2011 GT vert rebuild

Sky Render

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Do you know how happy you probably made that kid? He got to sit in a sports car, push the pedals, AND he got ten dollars.
 

LikeabossTM

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Do you know how happy you probably made that kid? He got to sit in a sports car, push the pedals, AND he got ten dollars.
Yea, and I don't mind paying for a job well done when I'm saving so much doing most of it myself anyway.

He looked kind of like this afterward (tho without the gloves).

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Installed the front bumper cover yesterday. Pretty mundane stuff.

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Also picked the U6 touch up from the dealer and ordered a valve cover gasket and VCT solenoid. There's an odd whirring noise (almost like a PD blower whine) that seems to be originating underneath the right-side VCT solenoids. Hopefully nothing too serious.

I don't know if it's the solenoid, but the PCM had squashed and bent the top of it over in the crash, so I may as well replace it for the 30 bux it cost, to rule it out.
 

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Buttoned up the front inner fender plastic splash shields this evening. On the back half the lower pins were assembled through rocker guard, fender, then splash shield. This didn't sit right with me as the lower part of the splash shield fluttered around and I very much disliked the potential for random noise. So I rearranged it to pin through rocker guard, splash shield, then fender. This is a much more rigid arrangement.

With that done and the brakes bled I have no reason to leave the front wheels off. On they go again, for the last time as part of the rebuild.
 

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Picked up the parts order this afternoon. The crunched VCT on the right, new one on the left going in.

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There's nothing visibly wrong otherwise in the valvetrain.

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I guess if it's still whiny I'll start pulling accessory belts to see if that gets rid of the noise. I ordered a new AC belt in case it gets to that, as the old one should be cut off rather than simply unbolting the compressor with the belt tension still trying to twist the compressor out of the block.

On a semi-related note, had them order a new oil cap too (that got cracked by the PCM as well). They ordered, unfortunately, the cap for a boss. I'd keep it and move up to 50 weight for the higher temp capability, but the pressure would be significantly higher. I'm worried that'll mess up the VVT pressures, so I'll just have them order the correct cap and stick with the 20 weight.

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New VCT is installed, engine components and covers are all back on, strut tower brace is torqued down. That does it for engine bay rebuild.

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The whine is still there, so after the exhaust is complete I'll take another listen with the belts off (will be easier to hear with it all back together).

I also have decided to go with swapping over the 2014 interior/rear body harness. Otherwise I have to deloom, and/or cut and splice in the mirror, overhead console, and shifter wiring, as well as splice some trunk wiring back together that they cut in the 2011. This will also put the extra wiring into place for the backup sensors and puddle lamps, should I retrofit that stuff in.

Pulling the 2014 wiring was pretty easy, it's just a bit of a pain to have to remove the dash and all of the rear trim again. Oh well, live and learn.

Here's the 2014 harness ready to go.

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Sky Render

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The '50 weight will not interfere with VCT operation.

"Track Pack" Coyote motors had 5W-50 filled from the factory, the BOSS oil cap, and no other adjustments to the motor.

I routinely run 5W-30 instead of '20 and have zero issues.
 

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That looks scary ....
Not really, but it gets better...

...the body harness connectors were all the same across years, except for one. In the 2011 there's an 18 (used) pin that sits up behind the dash cluster area that joins to the engine bay/fuse box harness - well, in addition to the aforementioned mirror/overhead/shifter differences. In later builds (presumably 13/14) this connector is replaced with two separate connectors that live down in the left footwell, so I have a mismatch.

This means I get to swap out the engine bay harness/fuse box too! Yippee. I could just cut and splice the 2014 connectors (already confirmed pins are all replicated equally other than the second 2011 amp, which I don't need - 2014 combined them into one), but I don't want to ruin the 2014 harness until I'm sure I don't need it. If I want to go with the HIDs (along with anything else I'm not thinking of) eventually, then I'd rather it was unmolested.

So current plan is to swap in the 2014 body harness AND bay harness, HIDs, and probably the SJB as well. Then test and see if everything works. I figure I'll have to tell the PCM that it's got a new SJB, and probably eventually flash the PCM to 2014 strategy.

If that doesn't work out, then I'll put all the 2011 wiring back in and just hack the outstanding necessities together.

What a timeframe setback! The pursuit of stock-ish wiring perfection plagues me.

2011 C263
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Was replaced with

2014 C264 & C265
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LikeabossTM

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Well, front body/bay harness and fuse box is in, everything reconnected other than the lights and exterior temperature sensor (have to hack that in from the 2011, the 2014 sensor got ripped off in the crash).

Interior/rear body harness is routed and mostly connected too. Just need to connect the trunk bits.

I left the 2011 SJB in for now to see how it goes. I can swap the 2014 in afterward, hopefully nothing shorts/melts from mismatch. If no issues I'll tackle that along with the ABS module after I test run it.

Beer break before I lay the dash/column back in and do that though.
 

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Dash and column are in and it started up fine. Basic wiring looks great, and I've swapped in the 2014 SJB and it's happy with that so far too, still starts and runs.

I've noticed the 2011 side crash sensors and wiring are inside of the rockers, whereas they are in the upper half of the doors in the 2014. I guess tomorrow I'll swap around the door bits on the passenger side (2011 good) and swap over the whole 2014 driver door (2011 dented).

I have a variety of CMDTCs, but nothing serious. No taillights, trunk switch, door wiring, RCM fuse, and seats makes for a long list of 'open circuit' warnings. Eheh
 

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Swapped the driver door (good 2014), and the passenger door (crunched 2014) wiring. I had to dremel the crash sensor mount holes into the passenger door as they weren't already formed in the 2011 doors.

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A bit of a setback today. The 2011 RCM test complains about it being the wrong part as well as not recognizing the door crash sensors. The 2014 RCM is okay with the sensors but is crash locked.

I tried programming the 2011 with 2014 as a replacement, but no luck.

So I guess I'm finding somebody to reset the 2014 module for me or shelling out four hundred bux for a new one.

Blech.
 

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Back on the car this week. Darn I dislike the rear subframe on the convertibles. Have to raise the rear and drop the diff to snake the mid-pipes over the axles on the 2011... which means dropping the subframes on this one too. Ugh.
 

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Mid-pipes are on, tho had to swap winter wheels in for the MIL today, which means the vert got a taste of freedom to make room in the garage.

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I suppose a quick update wouldn't hurt...

...between hunting season and getting a variety of things around the other vehicles and house prepped for winter, I've been mostly in a holding pattern waiting on a few items to come together.

SRS module unlock - the guy who's doing it didn't have the equipment on hand for my module. He was still willing to do it but had to order a device from overseas. It's arrived and he's hoping to have it done this week.

Rear bumper/frame pull - trying to find equipment to do it myself. Either need an L bar setup (like a versa puller) or install plates/pots in my garage floor to chain to and use a porta power unit. Still watching the classifieds for the L bar before i start drilling holes. May pop up to the local autobody place to get an estimate, just in case it's cheaper then i think it will be to have a pro do it.

Windshield - the easiest/cheapest place for me to get a factory-like seal from was rockauto. But they're out of stock! If anybody knows of an equivalent or alternative to the Fairchild F4079 seal at around $50, I'd appreciate a pointer. The factory replacement is over $200.

That's where I'm at. Once those are sorted I'm off to get a safety inspection and put it on the road, leaving paint or wrap for spring.
 

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Have a variety of updates, most good news. Let's start with recapping where we last left off...

... after receiving his overseas delivery, my SRS guy was able to unlock the crash lock no problem. He did jack the price up from $80 to $100, seeing as how he had to lay out some cash that he may not recover all of if he doesn't get any more requests that require that equipment. But I'm okay with that and we discussed it up front.

I have a friend who does industrial electrical work. He was able to get me concrete floor shots cheap (bulk) and borrow some of the plates they use to anchor wire pulls. I have another friend who races mod lights who had a porta power kit that he lent to me. Couple that with some chains and my engine hoist and I was off to the races with the frame tweak, bumper/mounts pull, and trunk pan work.
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After maybe eight hours of pushing and pulling (keep in mind that for each operation I have to reposition the car, because my anchor points are fixed) I got everything very close. Not concourse level close, but daily driver close. Tacked a few spots, filled the pan pull holes i drilled, re-filled the rest with seam sealer (ie pan to back panel, as done at the factory), and fitted the 2014 bumper and bumper cover. Success.

Rock Auto also came through with a windshield seal, so after receiving that and the sealant, the windshield went in no problem. Hint, if you want to use a standard caulking gun in cold weather, lay the tubes of sealant on a heater or in a pan of hot water before you start. Remember to cut the tube nozzle with a large V shape that is as tall as the pinch weld is deep and run fast clean beads at 90° angle.
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As an aside for anyone who may be looking for more how-to type information, after all the metal-work was done I cleaned up all bare metal with a flapper wheel and then sprayed some etching primer, following up with a couple of layers of top-coat. It's all hidden or undercarriage, so no clear-coat applied.

You'll also note that the 2014 taillights are installed. That was plug n play and they mounted right up cleanly after the pan/back panel was pulled back into position.
 

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