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Got two of the last items on my "to-do" list before I sell my car this year, installed a new set of spark plugs, and used the opportunity to perform a compression test on the rotors. Very pleased with the results.
Almost done completely re-doing the front suspension! After I hit the alignment place I’ll be getting new tires!
I got these spring perches from a friend who was cutting up an old boat trailer. They fit perfectly on the rails. My goal is to keep the neanderthals at the tire place from bending my pinch welds. These seem to disperse the weight and are very strong.
Took it in for it's lifetime wheel rotation and balancing, they brought a few issues to my attention, one being a broken front sway bar end link, the lower part was missing.
I ordered some Mevotech GK447 front end links off Rockauto and installed them, seems to corner better now but I'm not sure how long ago the link broke.
Next I'm going to try to add an extra spacer to the rear end links I installed in 2021, they're from Beck/Arnley, they're listed for the rear but don't fit right as a bushing washer rubs the chassis, if I could add about 1/4 inch or so it would clear the chassis and still have enough thread left over.
I dont even run a rear sway.. even before building my 8.8
Did the diff oil, trans oil, and fuel filter over the week end. Then looked at what a pro garage would charge. Looks like it is $400 ? Seems excessive ! !
shops have taxes, hidden costs, technicians to pay, licence fees for software, lights, power, insurance etc etc that all has to get paid for somehow…
as an ex shop owner I hated the franchise fees and we often undercut the prices corporate expected.. know what happened.. I never pulled a pay check in 4 yrs.. sold the shop hahaha
are you saying $400 is for real ? I did $400 with of work.........that's why I felt like a bus hit me for the next 3 days ? ?
remember nowadays most shops are $110-150 / hr
trans fluid 30-45 mins
diff 30mins
fuel filter 30mins
that's just a throw out labor estimate
any honest shop will use a labor guide.. basically they take a range of skilled techs and they do the jobs.. they get an average time and thats the labor.. (simple summary). so say you have a shop with newbie inexperienced guys that take 2hrs to do say fluid change on trans.. the books says 30mins.. the shop eats 1.5hrs of techs time (if theyre honest) but an experienced tech may take 10mins.. they just made 20mins labor aka money… just cause a tech is super skilled and experienced doesnt mean the job is much cheaper.. it means you get a good job done at base price and done right..
I just built a motor to bumper 3.5inch full ss exhaust, tig welded, custom flanges etc etc.. small cnc in my garage (machinist by career now, went thru weld school before) Ive got probably 80hrs into this exhaust between design, milling, cutting and welding haha
pay a shop to build that.. thats an $8000 exhaust hahaha at $100 /hr now granted a big shop with better equipment and more skill couldve knocked everything out in less than 15 hahaha still a $1500 exhaust not including materials..
any ways enough yammering.. its always more rewarding doing what we can ourselves.. on both our wallets and our joy hahahah
The other problem with having a shop do it, is they don’t let things drain thoroughly! Not a sustainable business model, so I do all my own and can let it drain as long as I want!
Found this Recaro SE on craigslist years ago and this month finally got around to fixing it up. Contact cement took care of the foam that was torn but not missing, and I added the Pepita pattern center.
It's honestly not that much better than a Turbo II seat. The backrest foam was the only part I didn't have to mess with but it's harder.
Also the Planted seat bracket is a bit tricky to install, the rear 2 bolts are hard to screw in because of the plate. My car is now immortalized on their site.
I took the first pre-cat off to replace a blown out flange gasket. I found a clogged mess in the second pre-cat.
The first pre-cat appeared hollowed out when I checked it with a borroscope soon after getting the car, but maybe this is the remains of it? If there was a loss of power I didn't have a good baseline to compare to.
Last edited by YellowFB; Apr 28, 2025 at 11:49 AM.
well, I installed MTheory engine and transmission mounts, finalized the brake system, officially bolted in the driveshaft and for intents and purposes, I’m done with the underside of the car. Please note som images were taken “in process” so you may see missing nuts or other anomalies.
Got my forthcoming twin DCOE airbox 3D printed in PA12 nylon from Shapeways. For now it appears all their stuff comes from the Netherlands.
I am *pretty sure* sure it fits. The main obstructions are the original heater pipe and the chassis rail that slopes upward toward the rear.
For the heater pipe I bent a new one out of 5/8" OD aluminum tube.
The chassis rail is almost right at 10" from the side of the engine. The entire height of the intake assembly is about 10 3/8" and I put chamfer along the bottom of the airbox to clear it.
I can't do a complete test fit, the manifold is for a 13B so the mounting studs on the housings will prevent putting it in the actual trouble spot.
The other carb is on the car, I already verified they fit the base plate on the manifold.. The finish is pretty good considering there were no post production options for a print this size.
I'm going to paint it bright blue as close as I can find to the OEM pancake air box.
Showing the tapered bottom edge and adequate room for the stacks inside. The box it's sitting on is the Integra air filter I'm going to use.
