FrankenMoose

Long overdue update: Attempted to start it this weekend. All fluids are in, it's ready for a start. I tried to fire it off with the ECU from my old car in there, which has a ARD Platinum tune, but it just would not go. Cranked but wouldn't fire. I really didn't expect it to, but it would have been nice. Anyway, stuck the Original ECU in and it fired up after the third time. HURAAA! But, all was not perfect. It starts up after about 3 seconds of cranking (good), runs smooth (also good), then races to 4500rpm and dies (not so good). Happens every time it's started. I noticed that two of the four wires that plug into the MAF connector have broken off at the connector! I tried to fix it, but there just is not enough wire there to do so. I ordered a replacement connector and a few other odds and ends that are needed to button this thing up. Hopefully, I can get her sorted out by next week. Still a lot of interior work to do done: Door cards, Dash pad, Radio install, etc.; But if I can get her running under her own power, I can get her to a place that's closer so I can do these things in my spare time.

Running low on free time to work on the car. But, I should have a day or two this week. Planing on first attempt at starting this week.

More little things done. Oil is in, Power Steering fluid in, Trans oil in. AC system needs charging, but not until a condenser is found and installed. Snabb intake is installed. Needed a PTC valve to complete and had to dig around for an hour to find the Cam sensor to complete the sensor package. Time to move on to the mounting the Meth system and relocate the battery 90 degrees. Almost there...

Spent the day running and routing vacuum lines, power lines for the Methanol pump, Oil Pressure gauge, reverse lights, intake plenum, charge pipes from turbo to IC from IC to Throttle body, etc. All the little crap that needs doing. Sure does eat up a lot of time. Still need to replace the AC Dryer and find a condenser, as the OE is missing. Going to run without AC for a bit since I really need to get this biatch started and moving under her own power. Get the nice-aties working after. Not too much longer now. Have a list of needs and parts, and a chunk of time to get them in coming up.

It was an issue I ran into after the tune. I was running 750cc injectors and the fuel rail could not keep the 4.5bar pressure needed to feed them enough fuel over 4k rpm, and the engine would stutter and stall. When I installed the 450cc stock injectors, it was fine.

What a mess... At least the 3" think Intercooler will ride again (my design). It's a big mother. Built by BEL Intercoolers of Texas. Getting close now. Just a few more items to work out. O2 Sensors are missing, so need to buy new ones. Vacuum lines need refreshed, same with battery cables. Running without an AC for now. I'll get to that once it's on the road again. Oil Cooler is fitted, as is the pass side axle. SO, the pass side suspension is also complete. All engine mounts are in as torqued to spec.It's down to just checking and rechecking things. And the Intake plumbing and battery mounting, etc. Might be ready for a first fire up soon. Lots to do in the Interior and Exterior, but those can wait until its under its own power.

Its the little details that kill ya... Install the downpipe, the exhaust hangers are rotted out, so order replacements. Installed them Dipstick is missing, Go to pick n pull, get one, get home and realize your engine is a B5244T3 not at T2, throw the dipstick as far as you can across the yard, check Row52 for an '01-03 P2 Install new Snabb intake pipe, cant find PTC valve to insert, spend 2 hours tearing garage apart looking for it only to realize you sold it with the old intake pipe... stew in corner for a bit My whole day went like this. Steps forward, steps back. Just need to get this done so I can justify all this irritation with blissful shifting and SUCK-BANG-BLOW sounds

Driveline and the downpipe are in. Lens flares are extra

Now, that's what a proper prop shaft should look like Going in soon

I had a hard time finding the carrier bearing for the car. Almost every site selling them said that it's a balanced shaft and that the entire driveline has to be replaced. Well, that sounded like bullshit to me, so I did more digging and found one on eBay. I ordered and received it, and tried to install it this week. Turns out they were right, the entire driveline will need to be replaced, but not because of anything Volvo did. One of the previous owners must of had an issue with the driveline and had to have it repaired in a hurry. They had the yolk welded to the rear line, which is where the bearing is mounted, and the u-joint was welded into the yolk! You can see where they attempted to balance the line once it was welded together. So, even if I was able to get these thing apart, I'd have to re-balance it , which I don't have the tools to do. Normally, the u-joint is held in with retaining clips. If this were the case, then the bearing could have been accessed and replaced. But this... this is shit. I found a guy locally selling a "refurbished" one (for all I could tell he installed a new bearing and cleaned it) for half the price the dealer wants for a new one. It was the right thing to do, replace the line with a like new one, so I bought it. I'll get it installed this week and get this project back on track.

I can buy HushMat products at cost, so it's all HushMat stuff

Two steps forward... Got the Turbo set, plumbed with oil and coolant lines. Slammed the rebuilt Bevel gear in, pass. axle, pass. side suspension back on, new brake lines for the Big Brakes. Then, when I started to connect the drive line I noticed that it was sloppy AF. So, looked down the line to the carrier bearing and... Blam! The thing is shot to shit, well at least the rubber part is. Dropped the plate and to get a better look. I was going to install the downpipe, but it would be in the way of the drive line repair. Well, so, drivetrain is not complete. But the Intake mani is in, as well as the ECU; Power Steering complete, Overflow tank in; Rear hatch is now sound deadened like the roof and cargo area. Seats are in, as well as the shifter. Need to start the install for the Meth pump, SNABB intake pipe, Turbo setup, coolant lines, throttle body, Intercooler, radiator, oil cooler, AC Lines, Oil pressure sensor, Strut bar... man, lots to do.

Boil over is probably the wrong term. Dumped oil out the vent is more accurate. Last time I drove the Silver VR to IPD with this trans in it, every time I would go over 70mph, the gear oil would spill out of the top vent. Made for a long trip home driving at 65mph. Most likely an over fill situation. but I still want to flush and fill just in case I did something stupid like put the wrong gear oil in or something.

I'm taking a walk though the "List O'Things" from the first post. This is mostly for me to reevaluate and track things. So... you know... go look at the NSFW section for a bit. A List of things I plan to do and have done: 1 - Change the "black with dark grey inserts" seat and trim with the 'black and light grey inserts" from the old car so that the center console, shifter boot and steering wheel will match. - DONE 2 - Also change out the upper trim to grey, since the black upper trim makes the car feel small IMO - DONE 3 - Install the larger fuel pump that I bought for the old car so that this one will not suffer from low fuel pressure above 4K RPM - Pushing this out until after the car is up and running. Trying to focus on things to get it going and dividing things to GET IT GOING and AFTER IT'S GOING 4 - Install the Big Brake kit with the 330mm High Carbon disks in the front (which have quite the coating of rust on them from sitting), a new set of R rears calipers for the rear, and steel braided lines all around. - DONE 5 - Repair the one rear Ohlins shock that was damaged when removing them from the old car; install the set, along with the strut brace. - First need to find a good repair shop, then install them while doing the fuel pump 6 - New hood liner to evict the rodents and their damage - AFTER 7 - Deep clean the interior - DONE 8 - Install the Cat back system from the old car and get a new down pipe, since I sold the old one - AFTER 9 - Polish up the headlights, or find a set of Jewels. not doing the AMBs again. Sold the old set - AFTER 10 - Get the paint tended to, and do some... selective vinyl wrapping. Gotta make it mine, you know... - AFTER 11 - Find and stop the oil leak on the new block. Not sure where it was coming from, but It just can't happen again - Found it. The turbo return pipe was not seated to the block correctly, and by that I mean missing the seal of the back side; and the front leak was at the oil pressure plug. I had installed a 3-way extension to add int he oil pressure gauge. Messed it all up, lots of unneeded inserts. I'll do it the correct way this time 12 - Figure out the issue with the VVT. Used to get errors under hard acceleration from the VVT. Would like that to stop - AFTER 13 - Confident that the M66C leak from the pass side was fixed by adding in a o-ring that was forgotten by the re-builders during assembly. The Trans did, however, boil over during the last trip to IPD. I'm hoping that was due to over filling, but I might flush and refill just to make sure - Looking of a good tranny flush. Something I can run though a few times and get it clean. Then fill it with the horrible smelling oil 14 - Since it will not be a work car, Some subs in the back and a full update tot the audio system - AFTER 15 - Install the old alarm to add security and remote start; not sure if I'll install the window modules, but I really like one touch up and down windows... - AFTER 16 - The old Ronal R39 Ferris 18x8 are still hanging around. They will probably get refreshed and installed - DONE 17 - New fog lights. Old are cracked. Also install the STI lip, 'cause the front end looks naked without it - AFTER 18 - No wing on the car, so my Silver one will do. If I have to repaint the bumpers (they are pretty jacked up), I'll have the wing color matched as well - DONE 19 - Oil pressure gauge with Boost installed in custom pod below ashtray - NEXT WEEK 20 - Meth Injection installed as well, with guage in pod - In Process 21 - New engine and trans with rebuilt bevel gear and correct passenger side axle installed - Ummm 22 - Decide whether to refine the ARD Platinum Tune for better performance, or get a new tune - In talks with Hilton for Stage 3 Tune 23 - Replace the windshield - AFTER ADD: 24 - Door cards are shit. Need to re-laminate the inserts back in and repair the mounts. Also going to get some deadening in there while it's open and some good speakers

Some work recently. Been sick for about a week, but I was starting to get cabin fever. Tore the upper dash pad off to run the GPS antenna for the new head unit ( which is the Silver's old Pioneer AppRadio 4) and found a shit ton of cracks. Did the mod and made notes to come back with filler and abs glue to help seal up and prevent more. Also going to flock the forward most section where the air vents are, cause it looked damn good on the Silver. Not sure at this point if I want to add a back view camera. I had it on the Silver and liked to set the AppRadio to that view as the default. Anyway... Front seats are in, old steering wheel is off new one will go on soon, ECM rewired, TCM gone for ever, All this is make work that has to be done, but I'd rather be completing the engine install. Still waiting on parts for the PVC System, downpipe, right axle and other stuff. IPD was holding up an order due to an item being backordered. I called them and straightened them out. Should be here by Friday. Just leaves the dowpipe...