Bought a 92 Spirit R/T

[LowSL2]

I picked up a 92 Spirit R/T on saturday. I've been wanting one of these for a LONG time. I found one locally at the right price. Here's a breakdown of what it's got. I'll get pics tomorrow.

- Red paint
- 15" Alloy wheels
- 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS
- Traveler computer thing
- Overhead console with compass, temperature, map lights, garage opner thing and sunglass thing
- Power windows, locks, driver seat and mirrors

The paint is fading away, but it isn't as bad as most A bodys i've seen. It has a couple little dents. The interior is pretty clean. The leather wrapping on the steering wheel is coming off. But other than that it's good.

The guy I bought it from is the original owner. He said the car was a demo model and had a little over 7000 miles when he got it. He kept records and gave most of them to me.

The head gasket was replaced last april along with a bunch of other stuff. The head looks good. It has three core plugs with three or more threads showing. From the looks of the paperwork, it was leaking coolant from the little freeze plug in the head. I'm going to bet that they just replaced the little plug. They surfaced the head, tanked it and replaced two lifters.

The timing belt was replaced in November. It doesnt say what brand. I guess I'll have to investigate. It also said it was towed in for a 'no run' condition. So I guess the belt snapped.

And when I was driving it earlier, the speed sensor went out. And now I hear a loud clunk when I decelerate in 1st or 2nd gear.

Is this the start of things to come? :)

[2.216VTurbo]

Congratulations you found a highly sought after prize, a one owner (nearly) well maintained TIII:thumb: IIRC by your screen name you're the Saturn guy and you had done some pretty well thought out mods to that so the RT is in good hands.

The TIII has it's own challenges as you already know but the payoff is big power and it pretty easy to get with basic mods. I think that clunk is not a TIII issue but probably a motor mount, if it is go Polybushings for sure.

What area are you in again, and what are your plans for the car? I'd bet you can make it faster than your race SL2 at 1/3 the price;)

[turbovanman²]

Welcome and congrats, :welcome:

When you turn the boost up, its going to be hard to wipe that smile off your face. I love TIII's so much, I am putting a head off one in my van, :partywoot:

[93sundance]

nice score

[LowSL2]

Yeah I'm the Saturn guy. I have a daily driver that had a single port 75 shot of nitrous that I used almost daily. I took that out after I burned a valve and had to swap in the spare motor. And I have a Saturn SL2 that does 11's in the quarter mile with a built motor, standalone and T3/T04e. I have a lot of experience with Saturns. I used to have a 93 Acclaim with a 3.0 back in the day. If any of you were around back then on the EEK list I had the R/T bumpers, side skirts and rear spoiler on it. I was into the whole lowrider scene back then so it had some wire wheels and was lowered. It got totalled just after I got it looking good. So I went into Saturns and have been waiting for a good deal on a Spirit R/T since then. :)

My plans with this car are to basically 'restore' it. Nothing too crazy. I just want it to look super clean like it supposed to. As for the engine, I have some plans. I don't plan to go nuts with boost just yet. Right now it's fast enough for me. Maybe in the next year or so I'll try to dig up a spare TIII motor so I can build it up while I have the stock motor to drive around. Then I'll just swap it out, rebuild the stock motor to stock specs and put it away for a rainy day.

I like to have at least one spare motor sitting around. I'm kind of crazy like that. :)

I'm just getting up so I'll go out and take some pics. I have to go hunt down a serpantine belt, speed sensor and some motor mounts. Hopefully the apartment manager doesnt get pissed.

[turbovanman²]

Used motors and engine parts are hard to come by and when you do, there worth more than the car, figure around $1500 or more for a used engine, and I am being serious. Sometimes if you spend hours, weeks, days surfing, you can find something but its usually cheaper to buy another car and just take the engine.

Engine mounts, get polybushings for sure, www.polybushings.com or www.turbosunleashed.com your engine will thank you.

[LowSL2]

Here it is.

http://home.comcast.net/~lowsl2/rt/rt_01.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~lowsl2/rt/engine_01.jpg

I replaced the serpantine belt. And I checked the timing belt. I don't see a manufacturer but it says Made in Italy. I guess I'm ok for now.

[LowSL2]

So I got the car up in the air this evening. Looks like the lower front engine mount bracket is broken where it bolts to the block. The bolt that goes into the bellhousing was missing and the engine was flopping around. We put a bolt in but I'm going to have to replace the bracket. Is this mount bracket the same for all 2.2/2.5 engines?

[turbovanman²]

No, there different for each car and van. You need to find one for a Spirit.

[LowSL2]

I figured that. I was just wondering if the bracket for the T3 is the same as the TBI, T1 and T2 engines. I thumbed through the FSM and it looks the same. I'll just search the junkyards.

[rich tideswell]

www.car-part.com <--this site will be your new best friend

[LowSL2]

I've been using that site for years. I think I used it when I was looking for the R/T bumpers, ground effects and spoiler for my old Acclaim.