1991 Lumina Z34

[Skeptical]

Did a little cleanup on the car this past weekend.



Needs a little more scrubbing on the subframe to get the rest of that factory goo off. I suppose I'll paint the engin compartment too while I'm at it. I wasn't going to but what the hell.



Naturally it started raining once I moved it outside.



Did I mention the car has a hitch? It's like it's whispering ,"Take me to drag week..."



Factory wussy exhaust will not harm anyone ever again.

[Skeptical]

3d printers are awesome! I need to finish putting mine together so I can start prototyping stuff. I've drawn up intake manifolds, shifters, brake caliper adapters, and all sorts of other stuff. My plan is to use my printer to develop molds to sand cast parts with, for parts that need more durability than a printer can typically provide.

Casting is on the list of things to try too! You'll have to share some of the things you make once you get your printer going.

[ejs262]

3d printers are awesome! I need to finish putting mine together so I can start prototyping stuff. I've drawn up intake manifolds, shifters, brake caliper adapters, and all sorts of other stuff. My plan is to use my printer to develop molds to sand cast parts with, for parts that need more durability than a printer can typically provide.

[Skeptical]

Got the heads resurfaced the other day. More for piece of mind so I wouldn't sit up at night wondering if should have done it. i also got a spare intake and exhaust valve to take some measurements on. these aftermarket stock replacement valves are crappy when it comes to flow. I'll take some side by side pics. they don't do the back cut on them like the factories. I am surprised at the margin on the intake valve. It's so tiny. I still need to grind the seats then start putting them back together. Then it will be on to the transmission build.

Must... resist.... urge.... to... port........



4 inch downpipe technically fits but 3.5 is probably what I'm going to use. That will give enough room for the wrap and thermal stuff to work properly.



Got some transmission ports in. I ordered the 37 tooth gear and for some reason they sent me two and a stock input shaft. Weird.... I also got the supposedly stronger input shaft, pump drive and 33 tooth driven gear. That should keep me at the 2.93 final drive ratio but with the single chain instead of the two smaller ones.

[Skeptical]

I've struggled to find a drafting program that makes sense to me.... most have this very steep learning curve or start somewhere where it makes little sense (e.g. "how to save your files" - 5 videos in, I still can't draw a line but lord if I ever do, I can save it in 20 different ways)....

Sounds about right. Most of my time was spent trying to put a hole in a cylinder. Every video showed a different way that i couldn't get to work. Eventually I found that you had to be in a certain "Workbench" and have certain things activated (Which does make sense) to get the ability to poke a hole in stuff. I'll get the hang of it. Maybe i should make some videos once I figure it out and try to relay that information to people like us. you'll learn a 21st way of how to save a file that way.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I've struggled to find a drafting program that makes sense to me.... most have this very steep learning curve or start somewhere where it makes little sense (e.g. "how to save your files" - 5 videos in, I still can't draw a line but lord if I ever do, I can save it in 20 different ways)....

[Skeptical]

Have tools, will make stuff. I needed some plugs to seal up the transmission... So I drew some up and printed them out. I really need to start using CAD more often so I can get efficient at it (that was why I bought the printer after all). It took me a little over an hour of fumbling around through tutorials and piecing together what I needed to do. I'll be happy when simple designs like this take me 5-10 minutes.

[Skeptical]

Out with the old.... The AC was still fully charged so that's good. I should be able to just hook up the lines on the LS4 compressor and call it a day. This engine would actually have been pretty decent had they used it in a normal front engine RWD layout. All the pain in the ass parts that made me contemplate a shallow grave for the engineers was due to FWD packaging.






Trans coming out next and then some cleanup.

[Skeptical]

Did the car shuffle yesterday in between tropical storms. Since i have the week off I figure I'll yank the engine and trans out while waiting on some other stuff to be delivered.



Lawnmower burnouts! Yeeeeeesss.....



I had these sitting in the cabinet for a few years. They'd look pretty good on the Lumina. that or I'll make some rectangular/trapezoidal ones.

[Skeptical]

I have a truck LS2 intake... nvmd it's a 3 bolt

Thanks for checkin'. I have a TBSS intake but it doesn't clear the alternator bracket and I think it was in the way of the power steering too. The hunt continues.... I can always run the stock ls4 intake and TB on it should I get to the point of having it running before I find something better. I saw one on ebay for around $300 but spending that kind of money on a stock intake has me shaking my head. I'm used to like 35-45 bucks at the junk yard for one. This is a budget for fun build after all.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Anyone know where I can find an LS2 intake for a reasonable price? Seems like everyone thinks they are solid F!@#$%g gold for some reason. It looks like the only one that fits when facing the stock direction and has a 4 bolt flange on it.

Also, any recommendations on a limited slip for this beast? The GM one is again "Solid F!@#$%g gold" at $2k when you can find them. The engineered performance one is interesting as it looks like a normal clutch type from maybe a 7.5 diff crammed in the 4t65e diff. I'd like to get my hands on one to see if I could reproduce it easily on the cheap. Then there are those ones made up of a steel block with springs you cram into the diff. Not a fan of those.

I have a truck LS2 intake... nvmd it's a 3 bolt

[DanStokes]

"gasoline by itself will not burn; it must be mixed with oxygen in the air. If fuel burns in the open air, it produces no power because it is not confined...." buhahahahahahahahahahaha
what a maroon (in my best Bugs Bunny voice)

I'm only curious which of our scientists is going to stop laughing long enough to respond.... so free air is worthless, imprisoned air - now there's power there in the air

and let's hit one more. emissions engineers couldn't care less how much fuel is consumed to make clean air. Sorry Dan, couldn't resist that one either.

Not an engineer. That's Dave G's department. I are jest a lowly techmonician.

Dan

[Skeptical]

Anyone know where I can find an LS2 intake for a reasonable price? Seems like everyone thinks they are solid F!@#$%g gold for some reason. It looks like the only one that fits when facing the stock direction and has a 4 bolt flange on it.

Also, any recommendations on a limited slip for this beast? The GM one is again "Solid F!@#$%g gold" at $2k when you can find them. The engineered performance one is interesting as it looks like a normal clutch type from maybe a 7.5 diff crammed in the 4t65e diff. I'd like to get my hands on one to see if I could reproduce it easily on the cheap. Then there are those ones made up of a steel block with springs you cram into the diff. Not a fan of those.

[Skeptical]

"gasoline by itself will not burn; it must be mixed with oxygen in the air. If fuel burns in the open air, it produces no power because it is not confined...." buhahahahahahahahahahaha
what a maroon (in my best Bugs Bunny voice)

I'm only curious which of our scientists is going to stop laughing long enough to respond.... so free air is worthless, imprisoned air - now there's power there in the air

and let's hit one more. emissions engineers couldn't care less how much fuel is consumed to make clean air. Sorry Dan, couldn't resist that one either.

I always beat my air before cramming it into a confined space and lighting it on fire. It's just who I am! Accept it! Keep in mind these weren't engineering books. They are basic student level engine rebuilding books (from 93) trying to explain the various concepts in a simplified manner. The hell that is the internet fact check experts hadn't rained (reigned(?)) its terror down on us common folk yet.

[SuperBuickGuy]

"gasoline by itself will not burn; it must be mixed with oxygen in the air. If fuel burns in the open air, it produces no power because it is not confined...." buhahahahahahahahahahaha
what a maroon (in my best Bugs Bunny voice)

I'm only curious which of our scientists is going to stop laughing long enough to respond.... so free air is worthless, imprisoned air - now there's power there in the air

and let's hit one more. emissions engineers couldn't care less how much fuel is consumed to make clean air. Sorry Dan, couldn't resist that one either.