Builds Megadoomer Build (8 Viewers)

[riderjgs]

"Moral of the story, buy a donor while it is in the truck/car. Make sure you get everything and it all matches."

Sometimes that doesn't even work. Can't remember why, but the CPU and injectors etc. we pulled from the '93 Chevy truck and put on the same era (maybe not the same year) SBC were problematic. Don't recall why but we pulled another CPU from a few years earlier and it's been fine for a couple of years now.
Might have to think about finding a place locally to get mine fine tuned. I do get very occasional hesitation when cold. Good job on scoping out and installing the sway bar.

 

[bobm]

Computers

 

[Megadoomer]

Got the pig back from the tuner yesterday. Some firsts for me. First time letting someone other than me or Steve drive it. First time letting someone other than me or Steve work on it. When he diagnosed the issue I could have pulled it back and did all myself, but it would have just delayed the whole thing a week or more. So, I let him do all the work. The new OEM parts were not cheap, nor was the labor. Paid a good chunk of my $5k budget but boy does it scoot now. I was pretty obnoxious on the 10 min drive from the shop to Steve's house, but I wanted to test it more. I took it home last night and left my daily with Steve. It was the first time on the freeway after putting the sway bars in. It is a stable genius. I mean as stable as a short, narrow, tall refrigerator with wheels can be. The power was great, and the A/C was working well. Very happy with how it drives right now.

What's left? I need to modify the front valence for the sway bar arm, and put some of the interior back together. I want to get some insulation on the roof and put some ABS sheet for a head liner. That will match the door cards. Get the RTT back on top.

All in all, I feel good that it is basically ready several weeks before the party and not several hours.

 

[J Mack]

What's left?

Less typing words and more posting pictures!

 

[Megadoomer]

Less typing words and more posting pictures!

Before the tune.

After the tune.

 

[J Mack]

After the tune.

I feel like you are leaving out a picture or two, we expect better from you.

 

[Megadoomer]

I feel like you are leaving out a picture or two, we expect better from you.

Honestly, that baboon gif is almost too accurate. Not have ever done an LS swap really made it a challenge to figure out the issue. I just thought it really made a big difference with a tune. I could have saved some dollars if I just bought a 2003 pcm but who knows what additional bs that would have caused.

Here are some sway bar pics. It is lower than I wanted. After the party I might adjust it to the top of the axle and shorten the links.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Did you buy a new or used pcm? I'm wanting to buy another for a spare. My tuner guy will set it up for $50. You never know when an EMP will hit.

 

[J Mack]

You never know when an EMP will hit.

4BT

 

[Megadoomer]

I bought it with the motor, but the guy had several LS engines in in a conex box. So I think he mixed up the engine and the pcm with another and that is where my troubles started.

Looks like they sell for $100-$200 on the internet. Just make sure get the right one. Apparently, red-blue or green-blue doesn't just mean it will plug and play.

 

[scrapdaddy]

4BT

You're right about that! No problems for you.

Just make sure get the right one. Apparently, red-blue or green-blue doesn't just mean it will plug and play.

Yeah, my tuner guy told me that, got to go by the numbers on the unit.

 

[J Mack]

You're right about that! No problems for you.

If I had the Scrapdaddy fortune as soon as I finished my personal 4BT conversion I would pay for a conversion for all of my close friends with food and ammo.

 

[Megadoomer]

Last weekend I did some last minute stuff on the pig. Well I thought it was last minute. I have a few laster minute things to do this sunday. I insulated the roof with some 1 inch foam panel and covered it with FRP. Probably the most aggravating task I have ever done on this pig. I was ready to burn the whole thing to the ground. After 2 days of hatred we got it in and it does make a huge difference on the heat and is a lot quieter.

Sunday Steve and I drove up to Fallbrook for the local TLCA chapter wrench day. Fallbrook is about 22 miles north of Steves house and kind of elevated with windy roads. I got to scoot up the hills on the freeway at 80 mph passin fools. Then got on the curvy stretch and it really does handle a lot better. One hand steering with little to no correction.

The wrench day was cool. We helped a guy change out a water pump on his 60. The owner of the house and another member have a side gig called www.phalconoverland.com. They sell mostly portable refrigerators now but they are working on offroad trailers and other gadgets and doodads. Anyway, I bought a fridge from them and will be taking it to the pig party. pretty excited about the possibilities. It has a battery backup so it will not drain my battery at night or when stopped.

No pics of the finished roof but one of the foam.

 

[Megadoomer]

So the Pig Party was largely a success. I am confident I can drive across the country with out an issue. We drove thru 115 degree heat with the AC on and doing 80 up a grade. The hottest temp got was 195. Sat in traffic and it got up to 205. Not an issue but the condenser got hot a d the check valve on the compressor let out a bit of juice. Not sure if I need to address that. I guess an electric fan would help. I don't really want one tho.

Two things came up, well three really. One, my brake light switch went out again. Put a new one in today. Two, the power steering pump got noisy during the trip. Seemed like the fluid was getting hot and aerating. I bought a universal oil cooler and installed that today too. Added about 8 feet of line and a half quart of fluid.

So the third thing was the floor. The AC worked well but once the heat from the floor mixed with it, it was less effective. I have decided I don't want the bedliner look anymore. I am going to clean it up and put some sticky back thermal padding down like dynamat but for heat and not sound. Then either make some marine carpet or rubber mat floors. I also will make some heat shields for the exhaust and mat the doghouse. The slush box is putting out a lot of heat too.

Item 3.5 is a custom console. I need cup holders!

I changed this hose route after some research on the stock hydroboost GM trucks. This route is wrong and I do not suggest using it.

 

[bobm]

Lizard Skin underneath ????

 

[Megadoomer]

I did that and it reduced the heat a little. Not enough.

Lizard Skin underneath ????

 

[Ol Yeller]

I did that and it reduced the heat a little. Not enough.

If you look at a modern vehicle it’s amazing the amount of effort they put into managing heat, our older rides had none of that. Burnt my leg on the trans tunnel in my 510 one summer...just too much heat soak.

 

[fj55tlc]

Show off!

 

[scrapdaddy]

Is that the hill where I almost did the roll over?

 

[landcruisnman]

Is that the hill where I almost did the roll over?

I believe it was.