Great weather to start doing the little things - heat shields next

[Terry Posten]

I have been messing around in the garage for the last few days learning how to burn holes in sheet steel and I ran out of wire. So before I went to Harbor Freight, I decided to read the manual for this used flux welder I got and low and behold the PO installed the wrong size wire (too big). Before I could not hold a bead and was punching holes in 26ga steel.

Now, with the proper wire, it is welding 1000x better.

So, I decided to move my battery. It is not completed but it is close. I need to take it back out and weld another mounting point to the cross member but that can wait until this weekend.

Now for some pics.

Before:


After: Yes, same full sized battery as before.


Once I get this finished up, I can finally get a strut bar. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

please, for the love of perfection, black silicone couplers and SOMETHING other than yellow plug wires!!!


otherwise /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif

 

[vtecds1]

Clean. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif

 

[Boostdtalon]

looks good.

lol @ alpha male.

 

[cheekychimp]

I can live with the blue silicone couplers but those yellow plug wires bug the sh*t out of me. I swear if I come back to the States I'm going to buy some black NGKs and break into his garage /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Terry Posten]

Stop makin fun of ma wires. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

Actually, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/idea.gif I was thinking about getting the top couplers in black last night. The wires however will be later. I do have a set of stock 7mm grey/black wires but all my loom pieces are 8mm and the wires just fall out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

 

[iceman69510]

Uh oh, yellow wires!

yeller wires

 

[JNR]

How about just getting a (plug wire) cover on the valve cover?

 

[Terry Posten]

Don't have a nice one anymore and I don't like how the heat is trapped under there.

I took everything out tonight and finished everything up. I basically had to reinforce the tray because it was sagging in front and hitting the tranny.

The plate is now solid but can be removed with 2 bolts. I did have to move the fuel filter over about an inch and space it higher to have the feed pipe clear the battery. I shortened the ground cable but still need to shorten the "battery to starter" cable. I want to get a new positive terminal so I will do it at that time.

I am happy with it and now see that I want to clock the turbo about 10 degrees forward and tweak the hot side piping to have it hug the radiator a little bit better. Once I get a few black silicon couplers I will tear into that. Once that is done, the heat shield I have started will fit much better.

Final close-up shots.

 

[belize1334]

I love that location for the battery. I'm just waiting for somebody to build and sell a bolt-in tray for a smaller dry-cel battery like to pc925 or my Exide Orbital. JMFab makes one for the 1G but their customer support informed me that it IS NOT adaptable to the GVR4 and would have to be totally redesigned. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Terry Posten]

I just drilled and tapped the steering cradle sub-frame and modified a stock tray.

I just ordered new black couplers from www.siliconeintakes.com Their prices are awesome, I have used them in that past and they ship quickly and are a great company to deal with. Real "Good Guys".

 

[mitsuturbo]

Flux cored wire never does anywhere near as nice as a gas setup. If your welder has the option, i highly suggest you convert. It makes all the difference in the world!
Also, make sure you're running positive ground when using flux core wire.

The battery location is awesome. I didn't realize you could fit a full size battery on the subframe!
I'm thinking i'm going to put an Odyssey 680 under the sheetmetal at the stock battery location. If i go that route, i'll be sure and show photos. I have to get the battery first, which may be a couple weeks out.

EDIT: where the hell is your washer bottle?

 

[belize1334]

He's got it by the MAF. You can also relocate it to under the PS reservoir which is where mine was for a while.

 

[JNR]

I was thinking that's a cool place for the battery, but no cruise? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif [for me, I understand some folk want to take it out]. Otherwise, good idea...How about a perforated or slotted plug cover then? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif just be creative and do it so you don't see the wires, he he. Actually, yellow wires don't bother me, but maybe cause of the gray doesn't go...I only mention the cover 'cause IMO offers a cleaner look, overall and especially something nice and unique.

 

[Terry Posten]

I do not have a washer bottle because of the old battery replacement. Now that it is moved, I could get a new one (don't have the old bottle anymore).

The bottle next to the MAS/cold air box is the radiator overflow. Cleaner hose routing with a TEL water neck instead of the old stock location and besides, my oil cooler is there now.

Cruise worked before I took it off but it was starting to surge really bad and since this is only a good weather/weekend toy, cruise is no longer important to me. I still have it (in fact I have two complete setups), just like my non-cruise cable better.

 

[Terry Posten]

Could not wait for my couplers to come in so I started tonight. I have the fab finished now I have to get a can of paint, and my black couplers should be here tomorrow or Thursday.

I clocked the turbo down about 10-15 deg and actually swapped the two pipes and only had to cut about 1.5" off the "new" top pipe. I have the pipes stuck together primarily to keep crap from falling into the pipes and for pictures.

Enough of the chit-chat,now for the pics.

Before passenger side:

After passenger side:

Before drivers side:

After drivers side:

Before head on:

After head on:


Now, once I get this finished, I can start working on a heat shield.

 

[beaner]

I did the same thing in my 1g. It's cool until you need a jump.

 

[Terry Posten]

Jumping the battery is not a problem.

Notice the red terminal on the fender well right behind the cold air box.


That is the main power feed for the entire vehicle and is a 2GA cable directly to the battery. Super simple.

 

[beaner]

Yeah I've thought of doing something similar. Do you cap it off or something so it's not bare metal? I foresee quite a shock while wrenching, especially after a few brews.

 

[Terry Posten]

I don't worry about that too much, very seldom do I drink and when I do, I do not go anywhere near this car. It would kill me.

OK, all the parts are assembled and I only have a heat shield to make. The battery cables are re-made to proper length and the pipes are sanded, painted, and installed with new black couplers.

I pressure tested it to 20psi and everything is golden.





Now, does anybody have a front strut tower bar they want to donate to a worthy cause? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Condition is not important because I am going to paint it.


BTW - new plug wires will be on the top of the Christmas wish right below a S&W MP1522 811033. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif