Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

With my tax returns officially on the way in, I can start planning and gathering things for 09. I want to actually be able to have a chance at winning SM in my local SCCA region, and the most cost effective way of doing so is new tires. So I picked out 4 brand new Falken Azenis RT-615's from discount tire direct. They will be mounted on some stock rims.

Next, I will be converting from the 1g Maf setup to a 3 inch gm maf setup with a translator. This will diffinently help in so many ways right now I can't even begin to go over all of them.

I will also be changing transmissions, so I'll be picking up a new XTD Stage 3 6 puck clutch kit off ebay. I Still have the 1g Nt tranny that came with the car, and I know it doesn't leak. Not only that, but it has shorter gear ratios as well. The current turbo tranny that I had put in sounds like its on its last legs.

And lastly, I'll be going through the engine bay fixing leaks and once I got the leaks fixed, I'll take it into work on a weekend and spray out the engine bay with the pressure washer.

I do hope to make the spring cruise, but right now it's up in the air.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

your car is in running order right now just dont touch it till then

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I'll do the tires and the MAF-T along with fixing the oil leaks and possibly putting my evo 9 fuel pump in. I won't be on the azenis for that though.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I've changed my mind on tires for the moment. I think the idea of more power/boost intrigues me a bit more...

...so I picked up an AEM UEGO Wideband and I got the maft from Twack. I have the sensor on the way in. Next, I'll be looking for an Aeromotive AFPR and some brake upgrades.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

just find some cheap 2g, 2 piston brakes with rotors and some nice pads and you will be happy

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

^Thats what I am going to be running this year to see if they hold up.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

That is what I was thinking but I also need a set of ss brake lines too.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Which would you guys recomend? SS Brake lines, dual piston upgrade, or pads? I only have enough for one of those things right now.

I've figured my stock brakes have good stopping power as I can lock up the tires easily. The only thing is the feel isn't there, doesn't really inspire confidence. That alone leads me to want the SS brake lines. What would you do?

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

do it right and do all 3

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

A set of big brakes should be easy to find for cheap. Id do those and pads. If you dont see yourself upgrading from the 1G small brakes in the next year, then just get really good pads.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I guess I don't see the point as I'm not going to do track days, just autocrossing and driving on back roads. The stock calipers and discs can lock up the brakes and they do slow me down decent, it's just the feel isn't very good. Maybe a set of pads and the lines then?

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Either way you go, you can't go wrong with a set of SS lines. I have them all the way around on my car and I love them.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

So I got my car out of my parents back yard, hooked up the translator and everything is working great except a few things.

1. My intercooler coupler off the j pipe keeps blowing off whenever I hit 3rd gear. I spin crazy through second, hit third for about a second and pfffff, off it comes. I think I need to shorten up the pipe because the angle is kind of awkward and get it bead rolled. What's weird is I didn't mess with that at all since last year. Is it happening more often because without the stock intake setup my 14b is flowing that much more?

2. Im getting a fairly consistant fuel cut at around 5-6k. I'm running 15 psi on the stock turbo and fuel system with a pump rewire. I do have a slow boost leak at the tb but the fuel cut wasn't this often last year. Any ideas? I'm getting good timing at 20-21 degrees and an occasional 1 count of knock at random.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Get the pipe bead rolled.

Are you sure its fuel cut? Real fuel cut feels like you just ran into a wall for a split second. Bucks hard.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Yup. Thats what it does. Engine just shuts off for a second. I thought getting the translator would help get rid of fuel cut but it seems worse than last year.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

The stock mass air sensor is a restriction compared to the maf translator, so that's probably where the cut is coming from. Time to upgrade the ecu, I think.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Took some pictures today of my new under-hood layout. Nevermind the maft box sitting messy. I'll be looking for an extension harness to mount it inside under the head unit next to my wideband location.

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10176.JPG

I didn't want to pay 50+ dollars for an intake, so here's the 3 inch intake I made for around 37 dollars out of pvc piping, a coupler and some high temp grill paint:

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10177.JPG

Some exterior shots after the carwash:

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10179.JPG

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10180.JPG

Need to get it in to work on a sunday and shampoo the shit out of the carpet and scrub the seats clean:

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10181.JPG

Tomorrow the Evo9 fuel pump goes in, and then I just have to wait for the evo 9 injectors from kracka and the fun will begin.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Alright, 2 weeks after putting the pump in, I think i got it set. Gave the JB weld on my return pipe about 3 days to fully dry and cure. Ran it a bit today and so far absolutely no sign of leaks.

Seems to idle good, just changed the oil with full synthetic Valvoline. Pig rich though. Going to install my wideband gauge where my stock oil pressure gauge is in the cluster. Have to modify it a bit, but I love the location.

This weekend I'll hook the logger up and do some basic tuning.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

PVC emits a caustic chlorine gas when heated; you may want to switch to either metal or ABS plastic.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Don't try and run more than 35psi. Those couplers will blow off your GM MAF. :whoo:

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

mine hold to 30!!!!, god im lazy

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Really? I love my intake. lol I'll probably do something else with it eventually.

If that car sees more than 35 psi, I probably won't be the owner. lol

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I put about 15 bucks worth in the gas tank and so far zero gas leaks. My lower radiator hose gave up the ghost though. Must've gotten bumped or something but now theres a good sized slice in it. It was so old anyways, the rubber was half melting.

I'll replace that today and I'm also getting the bung welded in so I can finally use my nice shiny wideband. From what I drove around yesterday it seems to run decent. Just drove it to get gas and then back.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Word of advise, if one hose blows, the rest are not far behind. Do them all at once and you will have no worries. I decided to wait and fix them one by one. They all went within 2 months what a pain in the ass

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Whoever had the car before me replaced the upper radiator hose but obviously neglected the lower. I finally found one that a parts store had in stock but it's for a 1.8. I made it work though, it wasn't too far off.

So far so good. No leaks and I've been driving it around for a little while now. Best of all though, NO FUEL CUT!! :-D

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I ment re[place ALL of your coolant hoses. Each and every one

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I did that last spring.

Had the alternator rebuilt due to it leaving me on the side of the highway. Threw it in and I'm happy to say it runs great. Very rich though. Gets down to 10 by 6500. Need to tune it since its still on the base adjustment for 560's on my Translator.

But right now I's happy. :D

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Took a couple pics tonight and a video.

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10333.JPG

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10332.JPG

Here's the video. 20-135

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKeweSBkLCk

Here's some more pics I took. Show off my shack of a garage. They didn't run electricity out to these things, so I got my own extension cord and run it off our deck.

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10341.JPG

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10337.JPG

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10338.JPG

Here's a shot of the interior. Notice how clean it is (needs a vaccum) and the repaired lower door panels. For those who remember, there were like 4 speaker holes. I took it into work a week or 2 ago and cleaned it up pretty good. I scrubbed the shit out of the carpet and then shampoo'd it. Looks dirty right now, but thats from all the dirt being lifted out and of course I have been daily driving it.

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/SDC10339.JPG

This is what it looked like when I first got it:

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/...m/DCP01947.jpg

You can't see it in the pic above, but I mounted my AEM UEGO inside the stock gauge cluster where the stock oil pressure gauge was. Front and center.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

So I think my clutch is fucked. I have fluid and my lines aren't leaking. My clutch won't disengage.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Did you try adjusting the pedal? Can you see the slave rod moving at all?

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I highly doubt its the pedal, it was working fine up untill I was on my way back to work today from my lunch break. Going down a hill and notice I couldn't get it into gear. So I had to drive it back to work then back home with the clutch always engaged.

I inspected the lines, including the ss line I have for it, and there's no leaks. Fluid level is full. Got down and tried wiggling the fork, seems solid to me. My guess is the pressure plate is done.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

My bet is a spring broke out of the disc and is wedged on a PP fin.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Thats the exact thing that happened to me about 2 years ago or so. It was then that I decided to have Mr. Vogel rebuild my engine.

I'm trying to look at this as a positive thing. I can now take the time to pull the pan off, the vc off, and many other things to fix the many oil leaks. Do a compression test, etc.

Last time I did a compression test I don't think any of the cylinders were over 130.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Sounds like this is probably your issue.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Since I'm more than likely going to need a clutch, I'm stuck between two transmissions. I have a nt tranny with shorter gear ratios and a turbo tranny with longer ones. I have heard the nt transmission is a bit weaker, but the idea of shorter gears makes me lean that way. Thing is, depending on which tranny I use, I'll need a different clutch for each. The bellhousing on the nt is smaller, therefor needing a smaller clutch.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

seriously, 130? what are all the numbers. is your tester reading low? i would think you would have better numbers. iwould stick with the turbo tranny, its treating you good. if it ever fails toss in the nt. now rip that trannsmission off, and get to work, ill get down when ican. didnt that happen to your last clutch, i thought it did when i saw it out

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I would also stick with the turbo tranny. The gears aren't really that tall, and you'll still be able to wind out first and second in no time flat.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

I'd check the Master and slave cylinders before pulling the tranny.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Oh yes, I will. I need someone to help pump the pedal while I watch it. I've been busy so I haven't gotten out there.

Re: Getting the Laser ready for AutoX
 

Everything that I can see from the outside looks fine. I looked inside the tranny behind the dust boot over the fork and can't really see much. So I started taking my tires off up front and broke my 3/8 ratchet. lol Need to get my dad's 1/2 inch drive set.

I did however pull the exhaust side off the motor. I can already see a lot of the oil leakage is from the valve cover and some from the middle exhaust stud that has an oil passage behind it.

I have a wedding to go to today at 1 but when I get back I'll get out there and get some pics and get dirty.