Roadkill's 1983 Chevy Z28 - (Work Starts on Page 5)

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

The steering wheel and quick-release have been shipped, apparently, and should be with me on 1st June.

Steering wheel has arrived !!!

Quick-release has not (yet) !!!

No further physical progress to report.

However . . . .

Quoting: Roadkill

I have, hopefully, got all the DVLA-related issues sorted, though. I've compiled a letter and had it signed to authenticate the changes made . . . there's still a question over the serial number on the engine but hopefully I've got around this.

I'll find out shortly . . . . .

This all now appears to be sorted . . . the car is now officially classed as a Chevrolet Camaro (but still not recognised as a Z28 !!!), Black, 2-Seater, with a 350ci Engine.

Yay !

[Andy]

Is it a 350? Thought it was 400 in there?

Wouldn't be worrying about the Z28, that's only like having either Zetec, Titanium or LX written on there.

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Andy

Is it a 350? Thought it was 400 in there?

No, LT1's are a 350ci.

383 is as big as I'd go . . . big blocks are make the nose too heavy for a third gen.

Quoting: Andy

Wouldn't be worrying about the Z28, that's only like having either Zetec, Titanium or LX written on there.

Yes and no.

The base model in 83 was a crappy 4-banger and mine was the Z28-H.O option (top of the line before the IROC came along) so it makes quite a bit of a difference.

[Jamieg285]

Quoting: Roadkill

383 is as big as I'd go . . . big blocks are make the nose too heavy for a third gen.

SBCs went up to 400 in stock form, commonly upgraded to 406 with oversized pistons.

One day mine will get the rebuild it deserves.

[Roadkill]

If anything ever goes bang I'll certainly build a 383 stroker LT1 . . . maybe go overbored, too.

[Roadkill]

Kind of a "false" update as I did this work about two weeks ago but I've only just uploaded the pics . . .

The coating on my interior column was flaky and rubbish . . . also the outer union was a bit battered.

I used plastic primer on the inner (err, plastic) parts and then Hammerited it after.   The union I just re-coated in hammerite.

The plan is to get some done tomorrow morning / early afternoon but my time this weekend is very limited with everything else going on . . . .

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/Roadkill-Auto/media/IMAG2405_zps83c5ff7e.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/Roadkill-Auto/media/IMAG2406_zpsda68f27b.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

[Cunning Plan]

That's a great finish for Hamerite

[Roadkill]

You couldn't make this $hit up !!!

[FUBAR]

Not had the best day in the end did we dean

[Roadkill]

No.  

[Roadkill]

Some link dumps :

The starter I have :

http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Performance/809/12361146/10002/-1?parentProductId=761610\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Performance/809/12361146/10002/-1?parentProductId=761610

The method we used to test (basically) but some conclusions at the end . . . albeit not very conclusive as mine came out and span pretty fast but still doesn't appear to work !!

http://easyautodiagnostics.com/starter_motor_test/starter_bench_test_1.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://easyautodiagnostics.com/starter_motor_test/starter_bench_test_1.php

[Andy]

So what actually happened, or by the sounds of it, didn't?

[Roadkill]

The steering has been holding me up for months but I finally got something that looked like it would work.  Hopefully.

Ryan had assisted on Saturday and I continued getting the steering column drilled and assembled.

And here it is :

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/Roadkill-Auto/media/IMAG2534_zps84e6017b.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

(A major improvement on the Spohn offering.  That had mild-steel DD shafts and grub-screw-and-nut fixings.  I replaced the shafts with all stainless steel and used A2 (stainless) dome-heads with thread-lock not only for appearance but also for corrosion resistance and the dome-heads will resist snagging on things much more than the nasty grub screws would.)

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/Roadkill-Auto/media/IMAG2536_zps3276e90d.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

The plan for Sunday was simple.  Spend half hour putting the steering column on, then start her up and do some low speed tests of the steering.

The steering bit went O.K but she wouldn't start !  

Hours of head scratching and testing later and still no idea . . . we think it's the starter but it seems to behave normally when removed and bench-tested.

???

And he's a picture of Titsy getting all confused as to which is the correct way to  sit in a seat.

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/Roadkill-Auto/media/IMAG2537_zps77ba7f67.jpg.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

Thanks to Ryan and Titsy for assistance over the weekend.  

Let's hope for some proper progress soon !



EDIT - I did get the interior door handles fitted on Saturday.  A 5-minute job but that actually went smoothly !! - and it's a job "off the list".

Yay me !

[Titsy]

Will be over straight from work on Wednesday for round two if that's ok. If you can remove the starter and retest before then that will give us a head-start. At the moment it is either and dodgy motor, excess current draw somewhere in the system (although I think I've ruled this out), or a volt drop with loading somewhere between the cutout and the starter. If it's the last one were going to need to get at the junction on the bulkhead...

EDIT

I also want to try hot wiring the starter with the bulkhead connector on the driver side disconnected. I'me still suspicious that the fault manifested itself after the removed the steering column, and that there might be a miss-connection or break as a result that is somehow causing the fault.

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Titsy

Will be over straight from work on Wednesday

Cool, ta.

Quoting: Titsy

If you can remove the starter and retest before then that will give us a head-start

Assuming Ryan's free to help lift off the bonnet ?

EDIT - In fact, Ryan, I'd like to take the battery out of the equation - can I drop it off and connect it up to your super-duper charger - make sure that is all O.K ???

Quoting: Titsy

I'm still suspicious that the fault manifested itself after the removed the steering column

Ditto, in fact very suspicious.  But didn't we bypass that ?

Do you want me to try and open that black box up on the bulkhead - that'll save about an hour !!!

[FUBAR]

Quoting: Roadkill

EDIT - In fact, Ryan, I'd like to take the battery out of the equation - can I drop it off and connect it up to your super-duper charger - make sure that is all O.K ???

Can do, if you want to do that today i'll be in between 5:15 and about 6:15 as then i'm out for a while.

That way it can have a day hooked up to the charger and I could come over early Tuesday evening with the Battery, we can then test that, and if unsuccessfull help take the starter off again?

Mental note: Find the clip on Terminals for the charger as soon as I get in.(I currently use the permenant attachment for the IROC)

Dean, can you triple check that the charger works with your type of battery this afternoon please as I can't download PDF files (i.e. the Manual) here and can't seem to see the links on Google.[

The Charger is a:

Ctek Multi XS7000 Battery Charger

[FUBAR]

Having said that I've just read this

http://www.ctekchargers.co.uk/ctek-mxs-70.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.ctekchargers.co.uk/ctek-mxs-70.php

Seems like charging for Optima AGM and GEL batteries is designed in.
There's a distinct possibility that your charger may well be having issues with your battery based on whats thats saying?...

Solved, taken from another forum:
http://forums.finalgear.com/questions-and-answers/special-battery-charger-needed-for-optima-batteries-46176/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://forums.finalgear.com/questions-and-answers/special-battery-charger-needed-for-optima-batteries-46176/

"Hello, I noticed your conversation regarding our batteries and wanted to offer some assistance. You do not need a special battery charger for our batteries. Normal battery chargers will work just fine, although it's important to clarify that our batteries are lead-acid batteries in a SpiralCell, AGM design. "Gel" or "Gel/AGM" charger settings will not fully-charge our batteries and could damage them over time.

We do recommend a maximum charging rate of 10 amps, 13.8-15 volts for regular charging. For float-charging, we recommend a 1 amp maximum rate, 13.2-13.8 volts. If anyone has any other questions about our batteries, I'll do my best to answer them.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc. "


and from the same person further down the page:

"We do not "officially" endorse specific maintainers or chargers, but we will supply information about devices that are advertised as being compatible with AGM batteries, including the CTEK MULTI US 7000 or 7002"

[Roadkill]

Quoting: FUBAR

Ctek Multi XS7000 Battery Charger

This the one ?

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/battery-chargers-conditioners/ctek-clearance-multi-xs-7000-battery-charger\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/battery-chargers-conditioners/ctek-clearance-multi-xs-7000-battery-charger

May have to make this a purchase at some point soon . . . .

Quoting: FUBAR

Can do, if you want to do that today i'll be in between 5:15 and about 6:15 as then i'm out for a while.

Hmm.  I'll be pushing it to get there by 6.15pm . . .  I'll see if I can get away a few minutes earlier.

[FUBAR]

Yes thats the one.

6:35pm latest

[Titsy]

Quoting: Roadkill

Ditto, in fact very suspicious. But didn't we bypass that ?

Not exactly... The rest of the always live stuff was still connected of the junction on the bulkhead. We could try the same test with the drivers side bulkhead connector disconnected, that would isolate any fault at the column...

Quoting: Roadkill

Do you want me to try and open that black box up on the bulkhead - that'll save about an hour !!!

yup

It could also be a cable or connector degradation from the bulkhead junction to the starter.

[ianjpage]

Quoting: Roadkill

The steering has been holding me up for months but I finally got something that looked like it would work. Hopefully.

Ryan had assisted on Saturday and I continued getting the steering column drilled and assembled.

And here it is :

Cool looks very nice now take it doesn't look too "floppy" now then ?

Quoting: Roadkill

And he's a picture of Titsy getting all confused as to which is the correct way to sit in a seat.  

LOL easily confused that lad

Quoting: Roadkill

I did get the interior door handles fitted on Saturday. A 5-minute job but that actually went smoothly !! - and it's a job "off the list".

cool least that is one off the (hopefully small) list!

[Roadkill]

Quoting: FUBAR

6:35pm latest

That's do-able.

O.K, there's a plan, then . . . .

[Roadkill]

Panic averted !!

Before stripping the starter off again last night for more testing myself and Ryan decided to chuck the freshly charged Optima back on and "give it a go . . "

Now I'd like to think that neither myself, Ryan or Titsy are idiots but I did feel a little stupid when she fired up first time.

It still makes little sense to me as we were trying to start her from the Mondeo with the voltage gauge showing a solid 14V and that didn't work . . . when she started last night the Optima was showing just over 10V on the gauge but she started fine.

??

It must be something to do with the current or the pixies.

Titsy did "clean" a few connections that he said weren't really dirty . . . Dunno.  But it's sorted.

What all this meant was that I could take her for a short low-speed test drive !



Gears all seemed fine, handbrake is a little weak (but I knew that), steering is a little notchy but better then I expected.  The steering lock-to-lock seems limited so I need to adjust the tracking and see how she goes.
Driver's seat needs to com forwards as that's one HEAVY clutch.

But apart from that she went well . . . got her into third.  Laid a bit of rubber (surprisingly easy !!!).  Happy days.

I'll be forming a snagging list shortly . . . .

EDIT - Water pump doesn't seem to be working - that'll be job number one.

[ianjpage]

Excellent news at least it is working now and it's driveable(ish) and can steer itself !!

[Incursus]