List of parts that can KISS MY A**

[chicagoTTA]

Hello my TTA brothers -

Today I decided to switch to QS Ceramics on all 4, and SS brake likes (earl's).

Yea.

I found myself talking to my car, my tools... sometimes begging them to play nicely.

I am sure we ALL can contribute here. And I'm sure this list will include parts I haven't di*ked with (yet).

Let's play a game.

Parts of the TTA that can KISS MY (our/your) A$$:

I'll start!

Calipers : Work SO much better than the usual GTA's. But is it just me, or doesn't it SUCK trying to get the pads and that bracket back together??? I had to use a Ouiji board and a magic 8 ball to get that pile of **** to go back together. Simple and effective design. Until you try to replace the pads.

(or maybe I'm just a retard? Which is possible...)


MY drivers side bottom caliper mounting bolt: I bet this is JUST mine... but that little fu*ker... for the first 1/4 of it's travel (out) or last 1/4 (going in) NEEDS an impact/air wrench, which I don't have YET {buying cus of this!}. Took me 15 mins to get in, 15 mins to get out. Strange. As if the bolt was out of round or something. 1/4 turn would be easy. 3/4 of the turn (when it's almost in) is UNBELIEVEABLY difficult. And I am NOT a small/weak guy!

Spring clips: : Specifically, the ones that hold the brake lines to the brackets. I mean, C'MON! Great going on (sorta). But taking them OFF... bite me. That said, I'm sure there is a tool I don't have, or an easy way that I couldn't find to remove it. But still, it can kiss it.

Brings me to my next game.

List of parts (or general area) that can BITE ME (us/you).

Again, I'll start.

Oil filter area : We ALL know how much 'fun' it is getting in there, and getting that fu*ker out!

Factory jacking points: They can just bite me, since it's my fault for trying to use those little pe*kers.



STOCK IC hoses: Again, these are merely a 'bite me' since it's my fault for not having replaced them *yet*. But still pi$$ poor engineering.



YOUR TURN!!! C'mon, this'll be fun. This is the ONLY place I could think of where I could yap about this, and y'all would understand!

*** Disclaimer ***

LOVE this car. GM really rocked this one. But just some little things that we ALL know blow chunks.

Thanks for reading! Please, feel free to add the things I forgot or just haven't been PISSED OFF by *yet* !!!!

- M

 

[Razor]

I'll give ya a great one.. my favorite, disconnecting the lower radiator hose from the radiator

And anything to do with lifting the car on the passenger side.

 

[cruesix]

my personal favorite is changing the fuel pump..what a nightmare without a lift..and is it just me or is the tank always full when it goes

 

[chicagoTTA]

Ahhh... Crue...

Yea, can't EVEN imagine the fuel pump. Sure, that totally sucks hard. But, common to all 3rd gens. That, and more often than not (even on my K-Blazer *cough* {insert mullet/red-neck joke here} ) most cars blow when it comes to fuel pump. But Crue, when you're right you're right.

You get 7.25 points, since it's not just a TTA pisser. But still, I feel ya.


And, Julio- How cool is it to have Razor agree with ya in spirit and ADD to this list!! Makes me feel like (a little ) less of a retard!!!!

You 'da man J.

C'mon! Gotta imagine there's TONS more things that haven't completely pissed me off yet!!!

Too cool that there's all of you out there that feel my pain!! Was thinkin of this post the whole time. The only thing that kept me away from the A torch and State Farm!!! (that, and I love this car.)

Cus'd enough for all of us today. So if you were feelin good Saturday (today), I'll take 1800, or a good Martini as payment.


M

 

[chicagoTTA]

**** WAIT ! ****

Crue! Just noticed you're not TOO far from me (Inverness). We should form a "I'm di*kin with my TTA, you're comin over" clan.

I'm sure between all of us in this area, we can do damn near anything in 2 hours. Got a 8 car garage, tools...

Maybe we should have a meeting for all us NW Chicago people.

Wait, probably been done. A lot. But I'm slow. So it doesn't count!

Hit me up y'all when you 're in the area or want to lend/need help.
I will be doing heads/gaskets, plenum, turbo, etc. Sure you're all gonna do that (again maybe) too. If there's a local group I don't know about, lemme know!!

Crue, .5 extra for being local.

7.75 for Crue.

3 Bagillion for J. Cus you rock.

M

 

[72firebird]

The brake pads really aren't that difficult. Well I had problems too until I realize all the have to do is pull one pin out and the caliper flips up and then you just pop the pads out for the front. It is a bitch to get the caliper mounting bolts off. What I do is turn the wheel all the way in that direction and then you can get a nice breaker bar in there and have more room to work.

If there's ever a chicago meet definatley let me know I'm only about an hour and half out. I don't know my way around the town at all but if y ou give me directions I can probably get there.

 

[zerotta]

+1 on the fuel pump. I've never had to do the TTA's pump, but done my share of other thirdgens.

I'd be up for a Chicago area meet as well. I'm in Channahon now, but I'm from Bartlett and often in that area.

 

[Razor]

You guys with the fuel pumps.... wait till you get one thats got a seized bolt in the panard bar bushing.. nut comes off..bolt doesnt slide out.. bracket welded to chassis...

Here's another one.. there is a little L shaped bracket behind the alternator that goes from the header to AC... wait till ya have to deal with that one.

TTA parties can get ugly...

 

[72firebird]

Originally posted by Razor
You guys with the fuel pumps.... wait till you get one thats got a seized bolt in the panard bar bushing.. nut comes off..bolt doesnt slide out.. bracket welded to chassis...

Here's another one.. there is a little L shaped bracket behind the alternator that goes from the header to AC... wait till ya have to deal with that one.

TTA parties can get ugly...

I had my sway bar linkage nut break off. And then the sleeve was rusted to the bolt and I had to cut it off. Well I started cutting just through the bushing and then through the bolt, then the saw-zaw got stuck and the bushing melted to the blade. That was lots of fun.

 

[chicagoTTA]

Damn, I can't top that with my brake fun.

Stops like a mutha now tho. Kinda glad I didn't take a torch to it and make TTA keychains outta it.

What else will or does blow chunks? I bet this isn't a small list!!

 

[src76ta]

Has anybody else had the pleasure of changing the power antena.Well next time try it without touching the fender bolts. Not wanting to destroy the paint on the bolt heads, I spent quite a while with my head under the fender well. Does anybody make a jack that fits under any part of the front of the car? Not to get on a rampage but try finding the VATS module. I understand it's where it is for a reason but holly sh*it. The entire dash assembly has to come out just to get close. Nothing like ripping the interior out of a brand new car. On a positive note, Pittsburgh had great weather this weekend so the car got some miles on it. what a blast to drive!

 

[Razor]

Hey nobody has hit the ground effects turning yellow, or the rear spoiler cracking after you just bought the car.

+1 for a nice jack that fits under the car without putting a dent into the oil pan or crunching the rails under the drivers seat.

VATS is in the drivers kick panel. Piece of cake..take you two weeks to get the black tar paper goo of your fingers.

Ok.. heres a vent.. you go to the parts store.. sorry we dont have it. Go to the dealer.. it must be ordered or "No Longer available"

Ordering parts for these cars is common place.. that was my first learning experience.. want something.. hurry up and wait.

Hows that?

 

[Swede2]

Changing plugs gives me soary hands...

Daniel

 

[89ICBM]

What else will or does blow chunks? I bet this isn't a small list!!


Well, right off the top of my head here's 2 of my favorites;
That stinking turbo oil drain back line! 2 little bolts and a gasket! Kicks my butt every time I have to put it back on and; that bottom turbo bracket bolt. Man! That one is a killer. I finally figured out a way to put it back in with out too much grief though. I take my magnet and stick the bolt to it on the threads, then I hold it in place at the hole and bring the socket and universal to it. I don't put the ratchet on the extension until I've started the bolt turning the extension buy hand.

 

[Metal]

ok, how about traing to take the hatch off the glass and two of the studs strip in the hatch.
I guess I will be drilling those today when I get home.

I did the Power antenna that way too, now it looks like I get to do one again.

 

[2QUIK6]

Wow, somebody mentioned the lower turbo J-bracket bolt, I thought I was the only one that thought it was a b|tch to get to and get off...I decided not to put it back on since there was 2 other bolts hold ing it on..the GN only has 2 so what the heck..
Took more time gettng that one bolt off than it did for the entire rest of the turbo!!

-The turbo oil drain tube is a total mother if you have a bigger than stock compressor housing, its like it was just made long enough to make it around the stock compressor housing.

-Get to do the fp soon...boy I can't wait...luckily I have a lift! (but if the dam lift points were another 1/4" towards the center of the car my lift arms would not reach....takes me about 10 tries to get it lined up on my lift so they do reach!)

-Oil pan was a muther too, had to remove the motor mount pins and jack the motor up..normally if on the ground its not that bad, but doing it on an asymetrical lift was a pain cause the car would get out of balance real easy up in the air. GN pan comes right off with no motor lifting..just put the crank shaft with the front weight up.

-Just working on any 3rd gen or 4th gen f-body under the hood is a pain because the node is so long you can't just bend over the front to get to things...gotta always go from the sides.

 

[trading t/a]

Changing plugs on the passenger's side head

Trying to use stock header bolts while using arp head bolts

I found a cure for this simple as $7.47. Ace hardware has an excellent selection of stainless hardware. I got stainless round head allen bolts for the headers that are perfect with the arp head bolts.

Rear caliper lower bolts can't kick em out caus ethey hit the base of the shock....

Plastic thingy's that the rear interior trim screws screw into that break if you tighten them even just a little too much.

The finnicky magnetic motorized rear pull down that works when it wants to.

The crappy electric antenna that stops working cause the plastic gear(gears out of plastic WTF?)

That you can't pull down the ecm with the harness plugged in, you have to unplug it 9/32 socket to take the two screws out then lay it on the floor and plug it back in.

The nut breaking o2 sensor that is a p.i.t.a. to replace cause the coolant lines are in the way.

The nut breaking p.o.s. tranny lines!

I'm sure I got more.......

So far I've rid myself of the a/c (see spark plug prob)!

Tranny lines are braided stainless!

O2 sensor I'm working on!

No more in tank pumps I'm going inlkine all the way.......

I've benn doing this a while on these 3rd gens......

 

[chicagoTTA]

I was hopin someone would mention the spark plug !

At least I know it's not just me

See, this is like therapy. In with the good, out with the bad.

Just 3 easy payments of $19.95

 

[src76ta]

Razor, I'm sure you've forgotten more about these cars than I'll ever know but the VATS module isn't behind the kick plate. I wish it were.I woulden't have had to remove the entire dash. I also took out the driver's seat so as not to f up the leather. The module sits between the heater duct center dash and behind the metal framework that holds all the stuff basically from the drivers seat forward. Also remove the radio and its pod drop the steering column to remove dash cluster after that my mind tries to block out the image so i'm not sure what else came off. It took about 2 hours to put it all back. Thanks for reminding me that my ground affects are yellowed. The spoiler is still ok. How about the hood and hatch struts?

 

[chicagoTTA]

Hood and hatch struts.

Yea.

You know they were designed that way just to piss us off hard.

We've talked about spoiler cracks... but what about the engineer who said 'hey - let's make it out of foam. Then, lets not design it to have drainage so the water will just sit. Until it cracks and we replace it under warranty. And, as an added bonus, we get to totally fu*k the guys who own the nice ones in 10 years and can't replace them!'

He's laughing his a$$ off somewhere, or is in the witness protection program. Not sure which.