Month Project tunred Winter Project

[jaylew]

fixed my airbag light. see post here

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/airbag-light-278963.html?p=5898003

 

 

It is definitely haggard but it will work for the short term until I can test a more elegant way

 

 

Oh and the 07 side airbags have no issue with the 05 system

[jaylew]

So my stock MOMO steering wheel started to fall apart. So instead of doing the easy thing and fixing it or replacing it with something similar I went full upgrade. Now I have a 2009 steering wheel with both cruise control and stereo controls all working.

 

I had to replace the stock clock spring with one I found from either an 09 or a newer impreza in the junk yard. I had to remove a steering wheel angle sensor but that is a bolt on (off). To have the new clock spring fit, I did have to do some clearancing of the slots that the angle sensor keys into. Besides that is fits no problem. I used the old clock spring to make a patch harness to connect the new clock spring to the car's older harness. This way no soldering on car was needed and it is totally reversible. The patch harness also has 4 wires that slice off to go to the stereo for the control plug (Newer headunit capable of aux needed to work with the newer stereo controls) and also to T into the illumination wiring. No more dingle dongle cruise control thing behind the wheel!

 

The result is a newish wheel with a different airbag (still plug n play) and all on wheel controls that work and are backlit. Now I can get a JDM MOMO wheel off ebay that is from 09 to keep the MOMO alive.

 

Don't worry the rats nest of wiring that can be seen was cleaned and made neat. I didn't take a picture after cleaning up, and I am not pulling the headunit just for that.

 

Also the up and down arrows in the stereo control do switch songs for those who are wondering even when using the OE iPod connector for the SAT. I was curious when I started the project and couldn't find any info confirming the functionality.

 

**still don't know why some pictures are loading sideways or upside down. When opened to full size in another window they orient correctly.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[jaylew]

Just replaced the radiator with a Denso unit, and the idler for the A/C belt. The OE harmonic balancer finally delaminated so that got replaced too. While I had the coolant drained and radiator out, I replaced the coolant cross over pipe to the oil cooler. Good thing too, because the old one got a hole in the rust as soon as I scraped a screw driver across it lightly.

 

Gave her a wash and she is looking mint! Also my fiance has joined the wagon gang with a VW Jetta TDI 6pd. 46mpg highway!!

 

 

Next up is the noisy temperature blending actuators. That will be a fun dash removal for the driver's side.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[jaylew]

So, I don't know about any of you, but on road trips, I find the door arm rest to be a bit hard and low. My left elbow hurts after driving (my cruising style is left hand on the wheel, while resting my left elbow on the door arm rest). So I pulled from the junk yard a bunch of legacy leather door cards to make myself a softer arm rest that will also elevate my elbow to a more comfortable position. Here are the results. I plan to pull the door panel off and use screws from below to fasten the new arm rest to the door. The padding is 3 or 4 inch foam from the fabric store. When it is compressed down to about 3/4 of an inch it is dense enough to support but still plush.

[jaylew]

Added a light to the reverse light access panel of the rear hatch. This way after I MTB at night, I can see outside the car while putting my equipment away. It ties in to the cargo light power and door switch ground so I can only be switched off or it will turn on only when the door is open. It really lights up the ground and area around the back of the car, just as I wanted it.

[jaylew]

So I have been wanting to do this for a while. I used snaps and a spare cargo mat from the junk yard to make custom attachments to the rear seatbacks. This way, when the seats are folded down I don't have to put a moving blanket down first. It has a tongue that slips under the actual cargo mat when the seats are folded up, but when the seats fold down, the tongue accounts for the gap between seatback hinge point and the end of the actual cargo mat

The snaps are crimped onto the mat, but the male snap is a mcmaster special that is backed with a wood screw. The sheet metal of the seat backs under the fabric are thin enough that the screw self taps with the appropriately sized pilot hole.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[jaylew]

*fixed all photo uploads so that they all present right side up after a lot were uploading upside down*

[jaylew]

Big news...I got a new job after 7 months since I was laid off. I am moving to Massachusetts so I'll have to find the junk yards up there to keep the GT going. Because of the move, my projects might slow down until I get a new garage which hopefully is sooner than later.

 

 

In other news I made what I believe to be the best phone mount ever. I have had the idea of a magnetized phone mount for a long time and a rev 1 was made in my '96 outback, but this version is far cleaner.

 

I pulled the center vents/cubby. The font fascia of the cubby door easily removes and I epoxied as large of a magnet as I could near the top. Then I bent up some metal that magnetizes to the door. I canalized what used to be a vent phone mount and bolted the phone clamp to the metal. Covered the metal in a felt like fabric so that it doesn't scratch the car plastic.

 

Boom a stealth phone mount. When I am not using it, no one can tell that the phone mount goes where it does. When I am using the phone mount, It is easily placed and now doesn't block the A/C vents.

 

I don't like the mounts that suction to the windshield (they leave hickies) and other mounts that adhere to the dash leave residue or aren't ascetically pleasing.

 

 

 

Oh and so I don't drive the GT in the winter, I bought another wagon...2012 jetta. That makes 3 wagons in my current possession. I might have a problem

Edited December 12, 2019 by jaylew

[Max Capacity]

Congrat's on the job. Where in MA are you moving too ?

 

Lot's of junk yards around this area. Lot's of these cars too.

[jaylew]

Thanks! Honestly working on my car and this forum at times was a healthy distraction and therapeutic. I'll be working in the Mansfield area. Makes the good east coast ski slopes far easier to get to than from Philly.

 

That is good to hear about the junk yards. I practically live off the ones just outside of Philly. Preferably U-Pull it yards, more fun and generally cheaper.

[jaylew]

So back when my harmonic balancer delaminated it threw the A/C belt which burned through the magnetic clutch connector. I replaced that little bit of harness but was never pleased that the electro magnet was burned through as well. Junk yard to the rescue! Not a difficult job, just annoying. Pulled the clutch off, then the pulley, then the electro magnet. Reversed the order and bam, back in business.

Other side of things, the seam at the bottom of the drivers door has the common rust and it's beyond repair. New door at the junk yard from an '05 sedan! I am still in the process of swapping things over and adding sound deadening to the new door. I'll update that when I am done.

[Max Capacity]

Thanks for the update.

 

Being warm here today, rain up north, not skiing this weekend, going to wash the wagon and make sure I rinse under the doors well.

[jaylew]

I start my new job in Mass this week so my car will be door-less until next weekend when I get back down to PA. I was also hoping to pull the dash and install new A/C temp actuators but ran out of time.

 

After this door, things for me might be quiet until I get a new apartment in Mass with hopefully a garage (though likely too rich for my blood) or a house in about a year. The car will not be winter driven. If all goes well with this new job and moving, the next phase for the car is an engine that is worthy of all the chassis work I've done to it since November 2018!

[jaylew]

So I finished replacing the door. I had to swap over handles because the junk yard door handle had clear coat chipping off. I'll keep it in my box of spares just in case. Swapped over the lock cylinder. Because I upgraded my car to the H&K stereo that required the entire harness being swapped over. Also added my sound deadening.

 

The new door is about 1mm too far forward with the way it hangs but it closes fine. That will be a future project of moving it back since aligning the front door requires removal of the front fender.

 

Better now that there is no rust!! Because it was a junk yard door the paint fade actually matches my car pretty well.

[jaylew]

Well its been a while. The car has decided to start leaking from the steering rack, and I am fed up with my clutch. Time to spend a lot of money on parts!

To come:

 

Slight external engine refresh with replacing rusted fuel hardline, pcv and any vacuum lines. New(to me) flywheel (Thanks Max Capacity), clutch. Motor mounts, trani mount, dog bone and bushings. New turbo feed and drain. Rebuild part (maybe all) the steering rack, we'll see how in depth that is. I still need to order a new prop shaft and STI solid steering link. I am debating on new turbo intake (might go hard inlet like covertrussiain).

 

It is tough though to spend $300 on OE parts, then get excited to open the parts, and they then look far less substantial then what your wallet feels lol. worth it

 

 

Later to come is dash removal and replacing the temp actuators and rebuild power steering pump, and replace a/c bearing

Edited August 19, 2020 by jaylew

[jaylew]

Pulled the motor to give it some much needed R&R. I realize a lot of oil leaking is thankfully not a bad head gasket but rather I am an idiot and when I replaced the turbo, I mounted the oil drain backwards...

Anyway, clutch and flywheel came off no issue, thanks to getting the special TP50 (T50+, Torx Plus 50...but don't confuse with regular torx cause its not!!!). I am looking forward to having a SMFW in there instead of the stock unit. The old unit looks pretty heated, but I rather have cooked that clutch teaching my now wife how to drive stick. She is much better than when I first taught her, and her daily is a manual wagon, it makes me happy!

 

Also, power steering pump needs a rebuild, so I'll be reading those threads with more attention to detail. Then the power steering rack will get a rebuild because it leaks without the car even being on. That'll be fun.

Final words, there will be plenty of brake clean involved in all of this!

Edited November 10, 2020 by jaylew
clarify torx plus

[kzr750r1]

Oof. That drain kicked me in the nuts once as well. BNR was shipping turbos that were clocked wrong. I clocked it mounted but didn't notice the drain was pulled clear until after starting. The lake of T6 on my driveway was very sad.

It's time for me to start looking at the steering pump as well. You mention rebuild now replace?

[Max Capacity]

May be edit that reference to the T50 to make it read T50+ so there's no confusion.

 

Check that rust spot on TOB fork for cracks.

 

Good progress...

[jaylew]

Thanks Max, I updated for added clarity because regular torx is a guaranteed way to have a bad day.

As for the clutch fork, I am way ahead of you. I already have a replacement as a precautionary measure! My old '96 outback's fork decided to crack right in two a few years ago.

[jaylew]

You mention rebuild now replace?

Yeah there are threads on rebuilding with OE Honda parts or stuff off McMaster. There is also a site that has a rebuild kit, sans bearing. I am going to try the honda stuff first and link the thread info if all goes well.

[jaylew]

So I've been getting down and dirty, cleaning a lot of oil, clutch dust and plenty of power steering fluid.

I rebuilt the PS pump using Honda parts. Pretty easy. All you need to know is at this link here. Hopefully it doesn't leak any more. Every o-ring and seal were replaced. The old bearing was pretty crusty.

 

I bit the bullet and bought a 2019 STI steering joint. When I got it, and compared to OE Legacy GT, the STI unit is about 1/8 longer, but that isn't an issue because there is an allowance for that on the steering column side. I turned the wheel and rack lock to lock with the 2015+ design unit without issue. Confirmed 2015+ STI fits with 05 GT rack.

 

Next up is to rebuild the rack and pinion. That I will try to be as detailed as possible because I have yet to find anyone make a write up on that at all. Also I will wait to prove if my rebuilding even works. My back up is to either go balls to the wall 2015 sti rack or see if solidxsnake still has rack for sale.

In the mean time the old rack is soaking in degreaser before disassemble

Edited November 23, 2020 by jaylew

[Max Capacity]

Nice progress.

 

I'll update the post in JmP's sticky about the STI solid link.

 

See post # 299 https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/idea-web-links-saved-various-parts-219238p8.html

Edited November 23, 2020 by Max Capacity

[jaylew]

Update time.

Power steering system:

rack => rebuilt

pump => rebuilt

All new hoses. I decided to keep the return hose cooler just cause why not. and the system has been bled. I am excited to test it out on the road and see how it feels, especially with the '18 STI u-joint.

 

 

I picked up a facelift bumper, headlight and 1 fender off someone on CL. Just need another fender, and foglights then the facelift can be installed. Also headlights need to be sanded and cleared (add it to the project list)

 

 

Now I can finally move to working on the engine. It is mostly cleaning and then new clutch. Nothing huge. I am dropping some coin to replace every coolant hose, vacuum hose and PCV hose. My thought is do this now, and then I will already have the new rubber parts for when I finally buy a type RA short block. Also I plan to take the coolant to the throttle body out of the loop, since this is no longer a winter driver. Also upgrade the PCV to 07+ style so it'll be easier for turbo intake options.

 

 

I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

[Underdog]

Great thread! Love all the attention to detail and progress pics.

[rhino6303]

Update time.

Power steering system:

rack => rebuilt

pump => rebuilt

All new hoses. I decided to keep the return hose cooler just cause why not. and the system has been bled. I am excited to test it out on the road and see how it feels, especially with the '18 STI u-joint.

 

 

I picked up a facelift bumper, headlight and 1 fender off someone on CL. Just need another fender, and foglights then the facelift can be installed. Also headlights need to be sanded and cleared (add it to the project list)

 

 

Now I can finally move to working on the engine. It is mostly cleaning and then new clutch. Nothing huge. I am dropping some coin to replace every coolant hose, vacuum hose and PCV hose. My thought is do this now, and then I will already have the new rubber parts for when I finally buy a type RA short block. Also I plan to take the coolant to the throttle body out of the loop, since this is no longer a winter driver. Also upgrade the PCV to 07+ style so it'll be easier for turbo intake options.

 

 

I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Did you use oem steering hoses or aftermarket?

I will be doing this soon and plan on getting new hoses as well.