97 GST Spyder (AWD Swapped)

[spyderdrifter]

So last night as I was returning home from school, I heard a weird noise coming from my engine. This morning I found out it was my alternator sparking like crazy. So carefully drove to work and bought a new alternator. After I pulled the old one out, found out one of the bolts inside had worked loose and was spinning around with the stator assembly. No fires thankfully.


Also got my black door panels put in yesterday so now only the carpet, seats, and the random kick panels that weren't made in black are still gray.

 

[Pipnorcali]

That gauge cluster is gonna look sweet when its done

 

[spyderdrifter]

Hell yeah I found a wiring schematic for it, but it's not very helpful, so I have to research more.
And speaking of the cluster, it can now sit it the dash with the bezel fully installed.


Unfortunately it got a little overlap on the bezel, but a slight adjustment is all it needs to go away.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Little update: I've decided to leave the auto-technician field and pursue a new career. So I leave my current job in 10 days and start the new one. Will be getting better pay so I can finally afford to build my Spyder up beyond little shit and routine maintenance. That being said, there won't be any updates here for some time. I'll still be around on the forum, just not as much but the plans and parts collection will grow.

Just for a teaser, it'll be a 2.6L, compound setup with AWD...


Also painted the shaved valve cover so I can put it on and get the none-shaved black one off. That one will get a better shave job, probably with a milling machine, and then a custom paint job.

 

[ErikTande]

Awesome pics, congrats on the new job!

 

[spyderdrifter]

Thanks, on both

 

[spyderdrifter]

Been a long time with no updates, so here's how things have gone. Started buying my Prosport gauges, got a new HKS sqv4 bov, ordered a VRSF fmic (which comes in on Thursday), and replaced my water pump. That last one almost killed my engine. I forgot to remove the gear stopper placed between the cam gears during the timing process, and then I started the engine. Long story short, it obviously didn't start, but I jumped timing bad. Somehow though, not bad enough to bend the valves or sheer teeth off the timing belt, even though the crank spun almost a full revolution. Very lucky. I reset everything and my spyder lives on once again without being broken. Drives as good as before the water pump started leaking.

 

[spyderdrifter]

HKS sqv4 bov and recirculator fitting








Prosport Evo boost gauge

 

[spyderdrifter]

Got my new strut bar today. I know it's for the non-turbo, but it will be adjusting my battery so that it fits properly, and whatever else my be in the way.

Here it is in the engine bay. Gotta get the adapter for relocating the MDP sensor so the strut bar can mount properly, unless I get Link and SD first.

 

[spyderdrifter]

My baby and my mini-me....

 

[spyderdrifter]

Got the new VRSF fmic yesterday. Will be installing it this weekend.





28.5"×10"×3.5" core

 

[spyderdrifter]

Installed the new core for bumper trimming. Still got more to do, will miss my fog lights. Also got the strut bar installed.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Went to the salvage yard today in hopes to find a new throttle cable since my cable or pedal sticks a bit, and they recently got a '95 Talon TSi. So it turned out to be AWD, but sadly was automatic. Anyway, it had the cable, but was frayed

However, even though the car was horribly abused, I found this tubular exhaust manifold and it looked to be in good condition so I bought it for $33. When I got home I cleaned it up and there's no cracks or anything else wrong with it. There's no brand, so I suspect it to be an eBay part, but that's ok since my factory one is cracked a little.



After all that and going out to lunch with my girlfriend, my spyder started making some odd noises. By the sounds, I guessed it sounded like the water pump pulley rattling loose. Sure enough, it was loose and the alt belt had popped off.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Traded my old stock downpipe and cat for an oil catch can last night.





Took a couple more pictures too during a break in the bad weather.

 

[spyderdrifter]

More pictures: wasn't able to attend the Shootout again this year so had my own little photo shoot.

 

[BlackKnight2013]

looking good man. sorry to hear you weren't able to make it to the shoot out. im planning on doing one of the shoot outs in my lifetime when my talon is all finished. let me know when the next cruise is and we'll do it up.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Installed the new manifold today. I had to elongate the 14mm bolt hole at the end of the flange so I could get the bolt in. But got that done and she runs smoothly. Feels like I'm getting better throttle response now too.

 

[spyderdrifter]

I decided to change my oil and spark plugs today and install my VRSF FMIC. Found out my previous plugs were the wrong ones somehow. Maybe I over looked it last time... the one on the right with green writing is the old one...



Here's the fmic install:

 

[Ludachris]

Looks like my old DNP header, which I'm sure wasn't the only one to have that design.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Lol. I found it on a blue 2G Talon in the salvage yard. No identification on it at all. But the DNP one was the one I thought it looked like the most.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Better pictures of the engine bay since finishing the FMIC and BOV install. Still sad I had to pull off my fog lights for the core to fit.

 

[BlackKnight2013]

looks good man.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Haven't done much of anything with the Spyder since getting the new GSX. It's being torn apart and rebuilt, so it has my main focus until it's running. I did however put it's power seat into the spyder since the Spyder's driver seat rail is messed up and has one real adjustment position.

 

[spyderdrifter]

Ever since I dropped in my FMIC, I've been under the impression that I had a possible boost leak, which I found out I indeed had one. The TB gasket between the TB and TB elbow was for whatever reason leaking. So I replaced it with a spare. I still over boost, which I'm not surprised about, but even after changing the gasket, I still have idle fluctuations that are annoying. I know nothing else leaks as of right now. Does overboost/boost creeping cause idle surge issues such as this? I'm gonna go read idle surge info I have and forgot about, but will leave this here if I can't find an answer.

 

[spyderdrifter]

I pulled the dash out of the Spyder to replace all the vent seals like I did on the GSX last weekend. I also took this t I me to replace the blue LED in the HVAC unit, so it now works again. Found out the wire for the original blue LED got pinched and broke the wires inside the rubber coating. Made sure that didn't happen this time.



Before replacing the seals:



After:

[DOUBLEPOST=1417395527][/DOUBLEPOST]Got the dash back in. Was such a pita for some reason. Never had issues like this before, but it's now over... finally.



The air does feel like it's blowing a little better, so hopefully this wasn't all for nothing.