Assorted ramblings and bolt-ons with Daniel and George

[Duke George V]

Finally, a break in the summer weather. I got up at 8 am to a breezy 77 degree morning. I put in a couple hours in the garage and made some real progress. Here are the results!

Alternator: Mostly on, lost a bolt.


Cruise control: uh, present. We'll see if this works. It's just sort of sitting there, with the cable attached to the ribbon.


Radiator, fan, trans cooler lines: check!


Spark plug wires: check! Thanks to my wife for wrapping the wires in loom for me. This image is an accurate representation of a finished product. I'm so close to being done I can almost taste it.


I need to go to the yard and get the missing alternator bolt, and the bolts that hold the header-side dogbone bracket, since those seem to have vanished as well. Big thanks to my dad, who's organization method was "throw everything in a bucket, sort it out later".

I filled the engine with oil and did an experimental cranking. It turned! That's good news. It means that everything is hooked up correctly. I just need to finish mounting the alternator so I can put the belt on, get a shorter bolt for the crank position sensor bracket, fill the transmission and radiator, and put the coolant overflow back in. Then I can at least attempt to start it for real. Test drive will have to wait until after I replace the driver's side axle, since I somehow managed to tear the inner boot. I already have the replacement axle on hand. I just need to get to it.

[turbokinetic]

Looking good! Glad to see it's nearing startup day.

I think there is some sort of timed-disappearing function on any parts piled together in one place. The longer until the re-assembly starts - the more parts disappear!

[Century7667]

Looking good! Glad to see it's nearing startup day.

I think there is some sort of timed-disappearing function on any parts piled together in one place. The longer until the re-assembly starts - the more parts disappear!

My theory is those parts pass into "null space," some kind of dimension where all missing parts and tools go to. When a bolt hits the floor, it ricochets with such speed the bolt or screw just escapes our existence into "null space."

Ken T.

[turbokinetic]

My theory is those parts pass into "null space," some kind of dimension where all missing parts and tools go to. When a bolt hits the floor, it ricochets with such speed the bolt or screw just escapes our existence into "null space."

Ken T.

... and then, there's the strange interaction when a replacement for the missing item is brought to within a certain distance of the point of disappearance. The similar frequency of the 'vibes' from the part in 'null space' and the new part cause the original part to 'pop' back into our dimension, and become visible again!

[Duke George V]

... and then, there's the strange interaction when a replacement for the missing item is brought to within a certain distance of the point of disappearance. The similar frequency of the 'vibes' from the part in 'null space' and the new part cause the original part to 'pop' back into our dimension, and become visible again!

This happened! I bought a new oil pressure sender for the LX9, since my engine has a three pin sender, but the LX9 had only one pin. It disappeared. I bought another one. The other day I was digging through my crap to find the engine lift bracket that goes behind the alternator bracket and found the lost sender. Well, at least I have another one on hand!

[Century7667]

This happened! I bought a new oil pressure sender for the LX9, since my engine has a three pin sender, but the LX9 had only one pin. It disappeared. I bought another one. The other day I was digging through my crap to find the engine lift bracket that goes behind the alternator bracket and found the lost sender. Well, at least I have another one on hand!

The phenomenon happens so often...there's got to be name for it!

Ken T.

[Keiths1976]

You know how many times I loose a socket and it goes into that space where you never see it again . Then it shoots out next day laying on the ground where you didn't park the car . Yup I believe the null space phenomenon lol . The best one is changing the rear tranny mount and find two sockets that aren't yours lmao one snap on 14mm and one old craftsman 10mm socket that was wedged somewhere . I'm guessing the null space didn't work for the previous mechanics lmao hahahah

[Century7667]

You know how many times I loose a socket and it goes into that space where you never see it again . Then it shoots out next day laying on the ground where you didn't park the car . Yup I believe the null space phenomenon lol . The best one is changing the rear tranny mount and find two sockets that aren't yours lmao one snap on 14mm and one old craftsman 10mm socket that was wedged somewhere . I'm guessing the null space didn't work for the previous mechanics lmao hahahah

Yep. I've had two Snap-On tools emerge from Null Space. I didn't buy them either, and yet I have boxed end wrench and a Snap-On screw driver...but the screw driver slipped back into Null Space a few years back. Maybe to it's original owner? The boxed end wrench I still have!

Ken T.

[Duke George V]

Just when I thought things were going too easy...



I had no choice but to take the upper intake back off, because fuel was pissing out of the rail when I turned the key on to crank it. From here:


In between the rail and the line nut. I guess I didn't tighten it down all the way or something. And naturally I don't have a 14 mm line wrench. Had to buy one. Luckily the gasket did not tear, so I didn't have to buy another one of those.

Hopefully have a starting video soon. I will still have to replace the driver's axle before I can drive it though...

[CenturyMan]

Too bad your so far, I'd pay you and pops do my head gaskets on my 96 buick century station wagon

[Duke George V]

I am feeling a bit smug. Here's why:

Now, as I said in the second video, it's not running all that well, and the check engine light is on. I went to Autozone and had them pull the codes for me.
P0102 MAF sensor circuit low frequency
P0336 Crankshaft position sensor circuit - performance problem
P1675 EVAP vent solenoid control circuit malfunction

I expected there to be a problem with the MAF, since I forgot to rewire the connector. The crank sensor code, after a quick googling, could be a problem with the 24x sensor, rather than the 7x external trigger, either the sensor itself or the reluctor wheel on the back of the crank pulley. I don't remember seeing anything wrong with it, but I guess I'll have to pull it off and check, and probably get a new sensor. The EVAP code is just gonna piss me off, since I just replaced both of the solenoids like last year.

As for the fuel leak I posted about above, it turns out there is supposed to be an o-ring on the end of the fuel line going in to the rail, and it was not present. I replaced it, and all is well on that front.

Also, the belt is squealing. It's flopping around, like it's too long. Either it is too long, or my tensioner is worn out.

[Century7667]

Daniel,

Congrats and getting Duke George on the road! Having just done that LIM job, I called the o-ring, but didn't get a chance to post. Mine were pretty loose; I was thinking about a total disassembly for cleaning, but decided against it when I asked myself, "I know there's an o-ring in there; where could I possibly source a new one?"

Not sure, but I think the 24X CPS runs the SFI; without it I think she just defaults to straight up MPFI.

Were you able to track down that leak at the front of the engine?

Ken T.

[Duke George V]

The leak is at the top of the water pump, where the bypass pipe comes out. I'm gonna slap some gasket maker on it tomorrow morning probably. And it looks like the tensioner is shot. Pulling on the belt moves it, and I'm sure it's not supposed to.

The car also desperately needs an alignment. That costs money though. That and the rough running are gonna put the kibosh on my hopes of driving the wagon to work on Wednesday.

[turbokinetic]

Hey great it's running. LOL at the commentary at the beginning of the startup video!
It's good that there weren't any serious leaks or mechanical problems. That's what you get when you take care and take your time while doing the build.

It's down to the small details now. You'll be amazed how it runs when the sensor problems are fixed - that 200 HP will appear!

[Duke George V]

Sorted! Runs great now.

Basically, I'm a bonehead. First, it turns out that I was misinformed about the wiring modification to the MAF connector. The P0102 went away after I swapped the wires back to the stock positions. The EVAP code is gone because I replaced the torn vacuum elbow on one of the solenoids. The crank sensor code is gone with the replacement of the 24x sensor. I also found out I had a fuel leak. The fuel pressure regulator was leaking externally somehow. Luckily, I had some foresight and bought one a few months ago. Swapped that and no more leak. The transmission was shifting funky, and at Dave's suggestion, I replaced the throttle position sensor. I probably didn't need to, since I found that my wiring splice had come apart, so I taped that back together and the transmission acts right again. Couldn't hurt, right?

After getting the MAF, EVAP, TPS and CPS codes handled the computer could stop freaking out and finally tell me that there was, in fact, a misfire, of the random/multiple variety, with flashing SES light! P0300! The only time I've had a flashing SES is when I didn't put the spark plug wires on the coils in the right order. That held true this time too. Turns out I had the #2 and #6 wires crossed. With that back in order, I burned the front tires pulling out of my driveway. George is back!

I put about 80 miles on the car this evening, long enough for the computer to figure its shit out and let me know that the engine is running lean. P0171, bank 1 lean. But since there's only one oxygen sensor for the whole engine, that would mean it's running lean all over, yeah?

That aside, it ran great, as well as it did before I wrecked the stock engine. It doesn't seem to have any more power than stock though. That might be down to the gearing in the transmission still being tall, or the smaller LG8 intake and stock exhaust being hooked up to the engine. And unless my gauge isn't reading correctly anymore, it seems to be consuming a lot of fuel, though that might go together with the lean condition? I will fill it up tomorrow and get an economy figure in a few days.