Long Update

So I haven't updated in a while, mainly because of a LOT of life changes that I may or may not get around to posting over on Drunken Ramblings, but regardless I'm here updating now so be happy and stuff.

My last posts were about the 850 and the maroon project car (hereafter referred to as 'moomoo'), and possibly about Beige Betty. Well the 850 is gone, the project car is being torn apart, and Betty is pretty much the same as before, albeit now with an AW71 and a new rear main seal (and leak-free as a result!) My current DD is the Yellow Yeti, which has been referenced before as a Yellow Box. It has some fairly significant upgrades, one of which is a full 3" exhaust made by yours truly. However, at the moment it's got some issues, the biggest of which is the lack of reverse.

The transmission itself works fine - as in, it shifts in and out of gears without catching and going forward is fine. However, put it in reverse and it just sits there and spins. If you're on a FLAT (and I do mean _flat_) area, it'll start to think about going backwards, after a while. So I researched it and it turns out there's a cone clutch in the overdrive, and this is the cuprit in this situation. Oddly enough this same overdrive clutch completely failed in my first Volvo, a 1981 242, which necessitated replacing the transmission as well. So this weekend (well, my weekend, from wednesday to saturday) will be spent pulling the running gear from moomoo and transplanting it into Yeti.

This will include the transmission, flywheel, clutch, throwout bearing, pressure plate, driveline, rear end, and speedometer. Why the rear and and speedometer, you ask? Well because the '83 has a cable-driven speedo, and the '86 does not. I could swap out the tailshaft, but Yeti's rear end has a rumble that I think is bearing related, so I'll just do the whole thing. Plus I want to tap into the signal for the speedo for a HUD project, and having all of that in the car for testing will make it easier to actually do it.

And then there's the flywheel and clutch. When I bought moomoo I had to do the clutch, so it should still be in fairly good condition. We'll see though, and I'm hoping and praying (though research seems to suggest that they'll interchange) that the B230 flywheel will fit the B23, because the B230 flywheel is different and the clutch won't swap without it.

What else? Oh yeah, while I'm in there I'll replace the rear main. And probably pick then engine up a bit and pull the oil pan to replace that gasket as well, because it's leaking badly from *somewhere*, and while the pan is off I should probably drill the boss for a turbo oil return... And do the front seals too, maybe even drop in the B cam from the '86. And do the timing belt. You know, basic stuff. While completely replacing the majority of the drivetrain.

Yep, totally doable in a few days, right?

More and more

No pics again today, I know I'm a slacker.  Not really, since I DID get a LOT done with Roon today, but I forgot my camera at home.

I got a solenoid installed into the drivers' door, so keyless entry WILL work when I get the alarm installed.  Did a little more wiring on the engine harness, still need to look up a couple of things but nothing major.  Got the exhaust nearly completed, and in fact tacked up another downpipe just to see if a different one would be any better.  It wasn't...quite, but mainly because of how I had the rest of the exhaust already completed.  I may weld it up and sell it when I get better at welding.  And I completed my fuel rail welding as well.  Finally got one that I'm not ashamed of, but now I'm worried that my welds may have gotten to hot and compromised the aluminum underneath.  I'll hook it up to air and pump ~40psi into it to make sure everything is kosher before I run fuel through it.

So that was my today, fairly productive and tomorrow I shall bring my camera along so I can document more fully my progress.

I can weld!

Today was a volvo-filled day.  Went out to another OVT members' place and pulled some parts for Betty (wiper motors and a cluster), then came home, loaded Betty up with parts for the '86 and went over to the parental units for some welding action.  Father picked up a Lincoln 125, so now I'm learning how to weld.  My first project?  Full 3" exhaust for the '86 (I've really GOT to name that car now that Betty has a name.  Any suggestions?)  My first few welds sucked, and I was practicing on my 3" cat and muffler, so that wasn't good.  The old downpipe I pulled from Betty was cracked after the collector, so I thought I'd try welding that up.  Took me a little while to get the hang of it, and I really need a welding table of some kind as well as better lighting, but overall it turned out fairly well.  I then went ahead and tacked up the rest of the 3" exhaust and put hangers on it, then checked to see how it looked under the car.

Not too shabby if I do say so myself.  Sits up nice and tight, and doesn't bang against the body anywhere, so...bonus.  After this pic I took it off the car so I could finish welding it up after I get a bit more practice, but that is where it shall be from now on.  Welding is fun!

And we're legal!

Took some paperwork down to the DMV today, and $193 later, we have plates, tags and should get the title in the mail sometime in the next couple of weeks.  I think thus far I've paid more for the title issues for this car than I paid for the car!  Sheesh!  Got the plates mounted as well - went for a slightly less than stock location for the front plate.  I think it looks pretty good, so I did the same on the '86, though I didn't take a pic of that.  Then I did some mock-upping of the exhaust on the '86, and found that where I was going to put the cat and muffler wouldn't work under the car, so I had to rearrange my plans there.  Not a big deal really, I'll just need more 3" straight pipe than I originally thought.

Then I figured out a side exit mounting point, installed the new master cylinder, put on 400-series side markers (Sorry Michael! I'll show you how to do them though, it's REALLY easy), and started installing a keyless entry system.  Got that to the point where it'll flash the lights, but I needed my manual to tell me where to splice into the door lock system to actuate that and I left the manual at home.  D'oh!  I'll bring it with me tomorrow.

Spare 245 takes over DD status

A few things since the last time I updated.  Got a trip permit for the 85 (which I have since christened 'Beige Betty'), got it through DEQ, figured out the titling issues, installed different wheels, plugged the roof rack and antenna holes, got a couple of trim peices, and did some painting.  It's actually looking quite not bad now:

So as it sits it has taken over as my DD, while the issues with the maroon '86 (which I have not named as of yet) get sorted out.  Parental units have returned, but the motorhome has not blocked my access quite yet so I have some time to get the '86 worked on.  Father bought a welder, I brought out my collection of 3" pipe bends, cat and muffler, and found that I need very little if any cutting to happen to get a full 3" exhaust on the car.  So that shall be my project for the next week - learning how to weld (on a Lincoln 125), and then using that skill to weld up my first exhaust.  Fun!

What else?  Well not much until I get the exhaust done.  Perhaps a drive out to Milwaukee to get some parts off of another wagon (namely lock cylinders for the '85)?  Then the kids this weekend...  I wonder what the ex will think of this car now that I've reclaimed it and fixed it up a little?  At least I don't have to depend on her to find the title any longer.

Time to make the donuts!

Got a bit of work to do on the car, though I'm not sure it'll be today as the weather isn't cooperating.  I have a horrible toe-in issue that is just DECIMATING my front tires.  I thought I'd done a fairly decent ghetto alignment when I fixed my steering rack, but obviously that was not the case.  Car has been very twitchy, especially in the rain, and I've got some really bad wear on the outside shoulders.  So I think I might just head over to the parental units' abode and get that fixed somehow.  Perhaps I should read up on a better methodology on ghetto alignments first, however.

Also have to fix a part of the exhaust - that S pipe is VERY holey and thus is causing me to fail emissions testing.  At least I think that's what causing the failures.  After I replace that I'll run down to DEQ and see if that's what it is.  If not...well lets not go there quite yet because that is where things start to get expensive.  If I had a welder and a chop saw it'd be free but I don't and those two items are NOT free.

Then because of the toe issue I've got to rotate the tires, and/or get some new ones.  Again, not free.  Not to mention DEQ testing will run me about $110.  Cars are expensive!