Mandelbug's 200sx S13

[mandelbug]

OK so I am still new to the 200 scene and recently bought my first one. Bar a K&N filter, Sony head unit and crystal clear indicators the car is or was standard. A couple of days later DazDavies posted that he is breaking a 14a and one of the parts listed was an Apexi Turbo Timer. So after picking up the car, we waited around before going over to see Daz and get the TT. This meant stopping off for a drink and a quick pic of my 13 next to Pricey's 14a



So after a drink it was off to collect the TT (thanks Daz ) and then make our way back. This is how she was when I got her back home



The first thing that was done was to swap the head unit from this



to this



as the radio reception wasn't clever on the first one and the second one has done me proud for quality of sounds etc

The TT is almost in, just got the handbrake feed and the two ECU feeds to wire up then all is good. And these have just landed on my desk



Those are Oil Pressure, Oil Temperature, Boost and Water Temperature. I have a door pillar pod for the boost gauge and plan to put the other three in the lower DIN panel. Depending on when the sandwich plate arrives for the oil senders. First job is to work out where the engine is up to performance wise and replace the pads all round. Hopefully get these done this weekend. I am aiming to end up with a fairly sound daily runner that can do the odd track day and drift day (Oulton Park or the other one DriftWorks have sorted for the NW)

[TM_S13]

looks in pretty good shape your s13

wise things to buy, gauges
by the way, have you serviced it allready?

keep up

[mandelbug]

It was last done in May however, when it comes to doing the oil sandwich plate, will do filter and oil then. The car used to belong to RyanMT. I do have 2 12" JBL W12GTI's and a JBL BPX1100.1 amplifier that I would like to get installed at some point as well so will see what happens.

Its strange going back to an accelerator cable as well as I am now used to fly-by-wire (compensates for slight foot movements etc) in my other car but I am getting there slowly.

[Scougar]

If you haven't done it already, drain the oil, check ALLLLLLLL, (yes ALL) the breather hoses, as they getting blocked easily and destroy engines on newbie's (like me :*( ), put in sexy new oil

A general service of other bits is worth while as well (like fuel filter etc, and perhaps using some injector cleaner, and changing the rad fluid/brake fluid/clutch fluid

EDIT: Opps, just saw you serviced it, but I would still take off the breather hoses and make sure they aren't blocked, especially the one below the intake manifold (bugger to get to but it blocks so very easily due to bad design, and you don't want big end failure do you?).

[mandelbug]

Thanks for the advice guys, will give it a good going over at the weekend with a bit of luck

[Scougar]

It's worth the effort to either replace them/clean them, or just check they are not blocked. I highly suspect my engine failure was partially or due to the breathers being blocked up. They were gunked to crap, and it was meant to be a well maintained engine.

[swiftmini]

nice example by the looks of things

[mandelbug]

OK so little bits done, obviously the stereo swap but also got the boost gauge fitted. It does have a "universal" fit pillar pod but I am not happy with the fit so will keep an eye out for a proper door pod, I can find double pods but struggling with a single pod at the mo.

No power:



With power:



Hopefully on Sunday I will have a full day of working on the car, so will get the oil pressure, temperature and water temp gauges fitted into the DIN slot. There is a replacement wheel bearing sat on my desk in work and tomorrow fingers crossed should be a set of standard pads landing on my desk. I keep swooning over the big brake conversions on here within the group buy and have to tell myself no!

[mandelbug]

OK a small update (there are more to come on the horizon)

Got the sandwich plate fitted with the oil sender units, just need to sort out a din unit mount for the gauges now. Also gave it an oil and filter change at the weekend, have had the breather hoses off and they seemed to pass air ok but will give them a soak at the end of the month when I have time off work etc.

Also, managed to pick up a front mount and elbow back exhaust from DJTreble on here, its an XS Systems downpipe and centre section into an Apex backbox. Sounds awesome and I am well impressed with it. Anyway, before exhaust



And afterwards

[mandelbug]

A small update once again, having attempted the big ends in situ, the engine mount bolts wouldn't free up so soaking them in WD40 and will have another go soon. After failing at the engine mounts, fitted the HID's but as there is no difference to appearance I haven't taken a photo.

Tonight I have managed to get the Oil Pressure and Oil Temperature gauges in place and wired up fully.



and a semi-decent pic (I only have my iPhone as a camera and they are crap at night) of the boost gauge. Got a Water temp gauge to fit still and I think I have one spare slot to fill at some point.



Anyway, have got my name down on the Japspeed group buy for strut braces and after I was under the car, it would appear that one of the front ARB drop links is dead and the ARB bush is also dead so will be either replacing them or getting a full Apex ARB setup. Hopefully sourced a pre-facelift bumper for pennies so there is another mod. Still got the Air Con to strip out and then fit the front mount as well

[MaccyD]

awwww snap, same head unit as me, had it for over 5 years now, still love it

[mandelbug]

Indeed MaccyD. Had mine about 5 years or so now. Still sounds awesome. Still can't find anything to match it in terms of looks and performance

[MaccyD]

the only thing i had go was the ribbon that attaches the face to the main body but i got a replacement from sony for about £2 and my dad rewired it all, got it for my 18th birthday lol

[mandelbug]

Well the Japspeed strut braces arrived this morning so over lunch set about fitting them.

Front before:



Front after:



All went pretty smooth on the front, set about doing the back but think I have the strut tops on the wrong way around, either that or the chassis is already twisted so will try swapping them around later on as I ran out of time. God those nuts are fiddly

[mandelbug]

Managed to get the rear strut brace fitted, no chassis twist or anything but from start:



And afterwards:



Probably placebo effect but car felt better in the corners after fitting them which is a result and then at the weekend I managed to pick this up from Shane_Evans on here:



Hopefully start keying the paint this weekend and get it in a coat or 3 of primer. As well as having another attempt at getting the engine mounts undone to replace the big end shells

[mandelbug]

Spent today working on the pre-facelift bumper.

Splitter and wing mount vent keyed:



Wing mount vent keyed:



Bumper Keyed and a few of the chips and dings flatted out:







Bumper in primer:





Splitter in primer:



Wing mount vent in primer:



Just need to get some paint so that I can get the top coat done and dusted Also been spraying the engine mounts with WD40 so hopefully I can undo those and get the big ends done to stop the rattle.

[Jlmmy]

Nice

Keep it upp, mvh

[mandelbug]

OK So no pictures update but an update all the same.

I have noticed on the Apexi TT that it was reporting an A/F of no less than 16 and as high as 19 on occasion down the motorway along with black smoke when accelerating hard so replaced the fuel pump with a Walbro from here and now get an A/F of between 15 and 16 with no sign of black smoke on booting it.

So left to do now for hopefully somewhere near a strong base is big end shells, replace passenger chassis leg and rear wheel bearing.

[mandelbug]

OK so more of an update. Have spent all day Monday and yesterday at Pit Start and got a few bits done on the car.

Nice early start (8am)


OK so how the rear started





I knew the rear brake pads needed changing but when I had previously attempted to do it, couldn't get the caliper off. With all the arms and everything off there was plenty of room to get the calipers off and therefore change the pads, I think they needed doing



Does anyone know the mad rain dance come voodoo chant to get the caliper pins back in? I spent an hour of trying to do it on the near side, got someone else to try for 20 minutes and then in a stroke of luck got it in.

And then with the coil over and two of the 3 rear arms fitted



All was going swimmingly with the fronts, changed the near side in about 20 minutes, went to do the last bolt on the off side and for love nor money it would not come off, ended up grinding the head off, using a hammer and drift to get the offending bolt out



and then how the car sits now



Yes it needs a clean but then I am travelling back to Manchester from London tonight so it will just end up filthy again. Yesterday was spent doing the big ends in situ. What a job and a half but at least I know how to do it now. A total of 14.5 hours to get it done including cleaning everything up while it was off the car. Anyway I think they needed doing



So, next on the job front is to replace the front pads, replace rear wheel bearing, renew brake fluid. So that will be more time spent in the Pit Start garage

[fergS13]

looks good pal where did you get the gauges from?