Out of the gold, into the gold

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jun 18, 2020 3:43 PM

I had been looking for a new project when this 87 535i popped up on Craigslist for $900. Ad said that it started and drove but needed brakes. Looked too good to be true. One downside was its an auto. I was really hoping for a manual. I ventured up to the northern reaches of the Olympic Peninsula to take a look. It was worth the drive either way. 169k on the odo and guy said he bought it for his daughter who ended up not liking it. No other history to be found on the car. He said he bought it from the original owner and it spent its life on the OP.

Sure enough, it fired right up, idled, and I was able to drive it around his property. The body was straighter and the interior nicer than I expected. Definitely problems with the brakes. For another $100, the guy delivered it to my driveway.

A close inspection showed that in addition to the brakes, none of the indicator lights worked, the rear muffler was falling off, there was a major oil leak, and several other common problems needed attention.

Good news was that everything was there, the car had never been hacked on, and it had an lsd.

Here she is last summer not long after delivery. She didn't come like this. TRX wheels and tires were replaced with the spoked 16x8 set and new Bridgstones and new fog lenses added.

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First, the brakes.
The calipers were seized and rotors were deeply grooved. Never seen rotors so bad. Someone forced (pounded) the wrong calipers on the rotors. So first major repair was all new brake hardware with the big brakes upfront. Not fun but necessary and very gratifying now that I could actually drive it.

Test drive revealed some suspension clunking, of course. Typical e28 issues. First replaced the subframe bushings, pittman arms, endlinks and sway bushings. Helped tremendously, especially in the rear end and overall NVH reduction. Still a clunking in the front which turned out to be a control arm.

I love the way it drives. Even though it was an auto, it was still fun, especially with the sport mode. At this point I knew I was all in and I would do right by the car.

Next up was a basic tune-up. Cap and rotor were baked and crumbled to pieces. Original? Not sure how it even ran. Plug color indicated good combustion and was consistent across all 6. Still had a stumbly idle at start-up afterwards.

After a tank or so of fuel, it was apparent the fuel pump was going. I replaced with and Airtek unit and threw in a new fuel filter at the same time. I'll rehab the old unit with a good pump later on. The new pump and filter seemed to help start-up and acceleration and of course the fuel starvation issue.

Decided next step was a trip to Seattle on a hot summer day. Opted for adventure over caution. Stuck in Tacoma traffic and started seeing coolant vapor billowing from underhood. Oh boy. Kind folks let me off the highway.Turns out the system was almost dry and my trips around town never got it hot enough to show. A few gallons of coolant later and all was good to get there and home. After some testing, found the fan was shot. I believe this is likely the reason why the original owner sold the car. After replacing the fan and thermostat and all new coolant, I ended up driving the car all over with no overheating issues for almost a year.

There was still the dreaded oil leak. I tried to tighten up the pan bolts and even resealed the upper timing cover but it continued to sling oil. It was running great but I can't tolerate major oil leaks.

Along the way, I met a local enthusiast who just happened to have an e32 with a b35 and 260/6 that had seen better days. Engine and drivetrain was original but had some body and interior damage. After hearing it run and driving it a bit, you guessed it.

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More to come later.

muleskinner · Post by **muleskinner** » Jun 18, 2020 5:57 PM

Looks like you got a lot of car for a little money. Look forward to seeing the b35 upgrade. If it were on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, the caption would read "THE COMEBACK OF BRONZIT"

jayjaya29 · Post by **jayjaya29** » Jun 19, 2020 6:19 AM

Very clean example, thanks for bringing us along for the ride!

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jun 19, 2020 5:17 PM

Yes. I was lucky.

As a gesture of gratitude to the community, especially all who have shared their time and talent, all extra parts are free for pick up.

Includes b34 and trans, nutria interior and everything except the engine and drivetrain from the e32. Located in Olympia, WA.

I'm not parting the motor and would rather not separate it from the trans so come take it all. I have a video of it running from last week. PM me if interested.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jun 29, 2020 2:59 PM

Biggest problem encountered thus far was 3 exhaust studs in the rear of the head. I was able to get the nuts and manifold off but the studs didn't respond to penetrating oil and MAPP gas so into the shop it went. The shop was able to get them out but not without some damage to the threads. They suggested helicoils but I had heard mixed reviews, especially in this application.

The solution was to tap the holes to M10 and use "step studs" where half is M10 and half is M8 like the original.
Available from Belmetric:
https://www.belmetric.com/metric-step-s ... od7bb95885

I think the most challenging part was making sure the tap stayed straight. It cut through the head pretty easily making it easy to get misaligned. Slow and steady won the race. You can see that the step studs end up at the same height and torqued down just fine. We'll see how they hold up.

Also good time to chase the threads for the e28 mounts.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jul 27, 2020 1:03 PM

Tackling a few of the "while the motor is out" tasks. Heater core is back in. Was able to get that and the AC out with the dash in place. This is an 87. Also had to replace the entire pedal box as mine did not have a return spring perch and fitting e32 pedals onto the e28 bracket isn't exactly straight forward.

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Also, just about finished with the bay. Blower is back in and heat shielding replaced. The material is from Design Engineering and supposed to withstand direct heat of 1750F. We'll see.

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Post by **tig** » Jul 28, 2020 11:14 AM

Subscribed! This'll be a neat car if you continue!

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Aug 04, 2020 7:50 PM

Small update.

The steering wheel thread had been entirely unraveled but the leather was still in very good condition. Trying to keep costs down so thought I'd try to keep it alive a bit longer.

After inspection, all the original thread holes were intact. They weren't even stretched or distorted. Also, the leather hadn't shrunk and would come together at the seam with a few clamps on the wheel.

I used some bluish upholstery thread my wife had and one of those curved needles. It took several hours but I did it at night while relaxing.

I used a simple "X" pattern instead of the factory 2 rows cinched method. I think it came out looking OK. You can see that the seam is tight and I think it will hold up for awhile. At least until I can afford one of those super sweet wheels from Nosis.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Aug 21, 2020 11:25 PM

Not really "eye candy" unless you also appreciate a smooth, safe ride or the aesthetics of yeoman's work.

New upper and lower CAs, tie rods, and center and end links. And of course, welded in the steering arm support. Thanks to Ed for the great product. Sure enough, the weld on my original bracket was cracked on the side nearest the motor.

Oh, and for anyone considering this work, take the lower strut plates off. Honestly, I have to believe it's much more work trying to do it with the plates attached. I borrowed a simple single-bolt press tool from the LAPS and it popped every joint easily.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Sep 25, 2020 11:34 AM

Finally got all the pedal hardware and plumbing installed. Took a while. Had to source more parts than I initially thought. Big thanks to Ben for the over-center spring and David for the box bracket. Both seem very well engineered.

Question: Should the clutch pedal go PAST the pivot point of the spring when the hydraulic system is not pressurized? I don't have the master connected and bled yet and when I pushed on the pedal it goes to the floor and stays there past the pivot point of the spring. Hoping that when the system has pressure, it will counteract this. Or is it something else?

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Some not so eye candy. Super fugly wiring from an 80s era alarm system that was hacked into the harness. Hope I didn't mess anything up when I pulled it.

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Bonsaibacker · Post by **Bonsaibacker** » Sep 26, 2020 7:17 AM

tseohs wrote: Sep 25, 2020 11:34 AM
Question: Should the clutch pedal go PAST the pivot point of the spring when the hydraulic system is not pressurized? I don't have the master connected and bled yet and when I pushed on the pedal it goes to the floor and stays there past the pivot point of the spring. Hoping that when the system has pressure, it will counteract this. Or is it something else?

I don't know if it should, but it always does...

Keep going- looks like a great base to build on. Looking forward to more pics.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Sep 27, 2020 10:44 PM

Big weekend, folks. After some delays, finally got the engine and gearbox mated and installed. Put them in together. Went pretty smoothly-took 2 attempts, after getting the rigging correct. There was some trial and error getting everything lined up and bolted. Here's what worked for me: 1) got the trans brace bolted in but not tightened so things could still move about 2) loosely bolted the upper stud of the right mount to the engine side and then inserted the lower mount stud to the cross member as I lowered the motor. 3) bolt the lower stud of the left mount to the cross member first otherwise it won't clear the steering box and then lowered the engine mount onto the upper stud.

Big respect and big thank-you to those of you who have done and documented this. It's quite a bit of work.

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next steps are to get the ignition, intake, and cooling system done so I can try to start it.

Cheers.

Zengineer · Post by **Zengineer** » Sep 28, 2020 1:40 AM

Such a good feeling getting that big step behind you. Nicely done! You are on the home stretch.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Oct 23, 2020 12:40 PM

Got the e28 airbox connected to the b35 afm and mounted in original location. Should be airtight and looks factory. Need to put some rubber "feet" on the tabs where the box rests on the valve cover. Used the b35 wires with the b34 coil wire so the coil could go back in place. Also some plumbing, fuel lines in, belts snug.

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Had to spring for a new overflow tank, among many other items I was hoping to avoid replacing. You can see the round e32 wiring harness plug behind the tank. That's where it ended up after unraveling the harness and where it needs to be for the adapter to reach the fuse box. I'll mount it the the existing mounts coming off the shock tower. Otherwise, the harness tucks pretty cleanly up against the firewall.

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Routed DME and relays into glove box. Yet to be mounted and still need power.

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Last, for those using the original b35 oil cooler, where and how did you mount it? The lines end just below the lower radiator support but that doesn't seem like a good location. Would like to use the original but thinking of getting a smaller unit and splicing it in so it can mount inside the engine bay. Ideas?

Thanks.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Nov 10, 2020 11:24 PM

It turns over! For several seconds even and nothing broke.

I had the fuel pump fuse out and was just trying to get the fluids circulating to check for leaks. Big deal, long time coming. This makes me confident it will start.

Just need to build an exhaust, find a shifter arm and selector rod, and go figure out a drive shaft.

At least something other than the motor and trans from the e32 fit.

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And a few washers as a tribute. I like the wheel lower too.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Dec 06, 2020 2:42 PM

Started on the first try. Oil light goes out immediately, idles well even without an exhaust or O2 sensor. Oil leaking from the pan and just under the tensioner bolt so looks like some resealing is needed. Didn't really expect this because the mating surfaces were pristine smooth and clean and everything was torqued in pattern / sequence. At least the cooling system is leak free.

Finally got the correct shift arm and selector rod so shifter is all together. Driveshaft just arrived so that is next and have started cutting and fitting the downpipes.

Things back in their right place.

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Shift boot is from the e32 donor. It had to be cut and stitched to fit the e28 shift frame and then the boot was glued and clamped in several steps to get it to fit the frame and sit nicely in the console. The frame came from someone in Denmark who is 3-D printing them. Fit well. Just needed to notch the console for the tabs to fit into.

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B35 afm with B34 air box.

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And some feet for the airbox to rest on the cam cover.

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Adam W in MN · Post by **Adam W in MN** » Dec 06, 2020 4:57 PM

Looking good, keep posting on the progress.

Bonsaibacker · Post by **Bonsaibacker** » Dec 06, 2020 9:06 PM

Digging this build and the customizations. Clean work my friend.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Dec 18, 2020 4:09 PM

Got the new Portland DS installed last night with shiny new 10.9 hardware. 2-day delivery included in the cost! Made sure to torque nuts only on the flanges, not the guibo. For the shifter arm mount, I opted for the bolt-on versus 2-piece weld-on method even though I had a body mount from the donor. I used the existing hole in the mount and drilled 2 more. Bolt size is fairly small so plenty of metal left and it is quite stiff once tightened. Unlike the DS, the trans brace, shift arm, and rod are getting hard to find so keep that in mind if considering this swap.

Now back to those damn leaks.

Cheers!

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jan 06, 2021 12:52 AM

Happy New Year all.

Got the oil pan and heater valve plumbing redone. Ended up getting a new valve for a good price so changed that out as well.

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Started on the exhaust which should be one of the last major mechanical tasks. I'm modifying the downpipes and then everything back will be new. Only the front pipe needs to be cut and welded to fit. The rear pipe fits. One difference is they switch sides to fit.

The front needs to be shortened about an inch in the horizontal section. The vertical section needs to be shortened to clear the sway bar and then the bottom horizontal section needs to rotate about 20 degrees or so so it will fit into the hanger. From there back it will be routed like the original system with 2 round resonators in the center and an ANSA rear muffler. I want the system to be relatively quiet so I got the largest resonators I could find that will fit. We'll see.

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You can see that the 2" adapters are just a bit larger than the original pipes. To get good welds, I tacked a few spots and then hammered the edge down to fit snug on the pipe. I hadn't welded in quite a while. I used to have access to a Miller 350. Now I just have an HF flux-core machine. Although after some practice, not beautiful but it'll do. There's a nice even heat ring on the inside, no burn through, and it's sealed.

This is the first one. They'll get better. Would definitey be better if I had a dedicated welding table and not hunched over a workmate.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jan 16, 2021 1:48 PM

Decided to weld these resonators together hoping it will add some rigidity to the center section. It will also help get things lined up and fit.

I chose these because I couldn't find a single unit that was 2 in 2 out, 2" ID, and would fit well in the tunnel. Each of these has a 4"OD and about 24" long case which makes the C to C pipe spacing about 4" and they fit very well in the tunnel under the heat shield. From there it will route to the down pipes and rear muffler section.

The casing is heavy gauge so I hope they are relatively quiet. Plan to give it a coat of hi-temp paint.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jan 23, 2021 1:18 PM

Front section is all welded. Rear is fit but still needs welding. That rearmost joint will be clamped so the entire system can be disassembled easily. Everything lines up nicely. Also need to fit the O2 bung. Front hanger will be a modified version of the original. Rear hanger will be a single piece of round stock welded to both pipes and then laced through rubber donuts. More work than I had expected.

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leadphut · Post by **leadphut** » Jan 28, 2021 9:30 AM

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jan 31, 2021 8:22 PM

Small update. Rear exhaust section is welded up. Don't mind the flux and stickers, it will get wire brushed and some HT paint. Most importantly, the front and rear sections align well with the resonator section after final welding. There will be clamps before and after the resonators. Also got the O2 bung welded in front. I'm satisfied that I met the objectives of 1) full 2" dual pipe system 2) as few pieces as possible 3) mostly welded lap joints and 4) relatively easy to remove if needed.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Feb 09, 2021 7:44 PM

I'm not ready to go full bumper swap yet and I couldn't just slap the valance back on. It was pretty damaged on one side. The corner was caved in several inches, the tow hook hole was really mangled, and there was a significant crease at the paint transition line out to the edge. Using a small ball peen and other makeshift tools I was able to get it pretty straight and fit a new tow hook cover. Add some trim paint and it looks decent. We'll see.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Feb 24, 2021 5:12 PM

Been spending time getting the engine cleaned up. I'm calling it done for now. Fixed a few things like the temp sender to the dash. Exhaust is fully installed and I have been able to run it for a few 20 minute cycles. Idles solid at 850 or so. Appear to be no leaks even at the band clamps and no movement. It felt really solid even before fitting the trans and subframe brackets. I'm really happy with the "tuck" and tight clearances, especially around the subframe and diff. Don't mind the gloppy welds in the first photo. That's where the old and new pipes meet which required multiple passes and some creative hammering. The exhaust sound is pretty quiet as I had hoped even with the car still up on stands. More thumpy than raspy. Plan is to get the hood back on tonight.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Feb 25, 2021 1:09 PM

Hood back on and aligned. All I can say is that was one tricky task getting that reattached solo.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Mar 11, 2021 11:32 PM

Engine starts easily and idle is steady but loud and lumpy. Confirmed by sound and feel that #6 wasn't firing. Pulled plugs and #6 was wet and unfired, the rest were fouled. Initially I was a bit deflated.

Cleaned plugs and reinstalled 1-5. Tested #6 plug when running but not installed. It appeared to fire well. So have fuel and spark. Reinstalled #6, restarted, same thing. Cylinder #6 wasn't firing and other plugs heavily fouled.

Inspected the inside of #6 plug boot and saw that the inner plastic was cracked and the boot didn't fit the plug snugly. I think the wire wasn't maintaining a good connection when installed. New wires are on the way. Also checked the TPS which I had checked but turns out it wasn't consistently "clicking" on closed throttle. So hopefully between new wires and TPS adjust, things will get smoothed out.

I was worried so in the meantime I checked that #6 has compression. Looks good.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Mar 16, 2021 2:18 PM

New plug wires run smoother but still no firing on cyl #6.

Have spark and compression (~150psi) at #6 but no firing and plug is wet after running a few minutes with no indication of firing at all.
Other plugs look less fouled, more healthy with new wires and TPS adjusted.

Almost everything else is new or checked:
AFM is retraced and tested
CTS is new
ICV moves freely, buzzes
Valves were set when head went back on and there is no audible valve tick.

So what is left that is exclusive to a single cylinder?
Injector? Maybe it's just leaking and not spraying into the cylinder?
?

Plan is to try to check injector plug and wires and if nothing is obviously amiss pull the injectors and send them for r&r. While that is being done, I'll recheck the valves.

Any ideas are appreciated.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Apr 16, 2021 10:47 PM

First time out in the sun in a year or so. Car is idling, running, and sounding great. I think the lightened flywheel really makes it feel peppy. Ignore the heavy coat of grinding dust and lack of trunk lid.

Finally figured out the dead cylinder issue. It was an injector, or technically 3 injectors. Took a while to get it sorted because I thought the injectors in the b35 were good having driven the donor car before the swap. So before focusing on the injectors, I ruled out everything including a leakdown test.

Cylinder 6 injector had a dead coil and 2 others leaked and were unrepairable. This caused a misfire on one and an overall rich running condition with fuel coming out the tailpipe due to the leakers. Luckily I had another set from the b34 so I was able to get 6 working injectors with perfect spray pattern and flow.

Regarding injectors, Cruzin Performance is not currently cleaning injectors. So I sent my injectors to HPI at https://hpinjectors.com/pages/hpi-injec ... g-services
They provided before, during, and after videos to show exactly what condition the injectors were in and proof of correct spray pattern and flow afterward. Of course they replace o-rings and caps and several of mine needed some other attention. I first sent them a set of 6 from the b34 which they were able to clean and get perfect. Unfortunately one was damaged in return shipping. They graciously offered to do the 2nd set from the b35 for free. That's when I found out 3 were bad. All reassembled and running like a champ.

Post by **tig** » Apr 18, 2021 2:11 PM

It's pretty incredible how smoothly an M20 (I haven't really tried on my M30) will run with one injector not working.

Last time I needed injectors I cleaned them myself. I didn't get proof they were spraying correctly, which I thinks is probably worth the price of admission of having a pro do it.

I spy with my little eye a Venetian Blue '87-88 911 Targa with WA plates.

My Venetian Blue '88 911 coupe with WA plates.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Apr 27, 2021 4:33 PM

You spy correctly. 87 targa with light silver (not linen) interior. Very lucky to have found this color combo with low mileage and pretty much untouched but in need of typical 911 maintenance-fuel lines, e-brake, shifter and suspension bushings, valve adjust and general tune-up. Other than maintenance, I added the MOMO and an OEM chin spoiler.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » May 21, 2021 3:55 AM

Back at home. After driving for a few days, fumbling with AFM to smooth idle. New plugs
help as does a little AFM enrichment at idle. Gears are shorter than expected. Good thing I didn't swap in the 3.64

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lizard · Post by **lizard** » May 30, 2021 3:39 AM

Very nice!

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jun 04, 2021 11:43 AM

Getting ready to send the donor 735 to the crusher and decided to pull this before it goes. Was feeling lazy and didn't really want to do the job and thought I would be happy with the 3.25. However, after driving for a few weeks I think more aggressive gearing would be fun. It's mainly an around town car so not worried about highway RPM.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jul 05, 2021 1:37 PM

Spent some time cleaning over the holiday weekend and want to share some pics.

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And a very unfortunate incident. I try to avoid highways when I can and absolutely avoid trucks but the local routes were packed recently so I jumped on I-5 and here is the result, right in the sight line in an otherwise pristine screen. I've had the worst luck with windshields. I went through 4 or 5 on my old 850R in ~10 years. I wonder if it's related to the high aggregate composition in the road mix used around here? Guess I'll try to get on the list for new windscreens.

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tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jul 30, 2021 7:13 PM

Rehabbed the rear bumper with a 3/8" thick x 1.75" wide strip of high density rubber. Much slimmer, especially in the corners, than the original.

And the front to match. I think the front looks much cleaner without the plate section and the pieces over the blinkers that were on the original. Lens depth has been adjusted to be flush with the rubber strip.

Mdreamer · Post by **Mdreamer** » Sep 08, 2021 11:09 AM

tseohs wrote: Jul 30, 2021 7:13 PM Rehabbed the rear bumper with a 3/8" thick x 1.75" wide strip of high density rubber. Much slimmer, especially in the corners, than the original.

And the front to match. I think the front looks much cleaner without the plate section and the pieces over the blinkers that were on the original. Lens depth has been adjusted to be flush with the rubber strip.

I've never seen anyone do this before. Great solution!

Ju@n · Post by **Ju@n** » Oct 04, 2021 10:08 AM

Awesome!! That car looks excellent! and a bargain as well

I do have a question though, how did you end up fitting the oil cooler? were the lines long enough?

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Oct 10, 2021 8:21 PM

No, there's no room to stuff the e32 oil cooler under the radiator and the lines were not long enough to reach below. After reading that the oil rarely gets hot enough under normal use to necessitate a cooler, I decided to delete it.

Here's the current set-up - original lines with a 90 degree elbow.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Oct 17, 2021 11:47 PM

I'm pretty happy with the outcome but this is another of those projects that seems straight-forward and you think will go quickly but when you get into it you realize there are lots of steps and some finesse required to make it look "from the factory".

Manual shade from the e32 donor. Shelf refinished with SEM "desert sand" for interior and carpet. It laid down very evenly with no clumps. I have the factory end clips that screw into the headliner but opted for some simple hook clips for now because I'm hesitant to cut into it. The hooks look and function really well.

thugginrobby · Post by **thugginrobby** » Oct 18, 2021 1:42 PM

I have my sunshade on my parcel shelf but I too am hesitant to cut into my headliner. What hooks did you use?

tseohs wrote: Oct 17, 2021 11:47 PM I'm pretty happy with the outcome but this is another of those projects that seems straight-forward and you think will go quickly but when you get into it you realize there are lots of steps and some finesse required to make it look "from the factory".

Manual shade from the e32 donor. Shelf refinished with SEM "desert sand" for interior and carpet. It laid down very evenly with no clumps. I have the factory end clips that screw into the headliner but opted for some simple hook clips for now because I'm hesitant to cut into it. The hooks look and function really well.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Nov 23, 2021 12:49 AM

Even after replacing the front end and all bushings, I was still disappointed with the ride quality so I decided to finally do the struts and springs.

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And low and behold, it's now a proper sports car. And no more jacked stance.

I drove it up and around the Olympic Peninsula Sunday. It performed really well. It was a blast even. It's finally able to really effectively use the power and connect to the road. Oh, and to chime in on an old debate, I used the cut method to get the needed clearance in the rear for the 8" wide wheels. I wouldn't recommend rolling.

With most of the major mechanical restoration complete, I'm really happy with this car. The exhaust is the only thing I may change. There's nothing but 2" pipes between the manifolds and the resonators in the center under the heat shield. The original header pipes, cat, and resonators were so much more massive. It sounds cool but it's pretty throaty up front right after the manifolds. I'll have to investigate the options. Maybe try some interior sound dampening first.

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Seeker · Post by **Seeker** » Nov 24, 2021 4:35 PM

You’ve accomplished quite a bit of work to get the car to this point and now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor, well done.
The wheels look good on your car, very stately in my opinion.

leadphut · Post by **leadphut** » Nov 24, 2021 10:28 PM

Cat looks great. Nice progress

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jan 16, 2022 10:55 PM

Had to replace the selector shaft seal. This gave me a chance to clean-up and paint the exhaust. As designed, it was off the car in five minutes. The seal on the other hand was a hassle. Just hope I got it right this time.

Also took the chance to upgrade the cheap trans fluid I used in the initial swap to MTL. Everything was working well, just a bit noisy.

Post by **tig** » Feb 25, 2022 5:14 AM

I’m a huge fan of this thread and car. Hope to meet it (and the OP of course) someday.

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Mar 04, 2022 6:10 PM

Thanks for the kind words of inspiration, Charlie.

I also owe a belated thank-you to the rest of you who have chimed in along the way.

While the car is approaching excellence mechanically, I'm not sure I'd have the confidence to show it to many of you. Up close, it shows its scars and failed clear coat.

Peace and take care.

Todd

Mdreamer · Post by **Mdreamer** » Mar 07, 2022 2:53 PM

Don't feel that way, Todd. We are all in our respective journeys with our cars together and this is a no-judgement zone!

tseohs · Post by **tseohs** » Jun 25, 2022 2:44 PM

Nothing too fancy, just maintenance and tuning.

This is the Airtex after only a few hundred miles. Upgraded to a single AEM with new lines and cleaned some debris from the pump well.

Car was running really well but plugs read lean so adjusted the AFM another click. Will check after a few miles.

Also scored some sport seats in trade for my extra LSD so should have some real eye candy soon. May be a while because the seats were nearly destroyed. So far has involved welding, adding and shaping multiple thicknesses and densities of foam, painting. Haven't even started reassembly.