Thomas' Gen 4 Swap SW

[GlanzaAtHeart]

Did some actual work on the car today for a change. My camber has been off for months, and instead of fixing my swaybar rust + geting a proper alignment, I did some home DIY camber settings.

I bought a $25 level box, and used some steel bar to make a bracket that bolts into the 2 brake disc threads to the hub. I used this to adjust and get camber set for the front 2 wheels. It's not thousands of dollar 3D alignment machine good, but it steers a lot straighter now, feels really good, and for $30 and an hour's work, it definitely beats going to the alignment shop everytime I want to touch hubs/shocks etc.

[GDII]

Interesting. How do you know the rotor is the same angle as the hub when the rotor is floating? You haven't bolted the rotor to the hub.

[GlanzaAtHeart]

Interesting. How do you know the rotor is the same angle as the hub when the rotor is floating? You haven't bolted the rotor to the hub.

That's a good point I didn't think about. Will try again with a couple of lug nuts bolted on - Didn't even occur to me!

[GDII]

Interesting. How do you know the rotor is the same angle as the hub when the rotor is floating? You haven't bolted the rotor to the hub.

That's a good point I didn't think about. Will try again with a couple of lug nuts bolted on - Didn't even occur to me!

[85AW20v]

My exact thought too Phill!! And was the steel plate exactly the same height from the disc face at each bolted end?

[GlanzaAtHeart]

Guess it's been a few months. Still haven't got a good alignment (long story but 2 bad alignment shops later and Bridgestone New Lynn told me that my camber bolts I have in the front can't adjust camber because they have no markings on the bolt head) so that's on the list still.


Cars been running and driving reasonably well over the last few months, been driving around helping others get their motors in and out, and a few other things.

- Seat: Installed a Bride Stradia II bucket seat using a Juran Racing rail from RHDJapan. Also put on a windshield banner for the fun of it.

Bucket_seat.jpg (232.62 KiB) Viewed 1973 times

Windshield_Banner.jpg (654.34 KiB) Viewed 1973 times

- Engine Loom: Phill was kind enough to make a loom for me, and after many months of procrastination I finally installed it. Much nicer in the engine bay and a much safer harness. Can't speak highly enough of his work and support, 11/10. Also changed the wastegate spring to a "7psi" spring (hits about 11.0psi) with new exhaust manifold studs in the head.

loom_turbo.jpg (340.44 KiB) Viewed 1973 times

- Gearbox + Engine bay: I've finally moved into a new flat with a garage and got the time to drop the drivetrain for a gearbox swap and painting my engine bay:

• 92 box with OEM LSD

• Painted bay to match body

paint.jpg (274.2 KiB) Viewed 1973 times

• New rear main, resealed both lower and upper sump

• Painted water neck, cleaned up gearbox, cleaned up other engine bay parts, etc.

• I had to reapply the seam sealer on the back firewall lower seam (wasn't factory sealer) as it was flaking off

seam_sealer.jpg (390.12 KiB) Viewed 1973 times

Had a small mishap today though, engine and gearbox fell off the crane with the chain breaking. Live and learn, no real permanent damage and I was clear from the engine. Drivetrain dropped onto the concrete about 30cm.

chain.jpg (234.07 KiB) Viewed 1973 times

Other than that, successful weekend painting, HUGE thanks to Logan for coming and spraying the bay and showing me what it takes to panel and paint, as it was my first experience with any real bodywork.

I'll update again once the car is back together and driving. Fun fact though, a Weber Q and a 9kg LPG bottle fit in the boot of an SW20 with space for meat and BBQ tools.

bbq.jpg (518.25 KiB) Viewed 1973 times

[GlanzaAtHeart]

Again, been a while, but car has been out of action, new job and other hobbies have taken priority.

What's happened:

May 2023: Dynamat interior (pic doesn't do justice - I filled in all the gaps) + new window seals - Much quieter on the road now with no wind noise.

IMG_20230528_170252.jpg (3.37 MiB) Viewed 296 times

June 2023: New turbo (Tom's old setup) - with new intercooler clamps welded on, sick of having boost leaks.\

engine bay pic1.jpg (347.79 KiB) Viewed 296 times

July 2023 onwards: HKS headgasket, refreshed head by a machine shop (which they lost my water neck adapter ), ARP Head studs, new exedy heavy duty clutch, lots of new gaskets, parts, etc.

engine bay 2.jpg (282.27 KiB) Viewed 296 times

head.jpg (495.15 KiB) Viewed 296 times

Battled a few issues with loss of water neck adapter, and then no oil pressure on startup. Eric Hux mentioned in a facebook comment that I should start it with the oil filter loose, and that worked luckily, after an exhaustive and frustrating couple of months trying to fix it.

That got put together about Nov 2023, in which the first proper test drive I hit a large pothole at about ~70kph which really did a number on my alignment. New inner and outer tie rods on the steering rack.

rack.jpg (238.04 KiB) Viewed 296 times

However, that test drive also found a bad misfire, still can't solve it. Cylinder 1 doesn't fire at all, and has spark confirmed. I had a code for fuel system, which I've dropped the tank and replaced the pump (DW200). Still doesn't run right, no change at all but the code has gone. Scratching my head here.

fuel tank.jpg (563.46 KiB) Viewed 296 times

Still yet to really enjoy any of the changes mentioned above. Have done approx 150kms on the car since the dynamat went in.

Hopefully get it running over this winter.

[mknz]

If you swap plugs and COP the misfire doesn't change cylinders?

If you now have more boost in there, previously fine plugs may not be igniting.

[GDII]

Turns out it was a broken injector plug causing the misfire. All good now.