JLL's: The Golden Bullet

107885 Views 1202 Replies 30 Participants Last post by MP81, 12 d ago

JLL

Discussion Starter · Jan 12, 2021 (Edited)

Updated Modifications List (As of 04/17/2023):

APPEARANCE MODS:
Custom Emblem: The Golden Bullet
ANZO USA Projector Headlights
6000K HID Kit (for low beams)
5000K Osram 80W Halogen bulbs (for high beams)
ANZO USA Smoked Tailights
F1R F103 18x8.5 +38 Wheels
245/40R18 93W Goodyear Eagle Sport All-Season Tires

SUSPENSION/BRAKE MODS:
Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Springs
KONI Adjustable Sport Struts & Shocks
Camber Bolts
Whiteline 27 mm Front Stabilizer Bar
Whiteline 22 mm Rear Stabilizer Bar

ENGINE and DRIVETRAIN MODIFICATIONS:
Custom Tuned by Vermont Tuning
Motion Raceworks Dual Channel Ethanol Sensor Mount
-10 AN PTFE Fuel Line
Custom Air Intake
ZZP Intercooler Package
650cc Deatschwerks Fuel Injectors
Radium Engineering Fuel Pulse Damper
Deatschwerks 110mm Dual Filtration Fuel Filter
MSD Ignition Coil
NGK V-Power BRK7E Spark Plugs Gap ~0.025"
Custom 3" 304 Stainless Magnaflow Exhaust
Diamond Racing Forged Pistons
Custom Pauter X Beam 4340 Billet Connecting Rods
ZZP Head Studs

NEW CLINDER HEAD INCLUDING:
ZZP Stage 1 Performance Intake Camshaft
ZZP 72 Lbs Valve Springs
ZZP Titanium Valve Spring Retainers
New OEM Intake Camshaft for Exhaust Side
New Lifters
New Rocker Arms
New Valves
New Valve Stem Seals
TTR Polyurethane Front Engine Mount
TTR Polyurethane Rear Transmission Mount

Garrett G25-550 .49AR Turbocharger
Custom T25 Exhaust Manifold
RacerX Intake Manifold
ZZP 65mm Throttle Body
RacerX Fuel Rail
GFB Hybrid BOV
AEM E85 Rated High Pressure Fuel Pump
Griffin Maxcool Radiator 31" x 19" x 3"
Russell 15" Finned Tank Style Trans Cooler
GM LUJ/LUV Big 3 Wiring Kit

INTERIOR MODS:
ZZP Guage Pod Pillar
Aeroforce Interceptor Scan Guage
Autometer Sport Comp II Boost Guage.

Engine Compartment April 2023:

Car Vehicle Grille Hood Automotive lighting

Original Post:

Today I thought I would get off the fence and start a build thread. I apologize, as I have never documented any of my mods previously so, I do not have many pictures. Before I get into my my current mods, I'd like to talk a little bit about my work space. I've heard a lot of people on this forum let a lack of space or a "shop" area detour them from performing moderate/significant modifications to their vehicles. I live in the second story of a duplex home in the city. For those in a similar environment, I wanted to let you know that it can be done. My workspace a concrete pad where a garage once sat.

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JLL

Discussion Starter · #101 · Apr 17, 2021 (Edited)

UPDATE: A couple weeks ago I was browsing ZZP’s website and noticed that they offered a new ported compressor housing option for their V3 turbo. According to their website the porting adds an additional 15- 20 whp over the standard V3. Since the V3 I ordered in the fall was unused and still sealed in it's shipping box, I emailed ZZP to see if I could "exchange" it for the new ported option. Sure enough the great people at ZZP told me I could, even 7 months after I bought it.

So....I paid $45 to send it back, with $1,100 of shipping insurance. They then inspect it to keep me honest, gave me a $1,100 store credit, and I purchased the version with the ported compressor housing for $1,215 with shipping.

I guess I'll see if the additional $160 was worth it in a few weeks.

Reactions: 3

MP81

· #102 · Apr 18, 2021

More Power!

JLL

Discussion Starter · #103 · Apr 20, 2021 (Edited)

2

Update: This build seems to be getting more complex. My original intentions were to install the pistons and the rods with the engine in the car as some have done before. That is certainly possible with stock connecting rods. It dawned on me this afternoon that the LUJ is an undersquare engine, meaning the stroke is greater than the bore. So, I took some unconventional measurements of my custom rods and I think I'm MIGHT have to install them from the bottom and maybe notch the cylinder bore slightly. Which will evolve pulling the motor. I'll post some pictures to show you the difference.

Pauter X-Beam Connecting Rod:

Example of notching the cylinder bore:

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Mr_Pat

· #104 · Apr 21, 2021

Isn't there oil sprayers at the bottom of the bore ?? These rods are wider than the bore ?? Personally I;d pull the engine to do the installation work anyway that way I have access to check all my clearances.

JLL

Discussion Starter · #105 · Apr 21, 2021 (Edited)

Mr_Pat said:
Isn't there oil sprayers at the bottom of the bore ?? These rods are wider than the bore ?? Personally I;d pull the engine to do the installation work anyway that way I have access to check all my clearances.

There are oil sprayers on the bottom of the bores but they are offset from the rods. I measured the base of the rod and they are wider than the bore by about. 0.050". I don't have alot of confidence they'll go in from the top. But the may once the caps come off. The X-Beam part of the rod is wider than the stock I-beam rods. Pauter put a disclaimer in the box, that on some small bore, "long" stroke engines that the cylinder bore may need to be notched slightly to avoid interference.

Here's an image I found from a Sonic forum:

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Mr_Pat

· #106 · Apr 21, 2021

Mental note to self to watch out for this lol Never installed pistons through the bottom of a motor before myself Good luck

Edit:

Duh floating wristpin push rod up from bottom installwristpin and piston on top compress and install .... sorry my brain is slow today.

JLL

Discussion Starter · #107 · Apr 21, 2021

Mr_Pat said:
Mental note to self to watch out for this lol Never installed pistons through the bottom of a motor before myself Good luck

Edit:

Duh floating wristpin push rod up from bottom installwristpin and piston on top compress and install .... sorry my brain is slow today.

Thanks

JLL

Discussion Starter · #108 · Apr 21, 2021 (Edited)

I looked at some more pictures of the block and I think the bore might be too deep to install the rods from the bottom. I may need to have Pauter machine 0.025" off each side of the big side of the rod end and cap so they fit down the bore. I ordered a new 2.854" piston ring compressor sleeve to test fit.

JLL

Discussion Starter · #109 · Apr 22, 2021 (Edited)

UPDATE: The connecting rod issue will be solved.

I e-mailed Pauter today. They are sending me a call tag so they can fix the problem.

JLL

Discussion Starter · #110 · Apr 25, 2021 (Edited)

6

ANOTHER UPDATE: I opened up my ported V3 today. It's kind of underwhelming in appearance to be honest. The wastegate actuator is visibly larger than the stock one. It's supposed to be 2psi higher than the stock one. However I'm going to replace it with the ZZP billet wastegate actuator that I purchased last fall. I was originally going to install it on the stock turbo, but in the process of installing it I realized that the rod was too long, didn't mark it, and ended up cut too much off of the end of it. ZZP sent me a replacement rod that was much longer that the original rod, so I decided to wait to size it until I got a larger turbo.

My plan for today was to resize the Billet actuator's rod to fit the V3 but low and behold the larger rod is the correct size for the V3!

I'll take what I can get.

Here's some pictures:

ZZP shipping a box within a box:

Inside the "smaller" box:

Looks like a normal turbo/manifold:

Except for "ZZP" etched into the side and the normal hex head bolts:

Billet wastegate actuator:

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Thebigzeus

· #111 · Apr 25, 2021

It "looks" like a normal turbo because it is, just bigger insides

Can't wait for the install!

JLL

Discussion Starter · #112 · Apr 25, 2021

Thebigzeus said:
It "looks" like a normal turbo because it is, just bigger insides Can't wait for the install!

That is true, Thebigzeus. Supposedly the insides, that I cannot see, are ported too. So that should be fun!

My original intentions were for the install to be in a couple weeks, but now that my connecting rods are going back in for some re-work, it will have to be delayed. I was hoping to avoid building in the "hot" season here in northern Indiana.

Plus I may need to buy some more bolts and things IF, I end up pulling the engine to do the install. I haven't came to a conclusion about that part yet.

JLL

Discussion Starter · #113 · Apr 26, 2021 (Edited)

2ND UPDATE FOR THE DAY: After looking at my new V3 today, I began to regret selling the never used Forge Motorsports Atmospheric Bypass Valve (aka Blow-Off Valve) that I had a couple months ago. I sold it because my tuner gave me grief about it and told me it wouldn't work right. After talking to some people on here who have them and don't have issues with them, I determined that my tuner was feeding me B.S... Why? I don't know.

So tonight, I bought another one! I'm gonna make it work one way or another...

Thebigzeus

· #114 · Apr 26, 2021

JLL said:
2ND UPDATE FOR THE DAY: After looking at my new V3 today, I began to regret selling the never used Forge Motorsports Atmospheric Bypass Valve (aka Blow-Off Valve) that I had a couple months ago. I sold it because my tuner gave me grief about it and told me it wouldn't work right. After talking to some people on here who have them and don't have issues with them, I determined that my tuner was feeding me B.S... Why? I don't know.

So tonight, I bought another one! I'm gonna make it work one way or another...

They work, but create odd negative fuel trims because the air doesn’t go back into the system. Therefore the car has to adjust fuel out to match the air.

Reactions: 2

JLL

Discussion Starter · #115 · Apr 26, 2021

Thebigzeus said:
They work, but create odd negative fuel trims because the air doesn’t go back into the system. Therefore the car has to adjust fuel out to match the air.

That sounds about right. The tuner made it sound like the car would have driveability issues all the time. I have a hard time seeing that, as the adaptive system can handle +/- 25% fuel trims once they have been learned.

I guess we'll find out.

What I might do, is leave the stock bypass valve on until he gets the tuning dialed in for the new setup and then put the BOV on.

Are your still running yours, Thebigzeus? I remember you saying you removed one of you Forge parts but I couldn't remember which one it was.

Thebigzeus

· #116 · Apr 26, 2021

Yes I am.

SlyCruze

· #117 · Apr 26, 2021

I have the Forge BOV on my V3 turbo. I had to file one site of it to make it fit. the tube on the intake portion of the turbo is bigger than the stock one. and I've never had an issue with my Atmospheric BOV.

JLL

Discussion Starter · #118 · Apr 26, 2021

SlyCruze said:
I have the Forge BOV on my V3 turbo. I had to file one site of it to make it fit. the tube on the intake portion of the turbo is bigger than the stock one. and I've never had an issue with my Atmospheric BOV.

I noticed it looked like ZZP had filed part of the intake tube around the bypass valve..... I thought that was kinda odd.

Thanks for the heads up.

Blasirl

· #119 · Apr 26, 2021

JLL said:
Here's some pictures:

ZZP shipping a box within a box:

Inside the "smaller" box:

Nice Box!

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JLL

Discussion Starter · #120 · Apr 26, 2021

Blasirl said:
View attachment 291766

Nice Box!

Sexy right?

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