DIY Network

'66 El Camino: Engine Swap, Pt. 2 The engine upgrade on the '66 El Camino continues with a beefed up cooling system, short RAM intake and performance exhaust. From "Resto Rides" episode DRRD-103

(Continued from page 2)

Before he finishes up the custom cooling system, Andrew installs the short RAM air intake system, which will provide great gas mileage and horsepower. A custom air intake is tucked under the fender. He also finishes out the cooling system by mounting the overflow tank and connecting it to the radiator. Finally, Andrew installs a new throttle and shift linkage. The shift linkage is tied to the steering column along with hooking the throttle linkage to the accelerator pedal to bring all the controls inside.

advertisement

	Installing the short RAM intake

Short RAM Air Intake

• The air intake system is designed to mount onto the engine control unit bracket that was mounted earlier. It takes a little work to get the correct fit. First, Andrew trial-fits the box and marks where it needs to be trimmed down to fit.
  
  
• He then uses tin snips to cut out the section that interferes. Instead of completely removing the section, Andrew bends it back so that he can still get a mounting screw into the driver's side fender.

• After he makes that adjustment, the first piece, called the isolation box, snaps into place. Now Andrew can start hooking things up. Like most modern cars there's a mass airflow sensor, which tells the computer how much fuel is needed, and a large pipe that directs air from the mass airflow sensor into the engine.

• Any leaks in the system would confuse the engine control unit, so Andrew tightens up all the clamps for a good seal.

• Next, he plugs in the mass airflow sensor along with a couple of other sensors that monitor air temperature and pressure. He secures the home base diffuser, which helps to keep the engine quiet and gives the whole unit a finished look.

Cooling System Completion

Now that the air intake is in place, Andrew can install the remaining parts of the cooling system. To finish up, he chooses a spot and mounts the overflow tank, which allows the coolant to expand and contract with the heat of the engine.

Next, Andrew runs a line from the tank to the filler neck on the radiator.

Finally, he adds some coolant to the system, and it's ready to go.

Update Throttle and Shift Linkage

Now it's time to install a new throttle. The 95 engine uses a modern cable system, so Andrew uses a conversion kit to make it work. The new cable throttle will be much safer because the flexible cable won't bind up like the old mechanical parts could.

• Andrew drills a hole in the firewall for the new cable to pass through. The then mounts the new pedal assembly.

• He slides the sleeve back onto the cable, and then inside he tightens the grommet to hold the linkage in place.

• Under the dash, Andrew bolts on a new brake pedal cover to convert the old narrow manual transmission brake pedal to a wide automatic-style pedal.

• Outside the car, Andrew pulls off the intake baffle, which is sometimes referred to as home base. He has to make a few adjustments to attach the new throttle cable to the engine.

• Next, Andrew replaces the old shift linkage with a stronger arm that came with the new steering column.

• Up top, Andrew secures the other end of the arm to the steering column with fresh plastic bushings for smooth and accurate shifting.

  After everything is hooked up, Andrew tests the shifter from inside the car and reinstalls the home base diffuser.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4