JBones's Silver Bullet B6 S4

B6/7 S4/RS4
#761

slow4, Yes it is a lot easier this time around. I can’t wait to fire it up too.

justincredible, Thanks. Yeah, most people that I try to explain all this to are lost after the first sentence so I can only imagine.

badger, Those are some nice trays especially since you can adjust them for different sized bolts. I have seen people use plastic baggies, ice cube trays, and all sorts of things to stay organized. I like magnet trays for loose bolts and nuts if I can’t screw the fasteners back into whatever they came out of.

BCsniper, Your getting there. What wrap did you use?

Over a few days I have done some more work on my S4.

Got the center differential, selector shaft, detents, and the reverse light switch cover of the transmission all reinstalled.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0498_zpsw7k80bnp.jpg

Put the components that go inside the bell housing back in.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0497_zpszc2difmi.jpg

Installed a new rear main seal and then reinstalled the JHM lightweight flywheel and 5R clutch that I have been running for a while.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0495_zpsyvw7r1lq.jpg

Then I installed some JHM secondary air injection combination valve block off plates. They are the little black pieces. The secondary air injection system is coded out on my car since the pump had to go to make room for the supercharger. I wanted to remove the valves so that the engine is a little easier to work on for certain things. It also helps that the emissions inspector up the street from my house doesn’t even know what a secondary air injection system is, much less what the components look like.
Driver’s side:


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0494_zps53cprq5g.jpg

Passenger’s side:


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0493_zpsb6l0ouyc.jpg

Then I reinstalled a lot of stuff with new gaskets and seals like the intake manifold with tapered intake spacers, the rear coolant pipe, oil filter housing, PCV valve and hoses, the valve covers with a fresh paint job, transmission, and the starter. Also replaced a bunch of sensors like the oil pressure, engine coolant temperature, both camshaft position sensors, and the crank position sensor.

Front view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0499_zps7nc1zpl1.jpg

Driver’s side view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0500_zpsgi1xazpu.jpg

Rear of the engine view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0501_zps4fu0odyb.jpg

Passenger’s side view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0502_zpsoeteagi8.jpg

In addition to the rest of the engine work I got the version 2 JHM headers. This is a comparison picture of the version 1 JHM long tube headers that I had and the new version 2 JHM mid-length headers. The new headers have shorter primary pipes that are slightly bigger in outside diameter. Both sets of headers are ceramic coated on the outside and inside, the version 1s are coated with Eastwood Company ceramic coating and the version 2s are coated with Jet-Hot extreme 2000 degree coating.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0511_zpsb8mrggeh.jpg

Not only are the version 2 headers ceramic coated but I am also wrapping them with Heat Shield Products Inferno header wrap. I am doing this for maximum heat retention inside the pipes to keep the heat out of the engine compartment that doesn’t have much air flow to begin with. It took forever to wrap the headers but I think that they look pretty good.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0515_zpsx7bbrrkx.jpg

Then I moved onto wrapping the mid-pipes for the version 2 headers. I ran out of header wrap after wrapping the one mid-pipe and then a little bit of the second mid-pipe. That is 200 feet of header wrap (100 feet of 1 inch wide and 100 feet of 2 inch wide) between the headers and the mid-pipes and a shit ton of stainless steel cable ties or thermal ties.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0514_zpsx9tqkd0f.jpg

#762

Great work man and another epic update to follow.

#763

slow4, Yes it is a lot easier this time around. I can’t wait to fire it up too.

justincredible, Thanks. Yeah, most people that I try to explain all this to are lost after the first sentence so I can only imagine.

badger, Those are some nice trays especially since you can adjust them for different sized bolts. I have seen people use plastic baggies, ice cube trays, and all sorts of things to stay organized. I like magnet trays for loose bolts and nuts if I can’t screw the fasteners back into whatever they came out of.

BCsniper, Your getting there. What wrap did you use?

Over a few days I have done some more work on my S4.

Got the center differential, selector shaft, detents, and the reverse light switch cover of the transmission all reinstalled.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0498_zpsw7k80bnp.jpg

Put the components that go inside the bell housing back in.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0497_zpszc2difmi.jpg

Installed a new rear main seal and then reinstalled the JHM lightweight flywheel and 5R clutch that I have been running for a while.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0495_zpsyvw7r1lq.jpg

Then I installed some JHM secondary air injection combination valve block off plates. They are the little black pieces. The secondary air injection system is coded out on my car since the pump had to go to make room for the supercharger. I wanted to remove the valves so that the engine is a little easier to work on for certain things. It also helps that the emissions inspector up the street from my house doesn’t even know what a secondary air injection system is, much less what the components look like.
Driver’s side:


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0494_zps53cprq5g.jpg

Passenger’s side:


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0493_zpsb6l0ouyc.jpg

Then I reinstalled a lot of stuff with new gaskets and seals like the intake manifold with tapered intake spacers, the rear coolant pipe, oil filter housing, PCV valve and hoses, the valve covers with a fresh paint job, transmission, and the starter. Also replaced a bunch of sensors like the oil pressure, engine coolant temperature, both camshaft position sensors, and the crank position sensor.

Front view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0499_zps7nc1zpl1.jpg

Driver’s side view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0500_zpsgi1xazpu.jpg

Rear of the engine view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0501_zps4fu0odyb.jpg

Passenger’s side view:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0502_zpsoeteagi8.jpg

In addition to the rest of the engine work I got the version 2 JHM headers. This is a comparison picture of the version 1 JHM long tube headers that I had and the new version 2 JHM mid-length headers. The new headers have shorter primary pipes that are slightly bigger in outside diameter. Both sets of headers are ceramic coated on the outside and inside, the version 1s are coated with Eastwood Company ceramic coating and the version 2s are coated with Jet-Hot extreme 2000 degree coating.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0511_zpsb8mrggeh.jpg

Not only are the version 2 headers ceramic coated but I am also wrapping them with Heat Shield Products Inferno header wrap. I am doing this for maximum heat retention inside the pipes to keep the heat out of the engine compartment that doesn’t have much air flow to begin with. It took forever to wrap the headers but I think that they look pretty good.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0515_zpsx7bbrrkx.jpg

Then I moved onto wrapping the mid-pipes for the version 2 headers. I ran out of header wrap after wrapping the one mid-pipe and then a little bit of the second mid-pipe. That is 200 feet of header wrap (100 feet of 1 inch wide and 100 feet of 2 inch wide) between the headers and the mid-pipes and a shit ton of stainless steel cable ties or thermal ties.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0514_zpsx9tqkd0f.jpg

#764

Great work man and another epic update to follow.

#765

Nice hammer!!

#766

Nice hammer!!

#767

Thanks guys. That hammer is one of the first tools that I ever purchased and it has been one of my most commonly used tools.

Today I got the headers bolted up to the engine. Once the driver’s side was bolted up I then installed another layer of heat insulation called header armor. The header armor is a 1/2" thick layer of heat insulation that is overkill at this point but I really want the engine compartment temperature to be lower than before.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0531_zpsjae9qi24.jpg

There is room under the main portion of the headers on the side of the engine for air flow. Then I covered the portion of the headers that is past the back of the engine all the way around, except for the small opening for the front oxygen sensor and I cut it a little short of the V-band so that I have room to connect the mid-pipe.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0533_zpsvg7gaitc.jpg

Also did some work on the front subframe. A long time ago I installed the 034 Motorsport solid billet subframe bushings but the lower rear bushings were loose because of the sloppy factory subframe tolerances. I had put tape around the two subframe bushings to make sure that they wouldn’t fall out while servicing but the bushings could move while driving and it would make noises that freaked people out if they had never ridden in the car before.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0483_zpshbfriftd.jpg

Here is the hole where one of the bushings go:


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0485_zps6zd2kdl5.jpg

So to make sure that the bushings stay in place permanently I welded some filler metal to the inside the subframe and then ground the filler metal down until the subframe bushings would go into place. Here is a picture before I started grinding to make the hole just big enough for the bushing to fit in.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0488_zpslkcunwim.jpg

Then I liked what MDUBZ did with having the pinched edges of the subframe like the one pictured below welded together.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0487_zpsbkxv48to.jpg

So I got the pinched seams all welded up and painted the subframe gloss black. Here is one of the welds after I painted the subframe. Not the prettiest of welds but it should hold.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0530_zpsjas04js7.jpg

Picture of the subframe bushing that I finally got to stay in place after I painted the subframe.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0529_zps7yzig96z.jpg

Overall picture of the subframe after painting.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0528_zpsnnfi4nro.jpg

#768

Thanks guys. That hammer is one of the first tools that I ever purchased and it has been one of my most commonly used tools.

Today I got the headers bolted up to the engine. Once the driver’s side was bolted up I then installed another layer of heat insulation called header armor. The header armor is a 1/2" thick layer of heat insulation that is overkill at this point but I really want the engine compartment temperature to be lower than before.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0531_zpsjae9qi24.jpg

There is room under the main portion of the headers on the side of the engine for air flow. Then I covered the portion of the headers that is past the back of the engine all the way around, except for the small opening for the front oxygen sensor and I cut it a little short of the V-band so that I have room to connect the mid-pipe.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0533_zpsvg7gaitc.jpg

Also did some work on the front subframe. A long time ago I installed the 034 Motorsport solid billet subframe bushings but the lower rear bushings were loose because of the sloppy factory subframe tolerances. I had put tape around the two subframe bushings to make sure that they wouldn’t fall out while servicing but the bushings could move while driving and it would make noises that freaked people out if they had never ridden in the car before.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0483_zpshbfriftd.jpg

Here is the hole where one of the bushings go:


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0485_zps6zd2kdl5.jpg

So to make sure that the bushings stay in place permanently I welded some filler metal to the inside the subframe and then ground the filler metal down until the subframe bushings would go into place. Here is a picture before I started grinding to make the hole just big enough for the bushing to fit in.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0488_zpslkcunwim.jpg

Then I liked what MDUBZ did with having the pinched edges of the subframe like the one pictured below welded together.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0487_zpsbkxv48to.jpg

So I got the pinched seams all welded up and painted the subframe gloss black. Here is one of the welds after I painted the subframe. Not the prettiest of welds but it should hold.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0530_zpsjas04js7.jpg

Picture of the subframe bushing that I finally got to stay in place after I painted the subframe.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0529_zps7yzig96z.jpg

Overall picture of the subframe after painting.


http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0528_zpsnnfi4nro.jpg

#769

Great work Jimmy! It looks stellar! I bet you can’t wait to get it back on the road

#770

Great work Jimmy! It looks stellar! I bet you can’t wait to get it back on the road

#771

Like you would not believe.

Today I am finishing up the odds and ends to be able to put the engine and transmission back in the car tomorrow.

#772

Like you would not believe.

Today I am finishing up the odds and ends to be able to put the engine and transmission back in the car tomorrow.

#773

Good work Jimmy, that is some serious wrapping for the headers. Should definitely help with temps in the engine bay. Mine gets so damn hot, especially now that it’s summer. I’m gonna probably wrap my modified snorkel at least which actually gets hot enough that I can’t pick it up.

The pinch weld reinforcement welds help stiffen things a little but mainly stop or prevent that stupid noise caused by it flexing. That must have been annoying dealing with that loose bushing noise.

#774

Good work Jimmy, that is some serious wrapping for the headers. Should definitely help with temps in the engine bay. Mine gets so damn hot, especially now that it’s summer. I’m gonna probably wrap my modified snorkel at least which actually gets hot enough that I can’t pick it up.

The pinch weld reinforcement welds help stiffen things a little but mainly stop or prevent that stupid noise caused by it flexing. That must have been annoying dealing with that loose bushing noise.

#775

Jimmy as usual great work all around. Lookin good. Great idea on the header wrap that will keep temps down a bit I would think. The folding on the pinch welds is also a great idea. Im excited to hear your review once you get your monster back on the road.

#776

Jimmy as usual great work all around. Lookin good. Great idea on the header wrap that will keep temps down a bit I would think. The folding on the pinch welds is also a great idea. Im excited to hear your review once you get your monster back on the road.

#777

Can’t wait to see you beat it up some more at the track Jimmy! Let alone hear it with he new headers

#778

Can’t wait to see you beat it up some more at the track Jimmy! Let alone hear it with he new headers

#779

I am soooooooooooooooo close now to getting everything done. We have made a lot of progress and are reaching the end of this long repair work. So lets get this recap started.

Installed my JHM lightweight battery and relocation kit.
Here is the battery area behind the cowl wall:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0538_zpsmtjtionh.jpg

Where the battery is mounted in the spare tire well of the trunk. I have a battery trickle charger/maintainer hooked up to make sure that the battery is fully charged for when I have to crank the engine.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0539_zpsiutmf1vs.jpg

Got the engine and the transmission reinstalled in the car.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0534_zpsj5rzhddq.jpg

Then reconnected most all of the hoses, sensors, electrical connectors, shift linkage, driveshaft, SC brackets, supercharger, and other parts. Along with all the rest of the engine work I installed the newest SC rollers that have a tapered lip on the back to prevent the belt from slipping off along with an automatic belt tensioner. Also I cleaned my K&N air filter and changed the SC oil.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0535_zps9hmecls1.jpg

With the engine and transmission back in I got to see how much room there is with the V2 headers to access the transmission components. Needless to say I really like how much room there is when compared to the V1 headers!
Driver’s side:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0537_zpse2z19xhm.jpg

Passenger’s side: This is really close to the body of the car but it doesn’t hit.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0536_zpsyi2zqtin.jpg

Then with some help, I wrapped my FI catback with the same Inferno header wrap that I had left over.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0540_zps7r8nflek.jpg

Today I broke out the Heatshield Armor and went to town wrapping the header mid-pipes and the FI catback over the header wrap that is already on there. The install instructions for the Heatshield Armor say to leave a 2-3 inch gap on the bottom of the pipes for air flow if your application is force inducted so that is why there the Heatshield armor doesn’t go all the way around the pipes.

Top of the header mid-pipe:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0541_zps145vvhxc.jpg

Bottom of the header mid-pipe:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0542_zps2aziisy6.jpg

Top of the three FI catback sections:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0543_zpswnjsugwa.jpg

Bottom of the three FI catback sections:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll37/Jimmybones777/SAM_0544_zpsqi74jsne.jpg

In addition to the wrapping job today, I also reinstalled the whole exhaust on the car and rear O2 sensors, put in a new engine oil filter and filled a bunch of fluids like engine oil, power steering, transmission, and rear differential. Tomorrow I should be able to put the front end back on. Then eventually start the engine for the first time in months! Yay, I can’t wait!

#780

Lookin great! Nice work!