Joining the bandwagon, my 4L OHV build

im far enough in this to not turn back, so ill start this thread now.

starting with a truck that hasent been driven in 2 years before i got it. so its really dirty, ticks, needs some help.
im going for a mild top end rebuild. just a nice cleaning and new parts, upgraded performance parts. with a nice coat of paint to finish it up.
update: turned into full rebuild


parts list:

• 2643 ANCHOR - drivers motor mount (rockauto)
• 2641 ANCHOR - passenger motor mount (rockauto)
• SP432 MOTORCRAFT - spark plugs (autozone)
• WR4062 MOTORCRAFT - plug wire set (rockauto)
• KS2358 FELPRO - full gasket set (autozone)
• PR422 DNJ/ROCK ENGINE - pistion ring set (rockauto)
• m328 MELLING - high flow oil pump (summitracing)
• 432217 VISTA-PRO - ready rad radiator (summitracing)
• E71531 DAYCO - upper radiator hose (autozone)
• B71532 DAYCO - lower radiator hose (autozone)
• 200-87684 DAYCO - heater-to-thermostat hose (autozone)
• 200-87715 DAYCO - heater-to-water pump hose (autozone)
• 58390 A-1 CARDONE - reman waterpump, they sent a 97tm (rockauto)
• 300-942 DORMAN - water pump pulley (rockauto)
• 300-004 DORMAN - power steering pulley (autozone)
• 49237 GOODYEAR - belt tensioner (rockauto)
• 5968 HAYDEN AUTOMOTIVE - idler pulley (rockauto)
• 49-410-8 COMP CAMS - camshaft (summitracing)
• R1092 SEALED POWER - rocker arms (rockauto)
• VS1630 SEALED POWER - valve springs (rockauto)
• sev-2027 SI VALVES - exhaust valves (sivalves.com)
• sev-2028 SI VALVES - intake valves (sivalves.com)
• UP94172S ULTRAPOWER - timing chain kit (rockauto)
• 25053 CRANKSHAFT SUPPLY - reman crankshaft with bearings (rockauto)
• 70mm 94/95 Mustang GT Cobra 19/24lb MAF (ebay)
• ebay link - 90tm/93tm cylinder heads
• ebay link - matched set of injectors
• EF link - modded stock throttle body
• GM3115200 chevrolet HHR electric fan from EF member
• FAN-PWN-V3 SPAL fan controller from EF member
• 1633S-1 JBA - headers and y-pipe used from EF member

later upgrades: 200amp alternator, underdrive/overdrive pulleys. maybe other stuff as i get ideas

 

[Xeek]

yes i need to pull that loom back and check the wires to the fan, it was just to cold and rainy. blue ac wire is plugged into a switch and the other end goes to the battery with a 15A fuse. i account for the ac delay, but still nothing.

only thing it could be is the fan wires came loose on your splices to fit the harness or it needs to be programmed(dont really know why, even for ac input)
would it be safe to plug the + and - on the fan to the battery without a fuse? to test it for a couple seconds?

 

[Ronin8002]

Ahhhhhhhh ok, you've got the A/C wire set up like in the manual override diagram in the manual. Hmm that should work...weird. Maybe the switch is bad? you can check that with your meter.

Yes it would be safe to test the fan in the way you are describing. No need for a fuse...you could run it all day like that.

you might try this also if the fan checks out ok when you hook it straight to the battery:

Make sure the fan/power wires on that harness are all hooked up like in the manual. All the wires on the second harness should be disconnected from anything, except for the blue wire which you will touch directly to the positive terminal on the battery once the truck is running (leave out the fuse and switch)

This should help you pinpoint if the switch and fuse on the blue wire circuit are bad....or if it's something else. You should also make sure the second harness that has the blue wire is fully seated in the controller box.

 

[Xeek]

besides the fan, the engine is shaking a lot and it feels like i have about the same power as i did with open headers, going nowhere fast. no CELs

 

[Xeek]

unplugged the battery and it sat for awhile and restarted. seems better. between 600-700rpm then it settled at 800 and 800 in drive. didnt shake as much after it settled. it did before tho.

Yes it would be safe to test the fan in the way you are describing. No need for a fuse...you could run it all day like that.

bullshit!! i stuck wires on the fan plug and touched the + fine, and as soon as i touched the - i got sparks and it was trying to weld itself to my battery!
i did hear it starting to spin tho, before i took the wire off the battery. i got 2 burnt, black, pits on my negative terminal on the battery now...

 

[Xeek]

thanks for telling me how continuity works. i tested the wires on the harness, they both work. besides sparking i had power to the fan when plugged into the battery. i programmed the controller for my temps. and still nothing.
the only thing i can think of is the plug. did you ever have problems with the plug not seating into the fans plug very well?

 

[Ronin8002]

sorry you had a problem with the fan wires welding to the battery lol. It didn't do that for me when i tested it that way.

OK so the fan works.

I never had a problem with the plugs seating. I still think we're missing something basic here.

The only other thing I can think of is that maybe the wires going from the controller to the fan harness need to be re-spliced. I know you're getting continuity but something is off.

You might also try SPAL's tech support number 1-800-454-7725 or email tech@spalusa.com

If you're still having issues send the controller back with the wires and stuff and I'll refund you for the money for the controller.

 

[Xeek]

^ i sent them an email, work hours are mon-fri so i may not get an answer until monday.

got a real tranny line in. thanks to boomin. wasnt the right line, some cutting and brandon strength in a bottle i bent them a little bit and made it fit! right up to the aux cooler hose line.

apparently i bent my passenger bumper bracket when me and jd lifted my truck using my hoist attached to the bracket. so i had to take off the gap guard thing, hammer downward on the bracket to make it fit. its still crooked but when i get a new bumper made it bolts to the frame instead of the brackets anyway.

 

[jd4242]

besides the fan, the engine is shaking a lot and it feels like i have about the same power as i did with open headers, going nowhere fast. no CELs

Your plugs my be fouled out or dirty now,may have to pull them and clean them.this is kind of normal,especially with using stock pistons and rings,and not having it bored.get more blowbye and takes longer to seat!i only have monday off and im busy as hell or else i would come help with that wiring and check the motor over for you.

 

[Xeek]

ah. well im sorta thinking its cause im always unplugging the battery for the fan wiring. having to relearn all the time. it seems a little better now. idle at 700, goes up and down a couple times then settles at 700. ill check on the plugs tho. cleaning....... brake cleaner?
im also gonna get a gapper and check the plugs while theyre out. stock? or will it be diff with what ive done?

yea just huff your gunmetal paint monday
my wiring is correct, just somethings not making contact to turn it on. ill see what spal says when they email me back

 

[jd4242]

That could be true also,didnt think or know about all that.yep that is the plan even though there calling for a windy ass day!!

 

[Xeek]

yea thought of that first thing. always having to relearn after messing with my lights and crap. but ill check the plugs anyway, gap too.

wouldnt the wind enhance the huffing process? wouldnt need a bag
the color is awesome tho. im having trouble finding my color. i have a highlighter at work thats PERFECT. like a florescent lime green/yellow. basicly Burns trucks color but florescent and more yellow. just cant find it in a spray can

 

[Xeek]

pulled the plugs, they have fluid on them. gas or oil, idk. seems like oil cause its black/brown. cleaned them off. still surges a little bit. it may just be part of the learning process. so ive been driving it a little bit today. not much as my fan still doesnt work. it tries to, the light turns amber for my low temp then throws fan not detected code.
im gonna turn the idle screw up a little bit. its mostly around 600ish. just up on its own to 750ish once then settles back down, but still around 600-650 up and down.


seems to be doing alright tho. no codes. the exhaust smells some. not like gas, dont know howto describe the smell. that mean anything?

 

[jd4242]

Yea i would just give it some miles.is it smoking or clear exhaust? Could just be paint and bs still burning off.try some octane booster in your tank and see if that helps,might not like cheap low octane gas

 

[Xeek]

umm exhaust is white. it was white before the rebuild also. started when it got cold out/same time i cut the muffler out and dumped it
its hard to let it get miles and learn, cause i have to unplug the battery so many times cause this damn fan

what additive should i get? stp? what would that turn my 87 into? 89ish?
i need to go get gas soon too. only driven 11miles, but just to get an idea of what i get since my gauge doesnt work lol. hope its not 1.1mpg again lol

 

[Xeek]

over the sound of needing longer pushrods put in. i hear a faint-ish clicking sound? really gets going when i give it gas down the road. is that the cam?

 

[Xeek]

6.18mpg. better then last time lol
a lot of this is idling in the driveway tho

 

[jd4242]

Mybe that hose on the fpr is leaking.could be why the idle is jumping too.

 

[Xeek]

i took a clamp and put it on there saturday. seems pretty tight to me.

i put in some octane booster also. and got 2.46 gal of mid grade in to fill the tank

 

[Xeek]

well spal didnt work out. gave the guy the info he needed, voltages of my truck. he said it sounds like a problem with my truck and he hasnt dealt with hhr fans but is confused cause i told him i bought it from someone who fan the setup in an explorer. so he blames my truck.
he said he can disable diagnostics on it to run the fan for sure, but it may destroy the controller if the fan fails.

so i think im gonna just take my truck to autozone and have them check my battery and alternator. since the battery sat for 3 months, maybe thats the issue? even tho theres no problems with it dieing or charging?

 

[Maniak]

SPAL's answer sounds like a crock of crap.. How could your truck be causing that. You can put a DVM on and know the voltage going to he controller. To me, it sounds like their over current protection is crap.. Granted, I'm only hearing about the issues.. But still, I'm glad I'm using a Hayden controller right now, and for almost a year its been great. Even the Dakota Digital one we put on that f-150 is still doing great after almost 3 years (on a DD) with a mark VIII fan.