What have you done to your Festiva today!?

[Spike]

Didn't do anything to the Festiva today, but did do something with/for it.

Went out to look at the only local Aspire at a junk yard waaaayy out in the country. Got lost, saw a kid out on a dirtbike and asked him where the yard was.. He looks at me, thinks for a second, and just says "Follow me!".

Dear God. I have no traction on gravel, rear springs are getting bad.. usual gravel top speed = 25-30MPH. The kid's going 55-60! Blind corners, hills, potholes! So much jumping! Sliding!

FUNNEST TIME I'VE HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Probably lasted 5 or so miles.

I mean, I've squealed the tires a few times, but that was downright awesome.

But anyway, yeah. Aspire rear looked good, 127k miles.

Picking it up in a week.

[Christ]

@Oren09 You need a PICKLE FORK! One of the favorite tools I own, and they are only like $10! It's a metal shaft with a forked end. It's all called a joint separator, but mine has been VERY helpful in replacing my control arms and tie rod ends!

They tend to damage stuck parts. Whacking the mount location with a hammer is much faster and doesn't damage the rubber or scar the metal parts.

I use pickle forks for other things, though. Like catching snakes.

[TheresGabe]

@Oren09 You need a PICKLE FORK! One of the favorite tools I own, and they are only like $10! It's a metal shaft with a forked end. It's all called a joint separator, but mine has been VERY helpful in replacing my control arms and tie rod ends!

[Oren09]

I completed the control arms. Ended up dropping the sway bar to get everything lined up. Still appears to have negative camber. Hopefully an alignment will fix that. I need to replace the tie rod ends, though.

I couldn't find a BFH, but I took a 10lb pick axe to the knuckle and still couldn't get the tie rod end to pop out.

[scitzz]

Started work on the control arms. I got the driver's side nearly on but I can't get the frame pivot bolt in because the arm is twisted. I suppose I'll have to drop the sway bar.
Also started on the tie rod ends but can't for the life of me get them out of the knuckle.

Give the knuckle a rap with a BFH right next to it. They pop right out. Artie taught me that trick.

So, Baby car had run out most of a tank, so I filled her up. First fillup on the B6. 20.84 MPG

So, I came home, and did a compression test. The good news was that each cylinder went EXACTLY to 180, and to 190 wet. Rings are seated. Poured some seafoam on the pistons, and let it soak for a bit anyway. Put some in the oil, and some in the tank. Later, I rolled the engine over for a while with the plugs out, blew the seafoam out, then drove it like I stole it.

Put the back seat back in, put a breather filter on, bought some red wire wrap, but didn't have time to put it in. Tweaking out the B6 is coming along nicely!

Have to find out why the temp gauge isn't working, went through 3 different senders, and it doesn't register. The heater blows cold air, the gauge stays on C, the thermostat opens, and the water pump moves coolant vigorously. No signs of overheating. All hoses are hot. The fan kicks on at the right time, ie, when the thermostat opens. The idle is high. No leaks, no fluid missing, another mystery to be solved! I may buy a brand new sending unit, and swap in another cluster to see if that is what part of the problem is.

[Damkid]

Thanks Charlie

[Glow_Mouse]

relocated the pod filter and MAS further down using flexi pipe. Removed the AC Compressor because I barely use my AC anyway. End result super torque and horsepower!



btw its a 97 aspire.

[WTFestiva]

IT...

ALMOST...

STARTED...

[Advancedynamix]

Gave it a bath...... it had a LOT of oil on the hatch from the rear main seal leaking

Helps prevent rust! Your car looks great even with the hood closed Chris!

[Oren09]

Started work on the control arms. I got the driver's side nearly on but I can't get the frame pivot bolt in because the arm is twisted. I suppose I'll have to drop the sway bar.
Also started on the tie rod ends but can't for the life of me get them out of the knuckle.

I gave up early on the work today, but I'm still sick and just wanted to go back to bed.

[Spike]

Finally hit 200,000 miles! Never thought it'd make it that far LOL.



The thing in the picture isn't what you think, it's a flashlight (I swear!!). My camera doesn't have a flash.

[Christ]

^ careful, the rio equiptment may require 14" rims.

yeah, i'm gonna take a wheel with me when I go up and make sure it fits or the mods necessary to make it fit are something I can handle easily, such as a little caliper weight reduction.

If they physically won't fit, I'll just use the Aspire set I already have. That's what's on the back right now anyway, at least until I get stupid and build myself a set of rear discs.

[TheresGabe]

After my ball joint went bad, shooting my CV axle out the side, and basically my wheel falling off, it had bent back my fender, and popped the top lip outwards... It's been bugging me so I went and got one at Pull-n-save.
I video'd the entire thing!
Took me 5min45seconds to remove it!

And 7 min 15 seconds to replace it!

[RhodeStiva]

it doesn't look bad with the gray and that is all im doing

[TheresGabe]

SO... MUCH... BLUE