Long story. Hope you're really bored. I just had to rebuild my Dodge spirit for like the 5th fucking time, hoping I get some longevity this time considering what was done. I'm still excited, and bored, so it's write up time!!!! It's hard to start mid story, so I suppose I'll start in February of 2009.
For some reason at 19 I thought it was a good idea to purchase and maintain a street rod Dodge Spirit on a "Parts available" budget and 4 quarters of college automotive experience. But hey this is UER. We like to live dangerously here. Despite what little knowledge of cars I have from working on my old lebaron, I know the engine fairly well, and it's a robust and capable engine. So I keep buying the same car. I'm a turbo Dodge lifer.
Anyway I bought it at first sight from a guy who drove up from Louisville to potentially sell it to me. Ridiculous hood scoop, and who the fuck still buys LeBras? But It ran pretty well at the time, no rust, some performance modifications and the price was right. $2k later I'm the proud owner of a Dodge spirit, with a respectable list of mods.
- Front mount intercooler with aluminum piping, no blow off valve.(came with BOV I installed asap) Crash sensor and AC removed to accomodate (fucking stupid) - FWD Performance Stage 3 computer - +20% injectors - alleged new rod/main bearings and recent valve job. (No proof offered.) - upgraded clutch/pressure plate with <5000 miles. - manual boost controller, 14 psi - 2.5in mandrel bent exhaust (cat delete) - new walbro 255 pump - Also had new tires and many wear items had already been replaced.
At first it seemed a great buy, except the thing would always overheat at during the first 15 minutes of driving, a problem that would cause several head gasket changes as well as getting the head decked in hopes of fixing. The overheating was the least of it's problems as the car quickly went to shit. The shitty mitsubishi Te04h turbo started blowing oil into the intake, so I replaced it with a superior model. After which, the car started developing electrical problems.
Really comes in handy when your car only revs to 2900 rpm.
Fast forward to 2010. Car is running like shit. Replaced every sensor, computer, injectors, fuel pump, yet the car is still throwing codes for sensors i've replaced, and bad injectors. All the sensors were getting proper voltage. Basically an electrical nightmare. It would only rev up to 2900 rpm and cut out. Pretty much drove it this way because I had no other option until the timing belt blew.
May 2012, The car has been sitting dead 2 years. I think I've driven the car a combined 6 months total since 2009. Replaced the belt and never managed to get it to start, so I just kinda gave up. Chalked it up to this weird curse that causes cars to die of electrical failure in my back yard that's killed 10+ cars dating back before we moved in. Still owed $4k against the car for sale price and numerous parts that I've bought from all the times I've had to tear it apart. Bank owns the title, can't sell it, so I left it to rot. Went through a Ford/Mercury Phase.
My shiny Taurus SHO naturally dies, leaving me carless. I say fuck it and start back on the Spirit. I haven't even so much as looked at the car in a year, so first step was UE my abandoned car. I didn't get any pics of the interior, as every door had at least 1 wasp nest. Trunk had 4
I didn't take any pictures of the interior. I have no idea why but the car was just full of trash and random parts, old shoes that aren't mine, and some shit that I don't even recognize. So first task was begrudgingly clean out the interior and replace the door panel that had been chilling in the back seat. Despite being dirty, it actually didn't have much of a smell. A fact i later found to be horrifyingly deceiving.
Anyway the engine. Why doesn't it work? 10 minutes meandering about the engine with my dad with all the marks at TDC, he removes the #1 plug, and the piston was at bottom dead center. So apparently I'm just stupid, and there's a timing mark on the crank for each piston. Rotated the cam 1/4 turn, and the car fired right up, and for the first time ever, there was no check engine light! I never figured out what was wrong with the car before it died, but hey it's fixed! I suppose timing. There's a reason I dropped out of automotive school and took up photography.
I'm going for that "dystopian future" look
Anyway, Holy shit I randomly have a running car. I gotta clean this mess up so I can drive it. I start testing things to see if they work, and all's well. I crank the fan to test it. Instantly, there's a grinding noise, the car is filled with death smell, and an explosion of fur and dust shoots out of the vent directly in my face. D: Open mouth btw.
Pure horror, as anyone aware of my rampant OCD can imagine. I didn't even know how to process this. Best to ignore it. So I turned the vent off and just kinda got back to work and vowed to shower, dreading tomorrow's task
Let this be a lesson to all rodents.
Horrifying things aside, next thing was to wash the car for the first time in 2 years.
After a road test that drained 3 quarts of oil, I tightened up all the coolant/oil lines and the leaks stopped. I got new plates on the car and finally commenced one awesome summer of cruising in my newly revitalized Spirit, daring to set the boost around 13psi, as well as fixing other little gremlins along the way.
After some exploring in Louisville with Eschaton and some weed smoking in Dayton with Warbird69, I was sure the car could easily handle the drive to Indianapolis for Infilnapolis 3.
We're about 30 miles out of Indianapolis. We stop at the first exit in miles for some last minute Subway. Car's running better than ever, and averaging a steady 35mpg. Oil and coolant levels are good. We hit the road. 4-5 miles down the road, car dies. I do the usual diagnostics. No codes. Replaced a couple sensors with spares i carry just in case. No dice. Car's almost starting, but won't. Timing's good, but there's some shiny metal exposed on the cam. Walk? I pull the valve cover.
Far worse. Seems I got some air in my camshaft between #2's intake and exhaust valves. Fucking stranded, 100 miles from home, 30-40 miles from Indianapolis with a tow card good for 15 miles. Oh, and where the fuck are we?
Obstruction by itsbudda, on Flickr Oh yeah. Cornfields. No mile marker. Should be easy to find.
Big thanks to Adventuredog, Warbird, and Eschaton for keeping us company for 4 1/2 hours until rescue came.
So what do you do with a dead car you can't sell, no money for a new car, or parts? You beg a bank to give you $500, and that's exactly what I did. A reasonable budget. An ebay search garnered a Rebuilt head including cam all ready to install for only $220, with 12 month warrantee. Maybe too good to be true. But fuck it I like to pretend I live dangerously. It's about the same price as a camshaft, and my head's probably cracked anyway. I'm tired of it overheating all the time.
So less rambling. Basically here's a head swap in a nutshell.
And now, the moment anyone still reading this drivel has been waiting for. Me realizing I forgot to plug in the ignition coil, and then my car roaring to life better than ever before. No more hard to start, and no more gurgling and burping at idle.
All in all it's been a crazy journey. Here's hoping the car gets me somewhere successfully next time.
TL;DR Don't buy a 20 year old turbo hot rod project and expect to daily drive the thing.
I have lots of experience with Mopar EFI engines; they can do some weird stuff if there is a wiring issue. But it looks like that engine had some existing abuse, which doesn't surprise me. But you did the right thing and got a new cam and head. Those motors are cheap too do if you see one, grab it and do a rebuild on the side just in case.
IF you had the engine out, why didn't you just do a full rebuild?
“We are not going to have the kind of cooperation we need if everyone insists on their own narrow version of reality. … the great divide in the world today … is between people who have the courage to listen and those who are convinced that they already know it all.”
i have to say that is the cleanest spirit/acclaim ive seen in years, its funny how we stick with 1 kind of car, ive had 3 gm 3800 w bodies and a few j bodies. i still have the 02 grand prix. nothing beats the feeling after doing major surgery on your car and having it roar to life! and you talk about carrying spares in the trunk, i understand, i have an alternator in my trunk, 20$ at the U pull, ive been left stranded by my w bodies too often because of dead alternators
Montreal Expos 1969-2004 Forever Proud Lets Keep The Dream Alive
Posted by nostra-YOUPPI! i have to say that is the cleanest spirit/acclaim ive seen in years, its funny how we stick with 1 kind of car, ive had 3 gm 3800 w bodies and a few j bodies. i still have the 02 grand prix. nothing beats the feeling after doing major surgery on your car and having it roar to life! and you talk about carrying spares in the trunk, i understand, i have an alternator in my trunk, 20$ at the U pull, ive been left stranded by my w bodies too often because of dead alternators
Yeah I don't see too many like this anymore thanks to the crappy paint they put on it. Besides a 2-3 inch hole on the rear driver side 1/4 panel and some bubbling near the gas tank it's clean.
Glad to see i'm not the only one who carries spare parts and a tool kit. Luckily Chrysler's charging/starting system is robust and my alternator's newer, but I should probably get a spare anyway, to match the spare transmission I have in the garage. One thing I learned though, never have your tool kit visible when driving to a site to UE. That's a great way to get searched.
Posted by splumer IF you had the engine out, why didn't you just do a full rebuild?
I've never had the full engine out. Only the head. Supposedly the bottom end was a fresh rebuild with only 10k on it when I bought it. I've also never had any bottom end problems at all. That and I'm 23 on a "holy shit how am I gonna pay my student loans" budget. Here's hoping the block lasts forever.
Yeah I don't see too many like this anymore thanks to the crappy paint they put on it. Besides a 2-3 inch hole on the rear driver side 1/4 panel and some bubbling near the gas tank it's clean.
Glad to see i'm not the only one who carries spare parts and a tool kit. Luckily Chrysler's charging/starting system is robust and my alternator's newer, but I should probably get a spare anyway, to match the spare transmission I have in the garage. One thing I learned though, never have your tool kit visible when driving to a site to UE. That's a great way to get searched.
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when i junked my last grand prix i filled the shed to the rafters with parts, i got a door in there brakes, shocks, fuel pump, you name it!
Montreal Expos 1969-2004 Forever Proud Lets Keep The Dream Alive
so many of the reasons you listed are why I stopped pooping around with FWD/Turbo Dodge. My Daytona was so damn clean... It was in mint shape for an 86, but fuck a duck, every time I turned around, it would either flat out not start, or when it did run, it would run like absolute shit. On top of that, it had days where it would run like a devastating animal... It was eating power modules like they were free. After much internet research and a couple emails from Turbo Gus (yes, THAT Turbo Gus and some guys from Minnesota), they diagnosed the problem. The lines that run from the vacuum block on the passenger side fender leading to the manifold were cracked and causing bad readings between turbo, power and logic modules which, of course, burned up the power module. So I toddle down to my local Mopar dealer (Dayton TN) and the guy at the parts counter eyes me like a cow chewing a tasty cud and tells me I'd be better off buying a Neon and then tells me that the lines are not available anymore. Sooo... down the road the Daytona goes.
Next was an 86 Dodge 600... went through more oil than gas, but I couldn't kill that thing. Drove it 80 miles one night the OIL warning light glowing... Blow up you fucker, i double dare you. Alas, it kept running.
Next and last Dodge was an 89 Shadow ES Turbo... it was so rotten I could put my finger through subframe! But, that engine ran so strong, it was a shame to scrap it.
Posted by Samurai so many of the reasons you listed are why I stopped pooping around with FWD/Turbo Dodge. My Daytona was so damn clean... It was in mint shape for an 86, but fuck a duck, every time I turned around, it would either flat out not start, or when it did run, it would run like absolute shit. On top of that, it had days where it would run like a devastating animal... It was eating power modules like they were free. After much internet research and a couple emails from Turbo Gus (yes, THAT Turbo Gus and some guys from Minnesota), they diagnosed the problem. The lines that run from the vacuum block on the passenger side fender leading to the manifold were cracked and causing bad readings between turbo, power and logic modules which, of course, burned up the power module. So I toddle down to my local Mopar dealer (Dayton TN) and the guy at the parts counter eyes me like a cow chewing a tasty cud and tells me I'd be better off buying a Neon and then tells me that the lines are not available anymore. Sooo... down the road the Daytona goes.
Next was an 86 Dodge 600... went through more oil than gas, but I couldn't kill that thing. Drove it 80 miles one night the OIL warning light glowing... Blow up you fucker, i double dare you. Alas, it kept running.
Next and last Dodge was an 89 Shadow ES Turbo... it was so rotten I could put my finger through subframe! But, that engine ran so strong, it was a shame to scrap it.
oh and one more beef with you, Budda!
Me, you shithead!
sam i dont know if you ever noticed, but we all seem to wax nostalgic about the quirky cars that had their problems, the cars that ran great from cradle to grave seem boring. No attitude, my fathers aerostar was one of them, car ran great, we hated the thing, the 83 j2000 that wrecked head gaskets like they were free was the car he always loved. same for me my grand prix (both and the impala) burn all burn alternators like they are a consumable but i love em and can replace an alternator in 10 minutes!
Montreal Expos 1969-2004 Forever Proud Lets Keep The Dream Alive
Yeah none of those vac lines are even installed on the Spirit, and haven't been since I bought the car, and it's ran just fine, no check engine light, and my SBEC's still holding strong. My vac system is wastegate, map, brake booster, BOV, and FPR. In fact, I don't even know what most of those unplugged things do. Weird it would fry power modules.
Yeah no matter how shitty condition they are, there's just something endearing about an old dodge. All the little quirks really kinda gives them a persona. And here's hoping it stays together. The 2.5's a torque monster when it runs well. It's just keeping up with the endless rotation of parts that they need once they reach 150k.
Also tomorrow I get my license plates renewed and I plan on putting at least 50-100 miles on the car around town so I can track down all the little leaks and make some adjustments. I don't have access to a timing light or anything I should own by now so I have to just fiddle with the distributor to find the sweet spot, within a 5° or so margin of error on the retarded side.
I think you have the market cornered on GTS smoked light covers, too
unfortunately, GTS has been out of business for a few years and I think i got the LAST set of covers for a Chevy Beretta. AVS is cheap shit... been through 8 sets on the 05 and 07 Cobalts.
i just like that 1990-era look... remember when people were pinstriping their windows? THAT was a trend I hated here.
unfortunately, GTS has been out of business for a few years and I think i got the LAST set of covers for a Chevy Beretta. AVS is cheap shit... been through 8 sets on the 05 and 07 Cobalts.
i just like that 1990-era look... remember when people were pinstriping their windows? THAT was a trend I hated here.
I had GTS headlight covers on most of my 1st gen Daytonas. But yeah, AVS is shit. They use the CHEAPEST plastic. My vent visors were cracking within about 6 months.
Got a timing light. I was close. Only 4 degrees retarded. Runs amazingly better now though so I raised the boost a couple pounds and went for a test drive.
1 hour of road time, mixed highway and city driving. 35.5 miles. Averaged 34.6 mpg according to the trip computer. Went through maybe 1/16 a tank of gas. Pulls strong in all 5 gears. No overheating, no misfiring, and no check engine light, which is historically a rare performance by this car.
Leaking a bit of oil though. Now to figure out where.
Oh man, I had a 91 factory turbo 5spd just like your gem. Among about twenty five more turbo dodges. Got rid of the last one (Shelby lancer) about a year ago... So I feel your pain when it comes to these cars. I almost bought a spirit rt last week but I used my better judgement and bought a mazdaspeed 6 instead.
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