Mach 1 K-member swap, engine removal, and valve spring replacement ("build" thread)

[starnsey]

It's alive!

[video=youtube;6o3BLPXH5y0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o3BLPXH5y0[/video]

Was definitely freaking out when I heard all the clanking then quickly realized the heads haven't had a decent squirt of oil on them in over six months!

So far no problem areas. There was some coolant dripping from the transmission spacer plate but I think it was from overflow dripping along the top of the oil pan and going back there since the car is tilted back. Going to have to double check tomorrow.

 

[luke1333]

Oh yes sweet!!! :banana:

 

[Josh662234]

Good stuff man! Congrats!

 

[luke1333]

I need engine bay shot now lol

 

[starnsey]

I need engine bay shot now lol

Haha, it's still in shambles since there's still some testing to be done and suspension to be assembled, but I'll get one later.

 

[SVTORANGE]

Awesome - nice work

 

[starnsey]

Car went fully back up in the air today. Since I've seemingly successfully purged the coolant system, it's time to align the k-member and get the front suspension assembled. So I attached the support beam to two of the studs that I used for the engine crane and lifted it off the k-member. Jacked the car up till it was roughly level front and rear, removed the rear wheels and used a plumb bob to mark the rear measurement location as per MM's instructions. Unfortunately, I spent a ton of time trying to thread sewing thread through the plumb bob and it got cold and dark a little quickly. But at least it's mostly prepared to start taking measurements and hopefully successfully adjust the k-member.

I also dropped my spindles off at a machine shop to have the tie rod hole bored out to accept the bolt-through style bump steer kit.

Once the k-member is squared, then it'll be time to mount the control arms, replace my inner tie rods (one looks bent), mount the steering rack, mount the spindles, yada yada yada. Unfortunately I'm going out of town this weekend so I won't make any progress but hopefully it'll fully be sitting on the ground soon!

 

[luke1333]

Wait what was wrong with your spindles???

 

[starnsey]

Wait what was wrong with your spindles???

Nothing wrong. They just have to be drilled out due to the different style tie rod ends (aka the bump steer kit).

 

[luke1333]

Nothing wrong. They just have to be drilled out due to the different style tie rod ends (aka the bump steer kit).

hmm i never drilled out mine what are you doing different? LOL

 

[starnsey]

hmm i never drilled out mine what are you doing different? LOL

The maximum motorsports bolt-through bumpsteer kit is required for the MM k-member and control arms setup. That specific bumpsteer kit requires the holes be bored out. If you had a different brand or model, it probably didn't have the same requirements.

 

[luke1333]

The maximum motorsports bolt-through bumpsteer kit is required for the MM k-member and control arms setup. That specific bumpsteer kit requires the holes be bored out. If you had a different brand or model, it probably didn't have the same requirements.

Ahhh gotcha yeah steeda was no problem into stock but forgot you had an mm k setup

 

[starnsey]

Well I did some measuring and adjusting of my k-member yesterday but decided that my plumb bob locations weren't great, my marks on the floor were too large, and that my measurements weren't super accurate. So today, I used my plumb bobs with proper thickness string (was originally using sewing thread so the tip of the plumb bob would vary by over 1/8" or so) and used a thin pointed permanent marker to make new marks on the floor. Turns out my adjustments from yesterday were super lucky and I got both front-to-back and side-to-side alignment correct.

Since the k-member was properly aligned, I torqued down the k-member bolts to spec and drilled a hole on either side through the k-member and frame rail so that if I ever have to remove it in the future, I don't have to go through the entire alignment process again. Then I lowered the engine back down onto the k-member and torqued down the motor mount nut to spec.

I greased up the new MM control arm bores and delrin bushings and assembled the control arms. As I was about to install them into the k-member, I realized that I had completely forgotten that I sold the control arm bolts with my old k-member :nonono:

So now I'm trying to track down the control arm nuts and bolts so I can move forward. May just order them from LMR since I can't find them anywhere else.

But since I wanted to feel like I made some further progress, I put the coil covers on to see how sweet they look :-D

Was hoping to have the car back on the ground by the end of this weekend but we'll see what happens with this whole control arm bolt situation.

 

[Mystic_Cobra]

I have some extra stock front lower control arm bolts/nuts if you still need them. If you aren't in a rush, I HIGHLY recommend the low-profile bolts from MM for the forward ones. Let me know if I can help.

 

[starnsey]

I have some extra stock front lower control arm bolts/nuts if you still need them. If you aren't in a rush, I HIGHLY recommend the low-profile bolts from MM for the forward ones. Let me know if I can help.

Damn, appreciate the offer. Unfortunately I am in a rush. I ordered the set from LMR for $50 - should be here tomorrow. The k-member already came with the front low-profile bolts so I'm good there. Just need the nuts and rear bolts. Thanks again for the offer!

 

[luke1333]

Omg it's so nasty with the coil covers on wow looks amazing!!!!

 

[starnsey]

Got the passenger side outer tie rod off but cannot for the life of me remove the driver side outer tie rod. Meant to remove the inner tie rods but the loaner tool from Autozone is incorrect since the inner tie rod I have has some bulbous thing in front of the hex:

I did manage to shorten the steering rack bolts for the MM k-member. Was kinda a pain using a hack saw, hand file and die set. But got it done, you can see my setup that I did in my kitchen below:

I also noticed I've got coolant leaking from the crossover fill plug which doesn't make much sense since the fill plug is brand new. Has anyone ever had an issue with the bore of the actual crossover preventing the plug from sealing? And no, I definitely did not overtighten it.

 

[jimmy1320]

Looking freaking sweet!!!

 

[starnsey]

I have traveled through hell and I have almost returned...

As of tonight, my car is on all four wheels for the first time since August 2014 and I am so happy to be at this point finally.

Another of the new engine compartment

Obviously, I have some adjusting to do to my alignment settings before driving it to the alignment shop:

Unfortunately, I'm an idiot. On THE VERY LAST STEP, lowering the car back to the ground, I ****ed up. After all this time I completely forgot about the process for jacking up my car typically requiring me to either have the tires on wood blocks or use my low profile jack to raise up the car enough to put my main jack underneath and I totally ****ed up my rocker panel :cryying:

So now I've got to find a replacement rocker panel. Son of a bitch.

 

[jimmy1320]

Well done on all the hard work. Feel your pain on the rocker panel brother. Had a couple on my last car when building it up. Made me sick!!!