'97 Aurora 4.6 Installation

[lkraft92]

glad to see your back on this. cant wait to see it finished.

[Randy T.]

Thanks peoples. Thinking about it last night, I will install the coolant crossover after I get the motor and trans mounted on the frame. I hope I have enough extra bolts for this, I have a bucket of Aurora bolts, but it's running low.

[Randy T.]

I can see already there is no way my plan of making a full assembly and swapping it in will work, too many bolts and brackets that I don't have or have time to track down. The 4.0 motor will have to come out and then switch everything over bit by bit, I will probably drop it Friday night and install it over the weekend. Will be without Aurora for a couple days, been keeping the 4.0 to the floor, I love it, hopefully I can resurrect the 4.0 before this 4.6 blows, if it's not blown already.

I got the transmission attached to the motor today.



What did I do with all these sub-frame bolts and brackets? lol



Rear cam cover.

[XJSman89]

Awesome, man! 4.6 by Monday! And it's been four years in the making!

[sall]

Jul 23, 2013 20:32:07 GMT -6 Randy T. said:

hopefully I can resurrect the 4.0 before this 4.6 blows, if it's not blown already.

lol yeah that's the risk with the salvage yard motor. No history. Wish ya luck. I would have to do a complete reseal and overhaul including studs for peace of mind.

Are you going to replace the motor and trans mounts? I would highly advise to! Made huge difference in mine. They would simple out of the car except for re-loading torque axis mount. That takes some work.

[Randy T.]

Thanks!I have a double gamble, I am using a salvage yard trans, too, so I need a lot of luck, lol. I don't have much spare cash to spend on it, so I will replace the coolant crossovers and the trans side cover filter, lower filter is just a screen that can be cleaned and reinstalled, so I will clean that one and inspect the solenoidcrackers.


I got a little further on the sub-frame today, I found that box of bolts. Here is also a better pic of the rear cover, I sanded the firing order off, but left the numbers by the plug holes. There is one bracket keeping me from installing the motor on the frame, I am pretty sure I have that bracket, but I don't know where.

[XJSman89]

Definitely inspect the solenoids. Mine went bad at under 100k. Replace them if you can, the kit was under $50 for me. Totally worth doing IMO.

[Randy T.]

At least if the solenoids break later, it's a pretty easy fix. the less money I put in this the better, at least until I know the motor and trans work ok.

I got the main sump filter changed today, and installed the coolant crossover with new gaskets, getting pretty lined out for this weekends install. Sold a good pair of Michelin Hydroedges today to help pay for some expenses, those were great tires.

[renaldo0613]

Looking good Randy. The all mighty infamous transmission side cover!! Spik span clean!

[Randy T.]

Thank you! Yep, it does not look too bad.

Removed rad cover, fans, and water pump tensioner off of my Aurora, this 4.0 is very ripe for the picking, and in my mind it's already out. I would have gone further today, but I have a Dodge on the only lift I am doing ball joints on, stupid giant factory rivets are costing me some time, and we were too busy for me to even touch it today. 4.0 motor will be out tomorrow, we close at 1 so that will give me plenty of time, even if I have to finish the ball joints after we close and before I drop the motor. Hopefully we are slow enough that I can finish the ball joints before we close. That's was all confusing and pointless, should be deleted. lol Plan: engine assembly out tomorrow, new assembly back in Sunday. Wish me luck.

[XJSman89]

Good luck, Thurman! Have fun!

[Randy T.]

Thank you! I'm having a blast!

4.0 out.










I was able to leave the brakes all together, saving me a couple steps.




4.0 on the right, tomorrow I swap all accessories and install assembly back in the car.

[Randy T.]

Almost got it done, I started a little late, I have about 2 more hours work to do, so hopefully have it running by tomorrow night after work. Here is another side by side and then a before and after pic. I am using the Aurora front cover, I don't have a Cadillac cover ready yet, and I like the Aurora one, so it may stay a while. Get to finally open my new radiator tomorrow, and I am deleting the oil cooler for now, and I am also waiting on rebuilding the ac system until I know everything is going to work. I have the Madtuner PCM to install, and I installed my ported exhaust flex pipe, so if it runs, I hope it runs pretty good. ha ha

I had a little problem, a front subframe nut popped off the body, so I had to cut a hole to get access to it to reinstall it, didn't really hurt anything but my time.

[sall]

Glad you are having fun! Looks good so far. The swap itself seems easy enough. I don't know why anyone would choose not to drop the subframe.

[shelbyracing]

Looks like you're doing an excellent job man! Looks great and preventative maintenance is the most important kind.

[Randy T.]

Thanks! Yeah, they come out pretty easy, that is one of the things they did right. lol I would not want to attempt to pull one out of the top, I pulled the LX5 out of the top, but it had the heads off, I dropped the assembly to put it back together.

Motor is running, trans moves the car, but radiator is causing a holdup. This new radiator did not have the fan mounts and my ac condenser would not fit right. This radiator was also a little smaller, so I ordered a '96 radiator, they are a 1/4 thicker, and they come with the fan mounts. Waiting on that before I can start driving it, I also have to install the exhaust and install the tuned pcm. The motor sounds killer with the exhaust off, I can already hear the difference from the 4.0.

[lkraft92]

awesome randy. your on the home stretch. i cant wait to see this this at the meet.

[XJSman89]

I can't wait to drive it! ;D

[Randy T.]

Me neither, lol. Radiator will be shipped in tomorrow, will hopefully be complete tomorrow night.

I had a little time to clean up my exhaust a bit, out with the factory black tips, now they are slightly polished, but need a little more work.

[sall]

Yeah! Welcome to the club! lol




I still don't believe any Aurora left factory with black tips. They are just really dirty and they always clean up.

[Randy T.]

Sweet! I am only painting so far, I don't know if it will hold up or not using rustoleum.

In my experience, I have seen several Auroras that have the coated black tips, Auroras that I have owned. I had to grind all the paint off of these, so I know these were painted, and painted very well. This exhaust came off a '96, and I was the 3rd owner, first owner was an older couple that bought it new, second owner had it 2 months before he totaled it and sold it to me.

[renaldo0613]

Looking good Randy. Man I hope I can make the meet!! I'm excited for you too. And that black out exhaust looks good.

[XJSman89]

Jul 31, 2013 22:11:30 GMT -6 renaldo0613 said:

Looking good Randy. Man I hope I can make the meet!! I'm excited for you too. And that black out exhaust looks good.

You're going to drive all the way to Missouri down from Maryland? I think that might be some kind of record! ;D

[renaldo0613]

Aug 1, 2013 11:23:44 GMT -6 XJSman89 said:

Jul 31, 2013 22:11:30 GMT -6 renaldo0613 said:

Looking good Randy. Man I hope I can make the meet!! I'm excited for you too. And that black out exhaust looks good.

You're going to drive all the way to Missouri down from Maryland? I think that might be some kind of record! ;D

I sure will if the aurora is ready for an extensive trip like that, 15 hrs is not that bad... and i certainly wouldn't do it on my own lol.

[lkraft92]

dude, that would be freaking awesome if you could make it down. i know im planing on being there.

[Randy T.]

Jul 31, 2013 22:11:30 GMT -6 renaldo0613 said:

Looking good Randy. Man I hope I can make the meet!! I'm excited for you too. And that black out exhaust looks good.

Thank you! That would be great if you could make it.

4.6 Aurora project is almost complete, drove it for a few miles, no more gurgling sound, no more overheating on the highway. I will take it out a little farther each time to make sure everything is proper and secure and make necessary adjustments. I will be running the non-tuned standard Autobahn computer for a bit and then switch to the Madtuner tuned computer to compare the differences. Runs good so far, lot's of torque steer and it spins the tires easier, trying to take it easy until I get comfortable with how everything is working. Transmission shifts a little too smooth for my liking, I hope the tuned computer will take care of that. I still have to adjust the neutral safety switch, and I am thinking about deleting a coolant quick connect behind the coolant crossover, it was leaking, now it's not.

[tigger]

Aug 1, 2013 22:07:11 GMT -6 Randy T. said:

Runs good so far, lot's of torque steer and it spins the tires easier...

;D. Love that you kept the 4.0 cam cover up front, very incognito.

[sall]

Looks the same is it should!

Renaldo can swing through and pick me up haha.

[renaldo0613]

Aug 2, 2013 7:24:49 GMT -6 sall said:

Looks the same is it should!

Renaldo can swing through and pick me up haha.

Haha how bout that. It is on the way lol.

[Randy T.]

Aug 1, 2013 22:20:33 GMT -6 tigger said:

;D. Love that you kept the 4.0 cam cover up front, very incognito.

Thank you!


I had a couple codes, but it was a bad O2 sensor, changed it out with my original and it's back to my normal P0420 code, which the tuned computer will do away with that. I also installed a different oil pressure sensor and my gauge is finally working now, I don't need a gauge to tell me if an engine is getting oil, but it's nice to see the oil pressure reading.