KBacon

Here is my recently purchased '06 6MT... bought with 105k back in July... and already at 107k.

Found this car on Craigslist and ended up having a rebuilt title & got it for a really good price...

Day I picked it up..


Couple days later I got the windows tinted 15%



Has obviously been in a front end collision and had been completely repainted... but the paint job left a bit to be desired... was pretty orange peeled... so i decided to try my hand at paint correction...

Just so happens my cousin had a Porter Cable 7424 that he no longer uses... so i borrower that & his compounds... bought an assortment of pads... should be a nice Sunday project right???

Got up early Sunday morning & washed & clay barred... then broke out the porter cable.... Soon realized that the DA buffer & light swirl mark removing compounds wasn't going tto cut it... so i got some meguiars heavy cutting compound... and it did a better job... but was still just shiny orange peel... so another trip to autozone & bought some 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, & 3000 sand paper & went to town wet sanding... the took the buffer & heavy cutting compound to the hood & fenders... end of that Sunday... It's dark!!!
Before

After... starting to think I am getting somewhere... LOL...
URL=http://s143.photobucket.com/user/kbacon76/media/20160821_190249_zpsap8szfw2.jpg.html][/URL]

Monday got up & went to town again with the buffer and the heavy cutting compound... results are looking much better!!! Figured out that doing this on a black car in the hot sun is not the best idea... so only worked in the morning shade & evenings...

Lots of rain all week & start back in the following Monday... notice a few spots I must have rushed through a bit.... so I figured with that & the rain... I might as well start all over & get through the heaving cutting compound... lighter cutting compound... swirl remover... glaze... & sealant... working late into the night... using my LED trouble light so that I can get through the process... 11:30 PM call it a night...

Fast forward to yesterday... went ahead & cleaned/conditioned the leather w/ Lexol... the today had to run some errands w/ the family & got home... washed the car again... cleaned up all the left over compounds... then waxed with meguiars ultimate... Looks much better... not perfect... but really close!!!





Waiting on some headlights to arrive so that I can swap them out... also have to replace the ballast in this one..

KBacon

Here's my other toy

KBacon

Also 3rd gear was being a little finicky... not always wanting to go all the way in... so I changed out the trans oil to Pennzoil Synchromesh... stuff that came out looked pretty clean & pretty thin... shifted much better on my test drive!!!

mb.3g

Welcome and congratulations!

my god that reflection is gorgeous. Amazing job on the paint restore/correction

Looking forward to more!

sockr1

iTrader: (5)

good job on the paint correction, looks much better.

also, switch our your MTF immediately to gm synchromesh friction modified (ac delco rebrand)...it is the single best MTF you can put in our car and has fixed many people's 3rd gear issues. i would get it in asap even though you just put in new fluid. you can read about it on the forum, it does wonders

Jakes_tl

I totally agree with sockr1. GM synchromesh friction modified is the way to go, if unsure just search on this forum, you will see it has been used by a lot of people with great success.

KBacon

Thanks man!!!

I used the Pennzoil Synchromesh because it was readily available... and I knew that back in my DSM days it was the same as the GMC Synchromesh (manufactured by pennzoil)... which we used it quite successfully for the dreaded 2nd gear... I didn't realize that there was a newer friction modified version of the GM stuff...

I will run this for the time being & see how it works... my test drive seemed pretty promising... and prolly go ahead & order some GMSMFM

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Hey Ken...
looking forward to what you do with the headlights!
I'll be checking in...I can tell you're a passionate car modder, someone I enjoy reading posts from.

Also, this is the rebranded GM stuff
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Nice job on the paint correction.

Charsu

Jeebus, that reflection.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, he's the man...
he'll be my inspiration today while I polish out my Wagon.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Wow! she's so shiny!!!

and I only came in here on the promise of bacon...but also thought Kevin Bacon was here.
both would work.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

He gets that a lot, but that's not his name. Hahahahaha

KBacon

Yeah... the name is Ken... get called Kevin multiple times a day though... most of the time in not even intentional....

Thanks for the complements on the polish job... it was a lot of work!!! It looks so "EZ" in the videos!!!

So next question... I have all of the Tbelt parts on hand... is this a job I tackle myself (done many Eclipse 4G63 Tbelt in the past)... read the hardest part was getting the crank pulley loose...

And "while I have it apart"... maybe go ahead & replace the crank pulley w/ a light weight version... xlr8 or unorthodox... and diff???

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

In my opinion...do the lightweight so that you remove that rubber surround that can bust on the oem one (Majofo had this happen)...
If you have the money, I can tell you the winning combination for an easy crank pulley removal if you have $320 to spend and you think you'd use it.

I did valve adjust at the same time as the TB job so it seemed long and arduous. I think just the timing job, with a couple of beers, some Freebird on the Hi-Fi...and a day or two to yourself and you're golden.

Also...just finished JUST doing a polish on my entire car. Wawaweewa...what a fucking job, bro...8 straight hours. Results are pretty though.

KBacon

$320??? For???

I do have access to lift & air tools... wondering if a good Snap On impact is enough to get the crank pulley loose???

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

A gun! Dewalt, to be exact...
if you have access to a good one though, go do that...
buy this to throw on it.

https://smile.amazon.com/Lisle-77080...+pulley+socket

KBacon

Well it's Monday again... Last night I went ahead and pulled the front bumper in prep for getting an early start to swapping the headlights today that I got from rockstar143... get everything swapped and go to bolt up the ballasts... and they don't line up. Quick search... and find out that my '06 are different than the '04's I got from him... and I need '04/05 ballasts also... I guess that's what I get for not doing my research!!! Ballasts should be on their way soon...

So I go ahead & put my fogging headlight into the oven for a while to evaporate the moisture... and it took about an hour... but it appears to have worked. Get everything swapped back over.

While I had it apart I decided to remove the intake resonator box... doesn't appear to really be a restriction... but it's done now!!!

Went ahead & put everything back together.. realized that the guy who repaired the front end cut a few corners... and left out the bumper brackets on the bottom of the headlights & used some strategically placed screws to hold the edges of the bumper on... and left out a bunch of the plastic push rivet fasteners... Found some OEMish style ones at Advanced... Bought the 2 pks they had... but still need to find a couple more...

While I had it up in the air I also decided to install the RV6 Jpipe I also got from rockstar143... WOW what a PIA!!! I kinda knew it was gonna be when I sprayed all the bolts down w/ PB Blaster last week when I changed the trans oil... The nuts were rusted solid!!! BFH Hammer, 13mm 12 point socket hammered on rusted 14mm nut, breaker bar w/ cheater jack handle, & lots of cussing... and it's finally done!!!

Wife forbid me from installing a loud exhaust on this car... When the box arrived... she says "What's that??? You are not installing a loud exhaust on 'my car' " "oh.. nothing honey..." .... LOL... so after my initial test drive... I am happy to report that the gain in performance is definitely noticeable.. and very little increase in noise... I can hear the awesome growl of the intake more than I can the exhaust...

Turned the VSA off... and just go WOT & it spins through 1st.. and part way through 2nd... quite impressed!!! Love the intake howl!!!

It appears the new ballast fixed my driver's headlight issue... but for some reason my passenger high beam solenoids is working sporadically... It worked fine before (I'm pretty sure)... could something be loose or did I not install something correctly?

I should have some new pics tomorrow w/ a little aesthetic change!!!

KBacon

Also went ahead changed the oil while I had it in the air...

Oh Sickest TL

iTrader: (3)

yea those j pipes can be a bitch to install, when I put my xlr8 j pipe in , my old one basically split apart from us prying and pulling . what A BITCH lol.. I can't imagine how much of a bitch the high flow pre cats will be to install

Typical rockstar143 misinforming ppl jk, Hes a great guy. You got good parts from him! Shitty deal about the ballasts. Most ppl think they can just interchange ALL headlights because they "look" the same but not the case. Get the proper ballasts and sell your other ones on here

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

and I TOTALLY forgot about the jpipe...YES do the engine idle relearn!

Thanks Jeff...

KBacon

I had the battery out all day during install.. is that sufficient???

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Yes!
Basically it's just a matter of disconnecting the battery, then let the car idle for 5 minutes with nothing on.

KBacon

Well.. here's a quick update...

Added some new rims from another member... 19x8.5 all around... Volk Winning Blue Rays G35 rims... Not sure the offset.. but they clear the Brembos w/ a ton of room to spare...

Gonna have to pick up some new tires pretty quick. Thinking 255 35 19 Yokohama Advan Sport AS... I can get a pretty good price & rebate on the tires... any other suggestions???
Tire Details - Discount Tire Direct

Something a little different

Yes.. I know she needs a bath (BAD)!!! I'm pretty ashamed.. but they mowed the property at work & it's been raining the last few days...

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Spectacular Ken!
I enjoy the wheel color a lot!!!!!!

Oh Sickest TL

iTrader: (3)

nice man those look great. Get some springs??

Tell them fuckers not to mow next to your shit. Thats one thing that really bothers me, spitting dirt and rocks everywhere all on the cars. FUCK that.

255/35 will look nice. Whats on there now?

KBacon

Currently has 245 55 19 Pilot A/S on it... Not sure if it will get lowered or not... It will get driven in the Indiana winters unfortunately.. I have a 4x4 GMC Sierra for the heavy stuff though...

Tires ordered... will be less than $900 OTD installed w/ roadhazard & lifetime rotate/balance etc...

BreezyTL

iTrader: (8)

Looks great, with the 35 sidewall you may loose some comfort while driving. Why did you choose to go that low from what you have now?

KBacon

Yeah... that was wrong.. I either fat fingered it.. or got autocorrected... currently running 245 35 19... going w/ the 255 35 19 for a little more curb protection.. and should be slightly taller

Thanks man!!! They really look good in the sun when the color of the wheel shows up & the blue metal flake in the NBP pops out...

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Ken!
Looks awesome, man...
If you ain't going lower the additional girth should be great.
I dig the color too...I remember seeing those for sale for a while.

Oh Sickest TL

iTrader: (3)

I like that colour a lot too. Those would look great on the silver TL's as well

KBacon

Yeah... with all the nightmare I had to go through on this transaction... I should have just bought your advans... oh well!!!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Really, it was a nightmare?
What happened?

KBacon

Long drawn out ordeal... but in the end the seller made it right...

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Good for you!

and that's what I enjoy about the blue wheels! in the sunlight your NBP paint will show the blue flakes!!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Hey man, you alive?

goldacura

Looking good brother, awesome find.