Assorted ramblings and bolt-ons with Daniel and George

[tlc1976]

After about 30-40 minutes of driving, it will just stall and not restart for a very long time. I am suspecting it's the crank position sensor shorting out and overheating (is that a thing?), which is a kick in the dick to replace on this car. It's behind the balancer, but that's not really the difficult part (although the 220 ft-lbs of torque on the crank bolt adds to the fun). The sensor has to be a certain distance away from the reluctor, but I don't know what that distance is, and neither does the part. The part comes on a bracket that has adjustment built in to it, and I did not have very good luck on my MIL's old Bonneville several years ago when it went out on it. That era of 3.3 and 3.8 shared that part of the ignition system. Probably going to hire a mobile mechanic to diagnose it while I'm at work, and probably do the job if it is the CKP.

I've had ignition modules do that more than once. And the quitting got more frequent. Never had a crank sensor do that, when they quit for me they quit for good. But I'd think they could fail like that from heat. I thought the crank sensor was going on my old 92 Trans Sport, but was relieved that it didn't because they're not so easy. Got a good known ignition module you could swap on to hopefully fix it or rule it out?

[Duke George V]

Yeah, I've swapped the module a couple times, but it didn't alter the behavior. I mean, it's possible I have three bad modules, and I totally don't have the ~$100 to drop on a new part that may not solve the problem. The reason I'm leaning toward the CKP is because my old Celebrity behaved like this, and it ended up being the CKP. It's much easier on the Chevy V6, since it's in the back of the block.

[tlc1976]

Well dang, yeah it does sound like CKP. I agree it is so much easier on the 2.8/3.1.

[papawhellie]

Ill be out of school in couple weeks. Plenty of 3.3s in the junkyards in atlanta. Link the procedure for removal and my m18 milwaukee impact gun might be ready to roll for spares. The yard is the only exercise program i have been able to embrace.

[Duke George V]

Time to stop stalling and just do the damn thing. Summer won't wait.

Wife is unimpressed by the power plant.


It's unimpressive, honestly.


Bolted the Grand Am air conditioning compressor finally. I am not doing another summer without AC. It's balls.


However, after getting the drivetrain back in the engine bay, I found that the new location of the refrigerant lines entering the compressor interferes with the oil filter. I will need to go to the yard and look at a 3.1L Grand Am to see what the setup is. Probably just a remote filter.

Dumping this lump back in was the usual touch and go of lower it, check interference of wiring/hoses/brake booster, lower, check, etc. until I got it lined up with the trans mounts.


The spousal unit was gracious enough to perform the unenviable task of bolting down the rear transmission mount. On this car, it's right up against the firewall, bracketed by the trans case and steering rack. It's hell. I despise it. I love her for doing it while I fucked with other things. This is her after crawling back out from under the car.


Here it is back in its home, bolted to the subframe mounts.


So I went hog wild and bolted a bunch of shit back on.


But I'm going to have to take it all back apart because I didn't put the power steering pump on.


The pump has to go on before the fuel rail, because it interferes with installation.


Things I still need to do before it's driveable, in no particular order:
?Oil in the engine and transmission
?Axles in the transmission
?Struts
?Tune the computer for the new final drive
?Slap new wheels and tires on
?Take new wheels and tires back off and put on shitty wheels and tires to take it to an alignment shop
?Alignment
?Renew registration
?Burnouts

[papawhellie]

So why a grand am ac? Is that what the engine came from and you had the bracket setups?

[Duke George V]

So why a grand am ac? Is that what the engine came from and you had the bracket setups?

The 94-98 Grand Am 3.1L compressor is the only compatible body that bolts to the LX9 engine and has the refrigerant hose ports in a close-enough-to-stock location so I don't have to have new hoses made. I cannot use the stock compressor because it mounts differently. From a post I made in July 2016:

After some digging around at the yard over the weekend, I have discovered the solution to my air conditioning problem. A 1996 Pontiac Grand Am 3.1L (or, more accurately, any '94-'98 V6 N-body except the Malibu) has a compressor body that will bolt to the LX9 dogbone bracket and has the refrigerant hoses in the correct position.

'94-'98 N-body:


'96 Century:

The engine is from a 2005 Malibu. Having a remote filter isn't that big of a deal, if it means I can have air conditioning again.

[Duke George V]

Today's adventure in the junkyard found me checking out this otherwise pedestrian Grand Am.


Oh 'ello, wots all this then?


Oh my.


Tight quarters for the oxygen sensor. Probably required a little persuasion on the floor there.


Two hours later...




Guess who has two thumbs and just fucking scored some Pace Setter V6 headers for $55?

[Pontiac6ksteawd]

Score!

Thats also a upgraded FPR.

[tlc1976]

Nice find. First I thought it was your garage, then I saw the first pic. Never seen a junkyard with concrete before.

[86euro]

Wow, headers at a junkyard! I'da never thunk it, that's pretty darn lucky!

[Duke George V]

Hi guys.


I had to swap the intake manifold AGAIN because I blew out one of the EGR bolt holes AGAIN. It was sucking air in and the engine refused to start at first, then idled at 2500, then idled between 600 and 1000 like total dog shit.

Once that was sorted...

As I said in the video, the downpipe was not bolted to the rear manifold. I've done that a couple times now, and it sucks majorly on your back with a swivel, threading the needle between the steering rack and the firewall. So I took it to my nearest reputable mechanic shop and paid them to do it, along with an alignment. They also repaired the alternator charge wire, which was a giant piece of shit for a long time.


The first daylight George has seen in six months. I also slapped those LeSabre/Reatta wheels on. Uniroyal Tiger Paws in 215-60/15. No center caps for now, since they're surprisingly difficult to find.


And since I had the transmission regeared, out came the trusty old laptop to change the tune. Just need to set the final drive multiplier to 1 in HP Tuners.

Watch this space for burnouts and a new time slip.

3.33 FINAL DRIVE IMPRESSIONS

I've only been driving for a few days now, and it's been long enough that I don't really remember how the car behaved before, but it seem a bit more sprightly now with the 3.33 final, as opposed to the 2.97 it had before. It's definitely easier to spin the tires from a stop, and passing on the highway requires less effort. I haven't refueled yet, but it appears as though fuel economy will be at least the same as before, which seems odd to me. "Legs" are shorter, naturally, but it's still easy to get up to 110 or so and not be out of RPM in third. I don't have a tach, but a calculator says it's about 4900 rpm, so about 900 more left in it.

Also, turns out that the 2095 stall converter stalls at almost 2800 in this car.

[tlc1976]

For me, the downpipe was SO much easier if I first loosened the engine mount and raised the engine up a couple inches. Before that, I had to fish probably 3 feet of extensions and 2 u-joints. After raising the engine, it was a straight shot.

I love the 3.33 final drives in mine. In the Celeb I get 32+ mpg on the highway. My old 6000 wagon I would get 30. I also like being able to climb hills in OD. Not sure about the Cruiser yet, it's still got something going on and besides it's not been out for a long highway run yet.

[Duke George V]

[Pontiac6ksteawd]

I see the Swift off to the side... They just had a donated Geo Metro that ran and drove at my local Pick-A-Part here in Denver.