Horrible Wrenching Weekend

[cudabuyer]

Okay guys, i really need some encouragement as many as you have probably been here before.

We have been working on the Hemi Challenger Convertible G-machine Resto-mod for over 15 months.  As we get closer we get further away

I was hoping to start the hemi this weekend although the front end needs major caster / camber / toe alignment for the Alterktion conversion

2 many minor problems since adding fluids:

1) thermostat housing leak: chrome housing - new gasket applied & a little more tightening - hopefully fixed

2) Power steering reservoir hose leak - a little more tightening - hopefully fixed

3) Bottom radiator hose leak (stainless hose) - a little more a little more tightening - Still leaking

4) Water Pump leaking (billet specialties Tru Trac system) - a little more tightening - Still leaking - Possibly disconnect hoses, take out radiator,disassembly entire Tru Trac System, reseal water pump & reassemble - ? - not done yet

5) Oil Pan leaking - thanks Speedomotive - had to remove oil pan to customize oil dipstick installation since they forgot to mill block for dipstick - bolts still needs to be tightened

6) Oil Pan Dipstick leaking - mechanic forgot to tape bung screw insert into customized oil pan dipstick - still to be done

7) Mushy Brake pedal - bled brakes for about 6 hours for 4 wheel wilwood disc brake system, still mushy

Still left to do: wire gear vendors overdrive, exhaust from header connectors back, complete wiring, install interior, custom stereo job scheduled for April 9 - won't make that, back to body shop for completion of t/a hood and fender color mismatch - Probably miss Power Tour (majorly depressed)

SORRY for being MAJOR disgusted & disappointed (wife bi!@h!*&)

Tired of working just Saturdays on the car- Options: ask the mechanic owner to complete the car Full-time at his shop at Full Pay Rate Plus (i have no problem with this) if he is willing, has a hard time saying no to his regular customers who rely on their 1 only cars needed immediately for work & family, plus his contracts with business vehicles

Find a Mopar Resto Shop to complete the job full-time if they are not already scheduled for 6 months or more - plus finding somebody in the deep south Mississippi

Lastly, quit working on the car and recoup my SANITY

Please send condolences or tell me to quit whining 

[jvike]

7) Mushy Brake pedal - bled brakes for about 6 hours for 4 wheel wilwood disc brake system, still mushy

Have you bled the master cylinder?

[RusTy/SE]

  I think Mr. Murphy has visited your G-machine enough!! I hope the tightening "fixes" work for their repective issues, but the ones for the custom dipstick and having to mill the block - when one area hiccups, here comes the snowball effect and some of these couldn't have been planned for! Ten deep breaths, collect your sanity, and maybe contact NZ about what he's gone through on his Gear Vendors install...
  I'd like to give you some better advice but i'm honestly not at your ability levels. Sounds like it's time for a little Wet Willie, or the Allman Brothers, or Lynyrd Skynyrd...

Russ

[70RTdroptop]

Man, you have  had a lot of bad luck, haven't you? Keep plugging away - it will get better. FYI, those chrome t-stat housings almost always leak 'cause they are not quite perfectly flat on the bottom. Extra gasket sealer and more wrenching  probably won't last long. How do I know, you ask? I had the same issue on my Challenger - little leak at the
t-stat housing  , because I too had one of those chrome ones. Took my sister-in-law and her husband out for a spin on a local road, really got on the gas to give 'em a ride they'd remember. All that extra pressure blew out the gasket material completely - by the time I got home, less than 2 minutes away, I had coolant all over the engine, steam billowing out from under the hood, and almost all the coolant was gone. And yes, after this I checked the t-stat housing to discover it was not perfectly flat on the bottom. Easy fix, though - just grind it flat, works fine. Good luck on the rest of your issues.

[Topcat]

If you must have a chrome T stat housing, there's one made that has an O ring to seal with. Ican't recall who makes it now. Mr. Gasket?
If you really don't have to have a Chrome housing, throw it in the swamp as far as you can throw. I have done the flat grind thing before and then later it leaked anyway. Some stuff thats aftermarket out there is junk.

My 

[4Cruizn]

I guess I would take a step back and take a break.  Then start at it again.  It is suppose to be fun but can be really frustrating at times.  I haven't touched my project in about a month and the time is coming where I need to get started again!  Know how you feel!    

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Sounds like a real pain in the A** Step back for a little while and just hit it one step at a time.  I know when I'm to agitated thats when stuff gets broke!

[KellysCuda aircard]

I call that bonding with your car...after enuff time there will be nothing that will suprise you and nothing you cant handle. I know it sux, but in the end you will know your car better.  (not sure if any of this helps but it seems to work for me).

[Mopar73340]

I agree with the statments above that the chrome t-stat housing is junk. Even if you grind it flat it is going to warp again. Been there, More chinese crap. Get a cast one and paint it. I have been dealing with small leaks on my latest project for a year now and found that when I get frustrated if I walk away from it for a few weeks and try not to think about all the things that have gone wrong I get energized to get back to it. I also think of solutions to the problems that I didn't at the time so I would give it a break and come back to it. Hope you can work it all out.

[JS27N0B]

Step back and do something else you enjoy doing, make a list and get to it when you get a chance.  When you rush things is when you will not do them the way you want to. Quality work needs patience. Remember, it will all be worth it in the end.

[cudabuyer]

the chrome t-housing is a mopar performance part, i am almost sure, we did the sanding on the bottom after the "first" leak, but a quick fix is to replace as i don't have time to deal with repeat leaks

thanx for all the suggestions, i have found a shop in Baton Rouge, their rate is $55 / hour, reasonable, & they estimate about 60 hours to finish,

i believe close but should be less slightly

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cuda-Custom-Pro-Touring-Indy-528-Crate-Hemi-1971-Grille_W0QQitemZ120094074460QQcategoryZ6409QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Carlwalski]

Keep at it mate, you get plenty of s-l-o-w periods but you also get those can't stop smiling periods. Just think of how far you are compared to me and others....mine is but a shell still months away from the metal work.

As for the Gear Vendors, if you have the "stock" system you will be fine. If you have the autoshift sequencer system, sell it while you still have the chance. I've tried to love it but it's honestly the worst purchase I have ever made on any of my cars. I have to do an update soon but it's simply not what I paid for. Inconsistent, sloppy and jolting mess pretty much sums it up. If I could do it all over again Lucy would be a 5-Speed Keisler or a A518.

I hate flying but I could fly to GV to break some arms & legs I'm that fed up with it.......... 
Don't make me open the can below GVs.....

[cudabuyer]

thanx NZ, i tried weighing the Keisler vs the GVO, but was fooled by the bolt in on the GVO, slight mods but it fit, unfortunately i had already purchased the 833 or i would have probably gone with the Keisler now

currently in email conversation with the guys who did the cuda i posted custom muscle cars, they did most of the same work i did on my challenger so i may send the challenger to them immediately

they will come about 2 1/2 hours to pick up the car for basically gas money, sounds good to me, i think my mechanic will understand & may even be relieved 

joel

[Carlwalski]

The install part was the easy part for us, we had it in within 1-2 days. It's the electronic box that reads everything in the new system that we want to burn and send to hell. Gear Vendors keep giving us the: "If we had the car Sir it would be running within 2 days" my mechanics just laugh. "Yeah, sure".  That's why my mechanics have been helping you, eh? lol. Anyhow, I'm trying not to think of the money I've thrown at this system with no results to show, other than a system that's working half-ar$ed. I'll do all I can to save others from getting the system, at least until they have it working 101%, even then you're better off getting a manual and changing the gears yourself!!  They say they're working on a new rpm reading module but that is still some ways off. I get the new one when it's ready but quite frankly they can keep it, give me my money back and I'll go by a Keisler..........

Sorry for the rant on your post mate, just, you can obviously see how angry and annoyed I am at the system.

[360 'CUDA]

Maybe you should put it together with stock parts to make sure it runs.  If I were you I would be afraid that after all these little annoying things are fixed there might be some real problem that kills the whole deal for you.


Then after you get the HEMI running then you could switch to the bling