What have you done to your MP3 today???

[CulRidr]

178,000 kms as a daily driven car in Ottawa...and the 1st owner most likely didn't do rust proofing so I can't go back in time...I need to get the car assessed sometime this summer to see where I need to put some work before it gets worse. Any advice from people would be greatly appreciated. I already plan on doing work on the lateral links and gas tank cover, as well as the LCAs (they're pretty bad), but what has me more worried is the frame and oil pan...this picture makes me cringe:

 

[zoomin MP3]

Why do you have to post such pictures? It's almost making me cry.

Any way, I got the lightweight PS pulley on. It really wasn't that hard. I really would advise against beating it on with a block of wood. You're asking for trouble with that. All you need for installation is a metric bolt long enough to fit inside the shaft, a nut, a washer and some WD-40.

 

[CulRidr]

Ya I know it sucks...I'm slowly going through the process of doing all the preventative maintenance that needs to be done, and the rust thing will be an ongoing project over the next year. I'm hoping this winter was the last this car will see, but I can't confirm that. Anyone want to comment on what should be the 1st thing I should take care of rust-wise? I know the block is fine, and many things are surface rusted only.

 

[JoeManNorth]

Man.. you have more rust then me! Although i'm not far behind.. damb them fucken Ottawa city trucks and their salt!

 

[CulRidr]

ya...picked up some good stuff from Crappy Tire today. I'll be posting pix later this summer of the progress.

 

[avarela86]

I would say its not that bad. Maybe the worst part are the control arms I think their called. Prolly the most expensive part to take care of. As for the others, get a GT-spec ladder bar. I don't think aluminum rusts. and the bolts get from a junk yard. I have a ton at home I take with my just incase I break one or strip anything. I am junk yard guru at this point. Oil pan too should he an easy fix. there's a goop I have that is a de-ruster. works wonders supposedly.

 

[CulRidr]

The LCAs are coming off for new bushings, so I'll strip it then, and paint it once it's back on if I don't have the time before. I'll eventually get a GTspec ladder bar if they ever come up on here again...as for everything else, a wire brush wheel (or simple wire brush) will get rid of most of the rust, and I bought some quality rust-bonding Tremclad paint, over which I'll spray a rubberized asphalt undercoating. Car should be looking good by mid-summer, where you guys can get off my back for that rusty crap

 

[Matt22]

i bought new rear sway bar bushings. and a mazdaspeed shifter and stock MP3 Pocket. Oh and thinking about getting some MSP rims.

 

[zoomin MP3]

I put my G-Force tires back on the front and WOW. When I first bought the tires, they had mildly better traction than the Toyo Proxes 4's. I put them on the rear for the winter and now that they have a couple thousand miles on them, THEY ARE STICKY! Before, I could easily spin the tires with a 4k clutch drop on the Toyos. I tried doing a burnout for some kids and pretty much embarrassed myself. I couldn't even break the tires loose with a 5k+ clutch drop. With the brand new G-forces in the front and Toyos in the rear the car felt better balanced in long sweeps, almost neutral. Now I'm wondering (since they're broken in) if maybe the rear end will come around in the same corner. I'll try it tomorrow after work and report back.

 

[MP3Performance]

Attached are pics of the stock MP3 strut and spring compared to the illumina strut and espiler spring. The first pic is of the rear, the 2nd pic is of the front.

I will try to get a pic of the new stance later on when I get a chance.

Also, I just installed a set of OSRAM Night Breaker headlights. I had the osram silverstars but one of them burned out so I decided to give the night breakers a try. I have to say I liked the silverstars alot, but these are even better.

 

[CulRidr]

^That's great info (pix confirming what you'd earlier said)!

I have yet to confirm it with my digital caliper, but I have other news to update false information here:
I swapped out my MP3 rear swaybar the other day for an MSP one under the impression that I would be gaining 1mm of diameter...and according to the non-digital caliper at my mechanics, they were the exact same size (measurement taken at a worn down paint spot with no rust to skew the reading). Which means that the info in TheMan's FAQ is wrong; they are both 20mm thick.

 

[zoomin MP3]

Beat the crap out of my car Sat at the track. I posted a personal best in the 1/4 of 17.56 at 78.11 mph, over my previous 17.98 at 74.4 mph. Since the last time I added a ram air tube on my CAI, light weight pullies, CF hood and trunk, subwoofer, and learned how to drive better. Oh yeah, and my G-force tires.

 

[CulRidr]

Finally replaced my old rear bearing which was making a whiny noise...that 36mm nut I had to use was HUGE!

Before:

After:

 

[amair001]

Just finished installing TWM short shifter, new bushings going in tomarrow

 

[JoeManNorth]

Culridr... Do you not have to press the bearing in and out? or is that just the front? looks like you replaced the hole damb thing.. I wonder if it dan be done like that in the front...

How much was that.. i think my front bearing is beyond it's life now.

 

[CulRidr]

Ya the rear is the whole assembly, no pressing needed. The front ones need to be pressed in, which is why the part is cheaper, but the labour is more expensive. I got mine at C.T. for pretty cheap: ~130$ with taxes (good sale, and yes it was a good brand; SKF). Front bearings are something stupid like 30-40$ last I checked, but as you stated they need to be pressed.

Just so people know, it's a 32mm nut in the front, and a MONSTER 36mm nut in the rear (for some reason, not all Protegs have the same size in the rear...)

P.S.: were you parked in the market (on York) on a Saturday night 3 weeks ago?

 

[rally2003]

Last week i just installed 3" vibrant exhaust. Hear me meow, I mean roar.
Here are some before and after pics. Enjoy. I know I do.

 

[MP3Performance]

Last week i just installed 3" vibrant exhaust. Hear me meow, I mean roar.
Here are some before and after pics. Enjoy. I know I do.

Ummmm.. I didn't know they made gray MP3's (spin)?

I think you meant to post in the "what have you dont to your MSP today", instead of MP3. The exhaust looks good btw.

 

[avarela86]

Ummmm.. I didn't know they made gray MP3's (spin)?

Yeah he needs to (getout). Joking obviously. I installed my AWR trailing arms tonight. Took around twenty minutes. Hope to see how it is tomorrow morning.

 

[rally2003]

By bad. I'll sadly leave. I got caught up reading about ur rides that I forgot this was for MP3 not MSP.