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mportedcivicsi

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Progress was stalled due to my need to be at work on a day I had set to finish things up. But I was able to get things wrapped up this past Friday. And finally track down my start issue to the main relay on Saturday, just in time to race on Sunday.

While I have sold off a lot of my Spoon stuff to make room for other items, higher performing items, I treated myself to ridiculously over priced wiper brades. They made a huge difference in my times on Sunday :p






Finishing up the delete. Don't mind my ricer stickers. I needed moar HP's.



I added some sound deadening to help insulate from the trunk area...





And Sunday. It was the first time I was able to use the new slicks, and really the first nice day to autocross since finishing the overhaul last year. Its been raining or cold at any event I've made it to, all three previous to this. Really put a work out on the car and it loved every bit of it...as did I. Car feels great. Now to get out there more and keep pushing it!




 


mportedcivicsi

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Thanks man!

So here I'll try and catch up on what's been going on...

August 20th I went down to NC to run the track I'm very familiar with, although it had been a couple of years since I last ran it in any form. It was a full open track, grouped by experience. I opted to register in the beginner group as it had been a long time since I'd run an open track day, 5 years, and as stated, about 2 since the last I was at the track, which was for a Time Attack. I also was considering the numerous changes to the car overall since my last track day. Basically a new car to sort out. This provided an instructor to ride along and help get my old brain moving again. It was a great day and we were able to talk about different things and work on some things I wanted to get tested out. Without going into all of the detail, it was a great day and I was able to get a lot of take away for moving forward. And the majority of the beginner group was having a time with my passing them...haha. A large number of Miata's in that group. But it also made for great conversation in the paddock after sessions. Anyway...some pics and video...

Packed and ready!


Feed the tank...


Feed the drivers...


Driveway issues at the lake house...haha...



Track day!



 

mportedcivicsi

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As mentioned a little back, I picked up a 2007 Tundra that will be the tow pig, after I buy a trailer. But it also serves as my daily. Well, in VA we have an annual "safety" inspection, basically an additional annual tax we have to hassle through. Its not that its much a big deal, $16 a year to have a shop do a quick look over and slap a sticker on the window saying its safe. Soooo many ways around it that its basically a joke. But the Tundra had a sticker placed in April when the little lot picked it up from auction. I bought it in the middle of July. Other than a couple test drives, it had no mileage on it from when they picked it up. That said, it should have been in good shape. Of course I did a quick look around and such when buying, but nothing terribly detailed and in depth. I did crawl under it and all of that, but you know what I mean. Anyway, the front brakes failed. Not in a way that caused possible harm to anyone, however, that much truck not having solid brakes is not good. Left front basically fell apart and the caliper was missing parts. Right front was in better shape, but still not good. The lot deferred to the inspector because, "they aren't mechanics" and yeah. The other part of this, every lug nut was a lock nut. Basically a "tuner" type lug nut...but no key to be found. And while I will agree that wheel lock keys to get left in a mechanics cart/box on occasion, I'm going to say they didn't even bother to try to pull the wheels. Had they, the lot would have gotten a rejection on the inspection until the brake were address. So, about$700 later...still waiting for more parts...my front brakes will be fresh. Centric e-coated rotors, Hawk LTS pads and StopTech OEM 4pot (original equipment) calipers powder coated red...actually cheaper than buying raw finished from O'Riley's. And I'm currently due to have two new hard lines arrive today from Toyota. Unlike the Civic, it isn't a soft line all the way to the caliper. These are soft to the knuckle and the bracket converts the line to a short hard line that connects to the caliper. One was in bad shape and actually broke when I went to remove it, with a proper brake line wrench. So I'm replacing both sides for good measure. So, after a little over a week, the brakes should be finished up here soon. And I've taken plenty of photos to file a complaint against the dealer, shop and mechanic with the VSP, who oversees the inspection process.

A couple pics...





 

mportedcivicsi

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And back to the Civic. As mentioned, I was able to get good feedback from the car after the track day. One problem, that at the time, we were relating to fuel issues in the tune, was what seemed to be a miss at VTEC crossover. After the track day, which was really a great day and without any issues that didn't provide needed feedback, I discussed with some people about the VTEC problem. It was decided that the was more than likely an oil pressure problem and causing the crossover to act up from that loss. And after going back and looking at the video, which you can hear the miss, especially in the rear facing camera by the exhaust, it was mostly in and coming out of a turn, when the oil would have been really out of shape. So, I realized it was now a top priority to get the Spoon baffled pan in place that has been sitting around a while. And as you will see below, a nice sliver of HondaBond was found up in the pick-up against the screen. So I think this will help a good bit...haha. I didn't get near the work done that I wanted on Friday, but I needed to get some stuff shipped to buyers, but I did get the pan swapped and the car back on the ground to allow the wife to get in the garage after work. More to follow as I continue to work on the Si. For now, I'm just focused on being ready for the Dragon meet in Oct, and for ITR Expo a week after.










 

mportedcivicsi

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Well, yesterday Toyota called and said my brake lines were in. I finished up some work and left early as I wanted to get the truck finished and back on the road. My father in law grabbed them in route to my house as its much more convenient for him due to location. We got the truck in the air and the wheels off, and yeah...the lines that Toyota swore were correct, were just not right. They were the lines that go above the rubber line. Where our cars have the hard line that enters the wheel well directly from the prop valve, these are sectioned a little more. Bigger vehicle, so it makes sense. But what they sold me were the upper ends. The line that connects to the brake module stops at the wheel well and enters a 90* fitting. Another hard line is connected and meets the bracket, similar to that on our car, where the rubber line fits and has a retention clip to hold it. The rubber line goes down and hits a bracket on the knuckle arm, similar to our cars, but at this point transitions back to a hard line that plumbs into the back of the caliper. I needed that last line that hits the caliper...and clearly stated this numerous times. So after a phone conversation with a parts guy, and suggesting he speak with the techs, we decided we had the right part numbers. I did my own research and came to the same conclusion on part numbers, based on the same parts diagrams.

But, being that I was home and was again at a full stop on the Tundra, I worked on the Si...

A buddy picked up the Defi ZD Advance monitor system at UpGarage in Japan for me. I basically got the Sport Club package, less the oil pressure and water temp sensors. But I ordered those from RHD Japan...so I thought. It seems I mistakenly, and verified my mistake on my account with them, ordered the fuel pressure, not the oil pressure kit. So, my mistake and they are in Japan...I'll just run it anyway...haha. Ordered the oil pressure kit last night...not overnight from Japan :P




Sandwich plate in for oil monitoring...



Dump the coolant!



Chop the Spoon!!!





And I was not please to see that the Mishimoto radiator drain plug magnet had some how broken. Upside, its magnetic...all parts accounted for...



Showcar problems...

 

blandsarcasm

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That stupid magnet! Everyone has problems with it. Mine disappeared and wound up lodged in the thermostat housing. Luckily it wasn't possible to go any further into the coolant system. I really don't even know the purpose of that magnet anyway.


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mportedcivicsi

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Yeah, its very stupid. And I had never seen issues with them, but I never looked into it. I'm calling Evasive and ordering a Koyo to replace this Mishimoto...
 

blandsarcasm

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Yeah, its very stupid. And I had never seen issues with them, but I never looked into it. I'm calling Evasive and ordering a Koyo to replace this Mishimoto...
Have you had any other problems with the radiator other than the magnet? After fishing the magnet out of the thermostat I haven't had any problems whatsoever.


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mportedcivicsi

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I've never felt the system is working at potential. Even in cold temps the radiator warms to OEM temps where I'd expect a bit lower due to construction and the lower thermostat and fan switch. My OEM radiator with just the thermostat and fan switch stayed cooler in lower temps. And at this last track day, I started to get warm, not overheat, but the temp was rising above normal. This was after lunch, so the car had plenty of time to cool down from the last session, even with the warm temps of the day. I came off track when I saw the OEM gauge rise. And then after about 2 hrs I left the track and it still rose a bit at highway speed. I'm going to do a good flush down, with the thermostat removed, and then add OEM Honda coolant vice the green stuff. And I'll be using a Koyo in place of the Mishimoto. I've already ordered the Koyo via Evasive.

Mishimoto seemed shocked and is sending a new plug out at no charge. All they requested was a photo of the plug, which I've already sent to them in response.
 

blandsarcasm

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I see. Then the switch is most definitely worth it. I'm curious to see how much lower temps stay in comparison. One good thing about mishimoto is they're warranty support.


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mportedcivicsi

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Yeah, I am hoping that the change yields that, change. I was rather surprised that the Mishimoto didn't perform better. I have no obstructions, other than the required from plate, on the street. I am using the Mishimoto fan/shroud combo as well. However, I'll be removing the fan from the shroud as I've read of some negative from track use. And I'll have much better temp monitoring here shortly with the inline temp sensor.
 

mportedcivicsi

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Well, I got the brake lines in that I needed, the correct ones. The Tundra is back on the road and the brakes are much better, imagine that!

As I was finished with the brakes fairly early yesterday, and I took the whole day off work, I jumped over to the Si and kept things moving as best I could. I ended the day with much of the dash and console pulled apart. But when working electrical things, that's to be expected...

Defi ZD Advance system is the central monitoring device that will display and log (short term logging) of temps/pressures among other things it can do. Test location 1...




The hub for the Defi will likely be mounted in the glove box. With that, the power will be coming from the stereo harness...pull things apart! And since it all came apart, I will be installing the Pioneer double DIN I bought back in the winter.


 


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