Clean Slate Garage

[LSVLance]

Why the Holley terminator over the other similar efi kits? Looking at the Holley sniper system myself.

So, a couple of reasons... First the Sniper and Fitech setups put the ECU right there in the throttle body and a lot of people seem to have to go thru extreme measures to keep RFI and EMI from messing with the ECU (Fords especially seem to struggle with this since their distributor is at the wrong end of the engine ). The Terminator has a separate HP style ECU which can be mounted inside the car away from interference issues as well as weather and heat.

The Terminator also has easy connectivity to both the 3.5" handheld display that comes with the unit and USB support to hook to just about any laptop.

The Holley EFI software is awesome. Once you find your way around in it (or better yet, have someone show you around) it is real easy to customize, optimize, and tune the system to meet your needs.

Once I got mine running I had a friend that is very adept at tuning dial into my laptop from his home and he spent about an hour fine tuning the idle portion of the tune. I just sat back and watched as he worked his way thru the software on my computer and did things like start the engine, shut it off, rev it up etc while he watched and tuned from home. It was awesome.

Since then every time I take it out for a drive, when I come back, I download the GCF from the ECU, email it to him, he looks over the learn tables, asks me how it did...makes a few changes, sends me the tune back, I upload it and BAM...the car is better. By the fifth tune or so we are down to fine tuning lugging in the 1200-1600 RPM range, everything else seems spot on.

I had planned to take it to a tuner with a dyno but now I don't think that is necessary, it's that good.

I had an issue where the electric cooling fans were coming on with the key and I had a bit of a low voltage issue. He was able to look at the tune, find the pins where the two fan switch circuits were located...and customize them to only come on when the coolant temps were up to set levels AND the engine RPMs were over 400. BAM, now the fans don't come on until the engine is started. This functionality of the software talking with the divorced ECU makes me very glad I spent the few additional dollars for the Terminator setup.

 

[LSVLance]

The wife wanted a towel rack to put out by the pool... 2 hours later, some scrap steel and some ornate stuff picked up at IMS and Boom...

It's little projects like this going so quick and easy that help reassure myself that I'm finally getting the fab part of my garage set up properly.

 

[zmotorsports]

Very nice.

Those little projects are actually fun when you have all of your tools and equipment setup and within easy reach aren't they? Nothing like when you have to hunt for something that you know you have but can't remember where you put it or don't have room to move.

 

[rattle_snake]

Updates? New tools or toys?

 

[zmotorsports]

Updates? New tools or toys?

I hope he's out playing with his new Jeep and having too much fun to work in the shop.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Just getting up to speed on this thread. I like your space and what you've done with it!

The Monte is nice, I owned a '78 El Camino SS with the factory 4-speed, and I'd love to do a Regal/Cutlass/Monte Aerocoupe with a 3rd pedal.

 

[LSVLance]

Updates? New tools or toys?

Well, guess it has been a while since I visited or updated here. My current Sit Rep is as follows.

We bought a new Jeep last fall, needed a way to start exploring the high Country around the area. We got lucky and found one pretty much exactly as we were looking for and in excellent condition. We are loving it so far.

It's a 2006 LJ Rubicon, 4.0 w\Auto, 3" lift, 33s, 4:88s, completely sound proofed and insulated, and pretty much everything mechanical restored to factoriyish condition.

So far we've just been enjoying it, haven't really changed anything on it so far. I am currently setting it up to flat tow behind the RV though.

The Monte Carlo is on injured reserve right now. I hurt the engine at a track day in February. Was super lucky I stopped when I did, check out the crack in this piston.

Nothing came apart though, bottom of pan was clean as were all bores. Trying now to decide if I can upgrade to a forged piston setup economically or just put it back together with all new cast pistons. It was a blast on track with all the new found power from the Holley setup...at least until it wasn't.

As far as shop work goes, I did just finish up a couple of tables I built for our new Ramada.

My original design was a bit flawed, the 3/4 angle flexed like crazy and made the table wiggle way too much so I had to add a piece of 1/8" x 2" flat steel across the front. Not super happy with how it turned out overall, but not mad enough to make me rip it apart and start over. #Itlldo

There, you are all caught up. Hope everyone is well... Can't wait until we can get somewhat back to normal and start socializing once again. Soon...

 

[zmotorsports]

Great update Lance.

The Jeep looks great, especially in her element.

 

[rattle_snake]

Why do you think piston cracked? hot from lean? detonation?
I suggest swapping in a 7.3 Ford Godzilla motor with a Whipple set up for 25 lbs of boost.

 

[LSVLance]

Just getting up to speed on this thread. I like your space and what you've done with it!

The Monte is nice, I owned a '78 El Camino SS with the factory 4-speed, and I'd love to do a Regal/Cutlass/Monte Aerocoupe with a 3rd pedal.

Thanks Marc, converting the MCSS to a 6 speed is still one of my most favorite things I've done to it.

 

[LSVLance]

Great update Lance.

The Jeep looks great, especially in her element.

Thanks Mike...it's been a lot of fun. It is amazing just how capable this Jeep is off road. WAY different than the old Jeeps we had as a youngster growing up. Soft cushy coil springs for a great ride on the highway yet flexes like this off road.

And man once you lock the lockers in, it'll freaking go anywhere...

Why do you think piston cracked? hot from lean? detonation?
I suggest swapping in a 7.3 Ford Godzilla motor with a Whipple set up for 25 lbs of boost.

So, couple of theories regarding what may have happened but it's hard to tell what went wrong first. We had the tuned dialed in right up to the edge, it wasn't detonating on the street or in short bursts...but something happened to make it detonate in cylinder #4 on track. It had been over pressurizing the coolant system for a couple of events and pushing coolant out the over flow and I found the head bolt between cylinders 4 and 6 just a touch loose upon disassembly. There wasn't a clear breach of the head gasket but there was a bit of sign on piston #6 of possibly coolant cleaning the top of the piston off a bit. It wasn't extreme in either event, but it's possible there was a bit of coolant sucked into #4 under deceleration which could have raised compression or lowered octane. One theory...

Another theory is the tops of the aluminum pistons were just heat soaked one too many times and started to anneal...which weakened them. This seems to be common. Once the ring lands overheated, and cracked...the rings were next. Once the rings broke maybe oil into combustion chamber messed with O2 sensor causing ECU to lean out fuel?

#8 had a couple cracked ring lands, but no broken pistons or burn marks. The other 6 pistons looked perfectly normal.

One fix is to replace pistons with stock aluminum versions, refresh the rest, dial the tune back a notch and send it. Leaning this way...

The other is a costly upgrade to forged pistons and a lot of machine work or a brand new forged short block from ATK or Blueprint. Still trying to find a way to get the machine work done to upgrade to forged pistons in this short block economically. No hurry since I don't have a race to get too any time soon.

I'll leave the boosted applications to others...I'm hard enough on my stuff as is...

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks Mike...it's been a lot of fun. It is amazing just how capable this Jeep is off road. WAY different than the old Jeeps we had as a youngster growing up. Soft cushy coil springs for a great ride on the highway yet flexes like this off road.

And man once you lock the lockers in, it'll freaking go anywhere...

Yeah, starting in about 1997 with the TJ, followed by 2004 with the LJ and then again in 2007 with the JKU they really were game changers in the areas of highway manners and off-road capabilities. Best of both worlds in my opinion.

Glad you're enjoying your LJ, it sure is sweet looking. If I get to LV any time in the future I'll have to give you a shout and you can take us out on a trail or two.

 

[LSVLance]

The hitch adapter I ordered to raise the tow bar up 4" worked out almost perfect.

And the Jeep taillights now work off the RV plug as well. Here's how I extended and added diodes to the Jeep's light's harnesses to plug the 4 flat trailer wire to them.

Now I just have to wait for my stimulus check so I can afford the brake package for the Jeep and I'll be ready to roll safely... And figure out a place to attach the safety cables to the Jeep.

 

[C_F]

Now I just have to wait for my stimulus check so I can afford the brake package for the Jeep and I'll be ready to roll safely... And figure out a place to attach the safety cables to the Jeep.

The check's in the mail...or so they say.

 

[C_F]

Well, <snip>

The Monte Carlo is on injured reserve right now. I hurt the engine at a track day in February. Was super lucky I stopped when I did, check out the crack in this piston.

Nothing came apart though, bottom of pan was clean as were all bores. Trying now to decide if I can upgrade to a forged piston setup economically or just put it back together with all new cast pistons. It was a blast on track with all the new found power from the Holley setup...at least until it wasn't. </snip>

We currently have a "trophy piston" thread going on with cracks-n-breaks HERE on various slugs. Not saying yours will be in the top 10, but it's still a thing...and a lot of us are home bound & bored as ****. So bring it!

 

[sean Buick 76]

Awesome projects!

 

[LSVLance]

Parts have been ordered and the engine is at the machine shop waiting.

We decided to give the awesome top end the bottom end that it deserves. 4.010" JE Forged pistons and **** H beam rods. In the end it wasn't that much of a difference really price wise between and OEM rebuild and an upgraded one that will be good to 7,000 RPM and plenty of abuse.

The pistons are a custom build so looks like 3-5 week wait on them, then we'll get cranking on it.

 

[zmotorsports]

Parts have been ordered and the engine is at the machine shop waiting.

We decided to give the awesome top end the bottom end that it deserves. 4.010" JE Forged pistons and **** H beam rods. In the end it wasn't that much of a difference really price wise between and OEM rebuild and an upgraded one that will be good to 7,000 RPM and plenty of abuse.

The pistons are a custom build so looks like 3-5 week wait on them, then we'll get cranking on it.

Nice. Good choice on the rods. I've used the **** H beams on several builds as well as a few of their cranks and they are a nice product.