I’ve been working on the tailpipe and now I’m exhausted!

A trip to Besslers netted me a used battery & the gas-tank-bank section of the exhaust pipe, complete with hanger. The battery was $26.50 and the tailpipe section was $15.90. I also got an assortment of exhaust hangers and clamps from Pep Boys and a 5.3 quart jug of Mobil 1 from Autozone. Over the last week or so, I managed to get a few thing accomplished.

I drained out the old oil, however, I did re-use the filter after draining it. I topped off with 5-20 Mobil 1 and then put a breaker bar on the crank pulley. The motor turns as freely as you’d expect, with nothing sticking or hanging up, so I don’t think we’ll have a repeat of the CRX.

To get the exhaust put together, I bought a tailpipe expander at Harbor Freight. It didn’t even finish the job before it stripped its threads out, so I returned it and borrowed AutoZone’s. That one did the trick and allowed me to slip the junkyard section over the original straight pipe. I added two hangers to the first section of the exhaust, one near the flex pipe to the turbo and one right after the joint before the bend around the gas tank. The new section attached to the stock hanger, and is pretty solid, overall. I re-attached the Supertrapp muffler so that it takes a straight shot out the back of the car. I don’t have it hanging in just the right place yet, but it is solidly attached for now. I did have to cut a bit out of the bumper cover for the muffler’s exit, but it should be up high enough to prevent hanging on the trailer.

The battery is in place and charged up, and it’s basically ready to start.

Still need to worry about the tires, though.