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The idea was to get this Type R back to 'original spec' with a bit more punch. This plan has pretty much almost been achieved but now it's sidetracked a little and I'd like to take on some track days soon.
Basically I've owned the car for around a year now. The gearbox went due to me being a bit rough with it, tried fixing it, no joys so I replaced the box.
Few other niggles here and there but other than that it has been a good car.
Current mods so far : New Crank & Crank Case and bottom end rebuild at approx 80k miles. ARP Headstuds w/ Uprated Headgaskets (HG Make unknown as job was completed by previous owners.)
RCM Air Intake
RCM Red Pulleys
SWRD Intake Hose
OE Ported Headers / Up-pipe w/ DEI heatwrap
Hayward & Scott 3" Downpipe
2.5" JDM Exhaust of some sort Apex'i Power FC Walbro 255 'Stage II' fuel pump
GReddy BOV
Osram Nightbreaker 110% bulbs so I can actually see.
Still to fit are a HDi Hybrid FMIC once I finish polishing it up and have the pipes powdercoated. Looking to upgrade the injectors & turbo also. As well as brakes and suspension components.
Here's a few photos of it from last year leading up to just this weekend past.
So it has been a very, very long time since I have really posted on here apart from the odd question or forum surfing every so often.
The Type R still lives, well kind of
So basically from where I last left off mid 2014, I got the service items sorted and the rocker cover gaskets changed over and ran the car shortly before fitting the Hybrid FMIC I had picked up.
I enjoyed the car for some time before deciding I'd like to add more parts. I picked up a fixed-back bucket for the car in the shape of a Recaro SPG XL. I fitted AD08R's all round, fitted Brembo calipers to the front before picking up an Alcatek ECU and a Fuel Lab FPR kit.
I changed all the oil & fuel filters and carried out another oil change on the car before heading down to Russ Paton @ Performance HQ for mapping. As per usual there would always be some sort of stumbling block getting in the way though.
Russ noted there being a very slight air leak from the throttle position sensor and advised against mapping it. He noted the RCM intake I had was also a bit worse for wear and would be better off changing that too. Sales jargon or not I had to return to Aberdeen with a base map capped at 4k RPM whilst I ordered up yet more parts to return for mapping to be finished.
I ordered up a VERY large cone filter (normally used for rotated kits), intake elbow and a 2nd hand inlet w/ throttle body and IACV as there are apparently no replacement seals for the TPS sensor ??
Around a week after, I was driving the car and noticed a ticking noise from the engine. When I got home I pulled the timing covers off and noticed the belt had started to go slack on the N/S head. Failing tensioner seemed to be the culprit so I got hold of a belt kit and set about replacing it. Upon replacement I though I'd check the screws on the back of the oil pump whilst I was there. When I was doing all this work it was on my parents driveway which is very uneven, and I remember pulling off the oil pump but losing my balance as I pulled against it. so I grabbed against the crank end to pull me back to be greeted with a very large 'CLUNK'.
Yes thats right I now found out I had a serious amount of end play in the crank. So a suspected thrust bearing was on its way out. I then took the decision to stop driving it and cancel mapping to prevent any further damage to the engine.
I ran an EG6 SiR Civic for a while which ended up being more problems than I could have hoped for. I later broke that car for spares and picked up a sensible-ish daily to keep my Subaru fix at bay - a 2010 WRX-S.
The farmer/estate down the road from me were then kind enough to let me store the car in their barn for nearly a year whilst I arranged alternative storage.
The timing belt tensioner can be common to fail, best to get the older style wrc style one as its bye bye to engine if it goes again.
Looking good though.
So I've pretty much never had anywhere decent to work on the car unless it was at my work or on the driveway during weekends hence the inability to really get the car stripped down and the engine built up much sooner.
I recently managed to get a very large unit with 2 good friends of mine, one of them being a frequenter on here! The cars nearly been off the road for 2 years now and I'm very much encouraged to get this car back to its former self.
I have so many ideas for what I'd like to achieve with it. Initially I had planned to just replace the engine and get it back on the road but with now having the space and time, I really really fancy starting what is essentially a restomod, similar to what Silver Scooby Sport has done with his RA.
Since getting the car into its new home my friend and I have pulled off most of the exterior panels to see what we are dealing with and thankfully we haven't found one bit of rot yet! The engine is now out as of this weekend just past and more or less stripped ready for splitting the heads and block for a closer look into what actually went wrong.
Over the next wee while I'll be getting the car more or less stripped on the underside to sort out what I'm keeping or replacing. Then I'll look to get a spit organised for the car to begin work to the underside before even considering the engine now.
Enjoy the photos below and hopefully now I can give you shorter and more frequent updates on my progress with the car.
One thing amazes me is the rust you boys get on your cars in the uk
Don't have that problem here
Good luck with the project bud
Looks quite solid for a 20 year old car, mine was like new underneath but as soon as the gritters come out it was put away for winter, my spec c will be the same this winter
One thing amazes me is the rust you boys get on your cars in the uk
Don't have that problem here
Good luck with the project bud
I guess in reality you have to remember that protection from corrosion on most old Japanese cars which were never destined for the Euro market and was more of an after-thought. Its pretty well known that in most parts of Japan they don't use salt on their roads hence less examples of rust ridden cars.
I guess it comes with the territory of living in the UK and more so living in Scotland where we have more chance of rain or snowfall.
Originally Posted by **jay**
Looks quite solid for a 20 year old car, mine was like new underneath but as soon as the gritters come out it was put away for winter, my spec c will be the same this winter
Good luch with it, be a great car once finished.
Whilst I really like a car to look pretty Im certaintly not going to shy away from using it in rain or snow. At the end of the day I bought it to use it so its just one of these things I guess. This is mainly why I want to strip the body back and get some proper treatment / products used on the underside to prevent it from getting bad - better to start now whilst its a relatively good base to preserve the car I guess.
Whilst on that topic I'm still not entirely sure if I should facelift the car with the genuine P1 front end and V6 spoiler I picked up, or, keep the V4 look with the 3 piece splitter. I'm still very undecided!
Really impressed with this and it gives me loads of encouragement as I am starting to rebuild a V3 Type R. I have most of the running gear but need a complete interior. Thanks for this.
Looking good on the progress front, were about on isit in Aberdeenshire you are. Must pop by for a chat and a matter. Will be getting the 2 of mine in a similar state when I can find a lockup or garage
29 July 2014, 03:23 PM
My Money Pit - Type R
