Santa (Taylor at Snail) sending some goodies.

 

oooooo what cha get??

 

Does your car have a name? If not I'm gonna name it Jafar. Cause it's greedy for always getting more power - lol

 

Toby?

 

Hard rubber bits: engine and trans mounts, and pitch stop.

Hah. Yes, my (now) wife named him Toby, Tobias Maximus. Esquire.

 

A lawyer?

 

Indeed. It's honorary.

 

Driver side motor mount was completely split and separated. Passenger side was almost there and didn't require much force to pull it apart. Every time I shut the car off, it sounded like a damn diesel motor with it rocking violently.



So, onto new rubber toys for Toby:



Driver side motor mount was fairly easy. Ratcheting wrenches came in uber clutch. Passenger side was a pain in the urethra because the opening in the subframe I could get my hand into to undo the rear bolt on the driver side was occupied by the up pipe on the passenger side. It took jacking the motor way the hell up (three to four inches), shoving my hands in between the motor and the subframe putting far too much faith into my $80 Harbor Freight jack that it wouldn't quit on me and turn my hands into hamburger, and getting creative with how I finger-threaded the bolt in and out (I opted for the dual index finger method). Again, ratcheting wrenches FTMFW. Four hours and two very dirty and bruised arms later, the new motor mounts were in. Transmission mount took about an hour mostly because Cusco's advanced design required splitting the mount because the nut on the passenger side bushing bolt sits right over (looking up at mount) one of the bolts that holds the mount to the transmission. Split mount--bolt upper part of mount to transmission--reconnect lower mount to upper mount--tighten. Pitch stop took about 45 seconds (intercooler was already out).

Next up is a GrimmSpeed top mount (still have to mount the IAT sensor), then off to M45 for an injector swap for 1300s and Snail to turn this ***** up to 11.

Also, for when the time comes scored a Koyo all aluminum radiator during RSD's 12 Days of Christmas sale. 106k and counting on the OE radiator. #tickingtimebomb

 

Ya I wanna say my OEM rad in the wrx let go right around 103???

 

I thought it was more of a time thing. I was with my friend with the rad split on his '02 WRX.

 

Either way, I have the replacement when the stock one does go.

 

Or, just do it and be preventative.

 

 

Finally got the Kartboy short shifter installed



Pain in the *** install. Spent close to 20 minutes ****ing around with the c-clip before I gave up, went out and bought snap ring pliers. ****ers popped right out. Amazing what the proper tool(s) can do. Next little ***** was the reverse lockout cable slide pin. Lost that little **** twice: first was popping it out with a center punch and launched it across the passenger footwell then disappearing beneath the seat; second was removing it again because it didn't go through the lockout cable eyelet, but this time it disappeared under the driver seat. Miraculously found it both times. Can't say it was the worst install ever on the PITA scale, but it was a solid 6 out of 10. Not a fan and probably won't do it again, voluntarily.

Got it all in and it feels pretty good. Nice and solid, and the throws are much shorter. So much shorter, we spent about 5 minutes shifting through gears, each time pulling on the lever like, "Is that.. *shift to neutral and shift harder into gear* ..is that engaged?" lol Fired the car up, pulled it out of and back into the garage, and everything felt and worked gravy. Didn't get to take it out for a spin because it is currently sans an intercooler. Hoping to get that back from M45 soon as I needed the IAT sensor tapped into it and I didn't want to risk ****ing up the plates or anything with the monster 9/16" drill bit needed.

Pics and such when that gets installed and ready to party.

 

GrimmSpeed top mount tapped for IAT and installed. This thing is huge. Thicc AF leaving zero room for my strut brace, so that's gone. Fit, otherwise, is spot on. Actually fits better than the GR/GV TMIC.





Just need injectors, and then we party.