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Topic: Its about to go to s... (Read 2746 times) previous topic - next topic

Its about to go to s...

Im really close to sping my TC.

Most of you dont know, but a few months back, i bought a Bobs log header, Precision SC50 turbo, MaxPSI oil lines, Hallman boost controller, and some other odds and ends. I spent a full, rainy saturday doing the swap. Took me 13 hours. 13 hours of cussing, fighting, wrestling, starving, and busting up anything that got in my way.

I finially fire the car up after priming the turbo, i got for a drive, and i didnt even get a mile before i started chugging smoke. Turns out the "indestructable" MaxPSI line kinked, blowing out the oil seal, and wiping out the bearings. So off the turbo went, and almost 200 bucks in shipping later, and a weeks worth of time, it came back repaired.

I get the turbo back on the car, and all is well, untill i have a bad bucking issue. A month and a half later, and a few hundred dollars in parts later, i find out to be the VAM. 107 dollar meter later, the car finally runs like a champ, and i crank the boost up. Car was fun...untill the turbo tried to exit the vehicle.

All of the studs/nuts holding the turbo to the header backed off. Turbo comes off, i crank down on all the nuts, and use loctite. About 2 weeks later, the same thing happened, but this time, i completely lost a stud, and two of the nuts were also gone, meaning i had only one nut holding the turbo on. So this time, it blew the gasket out between the turbo and header. I take it all back apart, and find a piece of gasket lodged in the header. Mind you, its a stainless gasket. Since i faught it to come out, i didnt think anything of it, untill i started driving the car. The turbo is wizzing and rattling its ass of. So this means the turbo has to be sent back out to Precision all over again.

So right now, i have about 1020 dollars in the turbo alone, this means itll probably cost me another 500 to have it fixed again.

This, on top of the car needing a windshield, a door, more body work than imaginable, shocks, struts, all the bushings, paint, a head built, and so much more, im thinking about sping it.
It's Gumby's fault.

Its about to go to s...

Reply #1 –
man dont s it...  mine is giving me all of those problems as well but I dont have quite that wrapped up in a turbo.  just hang in there and be patient with it....

Its about to go to s...

Reply #2 –
If you have a backup vehicle, then it's time to give the finger to the TC for a while. Taking a breather from it is the best thing you can do when you are as frustrated as you are. Been there, done that.
TC#1- 2.5T- 10.14@134....9.76@138 with a 50shot
TC#2- Turbo BBF project
TC#3- parts car

Its about to go to s...

Reply #3 –
transfer any good parts, (hood front clip, etc) to the red bird, swap in the 5.0L and call it a day.:birdsmily:

Its about to go to s...

Reply #4 –
Yep,you gotta hang in there.We've all been through those problems that seem to never go away,but,they will.Give the car a break and then start with a fresh sttitude.A door and other parts are easy stuff.One step at a time.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Its about to go to s...

Reply #5 –
double nut it on if you have enough threads..tighten the first one down real tight, put another one down on the first one just as tight... then back the bottom one off while holding the other one.

that might solve your projectile turbo problem

Its about to go to s...

Reply #6 –
Quote from: 87thunderbirdBlackJack;115661
double nut it on if you have enough threads..tighten the first one down real tight, put another one down on the first one just as tight... then back the bottom one off while holding the other one.

that might solve your projectile turbo problem

No...there is no room for that.  The proper hardware (deformation-style locking nuts) are what is required.  LocTite won't hold.

Sounds like a real  Shawn.  That's also the pain in trying to mod your daily driver too....it amplifies the frustration 10-fold.

Hopefully you'll get something figured out.


The studs aren't your problem with the turbo, it's the nuts.  I can send you some if you like.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon-  '81 Granada GL 2dr

Its about to go to s...

Reply #7 –
 dude, Park it for a bit and cool off. Sounds like your about to snap and set fire to it. We've all been there before and survived.


Scott
1980 birds X 3, 1982 bird, 1984 XR7, 1988 TC
 

Its about to go to s...

Reply #8 –
as bad as it sounds, he cant really let it be right now. its the only "running" vehicle he has.

get your head up! it will work out. TFs are a finicky  sometimes. i told ya before i think TF owners are born, not made. worse comes to worse, put it back stock and keep all the good TC stuff and 5lug stuff for the red car. drive the TC(stock) while you build the red car and swap the 5.0. then sell the TC when its ready. use that money to get a decent DD so you dont hafta rely on a project for daily duty

i havent seen it in person, but the pics ive seen show too nice a car to get sped! if you dont love it anymore, at least pass it on to someone who can.
gumby - beauty may fade, but stupid is forever!

Its about to go to s...

Reply #9 –
Well in that case pick up a $100 beater and take out your frustrations.

Scott
1980 birds X 3, 1982 bird, 1984 XR7, 1988 TC

Its about to go to s...

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Chuck W;115663

The studs aren't your problem with the turbo, it's the nuts.  I can send you some if you like.


I may take you up on that offer in a few months. I broke the shaft in my old turbo, right in the center, and also right at the turbine wheel, so i took the turbine housing off, removed the wheel and broken shaft section, and put it back together. Im going to run it like that for a while.
It's Gumby's fault.

Its about to go to s...

Reply #11 –
 Shawn, don't give up on it. It's easy to say get something different to tool around in but that isn't always practical as it's going to cost anyway.

My advice, get the TC going to where it runs decent. It doesn't have to be fast, just reliable. Get your money worked out and get the red bird on the road again. Then once the red bird is on the road, drive it and then work on getting the TC where you want it.

The red bird once it's done should stand in as a good reliable car to get you through and in the end you'll have two awesome running cars that if something goes wrong with one, you have the other as a backup.

Its about to go to s...

Reply #12 –
If you do not want to read a horrible sin in the TF world do not read below shawn and others....

........................





Have you considered swapping the motor out for a 5.0 or 5.8?
One 88

Its about to go to s...

Reply #13 –
The whole problem is the wrong nuts.  Use the ones that Chuck recommended (and offered).

Lesson learned.  We all do it.  No one knows everything and does everything correctly the first time.  We all had cars we "learned" on.  This one is yours.  Get it reliable first, and then buy something you can drive every day because you don't ever "crank the boost" on your daily driver.  EVER.

I hope this is a lesson I can just tell you and you don't have to learn on your own.
.
1984 Thunderbird V8

Its about to go to s...

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Pressure cooked chicken;115651
If you have a backup vehicle, then it's time to give the finger to the TC for a while. Taking a breather from it is the best thing you can do when you are as frustrated as you are. Been there, done that.


I'd say the same. You know I've been there, man. Take a break.