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Penglii's 1989 TGP


Penglii

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UPDATE 05/24/10:

So I tried briefly to pull my Dash Pad off to replace my HUD... it was so hot and humid that I gave up very quickly, mostly because I did not want the heat to piss me off and cause me to break something. LOL

 

I removed all three of the screws... and a few good yanks got most of the clips to detach... but I gave up when clips on the passenger side would not budge. There's not much to hold onto for leverage on that side of the dash pad... is there a trick to this that I'm missing?

 

I'm thinking using a trim removal tool as a careful prybar to release the stubborn clips ought to do it?

 

I like how easy the factory service manual makes it sound. They are just like "remove the screws and give it a good yank towards ya"... 21 years later that's easier said than done. LOL

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its up under the dash above the glove box. a 7 or 6mm nut driver should get it.

 

I think theres an access hole to it. not all w's have this screw, mostly just tgps

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its up under the dash above the glove box. a 7 or 6mm nut driver should get it.

 

I think theres an access hole to it. not all w's have this screw, mostly just tgps

 

That would explain the access hole in the top of the glove box then... and why it felt like something was still bolting the dash pad down!

I wonder why none of the literature mentions it... probably cause it just affects the TGP?

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Well now I'm just feeling dumb... :dunce:

 

I obviously have removed the 2 screws above the gauge cluster... and I removed a screw from in the glovebox that seemed to be the correct screw, but now that I take a closer look it does not seem like it could even possibly have anything to do with holding the dash pad down. I cannot find any more correct seeming screws in that area though. There is an access hole in the top of the glovebox, but it does not provide any access to anything.

 

I still cannot get the dash pad off... everything will unclip except for the front couple of clips in the passanger side... exactly as though a screw or bolt is still holding it down. So either I'm overlooking something obvious (most likely) or I'm being too careful when yanking on the dash pad (less likely but still totally possible).

 

Anyone want to point out the super obvious?

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IIRC its just the 3 screws and then its just clips...but let someone else confirm that, its been a few yrs since I've had my TGP dashpad off.

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IIRC its just the 3 screws and then its just clips...but let someone else confirm that, its been a few yrs since I've had my TGP dashpad off.

 

Well that is even what the factory service manual says... so I bet I'm just being too careful... but since the illustrations are so vague about dash pad removal there is a good chance I got the wrong screw. But there is an equally good chance that the dashpad has never been removed, causing the clips to be stubborn.

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It is just the two screws above your gauge cluster and the hex screw above the little access hole in your glove box. Once all three of those are out, pull up on the part of the dashpad closest to you, then pull the dashpad toward you and it will pop out.

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remove the glove box. its easy enough. and then grab a flashlight and look. its hard to see unless you really get under there.

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It is just the two screws above your gauge cluster and the hex screw above the little access hole in your glove box. Once all three of those are out, pull up on the part of the dashpad closest to you, then pull the dashpad toward you and it will pop out.

Thanks! I'm amazed though that they don't make that accessable via the access hole... amazed but not remotely surprised.

 

remove the glove box. its easy enough. and then grab a flashlight and look. its hard to see unless you really get under there.

Yeah I was wondering if it would come to that :)

It does seem very easy... but thanks to the heat+humidity I've been left with a mere 5 minute window of opportunity to work on my car these past few days. I like to imagine that if I had more time at my disposal that I'd have figured it out on the first try. But that is what the internet is for... :thumbsup:

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Changed the oxygen sensor and the IAC and did an idle relearn with the Tech1.

Confirmed in the process that the tach is off (high) by like 400 rpm, but actual idle is a good speed. And more consistant now.

 

No more progress on taking apart the dash, hopefully tomorrow.

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Update: Found the third screw... holy crap is it in an annoying place. Wised up and used a telescoping mirror, made me feel like a dentist or something. It took a T10 Torx driver.

 

Although the new HUD does not seem to work at all... maybe its not plugged in all the way.

I'll find out before I go to work tomorrow.

 

Idle is a lot better with the new O2 Senor and IAC. Oil pressure gauge still sucks. It has occasional fits of not being pegged so maybe it has only mostly failed.

I really need a rebuilt xover... Hopefully I will be ordering one in early June.

 

UPDATE: Re-connected the plug and now the HUD works like a charm! It's quite nice to have an accurate speed reference again. My speedo is 7 MPH high at 45 MPH.

Edited by Penglii
Got the HUD working :)
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  • 3 weeks later...

Got the new X-over installed this past weekend... major PITA but worth every single bit of effort. Major improvement.

 

So now on to the next order of business:

After the new crossover and an idle relearn, things are just almost perfect.

The idle is still rough sometimes though, but this might be an easy fix.

 

The rough idle goes hand in hand with the oil pressure gauge spazzing.

I assume the pressure sender unit is bad, because the gauge is pegged most of the time... but sometimes during idle it will start working and drop down to a reading right around 35. This seems to trigger a voltage drop, which drops the revs and roughens up the idle.

Sometimes the oil pressure needle stays 'working' the whole time I'm in idle, and other times it pegs itself again. As soon as it pegs the revs go back up and the idle smooths back out.

Getting back on (or even tapping) the throttle will also re-peg the oil pressure needle.

 

This can all probably be fixed by replacing the busted Oil Pressure Sender and replacing the crappy Bosch 02 sensor with a better one... but it would be way cool if someone could explain why the oil sensor sometimes tries to work and why it screws with the idle in the process.

Edited by Penglii
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So I noticed that there was no check valve on the vac line to the trans modulator.

I got a new check valve now but I'm not entirely sure how it goes on.

I'd think the most obvious way would be the two small diameter ends connect to the vac line... with the larger, cone shaped end left open. Is that correct?

Or does the large end connect to the TB end of the vac line... and one of the small ends connect to the trans modulator.

I'm having difficulties imagining which way the pressure waves would all want to go...

 

Any ideas?

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That's correct.

 

Here's an image for future reference(it's hosted in the "how do I" section on the other board by the way - you can also find an engine vaccum line routing diagram there as well)

 

modvalve.jpg

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With the trans modulator check valve in place it is really no surprise that all the upshifts and downshifts are significantly smoother. :dance:

 

Shifting into reverse is still excessively bone-jarringly firm... but it does seem slightly better than before.

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With the trans modulator check valve in place it is really no surprise that all the upshifts and downshifts are significantly smoother. :dance:

 

Shifting into reverse is still excessively bone-jarringly firm... but it does seem slightly better than before.

 

Check your trans mount and all other mounts on the car. If they're getting worn, the trans will have firm shift into reverse or drive usually. This is especially true if you park on an inclined driveway. If your driveway is on an incline, set the parking brake before moving the gear selector to park. This will take the load off the trans/parking pawl making shifts from park to reverse or foward much easier.

 

EDIT: If your parking brake is inoperative, see this: http://web.archive.org/web/20071023221002/w-body.com/index2.html

Edited by mfewtrail
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Go figure... the same day that I order a new turbo oil return line is the same day that the existing one goes south.

So the upside is that the amount of smoke I am blowing is not large... no bigtime mosquito fogging or anything.

If I had known, I would have considered expedited shipping. LOL

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Smoke is blowing thicker today.

Sometimes it looks white, most of the time looks blue... smells sorta acrid.

I cannot remember what burning oil smells like and I've never smelt burning trans fluid.

Does not smell like fuel or coolant though, so that is very encouraging.

 

No smoke when the engine is first started, so I think the PCV and the Ring Seals can be safely ruled out.

The smoke starts during idle after the engine has warmed up a bit.... and it increases when the trans downshifts during deceleration. Then billows some when I get back on the gas.

 

I'm thinking it's probably a combination of the Trans Modulator failing and the Turbo Oil Return Line failing.

The new Trans Modulator should be there when I get home tonight... and with any luck my Silicone Tube will be delivered tomorrow.

I cannot wait, I really do not like driving around with smoke coming out the tailpipes.

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Strange question... do you still have the sedan to DD?

 

I still have it, but it currently has no plates/registration/insurance since it will be up for sale very soon... cannot afford to have 2 cars right now.

 

Great question though.

If it were bad enough I could ride my bicycle to work (had to do that plenty when I was still cursed with the 99 Neon)... but it has not reached that level of an issue yet.

 

The main reason I don't like having smoke coming from my pipes is that it fits in a little too well in this town... plenty of hooptys on their last legs around these parts and somehow it's no fun blending in with them.

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If it's blue in color, then it's oil. Besides some of the stuff you mentioned, an oil seal failing in the turbo is another possibility.

 

Well I think the turbo is pretty almost new... but I suppose that does not preclude it from having issues. I'll find out eventually.

 

I think I found out why it got worse today... vac line from the turbo to the wastegate control solenoid came apart.

It was wide open at the turbo... and plugged at the soelenoid because the remaining piece of line melted shut.

The line has now been replaced, I'm sure that will help somehow... too dark to find out right now though.

Edited by Penglii
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