Grinders 18 rolling TGP Learning thread...

[R Dubya]

The OE Blackstone can be found from time to time on Ebay, for a pretty penny.  Those radiators were well over a grand in the early 90's, the are DISCO now, so you may end up having to have yours re-cored if they didn't get you the right one, but please by all means, if they have found you a correct replacement that is aftermarket, post the number here and in the COMMON PART NUMBERS thread, to help anyone else looking for a replacement. 

Good luck!

[grinders_18]

Well........here's how things are shaping up. They ordered the radiator and over a week later it came in. Drumroll.....WRONG ONE! Not really surprised, just disappointed. But I told him to just send it out and get it recored, and the only person nearby that recores them is completely unreliable and the shop he runs brings in like $20 a month because of it lol. So we're exploring other places, closer to the Twin City area that may recore it.

As for my Camaro, which had been suffering from a loss of power and steadiness, I had the plugs and wires changed today and it cured everything. When we replaced the wires, we did them one at a time, so that we couldn't mess it up, and it turns out that somehow two wires were crossed...not sure how that happened since they haven't been changed in over two years, it ran great before this, and I have the only key to the car, which rules out tampering. Oh well, it runs great now :icon_biggrin: Hopefully the new wires will help the TGP when we get that damn radiator.

More when I have more.

Krenzy

[sleeperred90tgp]

I ordered a replacement radiator from two different places. I got the long ones that fit the non-turbo.  :icon_rolleyes:Went to another radiator shop and he said he couldn't get the radiator but he could get a core and save me a bunch. $250 later I had a new core and he shortened it 3/16 of an inch for me so it would clear the upper hose better. He was the only one that recognized that this was a special radiator.  (an old racer about my age only dirt track, but he new his shit) Took it out and took it to him and 2 days later I had a new radiator. It's the exact same core that was in there. My point is that the cores are out there and it's far cheaper to have it re-cored than to try and purchase a new one.

It would be cheaper for you guys to send your rad to him and ship it back to you than screwing with people that don't know what there doing. And there are a bunch out there. The first two shops didn't even offer to re-core it. Go figure. :laugh:

Jud

[grinders_18]

Any chance you can get me a phone number, name, email, or anything about this guy? I'm not paying for it, the shop is since they broke it....so I'm not concerned with money :icon_biggrin:

[GangstGP]

I pulled a spare rad out of a tgp not too long ago. dont know how much shipping would be or nothin but I could get rid of it I guess if someone needs it.

[sleeperred90tgp]

Any chance you can get me a phone number, name, email, or anything about this guy? I'm not paying for it, the shop is since they broke it....so I'm not concerned with money :icon_biggrin:

Took me awhile to find the tag.

Sizemore Radiator
21324 US Hyw 59
New Caney, TX 77357
281-354-7395

Invoice # 1549 dated 1/01/05
$250.00 plus $19.00 tax

I know he gets shipments in but don't know if he ships. Give him a call. If you can ship both ways through him you can avoid the tax. If he won't ship let me know and I can help out. You could ship to him and I could pick it up and ship to you. I think you would have to pay the tax though.


He isn't far and UPS is around the corner. Wouldn't mind talking to him again we did a couple of hour of bench racing last time I saw him. :icon_biggrin:

This goes for anybody that wants an exact recore. Copper and brass construction I think. It's not alum.

Jud

[grinders_18]

Thanks Jud! I appreciate the info. I'll pass both this, and GansTGP's offer, along to the shop, and see which way they lean. Deeply appreciated, both of you! I'll be in touch!

Krenzy

[grinders_18]

Alrighty. Update time!

In the past few months, I'll make a quick recap of what's been done.
   - Lower Enigne Mount
   - Spark Plugs
   - Spark Plug Wires
   - CPS
   - T-Check Valve
   - Radiator replaced with a like one from a parts TGP
   - Fuel Filter
   - Transmission Flush (T-Tech)
   - Cat Delete
   - New Exhuast
   - Kenny Crossover
   - Invasion1 Chip
   - Alternator
   - 2 or 3 new O2 Sensors
   - Idle Air Control Unit
   - Numerous Bottles Of Excedrin

And still....not running right. Don't get me wrong, every little bit helps. The Crossover fixed my exhaust from sounding like a tractor, the chip gave me the added boost of power, even in it's loss you can tell there's more power, the sensors, the wires...it all helps. But none of it corrected the problem, whatever it is. I plan on having the fuel injectors blown out next Friday when I actually have more money; the coils we're looked at and it ewas determined that they are in good shape. I haven't had the ICM looked at because it just costs alot of money and I'm lacking so much of it. This car is my dream car, literally, and she's worth it, but it's draining me. Financially and physically.

So everyone is up to date on what is going on with the car: It still misses a bit, and whenever I am going from a dead stop it is slow picking up speed; before the problems it would roach the tires instantly. The tranny is slightly softer in the kicking, but it still kicks into gear sometimes, unless I help it shift. Although it does shift smooth occasionally which is an improvement from before. The car sat at the shop for a month while we tried to find a radiator after the old one was smashed. Two days ago, when I got her back, she had a dead battery and needed to be jumped; after it was jumped, every time I stopped for a light it killed. Put it in neutral and it's fine, but otherwise it needed to be restarted. It seems to be over that now, I think, but can't be sure since I haven't driven much in the past 2 days. Kinda acts like it may kill when I slow to a stop, but hasn't since, yet. Are there any things I should have checked that I'm missing? I truely appreciate all the help this board has given me, and I'm sorry I keep asking for more; I figure if I change this and that, maybe it's something else and you guys might have a better clue than I. Thanks again and comments are more than welcome.

Krenzy

[TGP Nick]

Hey Grinders, my when I first got my TGP, it would stall a lot.  (My TGP is totally stock, right down to the cracked crossover)  I charged the battery overnight one night, and it never stalls now. (Stock TGP once again.)  I also Seafoamed it and now it will roast the tires VERY easily.  I'd try those two things, they worked for me. ;) (until I get a crossover & chip anyway.)

[grinders_18]

I'm definately going to look into the new battery. When I was just coming home from work here at 6 am I had another fricked up thing. Whenver I floor it, the lights not only dim, they flicker, the headlights and interior lights. Argh!

Where did you Seafoam when you did Seafoam it?

[pontiac6ksteawd]

Blowing out your injectors, if they are bad, is not going to help you I dont think. These injectors had a issue with the internal windings. And once one goes bad, it takes out all 3 of them on that bank. My suggestion of replacing the injectors with some L36's is still where I think you need to go. I had so many issues with my car, it finnally got to the point where the car wouldnt start, and I had to be towed home. I OHMed out the injectors, and sure enuf, 1 on the front bank, and 1 on the back bank were bad. Went to a junk yard, found a low mileage L36 GENII and snagged the injectors. Installed them, and it run so perfect I was amazed. Had a freind that was able to get me some brand new L36 injectors, and I installed them. Now my only problem is that since I dont drive the car much, that it just sits collecting dust. And when I took it to the track 2 weeks ago, it fouled out my plugs. So a MAJOR tune up is in order now.

[grinders_18]

Good idea....I'll call around the yards here and see what they have for injectors. Is it possible my turbo itself is going? Someone who really hadn't had too much experience with turbos was listening to my car and he said this noise we were hearing was coming from the turbo area, and he was right...atleast it sounded like it was from there, coulda been under the plenum, but more than likely not.

[TGP Nick]

I'm definately going to look into the new battery. When I was just coming home from work here at 6 am I had another fricked up thing. Whenver I floor it, the lights not only dim, they flicker, the headlights and interior lights. Argh!

Where did you Seafoam when you did Seafoam it?

When I Seafoamed mine, I took off the black pipe that goes from the top of the intercooler to the throttle body.  Then I put 2 cans of seafoam into an empty windex bottle and sprayed it into the throttle body while moving the throttle arm on the throttle body, so it wouldn't stall.(wear a glove, it will get hot!)  :icon_eek: I just sprayed most of the bottle into the throttle body, once the bottle was getting close to empty, I closed the throttle a little bit (NOT ALL THE WAY) and sprayed a bunch of seafoam in there until it stalled.  Once it stalled, I opened the butterfly and sprayed all of the remaining seafoam into the throttle body.  Then, I let it sit for about half an hour.  Don't forget to put the pipe back on.  ;) After a half an hour, I started it up and did some speed runs.  From every corner, I floored it until I got it up to about 80MPH, do this on about a 10 mile drive(BTW shift it into drive and don't use overdrive, the higher rpms will help clean it out more and will help to suck the seafoam through the system).  When you stop, the smoke from the Seafoam should be gone.  Mine idled MUCH BETTER and will now light up the tires at will because of the seafoam.  Good luck, hopefully this helps solve your drivability problems.  ;)  Charge your battery also, it WILL help!!

[GangstGP]

right on, so you are making progress!

If you can get it running good in under 3 years you are doing good!

I had problems for years and it ran like crap. now that I know how to do it, it takes me like 6 months of owning it, and the car runs perfect. thats taking my time and theres no guess work anymore. I automatically know what I am going to need and where to get it.

did you ever do a vac spider? hows the IC/tb couplings? still original?

[grinders_18]

I never quite understood the concept of a vacuum spider...share? The couplings are still original...are there knoen problems with these also?