Hows it going one an all,

So here it is finally after 5/6 months worth of searching for a suitable car, something that ticked the boxes for what i wanted and something that at least from first glance wasn't a ticking time bomb!

Here it is a 2005 Brilliant Black 231, Full service history and the discs and pads replaced last service circa 1100miles ago!

Good points


48k on the clock
Bodywork and paint good

New tyres and "different alloys"

Interior is good and damage free


Bad points

Cat has a hole in it
Misfires a tad
Its dirty!!

Its out of fuel..


Probably the best bit however is this... It cost a staggering £650!!

Some quick shots of what it looks like currently ( inc batman boot brake light )






The rather odd non rx8 alloys.. I think they look okay



The engine bay, i have the cover in the footwell needs some cleaning



Its using some odd oil I've not heard of as well, so thats another thing added to the list, will be changing to 10/40

Then this little lot..




Also got one of those GOPRO3 hero cameras to record some of the track/drift antics, top speed run on autobahn etc..

And both cars together.. Bet the neighbours will love me


[url=http://mcgintysworld.smugmug.com/RX8-Track-Car/i-SjtC3qw/A][/url





Should be fun!

 

NICEEEE, a little love GOES a long wayyyyyyy. nice come up! and welcome to the addiction!

 

Thanks

Some big plans in mind but the main thing is to enjoy the BEEEEEEP

 

Very nice!!! Appears to be in good nick . Needs a proper spoiler! Needs some sorting under the bonnet. (Yes I was going for British)

 

That nice. And a great price!

 

Wow you got that for a steal ya ol tosser :P

 

Cheers mate

A spoiler is on the list for sure!! And i appreciate that but even i throw in the odd hood comment!!

Work starts on it tomorrow so that will be the test

cheers mate

 

why thank you chap :P


Although prices for the RX8 in the UK have fallen through the ****

 

Welcome to the club Ginters, you got a good deal with that rx8...congrats and good luck with it.

 

Okay so the work started today on the car!

Jesus was I in for a surprise or what....

Had a quick peak under the car at the CAT and saw one part of the devastation on it and if you can make out at the rear the big bloody gash and hole in it.



Took a few vids of it running as well so you can hear the racket haha!!

CLICK AND THEY WILL PLAY







When you look under the car you can see the cat knocking around a bit placed my hand on it and held it still the noise stopped then after removing hand no more noise.


Real strong smell of petrol as well from the rear.


Then when i got to the other side and jacked it up and had a look at the cat.. OMG what a total mess it must have been parked in the sea or something..







That will be getting ripped off tomorrow!!!


Onto todays task which was to replace all the ignition system and this is what was in place.. I especially like the way the coils came apart and the gel backed ones i havent seen before.. But the good ol white spot is clear and present. Also alarming was how the coil was clamped down on one of the HT leads..




Spark plugs looked as i expected and the same as the ones i had on my old RX8.




New coils and competition HT leads in place looks miles better than the old ones.




Do love the position of the spark plugs on the car too haha, one guy walked past and look puzzled as to why they were there cue quick explanation and he seemed happy, maybe he will bring me a cup of tea tomorrow who knows.



Gave the engine bay a quick blitz looks a lot better than what it did on arrival.

 

Small update as today was spent mostly swearing at two offending parts.....

Removing the CAT was todays plan and all was going well, the two screws at the rear of the CAT came off nice and easy then well then came the front and FML.

These are the offending B*******



Bloody nuts.. Nothing was budging em!

Then this thing i assume it will be easier once the cat is detached and will pull through but still its a PIG as well




So the car won the battle today but i called in on reinforcements



We shall see who is laughing tomorrow

 

I like what your doing there! :-) That is going to help a lot! I can believe how rusty that stuff is. Do they salt the roads there in the winter? Mine is 2007 and it is clean as the virgin Mary.

 

my car looks the same way as ur dose just no hole in the cat lol

 

Yeah they do mate salt the crap out of everything and this is the downside to it utter destruction.

Hahaha its got several holes christ knows how or what but never mind

 

Today was a much much much better day!!! :D

First of a health and safety fail on my part but needs must!! Should of seen the looks of amusement on some of the neighbours faces at a extension cord from the top floor ( live in a flat ) down and around.

At least i did a better job on the pavement i didn't fancy being sued or similar...



My work space for the past few days.. Doing this does attract a lot of attention, ive become popular with the locals even made a friend today who lent me a few tools top man!



Finally thank the gods and furry animals




Combo of angle grinder, swearing and the tools that were loaned to me it came off and the world was a better place.

While under the car i bashed my head and broke the rear exhaust clamp... Same as the M3 then.




Better get that replaced as well.

Then a noise i was dreading a lorry reversing down the road with me under the car.. Mass panic couldnt roll out had to lay there and pray and he ran over my triangle which was next to the car. Brown trouser moment and 1 dead triangle



And here the B******** is



Utter mess looked okay from the front but if you shake it you can hear rattling so guessing its kaput!

One lady said i was very brave for working under the car like this, to me 2 jacks and 2 axle stands i think it was safe enough.



And here it is the new in place will be de-cat eventually but its due MOT next month




Doesn't seal as tight as the other one but it all appears air tight. Wont know until i fire it up i guess.

The next next bugger was the spring for the rear section of CAT connecting to the back box, overcome by cable ties and violla job done




Much better day! I need a new sensor i think sadly, the one that came out of the CAT has chewed wires i think that happened when i removed it. Thats a job for another day as tomorrow is a day off from the car and a trip to thorpe park with the missus instead.

 

Love it Ginters! Your dragging her back kicking and screaming if need be! Made me smile to see her getting some love! Keep up the great work and a day off will help refresh the spirit! (I have another car I'll drive on the rare salt days we get here in NC I can't be having that!)

 

Sheeesh that engine sounds horrible. Have you done a compression test yet? By the sounds of it, you're gonna need a rebuild soon.

But then again for that price? 650 pounds. You islanders have all the right prices. That's just blowing my mind-levels of cheap! You could buy a brand new engine and still be happy with that motor.

It'll make an EXCELLENT track car. Well played, sir.

 

nice job!!

 

Driveway mechanic! That's my style.

 

I envy you. If I tried any of what you've accomplished at my apartment complex, I'd have the neighbors running to the property manager to complain about the danger I am to their obnoxious children.

Anyhoo, I noticed some green goo on your battery terminals, better clean them and your grounding points. If you have that much corrosion underneath the car, then some "splash" might have mucked up your grounds. From the starting video, sounds like your starter could use some help in the near future.

 

Thats the plan mate! Overall the car is in really good condition it just needs a healthy dose of TLC and time. It doesn't matter if it takes 3 weeks or 3 months to get finished it will get done and when it is finished it will be abused on a track :D

Agreed mate it sounded horrid!! I heard it and thought WTF is that... Not touched a compression test yet but it will be done after I'm sure the main components of the engine are to spec. If something isn't right then it will effect the results.

However i do agree a rebuild will be needed at some point, just depends if its 3 days or 3 years time will tell. The fact the car was 650 helped a lot with ignoring the risk of engine rebuild as a rebuild here by a good company is around 2k for that you get a 2yr unlimited miles and any use warranty.

Either way it will be tracked soon

Cheers mate

Hahaha its all i have garages round here are around £100 a month but only allow you to store and not work on a car.


I am lucky i agree i expected mutterings but luckily no one has said anything luckily.

Yep battery is out at moment and will be cleaned and re-greased then all the other components checked to make sure moisture free.

and the starter looks woeful underneath the car its almost as rusty as the cat another thing to the list.

At one point ill drop all the running gear and waxoil the chassis.

 

Well back from thorpe park and couldnt help myself and did some work anyway but only a 5min job.

The Lambda sensor that was shagged well damage is here...






Nicely chewed still not sure how it happened but ill get over it.

Individually wrapped each wire and re-secured



Only a temp fix to test with engine, at this stage i should be able to fire it up again and see how we go.....

 

Judgement day!

So first off placed bodged lambada sensor into car



Then reconnected battery and reset the ECU with the 20 brake presses malarky then I held my breath..

click click click vrooom!!!

Fires up and purrs like a kitten :D No shakes rattles or grumbles at all which was really rather pleasing. Left to idle for a while to help the CAT bed in and smelt burning OH SH*** jumped under the car like spiderman and realised it was just the un-peelable stickers burning off phew..

CLICK TO PLAY



let it get up to temperature then a few little revs to see if anything happens and to see if the idle drops and cuts again all good under the hood!

CLICK TO PLAY



Then shut it off and waited before restarting to see if it would start, again it did but i wont get excited until i give it a 20min drive instead of 15mins idling.

Overall though a pleasing morning, I have a coolant sensor fault which seems common so i will look at that and then look at the DSC due to ECU reset.

After that the mods may begin... A rather large list has accumulated so far WHOOOPS!

 

Sounds much better. Amazing what a tuneup can do.

 

M3 and an RX8? I am so jealous.