Despite the exciting new front wheels, I needed to conquer the intermittent power loss issue. Drift Valley was just a few weeks away and the KA still felt feeble. I recollect trying just about everything, fuel pumps, MAF, wiring, vacuum leaks, knock sensor, you name it! I was blindly swapping parts over with the hope of repairing the issue. After a lot of screwing with the engine, the issue seemed to come and go. I tried all kinds of wild things, from wiring a resistor in the knock sensor circuit, to hardwiring it with a coaxial cable. I ended up driving like this for the largest part of the season, none of my friends were able to figure this one out! This conundrum was heavily disheartening, I wanted to outright swap the engine out with something else at times and simply call it quits.
Although I might have overthought it at the time, persistence is key. If you're hardheaded enough, the solution will come to you? eventually. I destroyed my bumper on the way to the shop one saturday, pretty bummed but it sat way too low and it was bound to happen. I got stuck on a grooved part of the highway and hit a gnarly bump. The front end of my car looked like it was blasted by a tornado with the amount of fiberglass that shattered. Repairing the bumper was a messy, itchy task that I hoped to never repeat again (but did many times).
On the way back, around 3 AM in a deserted tunnel!
The next Drift Valley bestowed itself upon us, and the car ran poorly as usual. Although it baffled me a little, it was important to chase the silver lining. This forced me to be more shrewd in selecting my driving line. I kept the angle shallow to maintain momentum, and only used angle when I could afford to slow down. This was one of the first times where we had successful tandem driving. Listening to the turbulence of another engine right beside you was a novel sensation. Staying relaxed and concentrated was more paramount now than ever! You also learn to trust your tandem partner, it's essential for a good dance!
A wangan wing made its way over to the car, I'll freely admit this was an awkward styling point.
I installed a wideband on to facilitate the diagnosis process, but it simply made me overlook other things. The wideband readings were not particularly off-kilter, but it was still constructive to monitor the output of the almighty KA.
I finally got the equips finished, and CLEARLY needed more practice sealing three piece wheels. My technique was nowhere near proficient. I had too thick of a coat of silicone, making it easy for the tire bead to catch it during mounting and cause a leak. That?€™s precisely what happened! I had to take the wheels apart a few more times until I made a leak-free seal. The Equips had a much better fit and were true to the era of the s13.
The wing, however, didn't fit the styling of the car at all! It required a much wilder style like Bad180sx.
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This matsuri was a total party, around halfway through the day the water came down monsoon-style. I foolishly took a lap and cracked the bumper again! Some people waited too long, and kept on driving. The infield at Shenandoah is concave for water to drain. However given the violence of the storm, the drains' efforts in keeping up with the downpour of the water were futile. The infield essentially turned into a lake, and people were getting stuck and hydrolocking their cars. The calm after the storm sure made for a killer photo-op though!
Bill captured some vivid moments at night:
I remember seeing this next photo and finally understanding the importance of lengthened front lower control arms.
The power loss issue was still rampant. Although it was forcing me to be more aware of my driving line it was beginning to limit my progression. With all the tandem driving we were doing it was time to make the car a bit safer on the inside. I picked up a safety21/Cusco 6 pt bolt in, a Mazworx harness bar and some corbeau harnesses. Having some safety instruments in the car eases the brain to continue pushing your limit!
I snagged another matching pair of equips for the rear. This time around, I found some with better starting sizes so all they would need are new outer lips. Best part: they were LO disk! The final size was 10.5 -5, which was a tad wide for my taste but they filled the arches nicely.
I really enjoyed driving on a 16″ wheel in the back. Tires were cheap, and the minimal weight made it easy to keep them spinning and steer the car with the throttle. Only issue is they looked kind of lame, so I found a rare set of Heroes S-911 on ebay! They were also 16s but with forged components, weighed in at 16.5 lbs each. They were also a little more aggressive than the Z32 I had, which was a plus.
I mentioned a wheel addiction, right?
We had a private day at Shenandoah and it was the perfect venue to work on technique and get some tandem practice in! These events were great because we all got to enjoy each other's company, and really attack the weak points of each driver to become a more cohesive unit.
As usual, Bill nailed some fantastic moments. The car was going in a better direction without the wing and equips up front.
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I vividly recall the morning after this event as something that descended from the heavens. I had started the car in the garage to move it, and it ran dreadfully. The entire engine was shaking, the wideband was reading 10.0 and there was fuel pouring out of the exhaust! Aaron came over to hang out and look things over with me. We pulled the fuel rail off and placed a piece of cardboard under it to see if there were any leaks. When I turned the key to prime the pump, injector #2 let out a waterfall of fuel that gave Niagara a run for its money! Oddly enough, the injectors were something I had never looked too far into. I had tested voltage/resistance, but never flow tested. I wasn't sure if it was a seal that broke, or something internally. Injectors are fucky little gadgets. Either way, I was ecstatic that the solution to my issue all year was potentially diagnosed.
Ordered some new 270s, and the car was back to normal. It was obviously still KA sluggish, but the difference was night and day. It pulled like it did earlier in the year, and I felt goosebumps spring up along my arm knowing the car was back to its old self. The car may have been a little angry with me for grazing the wall earlier that year, or driving it with a known malfunction.
With the new injectors on, I did some testing!
Work wheels from different generations!
Driving the car for the next few weeks was exciting, but I had to do a pull from time to time to be absolutely sure that the power loss issue wouldnt make an impromptu return. The entire issue screwed with my head a good bit for most of the year! Once I was positive the car was stout, I wanted to install some parts Ive had laying around for awhile. These arms took far longer than I had expected to make the first time. The concept seems so straightforward until you really bite into it! They came out great and have held up perfectly after over a season's worth of abuse.
These are a 38mm extension.
Camber! Sitting at -10 with the DMAX coilovers. I paired the arms with some shortened knuckles to maximize their full potential. Lastly, I scooped a pair of Cusco tension rods to finish up revamping the front end. I can?€™t stress enough the importance of swapping out the junk stock ones, I held out far too long on roasted bushings. The stock rods on most S13s are most likely garbage, and will make the front end feel incredibly loose; especially at lock.
There was one last important change before the next event: aero! I was getting tired of destroying and repairing fiberglass aero. The time, effort, and itchy arms simply aren't worth riding low and tearing the fiberglass apart. Fortunately I didnt have an expensive kit. The fiberglass also made loading the car onto trailers a nightmare, the time spent removing, and reinstalling the skirts and bumper was starting to add up. It's also the last thing you want to deal with when you're returning from a track day at one in the morning. The answer was clear. I needed OEM aero, and I needed to match the rest of the team. I had been collecting OEM 180sx aero for some time, and finally came across the missing pieces to the kit; the front bumper! Got everything primed and painted for the final consecutive Drift Valley and we were off! This event, I actually ended up driving the car to the track and home, and I was on the brink of perdition the entire ride there.
If youve read up to this point, I'm sure you have attained a grasp of how much I value Drift Valley and its organizers. While Drift Nirvana and Swing Set events have played a part, Drift Valley has had a transcendent influence on my driving. They held the first event I ever attended, and the atmosphere, smiles, and encouragement has sucked me in ever since. The organizers are all drivers, and they keep it strictly grassroots. DV takes driving and safety seriously. Most of the regulars from Drift Valley have molded into strong drivers today, and I fully assert that these events play a large role in their development. Despite the grassroots feel, there is a good deal of competition among the veteran drivers and they push each other's limits frequently.
The knuckles, FLCA, and tension rods getting put to the test!
Even with OEM aero, I still found a way to abuse body panels.
Despite a wet event, everyone had a great time. These are the great people of Drift Valley!
My friend Tom wanted to get his KA vert to the track so I accompanied him to a Drift Nirvana and hung out for the day!
Fall shit!
The last night I got to see my friend Stephen before he was taken from us. Rest easy brother, look over us wherever you are.
Getting to work on the rear equips! The faces were a little hurt and needed some love.
Accurate
At this point I was absolutely drunk with joy having my favorite matching set of wheels on an schassis.
Put the hatch in a ditch after hitting some salt and trashed my front lip. Good thing it was fiberglass! I also wrecked the fuel and brake lines under the car. The ride height was beginning to take its toll on the car. I drove an hour home with no brakes! No going back, though. Got the car up in the air a few days later, and replaced the fuel feed and brake lines that run under the car. This was a total locomotive huff and puff of a task. Thankfully, Tom lent me a hydraulic flaring tool and after a ton of bending and measuring we were back on the road and ready for the Wolfpack bash.
This Wolfpack birthday bash was even more fun than the last! The driving was picking up, and with the hatch running like a top Nick was able to dive in. We all had a great time as usual; pushed each other out of our comfort zones and planned goals for next year.
Mel got a sweet moment here!
Made a power brace to stiffen up the car! You'd be surprised how loosely assembled these cars are. Just a bunch of 16/18/22 gauge sheet metal glued together with sealant and spot welds. A strut brace and power brace are essential.
The junkie just can't get enough. OEM 4″ inner barrel and a LO disk!
With the car all braced up, I headed out to 100DOD to finish the year strong! The event was packed, but everything went smoothly. I was extra careful this year with the road course. The car was significantly lower than the year prior, and an off-road excursion would be exponentially catastrophic.
Here's a clip of pistol grip, one of the trickier courses!!
Putting 100DOD behind me, I was euphoric with what I had accomplished in 2016. Winter was looming near, and it's the epoch of movemaking! The green engine bay was brooding my frame of mind whenever I looked at it. It sullied the appearance of the car when the hood was popped! I essentially imagined a baby vomiting in the engine compartment.
I drove the car around for a little while before I got to tearing it all apart.
Made another one of these shits:
Then I had an unsavory incident in a parking lot. I was cruising through looking for a spot, and a woman in a Lexus backed out quickly and mashed into the hatch! She didn't hit it hard, just scuffed the bumper. She says she didnt see me because the car was too low, but it was difficult to discern what she was saying from her thick Eastern-European accent. She seemed quite upset about the whole ordeal, and it was the holidays so I let it slide.
That's all for 2016! Thanks for sticking along for the post (if you got this far) and I'll have the next update out shortly. 2017 was a wild year, and the most exciting thus far.