I designed a surge tank last week and had my local machine shop fab it up for me. It consists of a billet upper neck with a 1/8″ NPT port for a -4 overflow line. On the upper front a -8 weld-on XRP double o-ring port that leads to the top side of the radiator. A weld-on -4 AN nipple at the top side for the steam ports. Then at the bottom left two -8 weld-on XRP double o-ring ports for a pass-thru from the heater core to the front inlet port on the water pump:
All of the lines mocked up:
Just finished up a customers S14 cluster. It’s hard to believe, that up until this point, I had never done anything but S13 clusters… someone finally stepped up. I think people were afraid to have me do one since I didn’t have any examples of a S14 cluster to show. Come on people, this is me we’re talking about! So onto the cluster:
I got off my ass and finished the heater core setup the other night. I cut the hard tubes down as far as I could and still allow me to get some 5/8″ heater hose onto them securely.
As you can see I basically cut them down to the rib on the tube:
I then simply sanded down the tubes so they were basically smooth:
This is how they mate up to the backside of the machined bulkheads in the car:
Some simple heater hose and temporary hose clamps… it’s done. I will ditch those nasty hose clamps for the final install and use some XRP Ensure Clamps.
I also mocked up the radiator hoses:
I will be doing a surge tank for my high point in the coolant system. I will be running the steam ports into the top side of the tank, looping the output heater hose through the bottom of the tank and then into the front port on the water pump. Since I have never done a surge tank before, I do have one question if anyone can confirm it: do I absolutely need to run a port from the top side of the surge tank to the top of the radiator?
I decided to mount the XRP oil filter above the frame rail on the driver’s side. I needed to mount it somewhere that was accessible and would also show it off a little. Since the brackets for the filter mount using bolts from the rear, I needed to make it so it was easier to unbolt and access. So I am mounting the brackets to an aluminum 1/4″ plate. I will then mount the plate to the vehicle using some nice hardware. I will also powder coat the plate black before it’s all said and done.
Marking the plate for drilling:
Holes for the brackets drilled and counter sunk:
Drilling with a 90 for the plate mounts:
Test fit:
Here are the heater hose bulkheads all finished. Using 1/2″ aluminum at 1-3/4″ diameter. Drilled, tapped and counter sunk for the XRP o-ring fitting. Backside consists of 3/4″ solid rod with a 3/4″-16 thread cut on the front half, then the back half milled to 5/8″ diameter with a hose catch on the end. Then the center drilled out to 7/16″. I then used a black epoxy paint to give it the proper finish. Some washers and an XRP bulkhead nut will hold it all in place.
XRP fitting in place:
Bulkheads mounted:
Mounting the tucked radiator I picked up from Chase:
Again, using nice hardware throughout:
I also received my engine harness from Chase… thing is awesome! More pics of that in an upcoming update.
For now I needed to get the Mil-Spec connector mounted up for test fitment. I decided to go low on the firewall. Since I am keeping the A/C ports on the firewall, there really wasn’t the standard place to mount it. I thought it would look funny running the harness across the A/C lines, above or below them, and have it mounted where the OEM harness comes out. So I decided to mount it where the green marker circle is:
It will fit there perfectly, but I had to fab an aluminum washer for it on the engine bay side. Usually where most people mount it there’s more room for a bigger mount plate, but not for me. So I cut this little booger out of 1/8″ aluminum:
I should have a lot more updates rolling in for a while, so don’t stray off too far;)
Not much of an update, but I figure I might as well post them if I have them. Installed the KRC LS steam port fittings. These replace the OEM hard lines and make it easy to integrate into the rest of the AN setup. The driver’s side will “T” off at the passenger side and then into the surge tank.
I also snapped some pics of the alternator bracket even though I have had it for a few months. Now I just need to find the correct alternator to work with it:
Almost all of my KRC product showed up today. I have always loved this stuff…. great craftsmanship, looks sick and will perform at the top. Norm over at KRC had hooked me up a few months ago with an alternator bracket that isn’t advertised anywhere. KRC was actually commissioned to make them for the V8 Supercar series in Australia. He still had some left over and let me buy one. I informed Scottie about it and I think he ended up getting one also.
So today I received their brand new aluminum power steering pump. I guess these new ones are the bees knees. I obviously won’t put it through its paces as much as a lot of guys would, but by the time I would have bought a new GM unit, pulley and reservoir etc, it wasn’t all that much more for the KRC setup… and it looks a thousand times better. I also received the mounting bracket for the pump to bolt directly to the head, their LS idler-tensioner, LS 6″ pulley for the pump and their custom LS AN steam ports for the heads. I also have their surge tank on the way, but it was on back-order.
I love the attached reservoir for the power steering pump:
Bracket on the head:
Mounted up, as about as easy as you can get:
Fixed idler-tensioner:
About done with the front accessories. As stated before, I will worry about A/C probably this next winter. I just need to go pick up an alternator that works with the bracket.
I got a little time to test fit the heater box assembly into the car. And I say test fit because I knew it wasn’t going to fit since I had to hammer the shit out of the front of the transmission tunnel… which it didn’t. The vent for the floor had to be removed. I never have it on floor mode anyway…. and besides, it will still shoot air onto the floor, just not as directional.
I started to cut that angle section out until I quickly realized that section just unclips, bonus…. although I really like to cut shit up.
It actually fits perfect now, barely. Below are the plastic hard lines that I will cut down so there is room for my custom bulkheads inside the cabin. I will most likely need to cut them all the way down to the lip. I will then grind the lip down and the raised bar that forms a “T” with said lip. So that little 1-1/4″ section left over will be where I attach my rubber jumper hoses which will attach to my bulkheads. With it bolted in the car you can see there is plenty of room to work with in there to attach some hoses:
Once I get time I will get the bulkheads coated in black, then mod the plastic tubes and get everything all mounted up.
Got all of my XRP port fittings welded onto the water pump and thermostat housing. I obviously hacked off the -16 threaded male from the thermostat housing to make room for the XRP clamshell port. Then the two -8 ports for the heater hoses.
Upper port welded on and mocked up with a 90 degree -16 clamshell fitting.
I also came up with a bulkhead design for the heater line connection at the firewall. 1/2″ aluminum plate with a -8 straight cut threaded center. Then a 5/8″ round tube welded to the back side. This tube will actually get cut down quite a bit. It will then attach to the plastic tube coming off the heater box on the inside of the vehicle via a rubber hose. I will also need to cut down the plastic tubes as far as I can to squeeze it all in there. I still need to thread the outside of the 5/8″ tube. I will use a large washer and nut threaded onto it to sandwich the bulkhead to the firewall. Lastly I will powder coat the bulkheads black.
With 90 degree XRP -8 clamshell fittings:
Mocked up in the car. Note: I may not use the 90 degree ports… I also have 45 degree ports, straight ports etc. to tryout and see which is going to work best with the motor in there. I just tossed them on there for picture sake.
