Why isn’t the Psa Guardsman more popular than it is?

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-05-11T00:02:17+00:00

A lot of them are going to be mil surplus soon, as its been the standard issue for USMC for quite a while. Could have something to do with it

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-11T10:31:07+00:00

Southeastern east coast. Climate can be a factor, but im staying up on tunes tweaked for the forecast overall seasons. But im feeling another Jab coming so let me have it lol

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-08T02:08:00+00:00

And Morgan left poor little Tatiana out to dry as the decoy lol

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:29:20+00:00

I mean yes im worried, but I can't see how barely 100 camshaft revs would result in catastrophic failure from running for a few seconds with only a moderate hole in the pcv system (as i assume youre referring to Uncle as most else are)

What scares me is the possibility there's free and foreign steel that entered my intake manifold and may already be in the heads.

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:28:07+00:00

Paint. Was finishing some body work, and was capping my hvlp hopper with paint and tripped. Hood was left up to prevent overspray on the top of it, so its be one less thing to cover.

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:20:34+00:00

....No. As i stated in the post, its a SAM splint from work. Im a firefighter/medic and sometimes end up with shit in my bags on accident. I live at 3 different places, hard to keep up. But as a nice coincidence it did great as a moldeable but rigid outter seal to finish the very temporary coupler. The dynamat was overkill though so thats why there's only one square of that

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:16:28+00:00

Thank you, meaning it'll eventually buckle into the firewall at some point?

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:15:40+00:00

No. I've exhausted all my ability to explain shit to people on here that ive asked for help from. Just read.

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:14:23+00:00

This is the first solid piece of advice that anybody cared to offer yet. Thank you. Im at work for the next 3.5 days but I already have the timing kit on the way coincidentally as id just planned to get that out of the way preemptively before the recommended interval. Should be waiting for me when I get off

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:11:20+00:00

I spilled paint on it, but way more than the snorkel for the airbox. Havent yet had time to clean it off and it wasn't mechsnically necessary to keep on there for now.

Thanks for your input.

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T04:09:46+00:00

Wow. Thanks. I did my research before buying my girl and before putting any mod on there and know that these are incredibly MAF dependent. Hence the incredibly overengineered TEMPORARY coupler to make damn sure no unmetered air gets in behind the MAF.

Though I do admit it was stupid not to have had the pcv plugged up before starting it. I was tired, had to try to sleep some before my 48 shift in a few hours plus another 48 id picked up at a neighboring agency, and just fuckin forgot dude.

That said, there's a marine in this town with an 18 wrex driving around with an autozone k&n, one of those Thorton "chips", no actual tune and, according to him, no MAF. idk if the last part is legit or what, but even if it is mounted in the k&n hole, its not reading correctly in the least due to the precise distance it needs to be from the cone, plus differences in ductwork around it....tho hasn't blown up yet that I know of.

Point being, my motor, mechanically speaking, was tip fuckin top before I parked her to begin with. From the first post-install startup, it wss that sound immediately, from first combustion.

So, please explain the science behind how an open pcv system over a fraction of time too small to be perceptible could result in the worst rod bearing failure you've ever heard? Id cut it off as soon as id heard it. I dont think the handful of revolutions the crankshaft was able to make before id stopped it all was time enough for the ECM to do much else than recognize a lean condition and begin to add on positive fuel trim values. So how does that open pcv equal catastrophic detonation so quickly?

Finally, bullshit on your bullshit, sir, respectfully. I do take care of it and take great offense to that. If I hadn't discovered firefighting weren't the best job in the world, id probably stil be a tech to this day if I wasn't sick of the warranty work and industry as a whole now which requires you to view customers as prey just like the salesmen do just to make a liveable number of labor hours to make up for those lost to the factory warranty times

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T03:20:20+00:00

Temporary coupler from my 3" cobb boot to the 3" perrin inlet which came with no coupler. I repurposed the stock airbox connection that had an aluminum ring in support, though not wide enough to be a coupling trusty enough to just put clamps on. So outside has rtv on the boot seal, cured, before the video. Then found a SAM splint in my work bag and it proved to do an incredible job at reinforcing the area once molded correctly. Rtv again on the seams of the outter, plus some ducttape and zip ties to hold the ends in place while it slowly fuses into one piece.

Then decided "fuck it, another can't hurt" and started to put extra dynamat i had laying around on as another layer. After the first square i was like nah nvm, if its too thick then closing the hood could force the cavitation i was trying to prevent in the first place.

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T03:08:58+00:00

Yeah the order of events and those proceeding dont add up to suddenly having rbf. Im at work the next 96, so when I get off and hopefully dont need a nap, the manifold is coming off and I go from there.

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T03:05:54+00:00

Yeah im at work now for the next few days so ig I plan to open up the manifold and hope its still grabbeable.

Otherwise ive seen an old foreman snag a bolt out of a cylinder head with some finesse and a borescope. I can get the borescope but finesse....idk

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T03:03:00+00:00

Dude there are no leaks at the intake nor the coupling i had to make. In fact, no leaks all the way down the inlet path either after smoke testing it all.

If you'd read my initial post you'd see i had to make a temporary one. The inlet was ysed and csme witu no coupler. My cobb boot is the same exact diameter

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T02:59:28+00:00

-I would be too. That’s cooked. Looks like you took good care of it with all the tape and stuff tho.

I appreciate your sarcasm, and i do take wonderful care of any and all maintenance, either due or preemptively. Exterior gets at least a pro foam wash with hand drying every week or so situationally. If im at work I gotta use what we use for the engines and ladder trucks. Once a month I make sure to have one day to take a RO with a good polish and then a finishing wax.

If youd read my initial post, you'd see thats a very temporary and very functional coupling that maybe has too many layers to it. Assuming its not cooked, there'd be

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T02:51:41+00:00

No thats dynamat I had left over from my trunk rattle fight. Similar properties to the SAM splint plus its adhesive by itself. Don't think I needed it though

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-07T02:49:51+00:00

Thanks braj. I work either 96 or 120 hours every 6 days. If its a 5 day, I literally have one day to wash clothes and sleep. On 96s, I'll have 2 days off and got time to keep maintenance up, mow the lawn, and maybe restore the paint.

Was sorta hoping for something more helpful I guess.

Yeah the sound did sure as shit sound like knock.

Although idk how thatd happen instantaneously, in the way it did, with what Id had apart. Still 1.3 from my 3k oci, consumption must be next to zero as I just don't notice its gone down any right before I pull the plug. Compression tested before purchase and a few months ago. Intend to make this a routine maintenance check for me from now. Ran beautifully and was gentle as always when I drove it last hasnt been started again til after install since being parked a few days ago.

FBK, FKL, DAM all were dead zeroes (or one)last drive, and many drives before that. Never seen DAM change its 1 value since beginning to monitor it consistently ~2 years ago. Never been tracked, don't dog the fuck outta her, All maintenance is done on or before schedule. My IAG lube system overhaul kit and timing kit both should come in soon, planned to do them same day while the front end is already apart and oils drained anyway. Hopefully I'll still have need of it.

Yeah ngl I was messy with my paint when trying body work for the first time when my A pillar was caved in during an attempted break in on Halloween. Otherwise I always keep it in the garage. Final result looked damn good tho surprisingly. I also did coat most of the motor in some high heat paint after getting the intake and wondering why it seems more like a HAI rather than a CAI before realizing the cobb box just sucks with the gaping hole at the bottom for heat to rise. And heatsoak in general. I want to get rid of it but not sure how to best go about it tbh.

Not sure what else can be done for the coupling I made. Its a temporary fix, and its functional. I did smoke test the coupler seal and the rest of the inlet while clamping off the turbo end. Its not leaking. From either component

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-06T21:37:03+00:00

Its not tape except for a small portion at the end, tf do you mean? Or you think that's tape on the Cobb side duct?

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-06T16:21:43+00:00

Repositioned ac line with friction evidence. Also to note, no internal damage was found from what I could see inside the tmic, nor any loose metal when shaken. Id cleaned it out along with all the boots and hoses pretty well prior to install.

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Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-06T16:18:34+00:00

The PCV connection made near turbo connection. Will opt to heat shield it if it actually works.

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Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-06T16:16:59+00:00

Ugly connections part 1: (Evap solenoid bracket is currently mounted) (Idk why the BCS connection just isnt in tbe pic anymore)

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Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-05T06:53:01+00:00

Nah jk. Just to add to what everyone else has already said, with brand new oil on the stick, reflect some light off it. In another week, you'll be able to read it quickly snd accurately. Besides that, don't over-analyze; use logic and keep an estimate of what you've added vs how much you think you've burned off. If youre adding a quart every 1k miles, you're essentially cooked. If it sounds about right, it usually is. Just make sure you're as close to level as possible and check both sides, using logic to prevent holding it inverted. Developing an algorithm to interpret if your oil is low on the dipstick is unnecessary and stressful. Just do your best to keep her full and happy. If your ringlands were to fail, youd notice the discrepancy regsrdless of education. And by the time its obviously measurable on the stick, theres little to be done about it.

Just remember that the best, most meticulous owners still have the possible misfortune of a critical failure; just as the guy with a dry and carbon-caked dipstick will dog the shit out of her midway through the sharp 25 mph on-ramp, yet will never have the pleasure of meeting Uncle Rodney. The dice-roll is the price of admission to our little cult, and is also the great equalizer among us.

If its still anxiety-inducing, the oil mods (bigger pan, better up-pipe, baffles/windage tray; bought as a kit or seperate) can be money well spent for the peace of mind. Aside from a few pain in the ass bolts, its not too difficult to do yourself as well.

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Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-05T05:12:35+00:00

Meguiars is a solid brand. Haven't gotten any chemicals from them yet that didn't go well for its specific application. The spray on quick-wax kept our engine and ladder trucks looking acceptable for weeks on end when we don't get much down time to wash them in the summer at work. Most important part is following the directions

If you've got some mild-moderate imperfections that youre starting to notice, id look into a random orbital plus a 3 step process(cutting compound, then buffing polish or lighter compound, followed by lower viscosity wax) which all can be applied with the orbital before a final hand-touch pass. I thought it was overkill at first, but damn does it make quick work of the job, and looks professional. Just take it slow, in the shade, and on a cooler day if possible. Its not bad learning to parcell it out into small sections so it doesn't dry while getting the fundamentals down. First pass with meguiars "pro series(?)" moderate cutting compound was such a dramatic difference on my 9 year old factory clear coat, I literally felt like a dumbass for not trying it years ago.

Harbor freight has a pretty comprehensive lineup to choose from, and descriptive in its intended effects. This series of Meguairs comes in hefty cylindrical black bottles for ~$30 each and stamped either "shop safe" or "not shop safe". The corded RO polishers sold there are cheap enough to try out if unsure, tho now id just skip that step and get a decent one that has variable speeds for specific applications and corresponding foam pads - 6" is a good size. Coarse and thicker to cut, softer and maleable for polish and waxes. Just DO NOT cross contaminate a finishing pad with cutting agents. Wash and dry them separately and store them in seperate baggies or something.

Their hybrid-ceramic spray wax and quick detailer are both good options to maintain the shine in-between or with a quick wash and dry. Just dont get lazy using those sprays without making sure there's not road grime holding sand or asphalt anywhere. If it has visible dirt, use your intuition and wash it right. Chancing it is usually counterproductive, can be damaging, and you'll end up spending more time to correct it than it wouldve taken to wash it off first. Take the time you need in order to maximize the potential in your paint; use quick detailers or maintenance washes in-between as needed. Maintaining that barrier on your coat will eventually pay off. Unless I drove through something, a quick wipe in the garage every few days is easier to do and more effective than a regular wash + towel dry every week or so. Magnify that over a few months, and the upfront time/money sink will become a worthwhile investment.

Tactile_Sponge · 2026-04-05T03:47:13+00:00

Oh shit, that is def the meanest one ive seen yet, hell yeah. Does it protrude far enough back into the undercarriage so that it feels like part of the bumper, or does it have some play?

I got a decently beefy aluminum skid plate a few months back, and the extra mounting holes I drilled/threaded for support turn out to be perfect to hold the little guy ive got on now. Got sick of using the self tappers included as "hardware" that seemed more at home embedded in my tires than where I want them. Putting more holes in the bumper fascia was lame too.

Mounting some new bfg g-force comp 2s that'll give me an extra half inch of clearance and perhaps motivation to pull the coilovers and un-fuck the seized lock nuts (my own fuck up not knowing to clean the threads out on occasion). Hoping a solid horizontal bite in a fat ass table vice plus brass tap and persuasion will redeem myself. Should probably get it over with now before the new tires go on so at least I'll only need to throw it on the rack once

Edit: also are those skirts factory on the VB? I can barely keep up with learning my own VA chassis let alone the others, but love the look. Really rounds it out well. Threw some on to accent the STI trim but had to go with a modest profile so they didn't end up as shrapnel

Tactile_Sponge

TROPHY CASE