New girl from Michigan with misfire

**xlaterdaysx** · 11-17-2011 09:28 AM

That's insanely awesome.

**gogocricket** · 11-17-2011 10:13 AM

Wow! Look at the size of that ...pole-barn! There's no way I could do that in my 2-car garage. After looking at the complexity of it all, I really feel for you. I think I would cry if I had to go thru that. At this rate, you'll be done in time for Christmas! Thanks for the pics!

So, will I see you at Sno*Drift?

Haha, I have cried! A couple times. When I found out my engine was bad, when I found out how much it would be to have someone fix it, and once the weekend of November 4th, when I realized that I had put all of the right head valves into the left head. And had to pull them all, and redo them. I was feeling like the project was never going to get finished at that time, but since then things have been going much better. Good thing I'm tenacious. There were a lot of little things that were taking a long time before which I didn't absolutely need to do as part of the fixing-it process, such as porting and polishing everything, super cleaning everything, retaping my wire harness, de-rusting/scraping/rust treating/sanding/painting a lot of parts, etc. The biggest time vampire was just waiting for the freaking parts to get to me after I ordered them. I didn't order everything at once, since I didn't really know what all I would need at the beginning of the whole thing. So I'd fix as much as I could, run into some problem, order another part, wait some more.. repeat process.

I could have skipped some of the time consuming things like wire wheeling the corrosion of my intake manifold and other various parts, but I figured if I'm doing this, I should just do the best job that I can do, you know? My pics are a bit behind. My intake manifold is all attached and uppipe as well, and a bunch of hoses and tubes. I think the turbo will go on tonight. It's 31 degrees out, I'm really looking forward to my evening.

My goal is still to have it all together by this Monday. Wish me luck so things continue going well

First time I've heard of sno drift, that looks fun.

**Mikie13** · 11-17-2011 10:44 AM

Epic win right here.

**Drews** · 11-17-2011 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by gogocricket

Haha, I have cried! A couple times. When I found out my engine was bad, when I found out how much it would be to have someone fix it, and once the weekend of November 4th, when I realized that I had put all of the right head valves into the left head. And had to pull them all, and redo them. I was feeling like the project was never going to get finished at that time, but since then things have been going much better. Good thing I'm tenacious. There were a lot of little things that were taking a long time before which I didn't absolutely need to do as part of the fixing-it process, such as porting and polishing everything, super cleaning everything, retaping my wire harness, de-rusting/scraping/rust treating/sanding/painting a lot of parts, etc. The biggest time vampire was just waiting for the freaking parts to get to me after I ordered them. I didn't order everything at once, since I didn't really know what all I would need at the beginning of the whole thing. So I'd fix as much as I could, run into some problem, order another part, wait some more.. repeat process.

I could have skipped some of the time consuming things like wire wheeling the corrosion of my intake manifold and other various parts, but I figured if I'm doing this, I should just do the best job that I can do, you know? My pics are a bit behind. My intake manifold is all attached and uppipe as well, and a bunch of hoses and tubes. I think the turbo will go on tonight. It's 31 degrees out, I'm really looking forward to my evening.

My goal is still to have it all together by this Monday. Wish me luck so things continue going well

First time I've heard of sno drift, that looks fun.

Do you even have an extra set of hands helping you out? You can't have mine because I'm too busy applauding your progress.

**gogocricket** · 11-17-2011 11:25 AM

Occasionally my dad. He helped me a lot when we had to pull the engine out of the car. It was really fused to the transmission due to corrosion. I had no idea how to do a lot of this stuff, so he was my #1 resource along with the internet and the FS manual. He helped me balance and peen my rods, balance my pistons, and hone my block. He has also helped me remove several bolts from the head and block that I broke when trying to remove them. Good thing, because I probably would have destroyed something if I had tried to get them out. He helped putting the timing belt on, which was really nice to have an extra set of hands to hold the spring loaded cam gears in place. He showed me how to port and polish and let me use the air grinder at his work, and then I did that myself. I've been putting everything back together on my own, but I'll need help again when hoisting it up and getting it back in my car without breaking something. I also had some help from my boyfriend cleaning parts and retrieving beer

At times it has been really overwhelming, but I can't say that it's hard. If a person can read, research, and follow directions, and you have tools, tenacity, problem solving skills, and a general knowledge of how an engine works, then that person can do this project. I say that now... maybe I should wait til Monday to see it it fires up.

I've thought about that a lot.. there are so many places where I could have done something wrong, I think my odds of it running right the first time I turn the key are low.

I have some other things I will be doing before its done as well. I purchased a wideband a/f ratio gauge, boost gauge, and oil pressure gauge. And a boost controller. I need to install those. Also, my wiper fluid squirter thingies stopped working, and it's not because the motors are bad. Wiring problem, switch, or something. I'm too cheap to replace the whole turn signal lever thing, so I'm going to ghetto rig a switch as inconspicuously as possible so I can clear the salt and crap off my windshield this winter.

**gogocricket** · 11-17-2011 12:12 PM

a downpipe, access port, and bigger fuel injectors are on my wish list for santa

**mangostick** · 11-17-2011 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Mikie13

Epic win right here.

^ this.. x10

**T0rque** · 11-17-2011 12:47 PM

I'd thermal coat the intake if it were me.. Keeps heat from getting in or out depending on how your using it.

**Drews** · 11-17-2011 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by gogocricket

a downpipe, access port, and bigger fuel injectors are on my wish list for santa

I got PE800s I'd let go for cheap!

**gogocricket** · 11-17-2011 05:17 PM

oooh how cheap?

**AmateurX** · 11-18-2011 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by gogocricket

...I also had some help from my boyfriend cleaning parts and retrieving beer

Good to know the boyfriend is good for something.

Originally Posted by gogocricket

...I think my odds of it running right the first time I turn the key are low.

Do you have a checklist to follow to make sure everything is complete before you turn the key? I'd hate for you to miss something stupid like coolant.

**gogocricket** · 11-18-2011 09:17 AM

I don't unfortunately. But I've thought about it. I'm actually not sure about some hoses that I connected. I wish I had a hose diagram or something. Anyone have any helpful suggestions? Most of the things kind of fall into place, but some I had to guess on. it would kinda suck to find that I attached a coolant hose to an oil thing.. or something like that.

**AmateurX** · 11-19-2011 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by gogocricket

I don't unfortunately. But I've thought about it. I'm actually not sure about some hoses that I connected. I wish I had a hose diagram or something. Anyone have any helpful suggestions? Most of the things kind of fall into place, but some I had to guess on. it would kinda suck to find that I attached a coolant hose to an oil thing.. or something like that.

There's got to be some other WRXes in GR that you could look at. Flag one down on the side of the road and ask him/her if you can photo their engine compartment. (That won't be weird at all!)

Maybe someone here could throw a video of their engine compartment up on the YouTubes. That way you could rewind, pause, etc.

As far as the checklist, you could write your own. Take a break from the hard labor, and sit down in a quiet place and write down everything you can think of. Then place it in an order that makes sense. (a spreadsheet would prolly wok best) You could post it here and we could review it to make sure you got everything. --just a thought.

Other thoughts, anyone?