Build The Dirt Squirrel 3.0

[DirtSquirrel]

Some decent progress over the hot weekend. Was over 100 in the shop most of the days.

Modified the pickup in the fuel cell with some hydramat from Holley.

And im glad i did too because Jaz was kind enough to leave all of these little plastic shavings in the bottom from drilling the fittings.

It uses magnets to hold it in place to the plastic cell.

Oil pan finished. I added a drain plug and cut down the pickup to fit with the shortened pan. Improved racing remote oil filter adapter installed along with a cooler block off plate and a 15/16" freeze plug for the level sensor.

One of my biggest unknowns was bolting the torque converter to the flexplate and it having the proper spacing. So i test fit it all together on the table before putting it in the buggy.

As you can see, the converter holes were just a little off. I took a carbide bit on my drill and opened them up for the bolts to fit through. I did use a spacer for the snout of the converter to the back of the crank for my TCI 700r4 converter. The flexplate is factory LV3.

New rear main seal and a pic of the spacer.

Bolted up the flexplate and installed the engine in the chassis.

Then installed the trans and atlas through the passenger side window opening. Bolted the TC to the flexplate and the drivetrain is now in for good.

I was happy to find that the inner structure bolted back in in the correct position with very little issue.

Steering and brakes are back in, along with the intermediate driveshaft.

And thats about where it sits after 20+ hours or so the last few days in the shop. Exhaust will be installed next, then i can start plumbing and wiring.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Going to ask a dumb question probably related to wiring in the starter to my RCR12.

Im using SW1 as my ignition to turn on the ecu/gauges/FP etc in my stand alone harness. SW2 will then be the starter. DO i run this thick wire to directly to the lug on the starter, or is this to be connected to the starter solenoid and then ill need to run a separate thick power wire from the battery to this lug on the starter? I know the SW2 wire they provide is a thick one, but is it enough to directly power the starter?

Im sure i will have other dumb questions on this as i wire up my buggy completely using the RCR12

 

[woody]

The main lug on the starter gets a constant hot 4ga or bigger direct to battery (or more likely, battery > master > starter). The starter solenoid gets a 14ga or something similar, since it's just a trigger wire. My rear winch main power piggybacks off that starter 4ga wire.

The only thing ALWAYS hot in my buggy is the front winch.

 

[whiterhino]

My winch and HAM radio are the only things always hot.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Started the fun task of plumbing and wiring the rig. Mounted the Switch Pros and buss bar to the firewall panel and got the power distribution laid out.

(yes, i know i missed a weld on that one tab. Its been fixed).

ECU will be under the drivers seat along with the only fuses on the buggy that came with the Howell stand alone harness. I started laying out the harness and got it all connected to the engine.

I did manage to get it started yesterday for the first time. Engine had 50+ PSI of oil pressure, so thats good. Sounds great, but didnt get to run it long due to not having the belt on the engine. I have a couple leaks to deal with. Mainly i have trans fluid coming out of the atlas to adapter flange. I even put RTV all on it when i assembled it, and it still is dripping out. I hate having leaks.

On a side note, the switch pros is awesome. Its super easy to use and setup with the app. Being able to turn on the ignition and have the switch panel also turn on 4 other outputs that dont require switches in the background is sweet. So far ive wired up the ignition, starter, front e-fan to the panel. I hate wiring and its making it a breeze. Trying to make it all neat and tidy and serviceable is whats taking so long.

I hope to figure out the belt routing and get some radiator hoses made up so i can fill the radiator and power steering system. i had my local Napa make all my lines for the system and damn, that wasnt cheap.

 

[woody]

wiring is always the worst....mine is "ok" but there are certainly things I'd change on the next one (or if I rework this one).

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Jumped around on the buggy last night after work. Installed a new 3-wire coolant temp sensor so i could use the third wire for my gauge. Sensor is from a '98 F-Body with an LS1. Last sensor to wire in is for the trans temp gauge. Ill be using the test port for the sender location on the 700r4.

i need one more hose clamp and the air intake is done. It all sits below the tube work in the event i put a hood on there.

 

[Broski]

Nice work ! Looking good

 

[Ghetto Fab]

Thats a good bit of info on the sensor! Definitely something to keep in mind. You going to make your deadline?

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Thats a good bit of info on the sensor! Definitely something to keep in mind. You going to make your deadline?

Negative. I would have left last week for Utah. Biggest hurdle now, is getting my inner shafts in from Branik. They are a week behind already.

 

[Ghetto Fab]

bummer.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

bummer.

It happens. it was a long shot anyways. Now i can take the time to tidy a few things up and get it ready for an Oklahoma trip at the end of the month.

 

[whiterhino]

I'm another hater of wiring. When I bought my buggy turn key it was wired really nice, everything in looms - looked great. UNTIL I had to service it on the fly on a night run because my radiator fan quit. I couldn't trouble shoot anything because it was buried. I literally couldn't find the relay and the seller (I had owned it a week) didn't know where it was. Ended up splicing in a new relay off the ignition switch and pulled power off the positive terminal on the alternator. When I finally found it, it was in my tunnel above the trans. Access literally takes a half hour or more.

I've changed a lot but it's still too hard to service. Accessibility is key.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Lets talk vent lines for things.
Axles: Im going to run the PSC bellows with a tiny hole in the top thats drilled and tap on the fill plug/ inspection port
Engine: both valve covers will get 3-sides and down with some vent line and tiny filters on the end
Fuel cell: 3-sides and down by going up the cage and ending below the fuel cell bottom
transmission: Has like a tiny 1/8" plastic line at the top. I plan to run a small hose over this and extend it to the rear and run it 3-sides and down with the fuel vent line
t-case: Same a transmission. the atlas has a 3/8" barb that ill extend and run up the cage and down.

radiator: to a small overflow catch can
Radial dynamics resi: to a small overflow catch can.

Am i missing anything? Overthinking it?

 

[woody]

Trans: 3-4 loops then FORWARD up passenger rail then cross to driver

T-case loop 2-3x around the output

Engine, loop 2-3x off each valve cover with inline filters close to the valve cover

Steering: sealed, fluid just to the top of the filter

Axles: bellows works

Fuel, loop as noted, keep ALL the vent line above the top of the cell


I used some 2mm tiny nylon line, worked well

 

[SteerAndStuff]

For me I cross engine valve cover breathers to other side and down with filters. Trans goes back to the bottom of a B pillar X tube used as catch can so will drain back into trans if rolled then righted. T-case is sealed bellows. Steering is to a a T with 10 psi pressure relief to maintain positive pressure on pump and a reverse check valve to not allow reservoir to go into vacuum once cool. Diffs are bellow with pin hole. Portal boxes are sealed bellows. Radiator is puke tanked into other side B pillar X tube. Fuel is high point loop then around tank then down.

 

[SteerAndStuff]

On my last buggy with a TH400 there was enough material to pull the factory plastic vent tube out and drill/tap to 1/8" NPT and use a barb adapter to vent hose. MY 700r4 has very little material around the plastic tube so I used some heat shrink on the factory tube to shim it up then some 1/4 clear braided hose on that to my chassis catch can.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Some big brakes for the front. Branik lightweight stuff.

Some lux magnetic rock lights.

Wiring is 99% done. Still need to connect the brake/tail lights and hookup the brake pressure switch. Brake lines are ran to the rear driveline brake. Im waiting on some more line to finish up the front. Once Branik send me my inner shafts i can get the axles put back together. Steering lines are installed and bled. Everything seems to work there. Waiting on one more radiator hose so i can add some coolant to the system and let the engine idle and run for a while. I hope (fangers crossed) that i fixed the leak at the atlas adapter. Had to drain all the trans fluid and pulled the atlas back 1/4" and filled the gap with some black RTV, let it cure for 6 hours, then tightened the atlas back up. Its been sitting foe 4 days and ill put fluid back in the transmission soon to see if the leak is fixed. If not, im burning it down.

 

[whiterhino]

Radiator to a catch can.
Steering is a simple vent hose that is lower than the bottom of the resi. (would be higher if rolled)
Engine is dual 3 sides and down at the front.
Trans is a long vent line that runs to the top of the engine then down at the front of the engine.
203 Doubler is a a bellow.
205 is up high at the b pillar then back down. (probably could also be bellow)
Both difs are traditional vent up high & back down with a loop.

I've had many flops and a recent roll where I was upside down for a long time. No known leaks.

RE bellows on difs, I started this way but was informed by a buddy who races 4500 that they were blowing axle shaft seals with bellows. Went to vent lines and problem solved. Noted that I'm not racing but it made sense to me so I went back to traditional vent lines. I don't want a pinhole in the bellows in case my axle is under water.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Wiring is 100% complete and fully functional. Engine starts and runs. Transmission seems to shift through all the gears. So far no new leaks from the atlas/adapter interface.

I ended up mounting the switch pros panel within arms reach behind the steering wheel . Had to move the gauges down to clear all the wiring behind the panel.

A couple of Baja Designs S2 Pros to light up the night up front.

Wrapped the remote oil filter lines with some fire line.

Fuel pump, regulator and amp under the drivers seat. Ecu/rock lights, under the passenger seat. The fuses you see are the only ones on the buggy and they came with the Howell for the LV3. Only relays are for the engine controlled fan and fuel pump. The fan is also on its own switch on the panel for an override just in case i want it on sooner.

Some small brake/running lights.

Crawl tunes speaker pods with some Kicker speakers.

Hopefully i can get my inner shafts soon so i take it for a test drive soon before next weeks trip to Rugged Mountain Ranch in oklahoma.

 

[Blitz]

Looks good Alex. I’m ready to see it in action.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Looks good Alex. I’m ready to see it in action.

Me too man. Hopefully next weekend I’ll be on the trail at RMR in Oklahoma

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Been a busy last couple of weeks in a mad dash trying to get it ready for its shakedown run at Rugged Mountain Ranch and Green Acres in Oklahoma. I had a whole ordeal with my shafts being 4 weeks late and it caused me to almost have to miss the trip, but with the help of a couple of buds, we got it done-ish.

So my 40-spline shafts came in and even though they were the correct length, the splines were not cut long enough and bottomed out in the 10" spools. They needed to be 3/4" more at least. We had to machine the shaft down with a flap disc in order for them to slide the extra distance into the third. The seal surfaces were also in the wrong spot, but with the seals-it tube seals, it didnt leak a drop on the trip out of the tubes. The Seals were RTV'd in place to hold them.

But we made them work and with a 50ft job around the yard, i loaded it up onto the crawler hauler late the night before i left. New shafts are on their way, so these will end up being spares.

After a ~7hr drive i made it to the park and unloaded. RMR is an awesome place, but the crew i was with have never been there so im sure we missed out on some of the good stuff. Im going back there in a few weeks for an event and will hit some more trails.

 

[DirtSquirrel]

We then made the 1hr drive from RMR to Green Acres in clayton. Ive been to this park 6-7 times so i kinda knew my way around. We hit all the hard stuff for the most part and had a blast.

Putting them rock lights to use for the cookout the last night.

Carnage during the trip was minimal, other than almost burning it down twice. Ill get into that below.

Things to address:
1. My alternator wire (4ga) melted my fuse holder. The alt on these LT engines are PWM controlled and i could watch it charge/not charge all week. it would get to like 13.8 volts max which charging, then not charge again until the battery voltage dropped below 11. After doing some reading, my alt should have been charging 15.5v or something like that. 13.8 is what they call limp mode. I guess the resistance in the wire melded the 150a fuse holder i had (twice). It never blew the fuse which is alarming. My plan to fix this is to install a dummy one-wire LS alternator and not use the PWM control on it. new one is on order.

2. I messed up and should have had the engine tuned before i left. It ran cool (180 degrees), but the idle and timing were so out of whack that it wasnt a fun experience. It needed 5-10% throttle just to keep it from dying and with the timing getting out of whack, the engine got physically hot. Like so hot, it melted the intake manifold ports to the heads. The o-rings are still good, but luckily it didnt melt the entire manifold as ive seen over LT Gen V stuff do. Im taking it to the tuner next week to put it on the dyno and get it worked out. Other than the low idle, it ran awesome. Plenty of power when i needed it.

3. Atlas leaking through the bolts that hold on the driveline brake. Im going to drain and re-seal those three bolts and if it doesnt work, ill convert back to standard 14" stuff for the rear at the axle. Brakes worked amazing though. Best ive ever had on a buggy.

4. PS reservoir leaking our the pressure cap. Not real sure thats happening here, but ill call Radial Dynamics and see what Eric says. Wasnt much, but enough to make a mess. I also need to add a overflow for it, as it does pressurize and pours out like a radiator cap. I ended up putting the hose i had into an empty water bottle to catch the excess.

5. I need to add more PSI to the shocks. 70/40 front and rear ended up only being like 2" of up travel which made it very stable but bumpy as shit. And id like for the belly to be a little higher. Ill add a little more and see how it works.

Other than that, the buggy felt amazing. I weighed it yesterday and it was a portly 3970lbs without any water in the front tires. Ill be adding some, just not sure how much. I am betting half the weight i have is unsprung, which help keep it stable. Not once did i feel like i was going to unload and flop. I lifted the front wheels once on a very vertical climb, which is why water should help. Weight bias is 55 front and 45 rear. Overall im happy being under 4k lbs with mud tars and heavy axles.

Next up ill be fixing all of these and getting ready for wheeling season here in Texas. I have 4-5 trips planned before the end of the year.

 

[whiterhino]

Glad your shakedown was successful. I've been to RMR and headed back there the week before Thanksgiving. It's a good time. Tacket Creek is no joke. Never been to Green Acres.

 

[woody]

Sounds like an overall successful shakedown, congrats!!

 

[Blitz]

Man that thing looks good. I need to hurry up on mine and make a clayton trip with ya.

 

[Blase]

Congrats on driving on and off the trailer for the shake down run!! Question on he brakes. I see you're running brank light weight brakes in the front.... are you only running the T-case brake on the rear axle?

 

[DirtSquirrel]

Congrats on driving on and off the trailer for the shake down run!! Question on he brakes. I see you're running brank light weight brakes in the front.... are you only running the T-case brake on the rear axle?

Yessir. No rear brakes at the axle. Just the one on the t-case. Seemed to work very well.

 

[Blase]

You've got me thinking now. I've always struggled to get a pedal I'm happy with using manual brakes. Wonder if adding a 3rd caliper to the rear output on the t-case....In addition to normal wheel brakes in the rear would help get good breaks without having to be Popeye to push them.