Charlie's work in progress

[charlie_ching]

Upgraded the speakers this morning. Bought the alpine S2-S65c's for the front doors and dash tweeters. And the S2-S65's for the rear doors. Sounds a lot better across the board now, and my driver's door speaker isn't fizzling out like before ha. Easy install, trickiest part was figuring out how to mount the tweeters. Ended up pulling the old ones apart and cutting up the old steel bracket to fit the new ones.

 

[charlie_ching]

I dunno how I let this happen, but I just installed a process west verti intercooler. Good kit, comes with charge pipe, new bonnet ducting and an aluminium belt cover. Was not quite as fun as I thought it would be. The mounting brackets for the intercooler were for a manual, so didn't line up. Had to do a bit of modifying, but got there in the end.

Basically grabbed this as I need to do a tune again for the 3 port boost controller, which I'm hoping will fix my stuttering ( 90% sure it's the CVT ) Also doing a TGV delete while I'm at it.

The factory plastic manifold looks pathetic all exposed now.

 

[charlie_ching]

Just got the car back after installing the 3 port boost controller and TGV deletes.
Unfortunately, and as expected the stuttering is still there. So I'll look into getting a new gearbox in the future. The new dyno graph looks alot better than before, doesn't have the dip from the old tune.

Very happy with it, minus the CVT problem.

 

[charlie_ching]

 

[SpruceWillis]

Upgraded the speakers this morning. Bought the alpine S2-S65c's for the front doors and dash tweeters. And the S2-S65's for the rear doors. Sounds a lot better across the board now, and my driver's door speaker isn't fizzling out like before ha. Easy install, trickiest part was figuring out how to mount the tweeters. Ended up pulling the old ones apart and cutting up the old steel bracket to fit the new ones.View attachment 3742

Did you also put in an amp to drive the new speakers, if so which ones?

 

[charlie_ching]

Nah didn't install an amp, my head unit is good enough for me.

 

[charlie_ching]

Just noticed the process west logo

And cart loaded....

 

[charlie_ching]

Installed the new radiator, fans and PCV oil catch can today. As usual took longer than it should've. The catch can had a couple tricky moments, but overall pretty straight forward. The new "plug n play" radiator fans are not that at all. They were supposed to plug into the factory plugs, but as my luck goes they were not. So ran off to Autobarn to get some new plugs, did some research to make sure I got them wired up right. And then struggled changing the plugs in the engine bay loom with bugger all room. Got there in the end. Still gotta do the CVT cooler. But that'll be its own battle for another day haha

 

[charlie_ching]

Just installed the CVT cooler. Pretty easy, had been putting off doing it, and actually only decided to install it after attempting to install the perrin oil cooler and having fitment issues due to the bigger aluminium radiator I have, which pushes the coolant overflow tank back closer to the engine. So might look at a different tank possibly. Also considering getting a new/second hand CVT. Another thing I'm not looking forward to.

 

[charlie_ching]

 

[charlie_ching]

Today I've installed the mishimoto oil cooler. Love the look of the braided lines. Easier install than the CVT cooler. Only thing I'm not happy about is the fitment of the Banjo bolts at the oil filter. One of them is fine, whilst the other clashes with the the area the thermostatic plate bolts to, so the direction I want to have the line running is impossible. So you have to run it in a way that runs it close to the accessory belt, and then has to have a tight bend on it.

So now I have the aluminium radiator, CVT cooler and oil cooler. Hoping this all helps keep temperatures down. In summer here in Queensland the car suffers from eat soak pretty easily.