Well, small update, didn't get to post yesterday.

Monday was spent, well, not completing as much as I had hoped, but the hard part is over.

Headers successfully installed, spark plugs gapped at .045 and installed. Oil dipstick installed, and I only mention this because installing the headers AND the dipstick was a task that took a while... had to bend the tube, try, bend some more, try again, and after that, had to take the header back out to grind some excess flange off. Took about an hour for just the passenger side, maybe 2 hours of work total for that.

The rest of the day was spent getting the transmission back in place. It's basically in, but we're not putting it in for good until the tranny lines can be connected back together, as I had to cut them when I took the trans out.

The fitting of the line that's on the tranny end was such a tight space, and so dirty, that we couldn't undo it from our position under the car. So we decided to cut them in a spot that was in the open, then mend them and use pipe fittings to connect them. Unfortunately, we didn't have the right size fittings, and so had to call it quits last night.

Anyway, I'm that much closer!















Oh look, it's where all the glorious work goes down!

 

coming along. On the tranny lines....just get new ones.

 

The old ones are in basically perfect shape, apart from the cut I put in them, lol. I cleaned them up and they look literally brand new. Plus, I don't have much money left, sadly.

 

I hear you on the money. People forget how much belts, pulleys, fluids are. They've spent x amount on the motor but forget the extra $500 in the budget to get everthing mated up. I would still save and get new lines, I think you are just asking for a leak. They vibrate more than you think and the fitting will eventually fail. I think I paid like 65 bucks for pre-bent lines for my car. There are websites that specialize in pre-bent application specific steel lines.

 

Yeah, I mean, I got lucky and I can just transfer over the mounts and pulleys from the original motor, but sensors and coolant are expensive when you have to buy a lot.

Have you had experience with a leak on something like this? I don't think a leak was that probable if we did it right, but now I'm thinking twice.

 

I've always just replaced them, because I usually end up rounding the fittings since I don't have a fitting wrench. I would rather just spend the few bucks and get fresh fittings that I know will seat in both the trans and radiator. I've had pretty bad luck putting good old lines back because the flare that seats usually aren't exactly where they were prior to you taking them out. Plus, again, they vibrate more than you think, and I believe over time that is just a leak waiting to happen. Just make sure you elimate all things that can frustrate you now, before you get it on the road. I spent so much time, money and energy in my resto and cheaped out on a few things such as sending units, that have all needed to be replaced. There is nothing worse than a 15$ water temp sending unit that craps out and makes you drain all your coolant and rewire it because you were too cheap to do it right the first time......that, my oil pressure sending unit, alternator, and battery went bad within a month of me getting it back on the road.

 

I totally agree with that mentality. I'm replacing a lot of things during this swap since I have the cash (mostly), time, and space lol. I'll have to look up some pre-bent lines when I get home and see what I can find. I have line wrenches, so I don't need to worry about rounding anything off, though.

 

Thats what i wanna do with mine as well however ill have body work involved to its gonna take me some time but ill definitely follow what your doin that awesome what youve done!!!

 

Thank you, god knows I've put enough time and money into it for it to be awesome lol.

 

the question about the prom vs. chip. who are you having make the chip? i was able to reuse the prom chip for my car as it is a piggy back to the chip that is currently in my car. i used PCMforless.com to make my chip. its runs nearly flawlessly. as for selecting injectors, 24 is about right. now with those larger injectors, you will need a tune for it to run correctly, even if you got a 350 prom. pcmforless can take care of all of that. btw, im running 36lb injectors