• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

My first brick... 1989 240 DL Wagon

Are you thinking about selling that extra set of adjustable torque rods?

I would consider selling them. Sure

Where's the updates. Nothing is holding you back.

Alright, alright... I have been slacking with the updates. Been working on it every night! :cool:

So I installed my pressure plate on the trans and just like you said, I needed to shim it. I went and found some flat washers and needed 1 washer in order to make the teeth sit where they were supposed to.



We went ahead and test fit the trans and found two issues right off the bat.

First, I did't have enough travel in the clutch fork to disengage the clutch properly.
Second, the Yoshifab crossmember and Prothane Mount didn't line up at all!







I solved the clutch for issues by shimming the pivot ball for the clutch fork .5" and the grinding down the bell housing may .25" just to get some extra clearance.

Then I took a nibbler and worked the holes in the crossmember to open them up to allow for some adjustability once installed. Worked out nicely.



Next we had to clearance the tunnel to make room for the 3" drive shaft. After a lot of hammering and beating, we came to the conclusion that I am still going to have to switch to a stock steel fox drive shaft. No matter how much room we make, it still hits on a good bump.

This picture doesn't show the amount of clearancing we actually wound up doing.





After all the modification we made though, everything is in and working. Still need to finalize the shift boot to keep the hot air from coming up through there!





This morning I washed, cut, clay bared, and waxed her. The took it out for a ride. It rides nice though there are a few things I need to address.

-I am getting some decent clutch chatter that shakes through the whole rear end, especially in reverse, or on take off without enough gas. I am thinking I will need to change the rear control arm bushings out for something new or better. I have the adjustable pan hard, and torque arms with urethane. Also with the Konis in the back. The only bushings left are the control arms.

-I need to sound deaden under the carpet as the T5 is a mildly noisy trans. Not in a bad way, just makes different noises than maybe I am used to.

-Work out how to make the shifter hole sealed up so I don't get a blast of hot air while driving.

-Fix my exhaust! It sounds terrible haha

Here is a pic I got from my cruise this morning over to the river.

 
If I had a lift, life would be so much easier. Good work.
For the shifter hole, grab a VW beetle rubber shifter isolator that's under their shift boot. It deals really nice and quiets down quite a bit. You can also add additional foam from a spray can to seal more. Grab one from a yard and your golden.
 
Well, I been working out vibrations and other little things related to the swap. I went by the storage unit to put on the stock steel wheels today to eliminate any vibration from the wheels. While I was there I decided that I would test fit the 17's that I had in there.







I really like the way they look. I think I am going to need to find myself another set of the VOXX MG's so that I can have a complete set of 4 instead of 2 MG's and 2 MG3's. I am still gonna get the tires mounted and fit them to the car. They will look so much better than the 15's that I have on there now with the little tires!

I also loaded some weight into the back to see if I had eliminated the rubbing that I was getting from the driveshaft hitting the tunnel anytime I had some weight in the car. So far no rubbing. Last time I had the drive shaft out I beat the tunnel quite a bit to gain some more clearance!

 
UPDATE on the wagon. Been having fun with it!

Wound up snagging a set of 850R seats that don't have any tears but need a little conditioning. Just need to figure out what I can do for the rears to make them match.



While I had the seats out to measure the bases to figure out what I will need to make for mounts, I ghetto rigged a shift boot. Only temporary as I don't really like how it fits the T5 shifter!



Then we cruised and watched the 4th of July parade... nice having a wagon to chill in the back.



Then yesterday, I decided to address the drivetrain vibration. I started by replacing the rear yoke because I was getting a very mild binding in. I was hesitant to buy one because they are kind of expensive for a little piece. But it did wind up working, so it was money well spent.



Then I got her up in the air and centered the real wheels side to side and front to back and swapped on my VOXX wheels. I kind of like how it looks, but it raised the car up quite a bit.





Heres a short video of it slow rolling in the parking lot.

http://vid47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/gsusmaniac/C0B11148-40F4-42CE-B66A-3B7276D0DE42_zpsimo3bbdt.mp4

Next on the list I have some of Ben's Spherical TAB's coming, new front rubber TAB's, and possibly an a/c compressor.

I am not too sure how I feel about this clutch yet either. It seems to chatter through the drive train a bit. I am hoping new trailing arm bushings help out a little.

I also need to trim/roll the rear fenders so I can get the 25mm spacers back on and put the wheels where they were in the test fit picture!
 
Sweet homie. You coming to cars and coffee this Saturday in jax? It's my first debut! Then we are doing s dyno day right after its all volvos!!
 
Sweet homie. You coming to cars and coffee this Saturday in jax? It's my first debut! Then we are doing s dyno day right after its all volvos!!

I doubt I can make it up there. I just finished my break in on the clutch and need to get some more miles on it.
 
Yeah I wouldn't pass that up either lol. Threw me for a loop though lol.

EDIT: If I would bother to go back and look, I'd have read it in your previous post. My bad haha.

I figure you can only see the car from one side at a time... sooooo ;-)

And no worries on reading the thread, I post more photos than words I think!
 
Alright so a little update-

Ordered a set of lights from a Volvo nut over in Amsterdam. They show up mostly intact.





After disassembly, I had to run to Volvo for a few clips and bust out the super glue for a few things, but otherwise they were in nice shape.



Decided that I would black out the housing and insides of the corner lights-



Overall I light the look. Definitely a nice change from keeping the housing the stock grey.







Install went relatively smooth. Was to order the relay kit that I was reading about, but can't remember the website. So for now I made my own wiring adapter to make it work. Light output with the glass clear lenses is sooooo much nicer!







 
Rewire your light switch to be relayed instead of having all the juice running through the switch. I can't count how many headlight switches have melted on me over the years, and it gets you better/more reliable power to the lights, much needed if you're planning on getting higher output bulbs or HIDs or something.

I really like the black housings, I'd like to do that to mine.
 
Rewire your light switch to be relayed instead of having all the juice running through the switch. I can't count how many headlight switches have melted on me over the years, and it gets you better/more reliable power to the lights, much needed if you're planning on getting higher output bulbs or HIDs or something.

I really like the black housings, I'd like to do that to mine.

Good idea, I will keep that in mind. And yeah, the black housings really changed the looks of the lights, and makes them appear a bit smaller, which I like.

Looking good!, we seem to go about things the complete opposite way, +T was the first thing I did, and I've got a Flathood grill coming but no E-codes yet, :lol:

I am piecing together the +T, but the trans letting go forced my hand to put it on the back burner for a bit. :-(
 
Back
Top