So, I sold my duramax diesel truck since I sold off all my drag car projects, and got in the market for a nice already built evo so I could just buy something I could drive and be done with. I wanted something that I wouldn't have to mod, something that had nice power and could be daily driven.

So, I had been trolling the forums, looking for a car that seemed like a decent deal, and came across this car: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sa...voviii-ct.html

It seemed PERFECT, 2.3L and 35R, just the kind of car I would like... Really this is the exact combo I had always wanted in my last evo (2006 EVO 9 SE)

So I go over to CT to pick up the car after making an offer around a month ago. The car seemed pretty decent, and it seemed to run pretty well. The clutch in the car was really not street friendly, so I other than that the car seemed great so I could deal with changing the clutch... It had a tilton twin-cerametallic in the car and it was really obnoxious. So I decided that the car was really not so bad other than the clutch, bought it, and we drove the car 5 hours back to PA.

I registered the car about a week after getting it, and really did not enjoy driving the car with this clutch. I maybe put 40 miles on the car before just decided I had to change the clutch out right away. So, after doing some research I shoot Emery at STM a PM and order a sweet triple exedy cerametallic clutch. (thank you STM, i got the clutch the next day and at a great price). I get everything in line and order all the stock stuff to change back the clutch from the Tilton hydraulic TOB.

So, now this past weekend I begin taking the car apart from the top to get it ready for the transmission to come out for the clutch change. When i start taking things apart I notice that the engine setup is not so great. I wish I would have paid more attention when looking at the car.

1. NO OIL COOLER, this was/is a street car!

2. There was a lot of "zip-tie fixes". Like the back breather on the valve cover was loose so they zip tied around the oil cap, which leaked oil down over the entire intake manifold and down the back of the block. What a mess. The dipstick is zip tied in, the cam cover zip tied.. etc etc. PICS

3. I pop off the intake and oil is everywhere, the turbo is leaking bad

4. all the injector clips are just pressed on, as with the MAP the TPS, etc.

---As I keep tearing it down, it's not looking good, this thing is done half-assed!---

5. I take off the piping (wow, what a piece of work the piping is)

6. The intercooler (supposed to be an TurboXS) turns out to be an ebay special, and the mounts are broken. The piping is holding it up! There is also a "special" green tape block keeping the intercooler in place from rubbing up against the radiator support. What a mess!

7. The turbo setup is... interesting... The shearer manifold is an awesome piece, everything else, naaattt so much. The turbo is a t3 flange with an adapter block to work on a dsm flange. The tial gate comes off the internal gate housing and then dumps to atmosphere... definitely a mess.

8. Oil is everywhere, the motor looked really clean from the top but underneath, man what a mess! The pan is drenched, the TC is drenched with motor oil.

9. ***NEW 11/28*** NO A/C. found the line back on the compressor, just finger tight.

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I know i am forgetting other things but i want to move on to the pictures. I will add them in subsequent posts.

 

So here is the picture of the setup when I bought it (this is from the sellers post) notice that left radiator bolt


Here is the custom radiator bolt hole that was made by forcing a 17mm bolt through it. NICE.


Here I begin tearing it down for the clutch change. At this point I have already decided this turbo setup is half-assed and will be changing it out for a buschur kit. I am a little frustrated at this point, knowing I am now going to have to change out the turbo setup for something that will be proper. But the worst is yet to come.

notice the turbo and the oil.


so the Tilton clutch came out relatively easily, other than a few stripped bolts and rusted tight bolts on the exhaust.


oil in the intake


the turbo, definitely been leaking for quite some time!


the gate setup.... wow


The nicest piece on the motor, the shearer manifold (i will be reusing this on the new setup)


So everything from the turbo setup is now off the car... and I begin thinking about doing a stage 3 buschur head

 

So I decide since I have the motor pretty well torn down, i might as well get a Buschur stage 3 head. Honestly, i wish i wouldn't have opened the motor to see what I found. I took the head off today and find this:

cylinders #1 & 2


cylinders #3 & 4


Cylinder 1 is really bad, the scores are pretty deep.

 

goodluck

 

That sucks to hear man, but the car was Ivey built so I don't know what's going on?

 

thats a shame man, good luck

 

Sounds like quite the hack-job.

 

eek i'm sorry to hear this

 

I don't know if the whole car was built by Ivey, I think just the motor. I have only heard good things about Sean and I would be amazed if this was all really his work.

 

damn! good luck with this! keep us updated i wanna see this thing transform!

 

Ehhh youll do everything anyways.. so its better you found this out now.... gonna be and awesome car when done.. you SAY that your only doing this and this but lets be honest Joel we both know your going to build the whole car

Congrats on being in the 4 cylinder game again since your such a 6 and up kinda guy haha..
and im jealous I want to do E85 but would have to drive 25 miles every time i want fuel.. so just wating for a closer pump around here.. illl make the drive when your done...to see it!

 

 

Yea, I really felt this time though that i would leave the car alone and just enjoy it and drive it. but changing the clutch opened a GIANT can of worms.

E85 pump is 10 mins from my house =)

 

Did you even read the thread?

 

hahhaha yea however you want to justify it to yourself i will agree with
BASTARD!!!!!!!
Damnit reading step your game up... i hate this town!