Late Intro to My New Car (Mk1.5 Turbo) - Picture Heavy!

[Jawa411]

Doesn't look the best Tom but we all know that this thing will drive the best. Blimey 2 months...so you're gonna notice a massive difference the next time you drive it properly.

Jealous!

[tommundy]

Doesn't look the best Tom but we all know that this thing will drive the best. Blimey 2 months...so you're gonna notice a massive difference the next time you drive it properly.

Jealous!

Hi mate,

To be fair to the old girl, she has had oily greasy hands all over her for the last 8 weeks and hasn't had a wash in ages. Don't get me wrong though, the body work does need looking at. That's for next year though! The front bumper will be getting matt blacked before the holiday if I get chance and I'll also sand the arches back and tart them up.

I've just got home and unpacked all my tools from my car down into the cellar. Knackered now!

It handled rather interestingly on the way back, but everything else was fine. Looking forward to tomorrow when I can do some proper testing and bed the brakes in etc.

Now, time for a drink!

Cheers,
Tom

[pistol pete]

Great glad to hear you are driving it again
Geo set up done then fun times agead

[tommundy]

Well, today could have gone better...

Firstly, took it for the wheel alignment to be done and it was going well until they found that the front outer track rods had no threads on them, grr. It also seems that I've got some slightly sticking pistons in the four pots, so will be putting new seals in them next week. I've already ordered new front outer track rods and ends, which should be here in the next few days too. The garage did sort out the toe on the rear, so it at least drives in a straight line now, hehe.

So, then I headed back to work and then after work went down to the tyre place to have my new tyres fitted. I had brought 2 new 16" wheels with me to change the front wheels from 15" ones. However, my calculations of the tyre sizes was well out and I later realised that my current ones are 195/50/15, not 195/55/15, which I'd been basing my calculations on, doh! So the 205/50/16's were way too big. They did go on and didn't rub, but I wasn't happy with how close they were to the spring seat and wheel arch. Thankfully the garage were understanding and I've got 2 195/45/16 tyres on order, which I'll get fitted early next week. They did however swap my rear tyres over without any problem, which was nice!

I got home and got the part no. from the calipers to get some new seals and have just ordered a new fancy tool to help me get the pistons out (any excuse!). I also liberally sprayed the bolts that hold on the front cross member as that'll probably have to come off to change the track rods.

Just to cheer myself and feel like something was 100% done today, I fitted my new, slightly smaller, steering wheel that I'd picked up as my current one had been rubbing slightly on my trousers. It took a while for me to work out where the marks were coming from! I also nipped up a bottom coolant hose clip that the garage noticed a very very small weep from.

I would have still brought the car to Silverstone this weekend, but I don't want to be having to buy two new discs on the off chance that these warped on the way down.

Honda Jazz it is then!

I'll update this thread next week, when hopefully I'll have new track rods and ends, have full geometry done, new front tyres on 16" wheels and have tip top brakes.

Cheers,
Tom

[coverco]

I don't think you have to remove the cross member to do the track rod ends Tom, they just screw onto the ends of the steering rack. You do need to remove it to put poly bush steering bushes in though.

If you had popped the pistons out and cleaned them up with fine sandpaper you would have been ok. Too late now though.

You are a brave man taking your car on a two week European trip, I will keep my fingers crossed for you

[tommundy]

I don't think you have to remove the cross member to do the track rod ends Tom, they just screw onto the ends of the steering rack. You do need to remove it to put poly bush steering bushes in though.

If you had popped the pistons out and cleaned them up with fine sandpaper you would have been ok. Too late now though.

You are a brave man taking your car on a two week European trip, I will keep my fingers crossed for you

Hi Tommy,
Its the track rods themselves I'm changing too.

I'll be 'popping the pistons out' next week now. Why too late?

Hehe, I've got confidence in the car. Just need to get these last few jobs done.

[coverco]

I meant too late for bringing the car to the show Tom. At least you won't have a problem with space in the Honda

Oh I meant to say I have a special tool for removing caliper pistons, it is called a compressor

[tommundy]

I meant too late for bringing the car to the show Tom. At least you won't have a problem with space in the Honda

Oh I meant to say I have a special tool for removing caliper pistons, it is called a compressor

True

It was the right decision to make though. The Honda does have VTEC yo! Hehe!

Yes, plenty of room for supplies!

See you tomorrow mate!

[pistol pete]

Ahh well i am sure we will see it some point.. best to make sure its right though bud before you do any serious miles in it..
can't belive you all going tomorrow ill be stuck at work

at least the rear tires are done and sorted..

[tommundy]

Right, just an update on what I've been up to this week.

I received my new front inner tie rods and track rod ends on Monday, which looked good. Great, I thought, all I need to do now is order new pistons and seals for my calipers...

So, I phoned my brake manufacturer and, armed with the piston measurements, put my order in for 8 anodised aluminium pistons and a new seal kit. I asked to be contacted when they got shipped, so by 2pm I started to worry, considering I'd ordered them before 9:30am. I called up the supplier and they said they were out of stock. They did say that there was currently a production run going on that should finish Tuesday/Wednesday, so I asked them to put URGENT all over my order and phoned them up Tuesday. Still no pistons. Phoned up yesterday and I was told that they'd be made by today, so I phoned up today and they reported that the pistons had been made!

...BUT!...

The heater for the anodising tank was now broken... OMG, how unlucky am I? So, thinking fast, I asked if they had any stainless steel pistons in stock of the same size, which they did, but they were £4 more each. I asked if they could do anything on the price due to the circumstances and they agreed to meet me in the middle; result! So they were in the post to hopefully arrive tomorrow at work.

On Tuesday night I took off the wheels, calipers, discs and removed the track rod ends.

Then today, I left work early and popped into a local friendly garage for them to help me get the pistons out of my calipers. After about 15 minutes and various rags, welding clamps, bits of sheet metal and a big compressor, they were all out, woo! Slipped them some beer money and back home I went.

After dropping Lois off at a friends house, I set about replacing the inner tie rods, but it became clear that you couldn't do it in situ, so I ended up removing the full rack! Not the most reassuring thing to be doing 5 days before setting off on a 2500 mile European road trip, I can tell you!



So, I got that out and removed the inner rods along with the track rod ends, but I was losing light and so decided to pack my tools away.

However, before I did that, I'd noticed that my ratchets had been getting quite stubborn recently; probably due to me working through rain on a couple of occasions, so I stripped them and greased them all up:



So, that leaves me with fitting the new inner rods, track rod ends and rack along with the cross member. This is in addition to refurbishing the calipers when the new pistons arrive tomorrow also. Then hopefully have it all back together to get the geometry re-done on Saturday! Phew! Then I think I'll be doing some serious road testing as I've not even given this turbo any real boost yet. Plus, I've still got some other jobs on my jobs list, but nothing that'll stop us going now at least.

Wish me luck all!