Keetz - Dreams to Reality 13 MS3 Diary

So my plan for the EGR is to cut the tube and tie it into the OCC setup to pass emissions and then put the block in place.

 

Never heard of anyone doing this before but be aware that the crap that will be redirected into the occ could very well screw something up somehow lol Hot sooty gases aren't the intended purpose of an occ.

Could be a great idea if it works I guess but I have no emissions tests so I don't have experience dealing with that stuff.

 

This method was what Will with PD Tuning recommended. Hopefully it works. It will only be routed that way for a short amount of time as it is only to pass emissions and then it will be blocked.

 

So it has been a good while since I have truly worked on a car and it is a b@#$%. Anyways I got some work done after doing some Father's (Pawther's for me) day stuff with the wife. I disconnected most of the wiring required to do the maintenance and installs I have planned and removed some heatshield and other odds and ends. I also pulled the HPFP to install the E-85 kit. I removed all of the bolts for the intake manifold and then came the EGR tube nut. How do you remove this thing? There is no room and my knuckles are bashed.

How it began.

Where I am calling it for tonight. Going to grill some dinner and watch a movie with the wife.

If anyone wants to provide some advise regarding how to get this nut loose, I would be very appreciative. Only thing I can think of is one of those wrench attachments for a ratchet.

I also noticed there was a lot of grime around the front driver's side of the valve cover. Nothing seemed to be wet. Anything I should look at in particular?

 

If I remember right it's like 19mm or whatever right? Anyway I put a rag down below it so the nut doesn't disappear when I unthread it all the way. To remove I have had good luck with putting the open end on and giving it a swift smack with a hammer while hold it lightly with the other hand. It may take a few smacks and if you've already tried and it is slightly started to round off then cut a notch out of the closed end to use it as a line wrench and try again.

I just noticed the nut you're referring to is near the throttle body not the block but this is still the method I would use. Closed end is always a better bet when there is concern of stripping the nut or bolt. Sometimes things need abused a little to make it happen but just don't install so tight when it is all put back together lol

 

I feel like an idiot. All I had to do was remove the throttle body and that EGR tube was a breeze. Got quite a bit done so far. IM and fuel injectors are out. Just sent the injectors to Speed Performance today to be cleaned. They still had factory seals on them and they looked really dirty. The injector cavities looked pretty bad, but I cleaned them up pretty well.

Next I started working on the Damond PCV plate and OCC kit. @Matt@DM makes some quality parts that fit like a glove. Really hating that this thing will be hidden.

Once I got that buttoned up, I started letting the valves soak. Glad I bought a media blaster and some walnut. Guess I will see how this venture goes shortly.

Cant wait to get this thing out and get the new one in.

 

Sounds like you're smashing out the work man, good job! I am hoping to finish my port job on my head today. Anyway though, as for the new turbo, I have heard that that turbo is a straight up animal for its size so I can't wait to see some videos and hear some sound clips of it!

 

I got two sets of valves cleaned and lemme tell ya, that was a job. The B12 worked great but damn if that stuff wasn't baked on. Two rounds of soaking, scraping and blasting and then they resembled something that someone may call clean. I am not happy with it but at the same time I am planning to do a rebuild next summer so it is what it is at this point. I let the other two soak and then dried them out as it was a little late to have the vacuum, air compressor, and me cursing out there for everyone in the neighborhood to hear.

I tore the entire HPFP apart to install the CS E-85 safe kit. If I didn't have the instructions that CS goes above and beyond with, I would have been screwed so huge shoutout to @CorkSport - Derrick for the step by step instructions. I really don't understand how so much carbon build up gets in the pump but at least now after about 3 hours of meticulous disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly this thing looks brand new and should be E safe.

I also confirmed that the HPFP internals are Autotech during this process.

My plan for tomorrow is to finish cleaning the valves and then start working on swapping the turbo.

 

Damond is top shelf. You will be happy with the OCC kit. I recently switch to a Damond OCC, wish I had long ago. Wayyy less oil, almost none in my intercooler compared to my previous setup. You will be happy!

I agree too, Corksport instruction are probably the best in the biz, lol

Keep at the valves. Its tedious work, but necessary. Last time I did it I masked from the hood to the rad cradle with contractor sized garbage bags cut open. Worked well and almost no cleanup.

 

So I let two sets soak overnight and that made a world of difference. Also just ordered new turbo gaskets so it will probably be a couple weeks before I can get it all buttoned up.

 

It has been too long since I started this and my car is still down. Between traveling for work and not getting my injectors back for an extended amount of time, I haven't been able to do too much. I got the injectors and intake manifold installed. Luckily, I did not use the bolts that came with the E-85 kit for the HPFP. The factory bolts for the throttle body were too long for the CS manifold but the bolts that came with the E-85 kit fit perfectly. I had to grind down one of the factory bolts to make it work.


Getting the turbo out was a pain. The factory support bracket required the purchase of some new tools. After about two hours of messing with it and then about $80 later, the thing was out in five minutes. There's nothing quite like having the right tool for the job. Then I removed the belt tensioner and removed the factory oil feed line. The Kozmic line is installed and the new turbo is chilling as I was just spent by this point.


Hoping to get the turbo mounted and start buttoning everything back up today. I have my base map from Will at PD ready to go. Wish me luck!

 

Good luck man! Hold the gas all the way to the floor and let it crank a few seconds. Do this two or three times before starting and it will help get oil to that amazing new turbo before it actually runs

 

Thanks for the advice @StreetSpeed6.

I got everything buttoned up and got it started. Then I found out that I made a rookie mistake. I assumed a premade oil feed line would come assembled. Obviously was not the case...


So I got that fixed by tightening all of the fittings. Then spent an hour degreasing my driveway.
Anyway it's running now and I plan to try to get my logs tomorrow for Will. I appreciate all the advice and support!

 

I haven't updated this in a while and figured it was definitely due. So I have added quite a bit of stuff and I am still working on a few things.
First, shortly after getting all the mods on from where we left off, I wasn't happy with my BATs so I upgraded to a Cobb FMIC.

That did not go as well as I had hoped. I could not get the BoV to seal for anything. Ended up filing a warranty claim with Cobb as the flange on the cold pipe was not flat. They honored the claim and sent me a new cold side pipe. It still was not flat but was a lot better. I did a little marble top sanding magic and was able to get a good seal. All of this was August of 22.

I had shoulder surgery in March which put a stop to most of my normal life. I had to play catch up on a lot of stuff so I mainly just accumulated a bunch of parts for the car. Parts as of now are:
CS coilovers w/Swift springs
CS RSB
JBR rear camber arms
JBR rear toe arms
Powerflex bushings (Everywhere that wasn't replaced by something else)
Powerflex anti-lift kit
Damond TMM, PMM, RMM
CS ST Shifter and bushings
CS LED kit
CS rear wiper delete
All the stuff listed in the hatch rattle how to thread.


I put the shifter and MM's in back in July.

 

Have you had a chance to drive the car with the Cobb FMIC?

I'm pretty happy with mine I was having some issues with BATs tuning my S3 and my tuner suggested I move to FMIC.

 

I have had no complaints since switching to the Cobb FMIC. BATs hold well while driving the car. The only time they really start to climb is over 90 degrees outside and sitting in traffic.

 

Hey I know this is a little old, can I ask if you have pictures of how you wired the relay to clear the VTCS delete check engine light. I looked through the posts here but it looks like the original post has been lost.