Well the other day I picked up some oil and a filter. I also received in the mail my new lower ECM mounting bracket and alternator bar. Installed the ECM and reassembled most of the dash. It also looks like the alternator bar is going to work nicely once I get the right bolts for it.


Gibbles, yes I have taken a look at 3001 tune and it does look pretty good. I will be using a tune that was kindly donated to me by RWDsmoke as we have very similar setups.

 

Looks like things are coming together nicely. Keep up the good work.

 

For the tune, i don't know what his looks like, however i also started out with someone elses tune where they spent lots of time building it.

For sure, start slow but get to know tunerpro, start by using the compare feature between two bins.
Lots of backups, naming the files very clear etc.

Nice feature of ebl is that multi bank setup, i use a very cheap win10 tablet with the full ver of windows 10 "nuvision" is the brand.
i think i paid $70 or $80 for it off of ebay.
amazon had it for about $110...

With that i have a super cheap Bluetooth mouse and keyboard so i can smooth out the ve learning while on the road.

Tablet is nice as i can switch banks via the touch screen, and windows 10 has a feature "scaling" that lets you adjust the size of apps.
Since you can't drag the window due to a program limitation of ebl wud...

Also there is a android app "pocket data log"
has a bank switch feature, and you can datalog with your phone, and then transfer that to a computer for some offline ve learnining

 

It looks pretty good to me as it is all smoothed out nicely. Will need to change somethings but ill get to that once I'm done and ready to start the car. Yes the muti bank feature does seem pretty nice! I have been labeling any changes made to the tune in a word doc with what it was before and what I changed it to. I can definitely see the importance of labeling all of them. Hmm I did not know that android had such a thing. Well I appreciate the information! I might need your help in the future with the EBL.

Thank you Dmittz, I am trying to resist the urge to just rush and finish it but a couple sold days of work and I could have it done!

 

SHE LIVES!!!
Hey all, I know its been awhile but I have tried to continue work on the car in between work and personal life. The car is alive! sort of haha. Need a new FP to jump the pressure up to what it should be (as I expected but wanted to make sure it didn't already have one) but the car start and runs for a few seconds! Little update, bought a bunch of fuel fitting (2 block off plugs, 2 90* swivel o-ring, 2 straight o-ring fittings, tube sleeves, tube nuts, and a 37* flaring tool) after I figured out how I wanted to run my lines and mount my FPR. I wanted to mount the FPR under the intake itself as there is plenty of room but it would have made things harder so I decided to mount it on the passenger cylinder head/AC bracket where the AC pump would normally mount. After that I ran all my fuel lines. Bought aluminum line to make it easier to bend but the OD of the tube was to large for the tube sleeves to slide on so I used it to practice flares and make templets how I wanted to run the line. Bought steel line and made all lines. Tried to install TB but it was hitting my fuel line from FPR to rail so replaced line with soft tube till I get a 45* flare in to angle it out away from TB. Other than that just hooked up coolant lines and vacuum lines. I was able to stretch original upper radiator hose over the 'stat housing, not sure if that's a good idea or if it will tear with time but seems good right now. Just shortened original line down a little and it seems to lay pretty nicely. As I mentioned I am not using AC pump so to make up for that I had to shorten belt and wrapped it around belt tensioner. It also seems to be working pretty well to keep belt tight. I have the adjustable alternator bracket that I bought that could be used to tighten belt but the way I have it now it slightly hits on the housing so cant adjust it. Also seems to be working well. Once I get my 45* fitting, throttle cable in the mail and a new FP all should be good! Built an ignition coil bracket but dimensions were off so I need to rebuild it. Otherwise all seems to coming along well! O also, some wires pulled out of the ECM pins so I had to fix them as well. When I get it actually done I will let everyone know how the build actually was and how the EBL Flash system works. It may have seemed long but I have only been able to put about 4 hours a week on it so progress has been slow. Car has been laid up for its longest time, longer than full suspension bushing replacement and engine/transmission swap and it has been killing me. Thanks all!

 

She lives! again haha. So while watching data logs I realized that I loaded the wrong tune into the ecm so I went back out to reprogram with the correct tune. Started right up and ran for a solid min until I turned it off bc crap was burning off exhaust. Tried to start it up again but would only run for a short few seconds before it'd die again so not sure about that one haha but ill keep making progress!

Edit: 'stat housing is leaking so I will have to seal that up and the T fuel fitting I am using to connect the left and right fuel rails is leaking at the rail so I will have to figure that one out. I wanted to get a T fitting that had an o-ring or one that allows for a plastic washer to seal but I don't think they make one. Any ideas?

 

Awesome progress and you have made a great build thread here. You should be proud of all of the work that you have done along the way. I have spent the last two hours reading this thread from top to bottom. Great job.

Bobo

 

Great Work, your engine is looking awesome. I am really excited to see how it turns out and learn how EBL flash works for you.

Keep up the great work!

 

Thank you very much Bobo for the kind and encouraging words! I have tried my best to make the thread as good as possible. This is my first thread so still a learning experience. I feel as I could have done better but I wanted to make progress before reporting on it so I might have missed some things along the way. If you really want to take a look at someone who does some great work, take a look at Dmittz threads, his are an inspiration to us all!

Thank you Dmittz! Overall it seems to be working very well, wish I knew how to use it better tho! Will learn in time.

So I was able to get a new F.P. from the store today and installed that and the car runs nicely now!! Still have a small fuel leak that I'm not sure how to seal up properly and 2 small coolant leaks that I will have to seal but overall it runs!!! I tried to attach a video of it running/how the EBL system works but it wont let me. Anyone know how to add a video?

Edit: Just gotta throw this out there but feel pretty proud that I actually set the engine base timing exactly where it needed to be. No adjustment needed! Got lucky I guess haha

 

Hey guys. Got my new throttle cable and 45* fitting in yesterday and got them installed today. Throttle cable was easier than I thought it was going to be. Unfortunately I had to cut the clip that holds the cable in place on the pedal off of the original cable. After that just remove the cable and slide clip on new cable. Feed T.C. housing threw firewall and install retaining nut. I used two fairly large washers (one inside and one outside) to help support the new cable and to fill the small gaps left from the original square shaped hole. I wanted to replace the small riveted plate with a new one that has a round hole but I will probably do that later on. After that just figure out how long you want the housing/cable. Cut and assemble. The fuel fitting was more of a pain though. Luckily the aluminum line magically had a smaller outside diameter tonight that allowed the tube sleeves to slide on because it would have been impossible for me to build this line out of steel line.

But I need your guys help! I still have a small fuel leak that I do not know how to seal properly. I have heard that you shouldn't use any type of thread sealer on fuel fittings as they may contaminate the fuel and clog injectors, but I am not sure of another way to seal up this leak. Any ideas would be helpful!
The fuel leak is at the front of fuel rail, left side of the T fitting.

 

Hey guys, its been a minute sense I have posted. Aligned 89 hood and reinstall 89 bumper. Installed side marker lights and head lights. Installed black plastic flaps on bottom of bumper. Used ecm live stream data to set my throttle stop screw for idle. Before with it fully disengage I was at about 60-70 steps on iac, now sitting right around 0. Revs quick, starts well with higher rpm and then settles and does not surge anymore, or at least not that I could tell. Tried to install (but with no surprise) the 84 upper fenders that attach to hood but bolt patterns are different are so are they. They newer one obviously bolt up but are around an inch to short to mate up with seal. Might use some glass to extend them, make old work, or buy lower fenders for 89 and install them. Anyone got some pics of 86+ lower fenders so I can see if bolt patterns are the same? Will do some digging of my own. Other than that just waiting in silicone intake tube reducer thing to go from 4.5 to 4" China one wont be in till beginning of next month so ordered one from hps. Should be here by Friday. Hell or high water ill be driving by next week!!! This swap sure would be easy for 86+ cars. Could have saved some time with old bumper and hood but I want to build cold air intake up in front of radiator like 85+ and 84 hood does not have enough room to do so.

Oo also ordered 35$ stupid o-ring tee fitting for fuel rail to stop line from leaking ever so slightly! Also while I had bumper off I fixed a bunch of jacked up ground wires.

 

Looking good, thanks for the update. I'll see if I can get some pictures of my 88' lower fenders sometime today.

 

Well I'm pretty much done with things! I have driven the car and what a difference it has made. Haven't gotten on it to much but it pulls harder than before and pulls harder for longer! Need to work on tune some and other little things but overall I'm happy. Will build an actual air filter tube later on rather than the chrome one but I like it for now. Matches intake pretty well. I had to dent it down a little as it was hitting hood but I dented it to much. O well. Coil bracket came out pretty good, haven't welded in awhile and its thin metal so hard but like it. Drilled the holes in the firewall a little off from where I wanted them but that's just me being picky. Also, after fixing all the ground wires in the front end and wires in the rest of the harness the lights are much brighter and turn signals work faster than before Once I drive the car a little more and get tune worked out a little more ill let you guys know how it really runs!

 

Now for your next project, install a Pro Charger to the system. LOL Just kidding, the engine bay looks great. I am jealous to say the least. Thank you for a great How To thread. You did a great job on it.

Bobo

 

Hahaha I have jokingly said a couple times now that if the intake doesnt give me the power i want then I would throw a procharger in it! Thank you! Im sitting here now thinking that it looks good but bad bc of the paint under it all and how I wish when I had the motor out I would have painted the frame and firewall as well as all little parts. Looks good overall but im ocd when it comes to missing/bad paint

 

Wonderful Job. The intake looks really nice! It bet it runs sooo much better than before. Hats off to you for taking on a difficult conversion and seeing it through. Now its time for you to start driving it!

 

Alright guys well iv got a final review. And a few pics of old vs new intake.

1. Review of Pro Flo XT

Pro: Overall I am happy with the intake. It pulls hard and much longer than before. I have done a few pulls now shifting around 5100rpm and it still had more left. It is very quick and very responsive. Step on the gas and it just pulls no matter what rmp your at. Starting at 3krpm it pulls harder than it ever did before. The front end just lifts right up and it feels like its about to lift the tires. Eventually I will get the car dynode to see what an improvement it has made but it is a big improvement. The new intake also is much lighter and smaller than the xfire which are nice added benefits.

Con: While not intake related, this afternoon I did a pull and the throttle stuck open slightly. Thought it was the cable but after looking at it, it seems like the throttle body stuck a little and would not close completely. Not sure why it stuck. The throttle cable bracket needs to be redesigned as the proper way you are supposed to have it causes it to hit the fuel rail. With it flipped like I have it, it rubs slightly on hood and needs some grinding. It also does not look like it would allow for cruse control with it flipped. Not sure if it was designed for ls injectors that maybe shorter or something. And lastly the MAP retaining tab thing that holds the map in place is cheap. It is just a piece of stamped metal and doesn't even hold it down very tightly. I will probably build on better in the future but that's small things.

2 EBL Flash

Pro. Well honestly I cant say anything bad about it. It was simple to start and easy to use. Came with a bunch of different tunes. Tuner pro is the most difficult thing about it and that is where you make most of your big changes. The EBL is quick to flash new tunes in, retains them with no power to it, and calculates its own VE tables which makes fueling very easy. I cant speak to much on how well it works as I got my tune from RWDsmoke and have only had to make small changes but seems to work well. It provides you with just about all the information you can ever need threw datalogs and live stream data. It also allows you to find out what your 1/4 times/speeds are. Not sure how to use it yet but ill figure it out.

Con. From what I can tell as of right now you can not change values of the tune while the car is running. This is a downside for dyno tuning as you have to stop, change a value, dyno, and repeat vs other systems that you can change the value while car is running. A small price to pay for ease of use and compatibility with factory harness.

If I get to a dyno soon ill post the results. Hope you guys have enjoyed!

 

So.....No Pro Charger how to thread????? Lead feet want to know....


Bobo

 

Haha no not today

 

Thanks for the final review of thebintake and EBL and great work on your car. I much enjoyed following your project.