Spuds' Vroom Machine

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

I'd recommended an all metal lock nut on the header to overpipe connection. These like to work loose.

Hey, I searched for "all metal lock nut" and there seem to be a few types. Could you post a pic or link just to make sure I'm looking for the right thing? Does type/material matter?

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Hey, I searched for "all metal lock nut" and there seem to be a few types. Could you post a pic or link just to make sure I'm looking for the right thing? Does type/material matter?

It's usually referred to as a "top lock." I use regular zinc plated fasteners. If you need a bolt and nut for the over pipe connection, you can use 3/8's instead of 10mm since it's a bit easier to find.

https://www.mcmaster.com/product/93795A333

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

It's usually referred to as a "top lock." I use regular zinc plated fasteners. If you need a bolt and nut for the over pipe connection, you can use 3/8's instead of 10mm since it's a bit easier to find.

https://www.mcmaster.com/product/93795A333

I could be crazy, but running around the forum for the last week figuring out my (hopefully) last orders of stuff, I saw a post indicating these might also be useful on endlinks?

Any other hardware tricks you know of that would help here? Knowing fasteners has never been my strength.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

I could be crazy, but running around the forum for the last week figuring out my (hopefully) last orders of stuff, I saw a post indicating these might also be useful on endlinks?

Yes, I run them on my fronts. Rear's don't seem to loosen up.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Yes, I run them on my fronts. Rear's don't seem to loosen up.

Ok, so just to confirm these should work right? Went looking for the same thing with a flange.

https://belmetric.com/m10x1-25-14mm-...NTLH10X1.25CLZ

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Ok, so just to confirm these should work right? Went looking for the same thing with a flange.



https://belmetric.com/m10x1-25-14mm-...NTLH10X1.25CLZ

For endlinks or front pipe?

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

For endlinks or front pipe?

Sorry, headers. And front pipe, over pipe(with bolts I have to get...), And endlinks?

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Sorry, headers. And front pipe, over pipe(with bolts I have to get...), And endlinks?

Header is 10mm x 1.25(just checked on a block I have here at work), I am 99% sure I am using the same nut on the endlinks, mine are whiteline, not sure if they are all the same. For the FP/OP I am using 3/8-16 bolt and nut since I have them on hand at work. You could also use 10mm X 1.25 there and keep things uniform.

[Spuds]

Ok so next thing I did was the steering rack bushings. Getting the stock ones out was easy once I had the Cusco tool. If you don't have steel tubing readily available or some really big/long sockets, just get the tool when you get the bushing set, especially if you get a free shipping deal. It cost me more in time trying to figure out how to use what I had in the garage than it would have if I just bought the tool in the first place. I was not able to get the steering rack into a position where I could use the C-clamp method.

The tool consists of a 1.5" pipe, a bolt, and 2 nuts. One could use a 1.25" pipe if the rubber collar on the bushing were trimmed down.

The white line bushings feel more flexible until you try to compress them. Then it becomes obvious they are going to be stiffer when installed.

Install was pretty easy. Hardest part was determining what to grease if at all. I greased the whole bushing to prevent squeaks.

Some pics on using the tool. Instructions were in Japanese, but it's easy to figure out. I learned the hard way to turn the nut with the box wrench and not the bolt with the ratchet. Turning the bolt backs out the nut on the other side and now you have to get the nut back on and tighten up again. Hole is pretty clever for clearance on driver's side. I apparently didn't take pics after it was done, but there isn't much to see.

[Spuds]

Next I did all the bushing inserts at the rear. Installed Whiteline diff and subframe inserts. Both came with good paper instructions in the bag which I followed.

Install surprise #1 was the wet/moldy bolt in the pic a few posts back. It seems water was getting trapped inside the bushing sleeve, resulting in some pretty bad pitting on the bolt. Sleeve seems fine. Surprise #2 was that the driver's side of the subframe was not well-aligned when putting the bolts (both front and rear) back in. Not sure if that is a product of the subframe shifting or just that it was not great to begin with. Surprise #3 is the valve on my new floor jack likes to stick and release suddenly.

Solution for #1: I may have STI subframe bolts coming. Or maybe not. We will see what shows up.

Solution for #2: When I get new bolts, I will support and loosen the front just a bit before replacing the bolts at the rear so I can shift the subframe around a bit. Then I will go back to the fronts with the rear loose, then make sure everything lines up before torquing.

Solution for #3, I remember reading about this and there is a solution but I can't remember what it is now. Should probably get that fixed before it is time to lower the car.

Some pics of my support points since they were not directly stated in the instructions. I kind of wish the inserts still came in yellow...

[Spuds]

The real hero of this build. Not only does it provide diffused lighting under the car, but it doubles as a space heater on the colder days.

[Spuds]

Then I finished up the transmission and differential oil changes. I decided to go with Amsoil again. I really liked my last fill in the transmission at least, and I had a bottle and a half of the diff oil from the last time so figured I'd give it another shot. I also had half a bottle of the transmission oil from last time. Original review here:
https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127620

It's pretty straightforward to do. I discovered my long lost bulk pack of crush washers for the diff, and just reused the flat washers that the transmission came with (why does the shop manual say to replace these again?).

The most annoying part is making thick fluid flow upwards. I'm pretty sure last time I had some little funnel/tube attachment for the old bottles that I lost. This time I had a one-way valved hand pump I originally got to siphon fuel. It was slow but it worked.

Diff went fine and I still had a 20mL left over. Transmission on the other hand wash a bit more stressful. I lost about 10-20 ml because the crush bags were difficult to angle properly. Made getting fluid into position easy, but we're kind of unwieldy and some dripped out. there was about 10-20mL in each that I couldn't squeeze out. Then I got down to the last 10mL in the bottle with no seepage from the fill hole and was getting worried. Wound up emptying the bags into the bottle with some help from good old gravity, and was able to get it topped off.

[Spuds]

Been thinking about tuning solutions today. My options are:
A. Update the tune using the OFT I have, make my usual minor tweaks and and call it a day.
B. Try to optimize the OFT tune to the header by one method or another.
C. Get ecutek and pay someone to take care of it for me and don't think too hard about running a tune I know nothing about.
D. Get ecutek and start from scratch.

The smart thing to do, considering schedule, would probably be A or C. But I kind of want to try B or D. Why do I always want to do things the hard way?

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Been thinking about tuning solutions today. My options are:
A. Update the tune using the OFT I have, make my usual minor tweaks and and call it a day.
B. Try to optimize the OFT tune to the header by one method or another.
C. Get ecutek and pay someone to take care of it for me and don't think too hard about running a tune I know nothing about.
D. Get ecutek and start from scratch.

The smart thing to do, considering schedule, would probably be A or C. But I kind of want to try B or D. Why do I always want to do things the hard way?

How much farther are you planning to go mod wise? If this is it I would just tweak your existing, or have a custom OFT tune done. I think I paid 240-250 for my FF tune. If you think you may go deeper then ecutek for sure.