Sam's VN Lexxxcen LS1 T56

[savage1987]

Bit more progress... finally got around to doing the job I've been putting off for 18months or so.

What does it mean if my plugs are really bright shiny white a bit lean but probably still OK?

 

[LAP004]

im not so sure those bronze spots in the top corners of the front window suround are rust repairs. both my vp's have them in the exact same places as yours when mine were in bare mettal wating for the respray .
View attachment 147405View attachment 147406
this one still had original paint.

 

[savage1987]

Have had some problems over the past few days.

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au...on/202956-ls1-wont-turn-after-new-clutch.html


Long story short, thanks to CAE's **** product lineup I have to effectively do the entire clutch instal a second time without even being able to start the car in between.

 

[GRPABT1]

CAE are ####en ****, just another example.

Regarding the plugs try a colder plug like NGK TR6

 

[savage1987]

OK last night saw some good progress.

I clearanced the adapter plate so now there are no more issues with it interfering with the flywheel.

The clutch was all fitted up OK very quickly after that, and I took some measurements to check the slave cyl would be in its 'happy place', and all was good.

Here's my little helper who wouldn't sit still long enough for a photo where he was actually looking at the camera

Couple of mates helped me get the gearbox up, everything went smoothly but it wouldn't slide the last ~7mm to sit flush against the bellhousing. Three times we had it down and up again before realising you can't do it with a fully bled up clutch system.. dumped all the clutch fluid (again) and it bolted up OK although we did use the bolts to run it in the last stubborn 3mm or so, which I was comfortable with because I knew it was located correctly in the spigot bearing by that stage and it didn't take much to bring it home.


Tailshaft was next, then 'box oil, then Ripshifter, then exhaust.

To check it was all OK, we raised the back up onto another set of stands and gave it a test run. Clutch function was all normal, no turning wheels in gear with clutch in, etc etc, all good. Such a relief




Test drive!!

Mandatory test of a new clutch... lays nice fat lines.

Unfortunately I did manage to flatspot both front tyres in a bit of a surprise braking situation (damn these over-capable HSV stoppers!), super annoying 'wub wub wub' sound now especially noticeable at slow speeds. I'll flip those tyres to the rear for the drags this afternoon so hopefully a few staging burnouts should round them out a bit.



If I do manage to race, wish me luck as I try to break into the 12s! 13.2 was the previous best, with **** tyres, a stuffed clutch and 3.08 gearing ... decent tyres, a new HD clutch and 3.9s will hopefully be enough to counteract me being rubbish at launching the thing

 

[savage1987]

OK I have just finished some last minute prep before scrutineering opens in a couple of hours.

Rear wheels swapped with fronts, hopefully burnouts fix that flat spot issue by just wiping the whole top off the tyres

Replaced the rubber exhaust hangers at the rear - 1 snapped weld and 1 broken hanger resulted from all the exhaust up-and-down-ness over the last week.. Nothing I can do about the weld right now but the fresh hangers will hold it well enough for now.

Changed the circuit for the thermo fans. I put the old 50A circuit breaker in again instead of the blade fuse setup that just flat out didn't work. Fans operate correctly now and it was surprisingly easy although it was in the tangle of wiring behind the driver's kick panel


I do have an almost completely torn gearbox rubber mount, but I don't have time to fix it now so I'm going to just hope for the best.



Hopefully it all goes to plan

 

[GRPABT1]

Haha nice work keeping it off the wall on that first run buddy

 

[[BERLINA]]

Good luck, great looking beast as well.

 

[savage1987]

Well I didn't get my 12.

$2500 on diff and $1500 on clutch as well as better tyres, and I got a slower car now but I think only because either I can't drive it, or the Townsville track (which is closing down) is pure rubbish.


First run 16.7 @ 96mph, had to get off throttle because I ended up in the other guy's lane. Just went all over the place.

2nd run [email protected] with a better 60' of 2.173. RT 0.919 so that was a bit off the money.

3rd run [email protected]. This run I finally got my 60' under 2sec (which I've been trying to do for a while now) with a 1.974 and a 0.569 RT.




The first run obviously had no grip at all, even into 3rd it just went everywhere. The second and third runs were later in the night (couple of hundred cars there) so they must have stickied up the track a fair bit and I had no more trouble with wheelspin even off the line, so I probably could have gone into the launch a lot harder. I didn't feel like waiting an hour to do another run though so we called it a night.

I did get video but it turned out poo, so I'm waiting and hoping the Townsville dragway fairy has video'd all my runs again and that they turn up on youtube soon.

 

[drift-it]

i had 2 runs and got 2 consecutive 14.6's then i got sick of waiting an hour to race lol...was a wild first run for sure haha