Paco664

sweet.......

Chrishoky

iTrader: (9)

Awesome so far. Good work,

kickerfox

I'm still researching this flywheel. The older '93 Trooper uses a push-type clutch on an 18lb flywheel but the ring gear tooth count is different. '93 115-tooth vs. '99 121-tooth. They do use different starters but the pinion location was identical. Could be a difference in the mounting location. I know the older SOHC v6 used a different block. I ordered a '93 flywheel from Napa anyways to verify. The disc is also smaller at 9-7/16". Hopefully a 9-5/8" fits.

Good news is that there are discs available to fit the Solstice input shaft. Firebird/Camero used 9-5/8" on a 3.4L and 10-7/16" on the 5.0L. Performance options are available. A 6-puck sprung 9-5/8 disc is only $80.

My last option is to grab the front bearing retainer from an Isuzu AR-5 and bolt it to the Solstice AR-5 trans and stick with all '99 Isuzu pull-type clutch hardware with the 10-7/16" Firebird disc. This is the easiest solution but much heavier rotating mass. I'd much rather have the 18 pound flywheel with a good disc and get better throttle response.

Which brings me to the throttle. I'm not going to use the drive-by-wire system. My '99 Rodeo ECU is a cable throttle and I'll be mounting the Rodeo throttle pedal assemble in the 8 but I have to adjust it's pedal position. Not a big deal.

And finally the instrument cluster. As much as I like the look of the 8's cluster, it's dysfunctional gauges are a turn off. I may just make my own cluster. I need accurate gauges for boost, water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, ect. There are some sexy aftermarket gauges out there and I'll not skimp in this department.

bose

iTrader: (5)

It fits, but do you really plan on removing the engine to replace and alternator or ac pump? Or do you just plan on selling it and letting the next chump deal?

kickerfox

The accessories and their brackets were installed after the engine was in place.

bose

iTrader: (5)

Oh so you plan on removing everything but the engine to get to them.
Making it more like a Rodeo everyday, I remember in school working on a '95 Rodeo you had to disassemble half the engine bay to replace spark plugs.
Spot on old chap.

kickerfox

What exactly are you getting at? The accessories are all easy to get to.

DOHC Rodeo plugs are on top of the heads. It's coil-over-plug but there's nothing else in the way. The old Rodeo used the GM 2.8 I think. I can't speak for the SOHC Isuzu engine either. I've haven't worked on those.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

The older ones were a pain. The plugs on these won't be bad but the alternator and AC compressor will be a bitch once everything else is in place. I don't see how you will get to either. But we shall see how far you get.

bose

iTrader: (5)

What I'm getting at is that you are not making the car any easier to work on that's for certain.

kickerfox

The way you see the engine in this pic is pretty much it. The 8's radiator is low and slanted forward so the front of the engine is very accessible. It will use a serpentine belt with a spring tensioner which is easy to remove. There will be radiator hoses and some intake plumbing in the way but that's easy to remove. Bose I'm sorry but the engine will not hand you any failed parts as soon as you open the hood. You *will* have to open the tool box. Take a look at that water pump...piece of cake. Speaking as s a mechanic, it will be very easy to work on. Much easier (and cheaper) then R&R'ing an engine every 70k miles.

CRO8TIA

Some people can't see the forest for the tree's. You're doing just fine Kicker, you have way more room around the motor than I do,the damn high pressure pump protrudes 3" aft of the left side head, may have to massage the firewall a little.

bose

iTrader: (5)

Well your car is lazy mine does all it's own work. Even turbo'd itself while I slept.

Enjoy that water pump swap, it's much more labor intensive than you think.

I'm done wasting time in this thread, you and your nut swingers can have at it.

kickerfox

You got that right. I'm guessing lack of experience. Your engine, gdi?

CRO8TIA

I'm not familiar with gdi, is that gas direct injection ? Any how, it;s referred to as a sidi engine.

kickerfox

Yes, direct injection. "si" = gas. Just wondering what the pump was. Isuzu makes a GDI version of this engine but I didn't want to deal with direct injections problems.

X7rotor

iTrader: (2)

Love seeing results im seeing looks amazing, all of it.

kickerfox

I didn't get too much done this afternoon. I only had enough time to tackle some brackets for the serpentine belt. The scrapyard was kind enough to donate some aluminum plate for me to experiment with. This engine originally had a large idler pulley that also served to drive the radiator fan. It was large and tacky so it had to go. The original belt tensioner remains functional. I'm going to leave the timing belt open and paint all the pulleys eventually. Should look nice when everything is all cleaned up.

Paco664

moving it right along... proper planning = easier progress...

kickerfox

Made a shift handle today. I used an Amigo shifter ($5), cut it shorter, and tacked it to some round stock drilled to fit the Solstice trans. I couldn't find a 12-1.25mm set screw at the hardware store so I used a bolt for now. The throw feels a little long for my liking but I'll deal with that later.

Pics and video. It was stiff into 5th/rev because it hit the conduit that's temporarily holding the trans up. The lower boot will fit and the interior boot also fits nicely. Don't mind the ugly Amigo shift ****. I'll find something sexier later.

kickerfox

My Isuzu 4-cyl flywheel showed the other day and it is the same bolt pattern as the v6. As expected the starter will not engage the smaller ring gear. It's about ~1/2 away from it.

Option 1:
18lb 2.6L (i4) flywheel
i4 pressure plate (push-type) (chance of aftermarket interchange)
9-7/8" disc (aftermarket available. Camaro v6)
Solstice slave cylinder (push-type) (expensive)
Custom starter (hope I can find one/make one)

Option 2:
26lb 3.2L (v6) flywheel
v6 pressure plate (pull-type) (little chance of aftermarket interchange)
10.4" disc (aftermarket available. Camaro v8)
Trooper slave cylinder and fork (pull-type) (cheap)
OEM starter
...and hope the Trooper input bearing retainer fits Solstice trans. Most likely it will.

Pros and cons:
Option 1 - Has much lighter rotating mass. Starter might be hard to find/make. Smaller pressure plate and disc. Chance of finding alternative (stronger) pressure-plate.

Option 2 - All bolt-in components. MUCH heavier mass. Larger PP and disc. Very little chance of alternative pressure-plate.

I'm leaning toward the smaller flywheel, use a good disc, and see how the pressure plate holds up. I should be able to use a mini GM racing starter with a custom mounting plate to use the stock v6 location. I'd like to avoid block modification.

Suggestions?

Paco664

see how much it will cost to lighten flywheel #2.....

CRO8TIA

Kicker, will the 3.2 ring gear fit the 2.6 flywheel ?

kickerfox

I have lightened OEM flywheels in the past but the way it's designed the mass is everywhere. It would be difficult to lighten.

Not directly. I might be able to machine the ring on the 2.6 and slip the 3.2 ring over it but I wasn't too sure how reliable that would be.

kickerfox

I forget wtf I just said because my browser crashed but here's some pics. v6 flywheel is the black one. The second to last pic is a mini-starter for v8s but may allow me to make my own mounting block to make it work with the 2.6L flywheel. The last pic is the cam and follower. I'm surprised how big those buckets are. The valves are fairly easy to push down by hand so some springs may be in order.

CRO8TIA

Have you considered using a V6 auto flex plate between the crank and the 4 cyl flywheel with the ring gear removed .