Team3S: 3000GT & Stealth Friday, February 6
2004 Volume 02 : Number 364
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 18:54:06 +0100
From: "Roger Gerl" <
roger.gerl@bluewin.ch>
Subject:
Re: Team3S: grounding kits
They can, but only because you have another wire that may not be well
grounded. But ... how did you check the battery and alternater under load ?? How
do you tell the capacity of the batt is still ok ?
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 10:40:40 -0800
From: "Jim Berry" <
FastMax@Cox.net>
Subject: RE: Team3S:
Oil Pan Baffles
The turbo pan has baffles in it --- however --- it's hardly the high tech
type with flapper doors and such. On my never ending to-do list is a larger
capacity oil pan with baffles for racing ---- I'd like to do a fuel tank with
foam and
baffles also, kind of a pseudo fuel cell.
I think AAM made a larger capacity oil pan without baffles but I'm not
sure.
Jim Berry
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 12:37:35 -0600 (CST)
From: Geoff Mohler <
gemohler@www.speedtoys.com>
Subject:
Re: 3S-Racers: RE: Team3S: Oil Pan Baffles
No..stick with the OEM tank unless you do a full and proper fuel
cell.
IMHO..
- ---
"If it's in stock, we have it!"
Team3S/3Si.org Vendor approved
brake discounter.
NASA USTCC brake vendor and lead Pro-7 Sponsor.
New OEM
parts for Toyota shipped worldwide.
"If its in stock, we have it!"
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 11:41:20 -0800
From: "Jim Berry" <
FastMax@Cox.net>
Subject: RE: 3S-Racers:
RE: Team3S: Oil Pan Baffles
And you say that for what reason ????
Jim Berry
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2004 19:48:06 -0000
From: "Jeff Lucius" <
jlucius@stealth316.com>
Subject:
Re: Team3S: Oil Pan Baffles
I'm not sure if it qualifies as a baffle, but you can look at the pics on
my web page below and see that there is a wide horizontal "lip" or "ledge" that
will limit oil splashing up the sides during cornering and acceleration. I don't
know if this will keep sufficient oil near the pickup screen during hard
cornering or not (the widest part of the lip is front and back, not side and
side).
I am not aware of readily available custom oil pans for our (AWD)
engines.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 13:41:42 -0600 (CST)
From: Geoff Mohler <
gemohler@www.speedtoys.com>
Subject:
RE: 3S-Racers: RE: Team3S: Oil Pan Baffles
Most racing orgs will accept an un-touched OEM tank in a race car OR a
properly installed-proper type-properly maintained..fuel cell.
No middle ground.
The trick about the cells is doing it all correctly, when i was wondering
about a cell for the 7 last year most people told me they wish they never
installed the cell and left the OEM tank, and that was a pretty common answer
across a wide range of race classes.
------------------------------
Is anyone familiar with the Richard Petty driving experience?
>From
what I understand they do group rates at tracks around
the country, but I'm
not sure as to whether they let you use
your own cars or theirs only. They
are advertising in the
Chicago area and I never heard of it
before.
Darlene
Darlene Madden
DBM Enterprises
Inc.
847-540-8801
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2004 20:25:53 -0000
From: "Jeff Lucius" <
jlucius@stealth316.com>
Subject:
Re: Team3S: petty driving experience
Yes. A little. Below is a pic of me in one of their "Experience" cars next
to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
My wife gave the "Experience" to me as a birthday gift (along with a
90-round session with an MP3 at an Orlando gun shop - talk about full
testosterone B-day gifts!). The Petty experience I had was as a passenger (~$90
at the time). Their driver drove 3 laps around the oval at maybe 150 mph plus. A
LOT of fun! I asked the driver to "scare me". I should have tipped him when we
were done. :)
A person could also drive one of Petty's cars (something over $100), but
speeds were limited to only about 120 mph and the drive around the track had to
be orderly and no passing of the Petty driver's lead car. Not sure how many
laps. Neither of these were "driver training".
I would guess they have a web site you could consult (search with
google.com). There is also 1-800-BE-PETTY.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 12:45:44 -0800
From: "Jim Berry" <
FastMax@Cox.net>
Subject: RE: 3S-Racers:
RE: Team3S: Oil Pan Baffles
I had not planned on modifying the externals of the tank --- you can buy
bricks of the fuel cell foam which I figured could be stuffed/fitted into the
tank. You would also need to
protect the pump [ pumps in my case ] with a
box of some kind, and, as long as you're
doing that, you might as well
put in a sump with doors to act as baffles.
The foam would prevent unwanted weight transfer when cornering and provide
some additional level of protection in an accident. I also plan on installing an
inertial fuel cutoff
switch for the pumps.
While it won't be a 'fuel cell' it would have some advantages over the
stock configuration.
Jim Berry
------------------------------
Has anyone had or know anything about the brands Hankook or Maxxis?
Also would I run into problems mounting an H rated tire on my 92 RT TT??? I
remember someone said that some places might not mount them but other than that
is there much of a safety factor involved??? My car is a daily driver with
the occasional trip to the drag strip. I rarely exceed 100 mph.
Thanks
Greg Gonzales
92 RT TT
------------------------------
Well I took the VR4 down to Custom Alignment (specialty alignment shop for
the non-Bay Area-ers) and well, not great news:
1) Left front lower arm bent, bushing and control need to be replaced. I
was told that you had to purchase / replace the bushing AND the control together
so that's $344*2 = $688 dollars + $420 labor = $1108 I was told that the caster
is at 6.3 and that caster on our cars is not adjustable. He also said that
the bushing is pulling in and out of the arm.
2) Struts are "damp" (dripping oil, albeit slowly). I think I've had this
problem since I got the car, so I'm going to leave it
3) subframe IS possibly bent. How the heck did this happen? Would a pothole
do this? Would I notice something if someone at the last shop I took it to did
something (ie physical damage). Or maybe its from running some of those hills in
SF, although I've never bottomed out.
So basically on top of all that $180 for the alignment for a grand total of
$1345.41
Can anyone knowledgeable in this area give me a heads up on what this all
means? He said that excessive tire wear could be caused by the bushing pulling
in and out. Is this even something I could try myself with some jacks?
Thanks
------------------------------
Daymn..
A pothole wont do that type of damge without first shredding and busting
the wheel.
Did the last owner nail something and get it fixed?
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 17:37:51 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Baldwin <
mbaldwin@alumni.tufts.edu>
Subject:
Re: Team3S: Alignment update
I've had the car since 14k miles (past 3 years, its at 56k now). Since my
last alignment with Custom, I've hit a few potholes but nothing that drastic. No
one's been driving the car except me (and when its in the shop...which it was
for for the past month, but like I said I didnt notice anything crazy...).
------------------------------
"Is this even something I could try myself with some jacks?"
Sure, does not sound to bad. I would recommend recruiting some local
gearheads (like our
3/s support group here in Cedar Rapids) if you feel
uncomforable or do not have alot of
tools.
J.A. Wieman
------------------------------
Hey everybody, this is my first time posting, and I do not have much
experience working with cars, especially a 3000. Anyway, here's my question.
I've noticed lately that when I push the cflutch in to shift gears, usually when
I'm going around a turn and downshifting and have the clutch in for a little
bit, but sometimes when I just pull the car out of gear coming up on a
stoplight, that my RPMs sometimes fall much past the 700 idle, most of the time
down to about 400. The engine stays down at 400 for about a secfond befcore it
comes back up on its own, or if I step on the gas a bit, that will obviously
help. And its happened 3 times now where the engine speed falls all the way down
and the engine stalls. But when it does that, ther's no shaking like as if I
just let out the cflutch without giving it enough gas. and when it's done it, 2
of 3 times I have been going around a turn, and lost all power everything while
in the turn. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I have a problem with my drivers side door, when it's opened from the
outside, everything is fine all the time, but when I open the door from the
inside, most of the time the car doesn't know that the door is open. The dome
light wont come on, the door ajar light on the dash doesn't come on, and I cant
set the alarm. Ifc anyone has any ideas as to what this may be caused by, I'd
appreciate it.
Thanks,
Nik
1991 VR4
------------------------------
>1) Left front lower arm bent, bushing and control need to be replaced.
>I was told that you had to purchase / replace the bushing AND the
>control together so that's $344*2 = $688 dollars + $420 labor =
$1108
I suspect that these parts are much cheaper at Mitsu Parts Direct or Tall
Mitsu. Just a guess, but I'd say $500 or less for both lower control arms. They
probably come with new bushings (check to be sure). And, hey: You get new lower
ball joints with the arm, too! What a deal! Ball joints can go at 100,000 miles,
so think of all this as preventive maintenance.
Labor of $420?
Wow!!! Do you get kissed, too, or just screwed? If *I* can take out a
lower control arm laying on the garage floor with my car up on jack stands, how
hard can it be for a shop with a lift and the proper tools? A couple of hours
labor, tops. An hour a side, maybe: You whack it with a pickle fork to separate
the ball joint, unbolt the tie rod, unbolt the strut, unbolt and wiggle out the
big center mounting bolt, and the mutha comes right out of there. There are
probably step by step instructions around here somewhere.
What does the book say?
Find another shop. It is not brain surgery. Anybody can do this one for a
couple of hours labor. .
>I was told that the caster is at 6.3 and that caster on our cars is not
>adjustable.
True.
He also said that the bushing is pulling in and out of
the
>arm.
Replacing the control arm should cure that
>
>2) Struts are
"damp" (dripping oil, albeit slowly). I think I've had
>this problem
since I got the car, so I'm going to leave it
Time for a strut replacement soon.
>
>3) subframe IS possibly
bent. How the heck did this happen? Would a
>pothole do this? Would I
notice something if someone at the last shop I
>took it to did something
(ie physical damage). Or maybe its from
>running some of those hills in
SF, although I've never bottomed out.
Have you owned the car since it was new? If not, maybe it was hit. If the
lower control arm and the subframe are bent, it sounds like a hit to me. Maybe a
collision repair shop can tell you about the subframe.
>
>
>So basically on top of all that $180 for the alignment
for a grand
>total of $1345.41
$180 for an alignment? Do you get kissed for that one too? $100 is more
like it.
$1345? Nah. Half that at a different shop.
Rich/slow old poop
------------------------------
At 04:51 PM 2/5/2004 -0600,
merritt@cedar-rapids.net
wrote:
>>1) Left front lower arm bent, bushing and control need to be
replaced.
>>I was told that you had to purchase / replace the bushing
AND the
>>control together so that's $344*2 = $688 dollars + $420
labor = $1108
>
I cannot believe the outrageous prices you people on
the left coast pay for your work.
I am going to propose to the Stealth Boys here in Cedar Rapids that we rent
a garage, hire Mike the Mechanic full time, and go into business. We'll pay a
car transporter to make the round trip every week from here to LA and San
Francisco. He'll bring us 8 cars from the left coast, and take 8 cars back.
We'll take cars like Mike Baldwin's bent beast, do enough work to make it
worthwhile it to all concerned (on Mike's car, for example, maybe we'll also do
a 60K service for $750, including the water pump), and keep a steady flow of
cars going back and forth. We'll make a profit and you left coasters will get
your cars fixed, updated, and modified for a fraction of what the thieves in
California are charging.
Would that we could actually do something like that. Dream on.
If we
were just a little bit closer to California, it might work.
Hmmm... do
people in Chicago get screwed, too? That's a LOT closer.
Rich/slow old poop
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 16:14:20 -0800
From: "Bob Forrest" <
bf@bobforrest.com>
Subject: Re:
Team3S: Alignment update
Good advice about the parts - call Mike at San Rafael Mitsu and get a price
for the parts (Team3S discount), then ship the parts and bring the car to Willy
at Wynn's Motors in San Fran (look on the Good Guys page for both
numbers). Bad advice about the price - Rich lives in the boonies and
doesn't know that these prices are only a bit high for the big city - Willy will
save you $100 on labor and you'll save $150 on parts. Rockville and Mitsu
Parts Direct are about the same price, but Willy works with SRMitsu and gets
shipments from them every day, so there is no shipping and you won't have to
wait. There is tax, though...
$100? That's IF you want to drive to Cedar Rapids. $140 or so
is the going price here in SF from *average* shops, $100-120 from crappy
ones. Custom Alignment is rated as one of the Top Ten alignment shops in
the _entire country_ for 5 or 6 years running. $180 for an alignment from
them is as perfect as it can get, and worth it at twice the price. Your
car will never feel so "true" to the road afterwards. Driving the Stealth
or the VR-4 out of there always feels like someone took off a parking brake that
I didn't know about - they are that good. Have Willy install, and have him
do a basic alignment to get you on the road, but then take it to Custom
Alignment for the real deal. They are absolutely the best - and since
Geoff turned me on to them 3 years ago, I won't go anywhere else. (And I
can't afford them either - but I'll pay for the best!). I usually pay $240
there, since I get an high-speed balancing of the wheels too. They balance
them perfectly in 3 planes to within 1/10 ounce. I've never been in
another shop that's even close to *that good*.
Good luck!
- --Forrest
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 16:35:42 -0800
From: "Bob Forrest" <
bf@bobforrest.com>
Subject: Re:
Team3S: OT!: California Dreaming
So you're not too good at math, are ya? Income here is 70% higher
than Cedar Rapids, so we should expect 70% higher prices. Median Family
Income in San Francisco is $69k, while in your area it's ~$40k (they don't even
LIST Iowa). Using the same ratio, the equivalent $180 alignment at the very best
shop in IA should be $94.40. Your guy's $100 price is way too high, even
if he IS one of the 10 best in the USA. ;-) Here are the numbers for
other cities:
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/Ranking/SS01/R14T160.htm
We have the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz... You
have cows or something.
I'll pay the money gladly. LOL!
Now please keep this stuff off the main list, and I'll do the same...
- --Forrest
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2004 05:59:43 -0800
From: "Guy, Michael (CS)" <
michael.guy@ngc.com>
Subject: RE:
Team3S: Pistons and pads update: 328-355mm StopTech Brake Kit s!
Philip, (or any of the other brake experts.)
There is a guy on 3si who came out with a bracket that makes the NA to TT
brake conversion easier, without switching out tie rod ends, hubs, all the rest
of the mess. He made a simple bracket that holds the caliper in the proper
position without all that switching around.
Have you or anyone else ever heard of these? I know I refuse to purchase
anything brake related that hasn't been extensively tested.
Heres the website. Its under 2GTT Conversion I believe.
Heres a link to his recent post. There are quite a few that he responded
to, but this happens to be the one that I am part of.
Thanks,
Mike Guy
92 Stealth SOHC -- One day soon hope to be doing the
TT brake upgrade.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2004 06:03:49 -0800
From: "Guy, Michael (CS)" <
michael.guy@ngc.com>
Subject:
Team3S: TT Conversion Brake Upgrade for the NA Platform
Eeek. Ment to send that out with a different subject line. Sorry
guys.
------------------------------
I cant believe you dont belive it.
If I did the same work in iowa that I did here, Id have to take a 60%
paycut too.
Weve been over this, its geographical.
------------------------------
End of Team3S: 3000GT & Stealth V2
#364
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