To-Do List for the Reunion

[svono50]

I am sure I am not the only one who has a to-do list for September...luckily we all have a little time to get things in line for September. For right now, here is what I have on my docket:

• Wake the car up from winter slumber
• Fresh fill with Redline water wetter
• Oil/filter change
• Install fresh spark plugs
• General cleaning
• Install new front bearings
• Install new u-joints (originals still in there now)
• Install new rear springs (higher rate to better match PM3L)
• Attend June track day
• Schedule Friday event(s) for Reunion
• Secure location for Saturday Reunion show/shine

Last two are most important! Of course, not listed is anything that comes up during the next 5 months. Hopefully that list will be very, very short, eh??

[Paul_H]

Looks like a pretty ambitious list, Ted. Can't wait to see what you come up with for the Friday and Saturday events!

I've had my car for almost 6 years but have only driven it 600 miles. My list is similar:

-Change oil and filter.
-Check new radiator and fittings I installed last fall, just before storing for the winter.
-Possibly replace rag joint (steering is loose; car feels like it jumps a few inches to the left and right while trying to drive in a straight line).
-Possibly replace tires. The current tires only have a few thousand miles on them but are 17 years old.
-Clean, wash and wax. I have washed the car a few times but have not waxed it yet.
-Clean and detail engine compartment.

Thanks,
Paul

[svono50]

Yeah, it is a few items, but not too bad. I also forgot flushing my brake fluid to add to the list...a real 'must do' item for the track day. I really don't want to turn my SVO into a lawnmower on turn 11 at the Autobahn!

Your car just needs to be driven a little more often to keep things a bit more flexible for sure. I would be VERY leery of taking those tires of yours above 30mph due to the age and potential dry rot on the inside. One other tire to consider on your car is the spare tire...the thing is now 30 years old. I replaced mine last year, since I didn't want that one to fail me when I really needed it. They are not cheap, but still less than a tow home in most cases.

[strangesvo]

Well I gotta' tell ya' that I'm a little bummed. Having the reunion in Chicago is a great idea 2 years ago when I lived in Detroit but now that I'm at the bottom of the earth im not going to make it. Last year in Birmingham I thought I would make it but the heat in August without AC was a suicide mission. Hope you have a good turn out, maybe next year. And if I was going my to do list would be just as large.

[svono50]

Don't let 958 miles stand between you and a Reunion...I can understand that is a bit of a haul, especially if you don't have a trailer and a couple days to travel both directions. Guess we will have to wait till a future Reunion to meet.

BTW, last year in Birmingham really wasn't bad w/o AC. I was really dreading it, but ended up not melting over the weekend FWIW. Trying to pick a date up here was a bit of a challenge, since most things automotive shut down after Labor Day, August can be as hot as Hades up here and October is always a likely-hood of cold weather. I am sure you remember the trends when up in Detroit.

[svoturbo]

svo here my svo been down after last summer the motor is the machine shop getting some work done im hoping to get it back soon would like to make the reunion this year. good luck with al that stuff.

[svono50]

svo here my svo been down after last summer the motor is the machine shop getting some work done im hoping to get it back soon would like to make the reunion this year. good luck with al that stuff.

I certainly hope you get yours back on the road, bummer it took a 'break' so to speak. I am finally starting to work on my list, which has of course grown a bit. Biggest challenge is just getting time to spend working on it. I really need to do my best to burn out the storage gas before the track day, hate leaning on things with some 2015 gas still in there.

[svono50]

Well, I have completed all but 2 items on my original list, which will just have to wait for this winter now. Those items are my front bearings and u-joints. I have both items, just didn't find the time to tear into them. My June track day was a bust due to a back related issue, but I fixed that and went to the August track day this past Monday, so I have had at least had my track fix for 2016.

[SVOeric]

ummm headlights, I think headlights might be a requirement for a 6 hour drive to Chicago.

[svono50]

Of course a new 'to-do' has popped up on my list as a result of my HPDE. On my 5th session I noticed my boost was no longer acting properly after I was having a tough time catching an SVT Focus that was in my group. I had easily passed him in the previous 4 sessions, so I looked at my boost gauge and noticed I was getting only 5 lbs of boost out of the corners and it would rise in a linear fashion to 8-10 lbs at 5800 rpm...drats. Usual culprit is that aftermarket downpipe/wastegate from Forced4 several years ago, where the wastegate shaft seizes up and the wastegate flapper is stuck in the open position. Simple fix is to pull it off, soak it with some penetrating lube and get it moving freely again and work out the surface corrosion (incorrect material was used for the thing). I pulled it out just a few minutes ago and SURPRISE, the flapper disk has gone missing!! My guess is that it is sitting in the grass off the track somewhere at the Autobahn track, since I have flow-through Borla mufflers that wouldn't catch the disk. Glad it didn't end up in someone's windshield! Well, now I need to call in a favor with one of the Machinists and one of the Welders at work and get this thing fixed for the Reunion. Always something, isn't it?

[SVOeric]

I'm impressed you were getting that much boost with the valve gone. That makes me think you have a restriction there.... Charlie at evergreen had built one for me a few years ago, and used a larger 1.4 inch flapper valve. Guess I know why now!

[Bruce]

I guess I don't have to ask if you have a cat then. I agree I had to go to a larger waste gate hole and made a bigger flapper too.

[svono50]

My wastegate hole is ~13/16" (0.81), which is the size it came with (i.e.- aftermarket hybrid turbo) and haven't seen any issues in the past. I think the boost/backpressure was due to the flapper disc flag still sitting in front of the hole, as the flapper shaft had seized as well. I was able to get the new disc machined up and welded in place. While I stepped up from a 1/8" locating pin to a 1/4" pin, I also decided to weld the disc solid to the flapper flag and call it a day for now. Put a few miles on the car today and it is back to running great! Anywho, here is the before/after pics:

[Bruce]

I have a question for anyone going to the reunion. Does anyone have experience with PIMP closed loop boost control?

[SVOeric]

Sorry Bruce, none, but I bet we can put our heads together.