From Hero to Zhiro (1999 Sixbolt_16g)

[SixBolt_16G]

July 2025

This car has come a long way in the last year and a half. Truthfully, when I got it back, I thought it would be a long time before I would be able to drive it again because I had convinced myself that I was better off finding someone else to do that work rather than diving in. Keeping a 25 year car on the road isnt cheap and requires a lot of devotion.The time that I didnt think I had, ive not only made, but have also made it part of my weekly routine. Glad my wife has a Honda, so I dont have two 25 year old cars giving me headaches.

While Ive been working on the tune, Ive also been thinking about the next series of maintenance and modifications. Ive had a coolant leak from the lower Samco hose that has progressively gotten worse. I ordered a GPlus hose set but quickly found out while comparing that the lower hose on my car didnt match up and that it needs a 1g hose since its a 6bolt in a 2g. Not a lot of options out there and didnt really want to pay $125+ just to use one hose from a Mishimoto or HPS kit. I ended up just getting a rubber Dayco hose overnight from Amazon. The worm drive clamp i used on the Samco ate it up for some reason so i used the spring-style constant tension clamps. It wasnt like that when I reinstalled it a few months ago.

I let it idle and took it for a short drive to test it under pressure before the rain and heat started and seems like things are holding.

Most of the real issues in the series are the last of the things that were wrong with the car when I got it back from the shop.

1. Finish tune
2. Investigate coolant lower coolant hose leak
3. Instrument cluster glow gauges no working
4. WTF is causing that obnoxious creaking from my rear end
5. Finish projector headlight project
6. Paint hood
7. Wheel/tires

3. Instrument cluster glow gauges not working
I need to pull the instrument cluster and check the wiring for my gauges. They havent worked since I got the car back. Maybe they just forgot to reconnect something when they installed the cluster trim to hold the wideband.

4. WTF is causing that obnoxious creaking from my rear end
Ive also had this obnoxious creaking sound coming from the rear end since the day I drove it home. I originally thought it was going to be the top rear knuckle bushing on both sides but the creaking noise is coming from behind the wheels. Im having a hard time telling whether it is the knuckle/LCA bushings or the sway bar. Pulling on either one doesnt replicate the creaking. The shop installed the Volk LCAs w/links, trailing and toe arms so i never saw any install instructions to know if anything needed to be greased, etc(Sway bar bushing are definitely greased). Its hard to pinpoint because
1. it only happens when the wheels are on and the car is on the ground.
2. it is extra loud when the car rolls onto uneven ground like when turning into a parking lot. The noise is coming from both sides of the car.
3. goes away for a while after the car has been lifted.
4. Didnt happen when I put the new RM sway bar on with the old control arms and links, just now with the Volk LCA w/ imbedded links.
5. After 1 or 2 pushes on the corners of the rear end, the noise stops and doesnt start again until driving.

5. Finish projector headlight project
Ive had a set of headlights that I was working on before I had to get the exhaust side gaskets replaced. Lights were heated up and taken apart, but still need to get projectors and light source.

6. Paint hood
Car was left outside to bake in direct sun for 7 months and has some sun fading on some of the panels now. The white spot on the hood from when my friend left the car sitting under a tree with sap drippin on one spot before I bought he car from him got even more clear coat damage. So i want to strip the paint and probably do just a single stage black since its garage kept.

7. Wheel/tires
My 2 rear wheels are warped and hard for the tireshop to balance. Have been looking into new wheels for a long time, but Im admittedly extremely picky. If there was an exact copy of the stock 2g chromies in a 17", I wouldve bought them a long time ago.

 

[SixBolt_16G]

Last day of a long weekend. Not trying to do too much work today, but i just had to know whats up with this rear end noise. Removed the sway bar and drove down the street. Noise didnt get any better so i think im now leanng towards the knuck bushings on both side unless anyone has another suggestion... I doubt that any of the rear bushings have ever been replaced in this car so probably better to do it now than later.

I compared my old sway bar with the RM...why is it so wide compared to the old one? Is wider better?

 

[Justin DuBois]

Last day of a long weekend. Not trying to do too much work today, but i just had to know whats up with this rear end noise. Removed the sway bar and drove down the street. Noise didnt get any better so i think im now leanng towards the knuck bushings on both side unless anyone has another suggestion... I doubt that any of the rear bushings have ever been replaced in this car so probably better to do it now than later.

I compared my old sway bar with the RM...why is it so wide compared to the old one? Is wider better?

View attachment 769084

I dunno about better, but this is how things look on an AWD with stock LCAs

 

[SixBolt_16G]

I dunno about better, but this is how things look on an AWD with stock LCAs
View attachment 769087
View attachment 769088

Thanks, i put the car back together for now.... I just dont have the time to deal with these bushings with the schedule that ive had lately. I took a run this morning to log the timing. WOT @ 1740sec.

Question here. I have that little lean and rich segment at 3.6k-4k and 5k-5.4k, whats the right way to add/pull fuel here? Do i target the cells individually by tracking?

 

[Justin DuBois]

Thanks, i put the car back together for now.... I just dont have the time to deal with these bushings with the schedule that ive had lately. I took a run this morning to log the timing. WOT @ 1740sec.
View attachment 769589

Question here. I have that little lean and rich segment at 36k-4k and 5k-5.4k, whats the right way to add/pull fuel here? Do i target the cells individually by tracking?

Tracking - and take a look at what cells are highlighted, and next to the highlight. Try to visualize a blurry spot around the highlighted cells, Are there any cells in the blurr that make a sharp jump, or could help if a smoother transition to its neighbors was adjusted. Try making a move in those in between places

Calibration at this boost level is looking pretty good

 

[SixBolt_16G]

Tracking - and take a look at what cells are highlighted, and next to the highlight. Try to visualize a blurry spot around the highlighted cells, Are there any cells in the blurr that make a sharp jump, or could help if a smoother transition to its neighbors was adjusted. Try making a move in those in between places

Calibration at this boost level is looking pretty good

If WBFactor is -2% but it highlights 2 different cells, do i split the difference or would i subtract 2% from both?

 

[Justin DuBois]

If WBFactor is -2% but it highlights 2 different cells, do i split the difference or would i subtract 2% from both?

Subtract 2 from both, or 2 from the dead center cell, and 1 from a surrounding cell