Update, all quiet over the last month. I've installed an OEM coolant cap, replaced the brake/clutch fluid, oil change and filter. Urgently to do is: condition the front leather seats and replace remaining driveline fluids (along with the haldex filter). Coming up on one year of ownership this Sunday.



spent some cash money on a custom bezel pod, boost gauge almost looks oem



Family road trip to Galveston without a hitch (wife needs a bigger car ASAP!). Also 2 kids require more than double the stuff that one kid does...



and got a pic of the car all washed up.

Complete Idiot said:

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Uh, thats a lot of stickers.

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Must be a thing with these as I've been watching this thread and have passed a white one on my way to work on I-10 and Taylor a few times in the past 2 weeks, and it has a lot of stickers on it as well. It also has the uterus on the back, so I'm sure the guy's boyfriend bought it for him.

Minor update, the car is finally running decently now that the temps have cooled off. This car really shined when the cold front came through last weekend and was a riot to throw around some corners during that time.

The maintenance needs continue to stack up, working with the local moonlighting mechanic that put in the intercooler to help me out with a few things. The current list includes that he'll tackle this weekend includes:
-Exhaust valve timing currently off by 6* and the camshaft adapters adapt for this every time the car starts, he'll be redoing timing on the car to get it as close to nominal as possible, hopefully this solves the knock issue I was experiencing
-New water pump
-New accessory belt
-Drivetrain fluids: rear diff, angle gear (transfer case), transmission, Haldex fluid and filter (the last one requiring a driveshaft removal)
-rear engine pad mount that I couldn't change myself
-diagnose location of a small leak that I have weeping from the trans/angle gear area
-inner and outer tie rod replacement to fix a minor vibration at 50mph

The list that I need to tackle includes:
-front sway bar end links
-four corner brake job
-upholstery shop to fix stitching on driver seat
-R&R front bumper sag
-fix broken fog light connector
-source a company to refinish wheels and calipers as both are in need of fresh paint

The list of maintenance done recently includes:
-oil change and tires
-diagnosed and fixed a pesky evap leak
-replaced 4 of 5 engine mounts

The car as she sits now






My favorite feature, bar none


Motor mount was DONE


Trans output shaft leak I think


Meme time

Brother from another mother:

Pic heavy update. James, the weekend mechanic, spent about 12 hours over the weekend working on the lolvo. He didn't get to everything I needed done (still need to drain and fill: trans, transfer case up front, rear diff) but he hit the important parts and I'm good to go for the time being.

All in probably $900 or so in parts and labor $300 parts/$600 labor. AWD seems to hook better at launch and the car sails straight and smooth, love it. Just about have here where I want her whereby I can start fixing new problems as they come up rather than chip away at preventive stuff!

New and old water pump, old one was original at 166k, glad it was done



Old and new engine pad, I couldn't get it out for the life of me, took him 20 minutes...


Haldex (50/50 on demand torque split via a pump and clutch system) service, since it's a manual it has a harmonic balancer that has to be removed to gain access to the filter window. This requires dropping both the exhaust and the driveshaft and using a puller to remove the rear balancer, all of which was out of my wheelhouse for a weekend job. The oil when left unchanged can clog the filter with clutch particulates, cavitate the pump and fry the computer module or pump that powers the AWD system turning a $50 parts job to a $700 parts only job


The filter fits into the bottom hole, pump slots into the left cavity

Gross...


Timing job, did the rear camshaft seals while he was in there as he had a pair laying around and they were starting to seep, timing was half a tooth off

Camshaft adaptation sweeps/checks, perfect:

Adaptions are spot on, no more 6.8* of exhaust adaption!!


Tie rods were done, outer ties were totally blown, smooth as butter now

love me a good healthy suspension shot


AWD boi


Hit 166k on the way to work