HSV MX5

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:56 pm

Petrol smell in the cabin seems to have just about gone away now that I have run a line outside, and that's with the valve in place, so won't bother removing that, plus, when I go to fill up, the tank doesn't vent for 10sec+, just a short little psst.

Fiddling around with the wheels on the car, cleaning them up, and now have seen that one of the CV boots is ripped in a few places rubbing up against the shock and has spit a whole pile of grease up the side of it, so I guess it won't be long before that one shit's itself. Might have to bump the replacing of the CVs/Axles a bit further up the list.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 5:04 pm

I sat down and put together a bit of a list of what needs to be completed on the car, some of them things that should have been done when the engine etc went in, some of them are redoing things that were stuffed up, and the rest just me fiddling around with it.

No particular order at the moment

Gear Selector
Mount the ECU securely
Wiring to Dash
tighen up LSD and change ratios
Air Intake
re-route Fuel lines
re-route brake lines
Gear selector boot
Free up the exhaust
wheel/tyre combo
Oxygen Sensors
Axles/CV's
Suspension re-valve
Brake ducting
Clutch Master Cylinder
Lighten Flywheel (maybe)
replace Brake boost with NB2.5 unit
replace BMC with NB2.5 unit
throttle cable
Bushes
Power Steering Cooling
Footrest

Think that is the list as it stands at the moment

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 5:08 pm

Wouldnt' the lighter flywheel mean that you spend even more time losing traction?

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:06 pm

Hmm, don't know, doesn't a lighter flywheel mean less torque at lower revs, might help with with traction, will help balance out the weight distribution by loosing a few kg's from the front.

dynofiend · Post by **dynofiend** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:26 pm

Im not sure it's a good way of loosing static weight from the front of the car. You wont take much more than a kilo at most off a flywheel.

It wont make much of a difference to wheelspin, but the performance effects are similar to just loosing weight from the car overall. As you go up the gears the performance increase drops off. In other words they work well in lower gears.

If you ask me though, youll get a similar increase in performance from loosing those giant badboy rimz you have

CordedBowl · Post by **CordedBowl** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:38 pm

dynofiend wrote: If you ask me though, youll get a similar increase in performance from loosing those giant badboy rimz you have

+1 for Donovan buying real wheels

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:03 pm

Those badboy rims don't actually weigh that much, so in comparison to most of the 15" wheels/tyre combos out there, would be interesting to see just how much more they did weigh if anything. If you are talking about rolling diameter, then most likely not a huge difference there as well, being a 40 profile they have a diameter of 23.5" a 205/50/15 has a diameter of 23". Big difference in my overall ratio will be going from the 3.08 diff gearset to the 3.46 diff gearset.

And as for torque higher up the rev range, with the current tyres/gearing doing 220kph in 4th gear it is still pulling like a schoolboy, so I don't think a small drop in torque will make that much difference, plus whatever I loose with the flywheel, I'll more than make up getting the air intake sorted out so it isn't sucking hot air in from the headers.

I think the Holden flywheels are something like 8 or 9 kg, a lightweight one drops them down to 5kg?? Every little bit helps.

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:11 pm

Now who is up for prioritising this list!

My input....

Drop the flywheel idea. It's not like you have a power or rev problem....or more important things to focus on

Get rid of those HORRIBLE, CHROME Cadillac mexican rimz......(whilst they are amazingly light, seriously, unbelievable) ......they are hideous!!!!

See you at the next track day, Wee1 with Keiths motor is nearly ready to playeeee........

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 8:21 am

The Flywheel thing is way down on the list (notice the Maybe after it), maybe even after paint job, and that one didn't even make it to the list

As for those Chrome Cadillac Mexican Rimz, maybe I swap then for some real jobbies that have the spinning rims, now were talking.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 11:11 am

A lightweight flywheel just makes the car rev faster due to less rotating mass (like a lightweight 15" wheel/tyre combo compared to big heavy 17s)
It doesn't mean less low end torque it just makes daily driving harder and the lighter it is the more you risk it breaking under high power
Its like a heavy duty clutch with a puk style Pressure plate its great for shifting faster but is like a on/off switch you just lose drivability

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:18 pm

Well, have managed to know one of the things off my list, and it was the one I was was dreading the most. As those following this post, will know that my CV boots were pressed up against the shock body, and wearing thru, even though the shock body was pushed back by modifying the A Arms, and sticking washers in there to space them back.

My initial thought were that I was going to have to redo the whole shebang with RX7 CV's (which should have been use in the first place) or getting something from the US. Anyway, thought I would wonder down and see ADL and see if they had and super small CV boots that fit a Holden, and what do you know, they did, something with an internal boot. So $160 later and I have boots that are literally miles away from the shock body, so in the end if the installers got there, there would have been no to modify the A Arms (god knows how many thousands that got me). See the picks below, and you'll see the gab in place.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:38 pm

And new shoes courtesy of wideopenthrottle. These wheels will be for the day to day driving/wet weather track tyres, where as the other wheels will just have the semi slick tyres on them for dry track day's only.

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:14 pm

Wow, what an improvement!

Looks great!

Furai · Post by **Furai** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 7:26 am

That looks heaps better!

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:12 am

Anyone think that you guys didn't like big shiny spinning wheels or something.

You do realise that these one's are 17" as well.

chris · Post by **chris** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:04 am

Put some 20" chromies on, put the car on bags. LCD tv's in the brake lights and that shit will be pimped!

Looking good

Yes, good for 17s :'(

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 8:39 pm

It's been a while since I have actually replaced/fixed/upgraded anything on my car, so thought I would just get a couple of small things out of the way when I had a moment spare, and that wouldn't cost too much (well, not compared to the rest of it).

So still continuing on my theme of never getting past the brakes, replaced the rear 1.6 calipers with the NB2.5 sport calipers, so back to 280mm calipers again. Hopefully don't destroy this set. Ended up that I managed to get a replacement bracket for $100 from Mazda and re-used my original sport brakes that I wrecked on the track before, so have a spare set now, for the just in case moment.

Also put the larger BMC from the NB2.5 sport into the car, man that was a mission. People look under my bonnet and are amazed at how the engine fitted in there, it ain't so amazing when you go to replace something, there just ain't any room. Original plan was to use my NA booster (which has a lower assistance ratio) and the larger BMC, but they aren't compatible, well not with out some cutting and drilling, so put the NB booster in as well. The BMC has it's outlets for the brake hoses on the other side from the smaller unit, so 2LOW2C made me up a new set of hard lines to run from the BMC to the proportioning valve, along with a different mounting bracket, as they are in completely a different place as well.

Put it all back together, put brake fluid in to bleed the brakes, and then found that the front hose, even though is screwed in tightly is as loose as a $10 K'Rd hooker (so I have been told), pulled that apart, shove another copper washer in there, nice and tight now as a nun (modern day nun, not Elizabethan nun, sans $10 hooker) or so I thought. Went to bleed the brakes, no line pressure, no fluid flowing thru, lots of swearing and cursing, and generally throwing toys out of the cot. Decided to chuck on a 3rd copper washer, and all good, apart from one minor issue that I didn't tighten up the nut on the line in the hardest place to get to, infact the only way to really get any leverage is to disconnect all the other brake lines, so more swearing. Managed to do it as tight as I could with what I could get in there, not perfect, but will do for the moment till something else is worked out.

Upshot of all that, a brake pedal that has about half the travel of the old one, just need to think about putting your foot on the pedal and can feel the pads starting to grab. Will be interesting using this on the track.

Also got a set of Oxygen sensor's put in, so that should help it sort out running rich all the time.

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:24 pm

Donovan wrote:MAD KIWI cannot for the life of him understand why I have a car like mine with clear coat flaking off on it, and primer showing etc, but that just doesn't float my boat at the moment, but that's not to say that I don't appreciate the hard work and effort someone puts in making their car's mint.

Personally love the flaking paint. People must get a surprise when the crappy looking mx they overlooked roars at them

That and it probably gets less attention in a carpark than a shiny new looking one for those bastards that steal cars

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:41 pm

True don't have to worry about it too much in carparks.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:52 pm

Well since Angreal was kind enough to find my original post and bump it up, thought I might as well put an update in here.

First, on the legal side of things, after a year of not hearing anything from the garage in Hamilton, two weeks out from Christmas, I get a call from my lawyer who sent the letter, saying that they have received a letter from a law firm representing the Garage, which turned out to be owned by Calvin Bonney of LW Bonney and Sons transport (hugely deep pockets) asking them if they were going to represent me in this case, which they couldn't as Calvin Bonney was a client of their as well. The next day I get a letter from the law firm representing Calvin saying they would would not accept the $19K I had offered them (remember, already paid them $12K) and that they would drop the original $38K down to $28K if I paid them in 5 days time. If I didn't pay, they would take me to court, seek to refund their expenses, and also had the check that there was a lot of time that hadn't been accounted for that they would additionally charge me for.

So here I was, didn't have a lawyer, had this lovely letter, not to mention dealing with a whole pile of other personal crap (those who know me well, know what was going on). Managed to find another lawyer, go thru everything again, and decided rather than try to fight it all in court, which would be a lengthy and stressful exercise, offer them $24K which was about half way between us. They tried to get more, we stood our ground and they ended up accepting that, so forked out the cash and that was that all out of the way now.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:59 pm

Second thing done, is upgrade of the LSD.

It was originally running a viscous LSD that just wasn't cutting the mustard for the track work, only lasting about 2 laps of hamptons, and then over heating, and just running as an open diff, so could never get the power down.

Bought a Torsen type LSD from the US for the Pontiac GTO (Holden Monaro), and got someone to bring it back in their hand luggage along with a set of new brake pads front and rear, and didn't end up having to pay duty or freight

Had a spare diff at home with a 3.43 gearset in it, so dropped that off to Protune in Manukau, and they put the new centre in, and replace all the seals and pinions so the diff was bullet proof. So out went the old 3.08 diff and in went the new.

Haven't had a chance to drive it in complete anger yet, but in gear acceleration feels better, cruising RPM's have gone from 1500rpm in 6th at 100kph to 1900rpm, should really effect the economy, hoping maybe a little bit better, as the engine shouldn't be labouring as much on any inclines, just have to wait and see.

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:17 pm

This torsen mule you managed to find must have big shoulders to lug that thing around

I'm imagining your torsen being a lot heavier/bigger than the standard mx one

Sucks about the garage but i guess it'll be over for now hopefully

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:03 pm

the diff centre was only 8kg, so not that heavy, wasn't a complete diff, those things are bloody heavy from the Holden's.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:17 pm

Got new wheels and tyres, but now about to change the tyres for some different ones. These are 16x8 225/45/16

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 2:29 pm

new wheels fitted to the car, had to do some modifications to the guards with the help of REDBEN, but in the process we learnt why people use a baseball bat rather than just a piece of pipe. A piece of pipe will rip shit out of your inner guard.

After a bit of rolling with the pipe, I later took to them with a large knockometer and pulled them out another 10mm, and glad to say after that effort that I can rest assured there is no bog in the guards, there is also no bugger all paint as well

HSV MX5

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