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Date

Description

06-14-08

The current Sony CDX-M800 has started to die. It no longer turns on the display when the face is open. The outer display still works when the face is closed, but that's not much help when all the controls are on the inside.

I've ordered a new Clarion DXZ785USB CD Receiver, Clarion CLASC1 SiriusConnect Adapter and SiriusConnect SC-C1 Universal Vehicle Tuner.

05-07-08

Before we use the car to tow down to VIR, I needed to make sure it was going to be comfy for Annalisa and Saabina. That meant finally fixing the sometimes-on-sometimes-off air conditioning. That was easy.

ALl it involved was taking the center section off the pulley (the clutch) and removing a little thin spacing washer. That washer sets the gap for the clutch. Over the last 230k miles, the clutch has worn a bit and the original washer stack wasn't allowing the clutch to get enough grab when the compressor was hot (worst time for a problem, of course). So, taking out a washer resets the gap and gives the clutch all the grip-grab it needs.

04-09-08

Here are the pictures of the rust repair I've completed. There is still more to be done, but this was the really important part. The story and details are in the captions of the gallery.

01-21-08

Back in the fall I started to hear a strange noise in the right rear suspension. It turns out that there is a lot of rust in the right rear wheel well and shock mount area. The shock was starting to break through to the interior.
So, I parked it.

Today I put the car in the garage and started to dissasemble it in preparation for rust repair. I got most of the interior out of the area and then moved to getting the shock dismounted. I have been stalled by a siezed lower shock mount bolt. I may have to remove the entire rear axle/suspension to get the access I need for the rust repair. I've already broken one bolt off... Dammit.

While back in that region, I noticed that the right rear speaker is ripped. Most likely, a few others are too.

04-05-06

Work done at SCS (all replaced with new):

• waterpump
• antifreeze (flush)
• Idler pulley
• tension pulley
• serpentine belt
• belt tensioner
• tensioner screw
• front crank seal
• oil pump o-ring
• crank pulley
• fuel seal ring large
• turbo seal - large washer for banjo fitting
• headlight bulb
• retorque f&r suspension and engine/trans subframe

11-15-05

New sparkplugs: NGK BCPR7ES-11

11-12-05

New battery: Interstate MT-34R

09-01-05

Oil change.

08-30-05

Finally got the remote display for the SmarTire pressure monitoring system installed. I fabricated a custom DIN insert that holds the remote display and a triple-lineup of ignition switched 12v accessory outlets. All that is left is to paint the faceplate.

03-2-05

The cooling fan stopped sometime this winter. I don't know when. It was cold, overheating wasn't an issue.

But when I discovered the problem the cause was hard to find. I replaced the thermoswitch, swapped relays, checked fuses, swapped fans, cleaned connections, jumpered this and jumpered that. I could make it all work, but eventually I found I didn't have conductivity in one wire from the thermoswitch harness connection to the relay socket... Why?

The wiring harness had become dislodged from the holder and got stuck between the rad-support and a plastic shield. It chafed the insulation and revealed the copper, but didn't rub through. Instead, the road salt from this winter got in there and ATE the copper.
...munch...munch...
All that was left was some green dust. The fix was simple but awkward to get at. (And I buggered the grey plastic connector getting it apart so it had to be zip-tied together in order to make a decent connection.)

02-06-05

The exhaust is in. It was a really painful job for a number of reasons. There was a lot of trouble with the studs in the turbo housing backing out and/or breaking. There was a broken support bracket that needed to be weld-repaired. Also, the exhaust didn't fit perfectly and required some careful tweaking.

01-10-05

The new exhaust is supposed to be on its way here from the builder in California. It is a unit commisioned by Group 9 Performance. 3" 304 stainless from the turbo back.

~$1300.00 (special introductory price)

01-10-05

Ordered a set of Konis from shox.com

$520.80

07-14-04

Removed the rear speaker amp and hooked up the rear speakers.

While I was at it, I unbolted the passenger's seatbelt at the seat and untwisted it. I don't know how it got twisted in the first place and to be honest the whole thing is rather confusing. The end of the seatbelt (on the seat end) has a metal bracket/buckle that the belt is sewn to and bolts to the seat. The buckle has tabs bent in one direction that interface with slots in the seat. So, in actuality, it only mounts one way... Correctly anyway. But sure e-damn-nuff this belt is twisted 180 degrees out. The ONLY way to untwist it is to bolt that buckle to the seat backwards. I really saw no reason why this wouldn't work so this is what I did. The belt is untwisted now but those bent tabs don't interface the way they are supposed to. Again, I see no reason why the tabs are necessary unless the seat is adjusted to some extreme position.

07-12-04

Installed the stereo (with only the front speakers hooked up)

Check it out!

The CD player died just as we turned the car on after getting off the "Spirit of Philadelphia" cruise on July 4th. So shortly thereafter I ordered a replacement receiver/CD player from Crutchfield.

• Sony CDX-M800
• Sony CDX-T69

$341.98

Replaced the two windshield washer check valves.

$13.00

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