nsantolick

I've read until just before that point in the old 80's movie "Scanners", if you get the reference and have made the decisions and more or less have placed the order.

Went with Roger, and so far, so good. Polite, answered every question, kind of "read my mind" a bit. Anyway, here's what I'm doing, for starters...


New Timing Belt - Conti
New Drive Belts - Conti
Installing Porkensioner
Deleting Air Pump
Replacing oil pressure sensor thigie

THEN....

Passing inspection. Passing "visual" emmissions and a "gas tank test".

AND HOURS LATER...

Installing aluminized "X" pipe.
Killing the "cats..."
(and otherwise keeping the exhaust "stock...")

WHILE I'M AT IT...

Putting in new model Alpine that just reads off my iPhone & other accessories. All to be installed beyond stock is bluetooth, so the stereo becomes a 12 speakered "speaker phone" and a cheap extra hard drive, chock full of bootleg MP3's...





I do intend to supercharge & intercool it, etc by the end of the year, hopefully after any remaining current anyway "bugs" get worked out...

I also intend to risk snow, as this will be a year round daily driver so I need advice on the most effective wheels/snow tire combo that would keep me on the road, here in the Pocono mountains... Priority is on traction...

I'd like to figure out where the amplifiers are, and see what I have. The current stereo doesn't get all that loud, imho.




Anyway, any good tips on adding real amps, hidden if possible? Just where are the original factory stereo "components???"





Can't wait. Another "idea" is to add some sort of performance computer in the space currently occupied by the factory lcd clock. Is there space? What's the neatest gadget that you guys have crammed in that spot???


All the Best...



Nick - Hazleton, Pennsylvania

nsantolick

Forgot -

Want to do a FULL LED conversion. Replacing dimmer switch with that automatic transmission switch thingie. What's the best way to replace that instrument dimming rheostat thingie with a "on/off" kind of a switch, hopefully lighted when "on?"

Another question - what's the current "state of the art" system for avoiding speeding tickets?

I have a old "device" that doesn't look for radar/laser/whatever but rather scans for the particular frequencies police use via "repeaters", transmitting a radio signal to the car first, where it is repeated through a more powerful radio to the station or whatever... It CAN be programmed, to accomodate changing state frequencies.

Anyway, is that device garbage? Anyone still have one? Do they even still make them???

Since my car apparantly has a replacement window WITH a radio antenna, I thought I could hook it up to there...???




Nick - Hazleton, Pennsylvania

Dave H.

you mean a Uniden BearTracker? no way, those are sweet...

cold_beer839

The amp is under the cover beside the passenger seat on the frame rail.

Be careful installing the new radio if you are planning on cutting into the factory harness, sometimes that can cause problems if you start hacking on wires. I will check on SW Stereo first, they carry several brands of radios and will custom make you a harness that is plug-n-play (so you don't have to cut up your factory harness to do the install). Here is their link: http://www.swstereo.com/stereos.php

I recommend installing and RMB as well as the X-pipe. Also, I would leave the air pump in place and just cut or remove the belt. That way it is all there if you need to put the exhaust back to stock to sell the car or get past the inspectors. Also, keep you stock cat/H-pipe assembly. It is worth $200 to a metal scraper, but priceless if you need it to put the car back to stock for previously stated reasons.

linderpat

don't think you'll pass inspection in PA without the cats or the other parts of the smog system...

SteveG

They are bad as is on snow and ice and yours is going to be supercharged. I used to live near north of Scranton and I know how often it is icy. And the worst part is everytime it threatens, they put SALT down. So that's a double whammy. Good luck.

RyanPerrella

Hes going with the porkensioner and thus eliminating the airpump, so i dont imagine he would be leaving it.

I would suggest RMB OR X-Pipe and very rarely would BOTH be the right way to go. Together it becomes very loud. I would try the x-pipe first, then if you want more sound, THEN get the RMB.

JHowell37

I wouldn't mess with the smog or emissions stuff until after you pass inspection.

Not sure on what is state of the art for ticket avoidance, many folks here seem to prefer the Valentine-1.

I agree with Ryan to start with either the x-pipe OR RMB first, but not both at the same time. The x-pipe is worth more power then the RMB. In terms of bang for your buck, the x-pipe is the way to go.

The dimmer rheostat is easily bypassed since there is only one wire that goes in, and one that comes out. Unplug both, from the rheostat, and plug them directly to each other with a small jumper wire.

IIRC the stock speakers and AMP operate at 2 ohms rather then the standard 4. I don't know enough about car stereos to give definitive answers to many things, but what I will say is that plugging a "real" amp to your ancient, ****ty, paper cone speakers will likely finish them off in very short order, if they work at all due to the resistance issue previously mentioned.

Dean_Fuller

Keep the air pump mounted for inspection. Ken offers a tensioner with air pump attachment. After inspection then remove it till next time if you want. Who knows...you may want to sell one day and the next owner may want/need the pump.

cold_beer839

NC requires all the original emissions and smog stuff to be on the car, but does not require anything older than 12 years old to pass the sniff test.

I recently took my car in for inspection and watched the techs. They did not look under the car (tip #1: look for a shop that has no car lift). And they did not even know if it was a V6 or V8. They opened the hood and looked at the stickers on the radiator support trying to figure that out, then I told them it was a V8. They shut the hood, checked the lights and horn, slapped a new sticker on the windshield and out the door I went (tip #2: carry your car in now before any exhaust mods and see what the techs even look for). Look for shops that do all kinds of work and are inspection certified as well, try to avoid inspection only shops, they know too much. Most shops only make $1 per inspection, the rest goes to the state, so they do not spend too much time on them when they could be doing a brake job and making $200 for the shop.

Within 2 weeks I had the X-pipe w/o cats and disconnected the air pump.

My car has an X-pipe, RMB, and FlowMaster Super 44's, it is loud, sounds wicked, and I love it, but I am a Redneck and like beer and country music too. If you sip wine and listen to classical guitar, you may not want to do anything to the exhaust, that way you can hide in traffic and hope the soccer mom in the BMW suv doesn't dust your weak *** in a red light drag match.

Randy V

Welcome - nice avatar! A rice-eating shark?

Re. the LED conversion - when you're ready, look up the topic from 928ntslow (Keith Widom). He did a complete conversion write-up with pictures.

jthwan22

I had the Bear tracker years ago. It beeps so much that I just turn it off.