Dash Mock-up

Many moons ago I mocked up the aluminium dash panel with print-outs of my gauges. This is an excellent way of deciding on a layout without cutting any holes.

But I thought I would be doubly sure before cutting holes in that aluminium, so I mocked up a panel out of 3mm MDF and used the real guages and switches, happy with this layout I will proceed to wire up this mock-up and switch everything over to the aluminium panel before getting on the road.

LS3 Accessory Drive kit

My LS3 engine is a crate motor, which means it came complete with intake, throttle body, coil packs etc, but does not come with the accessory drive as this is typically chosen to suit the vehicle. The same crate motor is used in HSV, Camaro, Corvette, Cadillac etc, so the accessory drive components and brackets vary by vehicle. The accessory drive is made up of alternator, power steering pump, idler pulley, belt tensioner and belt, brackets and bolts etc. I am using GMPP part number 19299070, which is the setup used in Cadillac CTS-V LS3.

This setup is narrower than the Australian HSV setups and will fit nicely between the inner guards of the Cobra. The accessory drive kit 19299070 includes alternator, power steering pump, pulley, tensioner, belt and all brackets and bolts needed to bolt it straight onto the LS3.

 

 

All the components laid out that form the one GMPP part number

 

 

The front of the LS3 before install

 

 

The install instructions include torque specifications for all bolts for which I used my Snap-On digital torque wrench

 

 

And used anti-seize on all bolts

 

 

Everything bolted straight on in no time. The supplied plastic power steering reservoir is not very nice looking, and I will replace this with a black aluminium billet reservoir. Fitting the power steering pump necessitated removing the front-left engine lift bracket, so that will need to be swapped back for engine installation and then the pump can go back on when the engine is in the car. The pump has to come off anyway to be modified, read below for why.

 

 

These newer GM alternators do not use an exciter wire, they are controlled by the ECU. The engine loom I have is a modified VZ Commodore loom and the pigtail does not match the alternator socket, but not to worry my loom supplier sideshow has already sent me the correct pigtail to match the alternator.

 

 

The power steering pump is going to need some modification. I will be using -6 AN fittings and Teflon hose for the power steering lines, for which I need an adapter fitted to the power steering pump high-pressure output. Such an adapter M16/-6 AN is easily sourced, but there's a problem in that there is minimal clearance at the back of the pulley to fit the adapter and then fit an AN hose-end in there. The solution comes from Detroit Speed and is a custom fitting designed to completely replace the factory outlet fitting but the Detroit Speed fitting is made with a -6 AN end, part number 090401. This will allow a -6 AN hose-end to fit in there with much more room.

 

 

 

 

The pump is as fitted to the Cadillac CTS-V, and will supply 2 gallons per minute @ 1640/1740 PSI, which is too high a pressure for the VP Commodore steering rack that I have. So I will send the pump to a power steering specialist and have them re-valve it and test to a more appropriate pressure of 1200psi.

Oil Cooler

Yes Yes Yes, I know I haven't written on here in ages. Life has been getting in the way! Slowly slowly little things are happening  on the Cobra. The oil cooler is almost done. Here is a pic of the cooler I am using, from Finishline;

It has -10 AN fittings cast/machined into the housing. I am using all Aeroflow braided hose with black AN fittings for all my plumbing around the car. So the cooler gets mounted to the chassis with a couple of steel brackets which I fabricated and painted black, and then -10 braided hose with a couple of 90 degree hose ends;

 

 

 

Then comes the oil thermostat. A thermostat is important so the oil does not run too cold for too long, and has a chance to heat up to normal temperature before being totally passed through the cooler. This unit is from Improved Racing;

 

 



 

More -10 hose, and some angled fittings. The two heading rearwards towards the engine are 30 degree, the one heading out the left to the cooler is also 30 degree and the right hand front is 120 degree. The hose is secured in strategic locations with rubber coated stainless steel P clamps, and extra zip-tied rubber in certain locations to protect the chassis from rubbing of the stainless steel braid.

 

I am yet to install hose ends on the engine end of the hoses, I will that in another post along with the after-market oil pan that I have going on the LS3.