Search and Rescue H3 Alpha build

[RamRod]

With your setup the oem manifold wld be a huge restriction esp with how much air ur pushing.

I agree 100% I really want to get better exhaust expulsion because I know it will make a huge difference in the performance of my setup!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

here goes nothing.... errr... header installation
baseline pictures


and another broken bolt - front right this time




mmm... new, shiny stainless headers




header bolts





problem, gasket doesn't fit

ah well, a bit of trimming it'll be fine

problem.... 02 sensor is on the downstream side of the flange ... oh well, will weld up the hole

nice access huh?




remove inner fender liners




another problem, one bolt doesn't want to come off - a bit of persuasion and it's still not off, but I was starting to get careless... so I'll work on it tomorrow and Sunday

 

[RamRod]

Good luck!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[ABNTROOP]

That looks like a PITA

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

25 hp is worth it... as is no exhaust leak

 

[2010H3TAlpha]

I'd kill for another 25hp!!! I'd love to install some headers, looking forward to seeing how your install goes.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

bad news, the Avalanche headers won't work without completely reworking them. Beside aiming to the wrong spot, they also are too far away from the engine when they make the turn to the back of the car and hit the frame. Pictures to follow. At this point, I'm not going to use them - I don't need another re-engineering project (but I'll do it later once I determine whether or not I'm going to swap a 6.2 in)

I will, however, keep the headers around for another project that is in the works....

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

remove everything on top


cut blasted bolt


to me, this is win - I got the manifold out, and the bolts aren't broke flush with the heads


same story passenger side


here's the problem.... note the width and the way the outlet is aiming (not to mention the flange is different



same story verse 2



bolt


removed


as we know, I have a crappy camera for this stuff... one of its issues is it sometimes just doesn't take a picture - the missing picture is of a nut welded onto the broken stud

they came out just like they should (woohoo)

 

[RamRod]

Darn, too bad they didn't work out!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Darn, too bad they didn't work out!

yes, but with the D port heads, I'm not sure there would be much of a gain...

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

apparently, the exhaust manifolds were wayyyyyy off when I had them resurfaced


my supervisors


backup dog


and back together with all new bolts


In talking to the machinist, he said that he gets a bunch of these - it's pretty common.

 

[Mb30sdl]

IMO there are a lot of people who could build headers themselves, but are convinced by the marketeers that they cannot. With that said, it's a lot easier to start with something close as opposed to starting from scratch... thus, I'd buy the Thorley headers uncoated and have at them rather than letting a muffler shop hack something together (even so, you could have a trusted muffler shop modify the Thorleys)

It helps when muffler shop does it for living all the time (BMW racing team, Toyota racing team, etc)when amature like me tries to hack something complex like that it come out ****y and costs twice as much with bunch of left over parts.

GMC got JBA headers(CA smog legal) and made complete new exhaust with cats and i forget name of clamps fot quick removal. Thay can build anything you want, but it takes time and not cheap. But you have to pay for quality work.

 

[silvrzuki77]

Im looking forward to homebuilt!

 

[High Five H2]

magnaflow is supposed to be coming out with a line of shortie headers this year sometime. maybe they'll make one for the alpha.

 

[ABNTROOP]

Wouldn't that be nice.

 

[RamRod]

But I wouldn't hold my breath either lol

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Im looking forward to homebuilt!

start at post #94
http://www.bangshift.com/forum/show...uick-Skylark-part-II/page10?highlight=skylark

This was the 3rd set of headers I built. My very first set was a twin turbo set-up for a 427 side-oiler Ford...

this was my 4th
start at post 209
http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showthread.php/29229-CTS-Spider/page21

headers really aren't that hard - but do require some time to sit and think "where do I want them to land"

and to show how sick I really am, so a friend was visiting this last week (we're building a twin-turbo Buick 455 together) and looked at those 5.3 headers and said "those would be perfect for a turbo build".... I'd already half mocked them into place in the H3 while it was apart with that very thought...

 

[silvrzuki77]

Good idea on buyin the header kit and going from there.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

So I've been having oil leaks... and I was watching powerblock today (I record it to avoid commercials) and they mentioned, in passing, that they had troubles with oil leaking AROUND the pan bolts.... not the gasket mind you, the pan bolts. Hmm, I said

lots of oil



wet threads... hmm

even wetter threads... the thicken plots


and a dry one


and another dry one.... incidently the wet ones are the nominal middle to front of the pan


So I did what was suggested.... silicone around the bolts


So we'll see if it worked.... I hosed the oil off with brake clean; so I should be able to tell tomorrow night if that cured it.... it sure looks like it should

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

sigh, still leaking. I think I eliminated the leaks on the driver's side, but there's still a leak above the starter that refuses to be sealed. I'm going to go get a second opinion from my mechanic friend, but I think I'm going to have to replace the pan gasket.... nuts.

the question is going to be timing.... I may simply put something under the car to divert the oil from the cat (that's what's bugging me the most, the smell).... because I plan on doing a gear swap to 4.56s and putting in ARB air lockers along with a 4" lift. I don't plan on doing that until AFTER I get the discovery done, so that I have my BMW to drive during and after the work.

to be continued.

 

[06 H3]

sick! skip the rancho leaves. Do a rancho front spring over rear. 4.56s and a V8 will bring the V8 alive, especially with a tune.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

sick! skip the rancho leaves. Do a rancho front spring over rear. 4.56s and a V8 will bring the V8 alive, especially with a tune.

I'm going to do a coil-over with non-parallel 4 bar in the rear

 

[06 H3]

Even better!

 

[RamRod]

I'm going to do a coil-over with non-parallel 4 bar in the rear

Any pics of similar setups, I am not familiar with many suspension setups and would like to be able to visualize the end result while I watch you build progress.

Coil overs sound great!

Edit:

Would it be like this?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

it's also called a triangulated 4-bar

like this, it eliminates the need for a panhard bar. But rather than poly joints, I'll use johnny joints at the 4 points.

and much longer bars

and here's a kit
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/suspension/809475-genright-off-road-rear-4-link-suspension-kits.html