1990 Yugo GV+ aka Yugo From Hell

ValuePack wrote: Glad to see you're still plugging away on YFH, top notch as always. Keep at it!

Well it's still available for sale but the price will just go up as I get it closer to running. Once its running the price REALLY goes up ;)

Some other interesting notes for the internet archaeologist who someday goes hunting for how to do this engine swap. Most of the basics like the oil pump are covered in other conversion articles, but none of them specifically address converting the Yugo EFI motor which is turning out to have some small but noticeable differences. New one discovered tonite:

The crank, idler (oil pump) and cam gears for the timing belt are narrower on the EFI motor to allow for the wider crank pulley with trigger wheel. When I first installed the trigger wheel and crank pulley the crank nut didnt bottom out as it did before. I didn't think much of it at first but tonite I put the other gears side by side and sure enough they are shorter for the EFI motor, which probably means a different/narrower timing belt will be needed. I'll have to try and get some photos tomorrow.

I am happy to hear that you are making progress on this thing... at least twice that I remember I have actually considered buying it! Perhaps now I may even have a chance to take it for a spin some day!

Remember, I am typically available if you ever need a set of extra hands. Also, I will gladly help clean up the garage if it makes more space so that we can paint my bimmer in the spring.

tb wrote: I am happy to hear that you are making progress on this thing... at least twice that I remember I have actually considered buying it! Perhaps now I may even have a chance to take it for a spin some day! Remember, I am typically available if you ever need a set of extra hands. Also, I will gladly help clean up the garage if it makes more space so that we can paint my bimmer in the spring.

Well it is still for sale :) I actually need to get back to work on the RV soon, but since I was cleaning up the shop I kinda got into the mindset of "I can store this part on the shelf ooooooor...install it on the motor"

Once the Wartburg leaves this weekend the Yugo will move to the storage garage and the wifes VW will move to the "working" garage but it can always move back over to storage if we need to paint something :)

JThw8 wrote: Well it *is* still for sale :) I actually need to get back to work on the RV soon, but since I was cleaning up the shop I kinda got into the mindset of "I can store this part on the shelf ooooooor...install it on the motor" Once the Wartburg leaves this weekend the Yugo will move to the storage garage and the wifes VW will move to the "working" garage but it can always move back over to storage if we need to paint something :)

I wish I could! No place to put it and I am already testing the wife with all of the work I am doing on the e30...

One thing in my life that I have never done is bodywork so I am using this car to teach myself some things. It will never be pretty but good enough is my goal. A scuff and spray would make swmbo happy but I am still many months away from thinking about that yet.

I am feeling pretty good these days though, so the offer stands about helping out if you ever need some extra manpower.

Help offer is much appreciated. To be honest there's not a lot of "heavy liftintg" on this project, just time and motivation.

Once the new motor is together the biggest task is installing and tuning the MS, I have a theoretical knowledge on what needs to be done but there is like a mental block on actually doing it, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Aside from that I mostly need to do clean up work replace the struts with the konis and if it's going to Lemons then cage it and drop in a 24 gallon fuel cell. And Speedycop will handle the cage work since he's driving that puppy.

Oh, a bit of parts archeology when on last night. I have always listed the big valve head I had sitting on a shelf for this as a "PBS" almost always in quotes because I was going by what I was told but could not verify it actually came from PBS.

I think I mentioned earlier I was able to snag a Faza 40/80 cam for pennies on the dollar so last night I wanted to pull the cam out of that head and check the Faza in it. I don't know why this step never occurred to me but finally I have some verification. The camshaft that came out of the head was a PBS SX1...sweet.

So a little about these cams. The SX1 actually has a shorter duration than stock 254 vs 260, but much higher lift. The theory was (and it's proven in use) that this cam snaps the valves open and shut much faster than stock but with higher lift to cram an intake charge in there. It has good street characteristics with good low and midrange torque while still being good up to about 8000 rpm or more. It's also ideally suited to the stock Fiat fuel injection system

The Faza has a 300 duration and is considered a very aggressive street or mild race cam. Power doesnt come on until 3500-4000 RPM but continues to build past 8000.

So now I have some choices to make and a small collection of vintage fiat performance parts starting to build. I may end up selling the one not used (most likely the SX1) as each of them is worth $200ish or more which would pay for some other work I'd like to have done to the head.

(really at $2000 for the package y'all are missing out, you could 0 this car out with parts sales)

So I'm looking at intake design, please weigh in here http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/lets-talk-intake-design/69400/page1/

Curiosity also got the best of me and I pulled the end cap off the last cam tower to see what that one held. Well whaddaya know, I now have TWO PBS SX1 camshafts.

So for those keeping track and thinking about buying the car you now have...

2 PBS SX1 camshafts which are selling for $150-$200 used

1 Faza 40/80 camshaft $300 used

PBS big valve head - value unknown

Full set of Koni reds - $400?!?

So there's the first $1000 of the $2000 price and we haven't started talking about the 5 spare motors, one of which has 9.5:1 compression pistons in a 1500 cc block and an aftermarket windage tray. The spare 5 speed transmission or the installed Hoelsher built 4 speed. and boxes full of clutches, brake parts etc etc etc....starting to think $2000 is giving it away, but to see it stay in GRM I'll still honor the price.

Hey Jim:

Note on the PBS head:

I forget specifically why, but I came to the conclusion that head was not actually a PBS head. It IS a big valve one. Maybe the specific valve diameter??

I am not saying either way, but if it matters to someone, you may want to confirm.

SVreX wrote: Hey Jim: Note on the PBS head: I forget specifically why, but I came to the conclusion that head was not actually a PBS head. It IS a big valve one. Maybe the specific valve diameter?? I am not saying either way, but if it matters to someone, you may want to confirm.

If the car is here much longer (like the next 30 days or so) then it won't matter much as the head is going to get some modifications and upgrades either way :)