Saving an SSEi that was put out to pasture

[PRD2BDF]

Make sure it is using premium gas.

[pvfjr]

Make sure it is using premium gas.

Indeed. That was the first thing I did to try to make the detonation go away, but it turned out to be the spark plugs.

Anyway, I just got the car all cleaned up. Tomorrow we take it on a trip. We've got to take the new baby down to visit some family. Her great-grandma doesn't travel anymore, so we're taking the baby to her. And the back seat of this Bonneville has a lot more room for the car seat than our Subaru Baja does, so I can actually have some leg room with a car seat behind me!

[Jrs3800]

Be safe, let us know how it goes..

[pvfjr]

Be safe, let us know how it goes..

Overall, the car ran great. I felt a couple funny shifts on the freeway when I was transitioning from cruising to lightly accelerating. I don't know if that's gonna start becoming an issue.

Also, I recharged the AC a few days ago and it worked great, but it didn't last. I've probably got a significant leak to track down now.

[JMM8476]

Congrats on the purchase! I love seeing dirty cars getting cleaned up, looks like a great turnaround!

[pvfjr]

Congrats on the purchase! I love seeing dirty cars getting cleaned up, looks like a great turnaround!

Thanks! I probably ought to post a few more pics, it's been a while.

[ga93sle]

and coming up for a fix for the console latch. It won't latch, is constantly flipped up, and annoying.

One thing I never got around to fixing on my 93... eventually just took the spring out of the hinge and dealt with it...

[pvfjr]

and coming up for a fix for the console latch. It won't latch, is constantly flipped up, and annoying.

One thing I never got around to fixing on my 93... eventually just took the spring out of the hinge and dealt with it...

Removing the hinge spring would certainly make this a lot less annoying. I did, however, come up with a no-cost fix for it. I identified the plastic as ABS, and used a scrap piece of ABS, a soldering iron, and a file to reshape the end of the tang/hook thing that was busted off. I know it's worthless without pics... I'll add some later.

[pvfjr]

As promised, here's the reworked console latch. Works great now. I get a lot of satisfaction out of eliminating annoying problems without spending any money.

[pvfjr]

Here's a few pics from the reassembly process when I replaced the valve cover, upper and lower intake manifold gaskets.








I decided to change the input shaft coupler on the supercharger while I had it on the bench. It was getting pretty sloppy. I gotta say, the old oil that was in there was the smelliest fluid I've smelled!


Here's the worn out coupler. You can see how the holes have become ellipsoidal.

[pvfjr]

Here's a quick cheesy fix for the ripped out bumper mounting holes. I took some galvanized plumber's tape and stretched it across the mounting studs. The holes didn't line up, so I clamped onto the tape between each span and gave it a twist with some needle-nose pliers to take up some slack. After all the holes lined up, I put the nuts back on. It's holding, and you can't tell that the bumper used to fall off if you looked at it wrong!



You'll have to forgive the terribly blurry photo...

[pvfjr]

So the other weekend I started fooling around with the AC (it's getting HOT here on the left coast). I charged the system, and once it started coming up to pressure, the compressor actually started kicking on again. Before I knew it, I had cold air blow again! But only for about a day. The next day, not only was the car blowing hot air again, but I started thinking that the car wasn't quite as powerful as I had previously thought. Then I noticed that the boost gauge never ventured onto the positive half. So I popped the hood, and there was no S/C belt! Well, actually, there one. I just couldn't see it. It was all tangled up near the base of the radiator fans. I pulled the belt out, and it was super oily. As it turns out, the AC compressor shaft seal is shot, and it spewed all of it's oil out. I'm hoping that oil can be a good reason for a supercharger belt to jump off. Maybe under load, the oil caused it to slip & grip in succession, causing a bit of a standing wave or something? I dunno. I never heard any slipping. I cleaned everything up and put a new belt in there.

Eventually I'll buy a vacuum pump and a manifold gauge set so I can properly ev Re: Saving an SSEi that was put out to pastureacuate and charge the system. I'll need to do the shaft seal, drier, and orifice tube--I'll probably do all the o-rings while I'm at it. Too bad I don't have the extra time & money this month, it's gonna be hot. I've been driving the bonneville to work every day, and I'm kinda digging it in the mornings. Not so much in the afternoon.

[pvfjr]

I agonized over making decision of where to place these special posts in the shop. My trusses were in the way. I thought about setting them off to the side, and driving cars into that bay diagonally, but then I'd have clearance issues trying to lift suburbans (for example) up high into the air. I decided the best bet was to bite the bullet and mod the trusses. It's a lot of extra work, but it'll be worth it.







I haven't set the posts into place yet, cause I still need to cut up my floor and make some proper footings. My slab is only 3" and it has cracks, so that ain't gonna cut it. I don't want cars falling on my head.

[zuper8]

Going through this post was a joy, can't wait to see more pics of the car all cleaned up. Great find and awesome work fixing it up, especially your free fixes!

[pvfjr]

Going through this post was a joy, can't wait to see more pics of the car all cleaned up. Great find and awesome work fixing it up, especially your free fixes!

Thanks! I'll probably start focusing on the cosmetics of the car a little more as I run out of mechanical/electrical issues to troubleshoot. I've got a code for an O2 sensor now, but that should be an easy fix. After that, I may see if I can troubleshoot the air ride and compressed air. Once that is taken care of, I'll have to do something with the bumper and grill. I think they really detract from the car's looks, so there's room for some change.

[00Beast]

Great work!

And you're going to love the lift. It's the single best tool I have access to.

[gonzo4191]

check the boost solenoids on the supercharger, that had me maxing boost at 4psi on a ported blower with a 3.4" pulley haha

nice job on the clean up. it looks great!