Got her running great, then the hammer dropped!!

[14mins]

Last year i dusted off the Grand National that had been collecting dust in the corner of the garage for a few years. I did the whole spring cleaning, changed all the fluids, belts, tires. I added a scanmaster and upgraded the fuel pump, wiring harness, installed a adjustable regualtor and much, much more. With all the help you guys have given me i was getting it done. I ordered parts from Cotton and others. Installed new guages and did everything to get her in tip top shape. After i was done she ran but suffered from rough idle. With more help i got it better and then called Jenkins performance 45 miles away. I made a appointment and yesterday was the day. I got there and he went after it. A little more than a hour later she was running well. He changed a few short vaucum lines, chip, egr gasket and reset the IAC. All was good i thought. I asked him to drive it and see what he thought. Before he got to the street the brake light came on and the pedal was hard. LOL Git back to the shop and the fuse was blown. He installed another one and it did not blow. I left and was happy with the way she ran. That was the best that she has ran in the last 7 or 8 years. This morning i decided to go to town with her. As soon as i left the driveway i started hearing a tick, tick,tick noise. Just what i needed today.

So i did some cheaking and it is coming from the exhaust on the drivers side. I have not determined if is the exhaust manifold or a gasket?? Any common problems there??

And that break boster thing?? I bought a acumulator 4 or 5 years ago but this time i think that electric pump thing is failing. Where and how much for a new one?? I am not going to run it the way it is now. I know at any minute it is going to fail. So do they remaufacture those??

Oil leaks- I have a few that drive me nuts. What is the going rate to seal up oil leaks?? Front cover, rear main, oil pan, etc.

I appreciate all the help and i am going to get it done.

 

[ALBERTAN]

Heat shield on the header? My DS header buzzes because one of the tack welds attaching the heat shield is broke. Take a long screwdriver and push on the heat shield. If it stops you just found your problem. More annoying than anything.

 

[matt87]

glad your giving it some love! those complaints your stating are very common. the tick is most likely a cracked drivers side header, a quick weld will fix it temporarily, the oil leaks could be from the rear main or the front cover or even the vavle covers, probally got dry form sitting to long. order a reman powermaster form Cotton's. they are like 400 and have a warrenty, i have them in both cars and have been great, your stock one could throw more fits. might wanna change those stock valve springs too, really wake her up!

 

[BLACK6PACK]

Several auto parts stores carry reman powermaster brake setups for the GN for $200 and they have a lifetime warrenty.

 

[14mins]

Thanks for the help so far...

On the exhaust- what is the usual culprit?? I am going to look for the leak after while. I know it is on the drivers side.

 

[Topjimmy]

Ahhh driver's side header crack between cyls. 3 and 5. Can be welded and gusseted for a better repair by a competent welding shop. A manifold-to-head gasket it available if there is slight warpage at the flange after the fix.

A-1 Cardone reman'ed the PM in my car, cost was @ 160.00 with accumulator and switch, save your old ones when you return the core.

Your repair shop might recommend an inexpensive oil leak dye test to pinpoint those pesky leaks.


-HTH, Jim

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by 14mins
Thanks for the help so far...

On the exhaust- what is the usual culprit?? I am going to look for the leak after while. I know it is on the drivers side.

It's very, very likely that it's a crack in the header between the #3 and #5 cylinders. It's a common problem. You may even be able to see it if you have a little mirror. At one point in time, some of the TR vendors were doing swaps - you buy a repaired header and ship them your leaking one. That's what I did with mine 4 years ago and it's been fine (though I can't remember the vendor it was so long ago).

Oil leaks are common, too. My brand new motor is leaking oil all over the place, too. Rear seal is a good bet, valve covers, too.

I haven't had any trouble with my PM yet (knock on wood), though mine looked new when I got the car.

Jim

 

[BEATAV8]

If the header is cracked, be sure to have it repaired while it is off the car. If it is welded while it is still on the car there's a chance that weld slag could go through your turbine and ruin it.

 

[Red Regal T]

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY ON THE POWERMASTER TIME AFTER TIME, I'D RECOMMEND YOU CHANGE OVER TO VACUUM BRAKES.

 

[turboman38]

New Powermaster from autozone cost $143.99 and has a lifetime warranty. I personally am switching to vacuum.

 

[John Purdom]

Originally posted by 14mins
Last year i dusted off the Grand National that had been collecting dust in the corner of the garage for a few years. I did the whole spring cleaning, changed all the fluids, belts, tires. I added a scanmaster and upgraded the fuel pump, wiring harness, installed a adjustable regualtor and much, much more. With all the help you guys have given me i was getting it done. I ordered parts from Cotton and others. Installed new guages and did everything to get her in tip top shape. After i was done she ran but suffered from rough idle. With more help i got it better and then called Jenkins performance 45 miles away. I made a appointment and yesterday was the day. I got there and he went after it. A little more than a hour later she was running well. He changed a few short vaucum lines, chip, egr gasket and reset the IAC. All was good i thought. I asked him to drive it and see what he thought. Before he got to the street the brake light came on and the pedal was hard. LOL Git back to the shop and the fuse was blown. He installed another one and it did not blow. I left and was happy with the way she ran. That was the best that she has ran in the last 7 or 8 years. This morning i decided to go to town with her. As soon as i left the driveway i started hearing a tick, tick,tick noise. Just what i needed today.

So i did some cheaking and it is coming from the exhaust on the drivers side. I have not determined if is the exhaust manifold or a gasket?? Any common problems there??

And that break boster thing?? I bought a acumulator 4 or 5 years ago but this time i think that electric pump thing is failing. Where and how much for a new one?? I am not going to run it the way it is now. I know at any minute it is going to fail. So do they remaufacture those??

Oil leaks- I have a few that drive me nuts. What is the going rate to seal up oil leaks?? Front cover, rear main, oil pan, etc.

I appreciate all the help and i am going to get it done.

Glad to hear you went out and saw Scott @Jenkins and were so pleased with the results. You probably saw my GN and Corvette out there. The guys are right on with the Autozone A1 Cardone Master Cyl/booster. A1 Cardone is a respected reman co. Some like the changeover to vac. as well.

Haven't had a problem with my headers since the new ATR's, but the GN's most often crack the stock headers as described above. They have other sources of exhaust leaks as well. The Gasket at the exhaust/turbo is prone to failure. replaced mine w/a copper gasket from ATR.

Search on this website for long threads concerning oil leaks. Our cars are prone to pressurizing the crankcase w/boost, and it can push oil out in multiple areas. The guys here have several methods of trying to limit that effect, but still haven't heard anything definitive. Trying no PCV w/the new motor. (I could blow backwards thru the PCV, demonstrating that boost was going into the motor via that route) We'll see.

Have fun with the car, and maybe we'll see you out at Kennedale this year.

 

[14mins]

John- I did a little snooping around your car out there. I hope to see it make a few passes at kennedale this year. Hopefully i can make it with the GN as well as my yamaha raptor. We ran a lot of thrusday nights last year on the quads. I have the quad down to 8.1 in the 1/8th at 85mph

 

[Ash]

I was wondering if your still having that ticking noises caise i drove to texas from ca and back on the way back i herd a tick tick from my car and it drove me nuts. when I stoped at 29 palms to visit my brother i almost tore the whole dam engine apart looking for the tick althow I did lose a bolt from the intercooler and had to remove the turbo shield just to take a bolt from it and tie down my intercooler but the tick was still there. Of all things it was the hub cap They don't hold on very well when the plastic posts snap away from the metal thingy and do make an anoying tick sound as your driving it. the best fix next to replacing the hub caps was to drill a small hole where the post was and inserting a small screw with a washer.
Hope that helps