Bought a 2000 SSEi last night! Already regret it.

[00Beast]

From what I've heard, the Short Stack IC isn't worth the money. Get a full core...

[LaserSVT]

Well I was wrong about the other exhaust part being a cat. Its a muffler designed for turbo diesel trucks. Aero Turbine. Anyway my 3" pipe shows up tomorrow so out she goes! Only had time to weld the other muffler on today and throw it on the insurance policy (ment to do that days ago). I was shocked to find out its only another $2.14 a month to add it to my insurance. LOL

It sounds SOOOOOOO much better with the mufflers on there. I think that Aero muffler is giving it some rasp so I cant wait to see how she sounds after that but overall I am happy. My Lincoln friend said the car sounded like a really pissed off pig when I accelerated behind my shop coming up the road. LOL
That was ment as a compliment referring to the blower whine but he hates GM, hates Pontiac even more and the only engine he hates more than a 3800 is a N*. LOLZ

Maybe that's part of the reason I wanted one so bad. He works for me and I make him work on the car. :D

[nos4blood70]

The 3800 has it's shortcomings but I don't see how anyone can hate it. It is nearly indestructible and capable of obscene power levels while completely stock when you put turbos on them. What ruined it is the cars they put it in.

[LaserSVT]

He bleeds Ford blue. This is the engine we built for his daily driver:





The other reason he hates them is I wanted a GS really bad a few years ago. I bought one and blew it up the next day. I bought another complete 98 GS for $350 with a trashed body and in an afternoon we pulled the motor and slapped it in the one I blew up.
We then went together on a 99 GTP to flip and it blew up on the way home so we had to slap a new motor in it and lost out.
I bought this one and the intake let loose on the way home and he was my chase car so was stuck with me until 3 am. LOL So he hates them.
Friday and today he was really gung ho about helping me get it together. he did the whole exhaust and plugs and helped with the intake gaskets and is talking about restoring the headlights and fog lights tomorrow as he really works magic on that kind of stuff.
I then realized he thinks I am going to flip this car. So I am just gonna wait to break the news after its done. :D

[LaserSVT]

I swear that car is trying to give me an aneurism. So today I had time to cut off that stupid diesel muffler and weld in a 3" pipe. Well after removing the muffler I can see into the cat, well let me rephrase that, I could see into the hollow chamber that once was a cat. So I guess that's why in my initial tests I did not see any knock retard.
I also noticed today that the LCD display does light up all the way.... when cool. Then it loses one segment at a time for the clock. Starts to look like The Predators watch. Rest of the display works fine so meh, whatever.

Now here is the fun. For some reason when the I start the car if it has sat for longer than 5 minutes it stumbles a bit. Feels like a misfire but no code for one. Goes away after a few revs and then runs perfect. Has a little white smoke too on startup. So something to look into. So I decide I want to take the car home today and need to make my shops deposit before the bank closes, the car has other plans. Its plans were to overheat within 4 miles. Great, that white smoke must be a cracked head or head gasket. Bring it back to the shop, pop the hood, notice the bleed valve on the thermostat housing... doh, forgot to properly bleed the car. So I do a proper bleed and temp stays at 195* no matter what. OK, happy guy..... but still, why the stumble at startup? I do a head gasket test (I have the tube and fluid) and all is fine. I pressure the cooling system to 14 psi and there is not a hint of pressure drop nor do I see any leaks. So I am a bit uneasy about the car. The smell from the smoke is not that of fuel like a hung injector would cause but it also does not smell like coolant or oil.
I dunno. Added some seafoam to the tank and see if that helps if there is a hung injector. I would almost say IAC but the smoke is throwing me for a loop.

[LaserSVT]

So I am sitting here thinking about it and speaking to the one guy I know that is a genuine car whisperer. Best dang tech I ever knew. The thought was there but when he said "Put the cooling system at 15psi overnight and then pull the plugs and borescope the cylinders." followed by "I bet that's it but hope its not."

So time for a shower where nobody can see me cry.

Moral of the story, don't buy a cheap SSEi just cause you have to have it.

[Zeik75]

What does this mean exactly?

[LaserSVT]

Cracked head or heads. So there goes $1100 if that is the case. If I am digging in it that deep there is no reason to use plain heads and may as well get the CNC heads with 105# springs.

[MattStrike]

$1100 for heads? What are you thinking? Can you post a video of the stumble you're seeing at startup? More likely you have intake valve stem seals leaking oil into the cylinders than a head/head gasket problem. A cracked head or head gasket problem means a misfire that goes away only at higher RPM.

[LaserSVT]

http://shop.zzperformance.com/store/p/4 ... Heads.aspx

Those are $1100. I don't have 3800 contacts like I have Modular contacts. I don't know where else to go for some better heads.

I am also doubtful as to the heads now. I let it cool all the way down and just headed out for dinner. Started right up and a short 1500k blip leveled it out right away. Kept an eye on temp. Even though I have a 180* thermostat the system gets to 202* then it opens and stays at 192-195*. I had the AC on, 80* out and sat in a drive through for about 15 minutes with no issue. I also didn't see any smoke but its dark and I couldn't see well.

[LaserSVT]

Threw some water on it today. Still figuring how I want to tackle the water loss issue. Right now it has stopped but only time will tell.

[2000Silverbullet]

Darn that's a good looking car!
I think one of GMs best designs.
...and the best colour.

[nos4blood70]

Woot! Galaxy Silver bandwagon!

[LaserSVT]

Woot woot!!! LOLZ.

Mr. UPS guy just brought me some more goodies. Brand new OEM rear shocks with mounts. Couldn't resist for $50 for the pair. Also dropped off my AC pressure sensor in hopes of clearing my P1639 code.

[macksdaddy77]

something about swoopies with the silver paint is just gorgeous

[LaserSVT]

I think these could have gotten a few more miles on them.... LOLZ

Oh, that thing in the can under them that looks like a cat is the diesel muffler from the SSEi.