Meissen's LT1 Rebuild Thread

[meissen]

He works during the day at Vector Motorsports - he's doing the tuning on the side for his SB Tuning company but that's after he gets out of work. So he only gets to work on it after he gets out of work which is why the weather has been screwing us over lately cause it seems like it's always raining after 5pm.

[Robert Lawler]

Well the drive to Port Huron, Steve tuning it, and me driving it to and from the Meet & Greet is technically break in...

Thought you were putting RA on a trailer for the M&G.

[meissen]

I won't need to trailer it because Angie will drive the Trailblazer and I'll be able to drive RA.

[Robert Lawler]

I won't need to trailer it because Angie will drive the Trailblazer and I'll be able to drive RA.

So Angie does'nt get to bring her TA? Or is someone else bring it?

[meissen]

Between myself, Angie, her parents, and my parents we'll get all the cars out there some way or another.

[Gottork]

awesome to hear you got it all worked out B, I know this has to be a HUGE relief.. BTW it sounds awesome, what exhaust are you running?

[meissen]

It's LPP Stainless Steel headers into their stainless steel Y-pipe, race ready Y for the cutout and then into the Magnaflow v6 muffler to corsa clone stainless steel tips.

[Gottork]

that has a real nice beefy tone I would not change that or look for something with better flow than the 6 muffler, but WOW I was really impressed..

Has the sound I want my car to have very low and menacing..

[meissen]

Alright so I just made it home. ...PHEW! I really didn't think I was going to make it all the way home...

And now the story...

I talked to Steve today and he said I could plan to be at his shop at 9pm to pick up the car after he's done doing the WOT tuning. He said if he finishes earlier, he'll call so I can come earlier.

So we go out to dinner and no sooner do we sit down and I get a call from Steve. Sweet! Already done and it's only 6:30pm! "Hey man, I'm at Wadhams and Lapeer and I've got a big ass puddle of oil under your car... We're going to need a tow." F***!!!!!!!!

So my dad and I rush out of the restaurant and immediately start heading to Steve's location. Unfortunately I've got no towing insurance so we just hoped to get there and figure it out. Called Craig asking for opinions and then Steve calls again, "Hey man - it's not oil, it's power steering fluid." PHEW! He said he was doing the WOT tuning when he noticed a huge plume of blue smoke pouring out the back of the car and it was coming into the passenger compartment too. He pulled over off of the freeway and into a gas station and then called me.

So we get there and sure as shit, there's power steering fluid EVERY WHERE. All over the engine bay on the passenger side, and a huge puddle on the ground. The reservoir was completely empty. So we start checking the hoses - I mean come on there's only a few hoses to the power steering so it HAD to be something along those lines... we thought at least if the power steering pump was bad and that's what was leaking we could just drive it home, burning it the whole way home, and just have to replace it.

Well sure as shit, the damn nut that screws the metal line into the power steering pulley backed out. My dad was turning it with his fingers. But, we didn't have any tools with us since we came straight from the restaurant. So we made the decision to risk burning the pump and drive it back to Steve's shop about 5-15 miles away.

By now it's like 8:30-9pm and we're starting to lose sunlight but we manage to make it to his shop and start cranking on it.

Well, Steve's the ****ing god of idler pulleys - he reached inbetween the water pump and the cooling fans while the engine was still skin-burning hot and cranked the idler pulley to get the belt off the alternator, then we had to remove the alternator, then unbolt the power steering pump to get the right angle to tighten the nut.

Around 10pm we finally had it all back together. We bought some power steering fluid at the gas station that Steve was stuck at so we poured one bottle in and THANK GOD no leaks. Drove to the nearest station, got more fluid, filled it up, and then drove home.

That said - car drives like a raped ape. Idles great, accelerates really nice... Steve told me it chirps 2nd but I haven't gotten on it that much yet.

HUGE.... HUGE thank you to Steve for not only all the work he did to make sure I could get the car back in time for the Meet & Greet (and all the work he put off while he worked on my car) but for helping us get the power steering fixed tonight. Guys, if you need anyone to tune your car - DEFINITELY call Steve... Without a doubt.

[LSxDreamer]

I had that same problem happen with my last camaro. The guy was doing a dyno pull and BOOM fluid everywhere!!! Just like Steve I thought it was oil and remembering going GREAT now I've got a busted car, but it just turned out to be I didn't put the clamp back on the little hose to keep it tight! So I definitely know how you felt.

Glad it all worked out good!!!

[MP81]

Yikes!!!!

Glad it wasn't something worse!!!

[bigjon88]

glad she is up and running!!!!!

[SoulTerror]

That's great that you got it fixed!!

[ITSSLOW]

When I read the update, this is all I could think of!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lYBVi3ALWA

[SoulTerror]

Funny movie!