89esprit

Sorry for the late response, I just got the car dug out of the corner. It's Lagoon Blue L12. On a good note, just before i put her away last fall, i managed to put new wheel cylinders on the tears. Wow what a project what was! Those clips that hold them in and the brake lines are a real bear to deal with!. She fired fight up and is running strong, brakes feel perfect, I'm hoping to get it out during the week for a few shake down runs.

Nice Job Bob! I also have a 2 post lift and put my Elite on it all the time. I try to put the lifting pads right where the underbody makes a right angle upward. Where the flat bottom that's under the seats goes at a direct right angle upward. Just a few more inches toward the rear from where yours is in the pic on the right. To me that seams to be where the all the strength is. These body are built really well from what I've seen, but I think it best not to take chances. I one time made the mistake of putting my lift pad under the rear trailing link... It works but don't try and do any repairs on the rear hub or diff! LOL Live and learn. Keep up the good work! Kenny

I should know that.... but I don't, maybe one of the others here will know. It's been painted once, but in the original color. The car is in storage for the winter, I'll look around and see what I can find. Sorry I couldn't help.

As tight as those roll pins are when driven "home" its hard to believe that they would leak. Make sure the slots on them are opposite each other as it states in the FSM. I know they go in easier when they are lined up together, (AMHIK) perhaps that is what happened on the install.

Wow you have a mess on your hands. Sailor did a great job calling out what's missing. I think you better get a letter from the judge or lawyer and march down to that shop and get the rest of those parts. I don't have an SE but maybe one of the members here could get you some pics of what's missing and how it should look. As far as the ecu goes those prices are indicating to me that the shop was gouging the PO and may try giving you a hassle so be prepared. The most important piece that missing from the ecu is the eprom chip. That needs to be switched to any new, or re-manned, ecu you find. I got mine from a local Gm garage for $99. Swapped the chip over, and away I went. Good Luck, Kenny

Just to keep this updated, I just had to put a new master cylinder on my '89 Esprit. Thanks to all who contributed here, I found this to be a perfect replacement aside from one extra outlet that needed plugged. https://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-Vanagon-Brake-Master-Cylinder-23-8mm-251611021C-1980-thru-1991-Volkswagen-T2/172358435537?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Thanks again!

I got a picture of my vacuum diagram from the engine compartment. It's the yellow hose marked "Air In". It's just there... it doesn't really show what is supposed to be hooked to. As I said earlier, the PO had punched a hole in the elephant trunk, but that can't be right, after the re route of mine I don't wamt to do that again.

That's where the PO had it... I don't think it belonged there either seeing how it was held in by a wad of duct tape. LOL. I'll figure out where to put it. My car is a non SE, and I have freescan but I never could get it to work. Thanks for your input, I appreciate your help. The car runs fine, it's just those little things ....

I rechecked the mystery hose. It appears to be nothing more than a vent tube coming from the charcoal canister venting to the elephant trunk. From what I've read in the fsm, it appears that the ecu controls how much boost goes to the engine. Apparently .65 bar is normal with an occasional burst under wide open throttle it will allow a boost of 1 bar. Only for a short time however, a few seconds. If that's the case there isn't much I can do. Seems odd that I've never seen it go that high. The fsm doesn't explain how to adjust the waste gate. The actuator seems awful stiff, and I applied air pressure to it it took almost 20 psi to get it to move is this normal? It seems to have to overcome a very stiff spring in the chamber. Maybe I'm overthinking this..Just trying to figure it out.

Thanks, I'll recheck... what could that hose been for then? Stuffed right into the elephant trunk... and loosely. Very interesting.

Well I got the KN filter in and had the opportunity to take it for a 60-70 mile spin. That snarl/flutter coming from the passenger side is amazing. Throttle seems a bit quicker but I'm still not getting more than 1/2 bar of boost. In fact according to the gauge it didn't even get that high this trip. One thing I noticed when I re-routed the elephant trunk, there was a vacuum hose punched thru the trunking that the PO had taped in place. I traced it back to the Barometric pressure sensor. I'm sure the way he had it rigged up was wrong, but the fsm didn't really show where it was originally terminated. I just secured it so it wouldn't get plugged up. Any ideas as to where it's supposed to go? And could that be affecting my boost problem?

Fantastic work Simon! I've just refitted new seats, carpeting and headliner in my '77. Mine wouldn't even compare to this! You've re really raised the bar on restorations. Keep up the good work, this will inspire me to do a frame off on my other '77 503 when the time comes.

My '77 Elites and my Esprit all have that same gasket. Great advice, I'll be putting my K and N in later today, I'll double check the fitment. What did he do to the transmission to take all that extra power?

That's quite a setup he's running there! What turbo is that and how much power is he getting out of it?