C2's Alero Updates - Page 5

[ion] C2 · 12-05-2020, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homegrown

I feel your pain - my car been under the knife for well over 2 years now. It has certainly tested my patience. But getting angry about it accomplishes nothing.

Yeah it's crazy thinking that it used to be my daily driver and I modded it then with hardly any money, needing to ensure it had like zero downtime. When it had a problem, I felt upset until it was fixed. I was tied to it and it was my pride and focus for a lot of my happiness. My main short-term goal was to reach whatever quarter mile time I wanted at the time, and it's something I could tinker with and improve over time.

Now it mainly sits around and gets driven every once in a while just for fun, as I work from home. I just want to get this stage done, as it will be pretty much "set" for a while. The next steps are planned for when I have a decent nest egg sitting around and have the ability to go nuts on the new engine build/bodywork/RWD-or-AWD-setup.

Quote:

Originally Posted by homegrown

Your car looks great, though. Very impressive on the work you've done.

The project goals are being achieved, and that's great, but as a whole, when it comes to exterior appearance/condition, it's looking rougher. The paint done in 2013 was utter garbage, it got swiped in a parking lot adding a nice big scuff to the bumper, then a shop accidentally backed into something adding another gouge, then I accidentally set a box that had some dirt/rocks on the bottom on my trunk and completely obliterated the paint on the top of that (huge white noticeable scratches, absolutely insane). Paint is peeling by the headlights on the front bumper, the passenger side little trim piece is detaching from the door. My passenger door/fender alignment has been horribly misaligned since the paint job in 2013 causing massive squeaks and visible flex as the two panels fight each other. All these minor things are adding up and making me wish I had the coin to throw at a full rust-repair and thorough paint job earlier. I want it to look as good as it performs. However, it's probably going to have to wait until it's time to go nuts on the drivetrain and cage and all that.

I plan on getting some rolling shots and some static shots with cool backgrounds though once this thing is running... which... every week it's "should be done next week!"

I did learn that the oil pan has been modified with a new oil drain line today, so that's nice. Just gotta put the pan on, water pump housing, manifold, turbo, charge piping, oil lines, and then finish routing the fuel lines... and then tidying up the remaining wiring which I hear is very minimal.

[ion] C2 · 12-11-2020, 06:23 PM

Oil pan has a new leak-free drain fitting!
Water pump housing has been reinstalled with new gaskets and is also leak-free!

My car might actually have zero leaks for the first time since 2008!

All that's left:

install turbo
install oil feed line and pressure sensor
install oil drain line
install remaining couplers and charge piping
install fuel pressure regulator
install fuel rail return line
connect remaining boost/vac hoses
adjust a/c bypass pulley to line up better with others
replace serpentine belt (lost a rib due to apparent misalignment)
top off coolant
boost leak test
finalize wiring

tw0123 · 12-12-2020, 08:17 PM

This is good to see and hear!!! I'm still in for videos of this beauty running haha!!!

[ion] C2 · 12-13-2020, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tw0123

This is good to see and hear!!! I'm still in for videos of this beauty running haha!!!

Argh I know I have my camera and microphones ready, plan is to have:

1. Dyno video
2. Couple in-car pulls with proper microphone
3. Rolling still shots, rolling video shots (taken by a pro with me driving instead of ahoes driving my car disrespectfully like last time)

Then once it's really worth taking some good footage of (stage 10), do a gymkhana style video and splice it with old footage of the Alero advertisements/dealer videos to some kickass music (and the music strategically cut out during parts to hear the car alone)

[ion] C2 · 12-18-2020, 06:12 PM

So messy right now, but turbo is mounted, fuel lines and FPR installed. It was nice to see the turbo fully mounted in place for once. Looks big in the bay, and I like the little angle it's at.

[ion] C2 · 01-11-2021, 08:22 PM

Decided to boost the ignition power, so we're changing to individual AEM smart coils and MSD Super Conductor wires.

Literally all that's left is installing the oil pressure sensor and these coils/wires. Coils come in Monday.

It's sooo close.

Young Gun · 01-13-2021, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [ion] C2

Decided to boost the ignition power, so we're changing to individual AEM smart coils and MSD Super Conductor wires.

Literally all that's left is installing the oil pressure sensor and these coils/wires. Coils come in Monday.

It's sooo close.

I expect vids!

[ion] C2 · 01-29-2021, 08:09 PM

Always delays. Miscommunication regarding the crankshaft notches for triggering the crank position sensor. GM uses an apparently unusual setup of 6 evenly spaced notches cut out and then there's an extra notch 10 degrees offset from another.

So now we wait for the ECU manufacturer to program in the ability to read such a crank position trigger(LMAO AS IF THEY WOULD WASTE THEIR TIME), or install an external trigger wheel to the crank pulley. Trigger wheel was ordered the other day but then it becomes allocating time to fabricate and wire in everything else, the sensor bracket, etc. Sigh.......

I think it's something like this one

It's been 9 months without the car now on something I didn't see going past 4. It's the longest this car has not run or driven. I just want it to be turned on and tuned. I want to hear what the exhaust sounds like. I want to see it survive the dyno.

[ion] C2 · 02-03-2021, 09:29 PM

Supposedly the ECU is now able to read the notches on the crank, apparently the Alero shares a trigger pattern with a Lotus or something... weird. So the trigger wheel may not be necessary.

Wires and coils are being installed, and then it's time to get it started and dynoed. It will be messy wires during the dyno in case of issues, and then once the dyno tuning is complete, it's cleanup/tuck time.

SprtSedan01 · 02-04-2021, 07:04 PM

got it lookin good, can?t wait to see/hear it!

homegrown · 02-05-2021, 09:19 AM

Chris:
I know you have different cams in your car, but comparing cam specs between a DOHC motor and a pushrod motor isn't exactly apples to apples.
How's the drivability with those cams? Where's the car idle?

[ion] C2 · 02-06-2021, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homegrown

Chris:
I know you have different cams in your car, but comparing cam specs between a DOHC motor and a pushrod motor isn't exactly apples to apples.
How's the drivability with those cams? Where's the car idle?

Ehh the cams I have are just the "secret cams" which are just a Quad 4 intake from one year and an exhaust from another. They really aren't much different than stock. Little more lift, little more duration.

Didn't notice anything from stock engine to the first built version with them.

[ion] C2 · 02-10-2021, 09:21 PM

Getting there... had it cranking but only producing a LOUD afterfire after a lot of cranking. Should be running soon...

[ion] C2 · 02-11-2021, 10:31 PM

It was running today! It sounds aggressive. Unfortunately was only running for a few seconds and I had to leave.

I'll get some footage with my fancy camera and microphone when I'm there for the tuning. I can tell you the next dyno video will be much louder than the first.

Hopefully tuning next week? (same thing I've said every week for the last few months)

NoSweat83 · 02-17-2021, 12:37 PM

Great news Chris! Looking forward to hearing and seeing it run!

[ion] C2 · 02-17-2021, 05:30 PM

Well, oil leak's fixed (was a bad crimp on one of the AN assemblies), and it's ready for the dyno.

Actually should be on the dyno in the next day or two, and it's going to be an all day thing to fully tune it. It's getting tuned on 91 octane and E98, and then the software will adjust for mixes between that based on alcohol content, so I can run E54 and anything in between without issue. That's the coolest part of all this. I'm not limited to a certain gas station anymore and can drive it anywhere on anything.

[ion] C2 · 02-25-2021, 05:28 PM

570 whp / 517 ft-lb

on the initial setup run. Tweaking boost controller, tightening spark plug gap, installing larger intercooler. Will exceed 600 whp shortly. 🤫

dbral · 02-26-2021, 02:09 PM

Awesome job man! Insane! Thinking you now should have more hp in one cylinder than what that car was rated at when it was brand new lol!

homegrown · 02-27-2021, 01:20 PM

Crazy numbers, Chris. Congrats.
Makes all the hard work and waiting worth it, doesn't it?

[ion] C2 · 02-27-2021, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homegrown

Crazy numbers, Chris. Congrats.
Makes all the hard work and waiting worth it, doesn't it?

Haha yeah I'm excited to get some video on the dyno.

I think it's funny it's the highest HP LD9 and I didn't even port the head, it's only on secret cams (no W41/HO), stock valves/springs and only revving to 6500. Browsing the j-body forums it's funny to see people act like it's just impossible to make power without doing certain things, and here I am.

No doubt there's gains to be had, and that's why the next engine will be very professionally ported, bigger valves, stiffer springs, etc. and rev till it stops making power.

But if I can get a WHP with a 6 in front of it, that's all I'm looking for right now. Eager to get the new intercooler on and see what we can do to just barely get over the 600 mark. That'll hold me over for the next couple years. Want to get my rolling shots and video done, and some sweet in-car and flyby videos.