Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

[jjorgensen52]

Here it goes... truck #2 :tup: Picking it up at 10am tomorrow, they finally found the title
This morning, my buddy and I are home from school so we started modifying intake manifolds
$35 on ebay, 1999 vortec lower manifold CMPI

$35 at the local boneyard, 1993 CMPI blazer, complete

New sandblaster

Aluminum for the throttle body mount

Here comes the fun part. After about an hour with the die grinder and blaster

Throttle body plate for LT1 style body, in various stages

Tacked onto the intake for fitment

TB trial fit

Stay tuned. Tomorrow, finish mating the TB flange to the upper, cut the flange off the lower and weld it to the vortec intake, then reassemble. Going to be plug and play too... no wiring changes :tup:

 

[syclonekid43]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

looks good.

 

[bdydrpds10]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Great I can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

[vortecfiero]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

depending on the cam.. you will notice a sh!t load of more midrange with that manifold.... Ive messed with it alot in my old N/A setup. Im even considering the same idea you have... its just the injector setup im nervous about.

 

[mattw]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

What exactly are you doing here? Are you gonna modify the lower half for vortecs? And plans to ditch the CPI unit and install 6 real injectors? I thinking I remember seeing pics of someone doing this once? Do you plan to turbo this thing or will it stay N/A?

-Matt

 

[Black Knight]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

It would be cool if you did come up with a way to put the injectors in and went for a turbo. That's the idea I wanted to do a while ago, but it seemed to be way more modifications then I was ready for at the time. I just like the way that manifold looks.

http://www.syty.net/forums/showthread.php?t=38447&highlight=A2A+intake

 

[mattw]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

I think it would be cool too.. I never really did care for the looks of the sy/ty intake.. This one looks much nicer IMO...


-Matt

 

[vortecfiero]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

my old naturally asperated setup

 

[critical]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Ive got the same intake and had planned this conversion too.
You could weld up those weak injector bosses and re-machine them to accept standard injectors.
The fuelrail might be a little tight but itll work. I had thought about keeping the plenums flapper door thing in tact.
closed under normal cruise then flip open under boost.
well see

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

I'm actually taking the lower half's flange and mating it to a manifold from a vortec truck... way better runners, already the right ports and I believe they can accept real injectors. Intending to keep the CPI for now and see what it is capable of. I'm going to pull all the extra plumbing out of the upper for better airflow.
The only problem we have encounter thus far is that the TB is going to hit the tensioner as it is mounted right now. We're going to R&R that, either move the tensioner or use a different bracket (a later model fullsize one will work, just looking for a good deal). It is going to be NA for now.
More to follow shortly....

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Today's update: Well, unfortunately we ran out of argon.... so the manifold doesn't look much different. Got it pretty much welded up, going to smooth the welds down and check for holes over Thanksgiving break.
Picked the truck up this morning. Drove it a little when we got home (see vid). Also, it appears to be haunted. When you connect the battery, if you let it arc a couple times as you attach the positive cable, the truck primes and starts itself... with the keys out and the ignition locked. It dies when you touch the brake to shift it though. Until then, the key has no effect on it. Which scared the crud out of me the first time it happened :lol:
As it arrived

In the garage after a little cleaning and loading it with typhoon parts

Video of the second startup


Unfortunately, my return to school requires a halt to this project until Wednesday, November 23. Then I will finish up the manifold, and hopefully have the brackets and TB to put it on the truck for a test fit :tup:

 

[Syclone#1992]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Sounds like she's knocking pretty good....

 

[mattw]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

I'm actually taking the lower half's flange and mating it to a manifold from a vortec truck...

How much work is involved in this? How different are the two surfaces?

Also, what kind of welder are using?

Very cool project...


-Matt

 

[Turboz]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

The starting when connecting the battery is most likely a remote starter in te vehicle. The old starter would do that if the battery was disconected and reconected. Not saying that is it but worth a look.


jay

 

[Timbo]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

The starting when connecting the battery is most likely a remote starter in te vehicle. The old starter would do that if the battery was disconected and reconected. Not saying that is it but worth a look.


jay

Yep. Most remote starts will shut off if the brake pedal is pressed when the ignition isn't on too.

 

[bdydrpds10]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Purrs like a kitten!:rotf:

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

How much work is involved in this? How different are the two surfaces?

Also, what kind of welder are using?

Very cool project...


-Matt

It's a fair amount of work, but I think the end result will be worth while. They are the same length, but the old upper is about 5/8" wider on either side. I'm using a Lincoln MiG right now... small piece, this is about as much as it can handle. If only I'd gotten the tank filled on friday :doh:

 

[midnightbluS10]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

The CPI has circular holes and the 99 intake has rectangular. That doesn't look like it'll mate up very well.

and

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

The upper is basically being maintained for appearance purposes. What I'm doing could be used it the original CPI style lower, but we're going to the later style. The upper is going to be an open plenum, just like the vortec intake had originally.
Good info on the injectors in the other thread though. Does anyone know if the PCM from the late model trucks can drive our gauges?

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the saga begins (picture intense)

Today's research: I have solved my tensioner problem, and also am 90% sure about how I'm going to re route the throttle cables, etc. Now all I need is a good 52mm TB and a new bracket :lol: ... more updates to come in 2 weeks :tup: