Spec Update

[channelmaniac]

Wow... it's been a busy weekend of wrenching!

Yesterday AJ came over and we ripped out the exhaust, rear diff, half shafts, and drive shaft then put in the replacement diff, half shafts, and reconnected the drive shaft. Every bolt was started but nothing tightened.

Today HudsonHawk came over and we torqued everything down (got a rental torque wrench from O'Reilly's to do the axle nuts as mine would only go to 150 ft-lbs) then decided to do maintentance on the brakes. The rear back corner came right off so it was inspected, a speed bleeder installed, and slider pins were cleaned and lubed before reassembly. I knew it was too easy.

It went downhill from there.

Front passenger side was put on by a gorilla. I had to use the 2 1/2 foot long 1/2" breaker bar and a 6 point socket to remove the caliper and mounts. Replaced the pads with some better ones I picked up from NealB and noticed why the slider pins weren't too good on this one. The PO that did maintenance on the car used ANTI-SIEZE compound instead of high temperature grease on the slider pins! WTF? Installed the speed bleeder, cleaned/lubed the slider pins, and reassembled.

Front driver side was worse. HH got it all apart and discovered the anti-sieze compound here first before the front passenger side was removed. (I'm just going in order from easiest to hardest on these calipers - not the order in which they were done) The gorilla was here too. The bleeder valve was stuck. STUCK HARD. The caliper was removed, bolted in a vise and vise grips were used to finally get the damn thing out so a speed bleeder could be installed. Cleaned/lubed the slider pins and reassembled. There was moisture in the system and the fluid was NASTY coming out this corner.

Rear driver's side wouldn't budge. The slider pin bolt head rounded off so we tried pliers and vise grips. No go. Took a torch and heated up the caliper. No go. Finally took an easy-out bolt remover and got it removed. Between the heat and the extra grip of the easy-out it came right out. Now the other pin was stuck. Tried a dead blow hammer. Tried a 5lb sledge. Tried the air hammer. Nothing would budge it. Smacked it sideways and it would turn but not slide off. Ended up taking a sawz-all to it and cut the pin in two. Took the other part out with a pair of pliers and bought a new caliper at O'Reillys. Installed it with a speed bleeder too.

Next we flushed new fluid through the system starting with the rear passenger side. Next was rear driver, then front passenger, and finished off with the front driver's side caliper.

After that the differential was filled and the exhaust system was bolted back in.

Whew. I'm tired.

Next: clean / paint interior & cage. Paint cover plates. Cut new ECU cover plate to fit cage, paint it, and install it. Install new crank pulley and do timing. Install fuel test port kit. Get the seat mounted back in the car and go get the spec exhaust system installed then another inspection.

After that stuff is done she's track ready!

She'll be race ready after the suspension kit is ordered and installed.

WOOHOO!

Thanks for the help guys!

[HudsonHawk]

You're welcome. I have got to get me some speed bleeders.

[channelmaniac]

These will fit the front - 8.0mm x 1.0, 34mm long. Price is per pair

These will fit the back - 7.0mm x 1.0, 35.5mm long. Price is per single. I wish the first seller had some to fit the back at that low price.

If you order them please get 4 of the 7.0mm x 1.0 ones for the back brakes. They will fit the clutch slave. I'll buy the 4th one from you so I can have one on my clutch slave.

They sure do make brake bleeding & system flushing MUCH MUCH faster!

[black roadster]

Pictures?

[channelmaniac]

Pictures?

Haven't taken any recent ones...

I'll update the website once I get the wing nut to hold down the battery. That'll show the painted trunk along with the new battery hardware/tray.

There will also be a picture of that dang stuck bleeder valve.

Too bad we didn't get a picture of that caliper with the stuck slider pin we had to cut off with the saws-all. It's already been taken back to the store as a refundable core.

The tires are also back on the car so we can't take pics of the calipers & speed bleeders.

It all came down to having an expensive digital SLR and filthy, greasy hands. No pics were taken today.

WOOHOO! - Just got an email tonight from Blacktop Racing. My fire plates are ready to ship and my drop-in window should be ready this week to ship as well.

Fire plates: (block off the air path to the trunk through the seat belt towers)




Drop-in Plexiglas Window:



It keeps getting closer and closer to getting done!

RJ

[sammm]

It's been a long time coming. Congrats!

[smartmx5]

Looking good. Seems like it will be well worth the effort after all the hard work you've put into the car. Other than a cage installed and painted from Team MER, I put together and completed my car earlier this year. So much work, but worth every busted knuckle, bruised rib and smashed toe!!!I plan on getting my SCCA license at the end of November. Good luck. Hope to see you out there.

[IPRESS]

Looks like you are getting there. Nothing like wheel to wheel racing. You will have a blast.
Let me know if I can help you out.
Mac

[channelmaniac]

Thanks guys!

I'm SLAMMED at work but I'm going to try and get as much of the interior work done as I can. I want to get the car down to only needing the Spec suspension kit by Thanksgiving week. I'm taking that week off work and hoping I can get out to play at the new track - provided they have it open by then. I got a Junior Membership there at a great rate by joining in with the Track Junkies group buy.

One of my reseller engineers is a member of that group and clued me in on the group buy.

Raymond

[nealb]

sounds like you are making good progress

it will be worth it -- I love driving my track car

I had almost exactly the same experience with caliper slide pins freezing in the caliper holes

and used a sawsall too after removing the caliper bracket and chucking the whole mess in a vice