Yee Haw, I'm Back!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
 

Finished everything up tonight.
Icantdo55 stopped by and saved me 4hours worth of work in 30 seconds. When I'd installed the intake manifold gasket, I put it on backwards... the small unused water port part of the gasket was on the wrong end... so as soon as I filled the radiator, it pissed coolant out the back of the manifold. I hadn't noticed it was on backwards when I took it off and handed it to him. I'd just assumed it was un-reusable and bought a new one tomorrow. After removing manifold and installing correctly, all was good.

I cranked it a few times to get the oil moved around before hooking up the ECU harness. Then hooked up fuel pump... and said a little prayer.

FIRED UP INSTANTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got it warm and then did a compression check. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS!
#1: 210
#2: 210
#3: 208
#4: 215
Howz that for a 200k mile motor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to the gas station and filled up, plus filled the tires. When I was out, the BATTERY light flickered for awhile and then came on BRIGHT! I guess 200k on an alternator is asking a bit much. I'll throw my other one on tomorrow... then get the EBC fixed... then just drive the bitch!

congrats, i know the feeling

congrats man! now go drive that thing. :)

Good job. That first crank after a motor swap is always an ass-clenching moment, followed (hopefully) by a very big grin.

C

Congradumaration.
Hopefully my own motor will be as great after 200k miles.

who would be stupid and do something like that?!

my 94 motor with 243k miles yielded 200-205 on all 4 cylinders. i was pretty impressed. wish i had the loot to boost it

argh sam. it's killing me not having boost i bet your excited. just found another local one that im trying to get in touch with, listed today. if i get it, id be boosted right away....hint hint.

I'm uber-stoked (that's the most stoked you can be, btw)!!!
I'm really glad the only thing bad is the alternator... easy swap out with the old one... unless I get in there tomorrow and see that I left a wire loose or something

I'll drop by RadioShack tomorrow and pick up the insulator thing. Then get to tuning the EBC. The real key to making this whole thing work is to keep the boost down in the 8psi range like I told myself I would! I know the compression is good, but this one HAS to last awhile. I have no doubts it'll last until spring when I should have assembled the parts for the "mild build".

yaaay Congrats Sam!

How's the clutch?

Way to go Sam :yippee:

Sam...I think you owe me a beer. 208-215 is awesome. I told you the car was babied. :D

Congrats on getting it back up and running. Mine is back together, but I am having trouble getting it started. Tracking down gremlins is great fun.

^I've got plenty of time this weekend, let me know if you want some help.

I'm re-using the Spec StgII that came out of it. In the 20 short minutes out of boost driving around the neighborhood, it feels exactly as before. Stock pedal effort and easy modulation. We'll see in a day or two when it's had a couple heat cycles and I've re-torqued everything... then get on it real hard and see how it feels.
Who knows, maybe my problems with it 1st time around was actually improper install. I doubt it, but maybe. Trouble is, to find out, I'm gonna have to up the boost... and then I may not want to turn it down again. BAD! I'll let y'all know. Either way, I'm in for the Clutchnet GB.

LOL, yeah, good luck with that

Just went out to assess alternator problem... little electical connector down there still needed 1/2" to go to be properly seated. Hopefully problem fixed:bigtu:

1st drive in boost... Radio Shack!

Congrats and good work!!

Damn I feel boost envy...

dont blow this one. keep it safe.

Sam, I would not have said anything about the backwards gasket.....It just did not seat right....yea thats it {wink wink}

Congrats on getting it going. Now Mine!

Went to Radio Shack... didn't have the insulator (gee really?).
Was in boost the whole way there and back!!!
It was smoking out the tailpipe something fierce after my first two pulls... just residual burning off. When I blew the HG, I knew it had pressurized the crankcase cause the dipstick blew and covered the firewall with oil. I also had leaking oil around the CHRA/turbine housing joint... so it smoked a lot. I was worried for a second, but it went away by the time I hit RS, so all is good.

Diagnosing the clutch integrity will take a day or two of driving and slipping. I did sand all 4 surfaces with 600grit... so the Kevlar needs some time to bed in. I fully expect it to suck sumthin' terrible. Again, time will tell.