prennro's new wagon

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  • vrmouseyvrmousey New Wagonist
    Sounded like you kept breaking loose with that supercharger pushing! Are you running lsd on that tranny? Should really haul out on the track . smooth and sticky!
    Really sounds great, better from inside this time.

    Thanks,
    Victor
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Yes running a b16 with lsd cable tranny. No WOT launches and def have to feather 1st and even 2nd or just spins. Ideally would like to get a taller geared ls cable tranny and install an lsd and taller 5th gear as well, but for now will just enjoy driving it and building up some reliability confidence.
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    Dangit, boy! Sounds mean.
  • vrmouseyvrmousey New Wagonist
    Prennro wrote: »
    Yes running a b16 with lsd cable tranny. No WOT launches and def have to feather 1st and even 2nd or just spins. Ideally would like to get a taller geared ls cable tranny and install an lsd and taller 5th gear as well, but for now will just enjoy driving it and building up some reliability confidence.

    Yeah, but I'm sure you can do a pretty sick 3rd gear burnout...

    WOW! CRX HF tranny will be the cable tranny with the longest gears - longer than the VX tranny.
    VX ~2000rpm @ 60mph (hydraulic)
    HF~ 1800rpm @ 60mph (cable)

    Everything I've read said the hydraulic trannies are better built to hold power, That's why I'm running the VX tranny on Skiddy, I plan on going boost, and want to be able to ride waves of boost, not boost to hit the rev limiter & shift. Time will tell if it was a good idea, but Skiddy can get out of her own way with dpfi and the VX tranny, so things should get more fun as we progress to mpfi and the boost!

    Thanks,
    Victor
  • VladiVladi Senior Wagonist
    Prennro wrote: »

    Eargasm.

    Awesome work Paul, I love your wagon.
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Vladi wrote: »
    Eargasm.

    Awesome work Paul, I love your wagon

    Thanks Vladi. I love yours as well. How long before it comes out of hibernation?
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    So I hear it's official. The wagon will be featured in the next issue of Ohana Luxury Magazine which was printed late last week. Pretty cool to know my wagon will be viewed by Tyrese and share the pages of his Sprinter Van:
    5.jpeg

    The issue will also feature a state of the art, cutting edge app (available on droid, waiting approval by apple) that will feature additional video footage of each feature. Here's a screen shot from one of the videos:
    509.jpg
  • VladiVladi Senior Wagonist
    Prennro wrote: »
    Thanks Vladi. I love yours as well. How long before it comes out of hibernation?

    I think after Wörthersee :)
  • Cool, congrats Prennro. You are totally deserving of this spread!
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Thx Tslammer. Hope it highlights the build well.
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Boost Gauge Pod

    Since getting the wagon tuned, I had been running my boost gauge in the small oem cubby lower left of steering wheel.
    the gauge acually fits perfect with the cubby removed, but seeing it was blocked by the steering wheel and turn signal switch.
    Decided to break out the fiberglass and resin to create a custom pod and mount more in the field of view, but give it more of an OEM look.

    After a few placed mock-ups, I decided to mount the gauge just right of the instrument cover and match the countours of the cover and dash.
    298.jpg

    First Step was to make a mold of the contours, and get a general round tapered shape over the plastic mounting bracket supplied with gauge.
    299.jpg
    300.jpg
    301.jpg

    Next Step was to clean up the bracket, test fit the gauge, align and glue bracket to contour.
    302.jpg

    Using more fleece and resin, contoured the transition from the panel cover to the newly fabricated pod. Sanded. Trimmed. Sanded.
    Applied thin coat of Bondo to clean up imperfections. Sanded. More Sanding.
    303.jpg

    Final coat of custom, satin, paint-matched, interior brown color. Hardware/light connected and pod mounted.
    304.jpg

    Satisfied with the look and location. Prob will paint bezel ring or make a wood grain bezel to finish it off.
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    I also finally got my hard copy of my feature in Ohana Luxury Magazine.
    305.jpg
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  • Nice! Great location for the pod too. Forever sanding! Is your interior brown factory or was that custom? I'm trying to color match my pods gray but not sure where to get the paint.
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    My interior is stock brown. I took the rear shock tower cap to home depot and had them use computer to paint match and mix a Bear satin paint. Matches identical. Too bad u dont need brown, I'd give u the mix code.
  • Interesting, oil based? You spraying or brush on?
  • vrmouseyvrmousey New Wagonist
    Interesting, oil based? You spraying or brush on?

    +1 is that spray paint - awesome!
  • BillBoardBillBoard council member
    dude. The paint/stain you used- gives it a wood grain look! phenomenal!
  • Prennro wrote: »
    I took the rear shock tower cap to home depot and had them use computer to paint match and mix a Bear satin paint.
    And a big +1 on this. I took a trim piece in and had them mix me up some Satin exterior enamel. They did a little test blob on the back of the trim piece. The only way you can tell its there is if the light catches it right and the light catches it a bit differently. With an even coat of the stuff across the entire piece it'll be spot on.

    Thanks!!!
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    That's it! Post a pic when ur done
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Another Setback
    So a week or so ago, was heading home and car shut off.
    Tried swapping relay. Nothing. Had it towed. Assumed dizzy as there was no spark. Pulled dizzy cap to only find rotor button didnt turn, assumed dizzy tabs. Pulled dizzy, tabs fine. Cam didnt turn. So now process of elimination suggesting timing belt even though I just did an advertised "Honda Oem" belt, pump and tensioner when I did motor swap only 6k ago. Good thing (if any at this point) I was not accelerating when it shut off. Just coming to a stop, coasting down hill under slow braking. And no strange noises.
    Anyway, pull valve cover to find this: 346.jpg

    Belt was very worn and cracked throughout and after further inspection, looks like my ebay seller's "genuine OEM Honda" parts were made in Taiwan or otherwise unmarked. So the combination of questionable parts combined with the small chance of putting belt on too tight is my best guess on the reason for failure.
    Planned to replace components, then cross my fingers and toes and do a compression test to expose any valve damage.
    Anyway replaced belt, pump and tensioner with true OEM Honda parts from my local dealer. Old belt on left. New on right.
    347.jpg

    And the results are in:
    348.jpg

    Not sure exactly my next steps, options, cost per options, etc but will let it sit a few weeks while I can research the best option. If anyone has any suggestions/reccomendation I'm listening.
  • bkmc24bkmc24 Senior Wagonist
    Pull the head, check the Pistons and see if they are messed up or not, and if they're not bad, could be as easy and a valve job at a shop. Always a solid chance for a worked head with upgraded valve train if you haven't already!
  • greenteagodgreenteagod Moderator
    I had my timing belt go out on me just recently, only took out the two intake valves on cylinder 1 for me. Looks like you've got at least 4 dead ones. The head is coming off either way. If you can source a known good one cheap that's gonna be the easiest thing to do, then you can rebuild that one as you have time, even do some upgrades on it if you like with valves and springs etc. If you hadn't had it upgraded already.

    That's what I did, I bought a working head and slapped it on there, now I can repair my old one as I have time to do so.

    Not sure what access to have based on that intake, but I was able to just unhook my intake and exhaust and pop the head right off. I have the exact same strut tower brace and I didn't have to remove it. You might be in a different situation with the motor swap, but it's not the most horrible thing to have happened, and I don't wager that anything went wrong with your pistons. So fresh head and you're good to go!

    The reason I'd go with that is because you never know if something just happened to tweak in the wrong way that the head needs more work than it seems. It would suck to redo the valves, bolt it all back up just to find it's still leaky.

    That and I was in a situation of needing my daily driver back, not sure if this is yours or what.
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Thanks for the info GTG. All great and an option I've considered. I'd love to have a spare head, but don't have many connections or reputable sources for a trustworthy ready to run head, although that would be my preferred method at this point. I'd hate to get an eBayer head, bolt it on, only to have issues within a year due to it being worn out. I have other vehicles to drive, but would like to reliably drive the wagon on the regular. That being said, I still need to run numbers on a full refresh rebuilding my current head with oem parts vs upgrading various components. I'm not out to break any hp records just want a reliable daily that I could potentially drive on the daily or 4+ hours to a show etc without issues.

    As far as pulling the head, it's no d series and with the supercharger on, it's shoehorned in the bay and was a PITA. After the install, I swore I would never do any significant work that involved removing the charger without pulling the full block first! Now I hope I can pull whole head off leaving the charger bolted to the head. I will sit on it for a few weeks before doing anything so will weigh my options.

    I really appreciate your input tho.
  • greenteagodgreenteagod Moderator
    Yeah if that's the case definitely gonna have to pop that strut tower brace =D

    It sounds like if you're able to sit on it a few weeks you at least have other transport, which is good. I did get my head off ebay, so I admit I took a bit of a risk there, but it's doing fine for me and gives me the time to work on the original head and make sure it's spot on.

    If you're not needing it up and running though you could probably take some time to work on the head itself once you pull it. If you can find a decent machine shop around that can check to see if your cams are still running true, that's probably going to be the main concern. Replacing a bent valve is a breeze. You can even pop the keepers with a socket that fits on the retainer, just give it a whack and out pop the keepers. If you don't know when the stem seals were replaced, might as well do those too. A good full top end gasket kit should contain those as well.

    Me personally I'd want the second head that way I have something to work on and tinker around with. Upgraded valves, port and polish, all sorts of fun if you just have it there to mess around with. Hit me up with a PM on the motor details and such and I'll see if there's anything I can find around here if you end up going the new head route.
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Sounds good. Yeah I also have the same setup in my eg hatch so having a spare would be double ideal. I'll send u a DM with my info. Thx.
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    I would recommend against buying ANYONE's used GSR head and thinking you can just bolt on and go. Take the head off and take it to the machine shop, just have it reworked.

    If you want a spare head , great, but assume that it will need the same $400 job your current one wants.
  • PrennroPrennro Council Member
    Bam, That was my gut feeling as well. I'm leary of even an advertised "rebuilt" head from someone unknown.
  • rbwdrivenrbwdriven Senior Wagonist
    yeah that blows goats.

    I had the same issue with mine.

    Wife was driving my hatch when belt let loose.

    She said motor went dead I did not start it just let it coast in.

    I put a belt on and pulled the numbers. I got lucky.

    Assume if you buy a head that your in for machine work.

    The only person local to me that if he says the head is good would be bam.
  • greenteagodgreenteagod Moderator
    I guess those things are a little more fickle than the D16 head, with all that widgetry in them. Maybe pick and pull one on the cheap if there are any local that way you can at least not be shelling out a shitload and you still have your spare for the heck of it. I always like having spare parts.

    To what BAM said though, is it really a $400 job just do the valves. The couple heads that I've worked on haven't been hondas and swapping the valves and lapping them in was a pretty easy DIY job. I guess if you're talking full replacement of the stems and everything then maybe but to me it doesn't seem like this would merit a charge of that much. Though I am speaking from complete ignorance as far as the GSR head goes.
  • rbwdrivenrbwdriven Senior Wagonist
    yeah that is average machine shop charge around here.

    I know one place around here that does D's but no clue if they do b's.

    Paul text me and I can find out.

    Rich
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