427 engine (part 2) - RHS block - Page 138

**Rich Z** · 02-11-2012, 04:33 PM

Got the rotor center de-rusted and painted (next time I'm going to get a two piece rotor with an aluminum center piece), also cleaned up the caliper bracket and painted that red. Got the knuckle all cleaned up an shiny. Ran the bolts through a die to clean out the red Permatex crud left on the threads. Just got to let the paint cure, and clean up the upper and lower control arms, and I'll be ready to put this driver side shaft back in and be done with this.

Then on with the fuel system....

Still haven't found anything that will work like I want it to on that driver side fuel rail for the clearance issue. So if I want to plumb it like it SHOULD be plumbed, I may have to just bite the bullet and cut into the firewall. I did find 120 and 150 degree AN-08 fittings, so I have them on order to see if they will help keep the cutting down to the bare minimum.

I even went so far as to locate some shorter motor mounts (http://hinsonsupercars.com/p-1351-hm...5c6gtorx7.aspx) thinking that perhaps lowering the engine a bit (the firewall slopes back and down somewhat), but replacing the motor mounts looks like more trouble than just cutting the firewall. Those STS pipes up front will be in the way trying to lower the cradle to get the motor mounts changed out. Plus I think I would have to remove the passenger side header. The intake manifold is pressed right up against the firewall cowl, so lifting the engine any is out. That's ALL I would need is to crack the intake manifold....

**Rich Z** · 02-12-2012, 01:16 PM

With any luck, I have found what I need for the back of that driver side fuel rail.

That comes out to 1.1 inches so yeah, that's right in the ball park I need.

http://shop.nukeperformance.com/an-h...-unf-an8-banjo

Had to go to a website in Sweden to find this, though.

CorvetteJohn · 02-12-2012, 02:31 PM

Yee Hah thats what I was hoping for. You must have gotten somebody to measure it and take a picture. Sure do wish they would publish a chart with the dimensional stack up of all the banjo fittings and bolts.

**Rich Z** · 02-13-2012, 12:07 PM

Yeah, I'm trying to verify with FAST that the threads on this thing are compatible with the threads in the fuel rails before I go and order it. I'll likely just go ahead and get the -08 fittings I need for the front of the fuel rails to replace the -06 fittings now in there from them as well, IF the threading is correct.

The good thing about this banjo fitting is that I can swing the angle up or down as needed to clear the firewall with the fitting that screws onto it. I've got a whole slew of different angled -08 hose fittings on order (I originally bought a bunch of -06 fittings to clear the intake manifold, that I was able to send back for exchange), so I'm sure one of them will work out perfectly for me. Well, I HOPE so, anyway....

**Rich Z** · 02-13-2012, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Z

With any luck, I have found what I need for the back of that driver side fuel rail.

That comes out to 1.1 inches so yeah, that's right in the ball park I need.

http://shop.nukeperformance.com/an-h...-unf-an8-banjo

Had to go to a website in Sweden to find this, though.

Well, I do have to say that I have met some very nice people through this disaster. The guy who runs that site mentioned above has offered to send me the stuff for free to help me out. That pretty much shocked me, as it is doubtful he would ever get a ton of business out of me being over in Sweden. I was looking to buy -08 fittings for the front of the fuel rails as well to replace those -06 fittings that are not on there, but expressed some misgivings about the threading being correct. He just said to give him my shipping address and don't worry about it.

Then one of the guys over on CorvetteForum who has the business at http://www.ccperformanceparts.com/ sent me a box of heat wrap for my exhaust system along with some wrap that goes across the tunnel plate. Didn't ask for a dime in payment for the stuff.

And there were some others along the way that I've mentioned in the past as well.

In a way it almost makes up for being crapped on (in my opinion) during my past experiences with the shops that worked on my car.

shakedown067 · 02-14-2012, 12:08 PM

Very cool. Gotta love the Corvette Community!

**Rich Z** · 02-16-2012, 07:17 PM

Well, after talking to an advisor with Chase at length today, they are going to place a chargeback on South Georgia Corvette's account for $4,000. Apparently Aaron Scott already recently refunded $2,000 to my account prior to this chargeback taking place. The advisor said he expected Mr. Scott to contest the chargeback, which he will deal with as needed.

On Tuesday I sent Chase a message again explaining the circumstances and I attached a bunch of photographs to support my claim. Apparently that helped them to come to this decision, using those photographs as evidence to support my claim. Fortunately I have taken photographs and video of every problem I have found on the car that I can attribute to Aaron Scott in one way or another. Which, of course, nearly all of this has been documented here and on CorvetteForum. I learned my lesson about DOCUMENTATION when things like this happen.

As for my car, I'm waiting for brake parts to come in. The new pads and rotors should be here tomorrow, so I will be able to put the rear end suspension back together and start working on the front.

I bought some gas cans so I can drain the gas tanks and extract that fuel pump. Nate at NastyPerformance mentioned to me that I can jumper the in tank fuel pump at the fuse box to use that to quickly drain the tanks. But I think that 2 second timeout without the engine running would be an issue. Anyone know how to get around that? I don't think the Aeromotive can suck out the gasoline if the in tank pump isn't working, can it?

While I was poking around underneath the car today, I found two nuts holding the transmission brace in place were not tightened down. I hope the ones on top are tight as they will be a bear to get to if not.

The advisor at Chase (who seemed to be a car guy himself) asked me how long before I would hope to get my car on the road. I told him I'm guesstimating by the end of March. Then the guy started asking me questions about buying a Corvette himself.

shakedown067 · 02-17-2012, 02:56 PM

Well, sounds like you got a hold of the perfect guy at Chase! Good luck!

**Rich Z** · 02-18-2012, 01:45 AM

Surprisingly those fuel rail fittings from Sweden (NukePerformance) showed up today via DHL. I was surprised at how quickly they got here.

Looks like pretty good quality stuff, but I'll know more when I go to actually install them. HOPEFULLY the threading is correct for the inside of the fuel raise. This could very well solve my clearance problem.

On another front, the brake stuff showed up, and all in all the stuff looks like decent quality, especially for the price.

Brake pads looked OK to me, but I'm not an expert in them, and I guess the proof of the pudding will be when I drive with them.

But one fly in the ointment was that I noticed that one of the four rotors was not inside a protective plastic bag like the others, so I looked at it more closely. Darn, looks like at the edge of the hat on one of the rear rotors, it got scraped or dinged or something and that took off the zinc coating exposing the bare metal. I looked more closely at the box, and it appears to me that it has been retaped shut. So my guess is, based on the evidence, that someone swapped out those rotors in that box I got, and I got the short end of the straw. I've contacted the seller to see what he will do about this. I know they were cheaply priced, but still.......

**Rich Z** · 02-21-2012, 05:31 PM

I feel like I am FOREVER waiting on something lately. Haven't gotten a tracking number yet on the replacement rear brake rotors. Then I sent back a bunch of -06 AN fittings to ANplumbing.com to exchange for -08 fittings, which arrived there on 02/18 and they are acting like they didn't get the box. Luckily I got delivery confirmation with USPS when Connie shipped it out for me.

So I ordered some stuff from Summitracing today, and when that comes in I'm going to start draining the gas tanks. A guy on CorvetteForum gave me a real handy tip on how to run the stock fuel pumps even when the engine isn't running...

Quote:

Rich,
You can use your HPTuners Scanner program to turn the fuel pump ON without the engine running. Connect the cable, turn your key to the ACC position, and start the scanner. Open up the VCM Controls window, hit the Fue & Spark page, and toggle the Fuel Pump ON.

VCM Scanner > VCM Controls > Fuel & Spark > Fuel Pump > ON

That should come in REAL handy...