Jackal

Sorry for placing the thread in the wrong area. I've looked for a way to delete and move it but can't see it.

Hi Everyone. Heading to inspection it was noticed a boot is missing from a ball joint, and this may cause a fail in the inspection. In a preemptive measure to pass, I am looking for a pair of upper ball joints for the '99 Birkin S3. I have heard the stock ones are Fiat, but no not what model they are from. Any assistance in getting some would be great, even better if it was speedy. Thanks.

I have the exact same set. I got mine from Dick at Texas Motor Works. There is a bung attached to the windshield frame that the bottom of the mirror arm threads into. A nut on the arm snugs up to lock the mirror in the desired position at the windshield frame.

I use a site called Photobucket. You can use the site or app to upload photos to Photobucket, and the site stores your photos, offering different ways to link to them. Copy an image code on your phone and you can paste it in lines of text in a reply. The App. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.photobucket.android&hl=en Hope this helps......and selfishly I can't wait to see the pictures.

It cost a little time and a bit of money, but it is still moving forward. As mentioned Todd has it on the dyno now, but was away at a show for the weekend. I have taken these issues up with the shop, and got responses all the way up untill I said the only way I'd be happy is if he gave me some of my money back. Now I sit wondering how far I should go. In emails the manager at Vex said that Haltech told him to do the boost control solenoid that way, and that the Haltech IACV that I was actually billed for wasn't needed. I find it hard to believe that Haltech would tell the registered dealer to buy other vendors incorrect parts and then set them up wrong. So I am faced with a conundrum. Do I kick the hornets nest with Haltech themselves, or cut my losses?

Well, I've been without my Trixxy for a little over a week now and I am going stir crazy! Unfortunately there were some challenges with the work the previous shop did, and I have had to have it corrected. I have addressed these concerns with the shop in question, but really haven't had a resolution yet. It turned out in addition to being installed crudely (Page 10), the IACV was actually installed completely backwards. This caused some issues with setting the idle and took a little bit of time to sort out. I suppose I could have researched the way it was plumbed when I had the whole thing apart last month, but I had assumed that the basic operation of the IACV (which as it turns out, is a Boost control solenoid, not the Haltech IACV on the bill) was done correctly as it was the shop that set it up. My new shop also recommended double checking the timing before the tune. At this point I could tell that the new shop was really doubting some of the engine work they have seen. This is where things got really funny/craptacular. There was a gouge out of the timing tool that the previous shop bought for me, and I noticed it as I was getting the tool to the new shop. The new shop later called me up to inform me that there was a small issue with one of the camshafts. I was informed that a chunk was missing from the rail that the timing tool sits in on the back of the cam. It appears that the pulley was tightened with the cam tool in place and the cam broke as a result. This set me off this week. The chunk is not anywhere to be seen under the valve cover, so I can only assume it was removed when the last shop did the timing. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/523efed0-d0ce-41b2-ada4-35764616782a_zps7cf4d278.jpg Why would I not have been informed of this? When working in someone's home in the past, I always found it necessary to point out problematic things that could be misunderstood as my work. I wasn't informed ahead of time, so I have to assume the damage was done at the prior shop. Anytime anything breaks in or on the motor, I want to be made aware. What really sucks about the whole deal is that the timing was still off too. The car is on the chassis dyno now though, and I hope that I can put all the ripped off feelings from the previous shop behind me when I go for the first drive in a week or so.

Where do I even begin? There have been some challenges with the car at the new shop. Let me start be saying that Todd at Sports Car Parts is fantastic! I should have gone there first, and will not make that mistake again. Todd inhereted a few challenges, but has been able to prioritize them and make reccomendations to me on things I can accomplish myself. Some things still need to get sorted, and unfortunately it is all work I paid the first shop to do. It was reccomended the timing get looked at, and as it turns out the other shop didn't know what they were doing (surprise, surprise!) and the cam was broken slightly during the process. That and the timing was off anyway. That said, Todd seems to think that I am not too far out right now. Timing is the first thing to sort, and another small issue with an IACV that was plumbed backwards. I'm hoping mid week next that I'll be taking my first drive out in her.

They certainly seem like. I have unfortunately already got a call about some things that need adjustment. At the other shop the car was at previously, they would have waited weeks before I called them to bring issues up. haha. They seem on the case though and I welcome the help.

:party::party: The car is at Sports car parts for Inspection, Tune, and Appraisal. Dropped it of this morning.

The only major thing I am still missing is the sensor for the speedometer. I am intending on getting a VDO GPS feed for the Electronic Speedo I have, but the product is still a couple weeks away from being on shelves.

Well Bill, I'm glad you asked. The new master cylinders are in, the front and rear brakes have been bled, and last night I did a full system check for lights, washers, brakes and the lot. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/8D52498C-21E8-47B5-B231-F6F1B0DE6D4D-19770-0000105FA0F9BDB0_zpsf45eb586.jpg :party: Tomorrow I bring the car to Sports Car Parts for the Tune, inspection and the Appraisal. I have little things left of course, like the trunk, doors tops and weather gear, but those are weekend projects I can get to while I'm still enjoying the car on the road.

There have been little projects that have kept me busy as well though. One that has been bugging me is the wiper arms. The guy that sold me the kit sent two opposing wiper arms. This meant a bodgy mismatched set, as one would need modifications that would make them look unequal. I went to a local VW shop I used to deal with waaaaaaaaay long ago in another life, and picked up some of the shortest wiper arms and blades I could find. I am thoroughly surprised at how difficult it is to take them apart to shorten. Just to remove the extended portion of the arm there is delicate work with the rotary tool. Finally after shortening and reforming the arm and redrilling holes for the rivet and the spring, I am left with this: http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/ABC1E05B-2381-453F-888F-98F5AB1564D7-11693-00000A738F668E69_zpsce2a4a33.jpg Repeat one more time and a fresh lick of paint and I’ll have two almost identical wiper arms that won’t drive me nutty to look at.

Finally an update. After working out the intake I needed to finish the brakes before getting it on the dyno. I was having some issues with the rear brake assembly leaking in certain spots and decided to start from fresh. I headed over to Green Line and had them fab up a set of three lines for the rear axle. After a slight miscommunication and a couple visits the rear assembly is ready to go in……again. The first time I was putting the new rear brake assembly in, there were a few issues, and I felt rushed to swap the lines in and get moving. Big mistake. I didn’t realize that despite giving the fellow at Green Line the T fitting that everything was to be based on, he put the wrong ends on the hose. It turns out that 3/8 24, and 10mm 1mm are extremely close in fit, and you don’t end up stripping the thread until you go to tighten everything up. I was rushing to get the rear brakes in and didn’t notice that I was jamming a 3/8 into the 10mm, and ended up stripping the T. A couple of new T’s, and some adaptors and I’m ready to reassemble. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/7492FA68-E1C8-464D-92D3-CB98D0593EB4-4957-000004ED19D3FD7D_zpsa6a7126b.jpg The same night I was rushing through the rear brake build and apparently stripping parts, We concluded that the master cylinder to the rear was failing. I have always been able to pull fluid from the reservoir to the calipers with a vacuum bleeder, but was never able to build pressure on the pedal or to the caliper. Coming to the harsh realization that the fronts needed to be disassembled to prove this, we proceeded to swap the master cylinders and the front stopped functioning while the rear built pressure. Being that I needed a new master cylinder and I’m crazy about things matching, I had to find a couple of these to install. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/66EE72D5-BEEF-4E16-BFBB-D990F89B6814-11693-00000A737D0DD4B7_zpsac7bcc58.jpg Tonight I’ll be getting the whole thing assembled and with any luck the brakes will be bled too.

That guy is a whiz at Lego. Tonnes more on his site: http://www.sheepo.es

Who's going to this? http://www.okotokscarauction.com/site_browse.php

I called every british car shop and race shop within a couple hundred kilometers to find a rebuild kit. Unfortunately nobody sells them. During the hunt for the rebuild kit it was suggested that Mopac may have the Wilwood equivalent to the Girling, and after cheking the threads and the dimensions, I settled on ordering a pair of them. I didn't need to buy both, but my reasoning is a couple fold. If one of these brake cylinders has failed, then it is a gamble on the other one from the same history. I'm also a little crazy when it comes to symmetry and having hardware match. At under $50 each, the choice to replace both is easy. I receive the second one Tuesday.

That key that comes with it is incredible. I have to find a way to get one for my car.

Video: http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/th_IMG_4125_zpsbe2dc20c.jpg

Back in running form. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/th_IMG_4125_zpsbe2dc20c.jpg

All that work to make the hood fit correctly. I'm glad I went through the exercise though, otherwise I may ahve missed remounting the sensors properly. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_9416.jpg http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4094_zps753ae040.jpg

The threads are a little wierd on the fittings that I had to purchase, but fortunately there was a reall easy solution. Use the fitting themselves as the nut. To that end I just needed some washers to shore up the small coupler fitting on the backside of the plate, and provide the needed spacing for the sensor. Seal all of the connection points and it's sorted. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4086_zps422e205f.jpg It was a little time consuming to get the parts from Autovalue, but the effort requred was pretty minimal. I'm happy with the way it is assembled now. Before: http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/29DF567B-52ED-4616-8520-D198D6BCE78D-9454-00000A14CDEB736D_zpsf3e7c439.jpg After: http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4090_zps10fd4fcb.jpg http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4092_zps8d4857c7.jpg

So I got out into the garage and corrected the challenges with the backplate. First I rethreaded the temp sensor. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/F7510B77-FF60-43F6-BB17-F609B04ACF5E-13087-00000EB0E2FED263_zps60296ff4.jpg Then I was off to my local Auto Value to get the fittings I needed to replace the BSP ones as shown below. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4064_zpsdc073547.jpg

The most disappointing thing I noticed today was the sensors. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/29DF567B-52ED-4616-8520-D198D6BCE78D-9454-00000A14CDEB736D_zpsf3e7c439.jpg Both sensors are pictured as I found them. No retaining nuts holding them in, just a hole drilled and thread lock to hold one in. After pulling the sensors I found the one that was thread locked in has been buggered by stripped threads. Pretty annoying that now the sensor won't even take a retaining nut now. I'll have to find another or run a dye over it and find a retaining nut to properly set it in the new back plate. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/A3A06462-4E96-4DF1-B93B-E5860EDE65A5-9454-00000A14A870AFE3_zps2f14e6a8.jpg

Well about the only success I had today was filling the coolant. The rear brakes are still not fully bled. I'm not understanding the trouble here. I have tried pressure bleeding them, vacuum bleeding them and the traditional euphemism filled "pump, pump hold" method. I get fluid through, but not the pressure I need and it is very frustrating. :cuss: The manifold got swapped today though, but it was not without it's own challenges. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/9376DF50-A4A4-41BC-901A-68EF5F42ED93-9454-00000A14B52DCD2E_zps40a0ed27.jpg I was aggravated to find that after buying all new hardware for the manifold and using them before sending it off to the shop, when I revisited it today the hardware was missing and mixed up. Not a huge deal, but it's the idea that I have all new hardware in, and I got a mixed bag back. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/48333BB2-E969-4EC0-A30D-3E8CB47686B1-9454-00000A14F93008F1_zps29aacd9f.jpg One of the short bolts I had to make to fit in a tight area was missing as well. So that I don't go crazy knowing of the mismatched cap bolts, and the one that is missing, I'll be off to Triad again to get more and modify the one I need again http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/BAAE0E04-F7F1-4A69-BEE1-B5F095579D41-9454-00000A1498B822D5_zpsdfdc6ed4.jpg

Tonight and this weekend: - connect the coolant T electrics for the dash gauge - Pressurize the rear brakes and get them fully bled - Install the new manifold and gaskets for the intake Go to comic con on Sunday....... I'm looking at one of these to feed the speedometer instead of the hall effect sensor I had origionally thought I'd use. I have the wires where I need them, but not the sensor. http://www.vdo-instruments.com/sensors/speed-rpm-and-rotational-sensors/gps-speed-sender.html