Because I sometimes forget I did stuff... A few updates! Fixed a bunch of vacuum leaks, which fixed the misfire but not the hunting idle. Re-sealed the A/C compressor, so now that works again. Ended up powder coating a bunch more stuff under the hood, one of which were the idler pulleys. I pressed out the old bearings, coated, then pressed in new bearings - not 1000 miles later the new bearings seals have failed and they leaked their grease out everywhere... NEW bearings... talk about annoying.
Caught up on some maintenance; new rear springs (cheap stock ones for now), sway bar end links, bump stops, etc. Everything down there is tight now.
Powder coated the wheels. Stripping them was the worst part; chemical strip has to be done first.
Had to clean up the bead/seal area afterwards.
Shaved and relocated the bump stops. Needed the clearance with the Corvette wheels, seems like the guy who had them before me let them rub a little, which gave them enough clearance to not rub on mine so I never noticed. But, you know, fix it..
And the first real test that the car still works, HRPT 2019 long haul!
Took it down the track at Norwalk just for fun. That 1-2 upshift is getting brutal, took forever for it to mesh and even then it still ratcheted a bit; and of course after the mountain roads near Bristol the clutch slips in 4th, which happens at 90mph-ish. I didn't really push the launch either, 2.4 60'. Still ran a 95.6 @ 15.2.
So, all that said, it's getting parked for the most part until I can sell my old motorcycle and get that fancy transmission adapter plate I need. I'll be installing the wideband and boost gauge in the meantime, and working on the tune. Trans is up next, might even get to that this year yet ($$$ willing), then next year is rear end locker, lowering springs and appropriate shocks, probably a bunch more powder coating, and I'll have to get new bearings again for the idler pulleys, and start dropping pulley sizes.
The biggest issue right now is it's barely getting 24mpg on the freeway, it used to get 32-34. Cruising, nothing is really changed. I kept the EGR, EVAP, everything. So, in theory, the only mileage loss should come from driving the blower. Stock L67 in my old H-body got 30mpg regularly, so I should be still up there. Hopefully the wideband and data logs figure it out. If not, then I'm switching to e85.