Intro - 90 C4 owner saying hello
03-11-2011, 09:46 PM
#1
Intro - 90 C4 owner saying hello
Hello there rennlisters. Got mine about a year ago. It is my daily driver and I am having a blast with it. After lurking here for a year thought I’d finally introduce myself. First off – thanks for this forum. It has been unbelievably helpful in making my car better. Speaking of my car:
1990 Carrera 4
3.8L, LWF, Performance Chip, Primary Bypass, Original D90s and Flag Mirrors! The SUV ride height is for the Colorado roads I drive on - can't imagine it being much lower - barely gets in the garage now.
I have been into air-cooled cars since before I could drive. My other vehicle is a ’65 microbus that I have essentially redone everything on. (Not quite as good as the C4 in the snow)
Work done so far:
New tires (Bridgestone RE050A Pole Position for summer and Blizzak WS60 for winter – stock sizes) and alignment
Full tune up (valves and all – including all new fluids everywhere)
Clutch slave cylinder and hose replaced (much nicer clutch action)
Built a scantool (awesome information with this thing)
Replaced engine mounts
Bad =
Good = 
Replaced distributor belt (yes I used a pry bar to get it out)
Replaced Starter (I think that top bolt is even harder to get to when you have the original longer starter on the 89 and 90 years, ugh.)
Resoldered the Clock (clock now runs perfectly)
New Coils (no more xmas tree)
Vinyl covered the rear pinkish taillights to make them red again (yes I wash my car sometimes)
Before =
After = 
Keyless Entry (Best $40 spent so far – Valet 712T – works great)
Replaced rear blower motor (it’s nice to have heat in winter)
Primary Bypass (Shnell – good sound, easy to install)
Welded Secondary Muffler (One in many on the quest for no rattles – see how long this lasts. FYI– this was damaged before I put on Primary Bypass)
Future work to do:
Replace fuel inlet (part in garage – just need to install – hopefully get rid of the fuel smell)
Stereo (factory sound is not so grand)
Driver Door stop (have to reinforce this one as it started to tear out)
Stop driver door wind noise (one of those annoying things)
Go drive/learn on a race course (what these things are made for)
Perhaps some 17" wheels from a boxster (hmm....)
Thanks again for all the info on this forum. Looking forward to future projects and future drives. Great car!
1990 Carrera 4
3.8L, LWF, Performance Chip, Primary Bypass, Original D90s and Flag Mirrors! The SUV ride height is for the Colorado roads I drive on - can't imagine it being much lower - barely gets in the garage now.
I have been into air-cooled cars since before I could drive. My other vehicle is a ’65 microbus that I have essentially redone everything on. (Not quite as good as the C4 in the snow)
Work done so far:
New tires (Bridgestone RE050A Pole Position for summer and Blizzak WS60 for winter – stock sizes) and alignment
Full tune up (valves and all – including all new fluids everywhere)
Clutch slave cylinder and hose replaced (much nicer clutch action)
Built a scantool (awesome information with this thing)
Replaced engine mounts
Bad =
Good = Replaced distributor belt (yes I used a pry bar to get it out)
Replaced Starter (I think that top bolt is even harder to get to when you have the original longer starter on the 89 and 90 years, ugh.)
Resoldered the Clock (clock now runs perfectly)
New Coils (no more xmas tree)
Vinyl covered the rear pinkish taillights to make them red again (yes I wash my car sometimes)
Before =
After = Keyless Entry (Best $40 spent so far – Valet 712T – works great)
Replaced rear blower motor (it’s nice to have heat in winter)
Primary Bypass (Shnell – good sound, easy to install)
Welded Secondary Muffler (One in many on the quest for no rattles – see how long this lasts. FYI– this was damaged before I put on Primary Bypass)
Future work to do:
Replace fuel inlet (part in garage – just need to install – hopefully get rid of the fuel smell)
Stereo (factory sound is not so grand)
Driver Door stop (have to reinforce this one as it started to tear out)
Stop driver door wind noise (one of those annoying things)
Go drive/learn on a race course (what these things are made for)
Perhaps some 17" wheels from a boxster (hmm....)
Thanks again for all the info on this forum. Looking forward to future projects and future drives. Great car!
03-11-2011, 10:46 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Nice car.
Last edited by LastMezger; 03-12-2011 at 12:07 PM. Reason: Can't read.
03-12-2011, 06:26 AM
#5
NICE CAR always nice to see some one take the effort and post good pictures especially before and after... very helpful for the undecided on some upgrades or repairs lol...
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03-12-2011, 11:28 AM
#11
First the keyless entry. This was the best ~$40 and 40 minutes I have spent so far. One of the few things I missed when I got the car. I purchased a DEI Valet 712T from amazon (just search - actually looks like its $60 now...). I chose this one because of the good instructions here: pelican part forum
I did the basic install that just locks and unlocks the car. On the 89 to 90 (I think) the locking control box is in the passenger foot well in a little black box held on by one screw. I spliced into these wires using "wire tap in squeeze connectors". If you have a later car - the connections are under the passenger seat with the alarm box as they moved it all into one control box (as in the diagram below).
The above is for a later vehicle but the wire colors are all correct. (The keyless entry comes with instructions, but they leave a lot to be desired.) I was dissapointed at first that I did not set it up to flash the lights, but the German locks are loud when they move, so I have no doubt when the car is locked.
03-12-2011, 11:39 AM
#12
Racer
Join Date: May 2007
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03-12-2011, 11:41 AM
#13
Now the vinyl. I know there is a rennlister here who sells a kit, so I hesitate, but I got mine from ebay (metro restyling red out taillight kit 24" x 36" I think for ~$20) It came with enough do to it twice. Really makes the car look newer and hid quite a bit of cracking (still visible if you get close.)
I took the lenses off the car so that I didn't have to do it in the cold garage. Just used soapy water and a hair dryer. I definitely got better as I went - tips:
No need to squeegee that hard (at first I thought I had to make it stick - just scraps the vinyl)
Use a pin to poke holes around little raises in the lense, like around words (gets it much flatter)
Use heat (I would bend the vinyl, heat it, hold it there while it cooled, and it would stay - very cool.)
The only downside I see is my reverse lights are not quite as bright. Thinking about cutting rectangles where the reverse light are - make it look like a reverse light of a 993 perhaps. Hope that's helpful.
I took the lenses off the car so that I didn't have to do it in the cold garage. Just used soapy water and a hair dryer. I definitely got better as I went - tips:
No need to squeegee that hard (at first I thought I had to make it stick - just scraps the vinyl)
Use a pin to poke holes around little raises in the lense, like around words (gets it much flatter)
Use heat (I would bend the vinyl, heat it, hold it there while it cooled, and it would stay - very cool.)
The only downside I see is my reverse lights are not quite as bright. Thinking about cutting rectangles where the reverse light are - make it look like a reverse light of a 993 perhaps. Hope that's helpful.
03-12-2011, 12:06 PM
#14
Rennlist Member