T-III Reliability improvement

[1BADVAN]

I am picking up a spirit r/t this week and would like to know any tips you might have to help the reliability. The last one we had we sold cause we got sick of fixing it. Such as head gaskets leaking the head itself leaking, intermediate shaft problems etc.

Does anyone have links of info on how to help these be more reliable?

[Simsy]

make sure you get a belt tension gauge, tension is critical on TIIIs. Ebay is a good source for them. As far as the head leaking check in the valley between the core plugs(especially between the 2nd and 3rd). Usually if the HG is leaking the most common spots are the rear left side of the head and the right side of the head between the to cam pulleys as far as I'm concerned. I'd def. get a cometic HG on it asap if it doesnt have one already, especially if your looking to run more boost. LMK if you have any other questions..I'm sure Jackson will even be posting in here soon as well

BTW we must have pics of this ASAP

[1BADVAN]

make sure you get a belt tension gauge, tension is critical on TIIIs. Ebay is a good source for them. As far as the head leaking check in the valley between the core plugs(especially between the 2nd and 3rd). Usually if the HG is leaking the most common spots are the rear left side of the head and the right side of the head between the to cam pulleys as far as I'm concerned. I'd def. get a cometic HG on it asap if it doesnt have one already, especially if your looking to run more boost. LMK if you have any other questions..I'm sure Jackson will even be posting in here soon as well

BTW we must have pics of this ASAP

whats a good price for a belt tension gauge? I have seen those leaking spots, this head was re-done 16k ago and driven by an old man so i hope it still is good
Why should i go cometic? I heard the surfaced has to have a very fine surface to work, and i know a bunch of 8v guys hate the cometic and say that the MP gasket works much better, I am guessing you think different for the T3s.

For sure i will post pics when i get it home

[iTurbo]

I bought my Spirit R/T back in '03. It's the same one you saw when I went down to SLC to pick up that shortblock. Anyway, after I bought it I tore the drivetrain out, completely went over the whole drivetrain, new gaskets, seals, clutch, motor mounts etc....didn't get too crazy on mods but I did add a ported exhaust manifold, 3" exhaust (no cat), LWP stage I cams, Ti retainers, FWDP lifters, and a TurboXS BOV. The car has been VERY reliable. I put about 1100 miles on the car the day I went to SLC....pretty much drove right back and the car never had a hiccup.

In the last five years I've put a LOT of miles on the car, mostly delivering pizza. As far as failures in that time, I had a timing belt tensioner failure that took out some other parts on a long road trip to buy my white Spirit R/T. Thankfully Adam Lengel makes a really nice tensioner that is rebuildable. I've also gone through a few clutch cables (stock clutch), had to totally redo my battery cables due to corrosion, and a timing belt which was probably the result of my tensioner failure. Oh and shifter cables, probably 3-4 of those. The aftermarket ones just aren't as tough as the original Mopar ones it seems.

Other than that, the titanium valve spring retainers should help belt life. The lifters that FWDP sells are also very nice and actually stay together while you assemble them unlike the stockers that usually fall apart and fall into the head. Unfortunately the lifters are pretty expensive so I would only replace them if yours are already falling apart. FWDP also sells modified stock retainers that accomplish the same thing as the Ti retainers (lower valve spring pressure) but are chromoly and less expensive.

[Simsy]

you want to get a gauge like this one http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Belt-...motiveQ5fTools

i have one that is similar that id maybe sell if you want it.
As far as the cometic goes it is a must in my opinion for TIIIs when it comes to running big boost. When i got my first spirit r/t i ran 15psi with a stock HG and blew it within 500 miles. I installed a Cometic on it and ran 18-20psi all day and never had any trouble since. And yes you do want a nice fine smooth surface on both the head and block to get the best seal..be sure to use a feeler gauge to check the surfaces of both the head and block.

Can't wait to see those pics man Is the Spirit a 91 or 92?

[1BADVAN]

And yes you do want a nice fine smooth surface on both the head and block to get the best seal..be sure to use a feeler gauge to check the surfaces of both the head and block.

Can't wait to see those pics man Is the Spirit a 91 or 92?

91 White What do you mean by use a feeler gauge? AFAIK a feeler gauge is used to measure a gap between 2 things how would i use it to check it the head is "fine" enough to use a cometic?

swap in a T1

LOL thats what my dad used to say when he got sick of fixing his R/T, but the top end power of a 16v just is to hard for me to get rid of.
Thanks Guys!

[Simsy]

91 White What do you mean by use a feeler gauge? AFAIK a feeler gauge is used to measure a gap between 2 things how would i use it to check it the head is "fine" enough to use a cometic?



LOL thats what my dad used to say when he got sick of fixing his R/T, but the top end power of a 16v just is to hard for me to get rid of.
Thanks Guys!

what i did was took a straight edge and used a feeler gauge between that and the deck..it seemed to work pretty good..Sorry, i should have clarified that lol

[raccoon]

swap in a T1

[Simsy]

swap in a T1

ugghhhh noooooo

[Lotashelbys]

Just for the record I drive TIII cars everyday. Thats all I have to say....

[1BADVAN]

Just for the record I drive TIII cars everyday. Thats all I have to say....

Yeah thats my plan too, I trust them i just want to do preventitive things so it is even more reliable, i think we just had a bad string of problems like any car can have. But now with more knowledge it should work better!

[raccoon]

But now with more knowledge it should work better!

thats what i tell myself year after year.

how about a neon head? do a hybird, or is that a even worse can of worms.

[Turbodave]

Just for the record I drive TIII cars everyday. Thats all I have to say....

Is that why you need so many of them?


I do like the timing idler modification Jackson does, that looks like it would help belt life and possibly be easier on the intermediate shaft as well.

That and making sure the 02 sensor wiring is routed away from the exhaust pipes are a few things you can do improve reliability.

[omnigoestohell]

x2 on the suggestions for

1) the ti or other retainers to lower valve spring pressure
2) rerouting the O2 sensor wiring if it hasn't already melted
3) installing a T1 instead


in addition be sure to watch your oil pressure and belt tension at all times..
do not drive it if either of those has any uncertainty!

otherwise, have fun and watch out for tire spin at the top of 3rd gear

Is that why you need so many of them?


I do like the timing idler modification Jackson does, that looks like it would help belt life and possibly be easier on the intermediate shaft as well.

That and making sure the 02 sensor wiring is routed away from the exhaust pipes are a few things you can do improve reliability.

[black86glhs]

Just for the record I drive TIII cars everyday. Thats all I have to say....

And he works on them all the time too!

[Lotashelbys]

And he works on them all the time too!

Actually I havent opened the hood on my DD for some time now. I wonder if it still has any oil left in it......

[1BADVAN]

Anyone know where to get these? cheaper than $260 from FWD

[iTurbo]

FWDP has the modified stock ones too. I just remembered I sent Jackson a couple A/C brackets for the idler relocation; can't wait to try it myself.

[Simsy]

Anyone know where to get these? cheaper than $260 from FWD

i believe the modified retainers on FWD are about $150..

[1BADVAN]

so are modified stock ones just milled down? so the spring has less tension? If so can't a local place do it cheaper?