What did you do to your car today?

[DJKOR]

After a suggestion from David, I changed my power steering fluid today. Can't believe I didn't think of changing it with my 90,000km service. Anyways, I flushed it a couple of times to really clean it up and for some reason it now just feels healthier. Boy I love the placebo effect.

Old and new:

I also attempted to a cool air feed from the bumper to my new intake, but kind of failed due to the limited space available to play with. I cleared a few things up in there though so it should at least get a bit more air.

[chicaboo]

The TX3 started and ran for a grand total of 3 seconds. :P

[Hiro]

Changed the front pads on the ST162 - all went well until I was resetting the piston on the driver's side (had done the passengers side first) when I noticed fluid dripping from under the engine....

Hmmm, that doesn't look like water, has a colour to it......

No, no engine oil, it's too thin and not black enough...

Not power steering fluid, that's red.....

Not coolant, that's green or red (couldn't remember which)....

Oh crap, it's brake fluid. Clucking bell.

Since the new pads were significantly thicker than the used ones, and someone had probably topped up the brake fluid over the life of the pads (we bought the car with them mostly warn in the first place), when I reset the pistons it forced the fluid out the top of the master cylinder reservoir cap. Seeing as how I had no way of draining or syphoning the fluid out, I had no option but to keep resetting the piston and hope that when the pads were in and the pedal applied, the fluid level would drop back down a bit.

And it did, but after I made sure to thoroughly flush the whole area of the engine bay with plenty of water (brake fluid being rather nastily corrosive to paint and other things)

[69.NIX]

I looked at my car :P

damm black is nice :D

[1stKill]

Well it was what i was thinking of doing...went up to Autobarn this morning to spend my $150 gift voucher that i got from my boss for christmas :) decided amongst other things i would buy a Mothers clay bar kit,so i got all my goodies and went home,a few hours later i thought i will check out my little auto booty,opened up the clay bar kit to have a squiz and guess what...NO CLAY BARS it's supposed to come with 2 bars,so i ring em up,the guy that served me gave me the ole how do we know it was missing, the box was sealed on the shelf,i gave him the ole it's not worth my time & trouble to lie about a $40 dollar item so i will be in tommorow to p/up my 2 clay bars have em on the counter ready....he pauses...and then says yep no problem.

[DJKOR]

Just a quiet day. I finally got around to changing the dim bulb in my glove box for an LED strip. This now means that the only standard bulbs in my car are the low beams, high beams, fog lights, and indicators.

Also gave her a much needed bath and then took her through the ICB a couple of times just to hear her growl.

I think I'm done with the LED's for now:

[Foss]

Looked at her out the window, felt I should give her a full detail. Then decided it was 3 in the afternoon, I was too seedy after last night, and I couldn't be a*sed. So she remains in my driveway, dull, unwashed, and longing for attention.

[Mecha-wombat]

Removed Bilstien adj. coilovers and replaced with Lovell super lows and boge shocks

Detailed car before driving to my parents to give them the keys

It is going to drive like a dog when I get it back

Oh well at least my fillings wont fall out when I take it through the RNP when I do get it back LOL

[jaderd]

installed

primarys secondaries and exhaust

whiteline rear sway

oil and filter

[DreadAngel]

Painted calipers metallic blue, removed stock facelift spoiler...

[cruzer]

the plan today is to put new wiper blades and arms on clean her fix up all the little problems new washer bottle motor then on wednesday off to get all her paperwork and rego

[Foss]

Took her in for a service. Holy crap, 6L of oil takes a looooooooooooooooooooong time to drain!

Painted calipers metallic blue

Using proper hi-temp/caliper paint? What shade of blue? I've been looking for metalic blue caliper paint for yonks. None of the paint shops here seem to have it in metalic.

[Andrew357]

Jacked up the car and checked the RSB to make sure things are tight.

[DreadAngel]

Took her in for a service. Holy crap, 6L of oil takes a looooooooooooooooooooong time to drain!

Painted calipers metallic blue

Using proper hi-temp/caliper paint? What shade of blue? I've been looking for metalic blue caliper paint for yonks. None of the paint shops here seem to have it in metalic.

Hi Paradigm =)

My friend helped me with this... we used Metalcast both the Ground Coat (3x) and the Blue Metallic (5x) =)

It says its hi-temp but the temp rating isn't that fantastic... So its testing stage for me, so far so good...

The guys on SAU have used it to great effect =)

Here is a Link to what it looks like on mine =)

[DJKOR]

Took her in for a service. Holy crap, 6L of oil takes a looooooooooooooooooooong time to drain!

It doesn't take that long.... especially when the engine is at operating temperature when your take the drain plug off.

As for me....did nothing to her. Once again parked her outside of work exposed to the elements. Feel kind of sorry for her, but I will treat her to a good sponge bath tomorrow because she deserves it.

[chicken]

Took her in for a service. Holy crap, 6L of oil takes a looooooooooooooooooooong time to drain!

Painted calipers metallic blue

Using proper hi-temp/caliper paint? What shade of blue? I've been looking for metalic blue caliper paint for yonks. None of the paint shops here seem to have it in metalic.

Hi Paradigm =)

My friend helped me with this... we used Metalcast both the Ground Coat (3x) and the Blue Metallic (5x) =)

It says its hi-temp but the temp rating isn't that fantastic... So its testing stage for me, so far so good...

The guys on SAU have used it to great effect =)

Here is a Link to what it looks like on mine =)

Hi Dreadangel, where did you get the metalcast from? do they have metalcast "smoke"? i've been looking for that smoke finish but they're not available in perth atm.

also, what finish does the ground coat make? is it a dark reflective finish?

[DreadAngel]

Hi Chicken =)

I bought it from Supercheap actually, but you'll have to ring before hand cause they're not a regular stock from what I know...

Ground Coat is the primer and then you spray your chosen colour which for me was the Blue, I believe Supercheap is able to get Red, Blue, Purple and Ground Coat...

Now on the American Duplicolor site, MC-206 Smoke is brand new so perhaps source it from the States?

Duplicolor Metalcast Website

I'll be able to get you guys better shoots when I finish up my aero on Sunday :)

Edited January 20, 2010 by DreadAngel

[chicken]

Hi Chicken =)

I bought it from Supercheap actually, but you'll have to ring before hand cause they're not a regular stock from what I know...

Ground Coat is the primer and then you spray your chosen colour which for me was the Blue, I believe Supercheap is able to get Red, Blue, Purple and Ground Coat...

Now on the American Duplicolor site, MC-206 Smoke is brand new so perhaps source it from the States?

Duplicolor Metalcast Website

I'll be able to get you guys better shoots when I finish up my aero on Sunday :)

Thanks mate. Yeah there are online stores in the US selling the smoke colour but because its an aerosol, its limited to ground shipping in the US.

Might have to use nightshades instead :(

[Foss]

Cheers DreadAngel. That looks pretty close to the finish I was aiming for. I'll nip in and have a talk to Supercheap on the weekend.

Took her in for a service. Holy crap, 6L of oil takes a looooooooooooooooooooong time to drain!

It doesn't take that long....

Its a bloody long time when theres nothing to do but wait for it to finish. ;)

[cruzer]

registered and drove it XD

[DJKOR]

registered and drove it XD

Yay! That is excellent news to hear mate.

Its a bloody long time when theres nothing to do but wait for it to finish. ;)

One of two things:

a) Continue doing other work to the car or cleaning it... I usually do the engine bay and interior if I have no other service items, or

b) Go inside, grab a bear (edit) beer, watch some telly, then come back later.

I like to let my oil drain for a good hour just to make sure a fair bit of it drips out.

[Foss]

Mechanic, not serving myself (want my warranty, especially just now), so no beer (or bears for that matter :P ), no telly, and no point leaving either. And up on the hoist, theres not a lot else can be done.

Took about 25-30 minutes for my oil to drain, and by then it had completely stopped dripping.

[Mole]

Went and got a helmet for the upcoming track day ($70 for a Australian Standard AS/ANZ helmet woo!) from a place my colleague recommended, then got lost and found a AutoPro (that apparently Sam/Noog_Star uses, complete coincidence!) and ordered some brake bits and got some injector cleaner.

Nearly ready for the 10th. Just need to sort out wheels which hopefully will be done on Saturday!

[Hiro]

Fixed the P/S leak on the Celica - most likely what has happened is the guy who did the timing-belt change didn't connect the hose back up fully, causing a leak past the hose-clamp.

Looks like it will need a new hose in the near future anyway, but it will do for now

[whitestivo]

keep looking at my car and wondering whether i should get bigger wheelset

i'm getting past the speed stage, wouldn't mind loss speed, but not loss handling

i like secaboy's p1's.

whitestivo