i had to quickly grab my camera today, as it rained for the first time since i applied my spring wax.

still on the megs 2.0 tech wax..........lasting ages

beading really gets me going

has anyone here got SMD bulbs fitted, they are meant to be like led's but even more powerfull.

i really cant believe how good they are........
ive tried various good quality h7 bulbs, with blue tint and ultra white colour etc.
but.... these smd's are in a different league.

heres the smd - side lights only..........






now dipped beam........








heres a pic with the full beam on aswell so you can tell the difference.......i will eventually get smd's for the full beam aswell....
the full beam bulbs are high quality philips bulbs so they are good quality anyway:::

hi.

i received the cam cover yesturday, so i couldnt wait to fit it.

while the cam cover was off i also took the opertunity to re-torque the headbolts. i have heard many many horror storys that these bolts can be finger tight, etc.
luckily mine were all tight. but........ loosend and then retorqued each bolt, in the correct sequence anyway. as a precautionary.


so after retorquing the headbolts, i also fitted my new freshly painted cam cover and new cam cover gasket.

checking for sludge, but all seems healthy





after searching high and low in my garage (i new i had some, somewhere) i came across some loctite cam cover formulae




top quality torque wrench



cam cover fitted and bolts torqued to 15nm















also my brother has purchased a new toy, to replace his 1.4 fiesta.

he has ordered me to play about with it, as it needs a few things doing to it...
luckily headgasket & cam belt allready done, which is a bonus

i split a coolant hose last weekend..............
EURO-SAAB-PARTS-DIRECT (which i found was very helpfull and very quick to post out)
i got a replacement hose sent out very quickly...

i also changed my cabin filter as my air con wasnt working correctly.

im an air conditioning engineer..........so i can check everything myself.
checked the refrigerant pressures and everything was fine, but vacumed the system out and re-charged it.... still not really cold?? so im scratching my head now, i thought just like a normal commercial a/c system if the filters are blocked then it aint gonna circulate cold air.

so i decided to order a new pollen filter,

bit confused as the one in there was different to the one received.
quick search on google and all is well, fitted the new filter, = HAPPY DAYS

old v new




after installed sure enough, my a/c was blowing out very cold. so im really happy with that


also as i said earlier, i fitted the new hose to my engine.

here is a pic of the modified hose, i had to do this at the weekend to get me home. i used a socket set as a hose joiner and a bit of old ng900 recirulating dump valve hose i happend to have in me boot





but new hose is now on, and filled up with nice new coolant 70/30 mix


fitted this bad boy at the weekend.
custom 1 of a kind stainless steel heatshield
















few more shiney bits coming up

next on the list is:

fuel filter
custom Swedish style number plates (still looking into these)
number plate surrounds
yellow mudflaps
door wind deflectors
thule roof rack fairing

+ stage 3 (300bhp/450nm) at the end of the month. picking up the 3" downpipe and 3.5bar fuel pressure regulator.

cant wait to get it on the rollers. 2.3 litre, with td04 pushing 18psi

this came today.

its a little short, as its the 40" instead of the 44" that thule recommends, but considering the silly price i picked it up for, it will do nicely. you cant buy these in this country unfortunatly, and would of been over £100 imported from the US.









LOL - you can also see my JAP/drift style bumper repair.

ive just ordered a full 3" exhaust turbo back for £650 - alot of dosh, but all stainless and coupled with a 3.5 BAR fpr it will push me into 300bhp.

should be here and fitted - within a week or two.

kev

my custom made 3" downpipe came today - had to wait a little longer for it as he only had downpipes with CAT's on the shelf.

really breathtaking stuff...
i just sat there admiring the size of it at first. 3" is massive.

the quality is really second to none,
ive never seen welds of this quality and it will be interesting to compare this to the abbott catback cat-back i have on order....











next is a 3.5 BAR fuel pressure regulator. then i should be able to push to about 285bhp.......then an intercooler - then into the 300's

and - i finally got round to buying £45 worth of number-plate-bits

looking back i dont know what i was thinking.

heres a few pics though.....



pressed metal number plates with german made hirsch plate surrounds.........










needs a clean, before the bhp show on monday.

went up (down for most of you) north-weald drag strip few weeks ago......

couple of pics as it was such a lovely day

i took a trip upto abbott-racing (saab specialist tuners) today.

picked up this 1 off zaust. think now ive been abit silly as i asked for NO silensers................. but heres a few pics

oooo I want some videos of that fitted

Farck me, that's going to be loud as fook!


I like it Decibel readings please? Lets see how many tracks wont let you on because your exhaust is too awesome

right guys


i had this fitted a week. yes 1 week and i decided i didnt like it - pathetically loud.....

few vids....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPX_SRJ56VM&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4LEMIj3dw&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR3v60k35Qc&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUb9DrOJESU&feature=plcp


this is what i done today
i spliced in a simons silenser box. both ends were swaged which made things a doddle.

it makes it sounds totally amazing. - a very good silenser box, very quiet on idle + low revs, but when you put your right foot down - it sounds very tuned.


BEFORE


AFTER



very happy with how it sounds now - also my girlfriend feels better now lol..

Sounds great, and looks like it pulls like a train

right......just had it remapped to stage 3.

so its now pushing out a smidge over 290bhp & 440nm

boosting to 1.5 BAR on the td04 blowing into the 2.3 inline 4 extremely torquey,

also ive been having problems with it taking longer and longer to start, sometimes with the engine turning over about 10 times.

so i changed the CPS (crank position sensor) and boom, fires up straight away now. no issues

I will be selling this if anyone is interested.
i need a diesel - i would prefer a swap or part x along the line. i value this car around the £1500 mark - so if you think you know someone whos interested let me know

looking at::::

alfa 156/147 m-jet diesels
bmw 330d/530d
any PD series audi's with 130bhp+ standard

basically im looking for a diesel with over 200bhp (or pushing towards) once remapped.