ERA 2136 Build Log - Page 20

289fia_cobra · #**381** (**permalink**) 08-06-2011, 07:18 PM

How goes it on the header/exhaust front?

4pipes · #**382** (**permalink**) 08-06-2011, 08:09 PM

He's at Bonneville today.

Tom Howland · #**383** (**permalink**) 08-06-2011, 09:49 PM

Next weekend Dave.

Mando · #**384** (**permalink**) 08-06-2011, 11:15 PM

[quote=tkb289;1143633]Time for an update.

Made some good progress lately, but there is lot's more to do. Not sure at this point when I will be ready to finally drive the car, depends on how much time I can get to work on it. This part is a lot of fun, have been getting help and advice from my sons & car buddies, and making lots of trips to the local parts store.

It took a while, but finally came up with a way to plumb in the heater that has the hoses laying on top of the motor and also has a place for the water temperate gauge sending unit. There are a lot of different ways to achieve the same goal, we will see how this setup performs.

The overall setup.

I was hoping someone could help with advice on water supply to the heater. My cars not on the road yet but I have been thinking about installing a heater valve which I have that's exactly the same as tkb289 has used in the picture. I don't know a lot about how cars work but does it mean that when the valve is off there is water sitting in the remaining line that just sits there until the valve is opened? Would it be wise to install a three way valve that returns the water back into the system through the heater return hose? I may be completely off key here but I thought I'd ask!

Regards.

xb-60 · #**385** (**permalink**) 08-07-2011, 04:33 PM

Mando - my understanding is that it doesn't really matter where in the heater supply line or return line it is that the valve is located. When the valve is off, it just stops the flow, and there has to be 'dead' water sitting in the line before and after the valve. The important thing is that there can't be air anywhere in the system.
Can you add to that Tim?
Cheers,
Glen

tkb289 · #**386** (**permalink**) 08-07-2011, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4pipes

Tim, with the completion of one last mod last week, my car is now finished.....6 years later. Can't wait till yours is done.

Dave,

Glad your car is finished! Soon there will be one more Cobra in the line following you up the hill to Alice's !

tkb289 · #**387** (**permalink**) 08-07-2011, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 289fia_cobra

How goes it on the header/exhaust front?

Herman … excellent question … and while working on the exhaust, I found a problem. In looking at the manifolds, I noticed there did not seem to be much clearance, between the manifold and the frame … and the manifold collectors seemed to put the pipes a bit low. I sent Bob at ERA a photo and he figured out the problem right away ... the motor is sitting too low!

He believes there is likely a stack up of tolerances and that the motor needs to be shimmed up about 1/4". So, that's easy enough to do and when I get a chance will try that and see how things look. Could also be the motor mounts are not correct.

Once that's sorted out, I can put together the rest of the exhaust, going to start with the Dynomax turbo mufflers that ERA runs, then have a short pipe that turns out before the rear tire. Should be a very similar setup as to what Wolf did for 2139 … except not the nice stainless steel pipes and mufflers he used.

tkb289 · #**388** (**permalink**) 08-07-2011, 06:32 PM

[quote=Mando;1144613]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkb289

I was hoping someone could help with advice on water supply to the heater. My cars not on the road yet but I have been thinking about installing a heater valve which I have that's exactly the same as tkb289 has used in the picture. I don't know a lot about how cars work but does it mean that when the valve is off there is water sitting in the remaining line that just sits there until the valve is opened? Would it be wise to install a three way valve that returns the water back into the system through the heater return hose? I may be completely off key here but I thought I'd ask!

Regards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xb-60

Mando - my understanding is that it doesn't really matter where in the heater supply line or return line it is that the valve is located. When the valve is off, it just stops the flow, and there has to be 'dead' water sitting in the line before and after the valve. The important thing is that there can't be air anywhere in the system.
Can you add to that Tim?
Cheers,
Glen

Mando,

Here is my understanding per the ERA manual …

- Install the water shut-off valve in the water outlet of the intake manifold … connect to the lower tube on the heater (inlet) ...

- Connect the upper heater tube (outlet) to the fitting on the water pump ...

- (also) If you are using a heater … drill a small bypass hole in the thermostat next to the bulb so that a small amount of water bypasses constantly …

So in my setup, the water source is from the brass 'T' on top of the intake manifold. Had there been more room under the distributor, I would have mounted the water temperature sending unit there, and used just a 1/2" npt to 5/8" hose fitting, connected to the heater inlet valve.

The water then exits out the 'upper' heater core hose, to the water pump (to the plastic 'T' in my case) that also joins in with the expansion tank. This setup should work, I'll let you know how it goes.

As far as 'dead' or non circulating water is concerned, the valve is only on one side, so there may be some water mixing but probably not a whole lot. One could crack open the valve just a bit to get some recirculation from time to time. Be sure to leave the valve open with bleeding air out of the system.

Hope this helps … anyone else have any input for Mando?

*13* · #**389** (**permalink**) 08-07-2011, 08:26 PM

Looking Good!

wolf k · #**390** (**permalink**) 08-08-2011, 12:05 PM

Tim, I had the same tight clearance issues with my headers, only the drivers side, used a floor jack to tweek them. Also cut off quite a bit of the collectors to get those pipes to hang up close to the bottom.

wolf k · #**391** (**permalink**) 08-29-2011, 07:06 AM

Tim, sure has been quiet on your thread for awhile, how is it going?

tkb289 · #**392** (**permalink**) 08-29-2011, 10:41 PM

Wolf,

You are correct … things have been quiet … a bit too quiet.

I have made some good progress but it's been slow going. My goal has been to finish the rest of the install with as close to the ERA level of 'attention to detail' as I can get.

Fabricated some shims for the motor, they are out for powder coat. I am tweaking the throttle linkage set up to get it aligned per the instructions. Also added a special screen to the upper radiator hose, to keep any rust from the motor getting into the radiator. Once the motor has a few miles on it, I'll probably take the filter out. I have also made some changes to the slave cylinder setup, to improve the linkage geometry. It's installed, all I need to do is bleed the system and see how the setup works.

I will have some time over the up coming labor day weekend to make some more progress, so by early next week, I should have some photos and updates to share.

Thanks for checking in!

- Tim

Mando · #**393** (**permalink**) 08-30-2011, 05:54 AM

Thanks tkb289/Glen, it seems to make sense!

Regards.

289fia_cobra · #**394** (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 12:19 AM

Tim:
So how did the "first start in your garage" go?

tkb289 · #**395** (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 02:44 AM

First Start … Success !

This evening we rolled 2136 out of the garage onto the driveway and got her all set for the first start. Have been getting ready for this moment over the past few months with a lot of help from my friend and neighbor Larry. The motor shims went in and motor leveled with no problems, still need to check if the hood fits. Throttle linkage is setup, heat insulation around the brake lines that run near the manifold and temporary choke cable was setup. Coolant system flushed & filled, all electrical connections were verified and 2 1/2 gallons of gas into the tank.

Had my family and some car buddies there, one of which was Steve (aka PANAVIA). A few cranks of the starter got fuel to the carb … and the motor started right up! Steve was checking things over as the engine warmed up … no leaks, funny noises or smoke … he looked like a doctor giving a patient an exam … motor warmed up to 180 deg, oil pressure around 60 psi … and it sounded great … revs quickly and has a nice lope at idle. The motor had been fully assembled and run in on the dyno and several pulls made, so I knew the motor would be just right … Tom at FE Specialties built me one very nice 302. Did not have a muffler installed, just the head pipe with the tail pipe shoved on and the whole hodgepodge supported with a brick! It was a bit loud but sounds so good!

I was too busy setting things up that I forgot to get some good photos of the car … just one shot in the dark before we rolled the car back into the garage. I'll take some pictures soon to show where things stand now.

Have a few more loose ends to wrap up in the engine room, including checking the hood for clearance. The biggest item will be fitment of the exhaust system and mufflers, then getting the whole setup ceramic coated. After that is wrapping up the clutch slave cylinder, transmission tunnel and seats.

Right after the first start up … no muffler, just pipe !

xb-60 · #**396** (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 04:51 AM

Big, big day, Tim! Congratulations. Slow and careful gets there in the end (with no bangs and no leaks!)
That's one nice looking street FIA you have there.
Cheers,
Glen

Dangerous Doug · #**397** (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 08:03 AM

Nice! How many neighbors came out to see what the hell was going on?

DD

LightNFast · #**398** (**permalink**) 09-10-2011, 06:01 PM

........................

marcalan · #**399** (**permalink**) 09-11-2011, 09:22 AM

congratulations on getting it running with good vital signs.

M-A

tkb289 · #**400** (**permalink**) 09-13-2011, 12:51 AM

Thanks guys ... setting up some help with the exhaust install, hope to get that going in the next week or two. Need to check hood clearance, it will be close, the 1/4" shims to raise the motor helped with the exhaust manifold clearances, but will make the clearance on the top side of the motor that much tighter.