1998 Pontiac Firestorm

Life as a Blown V6
2004

January 2004

January 3, 2004 Attempt made to fix oil leak by replacing the brass elbow at the oil-pressure fitting. Leak remains.
January 10, 2004 Pathogen attends first HideOut gathering of 2004 while leaking oil. Loses T-top at about 80mph on I-95. T-top lands intact and is retrieved from opposite side of the interstate before getting hit by anything. No serious damange, just some scratches. While leaving the gathering, Pathogen is hit on the right side of the rear bumper by a mini van resulting in a BIG CRACK in the back bumper. Great Big Sarcastic "Thanks" to Progressive for saying this is all my fault and giving me a whopping $230.00 check (by the end of the week) to get it all fixed.
January 11, 2004 Pathogen is put on blocks. Header being installed to hopefully solve crank case over pressuring - begins . . . and continues.
January 13, 2004 Left Header installed. Broke bolt on right header install. Bolt is recessed into head. Removal options open.
January 18, 2004 Failure to tap, drill,dremel or otherwise remove the broken bolt has stalled the project at this time. Still searching for alternatives for removal.
January 25, 2004 After many attempts (everything short of dropping the motor), we admitted defeat and finished the Header install without removing the bolt. Pathogen fires up for the first time in two weeks with a terribly deafening growl.

February 2004

February 7, 2004 Pathogen returns to the road with open headers to attend the second F-Body Hide Out Gathering of the year. Dipstick pops at 4,000RPMs within the first few miles. Upon return from the Gathering, information is uncovered for a widely used "intake manifold plug" mod used by V6 Firebird/Camaro Powerdyne owners as a solution for the problem stated above. Throttlebody removed, whole plugged. Pathogen waits in the garage for a new throttlebody gasket. Used bumper off a 1994 Firebird (purchased earlier on ebay for $75.50 shipped) arrives. After several attempts it it is finally retrieved from the Arlington, VA Greyhound station. Bumper currently waits on balcony for painting and future install.
February 11, 2004 Throttlebody gasket received and installed. Pathogen completes short stationary test.
February 13, 2004 Pathogen refuses to start, problem unknown at this time. Later in the evening, Pathogen is torn down to the Throttle Body gasket. Coolant found in Throttle Body. Pathogen Still refusing to start. Trip to VA Beach for header welding canceled.
February 14, 2004 Pathogen still refuses to start..
February 15, 2004 Spark plugs seem to be fouled. Cleaning underway. Trip to ER ends repair session early when I sliced through my left-middle finger. All car repairs halted.
February 20, 2004 Surgery to repair sliced middle finger extensior tendon successful.
February 21, 2004 Spark plugs cleaning complete. Pathogen starts and completes 20 mile test drive.
February 25, 2004 Pathogen arrives at Dulles Auto Clinic for: New Posi install Line-lock install Tighten Crankshaft pulley

March 2004

March 27, 2004 3" Exhaust clamp (ordered from Jegs) is used to connect Y-pipe to Cat. You can hear the leak from the Primary to Y-pipe connection now. BUT Path is no longer the moving noise violation he used to be. Repairs completed from the January 'incident. (New bumper installed - thank you eBay! it only cost me $300, not $700!)
March 28, 2004 Pathogen completes WOT run with no dipstick problems and well . . . Holy Screamin' Chickens, Batman! He pulls!
March 29, 2004 Drive belt jumps and starts shredding itself on the alternator. . . why? I have no clue. Also hearing a small air leak, haven't found it yet.

April 2004

April 1, 2004 Gatorback drive belt installed . . . didn't make a freakin' bit of difference.
April 3, 2004 Exhaust finally welded together. Big thanks to Brian at Big Al's in Virginia Beach; absolutely worth the drive. . .. Oh yeah, and that oil leak finally gave out on the return trip. Gotta work on that.
April 4, 2004 Oil leak source found to be the seal between the timing cover and the oil-filter-bracket. While attempting to remove the bracket one bolt snapped
April 13, 2004 Drill what? Well removing the bolt with an extractor bit was pretty much useless.
April 14, 2004 Timing Cover removed.
April 15, 2004 Timing Cover repairs completed by Dulles Auto Clinic.
April 16, 2004 "Block forward" reconstruction started. . . almost done.
April 17, 2004 "Block forward" reconstruction complete! . . . of course, that didn't fix the belt squeak
April 18, 2004 Belt squeak eliminator (dressing) aquired. Squeak is temporarily gone. :)
April 24, 2004 Pathogen completes several full 1/4-mile passes at the American Iron Shootout III . . . best run: 14.0 @ 100mph. . . with a crappy 2.216 60-foot.

May 2004

May 9, 2004 New battery from Sears. :)
May 7-09, 2004 Pathogen visits PA for the first time ProCharged! . . . mysterious coolant leak appears on return trip.
May 26, 2004 Coolant leak solved. Throttle body gasket had seeped out on the bottom, allowing leak.
May 28, 2004 I've finally gotten over the fear of my car breaking and have actually got this burnout thing down-pat. Trip to Richmond Dragway let me with a good experience, but I couldn't best 14.1.
May 29, 2004 Coolant flush completed at JiffyLube.
May 29-31, 2004 Boost and Fuel pressure gauges patially installed. Fuel pressure doesn't seem to read. Lights not hooked up. While cutting a hole through the firewall (under dash), I discovered a magic box from an anti-theft system hardwired into my ignition. Previous owners! (GRRRRR) Disconnected everything attached to the box.

June 2004

June 5-6, 2004 Hotchkis LCAs & Pan Hard Rod re-installed - I highly recommend these mods to anyone. Pretty easy to install and the difference is just awesome! Oh, and new problem -- bad ground. WTF?!
June 10, 2004 On the way home from a materials purchase for newly opened PathogenProductions, Path has a short lived "knocking" fit. Noise failes to return.
June 15-16, 2004 Noise returns! (on a come-go basis) ... on going.
June 19, 2004 Repaired damaged threads in alternator A-mount point.
June 20, 2004 Pathogen looses oil pressure for the first time.
June 22, 2004 Have I mentioned that this stupid belt squeal is still here?
June 30, 2004 Pathogen passes inspection at Craven Tire in Tyson's Corner.

July 2004

July 2, 2004 Path's oil pressure problem becomes an area of serious concern. Once car reaches operating temperature, pressure falls to 0.
July 3, 2004 Oil change and flush failes to fix oil pressure problem. Knocking continues and is now constant.
July 15, 2004 Edged on my a car club member, I pulled the hood on Path ... and attempted to solve the belt squeal problem. No progress made.
July 16, 2004 Same.
July 17, 2004 Found out why belt squeak exists. Timing cover replaced September of '03 is a different thickness than OEM. B-mounting point needs to be shortened about 1/4".
July 19, 2004 Path is diagnosed at Dulles Auto Clinic. There is actually low oil pressure - not a bad sending unit or gauge and the problem could be one of two things. A) Bad oil pump - "Jenn, I know you can replace that." B) Spun bearing - "If that doesn't solve your problem, we're tearing the nugget out and going in for a closer look."
July 24, 2004 Block-forward tear down completed. Oil pump looks to be in 'good' shape. New parts failed to arrive.
July 27, 2004 Parts arrive. Oil pump replaced and Pathogen rebuilt. I started the car up to back it down off the ramps with the full intention of going for a test drive. As soon as I turned the key, that Blower came back to life ... And so did the tapping of hydraulic lifters ... indicating low oil pressure. The fate of Pathogen is at this time is undetermined.

August 2004

August 8, 2004
With help from "Mr. Ben", a friend of Stefan's, the passengerside valve cover is removed. Car was run with cover off to check for oil pressure. Pressure appears good. Tapping is from #2 cylinder. Upon further inspection, we found a bent pushrod. New shopping list: Pushrod (1), Valve cover gasket (1), Oil pressure sending unit (1).

August 15, 2004
New pushrod installed. Valve covers painted. Test drive was great! Taking Path to work tomorrow. :)

August 16, 2004
15 miles ... that lasted 15 miles ... Tapping is back, pressure problem is back.
Blower disconnected from car entirerly. New sending unit installed. Didn't change a thing.

August 21, 2004
Motor is on it's way out! Power steering, radiator, alternator, Blower, some mounting brackets and some wiring gone! Tomorrow the should be able to stretch out in my engine bay.

New motor found and ready for delivery! - - later changes would bring the motor to my doorstep on Monday August 30th.

August 22, 2004
More stuff gone. Decision made ... transmission will come out with the motor.
And, anyone know a cheap place to get heads and intake done?

August 28, 2004
They left me alone with the car today ....
And they were throwing this out at work! Andy and Thor agree -- Trany Cart!

August 29, 2004
With massive amounts of help from "Mr. Ben", the motor is finally out!

They you get that feeling that things have just gone from bad to worse...
Pictured here are Mr. Ben and myself as we discuss our most recent findings... my nearly brand-new CenterForce Clutch ... is toast. Pictures below show the Clutch disk, the flywheel and disk with pressure plate. Lots of damage and various other generally bad stuff.

September 2004

September 10, 2004
Minor Prep work completed.

September 11, 2004
Compression testing shows the follow stats. (Haynes manual stats a min. of 100psi/cylinder.

#1 - 190	#2 - 200
#3 - 198	#4 - 200
#5 - 195	#6 - 190

Assembly completed and ready for install!

September 12, 2004
Motor's in! Need to complete wiring, clamp exhaust, and do a final once over.

September 13, 2004
Install Complete. Engine Starts and runs through break-in. Vacuum leak exists forcing the engine to nearly stall at idle.

September 18, 2004
"Mr. Ben" tests a theory and locates a broken brake-boost fitting. Awaiting fitting from GM. In the meantime, fitting is rigged and car is running great!

September 15, 2004
Pathogen completes 210+ miles with no problems.

October 2004

October 2, 2004 Pathogen attends F-Body Hideout Gathering with Blower installed, but not fuctional. (Belt not connected.)
October 3, 2004 Blower fuctional! SKIPPY! (Second oil change.)
October 4, 2004 Pathogen drives to work .... with massive TPS problems. Ladies and Gent's ... this is what happens when you install a blower and fail to allow sensors to reset. (Battery disconnected for 30mins, and that solved the problem.)
October 8, 2004 Pathogen drives to Englishtown, NJ to attend SLP CAD at RacewayPark. Just before leaving the NJ turnpike, the intake pipe falls apart, leaving the car stalling constantly (even at speed!) Problem fixed at hotel
October 9, 2004 Pathogen runs at Englishtown, NJ with serious air-pressure-containment difficulties. Times are not being disclosed at this time. (I'm picking up a pattern here.)
October 16, 2004 I actually made it! visit to Skyline Drive with a few people from the HideOut. :)
October 23, 2004 Vist to Pitt at Johnstown for Mom's B-Day party ... this was a ball! I'm in love with the 219 to Altoona section of the PA Turn pike!
October 24, 2004 2nd Anual Forced Induction/Fast Iron meet in Maryland. (I've gotta get my nerve together one of these days and actually "play" with this car.)

November 2004

November 7, 2004 Pathogen attends MIR's World Cup (Imports vs Domestics) event. Fails to place in car show.
November 8, 2004 Vacation time in PA!
November 10, 2004 Dad and I install pop-rivts to hold intake pipe on... here's hoping!
November 12, 2004 Blower grenades on return trip from PA. Due to the beauty of the dual-belt system, 5 minutes later I was back on the road ... running NA. :sad:
November 11, 2004 Blower and Intercooler/ducting assembly removed. Bracket to remain in place.
November 13, 2004 Path runs NA at MIR for EFA TNT and grudge day. Lots of fun, great bunch of people!
November 15, 2004 Blower on a UPS truck headed for ATI headquarters in Kansas.

December 2004

December 14, 2004 Blower head unit returned after full rebuild. (You know it's bad when someone calls you and says "How'd you do that?")
December 21, 2004 Pathogen gets a break when new stablemate "Skittles" arrives. :)
December 28, 2004 Transmission problems confirmed ... it's not just me anymore. (I'd been having a problem since just after EFA TNT day.) Possible solutions are ranging from new trany, to rebuild, to it being simply a clutch problem ... but this Spec 3 is still grabbing awesome!