Mazdax605 wrote:Cuda wrote:Thanks for the link, but they clearly say quid on the tv show.Mazdax605 wrote: I always thought the term was quid.Rhyming Slang
As your resident Brit Quid and Squid are interchangeable, which ever fits the flow of the sentence better.
Still green over here in Michigan
Appleseed wrote: How's the wife feel about it? (ducks.)
Completely on board with it. She loves when I flip cars because I always make a profit. She's calling this one "Vitamix". 
Mazdax605 wrote:Cuda wrote:Thanks for the link, but they clearly say quid on the tv show.Mazdax605 wrote: I always thought the term was quid.Rhyming Slang
I know it's quid. I'm not a Brit, so I said squid. Was opposed ta be funny (read that line in a Brooklyn voice).
And we're back from the commercial break!
Always take before photos.
Not a lick of rust anywhere, the joys of buying in the Pacific Northwest!
Notice that it's running. Yes, that means it's idling on it's own already.
Anyway, that was yesterday morning. After I got home from work and got the kids to bed, I pulled a tuna and went out and degreased the motor:
And in the light this morning:
This thing was giving all of the signs of either a massive boost/vacuum leak, or a timing issue. I checked all of the intercooler plumbing and found no sucking. A quick grab of the distributor however... Yup, turns completely each direction!
That little bolt was loose, allowing the distributor to spin to it's fancy. I "timed by ear" and tightened it back up. Test drive showed a 375% improvement in driveability. I imagine that once I get home and get the timing light out, it'll be all fixed.
So yeah, in summary: $500 CL car advertised as a bad head gasket, bought it for $350 and drove it home, where I found the distributor loose and no gasket issues. Clean title, good plates, no rust. Oh, and Bentley manual. Damn, I'm good. 
Man I really really hate you in a very good way. Please make a killing on it to make me feel better here.
Very jealous. Great deal!
Oh right... Not that it looks like you need it (you bastard) but I have the full FSM sitting on my shelf if you need a particular detail or two...
I'm looking forward to seeing the paint cleaned up.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: Man I really really hate you in a very good way. Please make a killing on it to make me feel better here.
That's the plan! I will still drastically under-value it to a GRM'er if somebody wants to attend to the other niggles that I won't be touching (headliner, tires, ripped seat).
This thing is rorty as all get out. I have to crawl under it and see if the exhaust is stock because it snorts and whistles like a damn WRC car.
SAAB red comes up pretty nice when you us a polishing compound...
I'd wish you the best of luck.... but that headgasket(bolt tightening) couldn't have been luckier.......
if you need an exhaust... I found eeuroparts.com to be pretty fair... and carry a LOT of stuff
In reply to oldeskewltoy:
There's skill involved in diagnosing the car before you buy it. I've walked on many a car over a major malfunction. The way this car started, idled, revved, and and the look and smell of the oil, coolant, and exhaust all pointed to a healthy engine with tuning issues.
Javelin wrote: , I pulled a tuna and went out and degreased the motor:
Time for me to go take my own medicine!
Glad to see your progress. Sounds like an easy flip at that price.
In reply to tuna55:
I'm making it my personal mission to turn your build into a verb. To "tuna" is to go work on the car at night.
In that case, I tuna all the time. I might tuna the go-kart tonight.
Learn more earn more! Great score!
You guys make me laugh. I had to go tuna tonight just to make myself worthy of the name!
I can Tuna a motor, I can't Tuna fish.
(Can I have your Saab?)
And we're back from the break!
I had to tuna again last night. First up was new climate control module in SWMBO's Grand Prix ($200, ouch!), then I could finally work on the SAAB again. First order of business was dialing in the timing. The timing marks are either gone or I suck at finding them, but then I noticed the head and the distributor both had an etched line in them. Funny, I was only off by a very small amount, so I matched the lines and it seemed to run even better. Okay then, that'll do until I can work on it in daylight.
Next up I removed the cover from the valve covers to get to the plugs. Clean in there!
Yeah, I put Platinums in. I don't know why, either. I'm usually a standard NGK into everything kind of guy. I also treated the SAAB to a bottle of fuel system cleaner and a test romp.
This morning I took a look underneath, it has a complete exhaust, including stock catalytic convertor. I'll be darned! The engine keeps getting smoother, but needed some fine-tuning. A little adjustment here and there, including the idle stop screw, and we have a purring kitten underhood.
See? No more CEL! Smooth, steady idle at 750 RPM's, and coolant temperature right smack in the middle of the green (after running dead stop in the driveway for 20 minutes). No signs of HG failure or any other motor issues. Do note that the odometer is completely busted (700K miles?!?) and it desperately needs some gas.
Nice work!!!
Nice find! Perfect Wheeler Dealers candidate. On the temp gauge, don't be alarmed if it creeps up past half way when you're into it hard, in hot weather or heavy traffic. The fans should kick in at about 3/4 and bring it back down.
Everybody who drives a 900 turbo for the first time generally comes away very impressed with the stock performance. Imagine these things as new cars back in the late '80s!
Need some video of this thing and it's snorty growl!
As a kid I remember my dad was talking to my mom about buying this cars' twin. I lost sleep for a week... Until he came home with a new Crown Victoria.
sethmeister4 wrote: Need some video of this thing and it's snorty growl!
Hmmm, good idea! I'll hook up the GoPro.
CyberEric wrote: Wow, cool project, always wanted one of those but was scared away by the transmissions and general cost of upkeep/repair.
same here, with a turbo car i will always be tempted to further the boost dreams which leads to transmission nightmares on a car like this.
That paint would've drove me nuts before I even touched the engine. Where's my claybar and polishing compound?!?!
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