11Budlite Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 All, With the winter season fast approaching, what are everyone's plans for upgrades and repairs? Here's mine: Repairs: Oil leak from trans input shaft and possibly rear main seal Turn rotors (or buy new) for slight brake pulsation Check orientation of fuel pick-up in fuel cell to see if there's more useable capacity Repair broken zipper on tonneau cover Upgrades: Muffler with side exit exhaust - probably Burns Stainless like Gary S's Seats - Ultrashield Spec Miata (14" or 15" ) or vintage looking seats that are more comfortable than the stock Birkin seats Harness - 5 or 6 point Emerald ECU K3 upgrade - Adaptive mapping, 3 switchable maps, EGT, etc Clutch/Flywheel - Still doing some research but something lighter with better clamping ability Air Filter - ITG for daily driving, keep the K&N's for shows Driveshaft safety hoops - not much protection right now Bruce :7drive: PS: I'm still hoping the weather gods are kind and I can drive it till Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soareyes Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 My winter plans: Drive, drive, drive, change oil, drive, drive...... One of the advantages of living in S. California! Of course I have to plan my drives around the wild fires Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Drive, drive, drive, change oil, drive, drive...... Mazda, is there a way to create an ignore list based on geography so I don’t have to read posts like this over the winter? :jester: Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsimon Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Let us know how you get on with the K3 upgrade. I plan to do the same this winter. I'm curious to know how much it costs and how long it takes for Carl to turn it around. My short list for this winter: alloy flywheel dry sump new vernier pulleys and timing belt replace my BGH gearbox with the original Quaife square cut 'box (I've replaced first and second gear ratios in the Quaife) mechanical OP gauge adjustable spring perches Been collecting parts for two years. Now I need to finish these projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 My plan for the winter? Just finish the damned car, which has been resting on bsimon's sawhorses since June of '07. (I know, I know, upgrade-itis bit me even before the car was built and running. I was obsessed with the idea of doing things the first time that I was sure I would want to do later (scuttle layout planning, insulation, honeycomb fuel tank, etc.), but that would require disassembly if I waited to do them later. So my '07 Caterham Seven build has, so far, been a running build/upgrade, which hasn't got it on the road anytime soon. But hope springs eternnal..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athens7 Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Repairs: New right rear wing-injured during repeated cone killing sprees - DONE Maintenance: Replace brake/transmission/differential fluids Upgrades: Coil-on-plug direct ignition with copper spark plugs. I hope to free up space by eliminating the distributor so that I can install a cold air intake, as well as maybe pick up about 5 hp. Postponed due to economic impacts: Aforementioned cold air intake New exhaust system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjslutz Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Bruce, did you ever check your transmission fill to see if it is over filled? Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11Budlite Posted November 23, 2008 Author Share Posted November 23, 2008 Gary - It's even with the bottom of the fill plug but I never drained it and measured how much was in it. Even with the leak I have (about a drop or two after a drive) I've only topped it off once. After the first snow or ice storm I'll be taking it off the road and starting to work on it. I'll measure how much was in there before I remove the eng/trans. "Let us know how you get on with the K3 upgrade. I plan to do the same this winter. I'm curious to know how much it costs and how long it takes for Carl to turn it around." - Bob, once I take my car off the road I plan on shipping the ECU to Emerald. According to their website the upgrade is 30 pounds or about $45 at the current exchange rate. They can only do the upgrade if the s/n on your ECU is 41272 or higher. Here's the link to their pricing page: http://www.emeraldm3d.com/em_pricing.html I'll e-mail him this week to see what the turnaround will be. Bruce :7drive: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slomove Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 My winter plans: Drive, drive, drive, change oil, drive, drive...... Yes, sounds like a plan....especially after I spent the summer rebuilding the engine and constructing a new propshaft tunnel/cage. That is enough upgrades for the next 6 months and the car is just as I want to have it. A scary though just crossed my mind...I believe I am beginning to run out of meaningful upgrade ideas Gert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjslutz Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Bruce, I had my T-9 filled to the bottom of the fill plug prior pulling the engine. I drained 6.2 Pints out, way over filled. I installed the SPEC II clutch & pressure plate while I had the engine out. It feels way too soft on the pedal, but I felt no slip on the test drive today. My other clutch felt better on the pedal. Due to 32'f today I had to change over to the Falken 205/15s, as soon as it cam up on cam in 2nd it would break loose, I miss thr R888's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemk1 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 My Birkin just went into storage for the winter so I won't be doing anything until spring. Once spring comes I'll bring the car home and pull the head off the Zetec and have it milled to raise the compression and when it goes back together I'll put in higher lift cams and adjustable cam gears. Should be good for bumping the HP from the 150ish I have now to about 175 with a good bump in low end torque. I hope it makes me more competitive with the high HP DM autocross folks. Until spring it's ski season and MINI driving. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I just finished putting a coat of wax on the Bonnet and nosecone. (Wife had a flashback of bad memories of me storing these parts (and a few others) in the house during the build ) I need to put a new battery in.(the orignal one is 8 years old:ack:) Last week during the warmer weather, I changed plugs,and wires. No upgrades planned other than a new set of slicks in the spring. I do plan on sanding down the rough fiberglass patch job I did on my Autox rear wings. Yesterday I took a piece of the Painted sideskin that I had cut out for the exhaust hole, and had Ace hardware match it. (I'm going to try that $30 paint your car with a roller technique) Paint in the can looks like a good match. For my Destructo autox wings it should be good enough. Other than that, some stabil in the gas tank, and if the weather warms up a bit. An oil and filter change. That and the normal, retorquing of all fasteners. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Go to the DMV Jan 2nd and hopefully get the smog exemption.... drove with temp sticker this year and would rather not do that a 2nd year. I think January might be the only month I dont drive (our rainy season;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1Steve Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I put the top on today, and thats about all it needs. I seem to work on it year around, and I'll drive it till the weather turns bad.I had it out for a blat today with the top on and had alittle heat.The heater really sucks, but it's still fun to drive. Steve:d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I have a few items to fix/upgrade: Rework the exhaust system for better ground clearance under the rear and aim the exhaust tips to the rear rather than up in hopes of keeping exhaust gasses out of the interior when the side curtains are on. Move the boost gauge and Hydramist gauge to a more visible position. Currently mounted on the center console forward of the gear shift lever. I can't look that far away from the road and the tachometer when under boost. Fabricate additional differential support brackets. Get the Brooklands screens finished and mounted. Install sequential rev light. Remove the turbo, downpipe and exhaust manifold and have them ceramic coated again. The 2000F coating burned off the first time I took it to the track. Either install more agressive brake pads or Outlaw M-16 calipers and pads on the front. Fabricate some kind of cold air intake to move the air filter away from the exhaust manifold. Look into resizing the clutch master cylinder to reduce pedal pressure. I'm also considering adding an Accusump system. The weather here has been so warm and sunny that I can't bring myself to disable the car as yet. I've driven it almost every day this month. Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsimon Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Skip, I'll have a 2 quart Accusump available after I get on to the dry sump project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjslutz Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Dave, While you have the head off, I would open up those small restrictive ports. There is much to be gained there. I pulled my head and sent it to Focus Tom in N.C. as he done many. There other good people out there as well. Years ago I did my own P&P, but was unsure of the results. I also had the Stage III cams installed. There was no loss on the bottom end TQ. It still pulls like a train at low RPM's, look out after 3500. I then took the car down and he adjusted the cam gears while doing a dyno tune. The results were day & night. I just installed the Oil pump with billet gears, now I can turn up the RPM to 8,000. I won't gain any HP, just a larger working band. It can save a shift between turns. Thanks to AL. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgw Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi guys, Thought I would join in as I am suffering from a very severe case of upgraditis! -Quaife 6 spd sequential straight-cut box replacing 5 spd type 9 that has been coping with my approx 240bhp. Never found out if it was a standard type 9 or perhaps semi-helical as I broke a standard one in the UK with a 1700 crossflow, and this VX has a lot more power and torque than that! -New Helix alloy flywheel, Helix 4 paddle cerametallic sprung clutch, Helix HD clutch cover -QED 90mm ali intake trumpets and single piece ITG filter (bonnet/hood will be cut to suit) -Dash2 all-in-one display (mounted in centre of dash), capable of showing all normal sensors as well as road speed sensor and gear indicator -New clutch slave cylinder for hydraulic clutch -Remove spare wheel carrier and install Caterham license plate light bracket to light plate on rear panel -Remap DTA ECU to suit new intakes -Spare set of wheels for slicks for 09 at Mid-Ohio :yesnod: Hope to have the car ready for the road during Jan.. I loved driving the car before these mods...now I am struggling to sleep with the anticipation! James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 JFGW wrote: -QED 90mm ali intake trumpets and single piece ITG filter (bonnet/hood will be cut to suit) James, come on, you know Carbon intakes are lighter and way sexier than plain Ali. :d http://usa7s.net/aspnetforum/upload/533048713_2936423900_0cfa1c81cf.jpg Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfgw Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Tom, Those are lovely...where did you find them? Here are mine - pre-fitting..http://www.usa7s.net/aspnetforum/upload/240406423_ITG trumpets and filter.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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