Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Both Primo and GrimmSpeed were willing to commit to having the parts done by Monday. I'll get a call if they have it sooner. Don't want to slow Shane down too much but this is obviously the time to get this stuff done.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Is your head getting ported too while its off? How about your exhaust manifold?

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

I'm not porting the head or messing with the valves--just new Cosworth valve springs there. The intake mani is at GrimmSpeed and I'm going to a Full Race tubular on the exhaust side.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

OK cool, I'm sure I just missed the part about the exhaust manifold earlier in your thread. I assume you got black coating for the turbine housing? Are you doing a thermal dispersant coating on the intake manifold? Definitely considering a phenolic gasket for the intake manifold. With the gasket + coating my IM it stays cool to the touch even after a hard auto-x run when it used to get burn-your-skin-off hot.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Yup, that is the plan. Boomba sells a gasket and I love their stuff.

http://www.boombaracing.com/images/evo10mgb.jpg

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

nice! looking good

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

WOW, that's quite the build you have going on there!

For me personally, I would have done things in stages over time, instead of doing everything at once and then having to try and deal and sort out all the quirks and problems which can be paramount with dumping $20k+ in all at once.

I just hope you don't end up with a ton of quirks and problems from things either not working like you had planned or if things don't work together as you have planned...this can lead to some serious discouragement and dedication of time and effort on your part and takes ALOT of patience.

It will be interesting to see how it all works and looks when it's all done. I say this with all due respect and in a humorous way...but props to you and others for being the "guinea pig" for others to learn from and for keeping the local shops and guys busy! :)

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

There have been a few stages but it's been over just six months of time.

1) Basic bolt-ons (fmic, exhaust, intake, etc) and a 93oct tune
2) E85 tune
3) Everything but the kitchen sink

The kitchen sink on stage 3 came mostly out of practicality. So much has to come off the car to do springs/cam/turbo that I'd be duplicating labor by not doing my whole wish list.


I've bought new parts and anything difficult has been done by RS or DB. I think that limits my risk a fair bit. There are parts of this project that are question marks but the worst that could happen is it costs more to figure something out.

This car isn't primarily for transportation, it's my hobby. That means there are few things I'd rather be doing than being on here or scheming about the next part to buy.

Hopefully I'll soon be down to corner balancing and buying tires! :D

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Saw your car sitting in the corner at DB yesterday :)

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

When I got home there was a call from GrimmSpeed...they don't have any of the gaskets that are required to do the porting. That's a bit of a wtf? for me. They offer porting services on their website but have customers always bring in their own gaskets?

I called Shane and he's going to drop them off for me on his way home. Thanks Shane! He said that he got the valve springs in the head, removed the stock rods/pistons, and was working on the rings on the new pistons today.

I was surprised to receive the Cusco rear strut tower brace so quickly--the front one took four months. The Coto sports BOV also arrived. Neither are much to look at.

http://mlomker.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8...8fcbeb2970b-pi

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Good to see a forum sponsor is picking up the slack of a non-sponsor :)

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

A couple years ago GrimmSpeed wanted to get into porting for Evo 8/9s and I had to provide all the gaskets. Kind of odd that it's still that way, though. Make a damn template already.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

The guy that rung me up mentioned that Shane would be installing a Green in is VIII soon. It's not like the employees aren't into Evos. Just seems odd.

Another thing is how weird it is to only know people by their forum names and having no idea what they look like. I walk into Primo the other day and Jesse's like "decided to bring it in?" Took me a couple minutes to figure out who he was. lol.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Wait until people know who you are and you don't know who they are. That's always a blast.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

^What he said..scares the shit outta me, cuz I feel bad, like I'm supposed to know someone, but I don't, and I feel bad.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Lurkers FTW!

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

that is the way it is for me I know most people on the board but still people know me by the car and all the parts I sell and have no idea who they are.

any back on topic
the cusco bar looks great. I love all my cusco parts on my car

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Every time I come on here to post a legitimate update I've been banned. WTF? haha.

Picked up my turbo and intake manifold from GrimmSpeed tonight. The intake is a thing of beauty--they look so much better coated.

You can't tell in this photo but the BBX's exhaust outlet has taken on this really nice golden hue...similar to what you'd see with stainless that has gone through a few heat cycles.

Primo needed another day to finish my valve cover. Not a big deal in itself but my work schedule is murder so finding time to make another trip out there is going to suck. Boo-hoo!

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs065...._6934844_n.jpg

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...3_443046_n.jpg

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Nice looking parts!

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

I picked up my valve cover at Primo and ran most of the parts out to DB over lunch. Shane was working on the piston rings at the front counter when I came in.

Here's another pic of the motor, sans pistons & rods this time.

http://mlomker.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8...91cafe5970b-pi

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

I'm always impressed when I order something from Taiwan. I usually get the package as quickly as if I'd ordered from the west coast. The Rexpeed hood dampeners and canards arrived. Quality looks fine at first glance.

My new turbo didn't come with gaskets or crush washers so Shane will have to order in a few more parts to assemble everything.

http://mlomker.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8...9291ade970b-pi

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Those look nice. Not sure I even want to know how much you got into that car though. I am guessing you could have had a fairly new Vette/Viper in the 700hp range (reliably) and an evo 8 with all you have bought for that car.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

It is for sure a big investment here. SHould be sweet when it's done though.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Maybe, what do they sell for? lol. I could have a new M3 if I didn't add any options.

The day I bought the car I hadn't planned to do anything like this. Shit happens.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Shoulda, coulda, woulda. You'd have a fleet of Vipers for all you spent on DSMs.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Just saw the pic of the empty block from a few days ago. Even though you're planning on doing it, that's the 'oh fuk, what have I done?' moment for me! Can't wait to see more pics as it goes together!

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

I might not get any interim pics. It's about a 2 hour round trip to DB from where I work so I can't run over there unless it's necessary.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Lomker did you write banned under your name? Or are you gone (in which case someone else will need to reply:))

When's the tune?

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Thinking about a Varis hood & trunk in Carbon/Kevlar. Here's a swatch of what it looks like on their website. I'm thinking with the carbon splitter, canards, & wing that it'd look good.

It's a bit more subtle than full carbon and that might be a good thing. It'll cause some people to make a 'double take' to see what's off. I've also seen full carbon turn yellow in some cases, which would look awful on a red car.

http://www.varis.co.jp/japanese/bonn...ar/kevlerr.gif

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Had a fleet at one point. When I dumped most of my money into the dsms, I couldn't afford buying a nice car. Was easy to throw money in over time. He has thrown his money into it right after buying it for the most part.

Not saying this is a bad project or anything. Just saying that he could have had a vette or something with good reliable power and a decent DD. Prices have dropped on cars like everything else.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

If you don't want to show off the carbon fiber, you could always paint the CF ones to match your car.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Just got off the phone with Shane. Sounds like he's been busy dealing with B.S. the last few days.

He had to create a socket/tool to remove a couple of bolts related to the head -- there are a couple that don't have adequate clearance for a standard socket.

He then went to reinstall the intake manifold and snapped one of the bolts off in the head -- it appears that GrimmSpeed either got junk in the bolt holes or damaged the threads a bit when sandblasting. He had to Helicoil that one and will have to clean up the remaining threads before they can be trusted.

He had ordered some gaskets related to my turbo but Mitsu shipped them to MAP by mistake and that cost a day.

The rods and pistons are in and he said he snapped a few photos so I'll get those at some point.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Hmm, sounds like fun. Well he is figuring all the bugs out now for when he does mine later i guess:)

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Exactly. There's always a handful of custom tools needed to work on a model so now he'll have those.

I'm going to steal this idea in regards to the fpr return line--flip it upside down and Dremel off the brackets. This looks a lot cleaner than what I have now.

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/u...thfuelrail.jpg

vs:

http://mlomker.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8...f445709970c-pi

Since I'll never be reinstalling the engine cover, I will be able to remove some of these brackets. I'll eventually want to reroute (tuck) the wiring as well, since I'll have a decent looking valve cover.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

My father had loaned me his car for what he thought would be a week. We're starting week four now, so I underestimated this job by a good margin.

I'm planning to run to DB over lunch on Tuesday. I can see how things are going and snap a pic or two.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

I hope it's done soon, Shane needs to get your car out of there so he can get mine back in there for my clutch, lol.

Strangely my clutch is back to working...very strange.

So what is the final consensus on motor break in?

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

I suspect that he's only working on my car in between other appointments, so it's people with clutches (like you) that is my problem! haha.

Last time I spoke to Shane he was thinking: run for a minute then oil change, run for 100 miles then oil change, run for 1k miles and then switch to synthetic.

I just want to hear it run, period. Mmm...cams on a test pipe.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Ummm, stock oil is synthetic, so you are going to run reg oil through it?

Is that to clear shit out or what?

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Yes. My understanding is that the new rings will shed some metal as they bed in.

Re: Evo X upgrades
 

Correct. Synthetic is too "slippery" and will not allow for proper wear that is necessary for break in.