magnethead

Posts: 5,555 interesting number

 

You'd think i've been at this a while or something :P

Swapped both front brake lines to stainless braided AN hose. No change in pedal feel, but I'll take the piece of mind. Still need to do the rear soft line.

 

It's been ridiculously hot. 103 today. Probably going to order the electronic shifter in 2 weeks depending on how money flow is. Not going to make the goal of having it done by second week of Sept at this rate, but you never know what might happen.

 

quick (not so) mental note:

42RE is 42" from mating surface to U joint (has a rather long yoke)

Driveshaft is 67" center to center.

Powerglide is 30.5" from mating surface to U joint (compressed) and 32.5" extended

New Driveshaft needs to be somewhere around 76.5" to 78.5 inches.

 

No physical update at this time.

Have been working with Richard at HiPoTek, Fred at Altronics, and Craig at Driveshaft Specialist, Inc out of San Antonio.

The whole first week of August was spent trying to find somebody that will do a 77" driveshaft - particularly one good to 5,000 RPM. Nobody will, due to critical speed issues.

I was referred to Craig by another Dakota drag racer. Our solution is to implement a Duramax center support bearing ( 1.57" center diameter; most carriers are 1.37 or smaller ) and do a two piece shaft.

Being a 2001 chassis, I do not have the factory carrier bearing that the 97-99's did. However, the crossmember is there, which HiPoTek's subframe Connector/X-brace kit uses as it's anchor.

The duramax carrier's generic number is a 6053 , however Craig uses one straight from the dealer. I picked up the generic to do some mock-up with. It should sit just inside the bolts for the factory carrier, with minimal conflict with Richard's X-brace.

I ordered the shifter from Altronics with a 3-week build time and 3 or 4 day ship time. I should have it the second week of September.

 

Shifter shipped wayyy ahead of schedule. I'm happy.

Looks like I'll be doing the trans swap over Sunday and Monday of Labor Day.

Current Album: https://goo.gl/photos/FRnJnnHHfBxTfFbK8

 

Got sent home from work for working too much, so I'm solving some of the questions about what I did 8 months ago (LOL) that i didn't previously document. Also added another album, strictly for electrical stuff...because there's just no shortage of it.

Dakota Electrical Things - https://photos.app.goo.gl/7hYYMi0Htqid4Shm2
2017 Build Progress - https://goo.gl/photos/FRnJnnHHfBxTfFbK8
2015-16 Build Progress - https://goo.gl/photos/AvdM6DBFnZ9nFaaB9

I am hoping to start the trans swap here soon. Intentions were to start this weekend since I have 3 days off, but plans changed (as they oft do). Dragster is currently apart due to a transmission case failure in/around the reverse clutch area. So now we're looking for a place to test on Sunday after getting it all back together tonight and tomorrow.

 

It is a ways off, but I am starting to outline the new fuel system now, as an amendment to what I had picked out on page 3. Our fuel sending units are 220-20 ohms, which is very proprietary.

Justin Frederick suggested this nifty little device for translating another sender: http://shop.classicinstruments.com/sn34

The available space is 32" x 24" x 12". Subtract 3" for the fuel filler on top. I have send an email to JAZ about whether or not the 2" sump is included in the listed height. Their shortest fuel sender is 8", so i cannot go to a 7.5" fuel cell as I would like.

 

Shifter module is finally installed. Was fighting an issue of a short in the reverse lights. The FSM shows that the reverse lights are floating when inactive; the FSM is wrong. The floating pin is actually grounded. Also, when the NSS fails, it hangs closed (I was able to start in all gears).

Once i unhooked the factory TRS connector, the Reverse lights and neutral safety worked as my design intended.

So electrical is better than 95% complete.

 

Shifter is wired up.