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(formerly) The $700 1988 245

Okay, so I've done a lot to it over the last few weeks. Big thing being a brand new Barton harness and EZK box plus a sbabbs fuel chip. Right now I'm running about 13PSI. I am having a couple issues, the temp gauge being intermittent and the AC randomly shorting out. Also earlier today I blew out an exhaust manifold gasket so now it's all ticky. Good news is that I already have a 90+ on its way and gaskets in my toolbox. Also threw on a new BOV since the last eBay one and the old CBV both leak. Sometime I'll get around to taking it off.

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Saab T installed, custom catch can, and flushed coolant. Also threw in a slightly colder Tstat. (I think 82c? Had an 88c in it IIRC.)

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Works well, fan kicked on and off at idle. Left the high speed wired to the original switch in the radiator in case it overheats.
 
So I've been running the 90+ for awhile now. I didn't bother to port it but the turbo is definitely more responsive, though that could be due to the fact that before it was leaking from every cylinder at least a little. The front half of the manifold bolts were finger tight and the back half needed a breaker bar.

Other than that I've just been driving it. I think I've successfully wiggled the AC wire enough that now it won't short out. The lack of temp gauge still feels sketchy to me though. And I lost the clip to the ECU temp sender so every once in awhile it pops off and becomes really hard to start. Other than that, just peachy. Running 14PSI and I feel like it's starting to run out of fuel, although I don't have a wideband yet so I can't be sure. Currently running brown? tops with stock MAF. I have a 3 inch MAF that I just need piping for. But yeah, it's pretty fast as is. Lime Rock park Eeuro thing is soon, so gotta get ready for that.

Oh, also the gas tank started leaking at ~3/4 instead of near the top like it used to. Gotta get around to putting the new one in sometime. It'll be cool to finally have a car that I can fill the tank all the way in.

And the suspension could probably use new bushings all around, but cornering is for losers so whatever.
 
Welp. Clutch is slipping. Shoulda listened to RWC and replaced it when I had the trans out..

I only noticed it in 4th, but it doesn't feel quite as fast as it used to in the lower gears.
 
Low-gear slipping makes the car feel faster than usual, since the RPM rises faster than the vehicle speed.

Source: Me, thinking "DAMN THIS IS FAST" when I put mismatched clutch parts in my 240Z a lifetime ago....
 
Low-gear slipping makes the car feel faster than usual, since the RPM rises faster than the vehicle speed.

Source: Me, thinking "DAMN THIS IS FAST" when I put mismatched clutch parts in my 240Z a lifetime ago....

I haven't noticed it in anything but 4th so far. I floored it at like 50 to hear the turbo noises and as the boost rose to 14 the engine suddenly revved higher.
 
Went to the junkyard in hopes of a bumper. The only 240 was smashed. Did get a few parts though. Then on my way home the clutch cable snapped.. Drove ~40 miles that way, not easy.

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I commuted for weeks, probably 30 miles a day for 2 weeks without a clutch cable. Fun to be able to say that I did, but I'm happy now with my properly working cars
 
The cable snapped at the end, so now I need a new block and rubber thingy..

EDIT: Found part numbers. $60 for the hunk of metal alone.. Can I just install a cable without the damper or would the clutch suck without?
 
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So the car is on stands with no wheels right now. I plan on replacing the clutch cable as well as doing everything I've been putting off. Should be a fun first week of summer. Listing everything so I don't forget.

-Clutch disk
-Clutch cable
-Replace drier and adjust expansion valve
-Gas tank
-Trailing arm bushings (Already have poly)
-Fuel filter
-Ball joints
-Front brake lines

Right now I'm fighting the oil supply at the block for the turbo. I took it off to replace the stock switch with a sender, which is threaded into the back of a banjo bolt, and I just can't get it to stop leaking. I replaced the washers and used thread sealant. Still pisses oil. I took the turbo off to fix the oil leak at the drain, which covered the entire underside and tailgate in a film of oil making it hard to see out the back since the back washer is another thing I've been putting off fixing.
 
Little update. I put in a colder fan switch and I'm happy with how the efan works now. Temp needle stays smack in the middle and it kicks on and off at idle. Replaced turbo drain hose and redid the turbo feed. Hopefully that's the end of my oil leaks, but I suspect the turbo itself might be leaking oil if that's possible..

Put in poly trailing arms recently. I've noticed, maybe, a minor change in the bucking at low speeds, but it's still definitely there. Also ever since I did that there's been a weird whining noise that changes with speed. In addition to that, there's a loud clunking when revving up the engine, pretty sure that's the exhaust hitting the underside.

Also got the AC working pretty well. Had to JB Weld a couple spots, but it seems to be holding the charge so far. Might wanna open up the expansion valve a bit, but it gets more than cold enough for me.

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Mostly back together. Drives exactly the same as before, right down to the slight clutch slip in 4th. Will this go away as the clutch breaks in? I'm at low boost right now too.

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So far no drips under it. Ended up ripping out the old leaky condenser so I gotta fix up the AC again.
 
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