My '90 ZR-1 project update thread

[tccrab]

Ben:

What a wonderful job you've done on your car.
I admire your patience and determination on this project.
Can't wait for the "Gentlemen, START your engines!!!!"

TomC
'Crabs

[Z51JEFF]

Ive got the correct ECM cover that Ill sell you for $40 and Ive got some interior paint I had mixed up for an interior project,if you send me that ash try door Ill paint that..............FOR FREE!

[tomtom72]

Originally Posted by tccrab

Ben:

What a wonderful job you've done on your car.
I admire your patience and determination on this project.
Can't wait for the "Gentlemen, START your engines!!!!"

TomC
'Crabs

Absolutely amazing transformation!

Way to be Ben!


Tom

[bdw18_123]

Before I get on to this update...

Originally Posted by Z51JEFF

Ive got the correct ECM cover that Ill sell you for $40 and Ive got some interior paint I had mixed up for an interior project,if you send me that ash try door Ill paint that..............FOR FREE!

Jeff, thanks for the offer on the ECM cover, but I think I'm going pass on it and just stick with the one I've got. I've spent too much money already and I still have to get my A/C system recharged.

As for the ashtray door, that is really nice of you to offer to paint it for me for free. But to be honest, I just don't want to mess with it right now. After over two years of my Z sitting in my garage and me working on it off and on, I just want to drive the damn thing and forget fixing things on it for good while! The radio bezel is already all chopped up anyway around the radio hole, so it's not like everywhere else is immaculate in that immediate area anyway. But again, thanks for the offer, I do appreciate it!

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Ok, on to the one update I've been wanting to post ever since I started posting here! The one you all have been waiting for...

After over two years in pieces all over my garage and in my bedroom (and that is just the time I've had it), 1990 Corvette ZR-1 #2299 is finally alive and kickin'!! I even took a short video of the engine running which is posted at the end of this update. I'll get one posted of an actual drive soon. So, on to the update.


I decided to do the IAT sensor relocation mod. I chose the location based on the picture Marc Haibeck has on his site where he describes this mod (here: http://www.zr1specialist.com/HAT%20W...r%20sensor.htm). Rather than make a bracket like is shown in the picture on that link, I just mounted mine in the lower part of the radiator shroud on the passenger side.




Then I spliced in wire extensions that would reach the sensor in it's new location after cutting off the connector. I removed the pins from the connector and soldered the new wires to the pins and reinserted the pins into the connector. I routed the new wires alongside the vacuum pump line and then over to the sensor & put convo-tubing over both the new wires and the vacuum line where they both ran together.

I also got a black plug to seal up the old sensor hole in the airhorn.




This next part is a lot of text with no pictures, sorry.

All the wheelwell plastics I removed went back on next and also the spare tire, jack & tire bag. The battery & mounting tray I installed a couple of days ago. Now all that was left was to put the fluids in and try starting it. Put in the power steering fluid, coolant/antifreeze+distilled water+ 1 bottle of redline water wetter & the oil. Then I went and filled two 5-gallon gas jugs with gas, got a bottle of seafoam and dumped all that in the fuel tank.

Hooked up the battery, turned the key for the first time and the engine did crank over (nice, no DNS issues!) and sorta tried to start (couple of sputters), but didn't. Darn! Well, back to basics. It obviously had spark since it tried to start, so i figured I check fuel first. My first instinct was to look at the fuel pumps, because I realized I didn't hear them turn on when I turned the key. Put 12V to that fuel pump test connector, didn't hear anything. So I went to the back of the car, removed the fuel cap cover assembly, got to the plug to the pumps, disconnected it and tried activating the pumps directly. Primary pump sounded like it was trying to run, but didn't sound very good at all. Secondary pump was completely dead. I figured they probably were the originals (turns out, they were) Well, at least I found the problem.

A quick trip to my local Autozone and close to $200 later, got back home with two new fuel pumps and two new strainers. Got the pump assembly out, which was a bit tricky, you have to turn it in certain ways to get it out. GM apparently just HAD to make that hole as small as possible. Replaced the pumps and the strainers (Those pumps are held in with zip-ties? Didn't know that...) and reinstalled the whole assembly.

Got in and turned the key and this time heard the sweet sound of both pumps running! I turned the key on and off several times to get the fuel pressure built up. Cranked the engine over and this time I could tell it was going to start. When it finally started, it was idling really high, around 2000 rpm sometimes close to 3000. It would try to go down, but then would go back up again. Tried revving it a bit, but that made it sputter and die if the pedal was pushed past a certain point. Just great, another friggin problem?

I remembered the '93 LT1 Corvette I used to have had a sort of similar issue at one point that turned out to be the TPS sensor. So I checked it and sure enough, with the throttle completely closed, voltage read about .86 volts, too high. There's my problem! The manual says it needs to be between .46 & .62 volts, but elsewhere in the same manual it says it should be .54 + or - .08 volts. So I set it to .55 volts and tightened it down. Fired up the LT5 again and this time it settled in to a nice idle right around 600 rpm (at least according to the tach, don't know how accurate it is). Sweet!

It was getting late by this point, but there was no way I wasn't going to drive it right then! So, I went and had myself my first ever drive of a ZR-1. I didn't push it too hard, but enough to get a feel for it. I also could definitely feel those secondaries kicking in, so I knew those were working. It was a short drive, but I could feel the perma-grin coming on already! Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel!


There are still a couple of issues to iron out. The low coolant light and the infl rest light are both on. I cleaned the ground on the driver's side SIR sensor ground but didn't clean the passenger side one as it looked clean, but I'll have to try cleaning it anyway and go from there. I still have about 3/4 of a gallon of coolant I need to put in to reach the listed capacity of the ZR-1's cooling system, but I can't put any more in, as the fluid is at the neck already. Must still be some air in there that needs to be gotten out somehow, so maybe that is why the light is on. I guess the sensor could be bad too.

The other issue is with the ZF6. It shifts fine in all gears except for between 1st & 2nd. The synchro must be shot between those two because it always grinds between them, though I can get it to go in. If I come to a complete stop, it doesn't grind going from 2nd to 1st. I did drain it and put in fresh Castrol TWS 10w60 from the BMW dealer, so I know the fluid isn't the problem. I really don't have the money to either repair this transmission or get another one, so I'm just going to have to live with it for now. Maybe shift from 1st to 3rd when I'm not driving it hard.

There are also other things to do like repainting a couple of areas, put on the replacement front spoiler, clean & polish the rims, repaint and install the lugnut covers and a few other things. But I'm a bit burned out with fixing & restoring things for now. So before I do any of that, I want to just enjoy driving it for awhile.

[bdw18_123]

Now for some before and after pics that I have been wanting to post for a long time!

First the interior.

The day after I brought it home:




After many, many hours disassembling the interior and cleaning everything:




Now for the LT5.

Also the day after I brought the car home and the only picture I have of how the engine looked in the car before I pulled it out:




And after even more hours cleaning, repairing, painting & assembling; the heart of the ZR-1:

[bdw18_123]

And here is that video clip I promised at the beginning of this update. It cuts off abruptly at the end because my memory card got full. The fans are running in this clip (I had just gotten back from driving it) so there is a lot of noise in addition to the engine noise.




I am now finally ready to rack up miles of perma-grins in my Z! ...

[tomtom72]

Way to go Ben!


just an amazing transformation, you be proud Brother!......now go waste some gas!


Tom

[tccrab]

Ben:

GREAT JOB!!!

TomC
'Crabs

[A26B]

Congratulations Ben, for an outstanding job. Your project displayed great ingenuity and covered an incredible spectrum of skills. Sharing it with us, step by step with excellent photos was also a task to be sure, one that is appreciated now and will be for a long time to come.

[Ccmano]

Fantastic Job Ben way to go!

The best way to burp to cooloing system is to use to Haibeck method, jack up the passenger side of the car as high as you can with the coolant cap off. You can even run the engine, it's amazing how much air comes out.

Haibeck has it written up on his site.
http://www.zr1specialist.com/HAT%20W...%20coolant.htm

The ash try cover is an easy fix with the paint from Mid-America, a perfect match, just sand down and paint. Did mine and it matched the surrounding original areas perfectly.

H