What's the best cheap thing you did to your 1st gen.

The <$1 brass bushing for the clutch spring to get rid of the squeak for good...so much sanity for so little cost

 

Leather steering wheel cover for the worn out steering wheel is an easy fix with
Wheelskin covers, super high quality for 50.00

 

Whaaaaaaat? Never realized that 97 and earlier had a "table" on the passenger side. 98 and up have airbags and don't have that flat top. Full size trucks always have it and I'm always jealous of it. Now I have to be jealous of 97 and older trucks too.

 

That's where you set your beer when your working on it...they probably have less cup holders back then

 

we have the best cupholders (pull out of dash style)

 

Had those in my 98 legacy...to be truthful....they were god awful!

 

If you get a high quality cover like wheelskin the fit will be perfect, but will be a bear to put on.
The cover I got from them took 5 minutes just to work the cover on around the wheel. Guaranteed it's not moving anywhere, and the stitching takes a lot of pulling super hard to bring the seams together where you stich it. Once on, it doesn't move anywhere and is unbelievably tight, but definitely was a chore to keep the seams tight, but that's how you want a cover to be, if it s loose anywhere
it's no good, took me 2 hours but was my first time at this.

 

That looks sweet, did it come with the thread and needle? Def. doing this if my superglue idea doesn't pan out. The previous owner must have really clenched the top left of the wheel and worked it up and down. Feels pretty weird on that side and I find myself avoiding it - I drive using the top right mostly anyway. I don't rev it like a motorcycle though, jeesh!

 

Yea, comes with what ever color thread you choose, my wheel looked like crap and I wish I had done this years ago for 50.00

 

So I'm getting this was a cosmetic thing, no looseness in the original wheel vinyl? I'd hate to go to all that and still feel some play under there.

 

If it's loose then the rubber is breaking away from the steel support and I would definitely use a syringe
with glue and then wrap it, my wheel was a little loose but after putting the cover on and stitching it with all my strength for each stitch its now totally solid and looks amazing

 

Ah... right on man, ya I wasn't sure if the glue idea would work so was wondering if this might fix some of the looseness. It's not that bad but don't want it getting any worse.

 

Back in the olden days (before PVC) valve trains usually looked like they had tar dumped on them.
Course oil was from live dinosaurs so I dunno.

 

Ok well regardless the cover will firm all that area up pretty well, mine doesn't move at all now unless
bear down on that area, so I killed two birds with one stone

 

I know there is benefit to applying positive pressure to the crankcase via vacuum. I just don't know if replacement air has to enter via the intake pipe. Seems like it is just as much a potential outlet for oil from the valve cover. That's why I took mine off and put an end breather filter on it for now.

I'm not sure about a valve train having tar. Most of what a PCV accomplishes is relieving blow-by gasses from the crankcase which could damage seals if not relieved. the PCV is supposed to do more than just relieve them by applying positive vacuum pressure.

 

the valve cover vents through the intake because that amount of air is actually read by the maf. it is sucked in one valve cover by the vacuum and then put back into the intake at the other. I have no idea how much this affects anything but...

 

Oooops, I typed pvc again.

PCV is the outlet side. If you put a filter there it will just filter oil before it drips on your cover.

Trying to get bearings here..............I think they used to just put breathers on both sides. If you left the intake side on ? I don't remember. fresh air comes from there.

Anyway PCV side is where vacuum comes from. Sounds like you just have vented system now.

 

The MAF is down at the airbox and the crankcase vent hose enters the intake just before the throttle body. Are you thinking of the idle air control sensor? I had confused that with the MAF initally. It is the one right where the CC vent dumps in.

 

I left that side intact, well after putting a new PCV valve, grommet and hose in. I pulled the CC breather from the driver's side valve cover and put an end filter on it, then capped where it would go into the intake.

Or I should say I put a length of hose on it that would allow it to hang down the firewall with an end filter on it vs. going into the intake. It is commonly done by muscle car people seeking to keep oil out of the intake. Originally came across it in reference to 4.0 jeeps.