Random Thoughts - Part III The Search for Spark (No Politics)

[Capt Spaulding]

I don’t have many complaints about the feel of the transmission. I’m running MT 90 and the car likes it. It gets a little balky if the car is cold/cool soaked below 50 degrees. But if the low temperature drops into the 40s around here it’s a newsworthy event. Even then the car sits in a garage that is pretty much climate controlled.

The unusual feel from the clutch never really bothered me and all I drove for the first 10 years of my driving life were standards. Nevertheless, removing the helper spring left it feeling a lot more “natural.” As it stands, I’m not really tempted to change the clutch master.

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by spike021

Personally don't feel the need to do the clutch master cylinder or spring changes. This was my first stick shift car and I learned from scratch. It's my only frame of reference for how a clutch should feel, so I'm pretty satisfied with it.

The one thing I hate is how terrible the transmission feels when it's cold. And yeah I've got Motul 300 or whatever in there. But it's still super uncomfortable to drive and shift sometimes until I've driven a few miles and gotten to row through the gears a bit. That's basically my only complaint. Other than that I finally got a new pair of my favorite shoes for driving and I'm so used to these super cushiony running shoes now that my shifts are completely terrible in the new pair. Need to get more driving time in them to regain my feel.

Curious. What are your driving shoes? I wear low cut hikers and find them pretty clumsy. Only good thing is the width help with heel and toeing.

[Spuds]

Boat shoes are great for driving btw.

[Capt Spaulding]

I sometimes use Toms. They’re a lot better than my hikers.

[spike021]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

Curious. What are your driving shoes? I wear low cut hikers and find them pretty clumsy. Only good thing is the width help with heel and toeing.

Not even kidding:

They feel great. A fairly thin but supportive sole and everything.

They just aren't really sold much these days. I usually have to order from the brand's website and they sell out of my size super quickly. They finally restocked a couple months back and I ordered two pairs.

edit: https://pfflyers.com/collections/hig...canvas-sneaker

Sold out in most sizes again. Last I heard they're owned by New Balance now. Not sure if that's still true.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

Curious. What are your driving shoes? I wear low cut hikers and find them pretty clumsy. Only good thing is the width help with heel and toeing.

this is what i use.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194824364987

[Clipdat]

Originally Posted by spike021

Personally don't feel the need to do the clutch master cylinder or spring changes. This was my first stick shift car and I learned from scratch. It's my only frame of reference for how a clutch should feel, so I'm pretty satisfied with it.

The one thing I hate is how terrible the transmission feels when it's cold. And yeah I've got Motul 300 or whatever in there. But it's still super uncomfortable to drive and shift sometimes until I've driven a few miles and gotten to row through the gears a bit. That's basically my only complaint. Other than that I finally got a new pair of my favorite shoes for driving and I'm so used to these super cushiony running shoes now that my shifts are completely terrible in the new pair. Need to get more driving time in them to regain my feel.

When you wear thick shoes, your car feels slow. When your wear thin shoes, your car feels fast!

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[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by spike021

until I've driven a few miles and gotten to row through the gears a bit.

I know the manual says not to but both for my former BRZ and my current car I let the car warm up before driving off in the morning (and often in the afternoon too regardless of temperature). Quite often in the BRZ I wouldn't have to wait after driving off to have the 1st to 2nd change hesitant free.

[spike021]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

I know the manual says not to but both for my former BRZ and my current car I let the car warm up before driving off in the morning (and often in the afternoon too regardless of temperature). Quite often in the BRZ I wouldn't have to wait after driving off to have the 1st to 2nd change hesitant free.

Oh I usually wait for rpm's to drop below 1k and oil temp (via OBD) to reach roughly 65 F. And then I drive mostly as normal other than not above 4k until temp is about 175-180.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Meanwhile I'm sure Ultra could've completed this task in approximately 30 seconds

Haha... nope. I'm SUPER slow and methodical.

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Though you really do use muscles you are not used to using working on cars.

^^^this^^^ big time

[Clipdat]

I went into it thinking it'll be a quick 20 min job, then it started raining and I couldn't get it off the damn hanger. Kept banging the flange against the rear LCA until it started making a mark. ("Oh well, selling the car anyway...")

Shit like this always seems to take way longer and require more energy than when you visualize it in your head.

Granted, part of it is having the right tools for the job, which I clearly did not.

Anyway, moving on. Will get the Fujitsubo canisters cleaned up this week and hopefully be able to sell them locally.

[Ultramaroon]

It's best to deliberately push ideas of time or even completion out of the picture. Instead be dedicated to each sub-task. Enjoy the satisfaction of getting each step "just right."

[Clipdat]

Oh absolutely. If I had clean comfortable work space like a garage, with music playing, etc. it would've been a completely different experience.

I was just rushing and trying to get it done as quickly as possible especially since it started raining.


As a side note, are catless frontpipes no longer available? Seems like there's none being advertised/sold anywhere.

Side note #2: It looks like Motiv Concepts is no longer in business. Boo!

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Enjoy the satisfaction of getting each step "just right."

.