Heron's VK SL Build – LS3, TH400, Sleeper Style

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

I think it is MX Grey and no reason at all.  I believe it has to be a paint with some additive that makes it a little flexible so it doesn’t flake off.  Worse case in a couple of years or whatever you do it again.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

sands vs wrote:

Is it stock cam?

Yep stock engine, it isn’t tuned yet so it sounds a bit lumpy

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

VRSenator065 wrote:

I think it is MX Grey and no reason at all. I believe it has to be a paint with some additive that makes it a little flexible so it doesn’t flake off. Worse case in a couple of years or whatever you do it again.

I like the darker grey, the pics I have seen on some white VK/VL’s with the darker grey makes the white paint pop a little more.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

backin the day I had an ex cop powder blue VL 5L.  I got the bumpers repainted and it was MX grey.  It looked great.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

All set to drop the car off this Saturday to get the exhaust built. Borrowed a car trailer for the great aussie price of one carton.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Exhaust is almost done, fingers crossed it’s ready for me to pickup Saturday morning and drop it off at the tuners. I’ve written myself a short list of what I want the tuner to do, have a read through and let me know if you have any suggestions:

• safety check of everything
• check all fluids
• diff is new and needs to be run in
• set up the rear upper adjustable arms to get the pinion angle right
• adjust the panhard bar cause the drivers side is closer to the guard than the other side
• wheel alignment and balance
• get dash tacho to work
• do I need a vehicle speed sensor. Got one but it isn’t installed
• check why it overheated. Check thermo setting in ECU. Might also have an air lock in it
• can I remove the rear o2 sensor wiring
• tune the fucking thing

its probably stuff they’d do anyway but I want to be clear from the start what I think needs doing based on the build so far, too many horror stories around of fuck ups by tuners.

[daveParticipant daveVK, L98, tremec tko600 View build HERE Member since: March 6, 2015 Posts: 46]

You will probably need the speed sensor as the ECU needs that input for tuning. You can delete the rear O2 sensors and get the tuner to disable them. They monitor the function of the cats. Not sure about NSW regs but if getting it engineered and rego with the LS you may need to leave them there.

Dave

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Picked up the car on Saturday, sounds mint at idle, nice deep note without being too loud. Dropped it off at the mechanics to get sorted. Had a quick chat with him, he said a speed sensor is needed so the ECU knows to sort out the idle control so it doesnt stall when slowing down/stopping, he said it isnt too bad with FBW setups and will see how it goes. the overheating issue could be the thermo wired to the second thermo control output that comes on at 110, the first one comes on at 90, hopefully thats an easy one to fix.

He’ll go over it this morning and if it’s good to go it’ll be on the dyno. Fingers crossed. Feeling  a little nervous waiting actually haha

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Heron SSV wrote:

Fingers crossed. Feeling a little nervous waiting actually haha

Fingers crossed for you too dude.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Thanks Gary. Found one bad spark plug lead, had a slight misfire. He swapped leads and it was still there, new spark plug and it was still there, flow tested the injector and that was fine, put a new lead on and it was sorted. The thermo activation point was set too high in the ECU, thats been changed. He’s also going to run it on the dyno for an hour or so to run in the diff gears and sort out the light load tuning. Dyno probably wont be until tomorrow.

[Judge1 FrazerParticipant new zealand1983 VB LSA MG9 6060 6 speed View build HERE Member since: February 5, 2016 Posts: 775]

awesome any chance of a video if your there

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

I wont be there but I’ll try to get them to video a dyno run if they can.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

No dyno yet, its been getting a little hot while they’ve been running it and reckon the thermo fan isnt flowing enough. They’ve ordered a 16 inch Davies Craig fan and shroud to install. Have to wait until next week. The joys of cars.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

There is always something …  Keep us posted.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Still no fan. I supose I’ll just wait. Weather is gonna be awesome this long weekend so I’ll float around in the pool and drink beer.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Fan has been installed and the car is currently on the dyno. They’ve found a strange noise coming from the rear that they’re looking into at the moment. Fingers crossed its not something major.

[Anonymous View build HERE Member since: January 1, 1970 Posts: 0]

<fingers crossed>

Did I ever mention I HATE CARS at times… 

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Haha tell me about it IJ

So turns out I made a few rookie errors. I had the trans mount upside down so the engine and box were tilted too far back and the driveline angle was wrong. This was causing the collectors to hang way too low. The mechanic sorted it out and it looks heaps better. The headers have more clearance on the rails and I have heaps of space around the steering rack. The downside is I have to get the front of the new exhaust modified as it now hits the floor cause of the slight angle it had so it would fit with the old positioning. More cash haha. Also found out that the diff had no oil in it, so that might have been the noise they were hearing. Got that sorted, fingers crossed there is no damage, they had it running on the dyno but only at low speed and not for too long due to the noise. On a positive note the new thermo works beautifully, when it kicks on the temp comes down nice and quickly.

Picked it up today and took it to the exhaust shop cause we are getting a heap of rain over the weekend and I’m running short of time. Plan is to pick it up next Wednesday morning and take it to the tuner to get tuned and pick it up next Saturday.

Also have to move the trans cooler lines cause now the headers are up higher they’re a little too close. Luckily the lines I made are quite long so they only have to reroute them and shorten them a little.

my fault with the trans mount, but I’m sure the diff shop said it came already filled with oil. Would of been nice if they put a no oil sticker on it just to let me know. Oh well, the joys of cars.

the mechanic did say that the car itself was well built considering it was done at home by a bloke with minimal mechanical skills, so I’ll claim that as a win.

The journey continues….

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Exhaust has been sorted, 250 bucks added to the cost. Picking it up next Wednesday.

[Judge1 FrazerParticipant new zealand1983 VB LSA MG9 6060 6 speed View build HERE Member since: February 5, 2016 Posts: 775]

was the diff oil one of you check list items lucky everything else didn’t got to plan first big burnout diff destroys itself

[Author]

Posts