I am starting a new thread on my Syclone to keep organized. MOD's...please delete the old thread. 
Good Afternoon Gents,
Grab a seat, crack a cold adult beverage and settle in. You are in for a read. Below is a comprehensive write-up of the truck with the following categories:
1. Brief Description of Owner
2. Engine and Tranny Condition
3. Turbo / Intercooler / Chip / Cooling System Condition
4. Exterior Condition
5. Interior Condition
6. Driveability
7. Suspension / Driveline / Brakes / Wheels
8. Exhaust Condition
9. Upgrades / Aftermarket Parts
10. Overall Rating – Closing Comments
11. Pictures
Before we begin, I want to tell you a little about myself. I think it is important to know the character of a person and their passion for their vehicles to truly get a sense of the overall condition of the vehicle when reading a description.
I have been a car/truck nut like all of you folks since my first Tonka toy at age 3. My pastime is car shows and car auctions and I attribute my taste for quality vehicles from participating in these events with my Dad and Uncles. It is also a detriment because after being around show vehicles all the time nothing was ever good enough and I became uber picky which most of you know equates to uber expensive. Anyhow, I restored my first vehicle when I was 18. It was a 1974 Chevy truck – by no means special. By the time I was 25 there really wasn’t anything I couldn’t figure out in respects to mechanical and body work if I did my homework. Fast forward through the years…..30 vehicles later and 5 restorations ranging from Chevy Impalas to Dodge Coronets to Mercury Cougars to Datsun’s, I feel I have enough knowledge to navigate my way around vehicles and I know what to look for.
Everything I have sold along the way has been described in length and I do my best to be honest, forthcoming and open to questions because I also believe in Karma and giving folks a fair shake. So let’s get into the Syclone. I looked for approximately 4 months here locally in Washington State for a solid platform. I lurked on this site to learn as much as I could and get a feel for what to look for and what to avoid etc. I began getting a sense for how much to spend on a truck and also what monies would be necessary to bring it to 100% etc. I wasn’t looking for a show truck but I was looking for something solid that I didn’t need to dump a million dollars into and could systematically bring back to 100% reliability. As you probably guessed, I was looking for an unmolested, untouched factory truck. I wanted something to restore as this is my hobby.
I found it in Snohomish and am the 3rd owner. The 2nd owner only had the truck for 6 months before he decided he was more of a Ford Lightening guy….go figure. The truck was purchased in 1991 at a local dealership in Puyallup. I have all the paperwork and a letter from GMC thanking the owner for his purchase. It stayed under his ownership until 2011 when it was sold to the 2nd owner. The 2nd owner did nothing to the truck and evidently got bored with it. This is when I purchased it and brought it home here to the Eastside.
Let’s break into the categories shall we? Again, I will do my best to describe the truck and all of her strengths and weaknesses. A plethora of pictures will be taken and uploaded to this site.
Engine and Tranny Condition:
The motor and tranny is 100% factory and it has approximately 129, xxx miles on the original drivetrain. The odometer stopped turning at 124,xxx. The motor and tranny have never been out of the truck as far as I can tell and the 1st owner has no records of any major overhauls. This means the heads have never been cracked open and the bottom end has never seen daylight.
The transmission shifts smooth and does not grind, miss shifts, make any funny noises etc. What it does do is shift properly at the factory shift points (RPM) and it goes into all forward gears nice and tight and as expected. Reverse is also 100% with no issues. The TV cable has been adjusted, the filters and pan gaskets replaced, the tranny flushed and new fluid added.
**Most if not all of this work described in this entire write-up was done immediately after I purchased the truck to make it 100% before I started driving it.
The engine makes no funny noises, does not have excessive knock (Datamaster) and purrs like a kitten or rather like a really pissed off mountain lion. It really does idle nice and is constant with no spikes or fluctuations in RPM. In a nutshell, it starts on the first key, idles like it should, does not miss, fart, expel blue smoke, spew gasoline or any other odd behavior. I will tell you that it does have a puff of blue smoke when starting it up cold (not HOT) and does not blow blue smoke under hard acceleration on the freeway or from a dead stop. The engine does not burn any excessive oil and the dipstick always shows the proper amount between oil changes. Now, I did have a major oil leak which I located and fixed. Many of you may recall my recent post on this topic. I eliminated the remote oil filter. That damn thing was a sieve not only at the filter housing itself but at multiple locations on the oil feed and return lines. I removed it, cleaned up the motor and installed a WIX spin on filter. At this time, I switched to Synthetic. The truck under my ownership has always run Castrol Titanium 10/ 40. After the remote delete, I switched to Synthetic to run cooler and I use REDLINE 15/40. Everybody has an opinion on oil and my preference is REDLINE. I run it in my vehicles, my motorcycles, my boat and my lawnmower and chainsaw. I have never had a problem.
I use NGK UR6 plugs gapped at .28 and the truck does not eat plugs. They are always light brown and free of oil and gas when I change them. The wires are 8.5mm Magnecor. I use the proper brass terminal rotor and cap from NAPA. The wires, plugs, cap and rotor are due for a change and I have the brand new Taylor 8.5mm wire set that will go with the truck. It has a new PVC valve, a new battery, and a new Accufab adjustable fuel pressure regulator to include a new fuel filter on the frame rail. Just last week I installed a new tensioner, cam roller, alternator and serpentine belt.
I took all of the injectors out of the truck, cleaned them, tested them, and put them right back where they belong. There are zero issues with fuel delivery. There are no excessive oil leaks on the motor however in full disclosure it appears I have some weeping on the intake gasket back by the distributor. It is either the intake gasket, distributor gasket or the oil pressure feed line but the weeping is not excessive and it does not leave oil all over the driveway. There are no other apparent leaks that I could find either from top or underneath. I have driven several of these trucks and #994 has full power with no odd sounds, clicking etc. I do not beat on my cars so under my ownership the truck has only seen 1 turbo launch. I did this just to see what all the hub-bub was about. It was fun, and I was impressed but also started seeing visions of dollar signs if this continued. That is all I can think of from a motor perspective and I am sure I am missing some things but hopefully memory will serve backed by receipts. Next category……
Turbo / Intercooler / Chip / Cooling System Condition:
I am running the factory Mitsubishi Turbo, waste gate actuator, IC pump and related plumbing. Nothing has been altered, taken apart, or replaced…it is 100% factory. I did however check shaft play and free spin and there are no issues. The truck will spool to 14.7 PSI with no issues, noises, over boost etc. It does have a new turbo boost solenoid valve and a new turbo relay on the firewall. All of the plumbing is factory to include the cross over tube to the air box – no cracks or holes!! The oil hoses, elbows and related tubing are all intact and in good working order. The intercooler, water to air reservoir, IC pump and related wiring plumbing is all in good shape with no leaks or issues. I did hotwire the IC pump to run at all times like most folks do. I also did a full flush of the entire system and replaced coolant to the proper levels. I use Prestone 50/50 standard green antifreeze. I always add the proper amount of REDLINE Water Wetter to keep temps down. The intercooler and radiator do not leak and are in good working order. All related plumbing is in good order with zero leaks, weeping etc. I did install a new radiator cap just because. The factory fan has been replaced and in its place is a Haynes 14” electric fan which moves approximately 1900 CFM of air at 17-19 amps. It cools the truck adequately and my aftermarket gauges show between 180-200F at all times. In fact I shut the fan off at freeway speeds. I have a 180 degree thermostat installed which is also new as noted above.
The factory programming and ECU Chip have never been touched. To prove this you can see the factory seal around the box. It has NEVER been cracked open. Oh, almost forgot about the heater core and air conditioning. The heater core does not leak or weep any fluid – period! The air conditioning system cost me $500 dollars to renew with factory refrigerant and to replace the seals and check the compressor and related hardware etc. It blows ice cold air at all fan speeds – awesome!!! All HVAC settings work flawlessly with no issues – as it should!
Good Afternoon Gents,
Grab a seat, crack a cold adult beverage and settle in. You are in for a read. Below is a comprehensive write-up of the truck with the following categories:
1. Brief Description of Owner
2. Engine and Tranny Condition
3. Turbo / Intercooler / Chip / Cooling System Condition
4. Exterior Condition
5. Interior Condition
6. Driveability
7. Suspension / Driveline / Brakes / Wheels
8. Exhaust Condition
9. Upgrades / Aftermarket Parts
10. Overall Rating – Closing Comments
11. Pictures
Before we begin, I want to tell you a little about myself. I think it is important to know the character of a person and their passion for their vehicles to truly get a sense of the overall condition of the vehicle when reading a description.
I have been a car/truck nut like all of you folks since my first Tonka toy at age 3. My pastime is car shows and car auctions and I attribute my taste for quality vehicles from participating in these events with my Dad and Uncles. It is also a detriment because after being around show vehicles all the time nothing was ever good enough and I became uber picky which most of you know equates to uber expensive. Anyhow, I restored my first vehicle when I was 18. It was a 1974 Chevy truck – by no means special. By the time I was 25 there really wasn’t anything I couldn’t figure out in respects to mechanical and body work if I did my homework. Fast forward through the years…..30 vehicles later and 5 restorations ranging from Chevy Impalas to Dodge Coronets to Mercury Cougars to Datsun’s, I feel I have enough knowledge to navigate my way around vehicles and I know what to look for.
Everything I have sold along the way has been described in length and I do my best to be honest, forthcoming and open to questions because I also believe in Karma and giving folks a fair shake. So let’s get into the Syclone. I looked for approximately 4 months here locally in Washington State for a solid platform. I lurked on this site to learn as much as I could and get a feel for what to look for and what to avoid etc. I began getting a sense for how much to spend on a truck and also what monies would be necessary to bring it to 100% etc. I wasn’t looking for a show truck but I was looking for something solid that I didn’t need to dump a million dollars into and could systematically bring back to 100% reliability. As you probably guessed, I was looking for an unmolested, untouched factory truck. I wanted something to restore as this is my hobby.
I found it in Snohomish and am the 3rd owner. The 2nd owner only had the truck for 6 months before he decided he was more of a Ford Lightening guy….go figure. The truck was purchased in 1991 at a local dealership in Puyallup. I have all the paperwork and a letter from GMC thanking the owner for his purchase. It stayed under his ownership until 2011 when it was sold to the 2nd owner. The 2nd owner did nothing to the truck and evidently got bored with it. This is when I purchased it and brought it home here to the Eastside.
Let’s break into the categories shall we? Again, I will do my best to describe the truck and all of her strengths and weaknesses. A plethora of pictures will be taken and uploaded to this site.
Engine and Tranny Condition:
The motor and tranny is 100% factory and it has approximately 129, xxx miles on the original drivetrain. The odometer stopped turning at 124,xxx. The motor and tranny have never been out of the truck as far as I can tell and the 1st owner has no records of any major overhauls. This means the heads have never been cracked open and the bottom end has never seen daylight.
The transmission shifts smooth and does not grind, miss shifts, make any funny noises etc. What it does do is shift properly at the factory shift points (RPM) and it goes into all forward gears nice and tight and as expected. Reverse is also 100% with no issues. The TV cable has been adjusted, the filters and pan gaskets replaced, the tranny flushed and new fluid added.
**Most if not all of this work described in this entire write-up was done immediately after I purchased the truck to make it 100% before I started driving it.
The engine makes no funny noises, does not have excessive knock (Datamaster) and purrs like a kitten or rather like a really pissed off mountain lion. It really does idle nice and is constant with no spikes or fluctuations in RPM. In a nutshell, it starts on the first key, idles like it should, does not miss, fart, expel blue smoke, spew gasoline or any other odd behavior. I will tell you that it does have a puff of blue smoke when starting it up cold (not HOT) and does not blow blue smoke under hard acceleration on the freeway or from a dead stop. The engine does not burn any excessive oil and the dipstick always shows the proper amount between oil changes. Now, I did have a major oil leak which I located and fixed. Many of you may recall my recent post on this topic. I eliminated the remote oil filter. That damn thing was a sieve not only at the filter housing itself but at multiple locations on the oil feed and return lines. I removed it, cleaned up the motor and installed a WIX spin on filter. At this time, I switched to Synthetic. The truck under my ownership has always run Castrol Titanium 10/ 40. After the remote delete, I switched to Synthetic to run cooler and I use REDLINE 15/40. Everybody has an opinion on oil and my preference is REDLINE. I run it in my vehicles, my motorcycles, my boat and my lawnmower and chainsaw. I have never had a problem.
I use NGK UR6 plugs gapped at .28 and the truck does not eat plugs. They are always light brown and free of oil and gas when I change them. The wires are 8.5mm Magnecor. I use the proper brass terminal rotor and cap from NAPA. The wires, plugs, cap and rotor are due for a change and I have the brand new Taylor 8.5mm wire set that will go with the truck. It has a new PVC valve, a new battery, and a new Accufab adjustable fuel pressure regulator to include a new fuel filter on the frame rail. Just last week I installed a new tensioner, cam roller, alternator and serpentine belt.
I took all of the injectors out of the truck, cleaned them, tested them, and put them right back where they belong. There are zero issues with fuel delivery. There are no excessive oil leaks on the motor however in full disclosure it appears I have some weeping on the intake gasket back by the distributor. It is either the intake gasket, distributor gasket or the oil pressure feed line but the weeping is not excessive and it does not leave oil all over the driveway. There are no other apparent leaks that I could find either from top or underneath. I have driven several of these trucks and #994 has full power with no odd sounds, clicking etc. I do not beat on my cars so under my ownership the truck has only seen 1 turbo launch. I did this just to see what all the hub-bub was about. It was fun, and I was impressed but also started seeing visions of dollar signs if this continued. That is all I can think of from a motor perspective and I am sure I am missing some things but hopefully memory will serve backed by receipts. Next category……
Turbo / Intercooler / Chip / Cooling System Condition:
I am running the factory Mitsubishi Turbo, waste gate actuator, IC pump and related plumbing. Nothing has been altered, taken apart, or replaced…it is 100% factory. I did however check shaft play and free spin and there are no issues. The truck will spool to 14.7 PSI with no issues, noises, over boost etc. It does have a new turbo boost solenoid valve and a new turbo relay on the firewall. All of the plumbing is factory to include the cross over tube to the air box – no cracks or holes!! The oil hoses, elbows and related tubing are all intact and in good working order. The intercooler, water to air reservoir, IC pump and related wiring plumbing is all in good shape with no leaks or issues. I did hotwire the IC pump to run at all times like most folks do. I also did a full flush of the entire system and replaced coolant to the proper levels. I use Prestone 50/50 standard green antifreeze. I always add the proper amount of REDLINE Water Wetter to keep temps down. The intercooler and radiator do not leak and are in good working order. All related plumbing is in good order with zero leaks, weeping etc. I did install a new radiator cap just because. The factory fan has been replaced and in its place is a Haynes 14” electric fan which moves approximately 1900 CFM of air at 17-19 amps. It cools the truck adequately and my aftermarket gauges show between 180-200F at all times. In fact I shut the fan off at freeway speeds. I have a 180 degree thermostat installed which is also new as noted above.
The factory programming and ECU Chip have never been touched. To prove this you can see the factory seal around the box. It has NEVER been cracked open. Oh, almost forgot about the heater core and air conditioning. The heater core does not leak or weep any fluid – period! The air conditioning system cost me $500 dollars to renew with factory refrigerant and to replace the seals and check the compressor and related hardware etc. It blows ice cold air at all fan speeds – awesome!!! All HVAC settings work flawlessly with no issues – as it should!
