making a syclone reliable...

[Spnknu]

I know its a difficult task but what steps does one have to take to make his or her syclone dependable?

I ask this because I spoke with my cousin today about his syclone sitting at his parents house rotting away (he drives it around the block ONCE while hes home for a week) He lives in Ohio, truck is back in Alaska and I want to buy it. After we got over the subject of him selling it to me, he asked if I could wrench on it for him before he gets home next summer. So now I'm here to acquire information on making a reliable syclone...if at all possible.

Thanks

P.S Hopefully he will sell me that damn thing before then.

 

[Suny]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

start with a basic tune up and "REPLACE ALL THE VACUM HOSING ON THE ENGINE." this will work for most trucks still running stock.

PM this guy he might have some hosing kits left over. SYO237 very quality stuff my truck is running way better than it did the summer before now to just figure out the knock problem. also read up on this. although to get it performing better some of the diag stuff works well if you know what your doing. as in your an automotive or vehicle mechanic and know people. http://www.powertuneplus.com/syclone/howto_stock13s.shtm#part3_knocksolutions

 

[Jimmy]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

It really depends on what you are starting with.

Is it a 100% stock good running truck that has never been dorked with? Has it been beat like a rented mule on 87 octane with the wastegate welded shut?Does it have a KB chip? Does the IC pump work?Has it been neutral dropped much?

Too many variables to really give an honest answer.I mean,it might be a gem or it might be a turd.Ya never know,unless you know what to look for.or you know someone that does.

It's really a crapshoot,and basically IMO it comes down to the condition of the truck. If it is dry underneath and rust free,doesn't show any signs of blowby,and the trans SLAMS every gear,then it may be a decent truck.Maybe.

The simplest thing such as the wrong spark plugs or a vac leak can make a potential supermodel truck seem like a $2 crackwhore.

The best advice I can give you is to have somebody that knows the trucks check it out first hand. Make sure it has the right plugs,Do a compression check.Datalog it.Check the chip.Smell the fluids.See if it's got a broken motor mount.Check for vac leaks.

Now if you find a good running solid truck,there are a couple of shortcomings from the factory that need to be addressed to give you somewhat of a sense of security.

Fuel pump HAS to be upgraded.Propshaft too.A deep tranny pan and external cooler is a must.Hardwire the IC pump.Get a real boost gauge and a datalogger. Moniter and check EVERYTHING all the time,and don't beat it like a rented mule,and it might do okay.

Or it might throw a rod out the side of the block.Your results may vary. :dunno:

 

[Baythan]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

^^ Good stuff right there. :tup:

Basically, replace and upgrade everything that can be replaced (wires, vaccuum hoses, sparks, etc) or upgraded (fuel pump, brake pads, etc). But don't mod...keep it stock...and you should be good to go. (Still, keep a spare tranny and starter in the garage.)

 

[Brassmonkey]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

Is it even possible to make a SyTy reliable? :rotf:

All of those are great advice.

 

[alwayscode390]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

I love the "SLAMS" every gear.

My truck sat for 2 years and after I got to drive it last week ... I was like WTF ... this tranny DOES slam the gears , I was hoping that was a good thing ... I totally forgot HAHAH ---

 

[Spnknu]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

My skills as a mechanic are suitable for the work my cousin wants to perform. I've rebuild a few motors in the past with my brother, was an assistant mechanic in a heavy equipment shop for a couple years. Also working on cars & trucks is a very big hobby for me.

The truck is pretty mint from what I remember. The last time I rode in it, it was running like clock work. Pulled real hard, no boost leaks, shifted hard and rode smooth. That was a couple years ago. This last summer my cousin took it around the block like he normally does and said it was running rough, transmission was slipping and so on. So I recommended a full tune up, fresh fluids, new tires and a tougher transmission rebuild.

As for buying the truck, its more of I wanna keep the money in the family. Its not like he needs the cash, hes doing well for himself. But I'd like to see that truck out from his parents house getting the attention and jackstands it deserves. He also has a 454SS with 30k on it sitting back there too. As for me I'd like to make it a summer truck/DD with some well researched mods so I don't have it sitting on jackstands too long.

Later

 

[Spnknu]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

Thanks, but isn't that what its all about? The saying "you gotta pay to play" really comes to mind with these trucks or any other high performance vehicle. I've learned that the cheap way isn't always the best way to do things. Sometimes you get lucky, but that is rare when it does happen.

Later

 

[Jimmy]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

I've been daily driving my Ty since '01,between broken trannys,so yeah it can be done.

At least 130k miles on a rebuilt/redone everything truck that started at 85k.

 

[Spnknu]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

So what are you getting at? Are you saying that I'm incapable of producing the skills and money to maintain a syclone? Granted you don't know me on a personal level but I am a very diligent worker and meticulous of what I do. I'm not one of those people who half-asses their projects or vehicles at that. So if I get my cousin syclone, I'll be picking your brain on how to make it reliable since you have already done it. Aside from being expensive what the hell isn't nowadays?

I get the feeling that you see me as a punk ass 19 year old that you see roaming through your town "causing trouble". I assure you I am not this or any form of it. Is that what you think I am? What did I say to make you think that I was?

Back to the matter at hand I'm still open to suggestions and procedures to build a reliable syclone.

 

[warmpancakes]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

sy/tys are not normal cars, theres a reason alot of these trucks keep coming up for sale. My typhoon was at 3 dealers and had 2600.00 in parts thrown at it trying to figure out why it ran bad, There is another member here whos ty was the same way throw parts at it till the issue goes away. Are you good at diagnostics? Ive been into these trucks for many years and consider my self a pretty good mechanic but there are times I walk away upset. I wish I knew half of what dave does

 

[Spnknu]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

I'm getting better at diagnostics, I'm not the best but I can usually figure it by listening to the engine or hooking up my computer to the ecm. Or searching the forums to see if others had similar problems. That is not uncharted waters for me. I understand that these are very difficult vehicles to work on and they can be expensive. It takes knowledge, time & money to get things done correctly. I know this, learned at a very young age this life lesson.

 

[bezerk]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

syclones and typhoons are easy to work on once you get the hang of it. it takes alot of patience to figure out small problems because everything has to be right to to make the hp's and be safe.
i don't think it's a big deal anymore.
i bought all my syty's broken, and i fixed them. i learned alot, and patience is what really grew.
also i have been working of pos trucks from members in the netherlands, and they were all running like crap, i got them all running good again within a few hours. it's fun. i love these trucks, and i like to work on them.
with that said, it's not that bad. take advice from people from this forum, alot of them are pretty smart. but be sure you always got a few laying around to fix things. and that money goes in your transmission.
good luck.

 

[sharkbait]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

spunknu, u seem to be pretty level headed and mature for a 19 yr old. i grain of salt must be handy on this site. lol. if ur up for the challenge , i say go for it.

i thought my s10/sy conversuion was gonna be a 6week deal. im now into 5th month.

 

[jpalmer]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

DaveP is a valued member here and know these trucks better than i know the back of my hand. He just wants you to know that they are known to be difficult. That being said, i have personally been about 3k miles in his old Ty and can say i would have driven it around the world without hesitation. He took great care of it and never beat on it. The biggest problem is past owners with these trucks. Differed maintenance, improper fixes,inexperienced mechanics (with these in particular trucks), and poor design by GM/Pas.

Listen, i am not dogging these trucks, but they are known for being slightly more reliable than DSM's. Yes they can be reliable but if you want a really fast truck and don't do everything just right, it will be a sitting nightmare. Keep it stock, put in a better pump for the inter-cooler system, real Wharlbro fuel pump, and vac lines(as mentioned above) stock chip or custom burned for a near stock truck, make sure your exhaust is not to high flowing or you have a ported waste gate, and decent front drive shaft(prop shaft) and you should be ok. Trans is your weakest link if you race it. Even fully built on a stock motor and it will eventually go.

 

[TY1076]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

I drive my Ty everyday... no problems. Dont let it scare you just get it and drive it. Fix it when it breaks and enjoy the ride.

 

[gkrcr882]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

You seem to have a good grasp on the basic understanding of what these take. I bought mine knowing it needed some work, and so far I've spent the time and money to slowly fix it up. I've only raced it once, and launched it for fun a few times. Otherwise these trucks can be reliable if you stay ahead of the maintenance game, or even over-maintain to a point, and drive it like an ordinary car. Once in a blue moon I'll put the pedal down, but IMO its more stress than what's really needed. For these trucks as DD's, they're overpowered and under designed IMO.

replace whats old, and worn out (rubber pieces, ignition components, fluids and filters)
upgrade what is insufficient (transmission cooling, IC pump and fuel pump
maintain what's there (engine oil changes spot-on or under the 3K mark, trans fluid changes)
stay alert to any new sounds or smells that could be problems
Get under it once in a while to give it a good look over
Keep in mind that old things have more wear and tear on them (ask any of the older members on here what that feels like :rotf: ) and that they can break.

Good luck with the Syclone, it would be nice to hear about it on the road instead of spending its life sitting. One of the worst things you can do to a vehicle.

P.S.- Don't take offense to what the senior members on here have to say. Its hard to remain humble and keep quiet, but in the end you can only hear when you aren't talking. I've learned a ton from Waller, DaveP, George Blake, Warmpancakes, and all of the other guys on here. They've been there, done it and offer information that no book or online database ever will.

 

[Brassmonkey]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

Jeff you. It is.

Jeff you too. I was making a joke, are you taking this thread personal? You aren't the only one that can make a Sy reliable.

 

[SloGN]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

Yes It's possilbe to make a syty reliable.


My friend has a 93 ty that she bought new. It's had a few problem since she owned. i have personally been it's mechanic for the last 10yrs.

So far it's had 3 heater cores, 1 fuel pump, 1 I/C pump, tune ups, dist, 160k it got a engine rebuild due to the oil filter adapter for the remote oil filter where it bolts to the block the o-rings blew out and it lost a considerable amount of oil. The oil level got down to less than a quart. well i repaired that and then about a month later it started knocking under a load and lost oil pressure. so i rebuilt the engine using all stock componets and it's back up and going so far for 1.5 yrs.

it also had another problem with the speedo that stimmed from the idoits @ PAS zip tied the VSS wires to the tranny lines and over time it cokked the wires till the insulation fell off and shorted out.

but thats been since since new.





My Syclone since i bought it. The mileage was 101k. I had too change the dist. the prev owner had flowmaster exhaust installed. so i changed that out. I installed a ATR chip hot wired the I/C pump, done a full tune up and new fluids. . i have put 10k on it so far and it has been great.




Like someone posted before. It really depends on the truck that your starting with, the amount of patience one has, The amount of mechanic skills.



ow she don't beat on it like a rented mule either

 

[Brassmonkey]

Re: making a syclone reliable...

Yes It's possilbe to make a syty reliable.

My Syclone since i bought it. The mileage was 101k. I had too change the dist. the prev owner had flowmaster exhaust installed. so i changed that out. I installed a ATR chip hot wired the I/C pump, done a full tune up and new fluids. . i have put 10k on it so far and it has been great.

What about the vibration you had?