Re: 2000 GTP: TB results are in! Ported TB FTW!
Heh wow. So the last few weeks have been quite the blur. It's all to get the car ready for driving to\from AZ.
I started out chasing a suspension clunk, when the rack is extended all the way, there's a clunk. I've changed the rack (again), both axles, outer tie rods (again, but upgraded to Moog), and Ball Joints (also upgraded to Moog). After yesterday, I've come to the determination that it's the rack again. Literally everything is Moog up front, other than the sway bar bushings, which are energy suspension (poly). With it up in the air I can hear\feel the clunk from the rack. It'll get changed (3rd time) after we get back. Onward to the cluster f*ck of the last week.
I went to change out my header gaskets due to a leak (3 of them to be exact), and this happened. Directly next to the coil bracket.
So off came the heads. Just to set the scene, I have been working 66-72 hours a week, 70 hours this particular week. I had just got off a 12 hour shift at 6AM, I woke up at 4:30PM the night (Friday) before. I pulled the heads, was going to lap the valves on my spare heads, but when I began to question my lapping abilities (never done it before) a deal popped up on FB for a fresh set of L67 heads. They have a 5 angle valve job, freshly milled, LS6 springs, LS retainers, new locks, new freeze plugs, some light polish work, and a full head gasket set. I ended up using my own Felpro gaskets, but I at least have spares for the future (along with 4 extra heads, lol). These were in Dexter, MO, which is a little over 3 hours away. We left my house at 9:15PM Saturday night, and got back to my house at 4:30AM...still hadn't been to sleep since 4:30PM Friday. Passed out, woke up 5 hours later, put flip flops on to go out and get something (NOT work), didn't see the old head setting in the yard, and kicked it. Skinned the SH*T out of my toe (Janelle was cutting off 1\8" thick pieces of skin). I was not a happy camper that weekend. Anyways, heads!
So anyways, I put it all back together, ended up getting it done on Tuesday. Just in time for me to pass out for work (it was 2PM, I had to wake up for work at 6:30PM). It idled rough had some valve noise (I figured it was the fact that the top end was dry, even though I ran it for 20 seconds with the ICM disconnected) and leaked coolant. "Well ****," I said, then went to bed. That night my buddy came to pick me up and I started it to show him, it clattered again. Hmpf, f*ck off, car.
The next morning we fixed the coolant leaks and resealed the SC (I thought it was a vacuum leak, I still think it was). Still ran rough, still had valve noise on start up. A mechanic at work had told me that sometimes roller lifters need to be DRIVEN to prime, so I took her on a trip. It drove great, no noise, and honestly felt great! I slowly rolled into WOT (with buddy watching misfires, KR, etc.) and she pulled great. Got home, and valve noise while running, f*ck off, car.
Zoom ahead to this past Saturday at 8 AM (got off at 6AM from a 12 hour shift, only 64 hours last week). I was able to determine that the noise was from the rear bank, so I tore it down and checked it all out. Everything looked totally fine until I brought the push rods inside and saw this:
Apparently, I lucked out and got L67 heads that had sloppy casting, causing the push rods to rub them. I bought 2 new rods, marked all six with a paint pen and put it all back together with the VC off, alternator\belts off, etc. so I can see it work, and pull it all back apart to see where I needed to add some clearance. Low and behold, no noise at all. Not even on startup. It actually took 1:20 for oil to start coming out of the push rods, and once it did, I shut her down for 4 hours to check for bleed down. None happened at all, so I ran it (again), no noise at all, and smooth as silk idle. Here's a video of that:
Mind you, all of this was off the battery, no alternator. So, front battery=dead. So I put the car all back together, and unbeknownst to me, the 1 wire that turns the alternator on pushed out of the connector (didn't physically fall out, but wasn't making a connection). So I ran the car for about 10-15 min while I bled the coolant system and whatnot, then drove it for about 8-10 miles (which it ran GREAT doing so). Got back to the house, and the battery light came on. I got out to start investigating and saw 9v on the multimeter. Ruh Roh, shut it off, found the connector problem, fixed it, and now both batteries are DEAD. Won't even honk the horn anymore. So I jump started it with my buddies car. Apparently, charging 2 850CCA batteries that are DEAD was a bit much to ask of the alternator, so it fried my bridge rectifier. I literally tore everything off that I had just pulled off, minus the VC. Rebuilt the alternator with a new bridge rectifier, and FINALLY all is well.
Its gets to be like throwing away everything you know every day. Anyone who can deal fluently with hop-up parts and just knows all these things like that... deserves a boatlad of respect. I watch it happen all week every week and the stress of sorting out questions like that is a big part of a builder's job. It wears them down mentally and is constant. I couldn't take it. Hope she churps second just a little at part throttle when you're done (if you go for that). Always enjoyed churp when I had it but the TH400 is so weary now. 
