WELCOME!
   

Go Back   PY Online Forums - Bringing the Pontiac Hobby Together > PY Welcomes 1993-02 Firebird/Trans Am Owners > 93-02 General Tech/Discussion

93-02 General Tech/Discussion 1993-2002 Firebird/Trans Am General Tech/Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #41  
Old 07-18-2014, 02:59 PM
The Boss's Avatar
The Boss The Boss is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Newtown, CT
Posts: 15,454
Default

So where's the burnout?
__________________
Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece,
Some guys come home from work and wash up,
And go racin' in the street.


Bruce Springsteen - Racing In The Street - 1978
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 07-18-2014, 04:03 PM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

My wife won't let me teach the 13 year old how to do that yet...
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 07-18-2014, 08:07 PM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

Well it took two days but we got the panel detached from the steel frame. First we had to use a sawzall and disc grinder to cut away the edges of the steel to allow a straight shot under the plastic panel. Then came the heat gun heating the steel to the point where it allowed an old butchers knife to slide in between the panel and the steel frame. On the middle areas where the plastic panel curves over the edge of the steel we used the windshield removal tool: a wire with two handles, to slide-cut the adhesive once the steel was hot enough to release it. The heat makes all the difference. Without it you could be there for a week with that windshield tool sawing away..

Here is the final result:



Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 07-19-2014, 11:24 AM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

Went to my buddy's garage this morning and installed the skip-shift eliminator harness. It is a $10 plug-in that goes between the solenoid on the transmission and the harness that leads to the solenoid. Got rid of that annoying 1st to 4th gear, mandatory shifting. While we were under there, we checked to diff and trans oil levels. The boy is getting better with his wrenching, though he still thinks that everything has to be mega-tightened. Not with a drain plug, my boy!

Took some underbody photos after we wiped down the rear diff oil spray residue from prior to the diff being rebuilt last year by the dealer. Here it is.









Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 07-19-2014, 11:27 AM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

And noticed that the steering rack and the power steering pump were leaking. Gotta love that extended warranty! I'm going to call the dealer on Monday to get them replaced. ($50 warranty co-pay).



Reply With Quote
  #46  
Old 07-19-2014, 12:42 PM
Formulabruce's Avatar
Formulabruce Formulabruce is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: North East of AMES PERFORMANCE, in the "SHIRE"
Posts: 9,363
Default

Looks great underneath!
may want to use never seize underside.
I cleaned mine and clear coated it, that paint underneath has no clearcoat and needs some protection. can do a section at a time, and with a spray can if you want.
Looks great though!
__________________
"The Future Belongs to those who are STILL Willing to get their Hands Dirty" .. my Grandfather
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 07-19-2014, 02:21 PM
The Boss's Avatar
The Boss The Boss is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Newtown, CT
Posts: 15,454
Default

What did you do, lay on a creeper to take those shots?

Hope you fixed the exhaust pipe while you were under there.
__________________
Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece,
Some guys come home from work and wash up,
And go racin' in the street.


Bruce Springsteen - Racing In The Street - 1978
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 07-19-2014, 04:21 PM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

Yup, laid down on a creeper and had the boy push me along the floor to get photos. :-)

Which pipe needs fixing?

Last edited by njsteve; 07-19-2014 at 04:49 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 07-19-2014, 06:29 PM
The Boss's Avatar
The Boss The Boss is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Newtown, CT
Posts: 15,454
Default

Driver's side or as you view the picture the one on the right looks tweaked to the center.
__________________
Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece,
Some guys come home from work and wash up,
And go racin' in the street.


Bruce Springsteen - Racing In The Street - 1978
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 07-19-2014, 07:43 PM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

It's an optical illusion since I was leaning to the left on the creeper. Here's how it looks from the rear. (I measured them and they are spaced exactly the same from side-to-side in the cut out area)




Reply With Quote
  #51  
Old 08-12-2014, 08:21 AM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

Update on the steering rack: I brought it to the local GM dealer. The extended warranty covered most of it. Those warranty companies sure do nickle and dime the dealership to death. The service manager is very familiar with these warranty companies: he told me that they put you on hold for 20-30 minutes any time you call and don't pay the full repair rate and try to get you to put used parts on. They do this just to get you to give up on a claim. He was right. I was there when he was simply trying to get an update on authorizing a part and I could overhear the aggravation he was going through.

Since it is a GM dealer they wouldn't guarantee the work (only the labor) unless they installed Delco parts. The warranty company finally agreed to using Delco parts. The rack was a Delco unit ordered by the dealer. The power steering pump was a Delco unit provided by the warranty company after they balked at the high dealer price. The warranty didn't cover the pressure hose, so I got a new Delco hose from rockauto for $25. The warranty company didn't pay for the alignment and their labor rate was $10 less an hour than the dealer so I owed that difference. And there was a $50 deductible on the warranty policy. So in the end, for a $1,100 repair bill, I paid $225.
Reply With Quote
  #52  
Old 08-12-2014, 03:50 PM
The Boss's Avatar
The Boss The Boss is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Newtown, CT
Posts: 15,454
Default

Sounds cheap for what you paid - nice the warranty was transferable!
__________________
Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece,
Some guys come home from work and wash up,
And go racin' in the street.


Bruce Springsteen - Racing In The Street - 1978
Reply With Quote
  #53  
Old 08-12-2014, 03:58 PM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

I wasn't too bummed, though they did charge me for half an hour of labor to install the hose. I argued that since they had to disconnect both ends of the hose anyway, to install the rack and the pump, and that there were no brackets holding the hose in place, I shouldn't be charged anything for the hose install.

They did honor my 10% off coupon for my share of the bill.
Reply With Quote
  #54  
Old 04-05-2015, 07:15 PM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

A little Spring time update. The seat bolster panel I plastic welded held up for about 6 months until a real cold day a month ago when I sat in the seat and heard the panel crack at the repair joint.

But the good news is that after a year of hunting I was finally able to find a drive's side plastic seat bolster panel. It turns out that the panel for the optional seats with the lumbar support is a very rare piece. I found one on ebay last week that was from a 99 Trans Am. And it was only $19. The only down side was that it was grey, not black. I was able to dye it black using the SEM Landau Black vinyl dye. Great stuff and matched perfectly! Got it installed and now that is one less part to hunt for.

I spent today with the boy, outside working on the T/A. We put the car on jackstands and flushed the brake system. The old brake fluid was green - very weird. I mean green like the old Kendell Motor Oil green! We used an entire gallon of fresh DOT3 brake fluid to flush the system until it came out clear. Afterwards I went back and reviewed the inch-thick, volume of original dealer work orders on the car from the original owner. It looks like she had the Pontiac dealer do that BG Brake Flush at least three times in 61,000 miles, the last one at 55,000 miles. I don't know what was in that flush stuff but I have never seen green brake fluid before. By the amount of fluid discoloration, it looks like they never actually flushed the existing fluid out - just added some snake oil to it.

The dealer sold her a bill of goods every two months for 13 years. It's unbelievable how much she was over-charged for over-maintenance - over $10,000 in maintenance invoices during that time - in addition to the three extended warranties she had purchased for the car - good til 2016! Every 1,500 miles or 60 days she had the $39 oil and filter change, the $189 fuel injection system flush done, the $69 power steering flush done, the $169 6,000 mile service done (which is just an overpriced inspection with no replacement of parts), the $39 tire balance and rotation, (after she paid for free lifetime balancing and rotation in 2001), and the $99 brake flush plus $39 for the BG snake oil liquid.

Whenever she had a legitimate warranty complaint - like the driver's door speaker not working, they would note that they could not "duplicate the problem"...and then would go and do the maintenance-palooza on the car and she would get hit with a $300 bill on what should have been a zero deductible warranty visit. I found seven invoices over 13 years requesting the speaker to be replaced under warranty, before the speaker was actually replaced.

It just gets me so angry that the dealer did this to her (even though the car was the beneficiary of the over attention).

OK, I am done venting for the moment.

I did order a new set of ACDelco spark plugs and original equipment 748CC Delco plug wires for the car. So that will be our next project. (You'd have thought that the dealer would have done a tune up on the car with all those visits but I guess since changing spark plugs on an LS1 equipped F-body actually takes a bunch of time, labor, and busted knuckles, that they took the low road and just did fluids). Stay tuned!
Reply With Quote
  #55  
Old 04-05-2015, 10:54 PM
72projectbird's Avatar
72projectbird 72projectbird is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: N.E Massachusetts
Posts: 2,003
Default

That sucks about the dealer, but at the same time it doesn't surprise me.

Sparkplugs are a royal pain on these cars, but they're not as terrible as it people make it seem. The further back you go the worse it gets, but just take your time and it'll be fine. Make sure to cover those fenders up!

I cant wait until I can bust out the WS6. Its been locked up in the garage since November.
__________________
"Those poor souls have made the fatal mistake of surrounding us. Now we can fire in any direction"

1970 Trans Am RAIII 4 speed
1971 Trans Am 5.3 LM7
1977 Trans Am W72 Y82
1987 Grand National
Reply With Quote
  #56  
Old 04-06-2015, 02:42 AM
Formulabruce's Avatar
Formulabruce Formulabruce is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: North East of AMES PERFORMANCE, in the "SHIRE"
Posts: 9,363
Default

I highly recommend NOT using aluminum "never seize" on the new plugs, but I do believe in "Copper"" "Never Seize" for aluminum head LS engines. Its the 3rd different metal. Using aluminum is same as the head metal and will lock up and corrosion can happen. Good luck getting the old ones out if this is the first time.. I find a warm engine works better.
__________________
"The Future Belongs to those who are STILL Willing to get their Hands Dirty" .. my Grandfather
Reply With Quote
  #57  
Old 04-07-2015, 12:49 PM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

Another update. I brought the T/A to my buddies garage last night and put it up on the lift to find a noise that I thought was an serpentine belt idler bearing, going. We think it is just the belt squeeling when it hits a rusty spot on the water pump pulley and slips at 2500 rpm. A result of the car sitting in the pine barons of New Jersey for too long without getting driven.

While it was up on the lift I decided to change the fuel filter since I had an NOS GM filter laying around. We swapped out the filter and applied a little air to the old filter's outlet to see what if anything was inside. A whole bunch of blackish dirt and residue came out with the fuel. Upon closer examination it looked like it was the original, assembly line fuel filter which, you guessed it...the dealer had "replaced" on four separate occasions in the 13 years she had the car.

Too bad the dealer is out of business, otherwise "60 Minutes" would have had a field day with them.

We also used some wide mouth vise grips to unbend the lower front fender mounting tabs where the bottom of the plastic front fenders are bolted to the rocker panel flange. The dealer had used that spot to place the jack lift pads, instead of the frame rails, four inches further in. It had bent both mounting tabs 90 degrees over and flush with the bottom of the rockers. Luckily the mounting areas on the plastic fenders bent and didn't crack. Here is the after photo once we got it back in to position. We used a heat gun to warm up the plastic fender's flange so it wouldn't shatter when it was bent back to its original position.




I must say that I am liking these 4th Gen cars more and more. (Other than the plastic interiors). They ride and handle wonderfully. They have some great lines with the WS6 Ram Air hood. And the LS1 is no slouch on the road. (Could use some more horsepower...but then don't we all say that about every car?)



Last edited by njsteve; 04-07-2015 at 01:41 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #58  
Old 04-07-2015, 02:22 PM
Formulabruce's Avatar
Formulabruce Formulabruce is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: North East of AMES PERFORMANCE, in the "SHIRE"
Posts: 9,363
Default

Looks sweet!!
We have to Supervise the techs putting my wifes Solstice up, as they have dented the bottom of the fenders and NEED supervision AND instruction..
__________________
"The Future Belongs to those who are STILL Willing to get their Hands Dirty" .. my Grandfather
Reply With Quote
  #59  
Old 04-11-2015, 08:36 PM
S Courter's Avatar
S Courter S Courter is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Alto, Mi
Posts: 247
Default

Steve...Did you finish the roof replacement or give up on it. My 28k original mile 2001 WS6 suffers from the same malady but I am too afraid to have anyone mess with it. Could end up looking worse then having pimples in the paint.
__________________
Steve



71 Pontiac GT-37 400 4 spd (sold)
71 Formula 400 turbo 400 (sold)
01 Firebird T/A WS6 auto (fun)
64 Tempest Post car LS1/4L60E (Love It!)
65 Lemans Post car LS1/4L60E (More Fun)(sold)
73 Lemans GT 400/auto 1 owner 52k miles
69 El Camino LS1/4L65E (Awesome)
70 Pontiac GTO Convertible 400/400 Original
69 Olds Cutlass S W31 Numbers matching 4Spd 3:91 one of 569
Reply With Quote
  #60  
Old 04-12-2015, 08:50 AM
njsteve's Avatar
njsteve njsteve is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,044
Default

I am waiting til this summer to do the swap. Ill probably have the body shop remove the blistered one from the car and then install the replacement GM panel I took off the junkyard car. It has been sitting in the basement since last year. The rear hatch also needs to be repainted as it is flaking in a couple spots and has a blister near the trunk lip due to poor adhesion. (Can't be rust since the panel isn't steel)
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:23 AM.

Featured Vendors


Advertising Info