Its finally in etch prime! Woohoo

**damienengland** · 19-08-2023, 04:52 PM

Hello...another little update. I got the fuel tank back this week with a new MRA assembly and weld ring installed on it. The good news is that the EFI Hardware shop also upgraded the pump to a high flow Walbro unit, so i guess that's good.
Spent today installing the new bits onto the tank, including reusing the old MRA lid as a fuel fill breather connection. Plugged the new setup into the ECU to map it, test the pump and calibrate the sender. Good success, the pump runs and the fuel gauge is operating perfectly. Another tick off the list...

Tank is back...
PXL_20230818_211937800.jpg

New MRA assembly now at the front of the tank, also used the old lid to plug up the old hole...
PXL_20230818_220914150.jpg

Mapped and tested the electrics with the Haltech ECU. Pump and Sender sorted...
PXL_20230819_011336338.jpg

Tank is all together and ready to go back in...
PXL_20230819_043141012.jpg

**damienengland** · 02-09-2023, 07:16 PM

Major milestone today...got to crank the engine and get oil pressure up!

This was very nerve racking, as i assembled the engine a few years ago...so I spent hours second guessing everything that i'd done back then and was convinced that it was all gonna go wrong.
In the end it was all good, the engine barred over without issue, the starter motor cranked good (after figuring out i didn't have the transmission neutral switch plugged in) and yep, I got good oil pressure. Dunno what I was worried about!!!

Even got a couple of little videos of the occasion. Lets see if i can add them here...

Engine cranking for the first time...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JBHYgWJLmbKk5KJs9

Very happy to see oil pressure come up on the gauge...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yn3ARmKEYo6wd3NN6

Next week, we will try and add spark and fuel then see what happens...

**axistr** · 03-09-2023, 10:36 AM

Thats the worst thing about being a mechanic when working on your own stuff Damian. You go that extra mile because you can and then you always second guess everything you have done. It defiantly gives you goose bumps on the first startup and first drive around the block. But its also very satisfying when it works like a Swiss clock.

Its been 22 years since I built my Torana from ground up. Every nut and bolt was remove, serviced or replaced. The 383ci engine got the best parts and new everything, however I still get nervous when I occasionally pull it to 6,200rpm.

**damienengland** · 04-09-2023, 07:05 PM

Yes, i haven't had that experience before, but definitely know about it now. As an Electrician who decided to build an engine, I was more nervous about 'what have i missed because i don't know what i'm doing' kind of thing.
The one comfort was that i have a spare LS sitting in the garage, so could have thrown it in if things went terminal. Now looking forward to next weekend to see what it sounds like running...

**damienengland** · 14-09-2023, 09:28 PM

It's alive...! It started, it ran and the cam has been run in. Still can't believe it actually worked. Just dropping in a tiny video teaser below, but will get something more to share on the weekend...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/myXq8ovaiPzzA42JA

**Innuendo** · 15-09-2023, 03:14 PM

Excited for you Damien, great to see the progress.

**damienengland** · 16-09-2023, 06:53 PM

Thanks Innuendo.

Spent a bit more time on the van today...didn't get as far as i wanted, but progress anyway. Was hoping to get it off the hoist and drive it around a little bit, but ended up a bit stuck trying to figure out the 4L60E transmission settings in the Haltech.
Eventually got the speedo signal roughly calibrated, but couldn't work out why the gear indicator wasn't working well. Ended up bringing a software file home to to do a bit of research.

But i did get a bit of a video walk around with the engine idling...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2curwisva3bbnW6t8

**Innuendo** · 16-09-2023, 07:29 PM

You need to write "Pray for me!" on that 10 Bolt Salisbury diff hat.

**damienengland** · 17-09-2023, 10:10 AM

Hahaha, yep that's about right. But i'm thinking a sneaky little Truetrac may end up behind that diff hat before too long...

**damienengland** · 01-10-2023, 12:35 PM

Update time...

Its been a bit hectic in the last two weeks since initial engine start up, there ended up being quite a few items to sort out and set up across the engine and transmission, including a ton of Haltech software adjustments.

Things were mostly ok, but i did run into a problem where the 4L60e box refused to go into 3rd and 4th. We ended up finding that one of the internal pressure switches was open circuit, and i also had to swap over a couple of wires on the Haltech to get 'pull up resistor' inputs. After that, all gears popped up and we got a bit of a drive map set up for the box so it changed gears ok.

The last thing to do was run the rings in and that happened yesterday. It was very nice seeing the van on the dyno running at speed and 'hill climbing' with everything working ok...kind of. I did spring a slight oil leak at the rear inlet manifold gasket and we did get a bit of detonation. The IAT was running at about 110 deg C under the blower so some timing and fuel were pulled out of the tune to keep it safe. Had a chat about it after we finished the session and it looks like i'm gonna go back to Yella Terra and buy the inter cooler kit to install.

So that's it for this stage. I set out to complete the full drive train and make it work and it's a winner! Now it's time to go the next step, which is to pull it all apart, get paint and polish underway, then put back together for the final time. Here's a little video...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/D28qJLA1eY76AkW66