Eric's '90 80QT: rustic bits

[audiPete]

Likely the splder connections for the clock potentiometer or the potentiometer itself...on my 90, the clock occassionally disappears and i have to jiggle the potentiometer to get it visible again....

[elaw]

And now for today's issue-du-jour: fuel pressure!

I've been having some tuning issues that I think are related to the deadtime of the injectors. The injectors are from a Saab, and I have all the relevant data for them, but the Saab runs a 3 bar FPR, not 4 bar so the numbers aren't quite right for the current setup.

I know I could easily buy a new one but as always I'm short on cash - especially since I just ordered a spiffy new set of summer tires! So... does anyone have a used 3-bar FPR they'd like to part with? It appears they're used on VR6 and 1.8t engines, and maybe others. Just for clarification this is the little one that clips into the end of the fuel rail, not the type that connects to the rail with a hose. As far as I can tell, they're all mechanically interchangeable? I guess I'm gonna find out...

PS I'm not worried about maxing out the injectors at the lower pressure. These can make 300 HP in a Saab with four of them, and I'm around the same power level (probably a little less, being honest) with five!

[my2000apb DrBeastCar]

yeah bosch/VAG drop in fpr's should all swap around

i have a few drop-ins whats the PN for 3bar?

[elaw]

Looks like maybe 0 280 160 557?

Funny, I looked up that # and someone is selling one "made in one of Bosch's factories in China" for 30 bucks. Is Bosch making stuff in China now or is this a scam?

[my2000apb DrBeastCar]

ill check mine tongiht,
prob a scam

[elaw]

Hey, don't worry about it! I found a good-looking one on ebay for $25 shipped so I went for it.

[elaw]

And... the FPR worked!

With the 3-bar FPR I'm able to plug in all the deadtime numbers from the Saab that runs these injectors at 3 bar, and that helped some tuning issues I was having.

In other news... it's almost summer tire time! My "summer" tires, inherited from the 4K, were a set of Nokian WRs... very nice all-season tires that are great in the snow, but not really what I needed as I already have a set of snows. So the WRs are for sale (see swap meet post), and I got myself a nice set of Bridgestone RE-11a's.

When I pulled the summer tires off the 4K last year, I noticed a previous owner had done something nasty to one of my beloved Fuchs wheels. Apparently those wheels can be made to fit a Vanagon or something by enlarging the center hole, so that's what they did... with a hand grinder or file or something. :( The center hole on this wheel was not only too large, but nowhere near round.

So I shipped the wheel off to my friendly almost-local machinist (Dave, DE80Q here) and he made the center hole round again and fabbed an insert to bring it back to the correct size. Mr. happy wheel is scheduled to arrive back tomorrow, and over the weekend I'll get the tires mounted and installed on the car... yay! :-)

And as a result of doing the above, I expect it to snow next week.

[DE80q]

And as a result of doing the above, I expect it to snow next week.

Thats not even right! Its 80 degrees down here. I hope it doesnt start snowing again! That wouldnt be fun.

As for the wheel, I hope you are as impressed with it in person, as you were with the pics.

[elaw]

Really? I'm jealous!

It's 45 degrees here as I write this, and tomorrow morning it's supposed to be 34 and raining. Okay that's not snow but it's darn close... too close for mid-April.

[DE80q]

Yeah I think we are supposed to drop quite a bit and get a bunch of rain. Im not ready for this hot weather yet. I have been sweeting my but off at work, and I work nites!

[elaw]

So I got my repaired Fuchs wheel back yesterday, and it's a work of art! Okay, a work of Dave, actually.

I think I might have posted this before but just for comparison here is the "before" photo:

The hub centering area has been enlarged, seemingly with a hand grinder. So it's not only too large, but nowhere near round... so much for just fabbing up an adapter ring!

So I shipped the wheel off to Dave Ehrmann (DE80q) so he could work some magic on it. First step was machining the wheel center hole to an "adaptable" shape:


Then he machined up an adapter to do the adapting:


And finally the adapter got a lil' bath in liquid nitrogen and pressed into the wheel along with a little locking compound:

...so that puppy ain't *ever* coming out! :-)

End result is a wheel that fits absolutely perfectly on the hub. Now all I need to do is get the tires mounted!

[DE80q]

YAY! Im glad it made it there ok. When last friday came and went, and nothing showed up, I was worried somthing happened to it.

And before anyone asks, this was done in a lathe, not on a mill.

[mrmotorhead13]

Nice looking work Dave... this is why I bought my lathe/mill. There always seems to be something like this that needs doing.

[DE80q]

Thanks Bill, its like I told Eric when he asked if he could post the pics, I dont get to show off my work too often. Its nice when I do a little job like this that a private party is very happy with.

I enjoy doing this kind of work. Unfortunately, confidentiality agreements keep me from showing/telling people about a lot of the work I do.

When I get a house, I plan to pick up a lathe, and mill for my own shop.

[mrmotorhead13]

I enjoy doing this kind of work. Unfortunately, confidentiality agreements keep me from showing/telling people about a lot of the work I do.

I completely understand... I don't get to talk much about the bowels of nuclear powered aircraft carriers either.

[elaw]

And finally... wheels are in good shape, tires mounted on wheels, and wheels mounted on car!

Behold the result:


:-) :-) :-) :-)

[DE80q]

How does it feel? Everything looked good in the lathe, but never had it on a hub.

[Kliminati]

Nice Eric, those look great! Good work Dave

[DE80q]

Thanks Justin, I just wish I could see the car in person. I think Eric needs to come down for Carlisle. :-)

[mrmotorhead13]

Love those wheels on there... very sleeper.

[elaw]

How does it feel? Everything looked good in the lathe, but never had it on a hub.

I haven't had it on the highway yet, but it's smooth as silk around town! :-)

[DE80q]

Awesome! Keep me informed as to how everything hold up.

[elaw]

Hey, changing the subject... can anyone confirm or deny that the trim in the middle of the outside of the doors is held on with foam tape? That's what the Bentley claims, but I'd really like to hear from someone that's BTDT.

Just to be clear, this is the trim I'm talking about:


And I think this is a sedan-specific question - according to the Bentley (yes, the one I said above that I don't trust ), CQ trim is attached differently.

I'm beginning to see some rust stains on the paint below the trim on both front doors... I'm hoping it's a problem with the trim (isn't there metal in it?) and not the door itself rusting. :(

[audifreakjim]

It's the metal strips inside the trim rusting out. I pulled mine off, cut the metal out and re-taped them on. I also discovered at some point someone had re-attached them with polyurethane glue, hopefully yours are not similar and taped on like they should be. There are no fasteners though, if that is what you are asking.

[yodasfro]

I'll add that early 80 mid trims are more better. They don't have the metal in them and they are smooth not textured like the 90 and the late 80 trims.