My 2000 SS project

**blackcar** · 04-24-2012, 05:54 AM

Just got a call from the dealer and my bolts are in. Everything else is on track to be in Wednesday.

My wife and I both work 2 jobs. Her first job is Monday-Friday 8-5. She is a nurse and sets with an elderly lady at her second job. And it is normally Saturday at 7 AM - Monday 7 AM (yes 48 hours straight). One to two weekends a month. The problem is, the nurse that works the other weekends had surgery about 6 weeks ago. My wife has worked her normal job and every weekend, except the one weekend I was in the hospital. Other than a few hours in the evening mon-fri we haven't had time together. And then we are cooking supper, getting the kids ready for bed, and what ever else is needed around the house. But this weekend coming up she is off.

Which leads me to 2 questions. Is it wrong that I am looking more forward to putting headers on this weekend than spending time with my wife (I doubt I can get her in the garage to help)? And how much trouble should I expect to be in if I spend all weekend in the garage?

**GTP231** · 04-24-2012, 06:50 AM

Don't know your wife so not sure how much trouble you'll be in. I'd try and take her out to dinner or something at somepoint to play it safe

**blackcar** · 04-24-2012, 07:15 AM

It was pretty much a rhetorical/me tyring to be funny question. I didn't expect a straight answer. But that is a good idea. Our two older kids are supposed to be gone. If I lined out a babysitter for the other two and took her out Friday night, we could have some free time together. And still leave saturday and sunday open.

**Zapper2003** · 04-24-2012, 11:31 AM

I'll keep an eye out for next weeks thread "my wife wants a divorce, what do i do?".

**blackcar** · 04-26-2012, 05:31 AM

All the parts came in yesterday, and everything looks good. I know I won't have time to work on it tonight or Friday.

At my wife's Mon-Fri job they have to work about one weekend every other month. Her best friend is scheduled to work this weekend, but her mom is not doing good at all. She has been battling cancer and is not expected to make it much longer. My wife is going to cover for her. At least she won't be gone all weekend like her other job. It'll just be about 6 hours Saturday and 5 on Sunday. I hate that my wife has to work again this weekend (and at least the next 2 after this one). But I know what it is like to lose your Mom and to lose someone very close to you battling cancer. I told my wife to do anything she can to make it easier on her.

**Zapper2003** · 04-26-2012, 11:17 AM

I guess the divorce is on hold.

**blackcar** · 05-04-2012, 04:53 AM

Haven't had much time to work on it, but thought I would give a little update. I think I have the car high enough to do the install. I have the AIR and EGR deleted, and I have the manifolds off. Got lucky on removing the coil packs. Someone has had them off in the past and didn't put the back bolt back in.

Won't be able to work on it tonight. Saturday the wife works and I have the kids. I've got some stuff that needs to be done in the house first. Then I need to change the oil in her ride, but I might put that off until next weekend so I can get more done on the SS. Guess I'll start with the trans mount.

**blackcar** · 05-07-2012, 11:38 AM

I was able to get a little work done over the weekend. Got the cross member off to switch out the trans mount. It has a few rust spots on it. So while I had it off I sanded it down. I got a coat of primer and paint on one side. Hopefully this evening I can get the other side done.

**10spokess** · 05-08-2012, 02:56 AM

Where are the pictures señor?

**blackcar** · 05-08-2012, 06:20 AM

I should of got a before pic of the cross member. I'll try and post an after.

Got it painted last night. I have a dinner to go to tonight, but I'm going to try and get it mounted before I have to get ready to go. Can't work on it Wednesday. Hopefully Thursday I can get a good start on the motor mounts and get the headers installed this weekend.

**blackcar** · 05-09-2012, 01:26 PM

Here's the freshly painted cross member and the new poly mount waiting to have the cross member mounted to it.

**blackcar** · 05-10-2012, 06:37 PM

I was able to work on it for a few hours this evening. Got the cross member back in. When I mounted the cross member in, the bolt on the trans mount was not long enough. When I let the jack down the mount didn't rest on the cross member like I thought it would, it was about an inch above it. After some looking and thinking I found the issue. I have jack stands under the rear of the SFC's and the rear end is just hanging. I guess the torque arm had the trans rasied up. I jacked the rear end up some and the trans came closer to the crossmember.

Also got the passenger's side motor mount out. Next step is to drill the 5 rivets. Is it easier to drill or grind the 2 that have heads?

Hoping to spend all saturday working on it. My wife is off and is taking the kids to watch her sister in a rodeo. She didn't even ask if I wanted to go with her.

Sometimes she is sweet like that. Sunday she has to work so I need to get as much as I can done Saturday.

While I have the PS motor mount out and the motor jacked up some is that the best time to slide the PS header in? Or will it be in the way of putting the motor mount back in? I think I read someone on here slid the header in but didn't bolt it in, they hung it with a bunge cord until the got the motor mount in. That sounds like the best plan to me.

**blackcar** · 05-11-2012, 11:15 AM

Went to lunch today with a friend of mine that is a welder. On the way to his shop I swung by my house and picked up my PS motor mount. Put it on his drill press and had all 5 rivets drilled out in no time.

**blackcar** · 05-12-2012, 01:18 PM

Got started a little later than I planned, but things are moving along good. Got the PS motor mount put back together. Then slid in the PS header and hung it with a bunge cord. It slid in with no problems, the motor is jacked up about 2 inches. Went to put the motor mount in and didn't have enough room. Had to pull the header out to be able to get the motor mount in. Put the mount in and bolted it to the motor. Then, put the header back in and lowered the motor. With just a little prying with a screw driver I was able to bolt the mount to the frame. The new GM gaskets do not have the U-shaped holes on the end so it was a pain getting the header bolts started. But I got them all in now. I didn't have a small torque wrench so I had to go buy one. While I was out I grabbed some lunch. Just got through with that and about to head back out there.

Looks like the Y-pipe is not going to line up with the headers and it is a smaller diameter then the collectors on the headers. Not sure if I want to buy a new Y-pipe, let the exhaust shop make one, let the exhaust shop fill in the gap or get dual cut-outs to make up the difference.

**blackcar** · 05-13-2012, 07:41 AM

Got the passenger's side pretty much done. Motor mount, headers, dip stick tube and spark plugs are all done. Only thing left on the ps is putting the coil packs back and wires. I was having problems getting the coil packs on last night and that is when I quit. After I stopped I thought about I have the motor jacked up a couple of inches to get the DS motor mount out. When I let the motor back down the coil pack may go in easier.

Got the ds motor mount out and apart and painted. About to head out there and put it back together and bolt it to the motor. Then I'll see if the ds header will slide in as easy as the ps.

Don't know how much I will get done today. My wife ended up not having to go to work, but with it being Mother's day I don't need to spend all day out there and leave her with the kids.

**blackcar** · 05-14-2012, 12:05 PM

Didn't spend all day out there yesterday, but did spend some time. Almost got everything done. Only things left to do is the DS spark plugs, PS coil packs, all spark plug wires, O2 sensors, and double check everything.

The headers went in pretty easy. The only "extra" stuff I removed was the oil filter and PS coil packs. Of course I was doing motor mounts at the same time. On both sides I jacked up the motor and changed the mounts first. I put the new motor mount in and bolted to the motor. Then slid the header in while the motor was jacked up. The motor was jacked up only about an inch higher than normal. Hung the header with a bunge and lowered the motor to bolt the mount to the K-member. Sometimes I would jack back up on the motor to be able to get the bolts started.

The hardest part of this install has been getting the motor mount k-member bolts in. On the driver's side the front two bolts were rusted up pretty good. Couldn't get one of the bolts started no matter what I did. Ended up running a chase through it to clean it up and the bolt started with no problem.

**blackcar** · 05-14-2012, 07:01 PM

Got everything done and was really looking forward to that open header sound, but the car won't start. I think the fuel pump is not kicking on.

I tried to start it and it would turn over but not fire. After trying a few times I pushed the button on the preasure relief valve under the hood and got one quick squirt of gas. Tried a few more times and still wouldn't start. Pushed the relief valve and nothing came out. I unhooked the fuel filter on the tank side. Probably a cup of gas ran out. Turned the key on and nothing came out the hose.

I'm open to ideas.

**tatertot91** · 05-14-2012, 07:11 PM

Can you hear the pump prime when you turn the key?

**blackcar** · 05-14-2012, 07:41 PM

No, but the car is "dinging" when I turn the key on. In the morning I'm going to let one of the kids turn the key on while I listen outside the car.

I've also been running the TC-W3 and the pump is pretty quite. Damn Sarge