Posted by on 3rd May , 2011
I finally got a S2 rear bar for NZM018 over the weekend allowing the fitment of the S2 Milano garnish. Shame it’s bright ass yellow but paint isn’t really a big problem and will add to the rainbow styling going on currently.
I went to fit the S2 Sunny ZX front splitter I have recently and found that the intercooler and piping are fouling the front bar, so much so that it bowes the bar out making it impossible to fit the center section of the splitter.
I’ve attached a photo of the new leads as mentioned ages ago as well.
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Posted by on 22nd April , 2011
Brought back to former glory. Thanks to Thermal Edge Coating for the work with the restoration and paint – they really nailed the factory crinkle finish.
It truly does look brilliant, even the back side has been treated and brought back to a fresh clean factory look.
I’m not sure if I’ll have a go at bringing the lettering back to bare metal myself or not – I probably won’t and I’ll let a professional take care of it.
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Posted by on 19th April , 2011
Two of them
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Posted by on 11th April , 2011
I was able to finally change the plugs and leads over on the weekend. I forgot to take a photo, but will do so soon and post. Both plugs 3 & 4 were wet with fuel and very black. The lead on 3 didn’t feel as tight as the others, it might have been loose, but I yanked on it too quick to pay any real attention. New plugs are down a heat range moving to a 6.
The spark plug cover is going to be sent off to be brought back to former glory as heat and corrosion are taking their toll on the paint. I’m reluctant to let it out of my sight though given it’s close to irreplaceable now. I hope to get the rear hub assembly off this weekend to finally get around to double checking the adapter measurements, only been put off for a month or two now…
Sunday seen the final run before tune is completed. I’m not sure when that will be, hopefully not too long. PGA ran a cruise so I took NZM018 out to the meet. For a Brisbane meet, there was a big turn out – picture below:
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Posted by on 21st March , 2011
Posted by on 18th March , 2011
With the k’s now approaching very close to 1200km (~11xxkm) it about time for tune 🙂 Last time I was driving NZM018 a miss had started to develop although only light and at lower revs it’s now very heavy and almost constant.
I assume it’s fouled a plug so I plan on inspecting and changing them this weekend. After installing the breather setup below, I done something to my back so I haven’t touched the car since then.
My fiancĂ© has been on my back for a long time about my sunglasses complaining that they are passed their use-by looking very very well worn, scratched and dirty – they even have bite marks from my dog trying to eat them. I got them second hand in around 2001. I’ve been protesting saying they work just fine and when they break I’ll replace them.
They are already sporting their second set of lenses after being sent off to Oakley a few years ago to have replacements sourced and fitted. So on eBay yesterday I for the first time come across a pair that would be a candidate fit to replace them. I told Jess, she was over the moon and asked me to send her the link right away to check them out – She rang back in a few minutes laughing her face off…
A brand new pair of 1999 Oakley S2 Eye Jackets!! Like there could really be any replacement except for a brand new pair of the same model 🙂
My computer monitor at home has been having some intermittant issues with colours failing like I’m on acid, usally while mid combat in BC2 ensuring extra rage after dying. It’s a HP w2207 and been serving me well for 3+ years and have been trying to find a suitable replacement with a gloss finish screen. There isn’t much street cred for a gloss finish screen so a replacement has taken a little longer to find, mind you most people that look at it like the image it presents, I describe it as a ‘wet look’. Turns out HP made a w2408 version of this monitor, identical except does full HD & is 24″, I found one on eBay a couple of months ago but someone wanted it moar. Auction was at 150 or so, I tried to snipe it for a bit over 300 and lost. I haven’t been able to find anything else until I came across a HP 2509p, 25″, gloss finish but I think has a lower colour gamut @ 72%. It’s primarily for games, so I’m hoping I don’t notice. It’s native is 1920×1080 up from my current 1680×1050, so I’ll see how the 4890’s respond to that, I’m a little worried and have already started looking at 5870’s.
Of course within just a few days of purchasing this this, there are no less than 3 w2207’s monitors for sale now… always the way.
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Listed in General, NZM018
Posted by on 5th March , 2011
The new breather system I mentioned in the last post was fitted this weekend. Although it was designed for an S13, with a few mods it’s made a new home in the N13 and I think looks brilliant.
The breathers are now concealed and some wiring relocated to accomodate the new parts.
The polished cam covers don’t look too bad either I think…
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Posted by on 1st March , 2011
I installed a new volt gauge w/ breaker built in (Jaycar: SZ-6002) recently to see what the battery and alternator are up to.
Turns out both are healthy with around 12.7 off and 13.9 running. The car had been going flat after about a week of no movement needing to be charged weekly. Since giving the battery a good long trickle charge and going for a few short drives, the car started after two weeks of sitting. It was almost like it’d been fixed with out me knowing about it.
We attended a brilliant house warming over the weekend. After drinking too much I thought it’d be a the perfect time to buy something for nzm018. I bought a set of polished cam covers, twin breather catch can, braided lines with speedflow fittings – bit of buyers remorse with the wedding coming up and all. My beautiful partner doesn’t know yet, but I’m sure she’ll love them just as much as I do…
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Posted by on 14th February , 2011
The car has a problem with smoke, again, but now it’s just after the engine has been on boost. The smoke is heavy, blue, smells like oil and lasts for about 5 – 10 seconds after coming off boost. Checking the oil I noticed that it’s just on the end of the dip stick with a warm motor. The engine has now done ~950kms.
Today I called the shop to see if these things were something to be worried about.
Not alarmed at all, I’m told by the shop that oil use is to be expected while running in and that the smoke that’s present on decel after coming off of boost is also ok. This is attributed to the tune being a rough run in map and the injectors are hosing in a little after decel. Honestly, I’m a little worried still, but at the same time, if the builder/tuner isn’t concerned I shouldn’t be.
The next couple of items on the agenda for nzm018 are thicker runs of cable from the battery and getting final measurements for the rear hub adapters and then off to Bri-Z performance for fabrication.
Final tune will be the next thing after that once the k’s are finally run up.
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Posted by on 19th November , 2010
I chased the builder up today about the car and today it is ready. In between today and the last post, the ECU come back with the all clear and no changes made to it. On run up on the dyno the misfire is again slightly improved suggesting the manufacturer may have corrected an issue. I’m now told there is a charge for this in addition to the work performed on the head.
Underwhelmed I just agree as I’m fast loosing interest by this point. To the shops credit they tell me that they have spent quiet a few hours working on the car trying to get it to run right as they don’t want to return the car performing poorly. The wiring to the CAS is the next thing to be tried, I explain that my position at this point is still the same that I am not willing to spend any further money on the car based on current returns I’m seeing and will have it towed home if need be. The current invoice is capped at a dicounted rate with many hours labour excluded and free dyno time. With the invoice capped I agree to leave the car there again and they can try what ever they want at no cost to me.
In the end I’m told the misfire was infact faulty wiring coming from the CAS to the ecu and with this replaced, the problem has gone away. On inspection of the wiring a new run has been made to the CAS.Â
On starting the car, the cold start is still horrifing something to be fixed during final tune I guess. Driving the car home there doesn’t appear to be any major noticable misfire while accellerating. At cruise there does seem to be some faint misfire or break down but again could be written off due to tune.
After ~1200km’s the car can go back in for final tune and I’ll see if all the fuss and stress has been worth it.
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