Got a lot done this weekend, interesting find....

[RareGMFan]

Mmmkay, so I've been away from the boards for a while.  There's been a lot going on in my life away from the car scene that I've been dealing with/thinking about, but I was rudely awakened and forced to re-enter the realm of automotive mayhem recently, so here's an update...

The TGP, my only semi-functioning car at the moment, has been limping me to and from work the last few months.  Well....a couple weeks ago, the radiator went on it.  I could still drive it, but the constant filling of coolant was getting on my nerves.  So, 2 weekends ago, I decided to dig up the radiator (from the TGP I parted out a few years back) out of my Public Storage space.  I just HAD to have it in the furthest corner possible, buried by interior pieces.  So anyway, I get it, and go to my friend's driveway to work on the swap (I live in an apt complex where working on cars isn't tolerated).  Well....all was going smoothly till the dreaded tranny cooler lines.  Some of you may have seen my post in the TGP section about these not cooperating.  I had to cut through the top one, and the bottom fitting rounded out trying to get it off.  So I had to wait till the following weekend to find a solution.  Against the advice of 2 parts store employees (due to the "damn near impossible angles in the bends"), I decided to try custom bending the lines myself.  To my surprise (and theirs), they actually came out pretty damn close.

I had also decided during the week that, since the radiator was out of the way, I would tackle a few other things I've been meaning to get to......for the past year.  Saturday, I replaced the plugs (NGK Iridiums), wires (Taylor 8mm red), coils (Delco), ICM (Delco), oil return line (bought off TGPilot), and cleaned off the negative ground for the batter cable.  Sunday, I put the radiator in with the new lines, new lower heater hose, new thermostat, and new battery post bolts.

End result?

......MUCH better running/accelerating motor.  It still has some issues to resolve, but the horrible vibrating + lack of acceleration I'd get when I pressed the pedal more than 1/4 of the way down is completely gone!  Oh.....this may have had something to do with that....


OLD COILS!!






:icon_eek: Brian G discovered the splitting on the middle coil at our last w-body meet.  I've been wanting to change them bad ever since, and removing the radiator, plus having a driveway for a weekend was just the excuse I needed to get my ass in gear and get it done!  I'm so glad I finally did.  I only wish I had done it sooner.  The car still has a lot it needs, but I'm actually kind of excited about getting it done, now. 

You have now all been briefed, and may resume your regularly scheduled activities.

[Invasion1]

Hey "D"

glad you made a appearance  :icon_biggrin: and all is well in Illinois

although thems the worst coils i have ever seen!!!!!

I'm sure once you got them out it ran like a new car  :laugh:

[TGPilot]

Don't you love it when you have the time and money to fix things properly? If more people would do that they would not complain about their cars! ;)

Did you have any problems with the new oil return line being stiff? I personally like it that way because I know it will not kink nor slip off the hard pipes.

Just curious...let me know please. :icon_cool:

[Prospeeder]

So your keeping it? That cool, i just had hell with my tgp getting the front fascia off, rusts a bitch isnt it

[RareGMFan]

Dave - Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen coils do anything like that before, though my SES light is still coming on (I'm guessing it's still the knock sensor issue, even though I replaced it).  I was hoping between replacing the sensor earlier this year, and taking care of electrical end, it would be resolved.  But the SES light has shut off quite a few times since the repairs, and when it does, you can feel it haul a lot harder!  It would shut off prior to all this, but I couldn't tell the difference on account of the studdering if you tried to get on it.

TGPilot - I've had all the parts that I put in last weekend sitting around for some time (besides your oil return line).  The real issue is time, and more importantly, place to do it.  I live in an apartment which does not tolerate working on cars.  The line worked great.  I had to cut about an inch off of it, and it took some effort to get it on, but it's on there good and solid.  The old line didn't look too bad, but the lining inside of it almost looked like it was bubbling in many spots.  In any case, a worthy investment for $15.

Prospeeder - I'm going to sell off the other cars first, and take it from there.  I don't want to get ahead of myself because this car still needs a LOT of work, but I'm leaning towards keeping it at the moment.

The biggest expenses that I know of right now are the steering rack (slack in the steering, I'm assuming it's from the rack), bottom end oil leak (I'm going to guess it's the oil pan gasket), and an ABS accumulator (the brakes have been out a while, but once in a while, came back on and work perfectly.  It's been working this whole week!).  Aside from that, it's all things that are common to replace on a car this old, or that I want to modify.  Struts, lowering springs, sway bar, bigger/performance exhaust, etc.  All in all, I don't think it would take too terribly much to get it running like a champ.