97 GST Spyder (AWD Swapped)

[NWHTanK]

Very nice! If you get board hoop over two states to the east and give me a hand with mine .

 

[spyderdrifter]

.. I wish I could. Since everyone at school knows I'm a DSM guy, there's now 2 more DSMs there that I have been given to work on. So far, no one has been able to do what I've done to them. They're both running better, but still need a little work.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Well, I've finally driven the Spyder enough to be satisfied with my new idle setting. She hasn't stalled out since the part swap and adjustment I also decided to swap in the Injen intake I picked up from Albanator when I bought the exhaust and that coupled with the new BOV (which isn't new, I've had for several years but never used it) makes her sound a lot better. It's only a knock off Greddy Type S, but it sounds just as good. No more muted BOV like when I modded the BOV recirc fitting. The exhaust note is now a lot clearer too. Once I replace the piston rings, she'll be running and sounding great. Here's a pic and video... I need to get a replacement filter and then I'll be happy with the intake. The video is a little muffled since this was shot with my phone's camera


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOghvlx9ZD8&feature=player_detailpage[/ame]

 

[chinexican]

Looking good

 

[spyderdrifter]

Got bored so I decided to go take some pics since the weather has been crappy lately, and makes for decent pics. Only wished it kept raining.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Couldn't sleep so I modified a couple pics of my Spyder.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Well, in 12 hours I'll be tearing apart the Spyder again. Finally got all the parts and fluids so I can change my piston rings and fix a couple oil leaks. Can't wait to have full power back. I checked the compression one last time today, only in cyl that has been the lowest, and just to see how far it's dropped. It's at 120psi, which is just below the 6 bolt limit. Despite the low compression and the loss of power, she's still been performing decently, which came as a surprise compared to my last Eclipse. Since my shaved and painted valve cover has been leaking oil for some unknown reason, I'm swapping it out with another spare VC that I painted black, so now everything under the hood will be black except the BOV and the aluminum radiator I'm putting back in. Will take pics here and there of the work, and post them later on. After this, and my next focus area (replace all brake pads and rotors), I'll finally be able to breath and start plans for my 2.1 build.

 

[galantracer53]

Good luck with that man! Hope it all goes well!!

 

[Gearhead4G63]

Loving the build bro!

 

[spyderdrifter]

Thanks.

I got the engine apart on Friday and found out I had 2 broken pistons..... my mood sank and all that ran through my head was that my Spyder was gonna be sitting in the garage again for months. Then I decided to look through all my spare parts and I had a full set of spare OEM 6-bolt rods with pistons. So after I finally breathed relief, my girlfriend and I installed them with the new rings (she actually installed 3 of them while I watched, was quite impressed). Took a break from it til Monday where I put everything back on, got her timed and fired up. Went for my 20 mile test drive and holy hell she's come alive. It had some balls before, but now she's a whole new kind of beast. Got my rings seated and all has been good since. I'll get some pics of the broken pistons up later tonight.

 

[NWHTanK]

Hey join the club .... mines been in the grarage since I got it to the house in jan.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Mine spent the end of last year and the first 3rd of this year garaged. I hated it and don't want it going back

 

[GofaST4life]

Love the spyder. Really makes me miss mine.

I think your "LED headlight mod" looks really tacky though. Just my opinion.


Keep up the good work. What are your future suspension plans?

 

[spyderdrifter]

Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion I like my LEDs, but will be make a better version eventually.


Anyway, compression is still low even after the ring replacement and all the new seals and gaskets. I'm thinking the cylinder walls didn't get honed enough. Will find out more later.

 

[TSicktalon]

Have you done a leakdown to make sure your valves are kosher?

and I'm 50/50 on the Audi lights... I love doing headlight mods, but I'm not sold on those on a dsm..

 

[spyderdrifter]

Still gotta make the time for a leak down test.

 

[TSicktalon]

Occam's razor my friend.

 

[spyderdrifter]

During a recent trip up to Denver, I noticed my brakes feeling weird. Specifically my passenger side front. So I decided to replace all my rotors and pads early. I was intending to wait until I got new wheel hubs to do the brakes, but the brake was just too much to ignore. So I went ahead and replaced them all since I already had all the brake parts, and I'm lucky I did...



These are the brakes the Spyder had when I bought it so I should have replaced them sooner. The inner pad for this rotor was worn down to the metal plate, and it dug into the rotor.



I also finally dug into my "poor fuel economy" issue. Turns out I'm getting great fuel mileage, 24 miles per gallon. Not bad at all.

I found this all out because I got sick of filling up my car after only 170 miles each tank. It would say i was nearly empty on the gauge. So I decided to pull the level sender unit out to see if it was bad. Checked the resistance on it and everything seemed fine. Also at the empty level on the gauge, I had 3 1/2 inches of fuel left in the tank... WTF So I ended up checking resistance on the gauge too, and it is indeed bad. It reads 81 ohms instead of 122. So I'll be getting a new one soon.


This was the level at empty...


I also decided to do the fog light mod to run them with the parking lights. I even improved upon the mod so that the fogs turn off with the light switch so I never have to forget they're on and drain my battery.


Here's the write up for my version: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...ts-parking-lights-improved.html#post153346520

 

[spyderdrifter]

Been a couple months since I posted on here, but nothing much done to my Spyder besides new tires and a head light restoration done. Did both myself anyway. Did take new pics maybe a month ago so I'll post them up later after work, if I remember that is....

 

[GofaST4life]

Some fog light bezels would really clean up that front end. Id paint them to match your car color.

Keep up the good work man. Makes me miss my Spyder.

 

[spyderdrifter]

I do have fog light bezels and the hardware for them, but they always pop out on the bottom so I leave them off so I don't loose them. Need another bumper before I leave them on all the time.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Here's after I polished my head lights....





Found an Evo IX

 

[crash89]

A good way to have been able to tell if your fuel gauge wasnt working properly would have just looked at how many gallons you were putting into the tank upon filling up.

Side note, wish I could have an Evo IX

 

[spyderdrifter]

I wish I could too. By found I meant it was in a Lowes parking lot I went to so I parked by it. Wish it was mine, even the color I want.

As for the fuel issue, I worked it out. Haven't replaced my gauge yet, but I know when it's low now.



New Part
Just ordered a new key fob since I never got one from the previous owner. Should have it next week sometime, then I'll program it myself.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Yesterday it decided to snow all day, and work was slow so I decided to bring the Spyder in from the cold.

(not my toolbox or bay... would never stick those stickers on my set up)


I decided to attempt a washer sprayer swap with one I had from an Odyssey. It worked and atomized the washer fluid better than our oem ones. Gotta get another one now.

(new one on the right)



Also picked up a 2gb Talon wing from the salvage yard today.