Nice update! Bet that that intercooler makes a good difference
Actually improved drivability the most surprisingly! Feels like the car breaths easier at lower revs, kind of like a bigger exhaust would feel.
Long overdue update:
Overhauled my whole exhaust system sourced from my old wrecked car, it was a JT-Tuning 3" with a single muffler. Added:
-Resonator
-High flow cat
-V-bands
-Relocated wideband O2 bung
-Bracket for the bellhousing mounting point
-Chrome tip !
Painted it all high-temp blaaaaack.
Fitted my old 15g while those horrible downpipe bolts where off ! Definetly a small but nice upgrade from a 13c.
Finally got around to fabbing the front Kaplhenke coilovers, it's the stock length strut mount w/ Koni Yellow's and 275lb Eibach springs. Matches the rear 200lb springs nicely. It's pretty tame spring rates mainly because the Koni's can't deal with much more, and this is my daily driver.
All painted and installed with the BNE Select top mounts:
The difference these all made to the front end is amazing. The car is now much more predictable and keen to turn in.
It still has some body roll, blame the soft ish springs, but it's probably half of what the stock suspension had.
I'm really surprised by the speed the car can carry through corners. Only when it gets very tight you are reminded it's a massive wagon you're throwing around, and it'll understeer some. Otherwise in faster corners it's really quite neutral, you can feel both front and rear tyres working for grip. Lifting off helps the nose to tuck in nicely without the back coming loose.
Overall very happy with the chassis now. I did have to refit the stock rear ARB, the 25mm IPD one is clearly too stiff and won't the rear axle articulate enough.
Next on the list, was to install all the different interior accessories I had on the old car. Subwoofer, amplifier, AFR gauge, boost controller, etc.
I decided this time rather then robbing power off different OE accessories left and right, I would install a proper auxilary fuse box sourcing power directly from the battery, for a cleaner install of everything.
So here is how I did it:
From the battery straight to a 100 amp Mega fuse in its holder, using 25mm? cabling. Trying to make the distance from battery to fuse as short as possible:
Then along the frame (using cable tie-downs) to a distribution block near the strut tower:
From there it's two 16mm? cables to feed the two fuse boxes I'll be adding. One with constant 12v and the other with switched 12v. Both cables through a factory un-used grommet through the firewall, underneath the steering column.
Little bracket made up of scrap aluminum to hold everything:
Here's how it looks with everything mounted on it. Four fuses for constant and ten for switched. Plus the HD relay to turn on the switched fuse box:
Everything installed and wired in, with the ground bus bar just underneath.
I've since then added caps and insulation to every exposed bit of the 12v wiring to avoid any surprises:
Pretty happy overall of the outcome, everything works as it should and the install is overall pretty clean. I was extra careful when it came to insulating the power cables and made sure it wasn't bound to rub the sheathing off and ground on something with vibrations etc. Keen on advice from people with actual experience though!
Got to install my AEM UEGO gauge and new GFB G-Force III boost controller, tried to make it less tacky then in the old car:
The boost controller is great, has so many options to play with and it's wired in the AFR gauge, so it knows if the car is running lean on boost and will revert back down to wastegate pressure in an attempt to save things.
Added my old catch can setup, except I'm keeping the stock CCV box (albeit replaced w/ a new one) this time. Also packed some steel wool in the Yoshifab oil cap (with a mesh screen bolted in there to avoid any loose strands to fall in the engine). All this in an attempt to slow down the fumes and avoid the catch can to fill up too quickly.
It's definitely working better then my old setup so I'm happy with it.
More recently I've pulled the engine and trans out of the wrecker to get to my billet flywheel and 850R clutch setup for the M90, going to fit everything straight back in the new car as the setup had around 10.xxx km's on it and looks fine.
The 531 head is off because currently at the machinist for a refresh and some 38mm exhaust valves. Going to smooth out the exhaust port as well, should help nicely at higher RPM's !
Oh and, fitted the new wheels up
Lenso BSX 16x7.5 et35 with 25mm spacer, aka fake BBS RS'.
Had to tack on a fake Ebay special BBS badge on their, the stock Lenso logo looks tacky.
Threw on some new orange indicators to go with a more old school vibe. Loving it's new look:
Yes it needs moar low, will get there soon.
Phew, that's it for now!
Hopefully going to throw my TruTrac, clutch + flywheel and new head on soon. Should make for a nice package.
Always keen for any advice and what not, this is the first time I do any of this stuff really!