Good to hear it and thanks. You gonna make it out to the TOTD?

Looks like I will be sporting a new suspension for TOTD too. My insane spending habits have led me to buy a set of Tein Flex Coilovers. I need help, an intervention or something. "the first step to recovery is admitting you have problem" and so forth.

 

^Well if you feel really bad about it Josh you can just give the things you buy to me

 

I've attached a draft of a Maintenance Checklist for the TOD Rotarie Rally at Deals Gap. Since I have an FC, 89 GTU, will of you guys that have other models and turbos take a look and recommend any changes that might apply to other rotary models. I want to have it for our group to use and herblenny will also post it on the Rotaries at Deals Gap website so it should be a fairly comprehensive list of things to do and check before leaving home and after getting to Fontana Village.

Thanks

 

Taylor, I'd thought about that, but then decided I might as well reap the benefits of my addiction.

Bert, it all looks good, except my battery will be firmly fastened behind the passengers seat.

I think that is good info for any car in general. I don't think many of us are going to caliper our rotors, though.

 

Bert,

I think I failed the engine check list!
You may want to add wheels torqued the day of inspection to 65# I know this is what they do at VIR.

Josh get back to work I want to hear a success story.

Johny

 

Josh, then your battery would fall under the Driver's Compartment. it should be properly secured so it won't come up to greet you if you have a sudden stop or decide to go off road and roll down a hill while you're up at Deals Gap. Are we gonna be able to recognize your car when you finally get it road worthy again?

Johny, thanks for the spec, on the lug nuts. Do you have an estimate on the finish date for your car? On the checklist, Should I add to the Engine checks that you should have a working engine, preferably rotary installed in the engine bay and firmly secured to the frame or is that getting a little too technical?

 

outside will look the same. drivetrain, and interior, should be unrecognizable.

 

johny, I am busting my hump. Should be reassembled tonight and be back in by tomorrow. Then I gotta set up the intercooler/radiator and wait for my turbo. If all goes well, it should be up and running for the first meet in March. everyone cross their fingers and say a little prayer for the FD.

I might pee myself when it finally cranks. so you will have to excuse any stains on the seats....i know, i know, i took it too far.

After that comes the tuning, interior, and coilovers.

 

Josh, what did you end up doing with your motor port-wise?

Also, I've finally got all my clutch/flywheel parts in. Anybody want to help install them some time? Anytime? I'll work around your schedules. I'd really like to get it in before T.O.T.D.

 

A mid-level street-port.

I am down for helping, sometime in middle March. If you get someone to help you sooner, like I mentioned earlier, you can borrow the tools. The only thing I dont have is that actual pilot bearing puller, but I did rig one up that kinda works (you have to kind convince it )

 

Middle of march is fine with me, maybe that'll give me time to scrounge up a pilot bearing puller. I've read that the entire install can take upwards of 20 hrs. Is this true?

 

ive got a pilot bearing remover if ya wanan use it, its actually a hydraulic tappet remover, but its essential the same thing and it worked on my old engine

 

Fine with me and Amanda.... that means our share will be cheaper.

 

^
If i can get a few things straight on my car i will more than likely do that.

 

ummm... i dunno about 20 hours. I did it for the first time in one weekend. I guess it might have been 16hours, but honestly, I spent a lot of time staring at the car and trying to figure out WTF was going on and what SST I needed, or had to rig.

 

Hey guys Check this out on Deals Gap.

http://homepage.mac.com/dealgapfeb20...eTheater1.html

 

tookwik- 20 hours is a bit long. But it all depends on what issues you have a long the way. Give yourself a couple days of "realxed pace" work. As relaxed as you can get when working on these FD's

The biggest pain imo is the exhaust system. If you have done recent work with that it won't be so bad. But most of the time I have to remove a stock exhaust, the main cat studs fight me the entire way. I end up drilling them out almost all the time. As well the DP studs tend to bake themselves silly into the turbo. Causing some headaches. My advice for that stuff is PB blaster. Spray it today and twice a day until you do the job. it will help some.

But be prepared to have to yank off the turbos( can't remember if you are single or not)and have the studs machined out. around 50 bucks usually, plus you will need the gaskets. If you are single turbo that part is almost non-issue. So have some turbo gaskets present so you do not miss the Dragon run

the rest is pretty staraight forward. you only need a clutch disc alignment tool for SST's. Also a flywheel stopper for 25 bucks or a block of wood will do as well. Most times with air tools the nut zips rite off. Then just bang on the flywheel to remove. usually takes me 3 hits with the wood block around the outer edges of the flywheel. I also bought the correct tool for 125 bucks and it takes longer to use Leave the nut a few threads on the e-shaft. When the flywheel comes loose you don't want it falling onto your head. That would make it hard to get to the next meet! The flywheel nut is a BIG 2 1/8 inch socket or the metric equivelant. But that is usually alot more money for the tool.

Have a big gallon sized zip lock or so to put over the output shaft area of the tranny so you don't take a hypoid showerOr drain it if it needs to be changed.

Replace the rear main oil seal as long as you are there. it is 5 bucks and the whole job done again if it goes out

When putting the tranny on it helps to have a helper lift on the front end of the engine to tilt it back so the input shaft can line up easier. Also have them spin the pullies with there hands to help the splines line up on the clutch disc and input shaft. Stick a bolt in the bell housing to locate it in place, support it with a jack and bolt the rest of the bellhousing down. Then install PPF and driveshaft.( use a jack to help if you can. I happen to be stuborn and large and just bench the tranny up into place while the helper turns the pullies. I save money on the gym this way)

Then installation is opposite of removal..I love hearing that in manuals

Sorry for the story in the SE section. probably should have put it in the other thread i just saw about your clutch job. But i am lazy this morning and am not going to change it

take care, good luck and PM if you need any help along the way.

Aloha, Dave.

 

For everyone planning on going up to Deals Gap be sure and order the Tshirt, The shirt will be your ticket for the free meals and other happenins. You need to order the shirt this week, I think that Phil will be ordering the shirts after the end of the month to insure that they are on hand when you sign in.

 

Just a little update on my car. New urethane motor mounts made by Ashraf are done, just need a couple little odds and ends like clutch throwout bearing and some other stuff so that the tranny and engine can go back in the car. My GT35R kit should be in my hands soon, called Aspec today and they said it has been at the ceramic coaters for a while and should be done. They are going to call me tomorrow with an estimated time of arrival for the kit. Should hopefully have the car up and running for the first meet in March if I can make it to that one.

-Rob

 

Thanks BigIslandSevens. How about i buy you a plane ticket and you come show me how to do it cuz that was pretty much A LOT OF INFO to remember. I'm sure i'll find that info useful.

BTW - Can't you just use a long flathead screwdriver to remove the pilot bearing?

 

[
BTW - Can't you just use a long flathead screwdriver to remove the pilot bearing?[/QUOTE]
No

 

Well, the GTU is going in for body work on Thursday. I'm getting a fender and bumper from Steve to replace the damage done in the accident, in addition to the mirror I already bought off the classifieds. I'm also replacing the sunroof panel with one from Steve's parts cars. It's gonna suck not having a car, but **** if Rick can do it for 7(!) months while his FD was down then I can handle two weeks. It still amazes me that he's had an FD as his only daily driver since like '98.

This whole project is setting me back a shitload of money so nitrous has been pushed off indefinately. To get a nice safe setup I still need to buy a bottle pressure safety valve and a fuel pressure safety switch in addition to the little crap that unfortunately didn't come with the kit I bought (like a bottle heater and arming switch). I mean, you get what you pay for. I may wait until I get new shocks to even bother with it now.

It's not a big deal though. In a few weeks my car is gonna look mint like Bert's, and I'll have my antenna mast fixed too.

 

Woops, meant throw-out bearing

 

you wanan use my puller?

 

The throw-out bearing, yes. Pilot bearing, no. The pilot bearing tool I modded works, you just have to know the trick.

I don't remember having any problems with my DP, that required having to take the turbos off. I know you are running a DP and aftermarket exhaust so most of the bolts should be ok. Though, I did start with the PB Blaster like 2 weeks before. Again, I did it in two very laid back days, the first time, having to read instructions, and rigging tools.

The most important thing will be getting all four wheels off the ground safely. I did it with for 4 heavy duty jackstands and a lot of prayer.