MV8

One could flux and reflow any questionable joints but I would expect flow away from the joint if it got hot enough to be a concern.

My condolences. I'm sure it would have blown if the tank or cap had been aluminum. All the ferrous metal and drivetrain are reusable with a little work. I would have made an offer but it was sold before I saw it. Depending on how it is filed with insurance may determine if the vin is still good. I don't know the rules out there.

Too late! They've had my order for about a week so it should ship soon. What are the specs on those? Not really from scratch. I start by deciding on the fuel quality which brings me to a reasonable 9:1 (that I can tweak later depending on the other specs). I use 25-30% of the intake valve diameter for a target lift unless the flow rate is known. A target lobe separation angle (LSA) can be determined by taking the cubic inches per cylinder divided by the intake valve diameter, multiplied by 0.91, then subtracted from 128. The intake lobe centerline (ICL) and intake duration can be adjusted for an intake valve closed (IVC) degree that provides a dynamic compression of about 8:1 or 160psi, to aid cylinder filling from cranking to the torque peak rpm. Finally, the exhaust duration split of maybe 10 degrees. This would be a cam for average torque over the range rather than peak hp a the cost of mid-range torque. I could have gone more aggressive with duration and give up some efficiency but that was not my goal. This cam should allow 89 octane and 10 degrees initial advance with a normal curve and no detonation on top. Here is a clip of the cam testing competition performed on an LS by Eric Weingartner a few months ago https://www.youtube.com/@WeingartnerRacing Notice the specs are all over the place with different methods but I think drastically different efficiencies. I built a spread sheet to fill in the blanks.

I've been intending to contact him for profile charts but he says he has around 10,000? I've not because I waiting on the cam I ordered for this engine, but I am looking at a cam for another. Did he provide you any charts? Jones has his charts listed on the site. I expect it is up to 10,000 combos because his masters are just lobe profiles where the others list an entire cam. You can only grind one lobe at a time so I don't know that there is any difference except someone can point to the cam they want instead of figuring everything out.

Yes, and if you read my post prior to that I named you, giving you full credit!

Accusump and Moroso are two sources as well as Canton Racing, but they all look the same so maybe some relabeling going on (like major appliances). Kinda shocked at what they cost now. The switches and solenoid are standard, low cost industrial parts. A 1.5 quart should be plenty, light, and compact. A steel or aluminum bottle mounted inverted, that withstand maximum oil pressure, have traditionally been used. They may add an air valve or not, and the push comes from the air compressed by filling with oil. Well pumps use a similar accumulator but have a rubber diaphragm over the water.

Regarding oil coolers and air pockets being "bad", oil cooler where the cooler fittings are lower than the oil filter will have air pockets since the cooler will not gravity drain, so the delay to pressurization would be less since the cooler is already filled. Ambulances typically have had a sprung piston accumulator that is filled when running and acts like a normal accumulator when cornering (thrifty drysump). The solenoid is closed when the key is turned off, leaving the accumulator under pressure. The solenoid is also controlled by the interior light from opening the driver's door, building pressure before cold cranking.

Somebody put the wrong part in the right bag (very common). That gm part number (25312178) would have a female connector. Most 93-95 cadillacs use this O2.

There should be some indicated pressure within a few seconds, not unlike any car. Low temps and high viscosity oil is slower to show pressure.

Yes, it would be a washer with a large od than the opening in the rod end housing and fit between the spacer and bolt head. I see in the picture a set screw. I'm guessing it may hold a steel threaded insert in the upright for the bolt (ergo, easily replaceable). Maybe it is a mod by the PO? DO both sides have this set screw? Somebody used a lock washer under the jamb nut which is also odd. Maybe sits in a groove in the insert so the insert can't come out and also prevents it from spinning? If it is an insert, a new one could have been made to replace it instead of a thread repair, but I guess it is good enough for now, with a safety washer.

If the threads do not hold, I would ream out the threads to the bolt shank od, invert a bolt so it drops in from the center, then add a 90 degree .125" thick lock plate to bolt to the inboard face of the upright and holds the hex head on top so the bolt cannot turn. The bolt would only be threaded from about .375" above where it protrudes from the bottom of the rod end and long enough to protrude by at least three threads from a nyloc or other prevailing torque nut or a jamb/thin nut on a standard nut. The practical way is to buy the bolts based on the unthreaded shank length, then cut off the excess thread and radius the cut end. Grade 8 but grade 5 should be fine. Use fine thread. From the rod end down should be a spacer for clearance, then a safety washer (previously mentioned by CarlB) that is just a large, thick washer to keep a worn rod end from completely letting go if the ball pops out of the rod end housing.

Every State has their own rules on the initial titling but usually treat transfers the same. Generally not debated but in my experience, large, metro dmvs don't seem to follow any known rules.

Great video, from the tips on bending the hardest part of the skin at the top rear corners to the alloy rod they use to join the side panels to an alignment. Thanks for sharing!

The lower control arm spherical, carrying the sprung load in single shear is critical. Those are custom made uprights and not from any oem, which would have steel inserts for threads if using aluminum alloy uprights. It is highly unlikely that any mass produced oem upright is a direct fit replacement. Only you know the quality of the thread repair and setup or how often you will recheck the jamb nuts and torque specs.

Usually it is whatever they are connected to that fails and blows or damages these components while away from home. These things are easily accessible on the miata, but I admire your optimism.

Found it. http://jonescams.com/custom-camshafts/ I was fortunate that the shop doing my work had a core available to grind for my engine, since it has been out of production for about 35 years. I could have a cam made without limitation on a new blank for around $300 by any that offer new cams for this engine, but this is just an experiment at this point so I'm into it for about half that now, including their supplied core.

I expect it opens above 5 or so psi and grounds a light on the dash that is powered (key in run ) off the normal instrumentation. The larger one is a sender/sensor for the oil pressure gauge and has a resistance that varies with pressure. I expect it is either 1/4-18 or 19 or 1/8-27 or 28. For a car that does not have ecm control of the fuel system, it could also be replaced with a switch that closes with a few psi to control a fuel pump relay, with a small momentary (like a tiny horn button) to prime the system if needed when cranking cold.

Is there an removable panel from under the bonnet to access the fuses and electronics without removing the cowl? Might be something to add if you ever want a full windscreen. Nice and tidy though.

You can purchase a thread gauge (one is included with most tap and die sets but it would be for metric or sae, usually not both) or take the removed switch to the hardware store, then find a bolt where the threads mesh. They may have a thread gauge checker hanging on the wall. Armed with the thread pitch, rough measurement of the od will get you the plug size. On second thought, these are usually pipe thread, so I expect it is probably 1/8" and BSPT versus NPT. They look interchangeable and will screw into a hole but they won't seal even with tape.

Those look like oil pressure switches on a remote manifold.

They have used custom made uprights milled from aluminum plate. What you have may be repairable in such a way that could prevent a repeat of the issue. Post pics if you want feedback on if they are custom or something else as well as how you might repair the damage.

So I'm collecting bits for my planned build. They don't offer a camshaft with the specifications I want so I'm having an oem cam reground. I contact a well known cam regrinder with a good reputation that has been in business for decades. He sends me the patterns he has in spreadsheets. I ask for hydraulic roller, hydraulic flat tappet, and solid lifter flat tappet (these all have basic ramp differences). I settle for a cam that checks all the blocks for building dynamic compression to the max for the octane I want to run and still have a static 9:1 compression and around 10 degrees initial timing. A full length header and three cv carbs on short runners should take care of the curve above the torque peak and overlap was kept low for that reason. This cam is the only solid lifter grind which has a "D" on the end of the grind number. He says he can't do it. I ask if it is because of the difference in LSA, which can be changed during setup to something closer to the oem cam. He says the "lobes are oddly shaped" because it is a diesel cam. I said that makes perfect since and exactly what I want. He mentioned another cam he recommends for the engine, that makes the lumpy sounds with much overlap but little lift, and with my combo, I would be blowing gas right out the header at lower rpm. I spec my second best and he thinks that will work so we will see. I have respect for his work and appreciate he is still working and not retired. He probably gets less technical folks calling him on a regular basis, but it kinda reminds me of the concrete guy last year or when I ordered a 3.1 crank (internal balance) from the machine shop working on my 2.8, so they try to give me a 2.8 crank (external balance) and say nothing. Funny story to share imho. Funny these situations have one thing in common. ME. Before you ask, these are chill cast through hardened oem iron cams so I am not concerned about grinding through the hardening.

I have it on one of these old desk tops as a standalone where programs are now apps to be rented. I'd need the car to accurately measure. Easier just to do it since the cad will have errors and the fab will have errors/tolerances. I am a fan of R.C.A.D. though (rapid cardboard aided design).

I would not hold that against them . He wasn't the only one putting big domestic motors in little cars, but maybe the loudest and it worked out for him.

Think of it like a chain/strap behind the axle that is only tight when the car is accelerating hard enough to start to twist/bend the housing and any other time it is dead weight. When sized based on the A frame bolt shank and tight on the axle, I expect it to be as strong as any other linkage, but when setup properly, it should do nothing but prevent the housing from being overloaded. I don't see how this suspension with good bushings can roll very much anyway, given the thin rubber and width on the outer links. If every bush was replaced with sphericals (or a trunion at the center), it may be tougher to setup or the roll may need to be limited. The location of the axle end of the link would take some initial trial and error. A four link generally needs equal length, parallel links to prevent binding in roll but it is also a question of how much roll is actually needed before it binds. Most older oem domestic live axles suspensions that I am familiar with bind to a degree which is partly why the bushings are huge and thick walled and the control is so sloppy. Given the packaging in a CAT, if a live axle is used, a torque arm design (i.e., similar to the '80s camaro/firebird) makes a lot of sense. The torque arm attachment must plunge to allow roll, so the spherical (located near the transmission mount) is sleeved to float in the arm, with one trailing arm on each side and a watts linkage since the car is so narrow.