Purist Bone Stock FJ-55 - The next chapter!! (1 Viewer)

[jynx]

Well in an unprecedented display, USPS and FedEx both arrived a day early. Yeah I know right. Anyway after a cheer appreciation thingie tonight for my little bit, I figured what the hell, let's give it a whirl.

regulator hat came from South Bay Injectors.

Diaphragm and plenum gaskets from the Ole rockauto.

I should have gotten a better picture of it installed, but went to putting the upper intake back on.

There it is all tucked back in there. Still have to adjust it and lock down the set screw, but figured why not..

Now that all said, whoever the F designed the TPI plenum system needs to be beat with a rubber hose. Now part of it was on me because I didn't want to remove the runners, but I'll be damned if I didn't spend close to an hour fiddling with the plenum trying to wedge in the upper with the new gaskets and getting bolt holes lined up. There is a vacuum port on the back drivers side that needs a cap that would hang the DS. And the dang thing is soo tight, that I had to all but beat it in. Won't lie, it did get a few whacks from the dead-blow. Anyway, after some cussing, and putting in and taking bolts out about 10 times. I finally got the manifold in.

So now, re-attach the TB, cap a couple vacuum ports, and set the reg and we'll give'im a rip and see how I did..

Late meeting tomorrow, so likely not back in the shop til Wednesday I hope.

 

[Dusten]

Well in an unprecedented display, USPS and FedEx both arrived a day early. Yeah I know right. Anyway after a cheer appreciation thingie tonight for my little bit, I figured what the hell, let's give it a whirl.

View attachment 2972176regulator hat came from South Bay Injectors.

Diaphragm and plenum gaskets from the Ole rockauto.

I should have gotten a better picture of it installed, but went to putting the upper intake back on.
View attachment 2972184
There it is all tucked back in there. Still have to adjust it and lock down the set screw, but figured why not..

Now that all said, whoever the F designed the TPI plenum system needs to be beat with a rubber hose. Now part of it was on me because I didn't want to remove the runners, but I'll be damned if I didn't spend close to an hour fiddling with the plenum trying to wedge in the upper with the new gaskets and getting bolt holes lined up. There is a vacuum port on the back drivers side that needs a cap that would hang the DS. And the dang thing is soo tight, that I had to all but beat it in. Won't lie, it did get a few whacks from the dead-blow. Anyway, after some cussing, and putting in and taking bolts out about 10 times. I finally got the manifold in.
View attachment 2972181

So now, re-attach the TB, cap a couple vacuum ports, and set the reg and we'll give'im a rip and see how I did..

Late meeting tomorrow, so likely not back in the shop til Wednesday I hope.

I work on planes. I've decided engineers are sadists.

 

[jynx]

All back together. Adjusted fuel pressure to 40 psi at idle and tweaked it til it was bumping up close to 50 with a blip, but would settle back to 38-40 at 3,000 rpm. It seems happier.

Looks just like when I started, and it still starts, so I'm calling it good.

Took a quick spin, it doesn't try to die in 2nd and seems to pull better. I'll have to air up the tires and take it for a proper spin in the daylight this weekend.

I got fresh plugs to go in and I'll clean the air filter and call it good for the upcoming trip to Choccolocco.

The fan kicks on at 195 and the temp guage sits right around 200. Didn't see it get over 210. So I think the SPAL fan and harness has that issue whopped.

Now to get the bed back on the tow rig and get some miles on it and the new pump and tank.

That will be my Saturday project as long as it isn't snowing... dang TN weather

 

[PabloCruise]

I hope the fix solves your problems!

 

[jynx]

Aired up the tires and took a spin around the block. Seemed to run solid. After about a 20 minute romp the temps stayed right at 195.

So I think I have the overheating locked and so far the fuel situation seems handles as well.

Then I dug around and found our old 40 bikini top to see how it fits.

Not quite right, but somethings better than nothing. We will see about having a custom top made that fits properly.

Now I just need to give it a bath and swap the plugs and we'll be ready to see how it does.

 

[jynx]

TPI350 1 - SPAL brushless 0...

Looks like I'm still working on the cooling system. Working with SPAL to figure out what went wrong. Tech guy said I may need to send it back for analysis. Depending on how that goes, next step will be to try a Taurus fan...

 

[archie73]

TPI350 1 - SPAL brushless 0...
View attachment 2990028

Looks like I'm still working on the cooling system. Working with SPAL to figure out what went wrong. Tech guy said I may need to send it back for analysis. Depending on how that goes, next step will be to try a Taurus fan...

I like the Taurus fan in my 40. Using a Volvo relay to help with the power spike of it coming on. My wiring on the other hand needs help…

 

[PabloCruise]

TPI350 1 - SPAL brushless 0...
View attachment 2990028

Looks like I'm still working on the cooling system. Working with SPAL to figure out what went wrong. Tech guy said I may need to send it back for analysis. Depending on how that goes, next step will be to try a Taurus fan...

Did she just start overheating when you went crawling?

 

[jynx]

@PabloCruise not really. We went to a park in north central Alabama called Choccolocco this weekend for an ACC event. Unloaded and got set up and they decided to go on a quick ride before dinner. So off we went. Low range 2nd and 3rd gear, just easing around. We snaked thru the woods and up a few inclines, nothing crazy. @Mrsjynx asked me if the temp was holding and I said "yep doing great", which was the curse. We were tailgunning and as we got about half way up a hill, I noticed the temp creeping. So stopped and hit the over-ride to turn the fan on full blast... didn't hear anything. So I shut down the truck and leave the key on with the over-ride on and pop the hood.

Nada, nothing. So start looking at things, assessing and realize the fan is coming on, starting to ramp and then shutting down, resetting and doing it again. So I think the thermostat control must be E'ffd. So I cut some wires loose and jump it. At first it seems like it's going to work, but then it proceeds to do the same on-off-reset-on process.

Now I have to hand it to SPAL, I email the tech guy I've been communicating with who has offered guidance on this deal and he responds, 4:30 CST on a Friday afternoon, he responds.

So before I go much farther, I may need to clarify, this is a brushless fan, so not just + and -, but it has control wiring and internal circuitry that makes it do things.

That said, he initially says it sounds like the current draw is causing a voltage drop and kicking out the fan. I note the fan was installed with the supplied harness and it was actually shortened and is direct to the + and - on the battery so if that the issue, it's in the supplied harness.

I ask if the fan motor has any type of internal heat protection that may be overheated as the aluminum heat sink is blistering hot. He said it shouldn't be an issue because the board has its own cooling fan that should be cooling it.

His recommendation was to let everything cool down and if it continues that they would likely request the fan be sent back to the factory for testing as it should not be doing what it's doing.

So we limped it back to camp and once there, I let it sit all night and completely cool. So yesterday morning, I jumped the fan to simulate full power and it didn't even seem like it ramped half way up and then it shut down. So I'll likely have some discussions with the gentleman from SPAL this week and we will see how they want to proceed. It was a sizable investment to get all that, and if the fan would have stayed running, I think it would have been good. So we are going to see where it goes.

Bad thing is since it has internal controls, if it is cooked, I can't even force it on as the internal controls won't let it run. So I am going to explore some other options, like the noted Taurus fan since that is a straight on/off brushed motor.

Anyway. We will see how it shakes out. What was the biggest bummer was I've been working to get ready for this weekend for weeks, finishing tow rig stuff, cobbling a seat mount together for my 12 year old, fuel pump, new fan, all the things and we ran for a little over an hour.... sucks, haul it 4 hours down and 4 hours back and barely get it unloaded.

Oh well, we enjoyed catching up with cruiser family and having sushi with @Land Speeder

Good times. So now I have about 2 months to figure it out ahead of GSMTR. Next weekend, I'm doing a woodworking project, I'm tired of wrenching for a minute.

 

[jynx]

Unloaded and assumed the position for troubleshooting.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Have you given thought to going back to a mechanical fan?

 

[jynx]

Have you given thought to going back to a mechanical fan?

I have. I've got a good bit invested in the SPAL setup, so I'm going to let their tech guy run that out. If we can't get anywhere with that, we will move to the next thing.

It had the electric when I got it, so I am going to try and see if i can make that work. Figure if FC did electric, it had to have been for some reason. If I can't get there, I'll look into going back to a mechanical fan. When I got it from @fountainhead that's what that nice aluminum shroud was for. He was planning to go back to a mechanical fan. I figured with all the good things coming out of Mosley Motors, and knowing this was the go-to setup for Cam, I figured it would be a safe bet.

I've been working with their tech guy today and he really wants to get the fan back to the factory to see what failed inside, so I'm going to run that out. I have been very impressed with his genuine interest in the project and helping me work things thru. I'm hopeful we'll get it sorted out, but I am working on plan B and C just in case.

 

[RUSH55]

Have you given thought to going back to a mechanical fan?

Would it be going back if it never actually had one? I’m looking at pics of TPI GM engines and don’t see a mechanical fan on any of them. Not to say it can’t be done, but might require a bunch of mods to do so.

 

[jynx]

Would it be going back if it never actually had one? I’m looking at pics of TPI GM engines and don’t see a mechanical fan on any of them. Not to say it can’t be done, but might require a bunch of mods to do so.

I actually hadn't thought of that, but your right. The corvettes all had electric cooling fans.

Since it is a 350, I'm sure I could figure it out, but I hadn't really thought about how that would happen.

 

[scrapdaddy]

My 5.3 was from a Silverado and had electric , no problems switching over, but I didn't tune the computer either.

 

[jynx]

I'd have to look into it, but I'd say I could bolt a clutch and fan onto the waterpump pulley, or I assume that's what it is. I've not fooled around with chevy stuff much, so I'd need to study on the front of the motor pulley configuration a little.

 

[RUSH55]

Truck 5.3’s that had mechanical fans have higher sitting intakes and water pumps with the top output going straight up and not forward like the LS3.
The TPI model water pump looks like it would work with a mechanical fan. The intake looks like the inlet (not sure if that’s considered the throttle body) might interfere.

 

[jynx]

The offender is out.

No apparent damage from the outside.

Going back to SPAL for a check-up. Brent (SPAL tech guy) seems interested in getting it cracked open to see what failed. I am as well. I'd like to not have the same issue again if possible.

Have to talk to the original vendor about the swap. He said they'd probably send me a replacement so I wouldn't be without any longer than needed.

So far, customer service gets an A+. Now we just need the product to match.

 

[PabloCruise]

That would be pretty cool if you could get your hands on a replacement!

 

[jynx]

Finally made some time to do some trouble shooting on the Warpig. Hooked up fuel pressure guage and with key on was getting less that 10 psi. Couldn't tell if the pump was running or not. There is a junction just before the shock tower with a fine mesh filter in-line and I figured I'd break it there and check it out.

Broke everything apart and had the wife turn the ignition on, solid stream to there, so I split open the filter and found this.

That picture is taken with a LED flashlight directly behind it, like touching it. So clearly the filter was completely junked up. Since I have a filter in line, I just left the screen out and put everything back together and viola! 43 psi on the guage, jumps to 50+ when you blip the throttle, settles back to around 43 when at 2k rpm. I believe I found the culprit.

My guess is the filter clogged and cause the last pump to burn up dead-heading. Then the new pump was struggling and at 9psi, would likely have burnt up as well.

I'm going to see about ordering another screen to replace the one I removed or I'll just pick up another in-line filter to go in its place. That and an extra pump to keep as a spare.

Hopefully I'll give'im a test rip tomorrow before dark to see how the throttle response is under load.

I'm pumped! Crawl is in 2 weeks and this thing needs to make an appearance.