Tuner4life's 1998 Saffron V70R

[tuner4life]

The truth is that this car is my wife's daily driver. Unfortunately with winter included. That is one of the reasons that I have gone out of my way to coat/paint/clean/protect everything as much as I could while it was apart. I'm also pretty meticulous about spring cleaning every year. 

The wife's last daily was a 1997 850 base sedan with nearly no options at all. It now belongs to my in-laws. We Had our first child 2.5 years ago and it was at that time that we realized that our fleet of coupes and sedans just wasn't going to be large enough to haul 2 adults, 1 (now 2) children, and (2) 75 pound shepherd mixes. Replacing a P80 sedan with a P80 wagon was the logical option since we really like this platform. Her criteria was that it had to be a wagon. My criteria was that is needed to be turbo, and not a low pressure. We were trying to avoid all wheel drive P80s (for the exact reasons listed in detail in the last many pages of this thread lol). We wanted a 1998 T5 as this was the fastest version out of the box without having AWD. After literally months of searching for a T5 and coming up empty handed (but finding V70Rs all over). We decided to try to track down a Saffron to match the C70 which is my wife's favorite color car ever. Now here we are.

This car was and still is imperfect enough that I don't feel bad driving it in the winter. There are dings and scratches, paint isn't all original, it's even had a quarter panel and a door replaced at some point. All seems to have been done well, but it's never going to be a pristine example.  Despite all that, it still cleans up well enough to draw a crowd at the local cars-n-coffee meet. It's the perfect compromise for us really. It's still a cool, rare, fun, and very respectable vehicle without all of the stress and heartache of ruining a perfect specimen with kids, dogs, etc..

At this point, I'm just bringing it up to my standards mechanically so I will be comfortable driving it anywhere in the country without issues.

Very worst case, if something terrible happens to it, I'll have a nearly new rear suspension, subframe, fuel system, and a ton of other parts that can all be swapped into another neglected AWD P80.

Edited November 7, 2017 by tuner4life

[tuner4life]

 

Front suspension is all done! The Konis showed up yesterday so I wasted no time.  From the bottom: Koni Yellows, IPD springs, IPD upper strut mounts, INA bearing plates, new bump stops, bellows, and hardware throughout.

Brakes are getting ordered today.

I may fill my 5 gallon gas can tonight and make sure the fuel system is working correctly. Fingers crossed no leaks or problems.

Edited November 8, 2017 by tuner4life

[Andzey]

Good to know INA offers bearing plates. Here folks use SKF if something better is needed.

Why koni (not Bilstein HD)? Your's are adjustable rebound? 

[tuner4life]

I used INA bearing plates on the C70 the last time I messed with the struts on that car and they are the only brand that lasted over a year without issue. 4 years and counting. 

 

On most vehicles, I wouldn't consider anything besides Bilstein. I'm almost a salesman for them it seems. But on P80s, I've read that they actually raise the car up slightly (not what I want in the front). They also supposedly have a pretty "crashy" ride. Granted, I've never used them myself on this platform, but the Konis seem to be preferred as they have adjustable dampening. Since I'm not exactly sure how the rear suspension setup I have will function, I also like the idea of being able to dial in the front to more closely match the rear for firmness and ride quality. We'll see how it goes.

 

So I am pretty excited for last night's progress. I got all of the fluids filled up, got the downpipe installed, Driveshaft installed, and a few other odds and ends. Then I dumped 5 gallons of 93 octane into it and started it up! I let it run for probably 5 minutes to check for leaks and couldn't find any problems at all! Yay! 

Here is a small video of that: Don't mind all the lights in the cluster, There are no brakes on the car, so that's that one, and the hatch was open.. Not sure about the ABS/TCS lights though. I've rebuilt the module twice, replaced the rear sensors and installed known-good front sensors. Maybe I have to drive it before it'll turn off?

 

 

 

Also, I have a question/concern regarding the clearance between the EST downpipe and the fuel lines where they connect to the engine. Keep in mind I swapped to an angle flange turbo on this 1998 so the downpipe now passes to the right side of the driveshaft instead of the left side. The fuel lines going to the engine are also on the right side and very close to the Downpipe. I don't have a picture, but the EST downpipe is only about 3" away from a section of Nylon fuel line. The factory line in this area is nylon so maybe it'll be fine and not cause a problem, but the last thing I want is to melt that line which would then spray directly on the hot downpipe. Has anyone had issues with this? Am I being over anxious about it? I am thinking about making a heat shield out of aluminum between the 2. It should reduce the heat getting to the fuel lines and if something did go wrong, it would keep the fuel spray from hitting the downpipe directly. Am I right to be concerned about this or just being paranoid? I know there are plenty of people running this setup.

Edited November 9, 2017 by tuner4life

[apeacock]

I mean it's a big air gap in there so there's at least that.  I had my hard line spring a leak from it rubbing on the axle and that didn't do it. I also had the quick connect pop off due to I think age and that didn't do it either. I just redid my fuel line with -4 hose from Aeroquip and some russell fittings on the front with a OEM 90* quick connect to the filter. It's working great so far. I will say I do get a slight whiff of gas in the car when i first move out in the morning. However I still kind of think it's the garage floor giving it off. Hard to say As I don't see any leaks nor can I smell any when I'm done driving it. 

Could even just take some rubber tube and make a sheath if it puts your mind at ease a bit. 

[tuner4life]

Sounds good. I tend to be a bit OCD about stupid stuff like that. I'll come up with something simple to ease my conscience and move along.

 

Also just realized, in the video, the fuel gauge appears to be working correctly! Didn't realize it last night, but it would never read below half before and now that both senders have been replaced, it seems to be reading where it should for having 5 gallons of gas in it. Yay!

Edited November 9, 2017 by tuner4life

[apeacock]

7 hours ago, tuner4life said:

Sounds good. I tend to be a bit OCD about stupid stuff like that. I'll come up with something simple to ease my conscience and move along.

 

Also just realized, in the video, the fuel gauge appears to be working correctly! Didn't realize it last night, but it would never read below half before and now that both senders have been replaced, it seems to be reading where it should for having 5 gallons of gas in it. Yay!

Great time to have fixed that. What a pain when that stops working!

[JaredR1]

Good call not doing the Bilsteins.  My T-5R came with HDs and oem green marked springs and I could not get rid of that setup fast enough.  The ride was unbearable and there are stress cracks in the paint on one of my shock towers because of them.  I've also driven on Koni yellows (with H&R) and found that to be a much better experience.  I liked the way it drove but it was still pretty stiff even if MUCH better than the HDs.  If the roads around Boston were decent, I'd probably be running some version of Konis if Öhlins weren't an option.

Edited November 12, 2017 by JaredR1

[tuner4life]

 

On 11/12/2017 at 3:48 AM, JaredR1 said:

Good call not doing the Bilsteins.  My T-5R came with HDs and oem green marked springs and I could not get rid of that setup fast enough.  The ride was unbearable and there are stress cracks in the paint on one of my shock towers because of them.  I've also driven on Koni yellows (with H&R) and found that to be a much better experience.  I liked the way it drove but it was still pretty stiff even if MUCH better than the HDs.  If the roads around Boston were decent, I'd probably be running some version of Konis if Öhlins weren't an option.

This echoes what I have read many times about the Bilstein HDs. It's a shame really because I love my Bilsteins on every other car I've ever used them on.

 

My OCD got the better of me so I fabbed up a heat shield out of some scrap aluminum and a couple of exhaust clamps. It's not pretty, but it will do the job of blocking some of the heat from getting to the fuel lines there, and if, God forbid, there is ever a fuel leak there, it should block the fuel from reaching the hot downpipe.  It is very solid, doesn't contact anything around it, and doesn't vibrate or rattle. So yay!

 

Looking up from the bottom. The blue loom is the fuel line:

 

 

Also installed a not-completely-trashed steering wheel. It's just an early X70 Leather wheel, and it does have some wear, but it's miles better than that garbage stock wheel with the suede inserts that rubbed off decades ago and was all gummy.

 

 

The above was Saturday. Then Sunday I spent nearly all day fitting and refinishing the EST exhaust, and I'm very satisfied with how it turned out!

First I mocked it up and had to make an adapter to mount the axle-back to the mid-pipe. The axle-back I have was used and was cut off instead of just being disconnected. No biggie. I got it all hung how I wanted and then pulled it back off and went to town refinishing it. I sanded all of the loose rust/crust/paint off and gave it a vinegar-water bath with a scotch-brite. This removes a good amount of rust and neutralizes what is left. Then I rinsed it and dried it off. After it was completely dry I painted it with Rustoleum Hi-Temp primer and then Rustoleum Hi-Temp Flat black paint. I've had some bad luck with VHT on exhaust parts and I've heard very good things about the Rustoleum so I'm hoping it holds up. Everything but the tips got refinished. I remembered to install the bumper cover before the exhaust because the bolts for the bumper are inaccessible once the exhaust is installed. Also I was finally able to install the bumper trims around the exhaust that I've had painted for the last 2 years! Anyways, I still need to finish baking the paint by running the car, but I gave it the first couple of heat cycles already and seems to be holding up well. After all that I polished the tips up as good as I could. Looks good to me! Tons better than the janky homemade exhaust I had before.

Also, I am so happy with how it sounds!! That's was best part of the whole job. It's so smooth and quiet! I haven't driven it yet, but it sounds a hundred times better than what I had on there before! Way less restrictive too!

 

 

Getting so close now! All I'm waiting on is the replacement bushings from CJ and the Brakes from FCP. Both should be here this week. Then It'll need an alignment and be back on the road!!

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by tuner4life

[tuner4life]

Got the brakes all done yesterday! Just need to bleed them tonight as my help was all asleep by the time I got done.

-Akebono Euro pads front and back

-Zimmerman coated blank rotors all around

-Cardone Ultra front calipers. These have a silver coating on them that is supposed to prevent rust and corrosion. I was very impressed with the look and quality of the coating. Hopefully it holds up as well as they claim.

-Cardone rear calipers. I did verify that the 8111103 calipers that FCP shows do work for a 1998 V70R, however you do need to re-use your old brackets. Thankfully mine weren't seized or anything. I cleaned/wire-wheeled/de-greased my original brackets and painted the calipers and brackets silver with caliper paint and they match the front decently. I'm satisfied with it.

-All 4 new brake hoses. Remember to get some 999290 clips if yours are missing or damaged. A nice simple way to keep the brake hoses attached where they need to be.

-I also adjusted the e-brake assemblies. First at the back wheels. The adjuster can be manually adjusted until the rotors don't slip over the shoes without some resistance, then back them off a couple clicks. Then I went inside and cycled the e-brake handle a few times then repeated the rear wheel procedure. Final adjustments can be done with the adjuster bolt on the handle. If the balance lever on the e-brake handle is not even side-to side, the adjusters at the rear wheels should be adjusted again.

 

This is really satisfying to see everything re-assembled and fresh.

 

 

 

And here she sits. So close I can taste it now! The things that I still need to do are:

-Bleed brakes

-Flush steering system again (Going with Pentosin CHF11S, but need to finish getting all of the old ATF out).

-Assemble and install CJ's rear arms (waiting on parts.. Should arrive any day!)

-Alignment

 

The above will get it on the road, then I need to do the following:

 

-Swap wheels and bumper to winter mode

-IPD skid plate

-Apply fluid film to undercarriage and inside of rockers

-Swap out failing HVAC temp sensor in dash

-De-rattle hatch

-Stereo project

-Sleep?

 

 

Edited November 14, 2017 by tuner4life

[Commander Riker]

Damn dude.  Tons of progress.  Glad to see it all finally come together.

My only comment is really on the heat shield.  Being clamped to the downpipe, it's not going to shield anything.  It will just become as hot as the downpipe and still give off heat.

My suggestion to you would be to buy some exhaust wrap.

 

[Andzey]

Did you received any reply from Yother about those Toe Links? 

Have you ever thought of using Rigid Collar e.g. Spoon sport product, and tighten together the front subframe mounting points with the prop shaft brace ? 

[tuner4life]

52 minutes ago, Commander Riker said:

Damn dude.  Tons of progress.  Glad to see it all finally come together.

My only comment is really on the heat shield.  Being clamped to the downpipe, it's not going to shield anything.  It will just become as hot as the downpipe and still give off heat.

My suggestion to you would be to buy some exhaust wrap.

 

Interesting thought, but I'm not sure why it wouldn't shield a majority of the heat? There are heat shields that are attached (clamped, bolted, even tack welded) to the exhaust pipes on many cars right from the factory. Nearly every OEM catalytic converter I've seen has some sort of heat shield attached right to it. Surely they would attach them differently if that didn't work?  I'm no thermodynamics expert however. I suppose I need to learn more about this.

I'm not a huge fan of the wrap in this application as this car will see snow and salt. The wrap tends to hold in moisture and rust the pipes. 

[tuner4life]

32 minutes ago, Andzey said:

Did you received any reply from Yother about those Toe Links? 

Have you ever thought of using Rigid Collar e.g. Spoon sport product, and tighten together the front subframe mounting points with the prop shaft brace ? 

Yes, CJ is sending me replacement rod ends. they may even be delivered today. We'll see. Evidently he has to bore the holes out the extra 2mm once he receives them and my set must have gotten missed. He's making it right though.

I just had to look up the "Rigid Collars". Looks like a great solution to a common problem for Hondas. Unfortunately the P80 subframe is a different animal. the subframe doesn't move at the bolts. It's the squishy bushings in the mounts that allow the subframe to move. It's got the poly inserts from IPD in the subframe bushings now and it's better than stock. If I do mess with that more, I'll probably just replace the bushings with delrin or use the solid aluminum subframe from a vert C70. I've also seen the mounting points braced back further (I think it was for a C70 vert, but i don't remember). It seems like a good idea but for the use that this car sees, I doubt it would be a worthwhile investment. I would probably get more result from a strut brace up top. I'l have a better idea of what to do next once I can actually drive this thing with all new and upgraded parts instead of the 240k mile stock junk.

 

 

[Commander Riker]

Stock applications of heat shields you'll see they are very very thin... easily bent by hand.  Many end up rattling and you can just pull them off.  Their contact area is often very small to allow small heat transfer.

Also not a thermodynamics expert, but the thicker the metal, I believe the better a conductor of heat.  The clamps will allow quite a bit a heat to be transferred I think.

Another option would be to cover lines.  Bolt the barrier between them, or wrap them, but I think it's excessive.  

I run a 3" down pipe on that side and have never had an issue. FWIW