Winter projects

CamGTP · February 22

The somewhat local U-pull It junkyard (very few of those left around here) was having a 40% off Sunday sale, they usually do that when they want to try to sell a ton of stuff and turn over the inventory, most get scrapped within the next few days after these sales. My friend from work lives closer than I do and they had several Chevrolet Express Vans in the yard and I still needed a transmission for the Mustang project. Only one van had a transmission left it was the 4L80e I needed.

He yanked it out of a 2000 Chevy Express 2500 for me and snagged it for $60 plus the core cost and tax, a whopping $100 total. I was finding questionable transmissions on marketplace for 4x or even 6x that cost and who knows what was wrong with them.

After a ton of cleaning of the case I tore into it and found out why it was at the junkyard lol, has smoked forward clutches. So bad that they are fused together and couldn't pry them apart with a screw driver. The rest of the transmission is honestly in good shape, all the bushings and bearings look great still, minimal wear on parts.

Already ordered a rebuild kit and bought a new torque converter off Summit Racing.

Grumpy Bear · February 22

Pepper is in process of getting a new HPFP and six new injectors at around 192K miles. Giving the intakes a look and fretting out the brake slides.

At 80K she showed 2.4% fuels in the oil running on gasoline. At 160 K zero fuels on alcohol but last wear metals were up a bit and alky is hard to see in a UOA so out of an abundance of caution and given the mileage it seems appropriate.

When I get it back she goes to the dealership for the airbag recall then the body shop for a paint correction.

Runs like a top yet.

Edited February 22 by Grumpy Bear

Atlas · February 22

Been busy here too.

Shop improvements are under way, had mini-splits installed. I am also consolidating a motley crew of hand-me-down and smaller toolboxes into two 56" US General units from HF. Can't beat their stuff for the price but can't say there wasn't a little guilt too.

Meanwhile my project Camaro turned into a mini-disaster. The PDR work turned out amazing. The deal I cut with the guy to do a spot repair on the quarter involving some paint and body work wasn't amazing. That's my mistake and I'm not angry. I know better but for some reason I thought I could get away with it this time. The guy was relieved when I said hey, no hard feelings, you don't need to come back, I'm just going to drop the car at a shop and have them take it from here.

And that's what I did. The shop is taking care of some other stuff too, and of course I've got more money into the thing than it's worth now, but such is life. It's supposed to be ready next week. I'm enjoying the car, the project, and it's going to turn out great.

The weather has been wearing on me really hard lately, we're in the literal butthole of winter. Spring is just around the corner...can't wait for some nicer days so I can start moving on to Spring projects...

Atlas · March 7

Well it's almost spring (wouldn't know it by the weather, though) and time to let this thread fall to the bottom.

Picked up the Camaro from the shop yesterday afternoon after it was there two weeks to have the quarter panel professional repaired and some other work done. It turned out beautifully.

I've got a set of mint tail lights ready to put in now that the paint/body work is completed. Replacing both O2 sensors as a precaution (they're original). I'll keep monitoring the weep coming from the cam seal on the rear of the engine. I'm hesitant to do anything now as I want to get more miles down to see if it needs anything else.

The remaining to-do items are: Headliner, and diagnosing the sad power driver's window. And that's it.