'93 Formula "Sleeper"

[Darren]

Throw it out dont look back, next!

[c0ncEpT]

I would keep it if you plan on driving it a lot in the summer during the day.

[93formulalt1]

I think I will keep it. If I had t-tops, it would be different, but airflow inside these hardtop cars isn't as good as a t-top or convertible, so I think I may regret getting rid of the A/C. I'll replace the compressor this week, and recharge the system when I get paid. I'm still waiting on paychecks right now, the car is a high priority right now, because it's sitting at a friends house, and I don't want to inconvenience him, he's already unable to use his garage until the project is finished, and with the parts I already have, we can get it done, I'll just have to wait a couple weeks to recharge the A/C and replace the tires.

[93formulalt1]

Slightly more progress to update you guys with, we got the heads and block prepped and put the heads on the car. Got one side torqued to spec (loosely following recommended torque specs), the other will be torqued tomorrow, and the intake will go on as soon as I find those darned EGR block off plates I ordered 2 years ago. . . Been looking for those suckers for a week now, I can't find them anywhere. Lol. The lifters, springs, and retainers are installed and good to go, pushrods and rockers are going on tomorrow after the heads are both torqued properly. After that, it's smooth sailing. Just gotta get rid of that mess of EGR crap that is no longer needed, install the headers, replace the idler pulley, O2 sensor, oil dipstick tube, and A/C Compressor, then re-assemble all the little stuff that was unhooked/removed to allow the heads to come off, and she should be running again this week!

I think I'm going to drive the Formula to work on Friday, assuming I get paid and everything I need to finish gets finished in time. Still waiting on paychecks currently, one is guaranteed to arrive Friday, and the other will arrive as soon as my boss gets around to mailing the thing. Apparently they don't care much for taking care of employees there, which is why I'm putting my notice in next week. I should have had my check today, now I won't see it until Saturday at the earliest.

Sorry for the rant, I'm just ticked off at the way I've been treated at this place in the past few months, and things aren't improving anytime soon.

Pics to come, I didn't take any today, but I will snap a few tomorrow. Have to upload the ones I took yesterday and Sunday still, but they don't show much except the disassembly process.

Again, I want to thank Justin (sic96) for helping out with the header removal, we were at a standstill until you arrived. Big thanks to Justin L. (not a member of MIFBody yet, but I'm working on getting him to register) for letting me use his garage, tools, and for helping out with the wrench-turning and knuckle-busting throughout the project, I wouldn't have even come close to where I'm at without his help.


Quick tip for anyone planning on doing this in the future- LOTS of PB Blaster and use a 6pt 15mm socket on the banjo bolts holding the coolant crossover to the back of the heads, you will NOT find replacement banjo bolts at the local parts stores. Even the 7/16 metal/rubber hybrid washers were a PITA to find, I wound up having to reuse two of them. If you use a 12pt wrench or socket, you will strip the head off the bolt. Its actually easiest to remove the heads both simultaneously and attempt to remove those effing bolts while the heads are off the car, that way you can minimize damage and blood loss.

[Boost Addict]

Keep the a/c. Always a nice "just in case" thing which is why I'll always have it. Just make sure you replace the receiver drier and vacuum the system for a solid 20 minutes.

[93formulalt1]

Keep the a/c. Always a nice "just in case" thing which is why I'll always have it. Just make sure you replace the receiver drier and vacuum the system for a solid 20 minutes.

I don't have the equipment to vac the system, I'll be taking it to a shop for the recharge in a few weeks. I'll make sure they do that. How about the expansion tube? I've heard that is supposed to be replaced with the drier and compressor. Those will be replaced after I pay off some debts and put some money away.

[Boost Addict]

On an orifice tube system I would say for sure change it. However I don't feel its as necessary to do on a txv system. If it looks good I'd just leave it.

[93formulalt1]

So just replacing the compressor and drier should suffice then?

[93formulalt1]

Did some more wrenching today after work, the heads are both torqued properly, the intake has been installed, I just need to move around a couple of the studs to make sure the accessories all bolt up where they should.

All thats left now is:

-find and install new oil dipstick tube
-replace A/C compressor
-install headers
-re-connect fuel injectors
-install spark plugs and wires
-repair broken throttle cable clip
-replace broken O2 sensor and rewire
-set preload and valve lash on the new rockers
-reinstall STB
-reinstall CAI
-reinstall PS pump
-replace idler pulley
-replace tires
-have exhaust welded up after everything is done and install electric cutout

And various other minor inconveniences that will eventually all be completed, leading to the completed project, I'm hoping to have the car back on the road Friday, my buddy thinks it will take us part of the day Saturday to finish everything. Starting right after work tomorrow, and I'm not planning on stopping until around 10pm.

[mcssmostwanted]

-find and install new oil dipstick tube

There was a new one that included with the shocks!

[93formulalt1]

There was a new one that included with the shocks!

Really? I need to look around more, I dug through all of those parts to see if I could find one, and didn't see it. Lol it must be in the trunk of the Camaro or something. I'm glad you said that, because it's a dealer only part, and I was about to drive two hours to get one from one of the members on here! Lol

Intake was bolted up last night, heads are torqued down, today I want to bolt the accessory bracket, PS pump, AC compressor, and idler pulley up, and hopefully get the headers back in before 6pm. I have to work 12am-10am tonight, so I'm calling it quits around 7pm to get some sleep.

[Sic96]

I have a question for you guys. . .

I have been thinking about whether or not I want to repair the broken A/C in my Formula or not. . . It worked pretty well a few years ago when I last had the car on the road, but the compressor went out right before it was parked in September 2010. I have a used A/C compressor that I could install, and I also have an A/C delete pulley. I'm contemplating whether I should dump a bunch of time into attempting to fix the A/C or just remove all of it for the weight savings. I have aftermarket gauges blocking 3 of the 5 A/C vents in the car, but would consider relocating them to the a-pillar if I could get it working again.

The car is only driven in summer, some miles in the spring and fall, and it's going to be used mostly for driving around town, to shows, and maybe to/from work once every couple of weeks in the summer. I'm just trying to look at the benefits of keeping the A/C versus removing it. I don't know what kind of power increase removing it wold give me, nor do I know if the compressor is the only thing that's wrong with it.

Opinions are appreciated.

Delete it dude. It sounds like your trying to find a reason to keep it, which means you already want to delete it anyway. You'll save weight, create a bunch of space in your engine bay, clean your engine bay up quite a bit, and probably be happier overall. I agree with tyler, keep the heat, ditch the AC. I bought a Camaro for speed and power... not A/C. just sayin

[93formulalt1]

Here's a couple of pics, first was while the heads were off, second was taken last night when we called it quits for the evening.

[93formulalt1]

DAMMIT! I knew I forgot something. . . I didn't put thread sealant on the head and intake bolts!!!

Going to pull the bolts out one at a time and add thread sealant to make sure I don't have any issues with coolant in the oil down the line. . . I feel like such an idiot. I just hope I don't ruin the head gaskets doing this. I followed the wrong torque sequence as well, I used the sequence my buddy told me to use (apparently it's proper for gen I SBC's, but the LT1 uses a different sequence.)

I really hope I don't have to pull the heads again because of my stupid mistake. . .

[mcssmostwanted]

I wouldnt reuse any gaskets but that is just me...