Here's the problem:
Yesterday I got home from a weeklong trip (all the while I let my father drive the gta)
I then noticed little cracks above the window corners & my father said that I had a blown hose. We changed the hose and found that the belt had been rubbing the hose. (The large hose coming from the radiator into the right side of the engine). The belt is at least 2 -3 inches away from the hose. Good old dad says "Maybe you have a bad motor mount, letting your engine torque too high in the engine compartment." We check it and no, it's fine. My engine just loves to torque in the engine comparment (and anywhere on the street - I love this car)
I've thought that maybe one of those braces I've seen around on the site would work (the ones that go across the engine compartment and over the tpi). Would this help engine compartment twisting and flexing?

------------------
~3.1EyeCandy~
"The Car that started my craze"

'92 Firebird 3.1 (A car sold)

My new baby: '87 flame red GTA 350 w'auto
Carmine interior with pioneer all around
Hooker Catback, Airfoil, K&N
http://3.1EyeCandy.tripod.com

 

The cracks are caused from the twisting of the car, and are common, I have seen them on V6's to 350 V8's, I put frame connectors to keep my cr from developing them. I have T-tops though, I assume you have a hard top.

The strut tower brace MIGHT help, but will not fix the problem, I would recommend Subframe connecters. I used South side Machine, and they were OK to install, but I thought they could have been better.

IF you have a hard top version of the car go to the junk yard and take a Torx T-20 & a T-15 (I forget which), and get the body stiffening pieces out of the door jams from a T-top car. they are about 1 1/5 inches long and about 3/4" inches high. There are 2 on both sides, one on the door, one on the rear fender. If properly installed they should help SOME.

------------------
87 Formula 5.1 converted to TPI Yellow/Black
SLP cam, headers, cat-back exhaust
Ported & polished TPI intake
Gil Younger (no yo-yo) Shift Kit
Aluminum Driveshaft
3.73 Posi gear
Baer 12" brakes 4 wheels
Hotchiss strut tower brace
South side machine frame connecters
Custom reinforced control arms and pan hard bar.
Custom Leather interior

87 Formula TPI (5 Speed) Yellow/Gray STOCK

1967 Buick Riviera 430hp Turns high 14's (Not bad for 4300 lbs)

83 Camaro (Parts)
83 T/A (parts)

http://www.3rdgenformula.com

[This message has been edited by okfoz (edited June 12, 2001).]

 

Thanks for the response. Does anyone here know what exactly the under hood braces are meant to do?

------------------
~3.1EyeCandy~
"The Car that started my craze"

'92 Firebird 3.1 (A car sold)

My new baby: '87 flame red GTA 350 w'auto
Carmine interior with pioneer all around
Hooker Catback, Airfoil, K&N
http://3.1EyeCandy.tripod.com

 

The strut tower braces are meant for just that. They keep the stut towers in their original position during hard cornering forces. They are of little or no benifit in straight line driving. The Mcpherson struts basicaly replace the upper A arms in the thirdgen design. The struts must be kept in their original mounting locations to keep the caster, camber, Acherman(spelling?) and bump steer at the correct specs durring hard cornering. The strut tower brace keeps the upper mounting location of the struts from deflecting and changing position when hard cornering forces are working on them.

I doubt that the engine is moving enough or the front suspension is flexing enough to cause the belts to hit the lower radiator hose.
The hose is attached to the water pump and will move with the engine just like the belts will. The hose is probably flexing enough when you hit bumps & such in the road to hit the belt and rub then. A new hose will be stiffer and not bounce as much (be sure to keep the wire spiral in the new hose to help stiffen it and prevent collaps.) You could try a wire tie or something simular to retain it too.

------------------

Tracy /AKA IROCKZ4me
'86 IROC-Z Camaro
"Cogito ergo zoom"

• 355 cid
• AFR heads
• Arizona Speed & Marine hydraulic roller cam w/ AFR hydra-rev kit
• modified SLP runners
• TRW forged pistons/ceramic coated
• fully balanced
• Edelbrock headers/ceramic coated
• SLP cat-back
• Paxton supercharger
• Nitrous Express nitrous oxide

EFI Performance Club on Yahoo

[This message has been edited by IROCKZ4me (edited June 12, 2001).]