ZeroChad's Log -- Parting out this weekend.

smiley · Post by **smiley** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 5:20 pm

looking good, can't wait to see the turbo build

neonpla · Post by **neonpla** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:45 pm

Chad I'm bored!

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 1:56 am

Well I still have more crap to take off.

I'm just going to paste this on this page so I don't have to look for it lmao.

Near Future
Wrap up electrical issues
- Install voltage regulator
- Need to splice in launch control wire
- Tidy up fuel pump wiring
- Tidy up ballast wiring

Dieting
- Remove stock ECU & excess engine wiring (need to do a couple things to make this hapen)
- Clean out rest of interior wiring
- Remove Power steering cooler. (determined fittings needed)
- Remove heater core/ AC components under dash.

Next Year
Transmission Overhaul
- ACT 6 puck clutch
- ACT lightweight flywheel
- Rebuilt OBS LSD
- Find new battery tray mount and make shelf for it

Turbo Build!
- Yes, this is finally happening.
- Going s256 or bigger
- Doing custom IC piping
- Already have mainfold and Wastegate.

Charging Issues
So where to start. This past 2 weeks has kind of been a pain. I was pretty sure my alternator was going out, b/c my voltage kept dropping even with my belt properly tensioned. I snagged a used one off a texas car for $20 (60k miles!) not a bad deal.

This fixed my problem where my car would run when I turned the key off (alternator was backfeeding on the asd circuit). I was going to install a diode in there, but looks like it was just my old alternator being weird. Well that didn't fix my problem. My car is barely pulling 13V. I'm going to inspect my grounding and power wires, but I'm pretty confident that the ECU is being retarded due to all of the stuff I've removed and doesn't want to control the alternator properly anymore. So, I'm just going to install an external voltage regulator for it.

After that, I just need to figure out my gauge situation, and I can remove the stock ecu completely. I'm torn between an autometer dash and doing an lcd Tunerstudio setup. The gauges would probably be easier and more reliable, but I like the idea of having an lcd in the dash there....

Oil Leak Issues.
Sooo then last week I received a letter from my condo complex's HoA. They had a complaint that my car is unsafe and is leaking oil/brake fluid everywhere. Then I receive a second email about my car rolling backwards the previous week. Well I had forgot to set my parking brake once....lame. The oil leak was barely existant. The pan was damp, but barely leaking. Its something I wanted to fix for a while, but haven't gotten to it.

I'm pretty sure that my crazy neighbor lady has a vendetta against me and my car. Well I decided to be a good sport and fix the leak anyway. I grabbed some RTV black gasket maker and went to town on the pan. Since I have the Canton pan, I have to remove the AC/Engine mount bracket and clutch slave just to get the pan out, kinda a pain.

Turns out I made things worse!! ARgh. So after christmas I decided to use a gasket this time and try it again. Well, after yanking the pan off again, I realized that the stock bolts were bottoming out on the thinner flange of the Canton pan. I was getting no-to-barely any clamping force....bah..So I took all 13 of them to the grinder and hacked off about 3/8" on all of them. Bam! Worked great. No leaks at all.

I'm taking a flight up to MI to go to a funeral for the next week, but when I get back I want to install that voltage regulator and fix this charing problem.

neonpla · Post by **neonpla** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:18 pm

We should do a meet in your parking lot, 15 neons would really piss them off. lol

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:54 pm

Ugh....That lady is crazy man.

bUmPDATE
My HIDs started freaking out this week. I have no clue why. I'm pretty much done dealing with them, so I ordered some racoons. Swapping those in this month, and removing fog tint. Should be a nice change of pace.

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 8:09 pm

Boom! So I blew up cylinder one today.

I was going to get gas (about 6 miles away for e85) and didn't think I was going to make it. So, I stopped in a station a put in a 1.5g of 93. Well I must have pushed it too hard on my e85 tune or something, b/c right before I got to the e85 station the car started misfiring and making some crazy ass noises.

I filled up thinking I just fouled the plugs from running rich. After I moved to a parking lot and took out the plugs, cleaned em up and noticed cylinder one was wet with fuel....I then remembered I had my compression tester in the trunk

cyl 1 - 0 psi
cyl 2-4 = 220psi

I'm thinking I blew up a valve or something...I dunno. I unclipped the cyl 1 injector and puttered home on 3cyl....luckily I had my laptop with me so I retuned to help me home.

Argh...well, I'll look at it tomorrow. I really don't have the time/facilities/willpower to take the head off again.

z3roneo · Post by **z3roneo** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:38 pm

Damn that suxs bro..

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:27 pm

z3roneo wrote:Damn that suxs bro..

Yeah, I'm pretty bummed man...I'm tossing around the idea of renting a self storage to work on the car in.

dtjackten · Post by **dtjackten** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:31 pm

oh that blows. sorry to hear that... hope u get it fixed soon...

esteinmaier · Post by **esteinmaier** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:43 pm

It's discouraging when you pop a major component. That's the biggest reason my car hasn't seen pavement in more than a year. But just keep trucking. Even if you put in a half hour here and there, at least you are still making progress.

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 12:53 am

Thanks guys. Yeah, if I had a garage, I'd already have the head off and know what my next steps were.

I'm really thinking its a burnt exhaust valve. I usually can work on my car after work in the shop, but something like this would take a few days. I would like to pull the head, and if that's the case: Send it to a head shop LINK Have them do a valve job, check guides, and unshroud the valves. Then toss everthing back together.

I'll probably start calling around next week to find a space to work on it. I don't really want to order parts untill I figure out whats wrong. I'm hoping its the valves and not a hole in the piston or the rings.

Tam · Post by **Tam** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:22 am

Damn that sucks man. I know how that must feel.

neonpla · Post by **neonpla** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:45 am

Chad have you asked Seb about his parking garage? So sorry man, I'm down to help as always just let me know. I have space for you up here but 50 miles is a trip when you have a car that's handicap.

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:47 pm

Luis, you're back in Texas?

Dude, it was super lame. Seb actually moved to a place off Oltorf. I really haven't been looking to hard for a place to get it fixed yet. I've been riding my bike to work or carpooling with Jen.

I'm really hoping its just a burnt exhaust valve, and not a demolished piston. If it is the valve, I'll probably throw in Ti retainers, indy valves, and crane springs...then the motor will be fully built and hopefully reliable.

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 1:55 pm

Took the valve cover off today to see if the valvetrain would lend me any clues to what happened. Just found that my valve cover is messed up. The inner plate had come unriveted and was resting on my rockers.

Didn't find any clues though. The valves springs look normal with the rockers removed.

Also, I installed my Racoons and removed my aged, jizzed-on-looking projectors. Started removing excess wiring from the rear seat area too.

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 2:10 pm

I don't think valve covers are suppose to do that...

Sucks about cylinder 1. How do you have so many problems with this car?!

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:57 pm

Dude, I don't know! So many crazy problems.

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:07 pm

Did you put some oil in cylinder 1 when you checked compression?

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:22 pm

At zero psi, oil won't help much. It's just confirming for worn rings.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 8:22 pm

It's from those god damn ARP head studs you used on a 2.0 head!!! lol

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:21 pm

Haha....dude, the amount of times this head will have come off now, I'm glad I bought those.

Looked down the spark plug hole while hand cranking it. I couldn't really tell much, other than it didn't look like the other cylinders. The piston is still there, so I'm leaning towards valves.

Anyone have any guesses before the head comes off?

srtjesse · Post by **srtjesse** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:43 pm

beanie babies is my guess

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:02 am

^lol

Oh, I forgot to mention, one of my spark plugs broke when I was tightening it down.

Ordered SS 1mm oversize valves

So, I've been riding my bike to work now that my car is sitting. Well today I got hit by a car. I walked away, but my entire left side is sore. Here's pretty much what happened:

The car in front of me was running blocker, so I didn't see this Cavalier trying to race across the street. I braked and swerved. It was enough to get out of its line of travel, but I still the side full force (18-20mph).

I filed a police report and got all their information, but I was pretty shaken up. Bike is in the shop getting looked at now.

speed127 · Post by **speed127** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:39 am

man thats some bad luck you have. Hope it turns around, and SOON!

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 11:52 pm

Thanks man. Luckily these painkillers and muscle relaxers are doing their job. Got the bike back from the shop today. No major frame cracks or anything. I guess that's what happens when you're body takes most of the impact.

Got my indy valves in today. 1mm oversized. I originally ordered the triple groove keeper style, and afterwards read that single groove style keeper setup is better at keeping the valve and spring from rotating. Turns out they sent me the single groove ones by mistake so it worked out!

Also, I ordered a set of BC Ti retainers. Now I just need to get a set of single groove keepers and order my gaskets/seals....still need to locate a place to work on it though.

iThane · Post by **iThane** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:29 am

ZeroChad wrote: I guess that's what happens when you're body takes most of the impact.

lawl. glad to hear you're okay buddy, cuz it could have been worse!

wheels04sxt · Post by **wheels04sxt** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:51 am

damn sorry to hear about all the bad luck tyouve had lately man. hope everything takes a turn for the better

valves look purty too! cant wait to see more progress and boost

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:15 am

r/tguy02 · Post by **r/tguy02** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:16 am

glad you're ok. where did you order your BC ti retainers from?

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:25 pm

I appreciate it guys, thanks. I still have a little bit of a stiff neck, but otherwise I'm back to normal. Their insurance is covering all of my bills/expenses, plus some extra.

I grabbed the retainers from THMotorsports. They were cheaper than from MPx. Gunna try and locate a place to work on her this weekend.