Meet the Dark Knight (92 GP SE w/5-speed)

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[WideTrackGP_92]

Alright, my mechanic got back to me and he listed a bunch of stuff he found wrong with the car on the invoice:

Spark plugs
Plug wires
Valve cover gaskets
Radiator and heater hoses
PCV and cruise control vacuum hoses
Possible fuel injectors
Oil leak in lower intake or head gaskets
Left rear brake locked - needs caliper
Right outer tie rod end and alignment
Massive oil leak - needs degrease
Fuel filter
Fuel pump running @ 2800 RPM's (on the low side but pattern looked okay)
Found code 35 (IAC too high) IAC around 70

That was straight from the invoice I got from him. He said the spark plugs were covered in oil (hence the missfire), so he quoted me around $500 for fixing the missfire and brakes, which isn't bad so I told him to get it done. The other stuff I'll tackle in the Spring. I also told him since he's doing the valve cover gaskets to fix the lifter tick.

[Mike]

Left rear brake locked - needs caliper

Common problem on 1st gen Ws, especially pre-94. I'd recommend upgrading to the 94+ brakes if you can, the calipers don't fail as often.

[WideTrackGP_92]

Yeah, I knew the brakes were a problem on these cars...someday I'll upgrade them. I just want to get it running good first.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

well, if you got bad head gaskets that might be a good thing (in a way) timing belt time, oil pump drive seal time, and then you could have the heads redone or ported and polished... theres alot you can do once you get it down to the block. these motors have some hidden potential.

[Prospeeder]

I bet his headgasket/lower intakes really the oil pump drive, it lookes just like a head or intake leak to most.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

if you got them off and you dont replace every gasket you can see, you would be retarded. i would laugh my ass of if the next day the plate the PCV hose connects to on the crank blew its gasket, or... the oil pump drive seal. then... well to fix it THE RIGHT WAY! you have to take the rear head off anyway! so, while the shit is all off, it only makes sense to drop in an assload of new gaskets everywhere you can see. shit i would throw new hoses, vacuum heat, oil and in a colder place, power steering. that way you dont have the problem i have. that power steering line looks like a bitch to swap, and where the fuck am i gonna get one for a car like ours? i dont want to pay dealership prices!

[WideTrackGP_92]

So I came across a few extra bucks, so I bought something to make the back of the car a little more appealing...



Got these on eBay for $40 for the pair of tips. They are stainless and bolt on, but I'm gonna have them welded on as soon as I can afford to do the entire exhaust system. For now, I'll hack off the ugly-ass stock tips and screw these on for the time being. It may still sound like a shitty stock LQ1 exhaust, but it will look much better

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

stock exhaust is just plain quiet isnt it? with my cat gone it made mine sound pretty meaty. lol but yeah, change the pipes and mufflers to something else, magnaflow or flowmaster or whatever...

[WideTrackGP_92]

The LQ1 cars sound like shit from the factory. And I'm not sure what muffler sounds good on them either. I've heard a few sound clips, and none of them sounded very good to me. I guess we'll see. Right now it's a toss up between Magnaflow, Flowmaster 80 series, or Hooker Aerochamber. I'd kinda like to get a Camaro/Firebird muffler and do the duals like that...like the '99 and up Grand Am GT's have.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

take a peek under your car though, the spare tire well kinda gets in the way for something like that, but it would be great if you took that lump out!

[WideTrackGP_92]

I thought I saw someone do that on a Grand Prix somewhere...not sure though. If not, it's no biggie. I'll just get two mufflers instead of one.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

i agree. but i still cant justify buying it!! lol

[WideTrackGP_92]

I also forgot about Flo-Pro mufflers...I had a set of them on my old '97 Grand Prix GT and they sounded pretty good. I just don't remember how much they were.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

i freakin hate the name (and only because i saw it at canadian tire first) but the RActive muffler on my old buick doesnt sound or look too bad.

[WideTrackGP_92]

I recieved the exhaust tips today! Well...one anyway. I don't know if they forgot to send the other one or if they shipped them separately and one box is on another truck. Not sure, but I contacted them to see what the deal is.

ANYWAYS, here's what it is. It's beautiful! They are going to look great on the car! I made sure they fit and they tuck in the exhaust outlet very nicely. Now I have to get the rest of the exhaust pieced together (mufflers, resonator/glasspack, piping, etc).