Engine bay cleaned for the first time in 14 years

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 06/15/2014 at 19:37 • Filed to: Roadsofa Chronicles

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Washed with 50:50 diluted Simple Green after giving the engine a rinse. I avoided the fuse box and alternator, but other than that didn't worry too much about the electrics. Washed it off with a hose, drenched it in Simple Green, waited 20 minutes or so, then rinsed it back off with the hose. Went for a 4 mile spirited drive to get the engine up to 200 degrees so that the water would evaporate, and bob's your uncle. No electrical issues, no check engine light, just a cleaner engine for when I take it in to get a new hub installed.

And here are the after shots:

Bonus shot with the vanity cover on (should I leave it on or not...? If I leave it on I'll probably paint it black with red lettering to match the exterior paint scheme).

claramag, Mustaco Master > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 19:43

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*while scrolling down* is that a 3800 i bet my sweet ass it—sweet

Big Bubba Ray > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 19:45

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Holy shit that stuff works well! I'm definitely gonna have to try it out.

Nobi > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 20:01

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That was the first thing I tore off my '01 GTP. I hate those factory engine covers.

ly2v8-Brian > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 20:02

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Looks almost as good as new.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Nobi 06/15/2014 at 20:02

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Yeah, I really like seeing the rocker covers.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > ly2v8-Brian 06/15/2014 at 20:03

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I'm super pleased. This all required absolutely no mechanical help at all except for the radiator support, which I scrubbed with a sponge a little bit. The rest of the engine was just soak-and-rinse.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 20:03

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Regal?

ly2v8-Brian > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 20:06

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That's good. Especially if you don't have the usual leaks that this otherwise fantastic engine can have.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 06/15/2014 at 20:15

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nope

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 20:32

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I should do that to my 3.0 in my Ranger. A clean engine is a happy engine. And it seems really simple. I swear that pun wasn't intended.

Jayhawk Jake > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 20:37

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I vote vanity cover painted to match car. I think that would look nice

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jayhawk Jake 06/15/2014 at 20:48

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Then I have an excuse to show up Friday night, park next to someone's ludicrously expensive Krazy Kustom Kar (tm) (r) (c), pop my hood, and watch people wonder why a LeSabre is in a car show.

Jayhawk Jake > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 20:51

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I'll park next to you. We'll take over this shit

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jayhawk Jake 06/15/2014 at 20:53

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Then we'd both have custom engine covers. Maximum Swag (tm)

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 22:10

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It gets its props once in a while, but the 3800 is one of the under appreciated engines of all time.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 06/15/2014 at 22:12

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I'm getting ready to mod the hell out of it once I get a paycheck going here. First is exhaust, then tune, then exhaust headers, and eventually a turbo.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 22:13

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FWD burnout photos, please.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 06/15/2014 at 22:29

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I will when I get the new PCM. Current PCM has a REALLY harsh anti-hoon mode that will get disabled with the tune. Basically limits all power from a standstill until "oh, ok. You want to go? There we are, then. Safe and sound. No risk to your transmission or losing streak"


End result: Launches feel like stalling a manual, then finally setting off. LAME.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 22:33

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My in laws had an Olds... Ciera? was that the little shit car? Anyway, it had the 3.3 V6 that made 100 wheesing hp. It had a teardrop shaped throttle so when you stepped on the gas you got ALL this throttle response like 'whoa, this is torquey' but 6 feet later, the power dropped off a cliff. Their evil little engineers' brains wanted to convince you the car had more power than it did. Sometime made, of all things, parking a challenge.

bru-bru-bru-GRRRRRR GTFOMW! bru-bru-bru

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 06/15/2014 at 22:36

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That sounds like the Honda Fit sport mode. Just changes the electronic throttle to give 80% of the throttle within 20% of the pedal range. Makes smooth driving next to impossible, but shifting with the flappy paddles is fun.

I've got 205hp and 220ft*lb of torque, so this should be capable of decent hoonage once I unlock its potential. Of course, my tires are pretty sticky and there's a LOT of weight on them so that makes burnouts hard as well.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 22:39

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I've seen more than 1 boosted GM roast the fronts. Keep your thumbs out of the steering wheel because torque-steer.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 06/15/2014 at 22:42

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Somehow my car has zero torque steer. I'm not sure if it's from an overexcited power steering or because the axles are even length.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/15/2014 at 23:13

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Nice work! It's been a long time since I've used Simple Green, gonna have to give it another try.

JGrabowMSt > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 06/16/2014 at 21:37

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Get rid of the plastic cover. Simplify and add lightness.

anothermiatafanboy > claramag, Mustaco Master 06/25/2014 at 00:30

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Sweet ass, eh? Pics or it didn't happen ;)