Thanks,

Actually, I've already done it but as you can see in the picture, I have no clearance at the control arm.

This is the set up I have now.


This is the set up I did have tusing Russell fuel line (bad idea, right?).

 

Here's another photo.



Try hacksawing off some of your waterpump and get less blocky fittings. I am pretty sure mine are Earl's.

What I see in the picture are essentially the same motor mounts, etc so I would guess your engine sits about the same height as mine. Looks like you have non-adjustable control arms. You're kind of stuck there. Hopefully you have the alignment you want.

What are the brass fittings for?

Btw, I sliced off my thermo housing and now have it rewelded and pointing down. Think I can get a spreader bar in with no obstructions. You can sort of see the weld in the picture. What's your hose plan?

 

BTW, we are hijacking this thread. Not nice. This is Gordon's. Maybe you want to start a new one.

 

Yes, we are. I'll start another thread later today.

 

Lmao! Guys that is OK. Starting to work back on mine again so I will have some updates coming. Took a few weeks off of it.

If you are running into the control arm which mine did with the 45s you can scroll back on mine and see where I moved the fittings to. Not a big job but it gave me the clearance I was looking for.

 

Thanks gordonm.

I think my first setup will give me adequate clearance.

The problem with it was the attachment to the hoses. That's a VB&P square tube control arm.

I think the fittings ignatz is using will work for me. But will definitely go your route if I don't like it.

What do you guys think a safe minimum distance from the fittings to the control arm should be?

ignatz, the brass fittings are for the water temp sensor and the steam relief tube from the heads. But, I just learned that the relief tube should go to a higher place in the system. BTW, that is a LS1 wp on my LS2. When I started the project way back when, there was a limited source for brackets. Since I didn't get the accessory brackets with the motor, I went the F-body route. To get the LS1 wp to fit the LS2 the bolt heads at the back of the wp have to be ground down.

 

That is about the clearance I had on mine and I was not to happy with it. I figured with the power I make and the flexability of these frames and Ido run a spreader bar it was going to be to close. Give it a try and see what happens. I moved mine to give me more clearance.

 

Carl: I have about 5/8" clearance there now. The question is what happens when the engine torques over. The driver's side will certainly lift. The passenger side will compress some but I suspect the bigger effect is the rotation towards the passenger arm due to the drivers side lift.

If you view the passenger side mount as a pivot, it is about 16" over to the driver side mount and about 4" from the passenger mount to the control arm, viewed head on. So ignoring compression that is about a 4:1 loss of motion translation due to rotation. I would have to see (4x5)/8 inches of lift to make contact. I think even with a broken mount that can't happen.

BTW, the energy suspension web site shows an interlocking internal bracket so even if the poly disappears,there is limited travel. I had actually confirmed that with a call to Energy Suspension, the tech guy sounded sure of that and said the whole business had a patent or two. I suppose with some searching I could find the patent but that is starting to sound rather compulsive.

I was however following a broken motor mount thread on this forum and a couple of people complained that their poly had melted from the exhaust manifold heat, so I decided to put a heat shield on the back side of my manifold (I'm using the cast iron manifold). You can look up broken motor mounts here.

Carl, I recognized from your avatar that I had been checking into your blog from time to time, and you may have noticed me there. Keep it up! It's a good read.

Thanks for telling me about the brass fittings in your water pump. I was able to use the existing thermocouples in the LS3 heads and get my stock temperature gauge to work. I'm expecting to use all my stock gauges. As I'd mentioned I might, I sliced my thermostat housing off and had it rewelded so now it points down. The straight housing interfered with the spreader bar. Now that will bolt in and help limit any compression of the frame that might move the fittings. Hope to find a hose setup that works someday. I'll get around to taking a newer picture and posting it.

 

ignatz, Sorry for the long delay in replying. Family matters and other distractions. I agree that it shouldn't be an issue. I started this project when there was only one thread here on the LS conversion, the one that's a sticky now with over 2k posts. I also talked with a lot of guys who were doing or had done the conversion and the wp/heater fitting mod hitting the control arm was never raised as a problem.

The solution we are using is the one recommended by them all. In fact, the two fittings/heater bibs in the wp in my first setup are sold by Speed & Performance, page 88 of their catalog http://www.hotrodlane.cc/2010%20PDF%...g2010main.html . I only changed the set up because I (stupidly) used Russell fuel line and fittings and I didn't like that their bibs had the same ID for the in and out flow. Also, I couldn't find fittings that would fit the bibs locally. I got the pegasus and earl set up like yours, but I'm out ot town for awhile and won't be able to install them for a week or two.

Glad you like my blog. I will be updating as soon as I stop procrastinating. I'll have some good info on the new tech wiring set up and on the steering column rebuild. I'm putting a late C3 column in it. As soon as VettAid sends me the rest of the wiring, integrated security system/fuel pump relay/etc., I'll be setting the car up for a start up and full systems check - wiring, heater hoses, ac, fans, stereo, brakes, clutch, ps, well you get it. Once that's done and any/all issues with them are resolved then it's on to fiberglass work/reinstalling the front clip, body prep, paint, interior assembly and on and on!!!

Don't want to veer too far off the OP's topic, so I'll be discussing other concerns/issues on the blog - I'm really worried about how low the Melrose headers hang, especially for a dd and road trip car. If I go back to the stock exhaust manifolds I'll have to pull the motor/trans again to install a hydraulic throw out bearing or build an offset in the exhaust pipe like I was going to do originally and like the OP did.

 

Now, Back to our regular scheduled program, Any updates?

Riggs.

 

Yes. I have been doing some work on it now. I finished up the forum members 5 speed swap and got mine back on the lift. Today I finally hooked the battery up and tested out all my rewiring of all the harnesses. Proud to say it all works good. The fuel pump kicked on when the key was on, the motor turned over and the fans worked and power was to all the places it should be. I have no fuel in the car so I could not start it but turned the motor over a few times. Even that sounds good right about now. Still have a lot of inside the cabin work to do but the motor is coming along. I have to find upper and lower rad hoses and get the correct length serpintine belt. PS was a real PIA but so far it is full and not leaking and I think it has all the clearances I need. Initial bleed of hydraulic clutch is OK. Have a pedal but needs some more bleeding. New Drive shaft is in. So drive line should be good to go. Computer is mounted as is the new fuse center. Wring is about 80% tucked in its final position in the engine bay. Here is a few shots as of today.

 

G, is that a heat sink in the 3rd picture on the left side?

 

Nope that is the ECM or computer. There are 2 huge wiring harnesses that go into it. from the top side.

 

It's looking really good.

 

Nice to see your back into the LS, it's looking real nice, It won't be long before you're on the road again, enjoying the new setup.

Riggs

 

Yes I got the motivation back to get it going. Just hearing the motor spin made me want to really fire it up now. Things are strating to fall into place and hope to be at least driving it down the road in a few weeks. Won't be totally done but i just want to hear it run.

 

Damn... Jealousy is a bitch...

 

OK Bonehead move here. I was trying to get it just to fire today but could not get any fuel up to the rails. Crap I thought something was wrong with the pump. I could hear it and it sounded like it was priming. Well long story shortened a little I had the two lines on the filter/regulator crossed. Duh! Swapped them around and guess what I have plenty of fuel right at the fuel rail. Still have no fire yet. Not getting spark nor do I know if the injectors are firing. Just want to hear it fire!

 

Wish you were out here.. I have all the ECM diagnostic stuff to tell you what's going on.

You can use a screwdriver or stethoscope to listen to the injectors, will need to have someone else cranking for you..

Not much will stop these from getting spark - have the right reluctor wheel and the crank position stuff all hooked up?

 

Hey Gordon, how much fuel pressure did you have before you swapped the lines around? And how much after switching? I ask because I am also having problems with getting mine to start. The same symptoms that you have. I am planning to update my post tonight if you want to have a look.

Riggs