I just need to vent for a second. My TGP is up in Washington with my brother while I'm living down in San Diego for a while and it's driving me crazy not having it. I read all the posts on here and it makes it worse. I didn't think I'd miss it this much. It really hurts when I call my brother up and he tells me about the stuff he's been working on. He's got the car at a dealership he works at just playing around on his free time. He's in the process of repainting the front bumper now. He's done quite a few other things as well. One good thing is that he is paying for the parts. I wish I could be there to help. I can't believe it's going to be another year before I get to drive it again. Alright, that's all. Thanks for listening.
If it makes you feel better, I'll go drive it for you :shocked!: :shocked!: :moon: :bag:
Thanks Jim, I knew I could count on you. :D I'll let you know if I need your services. :wink:
I hear ya, bought a TGP back in 1996, drove it from Georgia to Detroit/Motor City for the first Proto-Type Crossover Pipe. All went well and got back home to Minnesota where I got started on freshening things up with the car (not waiting for things to wear out/give me trouble), did the plug wires, PCV Valve, Fuel Filter, all the good stuff and at that time RapidFire Plugs were kind of new, so ordered from local Pep Boys, who listed the Turbo 3.1L as a RapidFire #6, seems good as the 7 and 8 should be hotter heat range plugs, for non-turbo cars. So I slap in the new plugs and with everything done start to enjoy the drive. BUT, coming off an on-ramp with foot into it I notice the boost dropping fast (chip trying to save my ass hearing knock) but I needed to get into traffic, not stop it to let me in, but further down the road I see the low coolant light come on??.blown head gasket. Got home and found I also had a slight rod knock, and knowing there was nothing I did or could do to cause this I started to check out things, with some research on the AC Delco web site find the plugs were WRONG, not only is a RapidFire #6 like a (HOT) 44-45 heat range plug (example: CR44LTS) it also has a longer electrode tip which is like advancing the timing since the spark is closer to the top of the piston when it lights off the Air/Fuel. So, too hot of a plug and extended tip knocked me out a head gasket and flattened a rod bearing. Pissed off I write up all my research and take it to Pep Boys telling them to fix my car. After talking to the local owner it was agreed and work began. While the engine was out I had it freshened up, dealing for the first time in this state with engine shops I chose poorly, come to find out later after the engine was all back in and running that on the way home the Low-Coolant light came back on!! When I got home and since it was ?my? decision to freshen up the engine block I had to find and correct this problem?.after I take out the engine I find the machine shop decked my block with a fricking sanding disc :snipersmile: , meaning it was not flat, at all!! Next rebuild I do a little more to the engine including adding what ARP said was the correct head studs. All done and engine rebuilt proper, running it around things are great, get into a little boost after a few break in miles and feels good, but Low-Coolant light comes on, AGAIN!!! Take it home and find water gushing out the back of the block, pull the block and find the APR stud came up out of the block enough to take the block?s threads with it?..see, I feel your pain with no TGP to drive :cry: . Next time I do a big rebuild and custom spec my ARP bolts and after all this it ran great for 2 months but needed the chip tuned for all the mods, so I parked it, that was 4 years ago, have not had a chance to drive it yet, been too busy fixing other TGPs via emails and testing and making fun power parts for other owners.
So, I feel for you and know the dilemma of no turbo wheels, very nice though its in GOOD HANDS getting some work done to it, I learned the hard way about quality work and now do a lot of the work myself, and have some great shops that do excellent work too 8) .
Jeff M
Damn, 4 years is a long time! Are you driving another one now? my STE came on the road about a month ago, it was like I had just bought it again the first time I drove it.
Yea, 3 years on my turbo truck too. I drive a old mans Olds 98, can speed on open roads all I want, cops let me alone, not so when I drove a friends red TGP, got pulled over for a license plate cover, nice cop really and I called his lieutenant to tell about his professionalism, was the first time the lieutenant got a call that was not a complaint. I do get to drive Kevin Hider?s TGP when testing the engine and turbo mods, I also did lots to it including suspension, engine, tranny, interior and more, what I call a Performance Restoration, even new wire looms throughout, coated his subframe and new cradle bolts/cushions, tons of mods and tweaks all over the place, a rolling test-bed of good stuff, just waiting on seeing if I can get a turbine housing made up to get the common exhaust gas back pressure issue resolved, even a larger T28 turbine wheel it too restrictive, and a host of other tests and parts trying to correct this back pressure, ground breaking a lot with this project, and is what keeps me from my cars but, at least its working on a TGP!
Jeff M