Project Git 'er done!: Stages 1, 2, 3, 4....Stage 5- Reassembly after 13 years!!!

[supraguy@aol]

Update:
As of 5 days ago, the engine is back in the car, reconnected, and started successfully on the second try.
Surprisingly, there were NO leaks whatsoever. In its current setup, the oil cooler circuit is bypassed, so that I could run the engine up to operating temperature(twice), and have already changed out the oil and filter, to remove any metal/ particles. I will do a 2nd oil change in about 500 miles, and then reconnect the cooler system at that time.

Here's an interesting issue I've had, ever since I installed the BC cams: I could NOT set ignition timing to the proper spec.
On one CPS tooth, it would be a minimum of 20 degrees advanced, and on the next tooth, a maximum of 0 degrees. I could not get it any closer using the adjustment range of the cps. My conclusion, is that BC didn't really pay attention to the drive gear alignment, when they cut the teeth into the exhaust cam.
But here's the interesting thing: I pulled the cps, planning to remove the drive gear, and redrill a new hole, to shift it's position by half a tooth. But- I realized that there are 13 teeth on the gear. If there were and even number, that would mean that however one side of the gear lined up to its dowel hole, the other side would be identical. but because there are 13, the opposite side of the gear lines up exactly half a tooth off from TDC alignment. Hopefully that makes sense.
What it meant for me was, all I had to do was pull the gear off, and turn it 180 degrees, in order to get a middle ground, between my too-retarded and too-advanced timing points. Now I get 10 degrees btc, no problem. So that's one more issue solved.

As far as I can tell, I only have one issue left before a test drive: The three coolant hex plugs in the center valley of the head, are ALL weeping coolant when fully warmed up. I don't know if the machine shop removed those for cleaning, or if cleaning the head externally has eroded the sealant on them or something, but I have to pull them and reseal. Not a big deal, hopefully.

My one concern with the engine was the vacuum: I was getting 20 inhg before, but with the cam swap, I only get about 14 inhg. I did some online reading however, and apparently, this is exactly the number I should be getting with the stage 2 cams.

So hopefully this coming week, I will finally get a chance to bring this car onto the road, and actually drive it for the 1st time since the Green Bay Packers were Superbowl champs.

PS- Pics to follow.

 

[supraguy@aol]

I know that i promised pics, and they are coming, but i thought i’d update while I had free time:
I was able to remove and re-seal the front and rear coolant plugs, but that middle one will NOT budge.
I’ve heated it, added PB blaster, and used both breaker bar and impact gun, but all I’ve managed to do, is mess up the
plug’s hex socket. Its a 14mm hex, and i went up to a 9/16 hex, to make sure I had a good bite on it, but it still wallowed out.

I was using both a propane torch and a heat gun, but I dont know how far that heated the head. Still was barely warm.
So my plan at this point, is to put the piping and coilpack back on, and run it up to full temp, and see if that helps at all.
If not, i‘m likely going to have to bring the car to a shop to remove that plug.

 

[supraguy@aol]

Welp, that worked.
I ran the motor for 20 minutes, until it was at full temp, and was able to Finally get that center coolant plug out. Looking at it, I'm pretty sure, that I only had one last attempt, before it became a perfect circle, and stripped out completely:


I was planning to pull a coolant plug out of my spare head, and honestly, dreading the prospect of trying to get it loose, when I vaguely remembered that I once bought a plug from the dealership years ago. I was trying to order one of the plugs that hold down the center valley cover, but I gave the wrong part number, and wound up with a lower coolant plug. I started looking through my fastener drawers, and sure enough, I still had it, brand new. I never thought I'd get a chance to actually use it, lol.


Engine is running pretty smooth, and once this cold snap in the weather is over, I will take it for a short drive.
At present, I have the AFM connected, and the original 440cc injectors. I will switch over to MAP and 680cc's, once I have some data logs.

 

[supraguy@aol]

Ok, I freaked myself out the other day;
I was running the engine up to operating temps for about 30 minutes, as I was also trying to check the DET3 connections through my laptop. All of a sudden, I see a bunch of blue(OIL!) smoke coming out of the exhaust! I'm like- "Oh sh!t... I am NOT pulling this engine again....No way." Well, I quickly realized that the Tstat has stuck closed, and I was beginning to overheat. I didn't get to the redline, but it got close. I replaced the brand new(sitting in coolant for 8 years) Motorad failsafe, with a Stant ultrastat, and the issue went away. I believe the exhaust has a TON of half-burned oil in it, and I think it was beginning to finally cook out, due to the higher temps. Next time I started it, I ran it again for about 30 minutes, zero smoke. So hopefully, all it was, was old caked-on residue burning off.

Haven't done much with the car this week, because I loaned my AFM to a fellow Supra owner, to test his car with.
In the mean time, I've been trying to finalize the gauge cluster, and also did a bit of messing around with the vinyl wrap.
Here's a sneak peek:



The orange color looks really bright from this angle, but its actually not nearly that 'neon' in person, and more metallic looking than it appears here.
Still have to do the other side, and maybe play with a bit more wrap on the hood.