[Build Thread] -- Journey to 700+ WHP [Supercharger]

[redondoaveb]

Originally Posted by cupcakez

02/27/2019 Update -- So I ran quite a few car-progress related errands yesterday!

- Picked up the correct non-threaded axles for my vehicle to fit the Quaife LSD that came from the Red 2015 base coupe model, dropped it off at Eugene's house

- Took all 8 tires (4 old ones w/ rims + 4 brand new Michelin PS4S) to a local Firestone at Eugene's city to dismount old rims and put onto new tires, disposed the old ones at Firestone. Also bought new TPMS hardware for the tires as well which was also put on, and of course, all new tires were balanced. Once the tires are back onto the car -- we will find out of the check engine light is on. If so, we will reset the system so that it goes away! (This is in case it shows up though of course, due to new tires and the new TPMS hardware)

- Eugene had to order a serpentine belt because the previous one that was being used -- when it fell off the drive belt for when the pulley slid out, it twisted and altered the integrity of it and is no longer good.

- Eugene went out of his way to go to a machine shop and had them make custom oil adapters for the oil cooler sandwich plate to make sure it seats perfectly with no gap, as well as make the custom bolt to fit into the hole of the pulley that slid out. He picked those pieces up on Tuesday and put them into the car -- that's when he found out the drive belt was not long enough for some reason, so he ordered a belt 1 inch longer than that one he was trying to put on for so long (45minutes+).

- We removed the 20mm and 15mm spacers that the previous owner of my Z had put onto the car

- Eugene had trouble removing the old rear axles on the car because whoever had it before me, had messed with the axles and apparently on the nuts, cut slits into the difficult-to-remove nut. At first he tried a long extension breaker bar, but it would not budge. Then added a long metal pipe to make it about 4 feet or longer long, and still would not budge. So he grabbed his electric heat gun and we heated it up to 260+ degrees, then he used an impact gun and that is what made the nut come off the car, thankfully! Otherwise I would have had useless axles since we wouldn't have been able to remove it if it weren't for the heat!

- The new belt that was ordered is coming in tomorrow -- we are hoping it will fit. If not, we will return it and get 1 inch LONGER than the one coming in tomorrow.

- The only things left is the finish putting together the diff / axles area of the vehicle, find a correct belt that fits on the serpentine side, and top off car with necessary fluids. I will be using 5w-40 instead of 5w-30 oil now, since that is what he recommends (or 0w-40 I believe he said also works).

- If all goes well, it will be able to be test driven for leaks and he will also finish tuning the car, then returned to me.


Things he suggests I do when I get it back:

(1) Alter the Y Pipe of the A2A kit, by using the original stillen SC charge pipe and cutting it to re-create possibly a better fitting, user-friendly and more service-able pipe (will require me to go to a machine or welding shop to create a custom pipe that makes things fit easier on my car)

(2) Raise my car a little bit, maybe even back to stock height because right now, with the AAM oil spacer, that is now the lowest point of the car and it is actually pretty dangerously low...so I may need to raise the car a bit to be safe when daily driving.

(3) Swap out the Stillen Exhaust system I have on the car which came with the purchase...back to a stock exhaust system since the stock exhaust system has a flex on it, while the stillen exhaust system does not have the flex part for the exhaust. It may not get as good air flow but at least there will be flex.

(4) Eventually get new pulleys and replace the ones that have metal showing on the grooves because otherwise it will wear out my belts quicker if I keep it the way it is now.

-- More Updates Soon! --

Isn't the stock exhaust going to extremely restrictive, especially for your power goals? Also, I hope you're not going to use the stock cats, especially in the stock location.

[Chuck33079]

Originally Posted by redondoaveb

Isn't the stock exhaust going to extremely restrictive, especially for your power goals? Also, I hope you're not going to use the stock cats, especially in the stock location.

I'd sooner have a shop weld in a flex section than go back to stock if you're trying for power.

[cupcakez]

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

I'd sooner have a shop weld in a flex section than go back to stock if you're trying for power.

Good idea, I might visit my local muffler shop sometime this year to have that done! Thanks for the idea!

[cupcakez]

Originally Posted by redondoaveb

Isn't the stock exhaust going to extremely restrictive, especially for your power goals? Also, I hope you're not going to use the stock cats, especially in the stock location.

I have successfully have it set up to where I do not need to worry about smog checks in CA anymore, so I am now free to mod the car however I want. I have stock cats on there right now, but I may remove them in the future

[redondoaveb]

Originally Posted by cupcakez

I have successfully have it set up to where I do not need to worry about smog checks in CA anymore, so I am now free to mod the car however I want. I have stock cats on there right now, but I may remove them in the future

You might as well remove them right now, they're going to get destroyed from excess heat. Get a set of test pipes.

[Chuck33079]

Originally Posted by redondoaveb

You might as well remove them right now, they're going to get destroyed from excess heat, then the cat material will get sucked back up into the motor and wreck your built motor. Get a set of test pipes.

Fixed.