Sho Amo]

Ok kool. Thanks for the info.

[Jarhead Steve]

Don't a lot of those have the BS where the cylinders cut out?

[Defenistrator]

As far as I know it's easy as hell to remove the cylinder deactivation for the Gen IV blocks.  From the pics I've seen even the LS2 and LS3 blocks have the provisions for that in it.

[Defenistrator]

I'm alive.... but broke for the time being, and the project's been pretty well stalled for about 6 months, but not over.
Thanks to my girlfriend and all the tools in her late father's shop, I may be able to do a few things I've been needing to get done on the cheap.  Have access to a good mig, and even a Tig, which I need to get around to teaching myself pretty soon.  Plus a lathe and mill.  Haven't used one in near a decade, time to re-learn!

This has been my official "I'm not dead" post... Now to contribute to the forum here & there and get my motivation back!

[matt]

Need a hand with anything?  I'm close by.

[1320king]

I also pulled out my dash again, I went ahead and did my own version of the heater line relocation for cleaner under-hood routing.  I still need to plug the stock holes in the firewall. 


While I was in there, I eliminated a ton more un-needed wires from the interior harness.  Took out the cruise control module and all the wires & connectors associated with it, since I'm going to be going the drive by wire route I'll have to use the GM system, which will probably mean wiring some custom switches in the dash for it.  Pulled lots of other old rotary ECU related wires I forgot about, and re-wrapped the thinner harness much more professionally than I did last time.  Finally removed the clutch pedal & switch, and stuck a spacer in it's place so my brake pedal won't walk around.

GOt a couple questions and hope you can answear.

1. What wires did you remove and do you have a diagram of sorts? Been trying to look at the factory service manual link but i think the link is down . I realy want to do the same.
2. do you have pics of the clutch pedal and switch removale? and did you take all the wires and plug from that out as well?
3. WHat size fittings did you use for your heater core routing? I realy want to do that!!

thanks in advance man!

[Defenistrator]

Need a hand with anything?  I'm close by.

  Definitely consider it at some point.  Looks like you're right on Lake Norman.  What's your project?

I also pulled out my dash again, I went ahead and did my own version of the heater line relocation for cleaner under-hood routing.  I still need to plug the stock holes in the firewall. 


While I was in there, I eliminated a ton more un-needed wires from the interior harness.  Took out the cruise control module and all the wires & connectors associated with it, since I'm going to be going the drive by wire route I'll have to use the GM system, which will probably mean wiring some custom switches in the dash for it.  Pulled lots of other old rotary ECU related wires I forgot about, and re-wrapped the thinner harness much more professionally than I did last time.  Finally removed the clutch pedal & switch, and stuck a spacer in it's place so my brake pedal won't walk around.

GOt a couple questions and hope you can answear.

1. What wires did you remove and do you have a diagram of sorts? Been trying to look at the factory service manual link but i think the link is down . I realy want to do the same.
2. do you have pics of the clutch pedal and switch removale? and did you take all the wires and plug from that out as well?
3. WHat size fittings did you use for your heater core routing? I realy want to do that!!

thanks in advance man!

 1:  Don't really have a diagram, just did tons of reading mainly on this forum before giving it a go.  But I'll give you a good hint of where to start:  even when you remove the engine harness there are still a few plugs on the passenger side under the dash that connected to the stock ECU.  Don't need them anymore.  I just unwrapped the harness and removed ALL the wires attaching to those plugs.
2:  Sorry, no pics.  I just kind of looked under there and started taking things out.  I'll take another glance at what I did though, It's been a while since I looked.
3:  This is probably a more jack-legged (CHEAP) version of a nicer re-routing that I saw and copied.  Those are 1/2" NPT brass elbows and four 1/2" NPT to 5/8" hose barb fittings.  I drilled the holes in the firewall just big enough that the fittings sort of "thread" into the firewall holes.  They still rotate in the holes a bit, I might go back and use some epoxy to hold them tighter.
I had to cut out some of that insulating blanket too where it goes through.

Hope this helps!

[1320king]

very helpful! thank you for the late night reply aswell!

[digitalsolo]

I've had my heater hoses routed like that a long time, works well.