Pig: '79 242 16vT

Harlard said:

Thanks for the tip. That's really good to know.

Click to expand...

just the tip and only for a second

it's actually black




and tan


just quickly installed on a wagon to show you






stock on bottom. The "yellow portion" is what faces out of the car


to better illustrate how much goes between body and car

This all brings me back to today. I'm still fighting a few issues:

1. Driveline still makes an irritating grumble at 3000 RPM in all gears (not in neutral). Could be the trans, could be the driveshaft. I don't know. Had to replace tailshaft bushings in the T-5 twice already, as the slip yoke is hogging it out

2. Need to replace spherical bearings on the front of the lower trailing arms. They have developed some play. Part's sitting, but there are other projects in the garage taking up space.

3. Alternator is still not perfect. I'm going to run an external voltage sensing lead to the regulator. Between the high wattage headlamp bulbs, 590W stereo, higher current blower motor, and the electric fan, the upgraded alt is barely cutting it, even though it should be supplying way more than enough juice. My power and grounds are both 4Ga so they should be plenty...

4. Getting some uneven brake pressure on my front brakes. Going to try bleeding again before I fire the parts cannon. Both brakes release freely and there is nothing loose in the suspension. I also aligned it recently. This brings me to....

5. Strut inserts make noise when traveling over uneven surfaces (ruts, small potholes). I have checked every fastener in the front suspension. Everything is tight. No play anywhere. No idea what the problem is at this point. Doesn't seem to be hurting the inserts, so I'll keep on rocking them I guess.

6. Wiring to fuel pump: Gonna have to revise the routing and fusing for this. It's running at 12V when the alternator puts out 14.5v. More to come there...

On a positive note, I got some new tires to replace the 595s. Decent cheap tire, but after using cheap tires in 240s for the past 12 years, something had to give. Bought some 225/45R17 Michelin Pilot Sport 4Ss. The car (as a surprise to no-one) instantly got quieter and rode WAAAY nicer than ever before. Kinda wish I had gone for 245/40s, but with the offset of the Style 42s, there isn't much room in the rear arches to clear. They look decently meaty and I'm sure they will be plenty grippy, at least for a while:

Are you on Koni's? On my Koni's, I have to periodically retightened the cap on the strut tube that holds the strut insert in. It will loosen enough so that there's a small amount of play that shows up as a clunky sound over stuff. Might be what you're encountering?

I have basically the same Michelin's on my wagon and they're dope AF. Best non-slick tires out there I think.

They truly do everything!

As for the gland nuts, no, they are tight. I can't get the slightest bit of movement...

Holy smokes! What an update! Me I went drag racing once a couple months ago in my 548 thousand mile 90 745 did 15.3. That's about it. Ohh and fixing this free junker 240 wagon, always fun!

let me know how those tires work out over the months.

Looking good!

Favorite pic:

Nice updates! Good work.

What is your driveshaft setup? 1pc / 2pc? Adapter?

It's a modded 2 piece with a 940 center support. Diff is nosed down 1.5 degrees from the output shaft.

Check the runout on the driveshaft tube itself. The local shop here, been around for ages, found a bend in my old shaft so they retubed it. Had a low rumble even with new joints and bearing, even after 3 return visits. Apparently they couldn't grasp what I was telling them when I said that even if it balances out, having .050" of runout leads to vibrations, since it isn't really straight. Fresh shaft from the yard, issues went away. The fact it's hogging out the bushing really makes me wonder about that being an issue.

It's particularly bad in 1st gear when pulling from a stop. Feels like the pinion angle is off. I'll grab a dial indicator and let it boogie.

Such a nicely kept 242, love the things you've done to it.

Run the power for the pump right off the alternator stud

Shine Seal for your freshly polished lips. I?m telling you, the stuff is amazing.

I like everything that is happening with this, I am particularly fond of the small Supertrap on the WG dump.

The wheels look awesome, and I am jelly of the headliner insulation, I don't know why I didn't do that when it was easy.

What is the scoop on the alt? I need to look into some upgrade options....

The alternator is cool. You flip the tensioner, grind off the thicc part of the tensioner ear, grind the case, add some bushings, put on a secret sauce pulley, longer belt, better wires, and presto!

Harlard said:

Click to expand...

Forgive me if it's obvious, but for your external wastegate, did you cut a hole in your turbine housing and weld in the mount for the gate?

Harlard said:

The alternator is cool. You flip the tensioner, grind off the thicc part of the tensioner ear, grind the case, add some bushings, put on a secret sauce pulley, longer belt, better wires, and presto!

Click to expand...

Well if THAT'S all.....




Yeah, that's kinda the same scenario I was getting with the retubed driveline and that wasn't even on a T5 swap.

oldschoolvolvo said:

Forgive me if it's obvious, but for your external wastegate, did you cut a hole in your turbine housing and weld in the mount for the gate?

Click to expand...

That is indeed what it is!

gsellstr said:

Well if THAT'S all.....




Yeah, that's kinda the same scenario I was getting with the retubed driveline and that wasn't even on a T5 swap.

Click to expand...

The only other thing I imagine it being is the play on the trans countershaft bearing. It's the one thing I did not set when I refreshed my T5.

That wouldn't really be a low rumble though, and it would do it in neutral as well, as long as the clutch is out.