I have now figured out why this thing kept spewing coolant everywhere. Come to find out - the wires I had connected for the 2ndary fan (AC and High temp) were incorrect and it wasn't working properly. So......it was hot.....
On a sidenote - having some difficulties getting the Engine Management all sorted out. The difficulties are honestly - I can't do what I want to right now. Wifey just started her first job (she's legal now!...lol) and that'll help loads. I'm thinking about just asking her for a Megasquirt for xmas......lol. But unless I can do this right - I'm not doing anything. I'll keep it N/A until I can afford to get some sort of proper Engine Management - as the last thing I want to do is sh!t-pile all the work I've done to this car with a measly 12 psi.
small news: Starter went t!ts up......I thought maybe a new solenoid would fix it because I could hear the motor spinning, but it wouldn't engage with the flywheel. After further inspection - I see the bushing at the end of the starter is all wobbly. done. kaput. It's no longer usable.
$58.00 for a reman from ebay - got here yesterday and the issue is resolved!
Now - I'm awaiting the delivery of my brake kit! Got some drilled/slotted rotors and ceramic pads (because.....racecar!). I'll be installing those tonight (hopefully) and doing the bed-in procedure on a country blacktop road. Not bad for 160 bucks!
Grrr......it's all good. I found a set of sleeves for 200 bucks shipped on Craigslist - dude says they suck and they'll ruin just about any strut you match them up with. I asked him what he was running - he said Illuminas lasted just under a year on a dampening setting of 3 for street - and 5 for his occasional track day.
I'll stick with the Teins I have now - may upgrade to some yellowspeeds sooner or later - just need to see if I can get stiffer springs for the fronts.
Installed new rotors and pads tonight! Ebay specials for 150.
Bed-in completed - 10 stops from 60 mph'ish warmed them up plenty and transferred a nice coat of material to the rotors. An additional few stops to check for bite - wow! These are a TON better than my stockers were! Slotted/Drilled + ceramic pads = win for me!
So, I went for a drive lasntight to just pass some time and have a bit of fun. I hit the I-45 North onramp, running like a top, merged into traffic (yeah....hellafied traffic at freaking 11:30pm), drove down a few exits and went to make the U-Turn under the freeway to come back south. I made the turn at about 50 mph (have made it faster)and all was well until I heard a pop followed by a distinct rattle.
When I got home - I looked under the hood - I saw nothing obvious. Hmmm.....weird.
This morning on the way to work - I had forgotten about the rattle (just woke up honestly) and when I pulled in the drive for the office - that rattle was very loud. I parked where I normally do - and popped the hood. The overhead light showed me immediately that I had broken the stock strut bar (the red one)! It snapped at the tower on the driver's side, and upon further inspection - the spot where it's welded on the passenger side is also cracked.
Guess it's time for a new strut tower brace. Anyone selling one that isn't going to cost me the farm?
The red stocker is what I broke - I'm looking for something beefier honestly.
I remember having to build one for my '64 falcon that we were putting into Rally form (vintage racing = fkn win!). Was looking at possibly building one from DOM tubing that actually has more rigidity than the stocker and several others I have seen out there. It'd be a tower-tower, but it'd also incorporate some firewall strutural bracing to make it SOLID.
something like that - but for loads less than 275.00!
I have already built 1 that was truly custom for that old Falcon - and it worked like no other. I'm gonna look into getting some material and making one this weekend. I'll post updates as we go through the process. I already have mounting plates to use as a footprint for the new design (the broken bar's mounts). Plus - I can put a little more rise in it to give the KL a little more room (stocker would contact the top of the intake on hard launches).
I had the same problem with my CorkSport bar touching the top of the Milly curve neck IM. I ground down one bolt and it cleared but I would LOVE a three point brace if you decide to make two.
I've been looking around the Googlesphere at "How-To" and "DIY" stb's. \
I'm seeing the same ideas everywhere, just different designs. I do know that the triangulated (tower-to-tower with interconnecting bars to the firewall) would be strongest. This is getting interesting.....
Evan - don't hold your breath on me making more than 1 - just look how long it's taken me to contemplate finishing the turbo setup on my KL.....lol.