01-02-12 UPDATE 85 X-11 w/ 3800 Series II S/C (L67)

[dangrus4060]

I'm finally underway with my L67 swap!!

I'm finally getting my L67 swap in my White 85 X-11. Here is the link of the original post about the X cars. I have since sold the 83 Phoenix SJ to a friend in the ChevyCitationsForever Club

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =10&t=6801

Remember, the engine and tranny came from my wrecked 98 SSEi and I'm putting the entire electrical harness from the Bonnie into the X-11 so that all the electronics and OBDII systems will remain functional. (and possible future upgrade to ABS brake system.) That is why I've gutted the interior...I also have to steering column and dash out but dont have pics downloaded yet.

Here's what I posted on the Citation Club this morning:



OK, I've ran into the first snag....

The mount bolts do not line up exactly...close, but off a bit.

The entire engine assembly is about 3/4" off center...towards the pass. side if
I line up with the front engine mount...and the 3/4" off towards the driver side
if I line up with the front tranny mount.

http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x76/ ... ?start=all


Todays' update pics start at 010 (Sorry didnt take more of the front end
disassembly)...just need to disconnect exhaust, & fuel lines and axles from hubs
and drop it out.

All this rain and heat and humidity is taking its toll on me...not as young as I
used to be...LOL

The rear tranny mount does not conform to the rear cradle support at all...it is
shaped to fit the 'H' body cradle, so I will have to use the rear tranny mount
from the one still on the 4T440 tranny in the 85...

So, I will have to make slots in the front engine bracket to move the holes in
the front mount outwards, and drill new holes in the cradle for the front and
rear tranny mounts. Then the engine will be centered and the equally length
axles will fit perfectly. (already did a test fit with a spare knuckle & hub
assembly...and test fit the exhaust downpipe and it will be centered in the
tunnel!)

Well, first I need to see if the grass is dry enough to mow today...
I last mowed 2 weeks ago (becaue of all the rain, my grass was way too
tall...took 4 1/2 hours in 1st gear on the riding mower and emptied the dual
grass bags 10 times!!!! all for a .66 acre lot...previous record for bags was 6
times...sheesh!!! and the yard looked like CRAP!!! from all the clumps and wet
grass.

OK, check out the pics, and I'm off to the garage...

Terry


Comments welcome!

[J Wikoff]

Hmm, can you fix the photobucket link?

[dangrus4060]

Sorry about that!!!


Link is fixed!

Thanks

Terry

[Sadden]

Dash is pretty cool

[Mopar Man]

Neat project...I like the X-11, neat little car. One of my neighbors has a 4-door Phoenix, they won't sell it for anything!

[dangrus4060]

New updated pics...

todays pics start at 023.


http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x76/ ... ne%20swap/

now that the engine is mounted, i finally got my axles worked out....hope to have them installed by the next weekend so I can do a trial fit so see what any fitment issues I may have with the other components.

Terry

[Jrs3800]

Looking at your Pics, I have to say that looks exactly like my A Body Cradle( U vans from 90-96 were adapted from the A Body )

[Bonneville92V688]

Looking at your Pics, I have to say that looks exactly like my A Body Cradle

They are... the X-body used the A-body cradle...errr well technically the A-body used the X-body cradle.

[dangrus4060]

Looking at your Pics, I have to say that looks exactly like my A Body Cradle

They are... the X-body used the A-body cradle...errr well technically the A-body used the X-body cradle.

You are correct...the 'X' body was the first to use this design for a cradle when it came out in '79...they made some modifications (reinforcements and upgrades) for the '82 model year to accomodate small changes for the 'A' bodies and eventually for the 'U' body vans.

This cradle came out of a '91 or '92 Old Ciera. I chose this one specifically because it had the control arm mounting reinforcements and the PS cooling pipes. I just simply added the rear steering rack braces (from a U-body van) to make it exactly the same as the X-11 cradle from the factory. The X-11 was the only 'X' model to come with the braces from the factory. Eventualy they were available for some FE2 and FE3 equipped 'A's and then I believe all "U' vans got them. Not 100% sure on that but I believe that is what I have read.
I will be getting a set of 'U' body HD axles this weekend from my local U-pull-it so I can finish building my axles. I have to use the inner CV hubs that came with my tranny as they are specific for the 4T65E-HD only. I only need the shafts from the axle assemblies from the 'U' van and I will finish them off with the outer CV hubs for the 30mm knuckles on my X. I am retaining my 5x100 mm bolt pattern X-11 mags and stock JA1 brakes for now. I do hope to upgrade to ABS with JA2 brakes from a '96 Buick Century or Olds Ciera (a direct bolt in) and somehow find a set of 5x115mm Eurosport mags that look just like the X-11 mags. That will be when I have some spare $$$ to spend.

Thanks for the comments...I hope to be able to add some more pics after this coming weekend.
Will be trying a trial fit after getting the axles together.

Terry

[dangrus4060]

new updated pics!!!

got the motor in!!!

http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x76/ ... ?start=all

got a few clearance issues to clear up...hope nothing major involved!
but now i'm exhausted and going to bed...
check them out!

Comments!

Terry

[dangrus4060]

ok, finally figured out what to do with the rear exhaust manifold that doesnt fit. (outlet is off by about 2")
have to use a 98 or so grand prix manifold. got one from a fellow bonneville club member. and of course will require a new downpipe i have just discovered today.
so only way to install it is to remove engine/cradle assembly. so while its out...again...i decided to go ahead and install all new gaskets on the top end of the motor and the oil pan. and i will also replace ALL the bushings this time...didnt have time before trying to get ready for turkey run in daytona...


http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x76/ ... ?start=all

check them out...

Terry

[dangrus4060]

Finally some more progress!!!! great weekend weather....FINALLY!!!!

Was so disappointed that i didnt make it to Turkey Run cause of some issues with
the rear manifold and a few other things...got depressed and not much motivated
to work on it any....then winter hit with a vengence!! 6 inches of snow
starting dec 4th... then too cold all of december, 3 snow storms total...then i
got the flu Christmas eve...was sick for 2 weeks then slowly recovered....
worked on tearing apart the top half of the engine to go ahead and replace the
lower intake manifold gaskets that are know for failure on these engines...found
that they were already failing and that if i had made the trip to Daytona i
would have ruined the engine...
so maybe someone up there was looking out for me???

ok, got a 98 Grand Prix rear manifold, found out i also needed the GP tranny
dipstick tube...(bonnie tube fouled the exhaust flange) and of course a GP
downpipe... proceeded with replacing all the gaskets on top end plus valve
covers and oil pan (checked the bottom end for any play and found none....
so bearings should be ok!...oil was not milky)
(spending $$ i didnt have on all these new parts...all on credit card....had to have
...but good thing paying off with tax refund!!) new plugs and wire set
(bought new wire set for a bonnie setup forgetting i'm using the GP mount setup)
and so the new wires were the wrong length...had to go back for GP set of
wires... also had to rig up a vacuum connection under the SC snout that i
accidentally broke while tearing the motor apart...

had to burn out the control arm bushings to install all new polys!
1st bushing SHOT OUT of arm and across the yard...setting several spots on
fire!! brown winter dried grass burns quickly by the way...

got them all installed... new poly on sway bar, ball joists, tie rods (will get
all new ball joints and tie rods when i have more $$)

put the cradle all back together and repainted a bunch of it...
remounted the completed engine, reinstalled the axles and struts...

so now the engine/cradle is ready for reinstallation into the engine bay...



or so i thought...

i remembered that i had to redrill all the dogbone mount holes on the radiator
support BEFORE i put the motor back in...had to have room for the drill...plus
making access holes on the front side of the rad support to install the nuts
inside for the bolts...

well i was so tired after working 2.5 days on everything (took friday off since
it was to be 73 degrees!!!) so sunday afternoon i decided to call it quits...put
everything back in the garage, get cleaned up and go out to eat... will start
again next weekend.

well today while i was looking at the engine pic on my work computer's
desktop...i realized i didnt need to redrill all the holes and crap on the rad
support....

i could just add a 3/4" spacer between the driver side dogbone mount and the
head plus longer bolts and take the pass side DB mount (the heavy cast steel mount
from the GP) cut the top part off, move it over, add a 3/4" spacer to it and reweld it
back together... making it easy to use the original holes in the rad support...MUCH less
work than all the redrilling and leaving a lot of empty holes in the rad support...
and will have to trim some more plastic off the engine cover for the stretched
pass. DB bracket...dremel is good for that.

ok off to bed...here is the link and the new pics start at 172
check them out...not a whole lot of pics...but you get the idea...




http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x76/ ... ?start=all

[Ghosthawk]

This is gonna be an awesome ride when you get done. Its great to see some of the old performance models revived like this. I always had a soft spot for the Beretta GTZ.

[yourgrandma]

I have wet dreams about an l67 mr in a chevette. Although a turbo ecotec in the back seat would leave more room for the requisite rollcage.

Good work, that thing should be pretty fun.

[dangrus4060]

This is gonna be an awesome ride when you get done. Its great to see some of the old performance models revived like this. I always had a soft spot for the Beretta GTZ.

I had an 89 Beretta GT LOVED IT!!! ran it for 359,000 miles, till everything started to fall apart....wanted to spend the $$ on the X cars instead. In fact the 2.8 w/5-speed has been rebuilt and will be going into the black X11.
The cylinder walls still had the factory honing marks when I took the heads off...

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =10&t=6801

[dangrus4060]

Had great weather all this weekend, so got major work done on the swap!

L67 is back in and permanantly!!! ...I hope! and she's setting on all 4's...temporarily. Will put on new brake hoses (all 4 wheels) and new rotors and pads when all is done...


Battery, cooland bottle, washer bottle, heater hoses, throttle cruise & shifter cables, all installed.
Test fitted the A/C lines...all fit!! just need to flush and clean them now...then install new accumulator and orifice tube..


Still have radiator and A/C condenser to install...then finish with the front end (lights, grill, valance, etc)
42 new pics...link:

http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x76/ ... ?start=all


Or starts on page 13 with pic 194.

Preview!



Tired, going to bed...up in 4 hours....ugh!

Terry

[gonzo4191]

nice intake.

is this car stock?

[Bonneville92V688]

Very nice.... I'd love to yank the Duke out of the Ciera and drop in a Series I L67. Trust me, a stock 205hp 92/93 S1 in a 2600lb Ciera would be enough for me. The Ciera needs a nice 107hp gain.

[l67se]

WOW!!! Just looked over this thread. Tremendous amount of work. Kudos for
taking on such a project!

[dangrus4060]

nice intake.

is this car stock?

that K&N filter is just a temporary one to see how it will look finished. this was on the 2.8MPFI motor. snorkle on the SC motor is much bigger...will need to get a new one....

the car was 100% stock when i bought it in 2002...
here is link to pics i posted long ago...

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =10&t=6801