Updates and records of my car.
#242
12-10-2016, 09:00 AM
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 270
I'm still running the old tired and worn motor mounts. I guess now, after feeling it, they're unfortunately polyurethane replacements as well. I don't have the accessibility to change the motor mounts here in the driveway at home, so I'm forced to bring it in to a shop next week on Thursday. I guess I'll let you guys know what's up then.
To let you know though, we can move the passenger side motor mount around about a full inch and a half with what I would say is very very moderate force on a small pry bar, where the driver side will only shift around about a half inch at most with much more force (not enough to damage anything, was just trying to see if it would move as much). I would think this is cause for a lot of issue.
-edit-
Going by action transmission here in Jax. They're going to pull the cover off tomorrow, and then they'll be unbolting the converter to see if the problem is the flex plate, as I have a suspicion (they think it might be the problem, without me telling them the history of the car) the plate may be the problem, and might have been my issue with a lot of vibrations even with the old transmission.
Now, I'll be totally honest. I'm loving this transmission from peformabuilt that Alan built me. He's very straight forward, and this thing shifts on-point. I have solid, literally tire-chirping WOT shifts out of first into second, each shift has a nice solid 'boump' you feel, and it feels the same way down shifting. Let's you know very solidly which gear you're in. Holds VERY nicely in gear under some WOT straight shots I've tried... uhh... over here in Mexico.
Cruises much nicer than stock as well. It can be very gentle with smooth shifts, and it holds down in overdrive much better. No more dropping overdrive then sliding back into it. It'll do it if you ask with your accelerator, but other than that it's a totally different ride (for the better). Wasn't cheap, for sure, but this lv 2 core is great.
-edit-
Couldn't get the thing pulled apart in the time I'll be here, but a visual running inspection got done (with me there next to him). Torque converter was installed correctly, oil pan and everything else that hangs is free and clear, leading to a conclusion that my stock flex plate may have thrown a counter weight making it unbalanced now.
To let you know though, we can move the passenger side motor mount around about a full inch and a half with what I would say is very very moderate force on a small pry bar, where the driver side will only shift around about a half inch at most with much more force (not enough to damage anything, was just trying to see if it would move as much). I would think this is cause for a lot of issue.
-edit-
Going by action transmission here in Jax. They're going to pull the cover off tomorrow, and then they'll be unbolting the converter to see if the problem is the flex plate, as I have a suspicion (they think it might be the problem, without me telling them the history of the car) the plate may be the problem, and might have been my issue with a lot of vibrations even with the old transmission.
Now, I'll be totally honest. I'm loving this transmission from peformabuilt that Alan built me. He's very straight forward, and this thing shifts on-point. I have solid, literally tire-chirping WOT shifts out of first into second, each shift has a nice solid 'boump' you feel, and it feels the same way down shifting. Let's you know very solidly which gear you're in. Holds VERY nicely in gear under some WOT straight shots I've tried... uhh... over here in Mexico.
Cruises much nicer than stock as well. It can be very gentle with smooth shifts, and it holds down in overdrive much better. No more dropping overdrive then sliding back into it. It'll do it if you ask with your accelerator, but other than that it's a totally different ride (for the better). Wasn't cheap, for sure, but this lv 2 core is great.
-edit-
Couldn't get the thing pulled apart in the time I'll be here, but a visual running inspection got done (with me there next to him). Torque converter was installed correctly, oil pan and everything else that hangs is free and clear, leading to a conclusion that my stock flex plate may have thrown a counter weight making it unbalanced now.
Last edited by Thefoodman52; 12-13-2016 at 12:04 PM. Reason: Additions, and to remove 3rd grade level grammatical errors.
#243
12-28-2016, 04:39 PM
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 270
Tried taking the car out to a local shop here in tallahassee, these motor mounts are pain in the *** to get out!
Passenger side, we had to drain the AC of freon to remove the compressor, and the AC accessory bracket to get the bolt for the mount out, driver side just need to remove the alternator for knuckle room. Getting it done tomorrow, but dang! Very poor positioning of parts.
Passenger side, we had to drain the AC of freon to remove the compressor, and the AC accessory bracket to get the bolt for the mount out, driver side just need to remove the alternator for knuckle room. Getting it done tomorrow, but dang! Very poor positioning of parts.
#244
12-31-2016, 09:26 AM
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tokeland, Washington
Posts: 21,641
bummer, not so bad to change lt1 mounts. had to lift engine after getting mount center bolt out. left everything hooked up and got away with lifting enough to get to mount bolts.
#245
01-03-2017, 11:11 AM
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 270
Yeah, not very well done from the factory. Was a good thing I did it though.
Driver's side was actually the worst; the entire center metal insert of the stock mount fell out of the entire clamshell and factory rubber before the rivets were even removed.
-Edit-
Also looked around the car aesthetically, my front fenders, where people mess the car up jacking it up, need a lot of work. I'm going to get thin aluminum, and use my drill press and a bench vise to make new pieces to replace the broken plastic on the fenders. My hood, as I would have it, also is an aftermarket true functioning scoop version (which explains the odd gaps on the fit). It's got the air ducting, and I poured a little bottle of water inside (blew it out afterwards, don't worry) and watched it come running back in. So it looks like I need to invest a volant exposed air intake next, that way I'm actually making use of the air scoop now.
-edit-
Still troubleshooting vibrations. Turns out the FTI performance SB2800LS converter I got isn't properly balanced internally. Nationwide un-bolted it today, ran the car for a few seconds up to ~2k RPM without any serious vibration at all. Definitely vibration, albeit very small and 'buzzing' feeling, but that's what I expect from having polyurethane mounts on the engine, tranny, and torque arm. They're sending me a new one here, it'll be in on Monday, hopefully I'll be rolling out smooth finally on Monday or Tuesday, depending on how open the shop is.
Next up, I might be looking to get an aluminum drive shaft made to replace the brand new steel shaft I have, or I deal with the highway speed vibrations I get. I didn't think about it, but any minor runout on the shaft (my steelie has about .021" runout on the front up the transmission side, measured roughly today at the shop) is felt with some pronounced force with all poly mounts, because of the extra rotating mass. I may just live with it, it's not doing any damage, just annoying.
After this, it's carpet-rip-out time, and I'll be hitting up any plastic-on-plastic contact areas of the interior pieces with some thin rubber strips to prevent any of the old 'camaro rattles'. Anyone know what to do with the ash tray cover? My springs are completely gone on it, and I don't think I'll be able to faber-cobble anything professional looking, short of a door hinge, to make it work any more.
---------------------------
Also, for future notice on anyone, they don't make the rubber gasket pieces anymore for the rear hatch glass, and it's apparently very difficult to source them out. Universal window gasket parts work, you just have to cut sharp angles out the corners to butt them up, and it doesn't look at all as nice as factory. Works much better, but looks a little.... -einh-. I don't care though, my car's boot isn't a swamp anymore, and I don't have to keep shop-vacuuming it out. Be careful with any remaining rear hatch glass pieces! Not too long from now, I foresee lexan or polycarbonate being the only lasting replacement pieces, and that'll never look the same again.
Driver's side was actually the worst; the entire center metal insert of the stock mount fell out of the entire clamshell and factory rubber before the rivets were even removed.
-Edit-
Also looked around the car aesthetically, my front fenders, where people mess the car up jacking it up, need a lot of work. I'm going to get thin aluminum, and use my drill press and a bench vise to make new pieces to replace the broken plastic on the fenders. My hood, as I would have it, also is an aftermarket true functioning scoop version (which explains the odd gaps on the fit). It's got the air ducting, and I poured a little bottle of water inside (blew it out afterwards, don't worry) and watched it come running back in. So it looks like I need to invest a volant exposed air intake next, that way I'm actually making use of the air scoop now.
-edit-
Still troubleshooting vibrations. Turns out the FTI performance SB2800LS converter I got isn't properly balanced internally. Nationwide un-bolted it today, ran the car for a few seconds up to ~2k RPM without any serious vibration at all. Definitely vibration, albeit very small and 'buzzing' feeling, but that's what I expect from having polyurethane mounts on the engine, tranny, and torque arm. They're sending me a new one here, it'll be in on Monday, hopefully I'll be rolling out smooth finally on Monday or Tuesday, depending on how open the shop is.
Next up, I might be looking to get an aluminum drive shaft made to replace the brand new steel shaft I have, or I deal with the highway speed vibrations I get. I didn't think about it, but any minor runout on the shaft (my steelie has about .021" runout on the front up the transmission side, measured roughly today at the shop) is felt with some pronounced force with all poly mounts, because of the extra rotating mass. I may just live with it, it's not doing any damage, just annoying.
After this, it's carpet-rip-out time, and I'll be hitting up any plastic-on-plastic contact areas of the interior pieces with some thin rubber strips to prevent any of the old 'camaro rattles'. Anyone know what to do with the ash tray cover? My springs are completely gone on it, and I don't think I'll be able to faber-cobble anything professional looking, short of a door hinge, to make it work any more.
---------------------------
Also, for future notice on anyone, they don't make the rubber gasket pieces anymore for the rear hatch glass, and it's apparently very difficult to source them out. Universal window gasket parts work, you just have to cut sharp angles out the corners to butt them up, and it doesn't look at all as nice as factory. Works much better, but looks a little.... -einh-. I don't care though, my car's boot isn't a swamp anymore, and I don't have to keep shop-vacuuming it out. Be careful with any remaining rear hatch glass pieces! Not too long from now, I foresee lexan or polycarbonate being the only lasting replacement pieces, and that'll never look the same again.
Last edited by Thefoodman52; 01-04-2017 at 12:43 PM.
#247
01-11-2017, 06:17 PM
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 270
Yeah, didn't help much if at all. Got a new converter from fti in on Monday, got the car back today, mailed the old one back. No problem now, as smooth as I should suspect it'll be with all poly mounts.
#248
01-11-2017, 07:20 PM
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tokeland, Washington
Posts: 21,641
kool. i have a vibration in mine and i finally got it as good as i could an gave up. everything is different, engine, trans, rear end, mounts, drive shaft, ran outa things to change. lol. pinion angle is part of it and i cant get it to hold a setting. the mount for the tunnel mount torque bar is not strong enough keeps changing just enough. have to get something welded in to stiffen it.
#250
01-20-2017, 01:46 PM
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 270
Haven't had time to do anything yet with school, and I'm headed out to Jax this weekend for a get up with my friends out there, so suspension stuff is still on hold. How difficult will it be to get front shocks, rear shocks and springs, control arms and track bar installed with just floor jack and jack stands?
Also, another wear and tear issue i need some parts identification support with. Wipers are no longer seating themselves all the way down when shut off, they sit up about two inches above where they're supposed to go to rest. They activate and actuate fine, just don't collapse down all the way by themselves anymore, I have to manually push them back down to the rubber stops right now.
Is that the gears wearing out, them being a tooth off, etc?
Also, another wear and tear issue i need some parts identification support with. Wipers are no longer seating themselves all the way down when shut off, they sit up about two inches above where they're supposed to go to rest. They activate and actuate fine, just don't collapse down all the way by themselves anymore, I have to manually push them back down to the rubber stops right now.
Is that the gears wearing out, them being a tooth off, etc?