Fred's Build

[freds]

Mechanically complete...."only" wiring and body now!
I have 818S #18 which was delivered at the end of August.
I have not posted progress as I am a learner, not a teacher, and have asked specific questions on the forum and posted occasional things I believed might be helpful to others.
Brief Summary:
2006 Donor
New hubs,rotors and bearings all round;
OBX LSD
New STI short block;
Borla Header, wrapped;
Aftermarket fuel distribution and fuel rails;
Boyd tank;
Stock wheels personally stripped and painted;
Tomai Air intake duct;
Limited porting of manifold, and turbo inlet,and TGI butterfly delete.
No ABS
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[AZPete]

It looks very good, Fred. Thanks for posting. I've been looking for an intake so I may get the Tomai in your photos. Have fun with the wiring!

[Mitch Wright]

Nice Work

[Tdelta1]

Freds two thumbs up on your progress thus far. What like the most about your build is how you made the factory hand brake cables look so good on your fire wall.

[freds]

Maybe of interest.

Slight modification bends to FFR bracket (with assistance from Oxy-Acetylene torch) has made the shifter "better".

I had an exact size chassis punch for punching holes in my rear firewall (two holes and slotting between them..each side)

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[Rasmus]

Looking good Freds.

[Quiny]

The pic labeled Feb#8 showing the front end, there is a blue "can" at the driver's side end of the rack. What is it?

[68GT500MAN]

Looking good, how soon to "go-cart"?

[freds]

The pic labeled Feb#8 showing the front end, there is a blue "can" at the driver's side end of the rack. What is it?

It is a pressure relief overflow tank connected to the radiator (under the cap). So I have two.
I found it in my "stuff"...so I just installed it...!

fred

[freds]

Looking good, how soon to "go-cart"?

I'm hoping two weeks will get me through the wiring?????

Anyway, not long now!

[Rasmus]

One of many reasons I post bunches of pictures of my build is for a check and balance. If I do something wrong or install something incorrect, I hope someone would point it out to me. And being that it's the internet they usually do.

Freds, not that I've seen anything wrong with your build, I do in fact like it, but you should post more pictures. Look into using Imgur.com (no account needed) or getting a free account at Photobucket so you can post pictures in line like the rest of us attentionwhores. I use both sites.

[freds]

One of many reasons I post bunches of pictures of my build is for a check and balance. If I do something wrong or install something incorrect, I hope someone would point it out to me. And being that it's the internet they usually do.

Freds, not that I've seen anything wrong with your build, I do in fact like it, but you should post more pictures. Look into using Imgur.com (no account needed) or getting a free account at Photobucket so you can post pictures in line like the rest of us attentionwhores. I use both sites.

Point taken, thanks. As I'm "behind" many, I have been checking what others have/are done/doing, and asking "dumb" questions when I'm not sure (my posts have mostly been about specific issues...depowering the rack, LCA bushings/ride height etc.). However you are correct and...I regret that its a bit late for me to do the "right" thing. Also thanks for pointing me to the way to post pictures in line. I am naturally averse to subscribing to too many sites, and that does bite me from time to time...I'm an "old geezer"!

I am really appreciative of the information and knowledge I have got from you and so many members. I started with no Subaru experience at all! It has been (and still is) a great project.

Thanks again

fred

[gwarden]

looking good Fred I still dont have my kit but am enjoying all the tips I'm picking up

[Quiny]

Fred, love the way you used the e-brake cable grommets. Can you take a couple of picks of how you mounted the rest of the cable from the spindle to the firewall?

[gwarden]

Please tell me about your OBX LSD did you rework it with new bellville washers or clean up the Walsh any?

[freds]

Please tell me about your OBX LSD did you rework it with new bellville washers or clean up the Walsh any?

I opened it up and found a lot of burrs (all hardened of course) which I got rid of. Particularly the hole you see in the pics.
I didn't polish out the slight machining "grooves" in the thrust surfaces, reasoning that they would hold oil. Like hone marks in a cylinder wall. I did make sure nothing was rough
My bolts were fine and the belvilles seemed OK testing them in the vice, however I regret not changing them now. I was doing this early and other posts which followed "wised me up". However I am not worried as the belvilles are not a truly functional part of the diff.
All the ground surfaces and diameters were first class. For the price...I'd do it again!

fred


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[freds]

The wiring was a sometimes depressing task...Anyway go-cart stage reached yesterday.

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[wallace18]

Looks good! Congrats!

[gwarden]

Nice seats
Looking good

[freds]

Nice seats
Looking good

Thanks guys. And, yes those are top of the line seats...for the price that is!

I have some NRG's already fitted but they had been removed while I was tracing some wires in the "tunnel" and when it started (finally) I wasn't going to wait before a little test drive.


Cheers

fred

[freds]

My donor ECU was Access Port "locked" so Tactrix plus ECUflash could not read/change anything. I'm in the Houston area.

I trailered my go kart to EngineLogics who are in S W Houston and Chris, Brad, their shop, and what they do really impressed me.

Brad, who worked on, unlocked my ECU, and dyno-ed my kart did a great job finding and fixing air leaks and such. They showed me their Air/Water intercooler with two counter-flowing sections (to even out temperature difference across the width). Looks fabulous.

I, however, am not going for max and am certainly satisfied with what I have now. That may not last....!!!!!

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[freds]

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I'm a sucker for power and fast times etc. but I decided to be realistic....I'm not a competition driver!

So, hating the occasional stalling and rough idle I ditched my lightweight flywheel and Excedy 3 puck clutch, as well as my lightweight Grimmspd pulley and replaced them with OEM stuff.

I did that now before any body panels were fitted, the job would never be easier than at go-kart stage.

Unsurprisingly, it is much smoother and doesn't stall.....on my short "closed circuit" drive.

The lightweight flywheel is 12lbs and the stock 23lbs I didn't weigh the crank pulleys.

Anyone want the lightweight flywheel, crank pulley, and stage 2 clutch? PM me.

[freds]

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I have just finished fitting the rear body panel, and had to do my simple exhaust at the same time...as it requires a number of cut-and-fit cycles.

Anyway, the 90 degree bend is different to the almost straight tail pipe supplied by FFR. My go-cart was dyno tuned with the FFR tail pipe.

Please comment on whether this apparently "trivial" change will require a re-tune? I've never worked on a turbo set up like the Subaru so have no experience or feel for this.

Thanks in anticipation.

fred

[Aero STI]

Since you didn't touch the catted downpipe section you should be fine.

[freds]

Since you didn't touch the catted downpipe section you should be fine.


Thanks

[freds]

Hope you all have/had a good Thanksgiving.

There are still rattles and cosmetics to be attended to.

fred

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[wleehendrick]

Congrats!

[freds]

Congrats!

Thanks

[Mechie3]

Nice work!

[ram_g]

Looks great! I see that you have completed the registration process too - congrats! Relative to the other thread, what did you say the 818 replicated and did you have any issues? Also what did you do for the "weight certificate"?

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Great job Fred,
Time to ENJOY the ride.
Bob

[FFR-ADV]

Hi Fred,

Wonderful job! Now go enjoy a victory lap.

[freds]

Plates arrived yesterday (took around a month)


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[wleehendrick]

Plates arrived yesterday (took around a month)

Yeah! http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/happy/dancing-with-joy-smiley-emoticon.gif

[freds]

Yeah! http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/happy/dancing-with-joy-smiley-emoticon.gif

Yes indeed! Those plates exempt me from further inspections...safety or emissions. It is hard to believe. Next year this time I'll know for sure!

Thanks

fred

[wallace18]

Congrats! Enjoy the ride!

[Kalstar]

Big congrats!

[EODTech87]

Awesome job. Its good to see a completed 818 in Texas.

[freds]

Yes indeed! Those plates exempt me from further inspections...safety or emissions. It is hard to believe. Next year this time I'll know for sure!

Thanks

fred

Well, it is almost a year now since I got my 818 registered and titled, and I just got my registration renewal bill from the County....and YES! no inspection required!!!!

[Rasmus]

Lucky man.

[freds]

Lucky man.

Yes indeed!

Reading the pain some other states put builders through.....I certainly got lucky....Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket and see .....

[AZPete]

How about recap of your first year of driving? Any issues? Performance? Miles driven? What reactions or questions have you received? What has been the coolest thing?

[freds]

[QUOTE=AZPete;211958]How about recap of your first year of driving? Any issues? Performance? Miles driven? What reactions or questions have you received? What has been the coolest thing?[/QUO

As they say...."Thanks for asking"

I have 1,950 miles on the ODO now and got it registered at the end of November last year.....so 10.5 months.

The first few months I was finessing the body and rattles. No mechanical or electrical problems (TG)
Then I paid attention to the wheel alignment and had to align the rear lateral links to be parallel ....that helped enormously, as has been reported by many.
After that it was still not stable so finally I bought a cheap do-it-yourself alignment kit and added caster to get to about 6 degrees....Bingo, since then it has been a pleasure to drive!
I have been concentrating...at my leisure on getting the best out of the stock intercooler (see my other posts) and that has been gratifying.
I haven't / don't race, but drive it hard when conditions allow, and have had no problems at all.

So all in all a fairly dull report....that's why I haven't posted about it before you asked.

Oh ....one thing, I had a very minor slow drip of oil from the oil filter. When I finally got to it I noticed that the face of the oil cooler that the filter should seal against, had a very slight dimple. The filter I had used after my first oil change had a rectangular cross-section rubber seal which could not compress enough to conform...that is where the leak was. I replaced it with a Subaru filter which has a round (O ring) type seal which can easily compress for the tiny amount needed to conform to the plate...End of leak! Take home...use only filters with "O" ring type seals!

[tmoretta]

What was your procedure for aligning the lateral links? How did you get 6 degrees caster? And, that is front alignment right?

[freds]

What was your procedure for aligning the lateral links? How did you get 6 degrees caster? And, that is front alignment right?

Rear lateral links:
1.My forward & rear links have different diameters, so the first thing was to make a spacer to clip over the smaller diameter link
2. I fitted the spacer as close to the inner bushings as possible.
3. I laid a rigid (thick, about 3/16 ths) straight edge on its flat side over both links, and placed an accurate machinist type level on it.
4. Then I adjusted the length of the upper trailing link to make them level
5. Moved the spacer outboard as far as possible and repeated steps 3 & 4.
6. I went back and re did step 1 thru 5.

Front Caster:
1. Loosened the bolts around the triangular upper ball joint plate.
2. Loosened the lock nuts on the two "A" arm adjusters.
3. Slacked off front one (i.e made it longer) & tightened the rear one (i.e made it shorter).
4. Checked the alignment...then did it all again...and again... until my alignment specs were met, but with the increased Caster.

I used a "Fastrax" DIY set to do this and was satisfied with the results I obtained based on the car's handling now. I'm sure a professional job would be more accurate...but I'm not racing.

fred

[AZPete]

Thanks, Fred. Useful stuff on alignment. But, how about the questions and reactions from people who saw your "strange and unknown" car? When people guess what it is, what do they say? Do guys see it as a kit car or a production car?

[tmoretta]

So - one must not only make the lateral links parallel, but also, level with the chassis?

[freds]

So - one must not only make the lateral links parallel, but also, level with the chassis?


If the car's ride height is is set and the weight of the car is on the wheels, I guess that is implied.

[freds]

Thanks, Fred. Useful stuff on alignment. But, how about the questions and reactions from people who saw your "strange and unknown" car? When people guess what it is, what do they say? Do guys see it as a kit car or a production car?

Sorry missed the last question....

I get "What is it?" all the time..parking lots at stoplights, gas station etc.. No one has said "Is that a kit car?". By the time they take a look inside the cockpit, I've already told them it is a "Built by owner" etc.
The external doesn't look a at all amateurish IMO.