Jumbo's custom turbo build

Actually no - this was standard motor oil. Recommendation was to use non-synthetic for the break in period - that is what this analysis reflects - only 800 miles.

Rotella T6 is going in to the car now, followed by another analysis after 3000 miles. Depending on the results we will then decide if we can increase the interval.
 
jumbosrule said:
Actually no - this was standard motor oil. Recommendation was to use non-synthetic for the break in period - that is what this analysis reflects - only 800 miles.

Rotella T6 is going in to the car now, followed by another analysis after 3000 miles. Depending on the results we will then decide if we can increase the interval.
Click to expand...

Yep plain dyno oil to break it in. Those guys are pretty good, so their recommendation doesn't suprise me as spot on. We used 20W50 after break in on my turbo H22A, err Honda motor.
 
Just got a phone call from Powerfab Auto. I'm picking up the car tomorrow afternoon. She's buttoned up and tuned - ready to be my DD for the time being.
 
The subsequent story has no photos.

It was a morning not uncommon to Houston. Balmy, 60s, overcast... the occasional shower. Not much sun trying to peak through layers of misty gray.

Today was the day! The day Jumbo had been waiting for. Countless hours of daydreaming... imagining what it would really FEEL like ... patiently passing the days, weeks and months she was away. Weekly email exhanges. Weekly visits and photos. But no more. For yesterday, a phone call was received. Come and get her, they say. She's ready. Why are we sure she's ready? We've been beating on her all day and haven't found anything to be worried about. Sensors all reading, tune dialed in, gauges working as planned... nothing outstanding except for a walk-through and an owner's test drive. When can you be here for those items, they ask? We planned for today after lunch (whenever I could finish up with work).

While I'm driving to the shop, I feel some ridiculous cross winds on the highway. News says that there's some cold weather rolling in. This must be it.

I arrive and the temperature has now dropped 25 degrees. As soon as we walk into the bay I notice they have washed the car. She looks hot. I really missed this car. She's somehow more graceful, now that I know the classic styling is home to one mother of a badass motor. And I'm still not used to the coilover stance - it's so great!!! All the decisions I was faced with along the way are here in front of me. From fittings to routing, parts to fluids, there's very little left in this engine bay that has been left un-touched. This build has been very much a part of my life for the last 3 years.

The shop has to move some cars out of the way in order to take out the FX so while they do that I pop the hood. No surprises - it pretty much looks like the last photo I posted, except for the paneling is all buttoned up. We talk about different things in the bay and how they turned out. I sit in the seat and look at my new gauges for the first time. The shop has modified a G35 pillar cluster to fit my pillar with the two PLX gauges. They look pretty sweet. A little more obtrusive than I would like. I'll have to let them settle on me.

Time for the drive! On start-up I immediately notice the exhaust vibration is gone. They re-worked the brackets and ambient noise is much less than it was when I dropped the car off after break-in. I'm glad about that. Didn't want to lose the luxury feel inside. As we pull onto the side road, she's rolling smooth. I'm barely feathering the throttle. We pull onto a major street and go with traffic for a few blocks. I have the opportunity to punch it between blocks, and geeeeeezzzzzzusssssssss this car PULLS. Just not enough street to keep the throttle down for any amount of time. I head for the highway. We have a solid half mile long ramp onto the highway and there is nobody in front of me. I put the pedal to the floor and we're at 13psi, 100mph and in third gear. I coast onto the highway and merge with traffic.

The car is completely responsive. It has the ability to get up and go where you tell it, when you tell it. During my OEM days I liked the power response, but it often lagged once already at speed or if caught in the wrong gear. Now? It's like the motor is now stronger than it needs to be for the SUV weight. There's no lag. No bogging. Doesn't matter what gear you are in, instant acceleration is on command. I have a HUGE smile on my face since the on-ramp. One of the guys is in the front seat, hooked into the ECU and monitoring different items they have set up. After my third hard acceleration, he says to me - take it easy for a minute - looks like temperatures are going up.

Within 30 seconds, there's steam coming out from the hood. We're blowing coolant. The last time this happened, there was an air bubble in the system and it continued to overheat until the bubble burped out. We turn on the heater inside the car and it won't get warm. Air bubble in the cooling system. We head back to the shop. After two short breaks to let the car cool, we're back at the shop. I won't be coming back til Thursday at the earliest.

Tuesday! Why have thou forsaken me?

I'm still FXless.
 
jumbosrule said:
The subsequent story has no photos.

It was a morning not uncommon to Houston. Balmy, 60s, overcast... the occasional shower. Not much sun trying to peak through layers of misty gray.

Today was the day! The day Jumbo had been waiting for. Countless hours of daydreaming... imagining what it would really FEEL like ... patiently passing the days, weeks and months she was away. Weekly email exhanges. Weekly visits and photos. But no more. For yesterday, a phone call was received. Come and get her, they say. She's ready. Why are we sure she's ready? We've been beating on her all day and haven't found anything to be worried about. Sensors all reading, tune dialed in, gauges working as planned... nothing outstanding except for a walk-through and an owner's test drive. When can you be here for those items, they ask? We planned for today after lunch (whenever I could finish up with work).

While I'm driving to the shop, I feel some ridiculous cross winds on the highway. News says that there's some cold weather rolling in. This must be it.

I arrive and the temperature has now dropped 25 degrees. As soon as we walk into the bay I notice they have washed the car. She looks hot. I really missed this car. She's somehow more graceful, now that I know the classic styling is home to one mother of a badass motor. And I'm still not used to the coilover stance - it's so great!!! All the decisions I was faced with along the way are here in front of me. From fittings to routing, parts to fluids, there's very little left in this engine bay that has been left un-touched. This build has been very much a part of my life for the last 3 years.

The shop has to move some cars out of the way in order to take out the FX so while they do that I pop the hood. No surprises - it pretty much looks like the last photo I posted, except for the paneling is all buttoned up. We talk about different things in the bay and how they turned out. I sit in the seat and look at my new gauges for the first time. The shop has modified a G35 pillar cluster to fit my pillar with the two PLX gauges. They look pretty sweet. A little more obtrusive than I would like. I'll have to let them settle on me.

Time for the drive! On start-up I immediately notice the exhaust vibration is gone. They re-worked the brackets and ambient noise is much less than it was when I dropped the car off after break-in. I'm glad about that. Didn't want to lose the luxury feel inside. As we pull onto the side road, she's rolling smooth. I'm barely feathering the throttle. We pull onto a major street and go with traffic for a few blocks. I have the opportunity to punch it between blocks, and geeeeeezzzzzzusssssssss this car PULLS. Just not enough street to keep the throttle down for any amount of time. I head for the highway. We have a solid half mile long ramp onto the highway and there is nobody in front of me. I put the pedal to the floor and we're at 13psi, 100mph and in third gear. I coast onto the highway and merge with traffic.

The car is completely responsive. It has the ability to get up and go where you tell it, when you tell it. During my OEM days I liked the power response, but it often lagged once already at speed or if caught in the wrong gear. Now? It's like the motor is now stronger than it needs to be for the SUV weight. There's no lag. No bogging. Doesn't matter what gear you are in, instant acceleration is on command. I have a HUGE smile on my face since the on-ramp. One of the guys is in the front seat, hooked into the ECU and monitoring different items they have set up. After my third hard acceleration, he says to me - take it easy for a minute - looks like temperatures are going up.

Within 30 seconds, there's steam coming out from the hood. We're blowing coolant. The last time this happened, there was an air bubble in the system and it continued to overheat until the bubble burped out. We turn on the heater inside the car and it won't get warm. Air bubble in the cooling system. We head back to the shop. After two short breaks to let the car cool, we're back at the shop. I won't be coming back til Thursday at the earliest.

Tuesday! Why have thou forsaken me?

I'm still FXless.
Click to expand...



I felt like I was reading a novel lol :tongue (2):
I hope everything works out great for you! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top