[Pnut00]

Personally i think the wire tuck would be a great start to see on mine, im always impressed sing the clean bay in hot rods and likes where they have hidden away all the piping and wiring.

 

[Pnut00]

Lots of shiny goodness there! Man that strut brace looks so close to the engine cover

 

[Pnut00]

Took the front off the motor, and it's hard to tell exactly where the problem is. I'm quite sure that it's the front main seal because if you look here on pic #3: _Zaclemore's Build Thread, you can see on the left side that the seal isn't seated quite right and then the timing belt started slinging it everywhere. I should have checked this, but on the other hand I paid a shop to build the block for me. I should have checked the oil sender bolt, but I paid a shop to build it for me? The rotating assembly didn't fall apart but these issues have me thinking: what's next?

Depending on where you bought it i have read of some who have used the cheap seals bought on ebay not sealing and leaking worse than the worn out OEM.
How did you fit it? You really need to oil the outer and inner so it slides in and then use a tool (i used a PVC pipe about the right diameter) that supports it flat along the whole face. Mine was OEM, slid in fairly easy with the tool and then it is just making sure it is in far enough.

I cant remember if the OEM one was an energised seal or not... might be something to look for.

 

[Pnut00]

I know some like the bling and to show it off, personally i am more of a stealth, function over form sort of guy. I would paint the intercooler black to blend it in with whats behind it, but thats all personal preference. You could put some mesh in front of it if you want to hide it a little...

Sucks about the shipping, though it is so thin there it looks like a weak point, but yeah it should have turned up right.

Lol, what would make you want to change the main seal that often? (asks the guy who will typically just change everything while he has it apart cause he doesnt want to ever take it apart again )

 

[Pnut00]

lol you guys dont have folding mirrors? 🤭 I haven't seen a car that cant do that for years!

Yes there is a button to make them fold beside the mirror adjustment console as mentioned on the Altezza, i believe there is an auto close/open on key in/out setting in the ECU via techstream but ive never activated it as i find them annoying and never had an issue with parking spots.

 

[Pnut00]

Noble reaction between metals, ali for the head and pump etc. is lower than the steel block so it will slowly dissolve the all important ali parts (cathode/annode). The radiator additive is there to help stop the reaction taking place.

 

[Pnut00]

Drill an extra hole and use a standard rubber grommet the same as the OE ones? Put it in the right place and you have shorter wires and possibly can hide it away.

I am far from any kind of expert, but i also think putting it under the seat is asking for trouble. After years of having 80's and 90's hatchbacks with amps under the seats i know how much they get stood on, kicked and jammed with rubbish and dust. Even if you are careful in your car and treat it well dust still tends to collect in the carpet and around feet, which only clogs up any air flow you are hoping for. If you can i would see it behind the glove box as well, much safer place for pretty much one of the most expensive parts of the build. All the other bits in the glove box become secondary when the ECU is out of action. my 2c though, you know best what works for your setup

 

[Pnut00]

The older i am getting the more willing i am to spend the money for the sake of ease depending on if i deem it outside my current comfort level, much to the horror of my wife's Scottish side. Luckily she is too scared to check all the bank statements in case she hyperventilates

Is there a manual wastegate spring that is holding it back (like i would know if that would be it lol). Sounds like it could be safety somewhere in the system?

 

[Pnut00]

Pretty sure it would have been the polishing, made the car feel pretty lol

 

[Pnut00]

I have a buddy who makes an adapter plate to bolt a GTE plenum to GE runners. Let me know if you want more info.

Not meaning to cast any doubts on your buddy, (his workmanship looks great ), but having seen how some of those adaptor plates have to "convert" the air flow into the head personally I doubt a lot of the benefit of changing the plenum over is accomplished. I could be wrong but on the one i saw it had to move an inlet over about 1/2" using an adaptor plate about 1/2" thick, so pretty much a 45degree angle, not good for flow dynamics going ```\__ if you know what i mean. Its been a while since i saw it though...

 

[Pnut00]

The GTE/GE upper/lower manifolds aren't misaligned 0.500", but there is certainly misalignment and therefore a "kink" introduced into the runner. Not ideal, to be sure - but based on my experience with the Ford 2.3 turbo Lima engines I used to play with (which had awful ports and manifolds) - I don't think the kink is anything an extra pound or two of boost won't cure.

It would be an abortion for a performance NA engine, or even a max-effort turbo engine - but I think it'll be ok for a hot street car.

I'm using one of the adaptors from SupraVworld, which is ~10mm thick... but I'm still several months away from the car running. Hopefully I'll be on the dyno sometime this year so I can share data on this. I'll be using the same dyno I was on the first time around so the results should be fairly relevant.

you are probably right, i am probably too used to NA approach, it is a lot difference with a pressurized system. Still i wonder what benefit the GTE manifold has over GE for a hot street car...

 

[Pnut00]

Regarding the GTE upper intake: I did it primarily for looks. A secondary reason is a shorter and cleaner charge piping arrangement. Some people might argue that'll improve response, but I don't think it's anything measurable. But it makes me feel better. I'm not expecting any performance gain compared to the "over the valvecover" GE intake. But c'mon...the GTE manifold looks way better.

I totally agree it looks better, a lot cleaner bay for sure! I cant argue against personal preference either, to each their own.

 

[Pnut00]

can you not press them out?

Ali will expand more than steel so even heating it up will help.

 

[Pnut00]

I think SPA is the way. Then I'll do a new wastegate too, maybe a TurboSmart, probably the CX downpipe still. I think I should coat my cast iron while I have it out too. Idk if I'll do what @Hodgdon Extreme did with his lol, but It might look cool with the polish.

You know, there is such a thing as too many polished parts 🤭
You need some colour in there to contrast and make the other polished parts pop

 

[Pnut00]

Maybe some kind of skid plate or bar?

I keep scraping my bumper on the kerb or parking stops, I think it was Tobias who had a camera set up on his front plate which i was considering until my wife scraped it hard in a visible part so i have given up for now.

 

[Pnut00]

I really like my single din radio, because it does one thing and one thing well: be a radio.

I hear you there, I am personally not a fan of double din with screens either, but then i am old and like to just hit a physical button and go without the distraction of a big screen . Mostly i dont like the light at night time reflecting from the big double din screen onto the windscreen.

 

[Pnut00]

You can get monitor screens in the rear view mirror, might be a bit more discreet?

 

[Pnut00]

First package that came contained a brand new set of GTE VVTi valve covers. I have some plans for these, but not what you'd expect. I want to shave down the sides, get them smooth and have them painted or coated. I also really want to use the middle larger PCV openings as tucked catch can lines.
View attachment 143534

What, no polishing? 🤭

 

[Pnut00]

Im not sure polishing something you want the timing belt to stick to and not slide over is a wise move. I might be wrong though.

 

[Pnut00]

Ha yep been there done that. Even welding a machined plug from a bar of the same steel as the plate you are welding it into will often look different, and will accentuate any defect moreso if you are trying to get a good finish. We often press and weld same materials together and no matter what it always looks a little different, and then when it heats up they discolour slightly differently so it shows up even more.