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DET17's "Project cheap thrills" - '92 944T

Well, the rear end decision might take a quick turn this weekend. Heading to the local PnP to see if the rumored 94 NA 940 is there, ~ 135K on the clock. If it is, and has the 4.10 final gear, I'll be pulling that complete assy. for use in the DD. My calculations say it will only be turning 2650rpm at 70mph..... doesn't sound too bad :-P I think it will be worth the RPM for the +10% torque increase that comes along with it...... and if I ever convert to a 71L or 72L, I'll be back in the same condition as the 3.73 (2400 rpm at 70mph).

But enough of that.... it's time to clear some room around this squirter red block for the planned improvements listed earlier. Here is how she looks before the knife enters:

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Since the AC system has been flat on its a$$ since last summer (unknown leakage point), there is no 134a to recover. As I'm planning a full AC rebuild, and scored a NOS made in JAPAN AC compressor, this guy can go:

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Carefully extracting the compressor and the hose set, mounts, etc, and with some clean up it's nearly ready for the new compressor (will be a good while before we get there). I also removed the entire cold side charge piping & hoses, including the stocker 2.5 inch throttle body. Just last week I scored the NIW conversion parts to adapt the 3.0 inch TB. From what I've read there is absolutely no downside to running the bigger TB. An EFI sage states "you can run too large an injector, but you simply cannot run too large of a Throttle body". Works for me, and I've got a 960 or 850 unit in the stash.

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I'm also overhauling/upgrading the incoming air filter system and complete hot side piping/hose system, along with the Mitsu 19t conversion. Here is what the current factory air box and FORGE recirc. system looks like:

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With the OEM air box removed, the hot side piping, we have this:

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The OEM 940 down pipe has got to go, making way for the custom 3" DP that I will build from a TLAO pipe starting point. The AEM wideband sensor has got to be removed first; note the position I mounted it, basically AS FAR as possible from the turbine but still on the factory DP.

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After a bunch of wrenching with metal locknuts on the turbine housing, and a rubber drain hose that was fairly stubborn after 5 years of service, we clear the way for the future revisions. The 90+ manifold still looks good after the use:

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That's it for now.... a lot of the removal work is done. I'll be doing some cleanup work while everything is exposed, and will remove a little more of the AC system (filter/dryer) which will make the down pipe fitting easier. The engine bay in the surrender position:

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Aw71/72?!? Still waiting on parts for the m90?

Nope.... 100% of parts onhand. I've just decided NOT to install the M90. May keep it for backup incase the new & improved version starts toasting AW71s..... and might sell the whole setup as a 7/9 series kit. Got the complete redblock M90, 940TIC diesel clutch, dogdish, driveshaft, complete pedal setup with HYDRO clutch. Pretty much the whole shooting match :omg:
 
Well the trip to the South ATL PnP was indeed successful. After lusting for them "4 Eleven gears" (Hot Rod Lincoln) I've finally got a set of 'em:

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Looking forward to the +10% torque increase from the original 3.73 setup. As the man said, it's about "grins per gallon" with these cars.

I'll buy a Dana 30 case spreader to ease the LSD install. The Greenbook says the preload is to be set at .0065"..... I'd rather not drive that diff. in with the deadblow hammer. Of course, I will document the work here.

Edit - here is the original thread from Performance that spawned this 4.10 diversion:

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=330831
 
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Front bumper supports, brake servo upgrade

Back about 5 years ago when I was restificating the 92, I came across a local parting a 94 940. I decided to go take a look as the car was lower-ish miles....and I wanted some upgrades for the almost 200K shell I started with. One of the items that was quite worn on my 92 were the bumpers.

Well the local part out guy told me he would sell me the bumpers at $50 each for the U pull IT price. The 94 was fairly clean... sadly somebody started a head gasket job, just threw all the parts in the trunk and dumped the car. When I pulled the pretty clean bumpers (no dents/smeared plastic corners ) I hardly noticed that the car was a NON-fog front end.

So I swap the new NON-Fog bumpers onto my FOG front end, and I see this:

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What I noted immediately was that the trailing edge of the bumper which is supposed to "flush out" the wheel well, did not do so. I didn't particularly care for the look, but the bumpers were near new. You can see in the pic above that the aft trim of the bumper is NOT flush with the fender lips. I knew something was wrong........ but ran it that way 5 years.

Forward to current times. Super Moderator 2ManyTurbos noted in a thread that the gas charged bumper supports were DIFFERENT part#s between FOG and NON-fog front ends. Well on my recent Pullapart trip that I harvested the 4.10 rear end from, the front bumper had been lifted but the gas charged mounts were there. At only $8 a piece, I bought them to gamble these would resolve my front bumper.

Sure enough, 2ManyTurbos was spot on. Here are the pics showing the NON-fog and FOG bumper supports side by side:

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With that riddle solved, I've got the NON-fog versions to match up with my NON-Fog bumpers. From what 2Many said, you only need "matching parts" and the aft panels will flush out properly.
 
Given the increasingly high perf. nature of this build, I think you better upgrade the damping on those new bumper supports with Koni inserts. :)
 
Forgive my ignorance, but when you pull a complete back axle/rear end like you did, can you literally just pull and replace everything. I mean no measuring, setting preload, etc. Right?

I'm sure a 4.10 is an entire different animal to drive than the 3.31 in my car now.
 
Forgive my ignorance, but when you pull a complete back axle/rear end like you did, can you literally just pull and replace everything. I mean no measuring, setting preload, etc. Right?

I'm sure a 4.10 is an entire different animal to drive than the 3.31 in my car now.

The pinion is already perfectly centered to the diff. by DANA. What anyone can do is start with this (an excellent starting point), then remove the G80 and install the LSD of your choice. Carrier bearings must still be preloaded about .006" and then the backlash checked (also supposed to target .006") If my good clean living pays off, the factory carrier bearing shims will perfectly center my LSD and the 4.10 ring gear..... but I'll be amazed if all that comes out to perfection :omg:
 
When I put the LSD unit in my 3.73 1031, we left the pinion alone, measured backlash BEFORE removing the diff, installed old ring gear on the new diff, and then installed reshimming the bearings until backlash was the same as before.

Not sure I understand exactly what you're swapping out - but if you're changing gear ratio - every ratio swap I've ever done required both ring gear and pinion to be changed.

Sounds like you have a 4.10 rear assembly that you're simply swapping a different style LSD into - so leaving the pinion in place and putting the ring gear back where it should be should work fine.
 
Sounds like you have a 4.10 rear assembly that you're simply swapping a different style LSD into - so leaving the pinion in place and putting the ring gear back where it should be should work fine.

Exactly this. 4.10 pinion perfectly installed, just bring the RING to match it. As DANA put the shims under the carrier bearings, this could be an iterative process... but I hope not. I'll put my low mile LSD in with the bearings/shims it came with (92K miles reportedly) and we'll see if the preload is proper AND the backlash. That's all it takes.

I did a full pinion setup on the 70 Chevelle.... an iterative process that I must have made 8 shim changes on to get right! No time for that on this car.......
 
That's how mine worked out when we put the Truetrac in -- we started with the shim packs that came out from the factory -- and it only altered the backlash we measured before we started by .001" -- so we left it that way. The alternative was having to pull the brand new carrier bearings we'd just installed back off....and that can be a challenge.

Be sure to check backlash before you remove the carrier -- that could give you some idea what kind of shape the rearend you got was in before it went to rest at the PnP.
 
More disassembly / progress

Time for an update. I hate a stinking filthy engine bay.... even on my DD. Anal OCD I guess, no running from the truth. With lots of space cleared for the changes, spent an evening cleaning up the mess:

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I will link the original thread later, but I decided to upgrade my brakes to the 95 (1 year old, partial year) BOSCH Servo (booster) and the matching pedal setup. In short, the 95-98 cars got a different servo as well as mechanical advantage upgrade. Apparently the 850s brake so well that Volvo was getting some heat about the 940/960 and as a result the Engineers rolled out an upgrade. Here is the cleaned up firewall awaiting the new BLACK Bosch booster:

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For the comparison, here is the early 92-94+ brake pedal, alongside the 95+ unit:

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On the right side is the 95+ system. Note the higher pivot point, which provides a longer lever to apply force to the brake servo/booster. Another way to consider, for the same stroke/force of the booster input shaft, the brake pedal force applied is reduced. Here are a couple side pics which show the pin location where the clevis attaches... you can see the difference in leverage:

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The balance of this braking upgrade I'll detail later.... but basically it uses a larger rotor, mount, and the 850 caliper (which is identical to the 940.... no more clamping force, just more torque based on the larger radius from the center).

I'm converting from the tried and true OEM air box to this aftermarket type, which will contain a K&N cone filter. Couldn't care less about the sound, but this system easily adapters to the 3" 012 AMM that I need. Here I am fit checking this air box..... fits the fender steel contours perfectly, and the height is correct sitting on the gold foot mount that supported the original. I'll brake some sheet metal and slightly extend the front until it reaches the core support, as this one is about 15mm short of contacting it. I've got to mock up an old MITSU turbo to see if the do88 3" inlet hose will work. I ran an aftermarket compressor inlet hose for all these years, but I wasn't sure if it collapsed at 16PSI. The do88 hose is quite well reinforced, so that (perhaps) problem will be gone.

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A/C will of course be maintained..... as I live in the steamy Southeast. Here I've pulled the old 24 year old condenser and original plastic FMIC. Once this area is cleaned up, I will install the much nicer do88 center tank intercooler (thanks to Eurosport Tuning, appreciate the support from Frank and the TB group buy ;-))

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glad you are making the upgrade. 940 brakes with the jumbo package have always felt like absolute garbage in my not-at-all-humble opinion.
 
glad you are making the upgrade. 940 brakes with the jumbo package have always felt like absolute garbage in my not-at-all-humble opinion.

I've had several "butt puckering experiences" with my 940 over the years.... adequate, but I wouldn't put it much past that. I've run nice Zimmermann cross drilled rotors, and some averagely aggressive pads (PBR semi-metal, IIRC) for the last ~5 years..... nothing to write home about. Hell, my Classic SAAB 900s stopped much better!

Agreed, braking upgrades are needed for the 9 series.
 
I will link the original thread later, but I decided to upgrade my brakes to the 95 (1 year old, partial year) BOSCH Servo (booster) and the matching pedal setup. In short, the 95-98 cars got a different servo as well as mechanical advantage upgrade. Apparently the 850s brake so well that Volvo was getting some heat about the 940/960 and as a result the Engineers rolled out an upgrade.

Thats hilarious because the factory 850 brakes are horrible.

The stock brakes on my 95 960 are very nice though.
 
Thats hilarious because the factory 850 brakes are horrible.

Really? No idea, never driven an 850. Perhaps the old brain let me down....I'll double check that claim by the UK poster where I got the inspiration. Glad to hear about the 960 brakes however. Regardless, the 940 braking system 92-94+ plus needs work..... they know it, we know it.
 
Well, there were different types of brakes on different models of 850's, and some differences between stateside and non-stateside models - perhaps that's where the overlap lies.
 
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