New motor

[06 H3]

Thanks mr.rich I will be extra careful.

Yes the trans rebuild was 590 in labor 1k in parts

 

[06 H3]

I will say I think if I brought a rebuild kit It would have been cheaper, beast sun shell was 70 where I think I could have bought it for 50 so parts could have been cheaper but 590 in labor doesn't seem bad at all but it was a bench job

 

[4speedfunk]

16 days till Moab?

Not a snowball's chance in hell. Not to be negative but...I predict a couple months of cussing, starter cranking, experimentation, CEL's galore, and numerous yet undiscovered nightmares. Sorry.

On the other hand...if you are driving this anytime on in April, I'll be impressed. Godspeed.

 

[cbetts]

Not a snowball's chance in hell. Not to be negative but...I predict a couple months of cussing, starter cranking, experimentation, CEL's galore, and numerous yet undiscovered nightmares. Sorry.

On the other hand...if you are driving this anytime on in April, I'll be impressed. Godspeed.

Never underestimate the will and ambition of Chris! We have seen him pull off miracles in the past.

 

[3Hummers]

I'm betting on Chris.

 

[06 H3]

Thanks Craig and Dave! I appreciate it.

If it isn't ready I'm going to fight to the last second trying.

 

[Neo]

never underestimate the power of the Grease Gun...:thumbs:

 

[Mr_Rich]

Not a snowball's chance in hell. Not to be negative but...I predict a couple months of cussing, starter cranking, experimentation, CEL's galore, and numerous yet undiscovered nightmares. Sorry.

On the other hand...if you are driving this anytime on in April, I'll be impressed. Godspeed.

I've been thinking this all along, but I wasn't ready to express that opinion. I'd love to do a swap like this although I still have my classic Firebird waiting in my garage to start on one day. I rebuilt my DD K1500 and my newer Firebird in the last couple of years so it's still possible. The least we can do is encourage his dedication to this Alpha project.

 

[06 H3]

Thank you I appreciate that. People can express whatever they want. I don't have soft skin. At the end of the day even if I fail I had the balls to do this. The first one to DIY swap a v8 from a 5cyl on an h3. Actions speak louder then words on this forum or any forum for that matter.

 

[CaseyS]

I was happy to make it to the cul-de-sac and back on my first few road tests. That said, I am still working through some debugging.

There will be debugging and troubleshooting once its all back together. Just up to you at what point you deem it road worthy to a) make a road trip, b) wheel the snot out of it.

Keep the pics coming.

 

[Zach]

Thank you I appreciate that. People can express whatever they want. I don't have soft skin. At the end of the day even if I fail I had the balls to do this. The first one to DIY swap a v8 from a 5cyl on an h3. Actions speak louder then words on this forum or any forum for that matter.

Oh my have you grown since our first trip out. Very soft skin then. I'm proud of you and admire what you have done. You will get this done.

 

[scoreh3]

Chris just remember anyone who says they never made a mistake or that they can do everything riight on the first try is a liar ( or maybe they are God ) . You are doing a great job and keep up you pioneering work .

 

[06 H3]

Tonight was frustrating as hell. I am contemplating bringing squeaky home.

I have the transmission in but I wasted about 7 hours at my buddy's 7 hours of helping him with crap that came in after squeaky. Squeaky should be a priority now but isn't. I have done 95% of the work and I agreed to pay him for the help. All that has been done is helping me with lifting heavy things. I can grab anyone to do that. Someone who doesn't know a damn thing...

So I think I may speak with him and bring it home. I would be much further along if I had it at home. This is not what I had intended...I was expecting work to be done when I was gone due to all the work and school. I was concerned about lack of knowledge but I've done most of it myself anyways...I'm frustrated. I

 

[ABNTROOP]

Tonight was frustrating as hell. I am contemplating bringing squeaky home.

I have the transmission in but I wasted about 7 hours at my buddy's 7 hours of helping him with crap that came in after squeaky. Squeaky should be a priority now but isn't. I have done 95% of the work and I agreed to pay him for the help. All that has been done is helping me with lifting heavy things. I can grab anyone to do that. Someone who doesn't know a damn thing...

So I think I may speak with him and bring it home. I would be much further along if I had it at home. This is not what I had intended...I was expecting work to be done when I was gone due to all the work and school. I was concerned about lack of knowledge but I've done most of it myself anyways...I'm frustrated. I

that sucks :/ sorry bud

 

[scoreh3]

That truly sucks , I wish I could help you . I not much good rite now with only one good arm .

 

[4speedfunk]

Damn. It's bad enough that you had jump without a net...tossed into a huge project like this. The buddy deal is not always what it seems, and I've lost a couple buddies thru similar transactions. Do what you gotta do to get it finished.

Setbacks suck but that's part of it. If it were easy...everybody would be doing it. Hang in there.

 

[06 H3]

It's complete bull**** with what he's doing. my parents pushed me this route due to the fact that I'm finishing up my senior year in college (full time) and working 30+ hours a week. I told him I would pay him for his time and right off the bat I gave him 300 bucks of my hard earned money and would pay him more along the way. Deal was get the stuff done before me and I become a priority but it has not been worked on once unless I'm there working on it the 300 bucks seem like a storage unit fee and he won't get another dollar unless things change. My parents and I talked and seeked advice from them. This has gone on since day 1 and they said be patient till his previous work is gone. Well new work is here...now they understand. I've kept quiet on this matter here because who knows if he's following the thread but now I don't give a ****. This is the hold up and problem not the engine swap itself. I've talked to Jamie the wiring guy and he said people have got this done in a month and I work at it non stop and figured it would be ready for moab WITH time to drive it before and work on issues to get it driving. I get there are bugs to be worked out and I'm still doing that with the sas. I want it to be near perfect but getting things drivable is the first priority then work it and fine tune.

Squeaky must come home at this point and I would be much further along if it was at home vs driving 30-40 min one way to work on it.

Lastly current performance motor mounts suck dick. They don't line up well...nothing current about them how about too ****in late performance or never showed up performance

Squeaky will be done I won't give up it just sucks the motor swap isn't the hardest part in this project.

 

[3Hummers]

Chris I have been gone since the weekend you didn't work on the truck. As soon as my schedule settles down I will let you know. Any work I do is buddy work, no charge. Sorry the other guy is screwing you over. First he is a buddy, second he has been paid. It would never even occur to me to charge a friend for help. Hell I wouldn't even think about charging a stranger. This guy owes you an apology and $300.00 bucks back.

 

[Neo]

hang in there Shorty, don't let the crap get to you man. it'll all workout in the end. We've watched you do a lot of complicated mods for a punk azz kid from Canyon Country :wink: stuff i'd never try to pull off that's for sure. just roll with the punches and keep on going. Remember you swing a bad ass grease gun and we all got your back :horns:

 

[06 H3]

I appreciate that Dave! I've spent many of hours in the driveway building other rigs free of charge and same with buddies helping me. down deep I think he's a good guy but something is up...not too sure.

This has been a mess since the beginning. I offered to pay because I was under the impression he would be working on it a ton while I was gone. In fact he hasn't. He's barely worked on it. I got monday off work I may go down there and bring it home.

In the end I will get it done and I will have a documented DIY swap v8 for an h3.

On a lighter note last night I realized that it seems that there will be NONE firewall clearance issues without the intake manifold. It did look close in the trans tunnel so I hammered that back because I knew if I put the trans in and it hit It could be days before I would get a second set of hands to help me take it back down. So transmission tunnel hitting was done but nothing major. Just a few hits. The motor and trans don't require much clearance which is great news. For years we knew the h3 firewall was modified but no one really knew in what way. from what it seems the intake manifold will hit so you can hammered that back a tad or get a corvette manifold. Either way I will keep the one I have and clearance it. I don't have the motor/trans in its final resting place once I get the t case in I can then make sure it lines up with the stock mounts even if the motor went back some more (mounts are slotted) it still should be good from a firewall clearance deal.

 

[Kyle]

lets take her home. ill even pay to rent the trailer and for gas there and back.. i think we could have had this project way further along by now... imo..

 

[Mr_Rich]

Let's get a reality check here. You've got your truck at a friend's house who shut down his business location and is trying to survive working out of his home. You've taken advantage of his largess and gotten your money's worth. Thank him for what he's done for you and move out and move on. When I had projects like this years ago I wanted to work in my parents driveway. It was THEIR house and THEIR call what goes on there. If your parents are amenable then bring all your stuff back and set it out in their driveway. Maybe the HOA won't raise a fuss. I know someone in mine does after my stuff lays out too long. Expecting so much of your friend who's trying to survive financially might be akin to have him telling you to stop going to school until the project is done. So man up and quit acting like a kid!

 

[06 H3]

I have done plenty of projects in the driveway without issues from HOA maybe it's because I help everyone in my neighborhood and they don't mind a mess for the other things I do for them. we made an agreement, I am paying him...and whether I am or am not is none of your business so back off and I have actually helped him with MULTIPLE vehicles to where if I was not there he would have had to hire help which he frequently does when he needs it so you don't know the full story. To boot I told him if he was busy I would bring a friend down to help me and he said no I will help you come down around 1 and we will work on your truck, yesterday I sat around for 6 hours because I couldn't lift a transmission myself. Since day 1 your comments many of your comments have come off negative. If you have nothing good to say then don't say it.

 

[abearden]

Let's get a reality check here. You've got your truck at a friend's house who shut down his business location and is trying to survive working out of his home. You've taken advantage of his largess and gotten your money's worth. Thank him for what he's done for you and move out and move on. When I had projects like this years ago I wanted to work in my parents driveway. It was THEIR house and THEIR call what goes on there. If your parents are amenable then bring all your stuff back and set it out in their driveway. Maybe the HOA won't raise a fuss. I know someone in mine does after my stuff lays out too long. Expecting so much of your friend who's trying to survive financially might be akin to have him telling you to stop going to school until the project is done. So man up and quit acting like a kid!

Did you miss the part where he paid his friend to work on it, but it never happened? Someone's taking advantage, but you gotta be blind to think it's Chris.

Having recently been through the same thing, but switching the same model motor (and lots of repairs happening concurrently), awesome job so far! Worst case scenario, the week you would have had off for Moab gets converted to a week of 10 hour wrenching days and you're off to Moab by mid-week. Hoping I can make it out there to see it.

 

[CaseyS]

If it helps any, I completed my swap without a single pair of second hands. I think I had my 14 yr old push the throttle once so I could see how much to adjust it. This is with an engine about 300# heavier than yours. And this was all on a garage floor without a lift. It can be done, just be safe doing it. The transmission can be stabbed with a transmission jack. The transfer case can be manhandled and stabbed without a jack. Part of your issue now is that you have a self imposed deadline.

I contemplated getting a shop to do some of my work, but I don't regret doing any of it myself except the transmission rebuild which I hated. When I got tired of one part, I started on another. When I got tired of that, I walked away from it for awhile. When I wasn't working on it, I could go over to it and try to figure out the next piece of the puzzle.

Being the trailblazer means you have to figure out all the details. Major AND minor. Save the Moab trip for another time and use the time and money you save to work on ironing out the details, which you will have plenty of.

I worked on mine between work, kids, social life, gf, etc. Gotta be tough doing this to what you consider your DD. I had a second car so I could afford the time.