Sharkfest Baby!

Wayne - So last week I decided it was rude to keep leaking oil on other people's driveways and set about replacing my rear main seal. Finished that Sunday, and was double checking some carb stuff today. While driving along past the horse farms, I was thinking "I wonder how Wayne's car is doing. I should fire off a note to him."

Needless to say, I'm happy to hear you are making good progress on your troubles.

The Car Gods continue to watch over my garage. I assume you have paid appropriate homage to them. Here's hoping they will once again smile upon you.

the Car Gods.jpg
 
Kai - some back story on the Car Gods:




 
There is a whole generation (or more) of folks who have NO idea what that pic is from.. .LOL....
 
Well guys, I'm probably calling Sharkfest off this weekend. After driving home post new ignition switch install, the same poltergeist problems above resumed on my harrowing drive on the traffic backed highways out here in Virginia. I pulled over and reattached the battery positive to coil connection and she drove perfectly home after that. So it's not the ignition switch after all (nor the previous repair attempts - new relay boss for ECU and fuel pump, new fuel pump, new crankshaft position sensor, etc.) I'm talking with Don this weekend, hopefully, to see what he thinks I should do next but this one is a head scratcher for sure. I'd think that the there could be a short somewhere on the green wire leading from the ignition switch to the coil, but we just don't know yet. Any comments from the folks on this thread much appreciated but a to and from 700 mile Sharkfest drive just doesn't seem wise now with a jury rigged battery to coil setup. This damn problem has set my car back about 9 months now and it's the most downtime my coupe has ever had.
 
Thanks, Andrew, much appreciated but Fran was going with me too and, honestly, I'm just not as excited about going without my car. But I will miss you guys and the rest of the gang there as Kai does such a first rate job.
 
Damn Wayne. I hate to see you miss Sharkfest.

At this point, I would seriously consider sending the car to Don and having him keep it until it runs well.
 
thanks, Chris, that would be an expensive proposition but I had considered that. Luckily, Don is out here in June to work on Jahan's car and he can spend a day in my garage to sort this out. It will probably involve running another green wire from the ignition switch to the coil...and/or looking at other places there might be a short on the wiring harness from circa 2014...
 
Wayne - let me know details about Don's visit. I may need to be in DC for that. I've seen Jahan's 2002, but have not seen his coupe.
 
I've heard great things about Jahan's new motor - 3.7L with all the options including Megasquirt. It should be a beast on the dyno which I think is part of the visit, Chris. You might want to bring Annabelle along for that experience - there's a great dyno tuner in central Maryland. I'll keep you posted...
 
Car broke down about 90 miles into my trip to Chattanooga. Managed after several hours and a tow to get back home.

Fixed the car this morning, but won't be making it to Sharkfest.

Wayne - it appears I too have displeased the Car Gods.
 
Car broke down about 90 miles into my trip to Chattanooga. Managed after several hours and a tow to get back home.

Fixed the car this morning, but won't be making it to Sharkfest.

Wayne - it appears I too have displeased the Car Gods.
Oh no, what broke?
 
Oh no, what broke?
Sorry Chris, there aren't many E9 owners I feel are more deserving of a running car than you! My car will be vindicated after June when Don visits and I look forward to years of reliable running as I've replaced damn near everything else that could fail down the road! Let us know what your diagnosis comes up with...
 
Oh no, what broke?
Thanks Wayne.

So, the nuts that held the clutch slave cylinder departed the car, which led to the clutch slave leaving the bell housing. Then when I stepped on the clutch a couple of times thinking that might make it work (yeah, right), the piston slid all the way out.

Fortunately, I travel with a spare clutch slave. Unfortunately, I don't carry spare fasteners. Alan Kidson's German Car Repair shop would have worked me in on Friday if I had been able to get my car there before they closed on Thurday, which might have been possible if I had been able to get a tow promptly or if I had been willing to bang through the gears without a clutch. Alas, it took several hours for Hagerty's roadside service to get a truck to me, so I decided to get the car back home.

Turns out this was my fault. Eight years ago, when I did the five speed conversion, I used ordinary M8 nuts and washers to hold the clutch slave in place. This held up fine, until last month when I pulled the clutch slave as part of the process of my rear main seal replacement. Installing these a second time, they didn't hold up. Needless to say, this particular application calls for Stover lock nuts (or nylocks), which I now have.
 
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