Playing with TunerPro today, I discovered I hadn't zeroed a table for Coolant Temp Spark Adder. My spark table was pretty aggressive as it is.... Zeroed it, and we'll see (probably tomorrow) if there's any improvement.
Kinda needs spherical rod ends in the back instead of poly bushes.
Not a refined car, but it is safe (enough) and predictable to drive.
The exhaust leak I think I hear is getting worse. Time to replace the carbon header gasket that I didn't replace with Remflex when the driver's side header gasket blew.
I'll try and video the header gasket replacement, so the future purchaser knows what they're getting into. 
No gaskets.. All they do is blow out.
I've done at least a dozen jobs for exhaust manifolds or headers since I quit using gaskets and just went with a smear of copper high-temp sealant and have had zero leaks.
We use remflex too and have had better luck with no gasket at all.
This stuff?
Yes, that's the stuff.
We figured out that the gaskets seem to fail in a small area, the exhaust then burns that hole bigger and makes a big leak.
If the flange is flat and tight against the head, there is no place for the exhaust to blow out of and burn the gasket. The sealant is just an added layer in case the surface isn't perfect.
Check the manifold / header flange with a straightedge and belt sand if necessary before you install them.
Picked up the goop today, though I'm tempted to just run the remaining unused Remflex that I do have.
The headers are SO hard to get at, I don't want to do the goop only and still have it leak - is the stuff that good? What about a thin smear of goop on both sides of the gasket?
I generally goop and gasket. Very few leaks that way.
I get the reason why the no-gasket approach would work, assuming a flat header flange. But it still takes a leap of fait to go there the first time.
The theory is that with no gasket, there is nothing for the exhaust gas to erode until it escapes.
What nohome said.
There isn't really any space for it to leak, the RTV just takes up whatever small discrepancies there may be.
I haven't had a single one leak since I've been doing them this way. That goes for the 460 in my F-250 and the 454 in my wife's K2500 Suburban, both of which see / saw plenty of towing duty. Two-horse trailers and travel trailers.
I've seen OEM Chevrolet and Ford applications with no gasket and they seemed fine as well.
Ultimately, it's up to you. I've had better luck with no gasket than using a gasket or a gasket and sealer.
I've only used the Remflex when I've had warped manifolds that I don't dare machine down or belt sand (Packard V12)
I bought the goop, but I didn't use it. I'm not confident the headers are flat enough, and I'm not ready to gamble on something I haven't tried before in this circumstance. It's just not fun to work in there.
I'm chicken. I'm not ready for that leap of faith.
Of course, if the Remflex fails and I have to go in there again, I'll wallow in regret....
SkinnyG said:Playing with TunerPro today, I discovered I hadn't zeroed a table for Coolant Temp Spark Adder. My spark table was pretty aggressive as it is.... Zeroed it, and we'll see (probably tomorrow) if there's any improvement.
Did NOT like that, so I put it back, but I added 50%. It seems like an improvement, we'll see over time.
You know how you get that still, small, voice, way down deep in your gut that tells you you should (or should not) do something?
And you know that when you don't listen to it, you later wish you had?
That voice said quite strongly "NOW is the time to sell the Firefly."
So, while I am excited, I am also a little afraid. But, I just submitted the Firefly to www.bringatrailer.com. Should go live shortly.
That is a fine home for it.
The submission was approved and should go live within two weeks. They will draft the listing from the info I submitted, and once I approve it, it should be a go.
They said they would only list it at a "no reserve." I'm ascared.
But,
While I -love- the car, I do not -want- the car. And I'm still not really sure why I don't want it anymore, exactly. It could just be that I "like the build," and once the build is done...... ?
In reply to SkinnyG :
I'll be watching the sale! I have always liked this one....
With the BaT auction looming, I've got a bit push to finish a few details.
In cleaning the car for pictures, I noticed the passenger floor was wet with coolant - the heater core repair I did previously did not hold, so I bought a new heater core. Which is not exactly the same shape, so I had to make changes to the mounting of the heater core. It's much simpler now, and hopefully just as rigid.
I also made a simple fill panel to cover the radio and heater void spaces.
I also finished the bottom of the window net mounts. The net is ten years old, and disintegrating as I handle it.
Nasty crack, fix didn't take.
New (not exactly the same) heater core, old heater core, wrong sized replacement fan.
Hey! I just saw this on bring a trailer this morning... Good luck with the sale!
Seems well received, hope you get some money out of it. I would be interested to hear your opinion of selling on BAT - it's one of my favorite websites to browse so I hope it's equally pleasant to be on the other side of.
Had to go over and see how the car was received. I kinda figure that BAT will be the end of the line for the Molvo some day.
Did it REALLY take 8 years to build that? I was here, honestly, following along, and it sure did not seem that long.
Pete
The listing is here:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-pontiac-firefly/
Yes, it took 8 years, but I kept a lot of it under wraps because I wanted to have "the big reveal" when it was done.
I started in 2009. The first three years or so it was all being done after hours at work. Then I had a really crappy bunch of grade 12's come through, so I hauled it home by October 2012. Lots of the time there was sqaundered a bit, as by the end of the day, I didn't want to work on it, and I really didn't like going to work on weekends or summer to work on it either.
I got a lot more productive once it was in my garage at home.
2014 I started this thread because I like Tuna55's motivation of posting progress to push himself to keep posting progress, so I revealed the project to you guys and put it up on my website. That was probably one of the best moves to keep the project going.
2015 I broke ground for my workshop, which took 2 years, and then I pushed a lot more to finish the car, completing it (enough) in 2017. Hmm. Did I actually build the workshop AND finish the car in those 2 years? Holy. I must have.
Back when I started, I said it would take me 5 years to build it. If I took away the squandered time, and wasn't building a workshop, 5 years would be the realistic time I spent on it. But it was 8 start to finish.
The responders in the comments section are all pretty cool so far, that's a good thing. 
There always seems to be a few who get super critical about any car on BAT.
Now is the "stagnant" time, where nobody want to bid the price up yet. The anxiety is killing me.
It "closes" at 3pm my time, during my Drafting class. I figure we'll all put our names on the board with how much we think it'll go for, watch it on the big screen as we work, and the winning kid (Price is Right rules) takes home a Timmy's Card. Should be memorable for the kids.
Timmy’s Card is legit
Congrats on the sale, I watched the last 5 minutes. Didn't know BAT auctions worked like Yahoo Japan with the clock resetting with each bid.
Are you happy with the amount it sold for? I thought it was a tad low. I wonder how much of a difference it would make if you were located south of the border.
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