Just recently, I replaced the plugs, wires, fuel filter, all the belts, put redline in the tranny and diff, flushed the radiator and added water wetter, put hawk brake pads on, and I change the oil with every 2k with valvoline 10w30.

I have to drive my car around town for work, daily, and
I want to make this car as reliable as possible.

Is there anything that I missed?

Oh yeah, I have an HKS dp and a blitz cb, with drop in K and N filter, Brembo Rotors, Blitz boost and egt gauges, H&R springs, cusco strut bar.

 

Yep, all new hoses. Not cheap, not hard to install, (except the two that go to the turbos) but they'll get you sooner or later, guaranteed.

 

I too just finished my initial reliability mods. I haven't changed the diff/tranny yet as I only have 19k on my "new" car. Likewise I haven't changed the belts or pads.

BTW, I've heard some negative things about Hawk pads and if anything other than OEM get a carbon kevlar pad for street.

I just finished changing the coolant and have a few observations.

--- I changed it and ran a container of flush cleaner through it for 15 min. It supposedly removes any scaling and light rust that may have accumulated.

--- To change the coolant, I jacked the car up on the right side - interestingly that appears to have restricted filling the coolant - probably from air pockets.

--- flushed it about 5 times. Don't know if this is/was enough but damn what a pain.

--- Opening the throttle body coolant line seemed to help filling.

--- I found an old vacuum attachment hose which fit perfectly. I blew into the hose purging any (so I thought) air through the TB hose. Seemed to work - maybe would be a good complement to keeping the car level.

--- Also, it seemed that each time I did it I only got about a gallon of coolant/water from the engine. I let it idle for 3 min or so with the heater on, but still only got a gallon.

--- Any comments??

777rx7 - you may want to search on "air box mod" where you cut the bottom of your stock air box and fabircate/buy a diverter/shield to direct the cold air into your intake - gives about 10 rwhp by my butt dyno.

(however, once you do that you will be en route to buying an intercooler or cpu depending on your "risk tolerance" as you will be spiking to 13 psi (not extremely bad but getting risky!) You have the same engine mods as me btw (not brands but components)

 

Hey RonK. What about that heater hose next to the frame with its clamp facing DOWN?? Cursed the person who did that's mother for like an hour!!

Totally agree. EVERYTHING to do with cooling, replace and/or upgrade. Hoses, radiator, pump, AST. All of it.

Check out the (or a, if you're inventive!) fan mod. Keep the temps under control. Also, be aware of the stock temp gauge having NOTHING to do with reality! The thing stays at the same temp reading from 120 to 230 F, or so. Useless, and if it ever moves, you're too late! Try the linearization mod.

That's my $0.02, and that's what it be worth!!

 

Use a synthetic in the engine too. There is a lot of controversy regarding the use of synthetics in the rotary but I have NEVER heard any negative stories regarding it and your turbos will thank you big time.

 

I agree, and I too am working on my reliability mods right now. I have the DP and now I have to work on EVERYTHING else you guys just listed, lol. I just got the car hence why I just started .

 

I daily drive my car (except in winter). I have put about 60,000 miles on it with little problem. It has a dp, intercooler, intake, PFC, toe links and trailing arms.
I change the oil every 1,000 miles with 10W-30. Change the other fluids/filters about every 10,000miles.
One of the best things I did was upgrade the electrical grounding.

Two things I have not done but are often recommended are...
You could upgrade the temp gauge. I have heard they are not too accurate.
Turbo Timer. Some like them, some don't but many of the rotary shops recommend them.

 

Did you look at the dates on this post?

 

omgstfubbq

 

At least it bumps to the top, a thread for noobs who are just getting into FD's, and don't like to search, so they can theoretically find easy answers on what to do, to make their FD more reliable.

 

And you think they are actually going to read this thread, just because of that, when there is a FAQ thread stuck at the top, always, which people don't first read?

 

I know there's a sticky I'm just sayingthey need all the links they can get infront of their faces. lol

 

...you forgot the FPD...and fuel line hoses....yeah make sure you toss the stock AST and radiator in trash. ...