Between yesterday and today, I put a new CAI (Cold Air Intake) on the D. That old Volvo air inlet valve was stuck in the closed/hot position since I've owned the car, so I got that mess out of there and man does it suck air through that vent. It's the first time in 11 years of ownership that I could actually feel air being sucked through there.
If there is one thing an owner can do to get bang-for-one's-buck, I think this would be it. I know the engine certainly breaths better and that is a good thing for sure.
Just waiting on my K&N as well and I think the engine will be thanking me as time goes on. It really does make a difference... not 2012 Mustang GT fast difference, but for the D, you'll be able to tell rightaway the car is running better.
+1. Although I went EFI a while ago and don't have the stock manifold or air cleaner anymore, I was running a hose to the passenger pontoon and had a K&N filter in there. I recently removed that setup and simply connected the filter to the mouth of the throttle body with a short piece of metal tube and the rubber boot. I traded cooler air from the pontoon for a much shorter intake pathway.
Result? The intake air gets to about 170* or so, but not higher. Yes cooler would be better, but the throaty growl I now experience from the engine/exhaust sounds great! I can't definitively say how much of my performance (not scientifically measured) gain is attributable to the air intake or the improved tune/advance profile that I've worked on, but being that air volume is key and air is what makes "growl", I think this was a big factor. Plus it looks cool through the clear engine cover.
Now if I can just get the front wheels to stay on..........
the rebuild continues, though I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have finished installing the stereo system and had the new window motors replaced and tinted and new headliners. Biggest was redoing the amp rack and installing the center part of the shelf which holds the capacitor and the back wall complete with speaker and ipad intergration.
BTW, DAMN, does this system kick significant A** and for all those who said a 10" sub is too much in that car, have no idea what your talking about. With the proper sub volume controls you can keep it at a nice level or really make it thump. The deeper frequencies it puts out is amazing.
+1. Although I went EFI a while ago and don't have the stock manifold or air cleaner anymore, I was running a hose to the passenger pontoon and had a K&N filter in there. I recently removed that setup and simply connected the filter to the mouth of the throttle body with a short piece of metal tube and the rubber boot. I traded cooler air from the pontoon for a much shorter intake pathway.
Result? The intake air gets to about 170* or so, but not higher. Yes cooler would be better, but the throaty growl I now experience from the engine/exhaust sounds great! I can't definitively say how much of my performance (not scientifically measured) gain is attributable to the air intake or the improved tune/advance profile that I've worked on, but being that air volume is key and air is what makes "growl", I think this was a big factor. Plus it looks cool through the clear engine cover.
Now if I can just get the front wheels to stay on..........
i use to have a cai in my old tuner and then i went through a deep puddle and tore my engine apart. I took the old system though and put it in the D. It is like yours, a SAI short arm intake, yes it is a little warmer with the air but it is still a cleaner system than the old filter and it does make the car a little more throaty.
Now that the MOT test's done, I decided that I wanted to show my Outatime plate, and, of course, have the real one on too, so I got a couple of stainless brackets made up. They use the existing studs on the bottom edge of the fascia so if I ever decide to remove it in future you'd never know it had been there. It was either that or screw it to the right hand side of the bumper which I wouldn't ever do!
I figured out why my driver's door was hanging up. I took the panel off to adjust the linkage. I got it working perfectly. Then I put the panel back together. I guess I bound or bent a rod because when I closed the door I couldn't open it back up. I had to pull the door back apart while it was shut end then figure out what was holding the door in the locked position. I eventually got it open and then gave up for the night. I'll put it back together tomorrow. By the way, anyone attempting to put those bolts back into the pull handle, do yourself a favor and get a piece of fuel or vacuum line this size:
It made putting them in a breeze. That thing is going in my toolbox.
Red
VIN 4534
Born - October 1981
Brought back to life - July 2011
Finished rebuilding the shift linkage. Cleaned and polished the transmission mounts and mounting hardware. Cleaned the starter. Installed a new jump lead and rubber boots. Briefly considered rebuilding my remaining CV joints but my back was hurting too much to hunch over that today. I'll get to them one day...
Jon
1981 DMC-12 #02100. July 1981. 5-speed, black, grooved w/flap. restoration log, March 2011 to present
full and detailed photo restoration log
Removed fuel tank - took a few hours longer than I anticipated
Charging battery for second time in as many weeks as my daughter is obsessed with spending 30-60 minutes in my DeLorean each night and she's killing the battery!
Replaced the door handles a few nights ago with the metal ones, SOOOOO much better!
Got a couple of packages in the post today. First were Byrne Heninger's strut brackets, which are an awesome bit of kit. They look really solid!
Second was a plastic stopper for plugging into the cigarette lighter when I'm not using the USB charger adapter. I modelled it up and had it 3D-printed on www.shapeways.com.
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Originally Posted by Spittybug
