Some good tips from fellow builders before that first drive:
BASICS
- Make sure all wiring is pulled in tight, far enough away heat sources, and won't interfere with any moving parts.
- Scan ECU and resolve all fault codes or electrical issues.
- Make sure all fluids are added and properly bled.
- Make sure there are no leaks. You should have vacuum tested the coolant system(s) before adding fluids.
- Make sure all bolts are properly torqued and marked with a paint pen.
BEFORE DRIVE - ENGINE OFF
- Car in neutral + clutch in: car should easily roll.
- Car in neutral + clutch out: car should easily roll.
- Car in 1st gear + clutch in: car should easily roll.
- Car in 1st gear + clutch out: car should NOT roll. If so, pedal needs adjusting.
BEFORE DRIVE - ENGINE ON
- Make sure there are no leaks.
- Allow car to come up to temp and make sure fans kick on at the engine's specified temp (e.g. LT4 is 192 degrees).
- Check shifting into 1st gear. Cables might need adjustments.
- Car in 1st gear + clutch in + no brakes: car should NOT roll.
DRIVE!
- If you have AIM, create an extra page with all important diagnostics.
- If you have AIM, create alerts for temps and pressures.
- If you have a scanner (e.g. HP Tuners), connect to car and watch & record live data.
- Bring a friend with who can watch the gauges in case there is an issue.
- Take a short, easy drive and then stop to make sure there are no leaks/issues. If good, go a bit further. Build confidence.
- After a short drive or two, park car and keep running. Check for leaks.
- Recheck all bolt paint markings to ensure nothing came loose.
- On another drive, check that all gears shift properly.
- Once engine cools down, check and make sure the coolant tank(s) aren't empty. They should be half filled.