Plastic Fantastic tew

[DanStokes]

While the reason sucks it's good that you found a cause and therefore a fix.

[SuperBuickGuy]

FiTech tip. Don't use them.

In today's episode of "how can a manufacturer screw you up" we present this

if you use flange bolts, it will not fully contact the intake manifold - best yet, if you don't tighten them all down evenly, it'll just slightly offset the intake manifold making a good seal impossible.
change the bolts to bolt/lock washer and

and coolant goes in


this after I build an adapter so the pressure doesn't bleed off through the overflow

then fish all the wires through and realize I don't have electrical tape....

mostly reassembled

[SuperBuickGuy]

first drill and tap the sensor hole

onward.... nice to see I get to resand the top piece

intake is back on but I don't like how the flange bolts are holding it down so going to change them tomorrow (after the silicone sets up)

[SuperBuickGuy]

picture to remember where it faces so I can get it close when I put it back together... it's on TDC

after a full debrief, I dunno. It almost looks like the center bolts were leaking

note the wetness

this was no help

gaskets did tell the story of the vacuum leak but not the water leak

cleaned it up

then quit for the evening - I need a tap to get the MAT sensor in the intake. I have no idea what FiTech's plan was for it but I need it so modification time

[SuperBuickGuy]

A couple of bottles of Barr's Leak ought to handle it!

with how terribly I've treated this motor.... I really should pull it apart and start again... but I won't, I have another 4 bolt block

[DanStokes]

A couple of bottles of Barr's Leak ought to handle it!

[silver_bullet]

beside working on the forklift and Blazer today.... worked on this... water has oil in it.... and there's a sound that sounds just like I used the wrong intake gasket.... F**K!!!!!
that said, I own the wrong gasket but I don't know why I have a coolant leak....

I'll pull the intake tomorrow - gaskets are supposed to be here.... I'm concerned that it may not be the only problem... but we will see. I need this done so I get the Blazer done then the forklift and finally my wife's Jeep.... so I can get onto Anthony's pickup in August.... not a lot of time, a lot to do....

[SuperBuickGuy]

beside working on the forklift and Blazer today.... worked on this... water has oil in it.... and there's a sound that sounds just like I used the wrong intake gasket.... F**K!!!!!
that said, I own the wrong gasket but I don't know why I have a coolant leak....
time to mark the area

then get the bondo and mold release out

and stuffed

then fill the other side as well

there will be much shaping to this - also waiting for the right VPA to finish it - but it came apart easily
Eventually I'll do 3d modeling of this then might get them simply printed out of ABS or PLA. These are in harms way so having a way to easily replace them is good business.
then, while the mud was out

I'll pull the intake tomorrow - gaskets are supposed to be here.... I'm concerned that it may not be the only problem... but we will see. I need this done so I get the Blazer done then the forklift and finally my wife's Jeep.... so I can get onto Anthony's pickup in August.... not a lot of time, a lot to do....

[SuperBuickGuy]

finished by putting the trim back above the exhaust

then cleaned up and reinstalled panels

wouldn't be a post without warranty destruction - the roll bar won't allow the trim at the top

hooked up the wheel sensors...

and that was it for tonight, thanks for looking

bonus clip - how to save silicone (or in this case, great stuff)... use a cap from a squeeze tube to cap the dispenser.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I keep screwing with the 'attachments' for sidepipes. Today I gave up and welded the studs in place.

in giving up, I went and got another roll of header wrap. much better

installed


in other news, I bought a sewing machine years ago to sew this wrap. for a billion reasons, biggest of which being I never remember to get black thread and edging.... I took it to a local upholstery shop - done in a day

[SuperBuickGuy]

The black wrap is good!

it's saved many an ankle.

[DanStokes]

The black wrap is good!

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm exhausted.
err... I'm doing the exhaust
maybe both
hopefully this keeps the noise below the db limits at the track. If it doesn't... it doesn't

what are they... parts of the super quiet inserts I had in PF1 and also cones.... which seem to work pretty well at knocking the top off the noise without being a hp killer

time to wrap the new pipes

and kind of installed...

I need to rewrap a bit of this pipe but bolting it onto the car will hopefully make that easier

and yes, still more cutting to make it fit

[SuperBuickGuy]

started the day laying out another airbox....

finally came to this conclusion

the problem was, as is the case here, hood clearance

first I built an air cleaner retainer

envisioning tape

then a cap

then a bit of checking

then finally a weld together... it will be black, but I'm still down 2 blocks - so not painting until done

then started working on these

I've got short strand filler and I'll beeswax the body so it doesn't stick. I need these to bolt on.... that said, I will 3d scan them so I can print out new ones if needed

[SuperBuickGuy]

didn't spend time on this tonight but got some trim... need to trim it to make it work, but what's new?