CAI and Lowering Springs installed: Before and Afters: Spoiler for a few pics: Going to let the new springs settle for about a week before I put on the spacers to flush the wheels out and align everything. So far so good with no problems, fingers crossed though.
I don't have a lot of experience on that particular model/year, but definitely start by checking all your fuses both inside the car and in the engine compartment. Next I would visually inspect the wiring in the engine compartment and what you can see under the dash to make sure there isn't any damage to that. My initial hunch is that it has to do with the Body Control Module (BCM) which is the computer that controls all the interior electronics. The engine has a separate computer, the ECM. That's how it's been on other Pontiacs of that era that I've worked on. They're kind of a pain to replace, because among other things, the car mileage is stored in it, so legally it has to be programmed with your cars mileage at the time you swap them. I could be way off, but it sounds like either the BCM or a substantial electrical issue.
Ok, here's a question for those of you that have more experience with carbs than I do. I have an 84 Camaro Z28 with the L69 high output 5L/305 and 4 speed 700R4 automatic. It has a mechanical fuel pump (replaced last year), not electric. As of now, the car only has about 30,000 miles on it (no, that's not a typo) and is completely stock, including the quadrajet carb. I'm tired of fiddling with the quadrajet, it seems like it just doesn't ever want to run correctly.I've checked everything, and finally decided that I want to just replace the carb with a new one, and throw the quadrajet on the shelf. From the limited knowledge I have and from discussions with others, I've mostly decided to go with a 650cfm carb with vacuum secondaries and electric choke, not worry about the "computerized" mixture control, and finish removing the rest of the emissions crap (over 25 years old, you don't have to have emissions tests in TX. Other than that I'm undecided what I want. Most of the performance carbs are square-bore, which means I'd need an adapter plate to use them on the stock spread-bore manifold. If I'm going to buy and install an adapter, why not just replace the intake? Holly has a carb that is a drop-in replacement for the quadrajet here: <a class="postlink" href="http://holley.com/0-80555C.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://holley.com/0-80555C.asp</a> and I think I might just go for that, but then I think that if I'm gonna go through the trouble and expense of swapping the carb, I should go all the way for what I really want, or I'll just end up replacing it again later. This car is going to be used primarily for street driving, highway cruising, and occasional non-competitive drag racing. I just want something that runs well, has better throttle response, better torque, better power, and is fun to drive. I don't care at all about fuel mileage. As it is now, the car runs good most of the time, but throttle response isn't great, performance is inconsistent, the car varies from starting immediately to being almost impossible to start, and the power isn't nearly what it could be. I've checked everything else (vacuum lines, ignition, plugs and wires, fuel pump, etc) and the carb seems to be my main problem.
Well as i am pretty lazy right now and dont want to do to much checking, but at first glance that is the carb i would sell you for a direct bolt on replacement. The 650 is way more then enough for the 5.0L, hell it is enough for the 5.7L with some mods. There normally 2 different styles(colours) polished part number ends in S, and regular/dicromate that ends in C. If you need more info shoot me a PM and when i have time at work tomorrow i will look into it.
I have a 2002 Subaru Forester that I recently bought from my parents. It has @123k and runs like a top. They've had every recommended service done at the dealership. This is my question: the next service due is a major one, it involves basically changing every fluid in the car plus the plugs and cabin air filter, all to the tune of $700. I realize that's probably very inflated because it's a dealer, but this is my thinking: I need this car to last me a couple more years until I buy something else. It's in really good shape cosmetically with just some minor dings and such. No rust either. I only put about 12-15k a year on a car. Is it worth it for the service? I have every single receipt from my parents to show it was serviced from day one and I figure when I go to sell it in a couple I can use my stack of service receipts to get a couple extra bucks for it. I also don't want to save only a couple hundred bucks now if it means the work will be done by some tech who's not really familiar with Subaru. What say you? Do the service at the dealer, do it somewhere else or just pick and choose what fluids and such to change?
Have you thought about having the Quadrajet rebuilt and tuned by a reliable mechanic with lots of carburetor experience? Otherwise, I swear by Holleys. There are so many parts available for them that you can make them do damn near anything you want. Plus, in my opinion, they are much easier to work on than the Quadrajets. I prefer the 4150 style with the center hung/cathedral style float bowls, because it is easier to change jets on those (and for best performance, you might have to do some tinkering around with the jets and the power valve. Don't worry, it's fun!) If a square bore carb is the route you want to go, and your engine doesn't have any leaks coming from the intake manifold, and you don't want to spend too much, go with an adapter plate (if it doesn't interfere with your hood clearance!). Otherwise there are a multitude of aftermarket intakes out there; let your wallet be your guide. One last thing: since you said this car is all original, and it is 26 years old, there is a chance that the gaskets for the intake manifold might have deteriorated/shrunk some, resulting in vacuum leaks that aren't easily detectable (ie: inside the crankcase). Before you do anything, just for experiment's sake, why don't you try retorquing the intake manifold, and see if anything improves?
You can change the cabin air filter yourself; look for instructions online for your model of car. After you do it, watch your air conditioner and heater miraculously start performing better. I changed two of those in the last couple of weeks, and the women who owned the cars were practically ready to get on their knees and blow me in gratitude because of how much better their A/C was working. For everything else, find a good independant mechanic. If it has really been serviced as thoroughly as you said, some of what they are asking to do may not be necesarry. Tell us exactly what they want to change, and tell us when the last time it was done.
If anyone is interested in attending (SvP) check this out: <a class="postlink" href="http://ferrarisandfriends.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://ferrarisandfriends.com/</a> One of my club members is putting together a very large gathering in Ft. Wayne, IN. Going to be a massive list of impressive cars in attendance. And Tim Allen. Bob Seger isn't confirmed but sources tell me he'll likely be there as well. Oh and maybe a certain recognizable late night TV talk show host as well. YEAR MAKE MODEL 1966 Ferrari 330GTC 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 1962 Ferrari 250GTE 1974 Ferrari 308GT4 2002 Ferrari 360 Modena 1983 Ferrari 308QV 2006 Ferrari 360 Modena Spyder 1993 Ferrari 348 Spyder 1985 Ferrari 308QV 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB 1987 Ferrari Mondial 1967 Ferrari 330P4 1983 Ferrari 308GTS 2011 Audi R8 V10 1957 Ford Thunderbird 1954 MG TF 1955 Ford Thunderbird 1998 Porsche Boxster 2007 Porsche 997 S Cab 2008 Mercedes SL 55 Lotus Elise California Acura NSX 1995 Porsche 993 2006 Aston Martin DB9 Lamborghini Murciealago Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo 1990 Ferrari Testarossa 1970 Ferrari 365GTB/4 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia 1999 Acura NSX 1985 Ferrari 308QV 1976 Porsche 911 Coupe 1978 Ferrari 308GTS 1991 Ferrari 348TS 1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 2006 Ferrari 360 Modena 2006 Porsche Cayman 2001 Porsche 2011 Porsche 2011 BMW 550i 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/2 Alloy-Bodied NART Spyder 1968 Ferrari 365 California Spyder Conversion 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Alloy-Bodied, 6 carb conversion Daytona Spyder 1972 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino Targa top 1978 Ferrari 512 BB Targa Top Boxer 1991 Ferrari 512 Testarossa Convertible 2010 Ferrari California Convertible Hard Top 2005 FORD GT40 2005 FORD GT40 2006 Ferrari F430
Well i think the new 5 series are sexy, the old one's still look just as good, but i have always loved the way BMW's looked. You are talking about X5 not having having 4 doors, as far as i knew they did, the X6 is like the 6 series and has 2 doors, the X5 is like the 5 series has 4 doors, unless i have missed something, i really havent been paying attention to anything to do with new cars lately. I dont think you are right about the older body styles not holding there value to a certain point. Maybe say in 6 years or so, when you will get a 6 year old 2011 vs a 8 year old 2009, you might notice a difference you might not. But say in 3-4 years when your 2009 is up for warranty, the new body style will have only been out for 3-4 years and a 3-4 BMW will still command a high price, so i dont think your old model year will be that affected. On your AWD note, i thought you could get most models in with the X drive? But take my word for what it is, i can still only dream of owning a 550 or and X5.
I'm also a car guy first so I'd go with the 550. The new(er) X5 is nice, decently quick for an SUV, and handles better than your run of the mill Explorer but the 550i is in another class. If you already have a backup SUV/winter vehicle I say definitely 550i. As for what a 2009 will be worth in 3-4 years... no less than a 3-4 year old BMW is right now. Unless things go completely into the shitter again the current prices on cars should be the basement.
This is more automotive specific than the general advice thread so I'll post it here. A friend of mine (Tim) is tired of working as a technician for someone else and is looking to strike out on his own. He already has a decent following of people who come to him for tuning and general maintenance on their hot rods and toys and I agree that this customer base will follow him wherever he goes. My storage business is doing well and I allow certain people to work on their cars there but I've had tons of requests for "help" on vehicles while they're stored for the winter. We already do detailing and tune-ups but not much beyond that unless I know you and you want to do it yourself or with your friends. I really don't want to sublet part of my building preferring instead to take a minority share in the business. Tim is ok with this. The problem is that the payoff for me is going to be a long time coming. Helping a friend is fine but this isn't going to make me rich and I could use the space for other things. His solution is something that he's been contemplating doing on his own for awhile anyways. Buying problematic hot rod/sports cars/projects, getting them running and then selling them. He's done a Grand National and a Dodge Charger in the last few months and made a decent return on both. The thinking is that I get my % out of each of these cars for the time being. If he can do 1-2 every 8 weeks or so it would work out. I know we have lots of tuners, motor heads, and mechanics here and I'm wondering what your opinion is on this idea. In theory buying someone's headache (without getting burned) fixing what they couldn't and flipping it sounds like a good idea. Have any of you done this? Are there more hidden costs than I'm assuming? Thanks.
One thing you'll want to check out on this is whether or not you'll need to get a car dealer's license to do this. Buying and re-selling a couple cars is one thing, but regularly buying and then re-selling cars could be something the state will want a piece of. It's not hard for them to get tipped off either, since you have to fill out all the title/registration paperwork all the time.
Friend of mine has done this for almost a year, to the point that he rented a small shop to store stuff in and work on the cars. The problem he's run into is that while he could find excellent project cars, that market has seemed to dry up on him in the last few months. He's having a bitch finding cars to work on, and the ones he's found are just shit. He's done a few old Vettes, Chargers, a GTO, a Duster, and a pretty cool el Camino, and while he's made a pretty good return on the work he's put in, he's never made a ton. He never really got the momentum to take it beyond a hobby, though, and has closed up his shop.
My and my buddies car at a show over the weekend. Mine's the sexy blue one. And I just decided to take the 'Infiniti' off today:
We're going to give it a try. He's having two lifts installed next week and is already on his way to check out two project cars in Virginia. One is a rather ridiculously built Toyota Supra. I have a funny feeling I'll be trading him rent towards this car if it's as nice as he says it is.
This just in! Electric cars aren't gay! http://www.autoguide.com/manufacturer/tesla/2011-tesla-roadster-25-s-review-1444.html
I recently bought a 79 F150. I was told it had a 302 out of an 80s Mustang, but I just found out its a 1965 289 out of who knows what (is this engine any good, or should I swap it out for a 302 or 351?). I'm kind of pissed, but I can get over it. It was running ok when I got it, but would sputter and hesitate when you stuck it in 3rd and coming up to a light, as you would put your foot on the clutch it would stall if you didn't bump the throttle. I took the fuel filter out and it was pretty dirty so replaced it. When I started it again it ran super rough and would backfire if you touched the throttle. The fumes also stunk like gas and the plugs were wet with gas. Obviously running rich The carb that's on it is apparently a 650cfm. I had a buddy of mine look at it and he said it could be that the carb in it now is too much for the stock engine. He said that if I put a stock carb on it that I would probably see it run better. Any truth to this? I'm 100% a newb when it comes to carburetors on engines.