20vt B3 (The Bandit)

[DE80q]

I am now using the sensor from DIYAUTOTUNE. The old one came from a local part store. Getting the sensor into the intake track is far from my idea. I was told by a couple people to get it out of the IM to avoid heat soak.

As for the 3/8" pipe bung, I made it.

[DE80q]

I still have yet to try out the new sensor placement. After installing the sensor in the pipe, I atempted to start the car, with only getting maybe a 1/8 turn on the flywheel from the starter. Thought battery was dead...again... I hooked up my truck, and then had nothing. Turn the key to on, everything turned on, and pump was strong. Turn it to start, and get nothing but a click, or a solenoid thunk. Now at this point my truck in conected to the battery, running, behind the car. So just figured the starter managed to crap out.

With talking to a couple people, I was convinced the ignition switch was to blame for this. so this morning, I pulled the cluster, and just unpluged the old switch, and pluged in the new one. I used a screw driver to turn the new switch, and got the exact same reaction from the car. Everything turns on, pump sounds strong, and get nothing but a soleniod thunk from the starter...

Well, with it parked here at my apartment, I cant do anything to it. I have never tried to bump start this car, so dont know if it will work. So I guess I will have to have the car towed to my parents place to swap starters. While Im doing that, Im going ot attach a new ground wire on that side of the bay. Was thinking of running one right off the bottom bolt of the starter to the chassis. Is this a good idea?

[vt10vt]

Solenoid, hit the starter with a hammer.

[DE80q]

I thought about that. So I tried to find a way to get at the starter. With the car being lowered, I have no way to reach it. Being here at my apartment, I'm not allowed to lift the car at all.

[DE80q]

Well, one again, the car was towed up to George's shop.


I just haven't had time to work on her, and he wants to use it for a little. So he threw on a jump box, and it started So he tested the battery, and it now tests bad on a load test. Well that doesn't make any sense, as I even hooked up my truck to try and jump it when it first started acting up, to no avail. So he threw in a new battery( and replaced the crappy + clamp and installed a tie down. All thing on my to do list, just didn't get there.)

So now there is a pretty new yellow top in there, and it wouldn't start. Turns out the starter is bad too so in went the new starter too. So between a bad starter, and dieing battery that answers a lot of little "maybes".

So now she cranks over like a champ. Yay! So now I really have to get some of the other small items taken care of when I get her back. Um... Like heat. Need to see why the cables popped off the box.

For all those that have or are serving in our armed forces, THANK YOU! and happy veterans day.

[DE80q]

well, here are some more pieces of Georges progress. He has been having fun while he has the Bandit. I just wish I would have had more of this done. My to do list is shrinking quite fast now that he has her. Just a bunch of little things I didn't have time to take care of.

As shown before, he put in a new yellow top, he also added the anti short out cover to the + terminal.


Then he tackled the heat problem. When we put the dash back together, the cables for the vent control, and hot/cold came off. Now that its getting cold, it is kind of needed. So that got fixed, and while he was in there, he thought he might as well replace a couple bulbs that were out, and mount the gauges in the dash so they can be seen while driving.


He also thought it would be nice to finally be able to have a passenger in the car without worrying about the ECU getting unplugged.


There have also been a few other things cleaned up and moved around. Not to mention he found that my 034 street density motor mounts are shot already. He had run them for a couple years before they were switched into this car. I have the matching trans mounts, so they should have held up, but alas, they didn't as I was warned they wouldn't. Either way, looks like I will e sending Mr. Taco around $250 here soon.

[DE80q]

Oh... and for those who are wondering. Changing the location of the IAT made a very noticeable change in the tune. Using the tune for the old sensor location, the AFR's are now rich. Don't know how rich yet, and no way to take any logs, as I didn't out the tuning laptop in the car. It was towed up to him without me, and didn't need the tow truck driving thinking it was fair game. I will try to get over to him soon, so I can get him the laptop, and the new throttle cable.

Hopefully we can get the tune dialed in a little better soon.

[AngryTaco]

Running rich? Compensate with MOAR BOOST

[DE80q]

Running rich? Compensate with MOAR BOOST

After we get it more sorted, then I will start turning up the boost. Until then, I can easily live with the 14psi its pushing now.

[DE80q]

So, for a quick update, turns out the composite headgasket that I had put in when I rebuilt the engine blew out. That would explain the coolant eruption from the over flow tank everytime I laid into it. Now that that is fixed, it also turns out that one of the hoses to thhe oil cooler decided to rub on somthing causing it to develope a leak. I have a new cooler setup on the way, so that should be taken care of soon. Then it will be back to tuning all over again, as I have been getting it tuned with a bad head gasket. Should be interesting...

Now on to what I just did.

I had a package show up yesterday! Got these from a great guy on Audifans. NOS rear Koni's!



So, seeing as I had some time to kill this morning, I figured I would throw these together to see how they looked. Me like!


This setup is using a pair of QA1 #375 8" springs. With the adjusters all the way up, they are still about 1/4" down from max shock extention. And can you say holy adjustability!


Not that I plan to EVER have the Bandit that low to the ground, but kind of funny to think I could

The only thing that came with the inserts that I dont know what to do with is these, little plastic split rings, any ideas?


being that I got these from a person who had them in his garage for quite some time, I really didnt expect to get any paperwork with them.

Now Im anxious to get the fronts put together, and see how the car looks sittin low... just for fun

[pilihp2]

Those are "dust covers" of sorts. They go over the shock. The shiny part.

[DE80q]

I was told over on the other forum that they fit under the gland nut. Does that sound right?

[pilihp2]

Yeah... It does...

This is the part where I realize I didn't put them under the gland nut.



Now I'm contemplating what life is.

[DE80q]

Yeah... It does...

This is the part where I realize I didn't put them under the gland nut.



Now I'm contemplating what life is.

It cant be that bad...

[AngryTaco]

Try getting a pipe wrench through those coils and see just how bad it is lol!

[DE80q]

no need. I wil be making a tool for that. Luckily, mine are just hand tight for now.

[pilihp2]

You shouldn't have to tighten the gland nuts with the whole thing assembled? just put the shock in, tighten gland nut, then put the spring on and assemble the rest.

[DE80q]

Good point. But the gland but wrench I plan to make will be flat enough to go through the coils. Just a piece of flat stock with the hex milled into it.

[DE80q]

So, for reference, the little dust shields do not fit under the gland nut. They just kind of hang out on top of it.

On a separate note, I know how to adjust these, but not sure where a good place to start would be. They were both set at different levels when I received them, so not sure where the initial setting should be. Any advice?

[ringbearer]

Start soft and work your way up.

[DE80q]

Thanks, that's where I set them, to the lowest level

[DE80q]

Also, the strut mount is making contact with the spring top. Should I put a small spacer in between them to keep this from happenening?

[DE80q]

Wow, its been a while. George still has the bandit for now. There are still a few things that need to get taken care of before I get it back. The 034 strut mounts I installed are bouncing around in the pockets, the front control arm bushings need to be replaced, the check valve before the vacuum pump is bad, so I'm putting boost pressure into the head via the vacuum pump, the turbo coolant feed is leaking, oh and the turbo's front seal is going bad, so leaking oil there too. Not too hateful of a list, but plenty to do in these busy times.

Knowing I needed to fix or replace the turbo, I decided it was time to put the hybrid turbo together. So I sent the rotation assembly to GPopShop to be balanced. 2 days ago I received an email from them telling me that the turbine was "showing its age". It is doing this be showing signs a heat fatigue, and cracking. Well this sucks! I found someone selling a complete Porsche K26/6 on MG, so I snagged that in hopes that the turbine in it will be in better shape. Not only that, but I needed the exhaust housing from it too. Hopefully between everything I have going on, and George moving, we will be able to get together soon and knock out the list, at least everything we have parts for.

[DE80q]

I made the decision to go ahead and have the turbine I sent to Gpop balanced. From what I can find, the minor cracks, and heat stress marks anre very normal for a turbo of this age, and don't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with it. We will have to keep out fingers crossed


On a good note, I had a package show up this morning!


That's right, I finaly have my HPR mounts and ISV hoses! Hopefully next weekend I will be able to get with George, and knock out what needs to be done on the bandit, so I can drive her home! Should be interesting with all the new parts we are going to throw on. I'm just excited to ditch the old collapsed 034 mounts, and get these in their place!

[mr_aj_johnson]

How long has it been since you've driven it? Nice lookin bits and bobs there Jared.