It's finally underway!

[dallas]

Well it's finally started! Pulled the motor 2 days ago and started cleaning up the engine bay. As it has happened to so many of us before I received my kit with no instructions. So here's my first question. Do I have to drill the brake pedal to raise the mounting point for the pushrod! If so how much ? It looks like about a 1/2 inchmight be enough to make up for the shortness. The pushrod is about 5/8 of an inch behind the face of the cereal bowl and will have too much play before it hits the mc piston. Did anyone else run into this? Took pictures and will start my gallery soon. I can't believe its started.

[craighardy]

I'll take a look at mine in the morning. I had renegade modify my pedal and they also sleeved it since it was the hollow type. Some were solid but mine is an '87 turbo and it was hollow. I think it was drilled about 1" above the original point. I'll let you know.

[originalspaceman]

I'll take a look at mine in the morning. I had renegade modify my pedal and they also sleeved it since it was the hollow type. Some were solid but mine is an '87 turbo and it was hollow. I think it was drilled about 1" above the original point. I'll let you know.

Craig is correct. You need to drill about 1" (or a hair less) above the original hole. The other thing he touched on was the hollow pedal. If you have a late 944 with a hollow pedal you need to either have metal sleeve put in or, what I found to be easier, purchase an early 944 brake pedal. www.944online.com has them for cheap. If you have a hollow pedal and don't reinforce it, your pedal will break one day and you will have no brakes.

[dallas]

Thanks guys. I thought I read something about it "somewhere". But couldn't find it in a search. I'll remove my pedal today and see if its a hollow one. My car is a 85/2 so it just might be hollow. Boy you guys were right about working under there. I had to remove the seat to get in there. Yeah I'm no small guy.

[Warlockchassis]

Congarts on the start of your project. I am currently gathering all of the components for my installation. Where are you located? Good luck, keep us all posted. You can see my progress in the photo gallery as well

[expuppy]

what year is your engine? if it is a 98, let me know. there have been some problems with PCV valve interference

[Vonov]

Good luck on the install, keeping fingers crossed for ya, and may it all go smoothly!!!

[dallas]

My engine is a 2004 gto like some others here. Got the pedal out and it appears solid, but won't know for sure till I drill it. I'm in southern Conn.What a pile of parts you have when you pull the a/c out. I was really amazed at all they went thru to cool the alternator also.Clean and paint the engine bay tomorrow. Still smilin!

[Warlockchassis]

Good luck with everything, If i was closer to you, i would love to see it in person. post pictures so we all can see. Is your engine Ls1 or LS2?

[craighardy]

I just crawled under the dash and measured my pedal. The hole is drilled 3/4" above the original point.

I sure wish I took the time to paint my engine bay. I intended to do it but I just couldn't resist droping the motor in right away!

[dallas]

Thanks for checking it out for me. I'm gonna drill it tomorrow at 3/4 like yours. I'm a bit concerned about going higher thinking the rod angle might cause it to rub against the top of tube the shaft goes in on the m/c. Gonna dry run one more time before drilling using the mting point for the pedal for a ref pt. My m/c sits at an up angle. Hope I installed it correctly. Duh, no distructions in da box!. Must remain calm grasshopper!

[originalspaceman]

Thanks for checking it out for me. I'm gonna drill it tomorrow at 3/4 like yours. I'm a bit concerned about going higher thinking the rod angle might cause it to rub against the top of tube the shaft goes in on the m/c. Gonna dry run one more time before drilling using the mting point for the pedal for a ref pt. My m/c sits at an up angle. Hope I installed it correctly. Duh, no distructions in da box!. Must remain calm grasshopper!

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[dallas]

Started my gallery today. Check it out. Hope I'm doing this right. The pilot brg is in as far as it will go. I had it in the freezer for about 4 hrs before I installed it. It is flush with the friction surface of the flywheel and does not interfere with disc. Gonna have to push the shaft forward and redrill as someone suggested a while ago. Also ran into what happens when the wrong upright is on the wrong side. DUH! Should have been marked! Luckly it's a test fit. Did you guys install your headers after the engine was in? Also my brake pedal was solid. My car is a 85/2 Na.

[Warlockchassis]

The Pictures look great.... I should have asked you to take pictures of all of the parts for instaltion kit for me. It would have helped me out to see what it is i need to build. keep up the great work.....

[dallas]

Well as you can see I ran into the same problem with the pilot brg as some of us have. I was wondering about, what if I took the adapter plate an faced of 1/8 of an inch from the tt side of it. This would move the engine back 1/8th and the shaft would go in an 1/8th. I think the engine mts can handle it with just a touch off the rear face of the horizontal bolt tube if need be. Also wasn't it Cody who mentioned , the .400 thick "shim" plate? What do you guys think about turning down the face.

[marc a]

Milling the torque tube side of the adapter plate would be the proper solution, provided you have the proper measurement. Remember that only the nose of the drive shaft should touch the pilot bearing. The camphor where the shaft starts to get thicker for the spines can not touch the pilot bearing. You also need to take into account the fact that the crankshaft moves fore and aft slightly.

The rear stock tranny mount will easily flex forward to make up the loss of metal from the plate, however you could slot the two holes that are used to bolt the mount to the cross member.

Others might have a different take.

[Warlockchassis]

I think you are on the right track, just double check your measurements before you machine the adapter plate...

[dallas]

I hope it only affects the engine mts. There seems to be enough room there to move rearward the 8th of an inch. Work is starting to get in the way of my "hobby" time.

[marc a]

I hope it only affects the engine mts. There seems to be enough room there to move rearward the 8th of an inch. Work is starting to get in the way of my "hobby" time.

Well if you have rubber (poly) in the front and rubber in the rear the Engine/TT/Tranny will find it's own equilibrium point.

[dallas]

Well faced off about .080 from the adapter plate in work today. I measured about .125 short on full engagement.( see gallery) Chickened out do to undercut for TO brg on opposite side. Plate got thin in that area. Down to 3/8ths. Hope it doesn't crack there. Btw, anyone heard from "other" source, like to get a backup. Email or message me. Got clutch and temp sender in head last night. Real pucker factor there. Hope to have it back in again this weekend and continue on. Wiring should be a real pita. The good thing is my welding instructor is a gearhead like me and kindly offered to help me with the exhaust. He says the "tig training " will be a plus. Couldn't agree more. My tig attachments are still in the box from my econotig. Also going with the dynomax 17220 muffler. Hope its not too loud. Cat should quiet it down some too.

[dallas]

well accomplished a lot today and yesterday. after cutting the adapter plate .080 and mounting it to the bellhousing I took a measurement from the face of the pilot to the tt side of the adapter and came up with 5 1/4 inches. Then I measured from the flange on the tt to the tip of the shaft and came up with 5 3/4 inches this put the tip of the tt shaft in the brg 1/2 inch. I'm using a gto brg as its deeper and the needle brgs are longer for more support. Had to machine the pilot adapter though.Got the engine back in and set on the mounts for now. However Can anyone tell me by my pictures if I have the mounts switched. The engine appears to be sitting too high to me. I don't have the hood on yet as I am working alone so far. the directions I have say to put the shorter of 2 uprights on the drivers side. After struggling with it for about an hr, I ended up with the longer one on that side. I updated my gallery to show a few of the interesting points I had to grind on the crossmember for clearance. Can't wait to hear it run.

[Warlockchassis]

Your pics look like you are making progress. I would agree the engine looks to be a little tall in the engine compartment. What is the length difference between the two motor mounts?

[dallas]

I'll get out and measure them today , but I really don't have any room to go lower in the crossmember. I had to clearance as it was. I also have the spacers under the crossmember so I hope its an illusion. I'll know today, when I try to get the hood on.

[dallas]

Tried the hood on today and it fit. Man that was deceiving! The throttle body seemed so high. Guess it's in correct. Orders for more stuff out yesterday. Intake, exhaust, o2 bungs. Hope to get radiator and cooling system squared away this week. Engine cover on drivers side will be a pita but I've seen it on a car in the old site. "16 valves" in the gallery. So its got to fit.

[Warlockchassis]

Thats great, i am glad the hood fit. You should have it on the road in a few weeks.. keep the pictures coming..

[dallas]

Updated the gallery today. Been putting the front suspension together with new kyb shocks and sway bar bushings. Went with the stock turbo radiator for now with the cooling system.Also had my welding instructor over to get me on the right track with the welding of the exhaust system. His help really got me through it. I never tig welded before, so the miller welder really got a workout. Learned to sharpen those tungsten tips real quick! Fuel filter conversion, remote oil filter mounting, wiring and its "Houston were ready to launch!" I gave myself a labor day deadline just for modivation. Uh, wife wants her side of the garage back also.