Thanks! That's really good information, actually. I know from recent experience how the rear ball joint cotter pins are a pain on this car, but I'm out of the salt belt, so I'm guessing you had it worse.

 

Good, not great. They will do the job and finally wake up my Invidia Gemini exhaust.

First impression is good, there is a bit over undercutting and over penetration. The oxidation on the inside probably means a lack of back-purging while being welded.


I realize these aren't aerospace flight parts but, I can't help but inspect them as if they were.

 

Today I finally faced the facts and returned my brembo calipers to AutoZone for the core money... $130 is better then worthless calipers in my basement.

 

Today I pulled the differential and pressed out the diff bushings to replace them with the ones I bought from Z1 Motorsports. I really like the Z1 bushings, but the $100 tool they sold me to pull the factory bushing and sleeve from the subframe simply doesn't work. There were enough casting issues on the subframe bushing tube to make it literally impossible to get the Z1 tool to go through the hole.

I ended up removing the bushing sleeve the old fashioned way: a sawzall, an air hammer, a lot of swearing, and a crushed knuckle. It took about two hours' worth of trying everything from heat to cold to penetrating oil to impact tools before I gave up on the $100 specialty tool. Bummer, I was hoping this would go a lot easier, but the bottom line is the the fastest way to do this is to drop the muffler and go at the sleeve with your sawzall until you get enough of a cut to use an air chisel, which will go through the sleeve like butter and it'll slide right out.

That was the least fun thing I've ever done on this car. I'm just glad it's over. Now I'm going to go eat some spaghetti.

 

I must say every bushing in the subframe was a real treat, I have an extra one sitting in my shed. If im motivated one of these days ill pull those bushings for fun.

 

I got to install these today. I really don't understand the hype and agony on installing them. It's was actually one of the easier things Ive done on my car.

They compliment the Invidia Gemini so well. No drone at all and just enough sound when you want it.

 

Your a dick

 

Thats what my catalytic converters looked like.

 

Salt land Vs no salt land, makes such a difference.

 

spent a good chunk of the day doing the TSB on the rear axles. Everything went relatively smooth.

 

Today, I pressed in the new Z1 Motorsports rear differential bushing and re-installed the differential with a little help from the wife (on the jack). I also more or less wrapped up the rear end of the car (Hotchkis sway bar and end links, new Koni Yellows, etc.) It doesn't sound like a lot, but my obsessive compulsive self was under the car for the better part of 6 hours today giving every nut and bolt a 10-year inspection. I'm still waiting for useless Amazon to send me the part they promised to overnight me a week ago that I need to install the new rear control arm on the passenger side. Once that comes in, I should be able to wrap everything up on the back side of the car. Like Chewwyy up above, I did the TSB on the passenger side axle (since I had it off anyway.) It wasn't clicking, but "an ounce of prevention" and all that.

Once the rear side is completely finished, the new front sway bar and front struts go on and all the major fluids on the car are getting changed (engine oil, gear oil, diff oil, brake fluid & coolant.) I'm also going to install a new serpentine belt, since the old one's looking the slightest bit funky. The car has been good to me since I rolled it off the new car lot and I want to keep it that way until I eventually lose my mind.

I'm actually finding that I miss driving my Z as a daily driver to and from work (I've been using the wife's Rogue for the past couple of weeks.) The potholes in Seattle are out of control, so the new Koni's are getting set to a softer setting. I'll probably be adjusting them over the next month or so as everything settles.

Good times.

 

Ouch, that's a bummer! I don't know what is worse, road salt or humidity you can cut with a butter knife.


On a side note, my car idles at a 14.5 to 14.7 AFR without a tune using the test pipes with the CEL "fix" for the O2 sensor. There is no actual cel present after 50 miles.

 

Continuing from the "tool borrowing neighbor thread", I bought the house. Will stop by soon for you to do the same to my cars when yer done. I'll bring some crab.

Butt seriously, some ambition there..... guessing weather is cooperating. Putting a few 10mm sockets (and an occasional 14) to good use there.

 

The house across the street was purchased by a couple in June for a cool million $'s. I can't believe how expensive it's become to buy homes in this city, especially given the crap job the city's done with regard to traffic, roads, tent cities, public education, etc. At least the city is reasonably safe (not that the cops get any love or appreciation around here.)

I almost feel sorry for whichever city gets the next Amazon headquarters. It's gone from possible to buy a house to impossible to buy a house in the last 15 years. I feel fortunate that I made the decision to bite the bullet 15 years ago and by a place in town to avoid the 2 hour commute (each way) to the suburbs, which are quickly becoming unaffordable as well. This definitely isn't the town I grew up in (it's become quite the socialist enclave since everyone overdosed during the Grunge era.)

I'm just looking forward to moving out of this, my old home town, in a few years and building a place in the country on acreage with a giant separate shop and a big berm I can shoot into whenever I feel like it. That, a dog, two goats and five chickens. Oh, and my wife can live there too.

 

Yeah, I've done most of the job using 12, 14, 17 and 19mm plus some odd sizes thrown in for good measure (3/4 and 7/8 on some of the USA-manufactured aftermarket parts.)

Having said that, the variety of sizes and types of sockets, wrenches, hammers, pliers, pry bars and air tools at my disposal has been pretty much invaluable. And that 20-year old Sawzall reminded me why it's one of my few tools that actually looks like it's been used a lot.

 

zak, whats the word with the stability of the diff now with the new bush

 

sounds like Zak may still have his car up on jack stands at this point. i'm lookin g forward to his review as well.

i just got my diff, and subframe bushes installed a few weeks ago and i really feel a big difference; my oems were completely shot for years so to me it was huge. I'm also getting the front knuckles replaced tomorrow and I will follow up with my review on those soon.

 

I also thought they made a considerable improvement. Car is stiffer then a nerd at Comic-Con.

 

Stripped the interior more, cut out the glove box and sub supports! Still need to get some things removed!

 

^Nice Garni! How much does your Z weight now? Do you get a lot of cabin noise with no sound deadening?

I eventually want to do the same thing, cutting up my interior and loosing as much weight as I can, and putting in a cage. Thanks for sharing your pics.