[ace72ace]

Passed inspection today

My 95 SS is now street legal and ready to roll. Observations, to do list, and concerns so far;

Steering feels like driving a cement truck, not used to the level of torque required to turn the wheel compared to my 96 Roadmaster.

Has practically no initial throttle response from the first stab at the gas pedal, my stock RMS was way more peppy (due to shift kit installed in rebuilt 4L60E ?).

Hesitation in first half inch of throttle on gas pedal - has uneven/mildly rough idle, and during regular driving feels a little rough on initial gas pedal travel. My mechanic that I took it to for sticker thought a possible cause to the roughness in the throttle engagement could be due to the engine computer having to relearn throttle mapping due to shift kit install? I realize that I can call the shop that just completed the rebuild for their thoughts but wanted to get some impartial, 3rd party feedback here.

Car feels very low to the ground compared to my old RMS (duh)... Wondering if new springs would be a good idea to restore to original ride height, it's riding on the original springs now. While I don't mind a cool 'low rider' look, worn out springs that don't provide good suspension/chassis feel for such a heavy car isn't what I want. Especially considering that I want to have fun with son doing autocross/HPDE with this once the HD-12 big brake kit is installed, I believe new springs and shocks are in my future.

Drivers seat bottom cushion is shot, the previous owner was not 'slight of build' (neither am I at 6'3 245, heh) so I got estimate from local shop to repair/refresh the seat bottom with new foam, repair springs etc. I thought 200-300 depending on how much material is required including all labor was a fair price. I had been pondering a modified seat bottom to allow the use of a 5 point harness for driving events, but after reading some excellent threads on this forum regarding this topic, I've decided against it. This SS will not be a stripped out hardcore dedicated track car, it will be a primarily a daily driver that I and my son can have some fun with and not have to worry about something breaking after a few passes down the local drag strip or autocross.

Will be sending drivers side seat belt assembly out for refurbish, and respond in another thread. As this isn't a show car, this is a far more economical option that paying over 200$ for OEM NOS part.

Need to address original cooling system hoses and clamps, can see coolant leak on top right hose dripping onto water pump housing. Have read forum section on 9C1 silicone replacement set, and already have my brass T fitting that smelonas installed in his car. I have an OEM plastic T fitting if anyone wants one, I can ship USPS, 10$ plus shipping.

Will be ordering scissor type fuel line tool as the plastic press in tool I got didn't give me enough torque to press into the line gap and disengage the fittings when I attempted to replace the fuel sending unit last fall.

Current brakes have tons of life left, so I will probably end up planning on the brake upgrades next spring so I can concentrate on all the other issues I need to sort out to make this SS a reliable daily driver.

Given the state of the paint and body trim, this car is the *perfect* candidate for a regional vocational school, and I will be investigating this option.

Need to hit the boneyard to get upper radiator support bracket, as the current one is broken. Anything I should look for regarding misc spare parts while at the pick and pull (besides fuses and bulbs)?

That's all I can think of for now, any and all feedback welcome.

 

[smelonas]

I would try and scavenge a set of injectors off a junkyard car. That's what I did and only paid 17 bucks doing so. Need to have them sent off to be cleaned and tested. One of my injectors is bad and causes my idle issue in my car I have been dealing with for some 30k miles. I have done everything else to try and fix it, yet it remains so it has to be injector #8.

I would suggest taking the TB off and disassembling the whole thing and cleaning it until it is CLEAN. I would also recommend new O2s and cleaning the maf. This is all basic tune up stuff so you should know a little about it.

You would be surprised what doing 2 hours worth of work can do to the way your car runs off idle. It will take it from a log to a jack rabbit. Every time I find something to do to clean sensors and whatnot, I always have to readjust my right foot to fit the new found power.

I could think of a million things, but those will just get you started!

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[ace72ace]

Thanks, this is the kind of 'been there done that' experience with getting the LT-1 to run the way it should I need. It runs smooth and strong overall, but is just a dog off the line. Will have fun pulling it apart with the teenager this summer/fall fixing it up.

 

[smelonas]

It will be great for him to get a basic understanding of how a MPFI motor works. They are simple, reasonably laid out and allow for great teaching. I learned motorcycles in my teens, so I really knew nothing of FI or DI until my college years.

My LT1 taught me all I know about GFI!

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[TGO]

Drivers seat bottom cushion is shot, the previous owner was not 'slight of build' (neither am I at 6'3 245, heh) so I got estimate from local shop to repair/refresh the seat bottom with new foam, repair springs etc. I thought 200-300 depending on how much material is required including all labor was a fair price.

Heh. I was quoted $800 for the same thing.

Anyway, it's unlikely the springs are broken. The foam is probably just worn out. You can remove the cover from the seat pretty easily and put some new foam under the original foam (so you don't lose the contour or the velcro strip that holds the seat cover on). Works perfectly. I did it and it took about 2 hours between removing the seat, installing the foam and putting it back. The seat is a very simple design..

 

[ace72ace]

Willing to pay for good service

My seat bottom has a hole in the side and the stitching coming loose as you can see in this pic I took for the seatbelt thread. They promised 1 day turn around service as well so I will be making an appointment with them to get this done. Will take a better 'before' picture for comparison with the 'after'.

 

[TGO]

My seat bottom has a hole in the side and the stitching coming loose as you can see in this pic I took for the seatbelt thread. They promised 1 day turn around service as well so I will be making an appointment with them to get this done. Will take a better 'before' picture for comparison with the 'after'.

Yeah I had the same hole. There's a metal rod through the seat foam that the seat cover is hog ringed through. It breaks free of the foam and pops out of the seat. There's more than enough that you can clip it and it will still perform it's function.

All I had in the repair was the cost of some new foam and some SEM paint. Granted you have the stitching to repair but for a couple of hours time and ~$50 in materials you can spend the other $250 on mechanical stuff.


This was my thread:


http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/4-interior/1298010-amateur-vinyl-repair-seat.html

 

[ace72ace]

Finally dropped the tank and replaced fuel pump, tested charging system

So when I got my sticker, I had my mechanic look under the hood to see the serpentine belt was good. While the belt was good, the tension pulley was noisy as hell, so when I went to Advance Auto to pickup replacement, I had them test the charging system.

Open diode in the alternator, decided to get a boneyard replacement, and rebuild kit for my original (assuming diode is replaceable component in rebuild kit?)

Dropped in my Spectra replacement fuel pump, dropping the tank from the rear worked great. Also recommend this style of removal tool as the levered design helps you apply the force needed toward the coupling and rotate to release.

Teenage son who will soon be driving this car once he gets his license helping out;

Couldn't have got this done in 1 day w/o his help, can't say enough how you really need a 2nd set of hands when the time comes to reinstall the tank - and a second jack!! Note the 19$ harbor freight creeper that had one of the center wheels rip off the board. Save your money and spend at least 50 or more on a quality creeper, with heavy duty casters and swivels.

Picked up boneyard alternator this morning, will be very interested to see how much performance improves with proper fuel pressure AND spark. I replaced the pump primarily because the gauge was b0rked, but I wouldn't at all be surprised if the pressure wasn't what it was supposed to be. Will have my mechanic install plugs, wires, and EGR valve and make sure everything is running right. Sure I could do that myself, but my time is limited, and I don't mind paying the labor for tune up, especially if he can't blame me for not installing correctly, or screwing up the plugs (I got pre-gapped NGK TR55). Bottom line is I want this LT-1 running the way it should, and I trust him to do a good job getting this done. With the money I saved from doing my own fuel pump and alternator/belt/pulley, it's good peace of mind I'll get my car back running the way it should.

 

[TGO]

Damn I wish my first car was an Impala SS lol!


EGR valve is easy to do yourself...if you wanna save a few bucks. Maybe 10-15 minutes. It's just 2 bolts and a gasket.

 

[ace72ace]

Ok, will replace EGR

Yeah I saw that part and it looks pretty simple. And now that I think of it, I need to inspect the vacuum lines back there as well.

 

[smelonas]

Im glad my car is a southern car. No rust and gas tank had just a light coat of dust on it. Anyway..

Get the F body MANUAL TRANNY EGR. Rockauto is the best place to get that. It's really the best place to get everything. Screw parts stores and their worthless employees! Lol

With the money you save on the EGR.. I recommend you get the frame on the car cleaned up and blasted down real well with a pressure washer and then give the underside and all metal parts a good coating of Fluid Film. That stuff works wonders although a little pricey. But man, I don't think there is a single product on the market like it honestly.

It will stop and loosen any rust and prevent new from forming!

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[ace72ace]

Got a part #?

How much is it?

 

[smelonas]

Like 6 bucks a can. Probably need 4 or 5 cans to do the car. Use a rag to disperse any areas that you lay it on too thick. It doesn't take but just a very small layer for the stuff to work.

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[ace72ace]

Not the undercoating

The EGR from Rock Auto...

 

[smelonas]

Jesus. My bad.. it's like 60 bucks. As is the regular appropriate one that isn't 'as good'.

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[KW Baraka]

......Anyway..Get the F body MANUAL TRANNY EGR......

Cannot be over-emphasized!!

KW

 

[ace72ace]

now you tell me

after I already ordered and received the OEM EGR...

 

[smelonas]

It doesn't make THAT much of a difference. The one you got will be fine.

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[ace72ace]

Replaced alternator, tension pulley, installed HD12 brake kit

Sooooo, I replace the tension pulley assembly, not sure how it got a HOLE IN IT?! And also new belt.

Anyone know what size/thread the alternator support bracket bolt is? It slipped out of my hand is now somewhere in the subframe...

Check out the surprise under the warning label for the gauge being no good...

Haha

So the jokes on me as I drove to work to charge up the battery and as I pull off the highway, the car pulls hard to the right. After I get off the ramp and drive the last mile to work I realize that my wheels are about to fall off as the lug nuts are coming off! I'm guessing the trans shop took off the front wheels to access the exhaust bolts to drop the transmission and never tightened them back up properly, but there's no way to know what really happened. I had pulled off the wheels to access the spark plugs but tightened them back up in the proper star pattern with my tire iron. I guess it's possible that I should have retorqued the nuts at some point later on, but this is what I found when I got to work. 3 snapped studs on the drives side and one on the left! Good thing I had already bought replacement parts!!

Stock rotors and pads were in great shape, looks like they maybe only had 10k miles or less on them, but in with the new!

I love how in some lighting the DCM paint turns to Kool-Aid goofy grape color

Bought a nice Lisle bearing packer, I consider it money well spent.

Next up, new EGR valve, plugs, wires, coil and ICM! Need to resolve the rough idle/misfire/lack of power issue. Really feels like a weak spark issue to me as I know the fuel pressure is where it needs to be now that I've replace the pump.

 

[smelonas]

See my thread about the ICM and the wires going to it. I had to get a new ICM pigtail because the original one had wires showing and touching. It did nothing for performance, but the wires were oil soaked and pretty bad off. Get an ACDELCO ICM.

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