Thread: Bandook's 01 Imp, top swap-ified

Just ordered 50ft if nickel copper brake line, bunch of fittings, bubble flare tool and line bender. Yay...

Got started on the gauge install. Just boost and wideband. Wasn't sure exactly where to run the wire for the air/fuel sensor, but think I'm just going to drill a large hole right behind the shifter under the console. Have a pretty cool idea for gauges, don't care for a-pillar gauge pods much.

Hard resisting just installing heads and blower but these things are easier with them off right now. Dunno though, if the brake line doesn't get here by Saturday I might just finish the install. I have all weekend to work on car, so hopefully can set aside Saturday for brakes, and finish the rest Sunday.

My new best friend Reptile came through for me with a baseline top swap tune. Takes a lot of stress off me.

Oh, and got the rest of the metal dug out of my eyeball this morning. Please wear goggles while porting, safety glasses alone just don't cut it, that crap goes wherever the hell it pleases. Sitting still while someone is digging iron out your eyeball is not comfortable.

Gauges installed tonight.

Nice piece of canary


Painted and installed.


Lights on

Made some progress tonight.

I can almost taste the boost


Need to figure out what to do with this


The header is basically crushing the heat shield on the fan. I took one screw out and it lays a little flatter, but don't know how it will do when the engine is moving. Thin profile fans would be nice.

Everything went pretty smooth. Only little issue was the ICM bracket. The l36 screws that hold the coil packs down are a size bigger and a little longer. I just drilled holes for clearance in the coil bracket and tapped larger threads. Still have to connect rear header to exhaust. Because the dufus I bought them from took a sawzall to the downpipe. And I had to cut the catback flange off my exhaust because it was frozen solid.

Hope to turn the key tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Keep a good eye on those fuel lines, that's the same way I did mine on my top swap and never had an issue, but also heard of people having them pop off. 50 psi of fuel + exhaust manifolds = bad. I'm sure you'll have it running tomorrow, you won't stop until you do, lol.

OK, how the frick do you retorque the balancer bolt?? Flywheel is locked and I have torqued to 111ftlbs. But now I'm supposed to go another 76°?! Come on! There's just no room to get leverage PLUS rotation. I've got about 5° on it. I'm thinking about saying screw it.

Any tips?

i cant see it coming loose. carry on.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

i cant see it coming loose. carry on.

Lol thanks. I got it to 60°. I'm calling it.

Just need to change fluids and tie in boost hose. Then I can flash the bin and see what happens when I start it. Gotta admit I'm pretty nervous. Is that normal? Lol. Maybe I'll just roll it out of the garage and put a for sale sign on it. That way I'll never know if I screwed anything up.

turn key to run, look for gas leaks at the rail and injectors, if its dry, crank it over.

About to turn key...scared

Remove heat shield from the fan should give you clearance too. I had to do that also.


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Remove the tinfoil shield..

Can't say I've ever torqued the harmonic balancer bolt, never replaced one, and never had one back out. You'll be fine. When I first fired up the bonne, that motor was all sorts of loud while the oil worked it's way through, even after priming it up real good. Guess being on a stand for years will do that.

I torque mine..

Squeeze gun ... let it roll off the top a few time.. torqued!

It's alive!!!!!

Idling a little rough, but its running! It was noisy as hell when I started it. Scared the poop out of me. I was running around the garage like a mad man checking for leaks and topping coolant.

Some reason my wideband isn't reading. It will show high like 17.4 when I step on gas a little. Then it goes blank when idling. Dhp is showing 14.2. Haven't driven it yet. Also backfires a little when I gas it. Any clues? This normal until my trims settle?

double check the plug wires.

your lifters need to pump up so the rocker clap some when first fired up. should settle down in like 10 minutes of idling.

Exhaust leak maybe?

Bad injector

#5 isn't shooting. Getting 8.6v to the wire. Was hoping it was just the zzp adapter.

I have a set of 60's I was gonna use when I went e85. Will my car run 93 with the 60's?

you would need to adjust the tune for the 60's.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

you would need to adjust the tune for the 60's.

Yeah I just wasn't sure if they were too big to run smooth on 93 with my light mods.
Well, still happy. I'll try again tomorrow.

Thanks for the help!