Month: May 2018

So the new fans arrived:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/27/20180527060641-d8cf88f3-xl.jpg[/img]

But while they clear the ARC intake, it is still no dice on the swaybar:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/27/20180527060633-cdf2c43f-xl.jpg[/img]

Bolts up, but rubs on the fans. So i ordered a 42mm unit rather than the 52mm unit. That 10mm of clearance will make all the difference.

While i couldnt get the car out to bed in the brakes i did a few other little bits and bobs. First up, after bleeding the brakes, was fitting the adjustable endlinks for the front swaybar, that also allow me to use the NB sway bar on the NA:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/27/20180527060628-f954e759-xl.jpg[/img]

Second thing was to fit ‘Eagle Eye” LEDs to where the sun visors normally bolt in, and wire them into the knee lights. Makes a huge difference to actually being able to see at night:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/27/20180527060611-804e9501-xl.jpg[/img]

Third was making a little tiny RAM mount for the centre bolt hole on the dash, so that i can have a nice solid mount for phones and any lap timer:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/27/20180527060603-cfab3f62-xl.jpg[/img]

Finally, i managed to organise a 3 way swap to get a new hard top, this one in silver, with a ducktail type wing on the back too:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/27/20180527060617-86ccb498-xl.jpg[/img]

Looks quite nice on the car, and the colour match makes it much easier for me.

Now to wait for the 42mm radiator and then it should be game on for getting the brakes bedded in, and start driving it around a bit.

Courtesy of the Telstra outage today i went home early… only to find the internet out at home too. Oh well, to the garage.

Brake upgrade installed, nice and easily with all the NB8C bolt on parts:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/20/20180520230432-944c0352-xl.jpg[/img]

Discs, calipers a chunk bigger, and brand new EBC Yellowstuff pads.

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/20/20180520230539-31b65327-xl.jpg[/img]

Then as i had the wheels off, i gave the wheel arches a quick roll with the guard roller:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/20/20180520230414-89e74c71-xl.jpg[/img]

About 10 years ago back in Adelaide a few of us got together and bought a roller for about $300-400 or so. That one is basically identical and cost $50…

Added a brake master stopper from Beavis Motorsport, given the 25yo firewall flexes a reasonable amount:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/20/20180520031739-4cda6f73-xl.jpg[/img]

Finally aded a couple of bits of JDM-yo street cred… for amusement

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/21/20180521000344-68764b8f-xl.jpg[/img]

and mocked up this rear tow hook that i picked up for $5 in a car garage sale. Not sure if ill use it yet:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/21/20180521000407-e17c0b38-xl.jpg[/img]

Need to go get some fresh brake fluid and bleed the brakes next, but that can wait for another day. Probably when i do the fans at the same time.

A bit more time spent on the car today, popped the new water pump in place and then timing belt and closed up the front. Nothing exciting there.

Put a Pipercross filter in place of the Ryco one that is who knows how old.

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/19/20180519045652-79cf0d70-xl.jpg[/img]

New gasket for the AFM:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/19/20180519045609-aa455d3c-xl.jpg[/img]

Then popped in the new radiator:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/19/20180519045630-6053ff90-xl.jpg[/img]

And that is where it started all going wrong.
Mainly instead of a 42mm rad they sent me a 52mm rad, so it fouls on pretty much everything. First thing it fouls on is the new bling intake:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/19/20180519045547-2be18368-xl.jpg[/img]

Secondly it fouls on the sway bar, which was out of the car so i could get easy access to the crank snout. When the new 24mm one went to go back in…

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/19/20180519052142-d08c6f32-xl.jpg[/img]

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/19/20180519045512-907bbe16-xl.jpg[/img]

So begrugingly i chucked the old intake in, and left the swaybar out until i could sort it out later.

With all that done i took it outside to bleed the cooling system and make sure there werent any leaks, and this new tool i picked up (thanks to MCM) is bloody amazing:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/19/20180519045433-54948c73-xl.jpg[/img]

Seriously, why didnt i have one of these earlier!

While i was waiting for the engine to warm up and the thermostat to open, i tidied up the car, and then decided to put the Raybrigs in. To say that the old headlights were average was a bit of an understatement:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/19/20180519045407-e032597b-xl.jpg[/img]

You can see where i tried to have a polish of the outside, but the frosting is actually mould inside the glass. Oh well, the Raybrigs are much much nicer.

What a change:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/20/20180520031751-02671e87-xl.jpg[/img]

The final thing to go wrong with the whole cooling setup was actually found while i was waiting for the fans to kick in. They didnt. Every time the fan kicked in the fuse blew, but the fan spins freely in the housing. Quick test with the multimeter and it seems that there is a short in the motor windings somewhere.

More bolt on parts that dont quite bolt on… 🙁

Oh well, time to get a flat alu sheet and some Spals out and make up some low profile fans. While that is happening i may as well get started on the brake upgrade too.

In between a bunch of family stuff this weekend i found a brief 2hr gap to try and get the water pump and timing belt changed. Took about 20msn to rip it all apart and prep it for the new pump, pretty simple compared to many cars ive worked on in the past. But then Murphy reared his ugly head. The timing belt kit i got seems to be second hand or returned, as the pump is an NB unit, and some wingnut has cut off the side mounting tab to get it to clear the alternator bracket. All of that to no avail though, as the NB pumps don’t have a thread in that side for the tensioner.

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/13/20180513032224-86e3f743-xl.jpg[/img]

Rubbish, and there goes my productive time for the weekend… so i did some other things instead.

Firstly a quick block off plate for the coolant idle valve thingy:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/13/20180513032352-e38ea493-xl.jpg[/img]

Then secondly a simple Toyota COP mounting plate:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/13/20180513032331-8c4eca96-xl.jpg[/img]

Finally did a bit of further automotive archaeology, and this car is a bit ideosyncratic. Whoever built this engine (or at least did the last timing belt and water pump change) was somewhat paranoid about bolts coming loose:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/13/20180513032309-061342ab-xl.jpg[/img]

Every bolt is absolutely slathered in Loctite red and required a ton of cleaning up of the threads.

On the other hand that cardboard gasket looked like this:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2018/05/13/20180513032414-3d947d0d-xl.jpg[/img]

Shipping cardboard and gaffer tape… really?

Anyway, now to wait for more bolt on parts, that will hopefully bolt on.

Also for the lols. What happens when you are ordering parts at 3am while trying to settle a teething baby:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/13/20180513175542-179c069d-xl.jpg[/img]

That would be two front sway bars… and no rears.

Ticking off little things each evening after work while i wait for cam and crank seals to arrive. Last night it was sorting out this monstrosity behind the bumper:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/02/20180502190741-903ef991-xl.jpg[/img]

Someone had thought it a good idea to jam an air horn behind there, and not even do it properly, just ziptied and electrical taped in place. What is worse the compressor took about 3-4 seconds to build enough air to make a noise, at which point the soccermum in a Prado has probably just run over the front of the car.

So i decided to embrace the MX5’s Subaru roots, and install Hella Supertones:

[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2018/05/02/20180502190753-c2c2fc84-xl.jpg[/img]

One less thing to do later.