Official: "What did you do to your car today?" Thread

[Greasy]

Originally Posted by ice

I kicked it on the way out to get the mail

On topic:

I bought some Plastx today for my headlights, and that stuff is amazing.

Also installed the z-tube and took her out for some fun. Sounds much better above 4k, and the new engine that I got because of the high oil consumption failure pulls much harder than the original. Was very happy with my piece of sht today.

[Supra_Freak]

I didn't do this today but last thursday i had my wheel bearing replaced, tires rotated, oil changed, and a new windshield washer pump installed.

[GRimm862]

Originally Posted by Greasy

On topic:

I bought some Plastx today for my headlights, and that stuff is amazing.

Also installed the z-tube and took her out for some fun. Sounds much better above 4k, and the new engine that I got because of the high oil consumption failure pulls much harder than the original. Was very happy with my piece of sht today.

Is that the stuff you buy at walmart? It comes in a little plasticy silver bag?

My buddy just did it to his mk4 jetta and wow what a difference for 20 bucks. Luckily I have glass headlights.

[cmar]

Looked at the timing belt in the box I should have put in 1000K ago. At least I've done the spark plugs.
But you only have to dismantle HALF the motor to do the plugs.
What lunatic designs these engines. I remember when a plug change took 20 minutes and that included time for three beers.
The timing belt is looking like the whole carton.
I guess I'll have to make time to do it soon, before it breaks and sticks me up somewhere inconvenient.

[squid]

that's why i paid someone else to do the timing belt on my car

[GRimm862]

Originally Posted by cmar

Looked at the timing belt in the box I should have put in 1000K ago. At least I've done the spark plugs.
But you only have to dismantle HALF the motor to do the plugs.
What lunatic designs these engines. I remember when a plug change took 20 minutes and that included time for three beers.
The timing belt is looking like the whole carton.
I guess I'll have to make time to do it soon, before it breaks and sticks me up somewhere inconvenient.

What kinda car do you have?

Takes me 10 minutes to change 6 plugs and put them back in.

[Shadowless]

new MAF adapter came. Tried to bolt it up, but stock bolts dont seem to fit correctly, need to get the right size and try again...this project is becoming time consuming and extremely annoying....

[gamefoo21]

Originally Posted by cmar

Looked at the timing belt in the box I should have put in 1000K ago. At least I've done the spark plugs.
But you only have to dismantle HALF the motor to do the plugs.
What lunatic designs these engines. I remember when a plug change took 20 minutes and that included time for three beers.
The timing belt is looking like the whole carton.
I guess I'll have to make time to do it soon, before it breaks and sticks me up somewhere inconvenient.

GF's '98 VW Beetle with 2L Gas:

Timing belt change:

put car on stands
Support engine
Remove front engine mount(toss away the bolts, because they are TTY*torque to yield*)
While in there, change out the water pump(it goes almost as often as the belt anyways), idler, cam belt, etc etc.

If you go to a dealer they charge $800 just to change the belt, according to american sources, so probably north of $1000 here... It's like wtf, why did you build this so god awfully stupid! Damn Germans...

I'm still in a bad mood after changing out the transmission filter on that car... Needless to say, there was much swearing at the idioticly overcomplex process... OH and NEVER EVER trust anything that's life time fill... I poured black tar followed by fluid that was so saturated it was grey, one of the pan bolts fatigued and was letting fluid leak past the seal. So it was being a very naughty auto... I'll never own a german vehicle because of this car... I always thought the stories were overblown... Nah, they are true...

Oh you want to change the spark plugs on this car, you have to take off the entire intake assembly. You want to change the air filter, you have pull everything from the MAF(hehe loser car, still using a MAF even my Suzuki of '98 uses the superior MAP) foreward... Battery goes flat, tow it to the dealer and get them to reprogram in the alarm code, apparently CMOS memory is beyond German engineers...

I like my car, because it was designed that you pop two clips, bang airfilter done. Want to change the plugs? Pull the wires, get a 10" extension on a plug socket, and 10 minutes later, you are done... Want to change a coil out, well **** two bolts, 3 plugs, and done(VW: Remove engine cover, remove secondary air pump, remove air pump bracket, pull 5 wires, pull 4 bolts, admire all the cracks in the coil).

[Shadowless]

i scratched the hell out of my hood

[Grov]

Drove it to and from work, then gave it a really good clean.

Still need to repaint the numbers on the gear knob, put me tax disc holder in, and get me new Type R red JDM mats.

[Supra_Freak]

Tomorrow il be putting on my PLOG and smaller 3.4" Supercharger Pulley!

[ScottDoom]

I drove it around and drooled. Noticed it was making funny sounds when shifting to first, 2nd, and 3rd. Realized I suck at driving manual. Trying to improve.

Shopped around for some audio equipment.

[Dirty Pete]

installed four brand new winter tires ... now I hope its gonna snow soon, so I didnt shell out 600$ for nothing

[cmar]

What kinda car do you have?

Takes me 10 minutes to change 6 plugs and put them back in.

Ha Ha, if only

98 Kia Sportage, was my wife's originally, but as the boys grew she nicked my Pathfinder and I got stuck with this.

Actually it's quite a nice engine, a Mazda FE2 twin cam, built under licence by Kia.

(Rest of the car is so so, but essentially we must have gotten a good one, as it is now 200,000K, still runs well, and has been basically reliable, and I've heard of a lot which weren't)

To change the plugs:
- Remove the intake to throttle body cross pipe (Aluminum - 3 bolts, new gasket, new gasket goo) remove the MAF sensor tube, remove the idle air bleed tubes and controller, remove the PCV inlet tube, remove the bracket from the cam cover which holds the throttle, tranny, and Cruise control cables, remove the black plastic cover between the cams (8 bolts), remove the coil low tension leads, remove the bolts which hold down the coils, two bolts per coil (two coils on 2 plugs, which feed the other two plugs with leads) remove the leads from the other two plugs. Use a captive spark plug 16mm socket, and a VERY long extension bar to remove the plugs - they are a Looong way down in there between the cams, - work by feel, you can't actually see them. Put in new plugs (with aluminium release agent on the threads -or else you won't ever get them out again) Replace the two plug leads with new ones, as it obviously gets bloody hot in there, and the rubber gets brittle.

Replace the rest of the crap - done, easy! (takes longer than 10 minutes though)

Now to do the timing belt......

[cmar]

I'm still in a bad mood after changing out the transmission filter on that car... Needless to say, there was much swearing at the idioticly overcomplex process... OH and NEVER EVER trust anything that's life time fill..

Life time fill = Lots of money to manufacturers.

I don't agree with it either- oil wears out, oxidises, and gets contaminated with metal particles etc. I'll take a drain plug any day.

[ScottDoom]

There were some water spots or something splattered around my engine bay. Cleaned it up.

[gamefoo21]

Originally Posted by cmar

Life time fill = Lots of money to manufacturers.

I don't agree with it either- oil wears out, oxidises, and gets contaminated with metal particles etc. I'll take a drain plug any day.

Yup, they can tell the consumer how low maintenance costs are, while it's under warranty... This oil was trash, I reset the fuzzy logic for her tranny, and she's amazed at the difference. She loves that car, so I hope I can keep it going better than what many people found out, by following VW reccomendations, and the tranny won't make it much past 240,000km.

Anyways...

Installed my homebrew catch can, fully baffled, and filtered! Oddly... the car idles much better now, sorta has this burbly sound to it now. I checked, and even with my homebrew can, the system is sealed from valve cover to intake.

[squid]

installed some new speakers, so finally i have a decent sound system, rather than a single **** speaker floating around the back

[cmar]

On the (wife's) Pathfinder I replaced the oil line that takes oil from the side of the engine block to the brake vacuum pump on the back of the alternator. (it's a Turbo diesel) The hose had been leaking for a month or so. As this hose is rubber and 17 years old I simply replaced it. ($50.00 form Nissan!) It was old and brittle and if it had fractured could have let the engine pump out all its oil. No more leaks!

Still looking at the Kia timing belt in the box...

[Rippthrough]

I took a look at the ****ing huge pile of bits that are my gearbox internals, damper internals, suspension, brakes, front subframe, engine mounts, sump, crank, bearings and various filters and belts.

Then I looked outside at the snow.

Then I got a coffee, sat down, and pretended that Santa would fit me the bits over Christmas.

[Trunks0]

Today? Well I bought it

Quick and ugly shot.

1997 Acura Integra LS. I'll post better pictures tomorrow in the car pics thread. Its cold out and I don't have gloves :\

[Greasy]

Originally Posted by GRimm862

Is that the stuff you buy at walmart? It comes in a little plasticy silver bag?

My buddy just did it to his mk4 jetta and wow what a difference for 20 bucks. Luckily I have glass headlights.

Made by Meguiars.

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/produc...?T1=MEG+G12310

[Greasy]

Originally Posted by Trunks0

Today? Well I bought it

Quick and ugly shot.

1997 Acura Integra LS. I'll post better pictures tomorrow in the car pics thread. Its cold out and I don't have gloves :\

Nice! Would say drop it, but I doubt that works out in the snow.

[Trunks0]

Originally Posted by Greasy

Nice! Would say drop it, but I doubt that works out in the snow.

In Canada eh, we just get snow plow body kits to compensate eh

[cmar]

Very nice - congrats

[Rippthrough]

Took it out to Oulton on Tuesday to clear it's throat, given it's been stood for months:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v8...nt=buggy-2.flv

[OverclockN']

Originally Posted by Rippthrough

Took it out to Oulton on Tuesday to clear it's throat, given it's been stood for months:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v8...nt=buggy-2.flv

Where you just out for a Sunday dive on that track?

Just kidding, man. What were you racing with?

[Rippthrough]

I was in the red thing!

[cmar]

Replaced the alternator on the Pathfinder. There was still an oil leak even though I replaced the oil feed hose a few weeks back. It turned out to be the alternator rear bearing chopped out, and blowing oil out through the drain hole.
Unfortunately the housing was rooted so I couldn't get it rebuilt.
I bought a generic (chinese) alternator instead. It was half the price of genuine but doesn't seem to be too nasty. We'll see how it goes.
No point in spending $1200 on a genuine part for a car we will probably only have for a few years more.

[Supra_Freak]

Originally Posted by Rippthrough

Took it out to Oulton on Tuesday to clear it's throat, given it's been stood for months:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v8...nt=buggy-2.flv

Man id love to take the GTP to a track like that!