Build up thread of my "SS10 Blazer"

Ok, fans and front end are now wired:





This is what that stainless rad hose a few posts up looks like installed:



I couldn't fit it in for the lower hose, so I'm going to have to just use plain rubber now for that. 

edit: I think I've figured out a way to use the stainless hose for the lower as well......

edit edit: No dice.  I used rubber.

Thanks.  Trust me - I can't wait to take MYSELF for a ride in it!!!!   

Anyone know somebody who does aluminum polishing?  I'm looking at these photos now going "ewwwww, look at that alternator and those brackets!".

Picked up the tubing to connect all the air filter piping together.  Ouch.  Don't want to make any mistakes with this stuff at $13/ft!

My ECM (1227747) arrived today, which is pretty incredible.  The guy shipped it from Ontario mid day yesterday, and it was on my doorstep in under 24hrs!
Going to burn a custom PROM for it of course.

I've had to abort on the engine oil cooler for the time being as I just can't figure out a good place to mount it (it's original spot became occupied by my R/H rad fan!).  So I've put a loop back in it's place.

3 wire heated O2 sensor is now wired in, so that will give me more consistent readings.  It's still a narrow band.  If anyone else wants to do the same mod, it's really easy.  It's about a $68 O2 sensor, a $6 Pico plug, and a couple extra wires.

Nothing photo-worthy happened anyhow, so you're stuck reading some boring text. 

ps: I looked up the price on that 4bbl TBI a bunch of posts up.  Accell must REALLY be on crack.  They want $700 for just the TBI  and rails with NO electronics or injectors!!!!!  I'd have a custom plate milled up to take on 2 GM TBI 220's (what I've got now) with a linear linkage between them (ala dual quads) and make my own 2nd injector driver before I went the Accell route!  Sheeeesh!!!

Ok - time for a brief update.

Have a full exhaust system on it (had a shop build up some pipes that tied into the system I'd made for it before), and now have dual O2 bungs in there as well.

Been having 'issues' with drivability.  That's a nice way to say it's been running like total sh*t. 

I knew I'd need to do some tuning, but....  it seemed like it was getting WORSE day by day! 
Well, the other night I was running it with my scan tool on it.  The IAC count had gone to zero (means the pintle is driven all the way in - that should stall it!).  Yet, it was still 'idling' at over 900!  It's getting air, and lots of it, from somewhere.

Further reading online says that a LOT of people were having trouble with FelPro 1255 intake gaskets (gee, guess which ones I got!!) leaking.  They actually leak so bad that they're pulling a full vaccum in the crankcase when you block off the PCV and breather ports! 

So, one rather expensive set of composite aluminum/rubber gaskets later (FelPro MS98000T)...  I'm hoping for better results.  I've just torqued down the intake last night, but still have an hour or so of bits to go back on.  I'll repost back tonight on how it runs.  Again.  Sigh...

*cough* *cough* -- damn I hate being sick.  Above mentioned bug knocked me flat on my ass for a week, then dragged me around and kicked me for another 2.

Anyhow, I've since installed my Wide band O2, and been doing a bit more tuning when time permits.  It's still really rich at times.  Then, at times (steady state cruise) it'll be dead on 14.7:1!

Acceleration Enrichment (AE) needs MUCH more tweaking.  At first, I'd boot it a bit, it's just die, and AFR would go to 21:1 (ummm, it might have been leaner, that's just as lean as the WB can read!).

I'm looking at an add-on board for the ECM.  Amongst a zillion other things, it goes from the ALDL only taking a reading every 1.2 seconds to taking a reading about 14 times per second.  Makes data logs actually meaningful.

Wouldn't fit a Fiero ECM directly, but one of the listed ECM's I'm pretty sure could be modded to fit a Fiero.  See it here

Got it yanked apart tonight.

Still not dead sure why those two wires caught fire (well, one the boot melted, the other one...  flame city...).  They might have just been that extra 1/4" closer to the header than the others so up they went. Looks like all the header pipes got REALLY hot.  The ceramic coating is all dull now.

Did a compression test, and they're all 200-230psi (cold, cranking).  Thats 15% from high to low, so right at the edge of 'within spec'.

Here's the plug wire and the other boot:


Anyhow....  that SEEMS to be the extent of the damage.  PHEW!!!
I thought for sure I'd melted a piston/valve/other.

Guess I'm off to go see if I can buy two new plug wires from Taylor.

'89 Vette, Delco EP375 fuel pump ordered up....  let's see how that improves things!  :)

Should be in tonight if all goes well.

Wow project is comming along very nice..... I take it the 4.3L wasn't cutting it eh?

 

 

Much much nicer than mine John! I'll be interested to see any results if you dyno it with headers and a Vortec top end.

I've got a K1500 with a recently installed stock-ish 5.7 TBI, very interested in discussing the improvements (if any) to be had in re-tuning or even going with a 7730 and tune if you've looked into that any?

Already have my hands on an Innovate LC-1 and am eagre to see what improvements can be made.

Being a 4x4 I honestly am looking for a strong strong mid range more than anything, it's not a dedicated rock crawler, and most driving on the Island is all highway. I'll be looking into cams to bolster torque in the bottom to mid end of the power band (I'm hoping I'm a roller block but not verified yet, are most TBI blocks set up for roller?) and eventually I'll splurge on a iron vortec top end like you. So you figure tuning the stock injection system with a modified single or dual throttle body is the way to go? I've seen aftermarket multiport style manifolds as well as conversions to TPI (but this has been proven to be a huge chore).