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Q's 1987 VL Calais Walkinshaw project

corhijasna

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love the last line-lol

good to see you sorted her out,maybe you should become a auto elec-lol
 

GRPAVL

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1987 VL Calais Walkinshaw
if i did it for a job i wouldnt enjoy it so much.

Have taken Big Red for a test drive and suprise suprise with the wire hooked between the dash and the ecu I dont get the VSS error anymore. It also seems to rev better as well (possibly to do with the fuel maps it can now use) and its idle and low speed driving is a little smoother (it used to miss and I thought it was gas).

Havent hooked up the vl cruise control yet but are dearly tempted too on my first day off as I am sure it will work first pop now.

Q
 

corhijasna

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good to hear she's running better now,i know what you mean with the job lol,I used to work on cars trucks loaders etc for a long time and got very very sick of it,quit that job and did something completely different for a while and have only just got the bug back again if you know what I mean-lol
 

Immortality

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That's one to store away for a rainy day.
 

GRPAVL

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First breakdown last weekend.

Was driving along the motorway, cough splutter. hmmm weird. cought cough, loss of power. oh oh, **** im in the fast lane, slowing, oh no, middle lane, 80km neutal coasting, left lane 50km coasting, and no side pull over, come on theres one up there, hazards on, slowing you can doooooo eeeeeeetttt, phew, pull over strip.

When I cranked big red it just wouldnt turn over.

To me it felt like a lack of fuel stall rather than something more major but I had 1/2 tank so im thinking it was either pump itself and or filter or 12v fuel feed.

Will hook up a wire to the 12v feed this weekend incase it happens again but once I started big red again it hasnt missed a beat.

so weird.

--------------

Im still running the VL 3.0L fuel pump and I wasnt caining it so it must be working but is the VL pump good enough for the 304 v8?

Q
 

GRPAVL

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Got to the local Zebra pick-a-part today and pulled about 8 fuel setups out from different commodores.

I was quite suprised to find a V8 VN Calais and a V8 VR (i think) Caprice. I was even more suprised to find the VN had a twin setup like the Vl while the Caprice had a single internal (though the pump had already been taken)

Regardless after a few hours more comparing setups I walked away with an internal Vl setup and a 3.8L V6 internal pump from a VR/VS model. While I realise they are different it wont be hard to make it all work.

This photo shows the VS lined up next to the VL (where it would need to sit). The output will be in a slightly different place but a piece of flexi pipe should fix that easy enough.
Photo0940.jpg

First thing I did was to remove the internal VL pump and grind off the bracket that holds it in place and then I did the same thing to the VS pump.
Photo0941.jpg

This is because they have a different shapped seat at the lowest section of the pump.
Photo0943.jpg

Then I lined up the VS pump where it would need to line up.
Photo0942.jpg

All that is left to do now is to weld the VS pump seat onto the VL stalk and connect it all up. I took the wiring for the VS pump as well so that will be easy to connect on the inside of the tank.

Q
 

GRPAVL

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Sorry bout the updates (or lack of guys) as I have been too busy driving big red to care :p

Have the fuel pump sorted out , really jsut need to drain the tank and install but are off to beach hop this weekend so anotehr weekend it is. These two picks show the VS internal pump now mounted on the VL pipe system. Once installed I can do away with the external and just run the one pump.
Photo0965.jpg
Photo0966.jpg

Also sourced the A/C bits I need. The pump, bracket, new pulley wheel and the piping from a VR SS V8. Gots to stay cool while driving this thing cause its so hot. Once again just need to put aside some time and mount it all. I will need to mod the brackets but that should be no biggie
Photo0964.jpg

Have just today started on the cruise control setup as well. Went and sourced the bracket from a VR that mounts to the alternator bracket and the actual pully lead from the motor setup. Just need to pull teh VL system apart and take in my cables to Robinson Instruments and get them to make up one that will work.
 
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