Mary's Progress log... Stage 2 installed finally.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:22 pm

edited 02FEB08

2001 ACR · Post by **2001 ACR** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:08 pm

Nice work. I love the car. Sure would look even sexier if it was black...

quicksilvr · Post by **quicksilvr** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:21 pm

supertrick_05 wrote:Hey, that's awesome! A work in progress is always fun, especially when saved from a shitty ex-owner! I really dont care for red cars (I've had a few and got sick of the color), but with a little work, they can look SOOOO sexy! Here's the best looking red SRT I've ever seen...my favorite one by FAR...in my opinion anyways.

Wow. That car is amazing. I've never seen it before. Where did you find it? It's magazine quality from what I can tell...

catalyst, nice looking project!

PS. I'd keep the car red if I were you though...imo there's no good way to do a color change, without totally stripping the car and having it painted on a rotisserie. And even then, you have to pay out the butt to get a paint job that looks even as good as factory. Just my .02 on painting the car.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:50 pm

It's been awhile, with my new son and moving, but I got mod number 2 in the mail should be here by this weekend with pictures and part review.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:42 am

The K&N Typhoon cca intake got here today. I was happy to find it on the portch when I got home. Needless to say I installed it asap.

Decided to clean up the battery fizzle a bit with some baking soda and water, worked great.

I did not remove the inner fender for install, it did prove a bit difficult to get the filter on, but I did get it on there. The test drive was good, no ce lights or anything, but the intake does make the "horse whinney", so I guess my next bolt-on will be a blow-off vavle or rice plate and a catch can.

The butt dyno says

v95 · Post by **v95** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:44 am

yeah that battery terminals look like they sat at the jersey shore all night.

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:45 am

I ended up getting one of those little BG battery terminal pads to prevent that from happening. Works wonders

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:07 pm

I'll have to get some thick felt scraps from somewhere and make some.

v95 · Post by **v95** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:09 pm

the felt is nice to

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:38 pm

I found a nail in my passenger front tire. And I talked the wife into new tires! I went with stock size Yokohama S Drive. Cost me $530 after shipping. I think if I lived in the states it would have cost me around $400.

I know there not gonna be as nice as a wider set of tires but they should be much better than what I've had on her. I also got a mod to keep Mary young and with low mileage: a beater! I picked up a '94 Camry for $1100.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:54 pm

Today I could not get Mary to start, she would just click away with no engine turning. I searched around and decided to clean the battery terminals and check all the wires. After cleaning the battery terminals and trying to take it off, I noticed a tear in the negative cable terminal

I'm still not sure what the problem is, but I know I at least need a new negative cable, should be around $70. I hope it doesn't get to expensive if I have to replace anything else. Lets all pray it's just a fuse or the cable.

j-king · Post by **j-king** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:50 am

measy27 · Post by **measy27** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:47 am

Wow that looks nasty..

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:39 am

why not just get a universal battery terminal?
They run around $5.....

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:06 pm

Last night I push started Mary, and my "much more mechanicaly inclined than me" friend said to get a new battery and a new terminal. I'll be doing that today.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 1:35 am

I see you tried cleaning up your battery on post number 35. And then it turned into a rainbow of colors months later.

I have the stock battery on my car with 88k and I have never got those nasty deposits I see cars get on their battery terminals.

Quick google search:

The problem arises more often if you don’t drive your car regularly. When the engine is not running and the battery is sitting, the terminals oxidize at a faster rate. This means you need to check the battery terminals more often for corrosion. Corrosion appears as a white, ashy deposit around one or both battery posts. Sometimes there is also a bit of color mixed in. These deposits are the result of one of several possible chemical exchanges involving vapors and the battery post.

http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/auto/mec ... terminals/

Just get a new terminal. I believe there is a special tool you will need to crimp the connector onto the wire. I forget what its called, my buddy has one.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:40 am

I got a new terminal. Works great now!

I do drive the neon less now that I have a beater, I'll just have to watch the terminals and drive Mary more often.

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:57 am

Or toss a tender on her if you can that would help keep the battery maintained while she sits

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:34 pm

A tender?

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 8:55 am

A battery tender...haven't heard of one? They help maintain your car's battery when it sits for prolonged periods of time. Good for over the winter or even during the year if the car isn't driven often. Keeps it at an optimal charge and maintains when charging isn't needed.

Look it up:

http://batterytender.com/

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:20 am

So while going for one of my "every four days" drives and the CEL comes on. The car is runnning normal, no limp mode. So I pull over when I can and do the key dance to check for codes

P0300. After having researched, I will check the plugs, wires, coil and various conections.

The car had been chugging or sttutering with high humidty or after a rain so I replaced the wires and coil around 2k miles ago with Grantelli coil and 8mm wires. The spark plugs have been going bad for a bit now, so I expected something soon. Cyl2 plug has always been the dirtiest. I have the gap at .032, after reading I think I'll put it around .038 or .040. I use OEM plugs.

I should've asked questions sooner, the plugs have needed to be cleaned or replaced every 1500 miles or so, since I got to Hawaii(way to short a time). I feel like I'm reaping the damages of the previous owner

.

Any advice would be appreciated!

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Sat May 01, 2010 8:00 pm

After installing new spark plugs with a gap .045 and my friend resetting the CEL, Mary is behaving like normal again! Cyl 3 was the dirtiest, not sure what to do about that. I am running her through 2 tanks of gas with sea foam fuel system cleaner in it. Hopefully I avoided any valve damage.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:56 pm

I bought a white trunk at a local JY to paint. I forgot to take a before picture but here is the in progress and the finished.

in Progress

paint area set up

finished shots

I'm very happy with the color coverage. I'm not happy with the clear coat finish. It has 4 coats of clear and it is still not a mirror finish.
My question now is will more clear coats equal show room finish?

Comments welcome, this is my first time painting auto wise. I used Duplicolor color match spray cans.

Ntyvirus1 · Post by **Ntyvirus1** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 11:06 pm

i tihnk its more how u spray the clear not just pure number of coats. think clear needs to be sprayed on "wetter" than the paint if im not mistaken.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 12:26 am

how do I avoid sagging paint with wet coats?

theTeejmiester · Post by **theTeejmiester** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 5:40 am

first, what the hell are you trying to paint that thing with?then maybe we can give you better answers to your question

smiley · Post by **smiley** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 9:29 am

rattle cans

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:59 am

Rattle can explains it. They give inaccurate coverage unless it's a proper style valve and head. You'll never get the coverage that you want. You'll need to sand all of that off and do it over again. Or...pay someone to have it done right and professionally.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:17 pm

alright then I'll just buy one more can of clear and wet sand between coats and whatever happens is what I'll keep. I plan on getting the car professionally done soon.

and theTeejmiester if you look at the bottom of post #53 you' ll see I said what type of paint I was using.

catalyst · Post by **catalyst** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:44 pm

I'm begining to dis-like Hawaii more and more, I recently bought a stage two kit from bstc00, while the kit got here and all the parts are ready, I did not think to call around about getting the VIN flashed in before I ordered the part. I called all 2 of the Dodge Chyrsler dealers and neither of them will flash the kit. I found a guy that will meet me some where with his laptop and do it for $150, but he seemed shady and like he might earase the programming on it or some such.

How much does this kind of thing cost back in the states? Is anyone willing/trustworthy enough for me to send it to them and get my VIN flashed and mail it back? I guess I could just wait a year and get it done, but who wants to wait that long for more fun?

2GN.ORG

Mary's Progress log... Stage 2 installed finally.

Painted a trunk for Mary