Project Cleaning the Clutter in Our Engine Bay

[Kilo-9]

Originally Posted by Synner

Everyone harass the piss out of these guys to make a chrome water pump for us.

Funny how their company logo is a 5th gen, but no water pump for us.

[Moreno1]

Originally Posted by 2010 Indy Pace

Hey all! Coil brackets are mounted now - really helps to have a 2nd person hold them to help line up right (thanks Mr. hrpiii ). I am going to really address the install of these because you can never have to much info on a project like this.

Even with a right angle drill I had to remove the fans and both radiator hoses. The passenger side was the easiest, the drivers side has lots of mostly non-flexible lines in the way.. I used 1/4"x1" self-tapping screws and an extra washer to mount them. I used a new titanium 13/64" drill bit which went through the frame rails pretty easily. Just drive the self-tapping screw in with a socket and hammer to get it started. Ideally you would mount the bracket with coils already installed but with my 1" screws I could not get the threads started enough. So I mounted an empty bracket and installed the coils afterwords (it is tight but doable)!

The best recommendation I can give is to install the coils in the bracket and then move it along the frame rail until you find a spot that is the most "free & clear". Pay particular note of clearance for the wire harnesses on the bottom, and plug wires on the top!! Also make a note (tape on the frame rails works) before removing the fans, so you know how far they stick out from the radiator. You don't want to mount the bracket to close to them or they may hit. Then disassemble the coil bracket and use that to mark and line up your holes. The drivers side is a bit more difficult navigating around the hard lines. I only removed upper & lower radiator hoses - so I navigated around these best I could. I ended up with one hose passing between the coils no matter what I did, So I test fitted with the stock plug wires and found the "sweet spot" where I could still get the plug wires on.

One key thing I thought of while assembling these in the brackets - insert the long carriage bolts starting from the firewall side and and put the nuts on the radiator side. This way if you ever have to remove them you should not have to remove the fan assembly again (you need several inches for the bolts to slide out and clear) the coils.

I test fitted my 52" coil harness extensions from Casper's (running out the rear of the engine), and they lined up perfectly!

Note - these pics are with the fans still removed, so there will not be this much space between the brackets and radiator when you are done.

Wow Indy, Love your how you used the braided sheath for your coil harness! That's so much better than what I did . That's whats great about us sharing our idea and how we are doing things. Because the next person that comes along can piggy back and come with up with a better idea on how to do things. So we all benefit, GREAT job again Indy . To quote Ph4r, when it comes time for him to tackle his project, he has a "great reference".

Great write also. I agree, this biggest challenge was trying to drill the hole on the drivers side. Simply because of all the hard lines. Now if you would have taken 572HP's advice and pulled out all your front drive, then it would have been a piece of cake

Originally Posted by Synner

Everyone harass the piss out of these guys to make a chrome water pump for us.

http://www.tuffstuffperformance.com/...od/prd9123.htm

Synner, good idea.

[Moreno1]

OK, I was able to make some time to work on the fuse box bracket. Again big SHOUT out for Kyle aka NC-V!!!!!!!!!!! If not for his help and guidance, I would be totally lost............Thanks again Bro

These photo are my mock up........ I going to do a final version once I get all the measurements I need. I am using a 1.25" strip of 16 gauge stainless. Some of the stuff I did, I didn't take pics because I get hung up on doing the work vs thinking to take a picture of each step.

The first thing I did was to get measure the degrees I would need to bend the stainless strip. I used my I-phone to get these reading.

NOTE: I will document all these angles and degrees when I'm done. This will save anybody attempting to do this from taking out their wheel wells 20 times to fit and test fit everything to make sure the box clear the hood strut, etc...... I lost count how many times I had to install and remove the wheel well.

Once I had the degrees down, I clamped the strip with the vise grip and used the I-phone to tell me how much I would need to bend the strip.



I used a piece of wood to tap on with the hammer protecting the stainless from marks. It also gave me a crisp line vs just pushing down and applying pressure on the strip to get my bend.



So a little more measuring.......



And a little more ........



I did my first bend for the upper mount in a straight line. As you can see from this picture.



Well, after doing a test fit, what I didn't realized was the top frame were it will be mount is curved. The curvature is enough to throw off were I was going to bolt it o the lower frame rail by about an inch. To compensate, I re-straiten the strip and made a new bend at an angle.I knew how much of an angle I needed by placing the piece on the bottom were I was going to mount it. Than measuring the gap between the strip and the frame which was about a quarter of an inch. That's the difference you're seeing below.

NOTE: I wish I had taken more pictures to make explaining it easier but it hard to remember when your enthralled in the mist trying to figures this out as you go yourself.

What your seeing here is the top section that will be mounted to the top frame. The straight line was I made my first bend. When I did a test fit, I realized the because the frame is curved, if I just made a straight bend, the degree of the curvature in the frame would through off were I was going to be bolting the strip on the lower frame rail. So I had to compensate for the curvature by making my top bend at an angle.




I had to stop and make a run to Home Depot and get some angle iron. I cut two pieces to put between the vise so that the teeth wouldn't mark up the strip when I clamped it down.



This is a shot of my mock up.....



I went ahead and got rid of my over flow tank while I was at it.



This shot shows how nasty the factory paint is. Also the harness for the head lights looks like crap. From the factory, the heads lights a marked with a several different color markers which also looks like crap. So I already know I will be removing them along with the front end and cleaning/ detailing that whole area. I know, I know



To mount the bolt to the top frame, there's no access to put a nut behind it. So again thanks to Kyle, he recommended I use a nutsert. I didn't even know what a nutsert was or what the heck he was talking about till I goggled it.

I did blow about two hours going to HD, Lowes, Aces, Auto-zone, Napa and nobody carried them. I finally found a local hardware store, "Hanks" that had them. The only challenge is they were oust of the size I needed. So I'm have to called them on Monday to see if they can order me the size I need. I hope they can sell me just one, because they had them in quantities of 25 for $21, OUCH!



Thanks again Kyle for all the guidance and help, can't thank you enough!!!

Stay tuned.....

[TonyC]

bro you are going all out huh? looking good man

[1FAST SS]

Originally Posted by 2010 Indy Pace

Hey all! Coil brackets are mounted now - really helps to have a 2nd person hold them to help line up right (thanks Mr. hrpiii ). I am going to really address the install of these because you can never have to much info on a project like this.

Even with a right angle drill I had to remove the fans and both radiator hoses. The passenger side was the easiest, the drivers side has lots of mostly non-flexible lines in the way.. I used 1/4"x1" self-tapping screws and an extra washer to mount them. I used a new titanium 13/64" drill bit which went through the frame rails pretty easily. Just drive the self-tapping screw in with a socket and hammer to get it started. Ideally you would mount the bracket with coils already installed but with my 1" screws I could not get the threads started enough. So I mounted an empty bracket and installed the coils afterwords (it is tight but doable)!

The best recommendation I can give is to install the coils in the bracket and then move it along the frame rail until you find a spot that is the most "free & clear". Pay particular note of clearance for the wire harnesses on the bottom, and plug wires on the top!! Also make a note (tape on the frame rails works) before removing the fans, so you know how far they stick out from the radiator. You don't want to mount the bracket to close to them or they may hit. Then disassemble the coil bracket and use that to mark and line up your holes. The drivers side is a bit more difficult navigating around the hard lines. I only removed upper & lower radiator hoses - so I navigated around these best I could. I ended up with one hose passing between the coils no matter what I did, So I test fitted with the stock plug wires and found the "sweet spot" where I could still get the plug wires on.

One key thing I thought of while assembling these in the brackets - insert the long carriage bolts starting from the firewall side and and put the nuts on the radiator side. This way if you ever have to remove them you should not have to remove the fan assembly again (you need several inches for the bolts to slide out and clear) the coils.

I test fitted my 52" coil harness extensions from Casper's (running out the rear of the engine), and they lined up perfectly!

Note - these pics are with the fans still removed, so there will not be this much space between the brackets and radiator when you are done.

Great write up and pics. Going to help me a great deal when I start mine.

[bmbbl be]

hey nathan i have some 1/4 -20 steel nutserts if you need one

[NC-V]

Sorry Nathan! I forgot to put that angle for the upper mounting point in the email, my bad. Looking good though! Really looking forward to seeing all this work come together!

[lsuguy]

Does anyone have a size for the factory bolts for the coil packs? I don't have access to my car at the moment and would like to get some order.

Thanks in advance!

[Moreno1]

Originally Posted by bmbbl be

hey nathan i have some 1/4 -20 steel nutserts if you need one

Thanks bmbbl! unfortunately the bolt I'm using is 3/8 :(

Originally Posted by NC-V

Sorry Nathan! I forgot to put that angle for the upper mounting point in the email, my bad. Looking good though! Really looking forward to seeing all this work come together!

Seriously, come on man! Your the only reason I had the confidence to attack this is because how detailed you explained everything to me. So what if you left one small step out the complete outline you gave me. Kept it interesting for me.

Originally Posted by lsuguy

Does anyone have a size for the factory bolts for the coil packs? I don't have access to my car at the moment and would like to get some order.

Thanks in advance!

I know 572HP replaced his so he should have the size. When he post, I'll update the OP to include those for future reference.

[Synner]

6-1.00x25mm

[Moreno1]

Originally Posted by Synner

6-1.00x25mm

Here's the part number ARP 770-1002 and link below.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/?...770-1002&dds=1

[572HP]

Originally Posted by Synner

6-1.00x25mm

I'll confirm that size. I bought 134-2301 (LS1/LS2 Coil bracket bolts kit black oxide). This kit contains 10 bolts that you won't use...so don't waste your money on the kit. Just buy that size bolts.

[572HP]

Never heard of nutserts...learn something new every day!

Looking very good Nathan! Indy, your coils look awesome!

I'm going to order me one of the black anodized overflow tanks. NC-V, where did you mount this? Down low on the frame by the radiator outlet? This isn't too far down to be able to draw coolant back up? I've got to get rid of that overflow tank! I want to use the space to install me a small fuse/relay box for add-ons. I'm planning on putting the new fuse box down close to the frame where the overflow bottle was. I'll probably have to access it by removing the wheel and inner liner. I may create a shield so that you won't see the new box from the engine bay.

I have already cleaned up the back of the headlights and put on the braided sleeving for that wiring. I also installed the JDP RGB halo kit. I have torn apart their harness, and wiring it in a little better for my taste. Great kit by the way.

I didn't get a whole lot done with the car this weekend, but I think I have all of the parts now. I went over to Mike's today (thepowdercoater.com) (yeah...Nathan, you know him well). He powdered my tank and a few brackets. Awesome work, as usual. I think it looks just as good as having it anodized, and it was 1/7 the cost.

I spent a little time trying to get the AC belt back on. I don't have the special tool. Any tricks from anyone?

[FurySS]

Originally Posted by 1FAST SS

Great write up and pics. Going to help me a great deal when I start mine.

Originally Posted by 572HP

Indy, your coils look awesome!

Thanks guys! I figured if I put a lot of the thoughts I had running through my when when I installed them - it might help somebody in the future. I used Nathan's pics and guidance quite a bit on it. Mine was just a bit more challenging because I did not have as many things removed as him - but it is still doable (and requires patience)!

Just like everybody - I have had a few of my own "oh crap what have I gotten myself into " moments.. But the end result is gonna be awesome and further my cars "unique factor"! After all, CAMAROFEST3 is coming to my hometown - I gotta be ready (maybe I will even meet some of you guys)!