2slo95fiveOhs 1994 GT rebuild...UPDATE 5-2! Forged shortblock, fuel upgrades!

Musturd

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Damn I should have nominated you for build thread rotm damn ...
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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Hooly man . Sucks about the head gaskets and the clutch . Car must be making lots of torque to eat threw a new clutch so fast

The clutch in there wasn't by any means new. It was the clutch that I had installed 6 years ago when I first installed my TKO. When I installed it in the car this last time, it didn't look like it had a ton of life left, but I decided to run it and see how it held up.. but I guess I got my answer. ha.

The positive outlook for this situation is, again, I would rather these issues come up before the car is 100% tuned, so I know that they won't cause problems while tuning, or down the road.
I made progress on the rebuild today, I should be able to finish it tomorrow night if everything goes well.
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!

I got the car put back together, and she runs great. I fiddled with the water/meth system and have confirmed that around 6 lbs of boost (half of my max of 12 lbs), like it's supposed to, the water/meth begins injecting.
I have my new Centerforce clutch sitting in my garage, but I just need to find time to get it installed. Meanwhile my tuner is in the process of getting his dyno up and running, so hopefully my timing is right on the money with getting my car finalized and him getting his dyno going.
 

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Hey Matt, glad to see your car is running good, and that you became addicted to Meth.
Even when you didn't buy a kit from me.
If you need any parts for your meth kit let me know. I do meth for a living lol


Then I got my new blower-to-throttle body pipe made, and drilled holes for the IAT sensor and meth nozzle:

Also, For better atomization I suggest to have the nozzle sit flush on the pipe

Like so:

6EC07420-4516-4348-B544-DA7766F83006-40624-0000096E6737CD80_zps52bfce0a.jpg
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!
It's been a long time since I've updated this thing.. The status is fairly the same; I still have the centerforce clutch sitting on my garage floor, BUT I finally ordered an aluminum flywheel for it (RAM from American muscle). Whenever that comes in I will get it and my clutch put in, get some break-in miles on it, then take it to my tuner.
He is itching to tune it as bad as I am to really DRIVE the car to its full potential. Unfortunately his dyno is still a work in progress, but the reassurance that the tune
is squared away would be a big weight off my shoulders, even if I didn't know power numbers.
Pictures and updates soon to come.
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!!

Well my aluminum flywheel finally came in, so last night I started tearing it apart to replace the clutch and flywheel. I didn't take a bunch of pictures along the way (probably because I didn't want to be there all night), but I did take the parts comparison picture:


I can definitely tell the weight difference between the stock and new aluminum flywheel. The clutch seemed to be more worn down on the pressure plate side, rather than the flywheel side like I was expecting. Either way it was just an a** hair above the rivets, so that explains the slipping/smoking.
Then when I was getting ready to put the transmission back in, I noticed something that looked a little off...


Yup, That's the front bearing retainer, separated into two pieces.. I have no idea how it happened, or how long it's been like this. I thought the last couple times that I've driven the car, the clutch seemed to have a heavier pedal effort to it than usual, so perhaps this has something to do with it if the 'sleeve' portion was riding back and forth with the throwout bearing. Who knows.
So I ordered a new bearing retainer from D&D performance. At $130 I didn't think it was too horribly priced (especially for a TKO). I paid another $10 in shipping so I will see this piece on friday. In the meantime I put everything back on that I could, so all I'll have left friday is installing the trans, h-pipe, and driveshaft and I should be all set.
Questions/Comments welcome.
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!

Well my bearing retainer came in last friday, so I went to work swapping them out..

Old one out:


Comparison:


New one installed:


The rest of the clutch install seemed to go pretty well. The only thing that kinda bugs me is my h-pipe hasn't ever really sealed very well, so it has a few minor exhaust leaks, but nothing unbearable.

I've been driving the car every free chance I get trying to get this clutch broken in. After about 100 miles the pedal effort seems to be what I remember my previous one feeling like. Unfortunately now the check engine light will come on occasionally and randomly, but most often after I have driven it for a little while. I pulled the codes and found 6 dtcs present, ranging from two o2 sensor codes (one 'always lean' and one 'always rich'... contradicting), an IAT code, a fuel pump ciruit code, and a few others. Talking with my tuner he suspected a wiring issue, and today I traced a wiring diagram and found that most of the components mentioned in the dtcs share a common wire.. So whenever I get time soon I will have to do some tracing and see whats going on.. HOPEFULLY it is just a loose connection or something.. My absolute goal is to have that issue solved, and the car tuned by next friday 10/25, which is the last 'test & tune' night at my local dragstrip... I have to see what this car is capable of in the 1/4.
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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A few nights ago I took the car out to a newly remodeled street that I thought would be a cool spot for pictures.
I didn't have access to a nice camera, and my phone battery was pretty low, but I did manage to get one decent one:


And one of the engine bay with just those street lights... shows off the chrome/polished aluminum:
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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small update!

I have checked and double checked all the wiring looms and can't find any damage or broken wires. I have narrowed my issue down to either a bad PCM ground, or possibly a bad connection with the grey/red wire that the o2 sensors, IAT sensor, etc have in common. One of the codes present was 113 "IAT max voltage/ -40 degrees detected ", but tonight I took a voltmeter to the IAT sensor, and it had 4.46v (max is 5) going to it, so I don't suspect an issue from the power side. I also scanned the codes again and this time only two came back: the same 113 IAT max voltage, and the same 212 "spout circuit grounded" for the timing 'spout'.. According to various dtc codes and solutions listings, the only one I can find in common is a bad PCM ground, so I am hoping that is all it is.. If not, then I have a spare IAT sensor that I will swap out and see if that changes the 113 dtc.
I will continue diagnosis tomorrow, and hopefully have something figured out. My tuner said he has availability this week, so that if this issue is resolved I can have my car tuned before friday (test & tune night at the local dragstrip).. Fingers crossed!
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!
So after a lot of time spent diagnosing issues, testing parts, and after cleaning and re-doing my PCM grounds etc, I decided to replace my o2 sensors (since I've blown coolant through the exhaust, and they are a few years old, it was a pretty good idea), and replaced the TFI module for good measure. The driveability of the car has never been better! no more idle surge, no trying to die at stoplights, and not running rough. awesome. bad news is the check engine light still came on, still with the 113 IAT sensor code and the 212 spout circuit code. After a bunch of internet browsing various forms, I found quite a few threads of guys having the 212 spout circuit code present, but no driveability concerns. Almost all of them eliminated the code by replacing the distributor, or the PIP or stator inside it. I figured what the hell, it's original, with hard-to-keep-track-of mileage on it (130k+), and it seems to be a common failure on the 94/95 cars anyway, so I replaced it. 212 code is now GONE! first time in this whole headache that I have not seen that code return. Amazing. I went and drove it for 30-45 minutes tonight and it had no driveability issues, but the check engine light did come on once. I pulled the code and it is the 113 IAT sensor code again. It comes on very rarely, and doesn't seem to affect the cars performance, so I'm not entirely sure whats going on.
I did however, drop the car at my tuners tonight. He is fully aware of this headache I have been going through, and he is going to try and tune the car when the c.e.l. isn't on so that he is not trying to tune around the IAT sensors issue. I would have really liked it to have been 100% solved before I dropped the car off to him, but I REALLY want to see what my car will do in the quarter mile.. Hell, this entire time, ever since I put this car together, I have hammered down on it ONCE! and it was the last time that I blew the headgaskets. ha. The itch to drive this car hard is about killed me, so hopefully my tuner has some good news for me tomorrow.
Fingers crossed!
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!

Well the tuner spent all day friday getting the driveabilty and tune now, and I went and picked it up late friday afternoon. The car feels really strong! It feels good to be able to drive it hard and not worry about the a/f ratio etc. I picked the car up around 5pm, then loaded up and drove to the track around 6pm. haha. Since it was the last test&tune night of the season, the dragstrip was PACKED! I was only able to get two runs in, both times first gear traction was slim to none.
My first run was a 12.79 @ (mph unknown, the lady lost my timeslip).
My second run timeslip (I'm in the left lane #407):


As you may be able from the slip, I still had traction issues in first gear (2.09 60' time is no bueno), but that's probably due to my 30 series sidewall, even with them aired down to 20psi..
The 115mph makes me think that there is a lot better e.t. in the car (I have seen cars run 11.90s with that mph). There were a lot of things I would have liked to do to it before the race, but I was so rushed on time and wasn't even sure if it would be ready for the track, so I didn't have a lot of time to prepare.
I would have liked to: Unhook the front swaybar, adjust my front struts to the 'loosest' setting, and get some actual slicks.
I had to shift into 5th gear both passes, so perhaps the combo of 4.10 gears, centrifugal blower, and 25.5" tall tire is screwing me at the end of the quarter mile. As low as my car is in the rear, I have a feeling if I want to stay in 4th through the traps, I will have to get a pair of stock rear springs, and some 26" or 28" tall rear slicks (preferably on 15" wheels).
Unfortunately now, after that second pass, the car has a nasty vibration when accelerating between 2,000-2,700rpm, regardless of the gear. I need to get it up on jackstands and figure out whats wrong. I suspect there is a bushing that took some abuse, but I'm not sure.
I hope to figure out the minor issues with the car soon, and continue driving it until we see snow in the forecast, then let it hibernate and get ready for next year!
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!
wow, time flies when you're.... busy with school and work and frustrated with your car. ha.
-Well most of the car status hasn't changed. It's been so damn cold and snowy here, I haven't had the opportunity to look into either the vibration issue nor the remaining 113 IAT voltage code. I have done some browsing online regarding both issues, so at least I have some places to start for diagnosing both of them, but for now I will just wait on the weather.
-I decided instead of buying stock rear springs and swapping them out every time I wanted to go to the track, I would just buy Maximum Motorsports height-adjustable lower control arms so I can raise the rear ride height for the taller tires I will get for track days. I am still searching for a good deal on some slightly used 15" Mickey Thompson drag radials to use for track days.
-A buddy of mine is upgrading his exhaust on his 04 Mach 1, so he sold me his existing flowmaster 40 series mufflers and 3" tailpipes with stainless tips. The mufflers on my car are flowmaster, but due to their quieter sound (compared to some) I am speculating that they are 50 series mufflers. The full 3" tailpipes will certainly add a little extra sound to my car, so I am very excited to hear it when that gets bolted on.
Updates will come as soon as mother nature quits dumping snow in Kansas.
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!
My new control arms arrived. Boy I sure hate the bank account 'hit' from ordering Maximum Motorsports parts, but by the time they get here I am just too excited to put on quality stuff, the financial hit doesn't hurt so much. ha
Out with the old:


In with the new:


Comparison:


Bushings in:

In my haste to get everything put back together, and some other things, and putting the car back on the ground, I forgot to take an 'installed' picture up close..
But the car as it sits now:


I still need to install my tailpipes, and continue to chase both my vibration issue, and my check engine light code issue.. ugh.

Questions/Comments welcome
 

CC'S95GT

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UPDATE!
My new control arms arrived. Boy I sure hate the bank account 'hit' from ordering Maximum Motorsports parts, but by the time they get here I am just too excited to put on quality stuff, the financial hit doesn't hurt so much. ha
Out with the old:


In with the new:


Comparison:


Bushings in:

In my haste to get everything put back together, and some other things, and putting the car back on the ground, I forgot to take an 'installed' picture up close..
But the car as it sits now:


I still need to install my tailpipes, and continue to chase both my vibration issue, and my check engine light code issue.. ugh.

Questions/Comments welcome

nice. Break out the paperclip and pull those codes.
 
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2slo95fiveoh

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UPDATE!!
I have been searching and searching for some kind of solution to my 113 IAT sensor d.t.c., and I may have finally caught a break.
So essentially the IAT sensor is a temperature-varying resistor. 5 volts goes in one end, the voltage goes through the resistor, and depending on what the air temperature is, it 'restricts' (provides resistance) to some of the voltage, and a lower voltage value comes out the other side and goes straight to the PCM. Then the PCM takes this value (somewhere between 0-5 volts) and adjusts timing based on it. The higher the air temp, the lower the resistance in the sensor, and therefore the lower the voltage reporting to the PCM.
The code/description I keep having is: 113-IAT sensor circuit above maximum (4.6v) voltage
Well I started off by buying a new IAT sensor, then comparing its resistance rating in the factory wiring with the old sensor in the factory wiring. The resistances were very similar to each other. Ok, that more than likely eliminates a bad sensor. Then I found a thread online where someone else had a similar issue with the same dtc, and they found the pigtail going to the IAT sensor was building up extra resistance and so they replaced the pigtail and the code went away.. Well I picked up a new pigtail and compared the resistance readings in multiple sensors to each of the pigtails (original and brand new)..
Both sensors resistance readings using the original pigtail were nearly double what they were in the new pigtail! not only that, but I found a temperature vs. resistance chart for the sensor, and the new pigtail readings are very close to the provided ranges, so I am confident that the pigtail is causing the incorrect voltage to the PCM. It was a little late tonight when I got done soldering the new pigtail into the harness, so I didn't have time to start the car up and check the codes, but I'm feeling pretty good that I made some sort of progress with this issue.
Now if only I could figure out my vibration issue, then I'd be set.
 

CC'S95GT

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Do you have a pic of the pigtail or harness and how far away from the IAT sensor did you soilder it in?
Hope this fixes it for you.
 

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