Finally it's mine! Help needed with service advice and more!!!

[andyj]

No Paul, no petrol grade switch on our models (assume you're JDM - Japanese Domestic Market). Only certain markets had switch. Was I think, on dash to right of steering wheel. So you must use Super Unleaded. Know it's expensive but if you had the ignition retard button it would dull performance and make whole thing pointless. If you keep standard pulley consumption is not much worse than NA, which is something you might consider if you're thinking about a big pulley.

Mine's manual so not sure about auto question.

Andy

[Lauren]

The auto box:

It's been ten years since I drove an auto(!) for a couple of months:

Power = will hold the gear before shifting up so should go to power peak.

Econ = will shift earlier (obviously).

If you have overdrive on which is like some kind of intergalactic gear, it will go into overdrive at the earliest opportunity.

Manual = you have to 'change' gear manually. Even when you stop it will stay in that gear. It will lock the torque converter too.

Interstingly running Mark's old car (not in this country) I managed 135mph but the revs were stupidly low compared to the manual. That overdrive gear really is intergalactic.

There is no switch for regular unleaded. It's a JDM car.

Good luck with the MOT.

[munter]

Thanks for the info folks.

Haven't really bought this for fuel economy so not too worried about using super unleaded

I assume the overdrive is the switch on the gear lever marked on/off?

Passed the garage this morning and there was a cop car parked outside. Not a good sign

Paul

[pk_090]

Also with the coolant, good to see you have noted fourlife pink stuff. I think if my memory serves the system has 13 litres, and jimi recomends using 7-8 litres of pink stuff to the rest water obviously if memory serves!
Alex

[Lauren]

I assume the overdrive is the switch on the gear lever marked on/off?

Paul

Yep, that's the overdrive switch.

What Alex says about the Longlife (it's not been called forlife for a long time now!) is probably fine, unless you of course have pre-mix.

[munter]

Thanks Lauren.

Getting a bit frustrated by the garage being slack with the MOT. It's going to be monday now due to "sickness" but one of the guys got it on the ramp for a quick check earlier. Good news is that the brake discs look like they'll clean up, bad news is that it needs balljoints and stabilizer links (maybe the bar as well). Also that weld repair to the passenger side footwell needs redone. "It's a mess mate" was the comment. Should even themselves out costwise I guess.

Anyone got any good sources for balljoints and links?

Anything else I should get done while they are under the car?

Thanks
Paul

[elbon50]

You could try a PM to Peter Gidden

He runs a company called SBITS

He keeps MoT renewables among other things

Peter

[TonyDUNT]

Balljoints on mine also needed replacing for its MOT last week, and it got delayed because two different parts suppliers sent the wrong parts twice!

I don't know if the part is slightly different to the UK car for these? Might be worth checking to avoid any more delays with yours. Unfortunately I don't have any details of where the parts came from or who the suppliers were but could probably ring up and find out if you get stuck.

Mine also needed the brakes cleaning up to get the balance to come within limits because I drive it so infrequently, the same happened last year.

And the fog light was too dim also, I am using one of the reverse lights with a red bulb in it which they passed the last 2 years, but this year they said it's not bright enough. So I replaced the bulb with one of those LED bulbs off eBay, seemed to do the trick.

[Lauren]

Balljoints are the same as UK, ditto droplinks.

If you want to buy droplinks that are fit and forget, go OEM.

I would fit OEM balljoints too tbh, at least they are easy to change as they just unbolt.