TomRHere's '88 GL 4WD Wagon

[TomRhere]

Ok. So much for that. No improvement.

 

Did however do a compression check on it, just to know.

 

Thermometer in garage said it was 25*F when I got out there, turned heater on and pulled the plugs.

 

Cold engine;

#1=100

#2=85

#3=85

#4=95

Not great, but not to bad.

 

Put plugs back in, started it up, backed it out and let it run while I played with the snow blower.

 

Got it back in, pulled plugs, redid compression test.

#1=110

#2=110

#3=105

#4=105

 

Got to get me another vacuum gauge, hook that up, see what it says. Something just isn't right.

[TomRhere]

Guess I procrastinated to long on getting the driveshaft finished. Drive home from work yesterday was, interesting, to say the least.

 

Not sure what the road crews were putting down at intersections, but it was greasy feeling under the tires. Just about everyone was having difficulty stopping/ getting moving. Wagon was not happy at all with it.

 

Crews were just doing intersections, no plowing of the roads. Did fairly well other wise on the packed stuff.

 

Once I get the driveway cleaned out, I'll be checking some things out as to the "no oomph" issue.

[KootenayJK]

I chased a similar issue on my EA82. Best fix I found was to replace it with an EJ.

A local guy who fixes and flips Soobs found that it was the ECU in a couple cases, might try that?

[Quidam]

Tom, that compression is low and I've driven a wagon saddled with an automatic even with numbers like that, and it was a miserable driver. You've lost nearly a third of the compression of a SPFI EA, a healthy one that is. Those pistons and used rings did it too you, the FelPro gaskets are thicker than OEM so you lost some there. Valve seal, don't remember if you did the valves.

 

Hope this helps and it's what I see going on from down here via the internet.

 

Doug

[TomRhere]

I can buy into what you're saying about the lower compression numbers not helping matters here.

 

But, I did swap another ECU in Sunday, and she is running a bit better now. I didn't re-check ignition timing though and thinking I need to do so.

 

Idle seems smoother now, and she does seem to pull a bit better going thru the gears.

 

Getting up to 55mph hasn't happened to much, as we have had a few bouts of snow covered roads since Saturday. Best speed heading into work has been 35, and traffic may get up to 45 on the way home.

 

I did manage to do 55 for a short bit though.

I can feel some response to throttle input now while in 5th gear at 55. If I put my foot into it, I'll get some spark knock now.

That wasn't happening before with the other ECU.

 

She is running better, but not great. More investigating to be done come the weekend.

 

And I would greatly consider doing an EJ swap if I could find needed items without having to float a loan to get them. Haven't found a complete donor, nor individual components to do so, that they don't want top dollar for.

Still looking though..

[TheLoyale]

I think you are right on setting it to 0* BTDC. That is what I did on the EA81 when the disty quit. Also, check the EGR or swap another on thats good. That seemed to be a cause of dogginess on the EA81. You could stick a Vac gauge on one of the Main ports on the intake and see what your maximum vacuum is (Obviously you want as much vacuum as possible)

[TomRhere]

I need to get me another vac gauge, the one I have has seen better days.

 

Still need to get it into the garage, maybe tomorrow. I did back the timing off some, just a slight bit without aide of timing light. No more spark knock.

 

Seems to be running good though regardless. Gas mileage seems near what it was before engine swap. Filled tank, 100 or so miles driven, 1/4 tank of gas burned. So still on par with the 200+ miles at 1/2 tank I had before. We shall see.

[Mythical Creature]

That XT shifter is giving me ideas.  Did they come in black?

Edited December 23, 2013 by Mythical Creature

[TomRhere]

I don't know if they did or not. The 2 I have are Dark Grey.

[TomRhere]

Picked up another vehicle to drive, so the Wagon has been taken off the road for a while.

 

Got the Chevy all legal yesterday, swapped plates and insurance over off of Wagon. Apparently, Wagon wasn't happy about being parked. It bit me while removing the rear plate. Nice sized patch of skin removed from right thumb.

 

Once weather and temps allow, I'll drag it over to the car wash and give it good rinse down to clean the salt off.

 

Wagon needs work done that I just can't do and still have it available to drive for work on a daily basis. So, I jumped on a good deal for another vehicle.

Now I can do the work at my own leisure and get some other things done I've been wanting to do as well.

[Mechanical_misfit]

good to keep them out of the salt anyway. What did you end up replacing it with?

 

Also, I want that fwd trans you have. It will have to wait until the snow melts and I have TDF back on the streets though.

[TomRhere]

good to keep them out of the salt anyway. What did you end up replacing it with?

 

Also, I want that fwd trans you have. It will have to wait until the snow melts and I have TDF back on the streets though.

 

'99 Chevy Cavalier, 2.2 Auto. 77,292 miles at title signing. Got some minor issues, but it's a damned nice ride for $500.00. Nothing major, just needs some TLC and it'll be good for a long time. KBB and NADA gives a low price on it in the $1,200.00 to $1,500 range, high in the $2,500 to $3,000 range. I'm happy with it.

 

FWD 5-speed and related parts are still sitting where you saw them. Ready for you to take home when the time comes.

 

Don't look as if snow will melt any time soon with these temps we're having. Brrr!!!!!!!!

Now we're supposed to get more snow tonight, 25-35 MPH winds. More snow tomorrow, then even more Saturday. YeaHaw!!!!

Snow blower ain't going to be able to toss much more over the mound of snow already there.

Roads I travel to/from work get down right iffy with the wind blowing the "White stuff" around.

Rich got hung up in his driveway last Monday. Couldn't get out with his '06 Canyon 4X4 with damn mean treaded tires on it.

We both missed work that day, as he was going to pick me up, Wagon wasn't getting out of the driveway itself. Stuff needs to end, soon...

[TomRhere]

Well, 10 months later, I'm putting her back on the road.

 

Haven't done any wrenching on her since I parked her.

 

But the '99 Cav spun a bearing, and it's not worth the money it'll take to fix it. I'd rather spend it on my Subaru's...

 

So, Wagon is being put back into service.

 

Been amassing parts needed to redo another engine for it.

[TomRhere]

Spent some time today checking things over, just to be sure on things again.

 

When I was driving it before, I was loosing coolant. Evidence of coolant leak around T-stat housing and that end of the intake.

 

Fired her up and let engine get up to temp. Put a wrench on all bolts for T-stat, intake, what have you. Some moved a bit, some didn't.

Didn't reef on them, just wanted to see if they would move any with light force on the wrench.

 

Picked up some new plastic nuts to mount the license plate come Wednesday, put them where the needed to be.

 

Did a walk around checking all lights to be sure they are still functioning. All is good there.

 

No evidence of mice invading it. Thank you... I have been keeping traps set in the garage, and been catching a few.

 

Got to hit an ATM tomorrow, check my balance, then pick up a few items needed to get the 15 gallons of gas out of the Cavalier.

Sucks that I just filled that tank and the engine goes on the way home from the gas station.

 

Couple jaunts up/down driveway hitting the brakes to clean them of rust from sitting. Boy,,, were they grabby at first.

Actually, when I first backed it out if the garage, it didn't want to move easily. Pads were stuck to the rotors.

 

Been driving auto trans to long I guess, tried starting it once today without pushing in clutch pedal. That'll get your attention, real quick.

[Mechanical_misfit]

Glad to hear its back in use. 10 months in a cavalier is 10 more than I would want to drive one for.

[TomRhere]

Driving the Cav wasn't that bad, did miss the manual trans part though...

Put some money into fixing things on it, just to keep it running good. Now,,, that money seems to have been a waste. Oh Well..

 

Trip to S.O.S. last night was a bit of a bummer. They wouldn't transfer the tags over to the Wagon due to insurance not being updated in their system yet, even though I had proof of insurance on Wagon with me.

$154.00 later and I'm out the door. Need to go back and do a transfer of plates from Cav to Wagon once I show them proper proof.

That means more money out my pocket. Meeh!!!

 

Gives me time to do a tad bit more on the Wagon to be sure it's road able.

[TomRhere]

Been driving it for the last 2 weeks.

 

Seems to be "Happy" being back on the road. I know I'm "Happy" to be driving it again..

 

Got a few things to check on this weekend.

Got a chirp coming from the PS rear brake. Fairly sure the pads are still good, but have new here if needed.

On hard right turns, I hear a rub coming from the DS front, like tire is hitting fender or the like. No way tire hits fender, it's not even close. Rub sound is real short in duration. We shall see.

 

No more signs of the afore mentioned coolant leak, been keeping an eye on it.

 

Got a rattle coming from the back, sounds like it's inside and trim related, so I'll be looking around for that.

[Mechanical_misfit]

Seems like MI sos is getting more particular about insurance. I never had to show proof of insurance in the past when just transfering a valid plate to another car. The past few times they were picky. I've got three plates to renew next week before my bday. I hate it. Happy Birthday, give us more money.

[TomRhere]

Finally had time to do a bit of wrenching.

 

Got her up in the air and pulled the wheels off.

Front rotors and pads are still in good shape. rear rotors are done for.... Pads are still good however.

Chirp is from high spots on the rotors, highly evident just looking at them. Get a bit of rub rotating them by hand.

 

Rotated the tires around. Did a check on most everything else I could think of to do.

 

And yeah, dealing with the Mi. S.O.S. is getting to be a pain, even though they say the have improved how things are done there.

[TomRhere]

Broke it today.

 

Nothing serious, just the exhaust pipe.

 

Got about 8 miles down the road this morning. Pulled away from a stop sign, and she sounded a tad louder. Another 12 miles to the nest stop, and she got way loud.

No choice but to finish the trip into work.

 

Took a gander underneath it at lunch. DURN!!! Pipe broke at the mid-pipe side of the connecting flange. (Y-Pipe had done the same thing when it was on another vehicle, had that welded to an adapter).

 

Said the heck with it and drove home after work.

 

Got a glass pack muffler and clamps waiting for me to pick up tomorrow.

Going to do as I've done before, and put the glass pack in place of the flange joint, remove stock muffler and replace it with a straight pipe.

 

Was doing my best to keep the growl level down, but she did seem to be a bit more peppy.

[Scooner]

Haha on the first subaru i ever bought, a 91' Loyale the same thing happened to me, the exhaust broke right behind the Y pipe. What was this deliciously beautiful rumble sound coming from under there?! I never fixed it because i loved that 1-3-2-4 sound, when i did do a proper repair it was catless exhaust through a glass pack. I remember that being the first time really falling in love with these subies.

[TomRhere]

Well, be Friday before I get the parts. The store closed at noon today, and I didn't home from work until 3:30.

 

Oh Well. Really wasn't planning working on it until Friday anyway.

 

 

@ Scooner,

 

My 1st ever SUBARU was an '86 BRAT bought from a co-worker. $100.00 in his hand and I drove it 23 some miles home. No brakes other than the E-brake, no exhaust past the flange.

 

LOVED every minute of that trip..............................

[TomRhere]

Got the glass pack installed yesterday, but not without another trip to parts store for different adapters/clamps. I had guessed wrong on what I needed.

 

Still need to get a length of pipe to replace stock muffler. Which by the way, apparently didn't like the mid-pipe flopping around for some 40 miles. Inlet pipe has broke free from muffler. Still holding muffler up, but it's loose and leaking.

[TomRhere]

Just back from putting roughly 40 miles on it doing errands.

 

Seems the engine is liking the glass pack. Didn't bog down as much pulling some hills around here. Plus, I could actually accelerate in 5th going up one of the longer uphill runs, which made the Wagon slow down before.

 

More to come...

[subarusaver]

Just back from putting roughly 40 miles on it doing errands.

 

Seems the engine is liking the glass pack. Didn't bog down as much pulling some hills around here. Plus, I could actually accelerate in 5th going up one of the longer uphill runs, which made the Wagon slow down before.

 

More to come...

Hi Tom ,I noticed when I had my exhaust fixed(New pipes ALL the way and new muffler no cat) I asked for quiet, and you really cant hear it run,but I got curious and slipped the new muffler off and WOW! what a difference in power!! would it be safe to run straight pipes or is there a better muffler to get? I'm not really sure what kind the exhaust guy put on, but it's REAL quiet.

 

Thanks