So I bit the bullet since I couldn't resist the offer and said screw the transmission anxiety and got this:




01 NBP CL-S
145k
Transmission rebuilt

Loving the car so far. I know the transmission problem could come back still, but let's stay optimistic here lol. Anyway here's some questions:

1. I was going to start off with a blend, but what's the best type of oil to use for this car?
2. I want to retain the stock deck for various reasons; what is the best iPod/iPhone hook up option? I did do some research and saw these so far A) USA Spec, B) Blitzsafe, or C) iSimple, but wanted to know which one is the best...
3. Passenger side heated seat doesn't seem to work anymore. Is this something I can fix or am I SOL and would I need to replace the whole seat?
4. I wanted the aluminum trim for the interior; is this something I can do myself (which is the best spray paint to use?), or am I better off sourcing them off a 2003 CL-S?
5. How do I turn the fog lights on/off w/o turning on headlights? LOL

Sorry for all the NOOB CL questions. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!



I'm selling the wheels that came with the car BTW: https://acurazine.com/forums/car-parts-sale-361/17x7-azul-renegade-wheels-black-w-polished-lip-777704/

 

Nice!!!

3.The copper link that connects to the heating element is most likely broken and you will have to solder it back to make the connection....or so I assume

5. But on this car when you turn the headlights on the fogs come on with them there is no way to do them seperatly....lame but oh well

 

congrats on the pick up. welcome

1. most guys on here use mobil 1, royal purple, amsoil. all very good.
2. there is an adapter out there that allows you to use the steering wheel buttons. he used to be a vendor on here. i forget what the exact part number was. look up threads from uncald4
3.i would check the fuse first.
4. i think best option is the source it out. you can paint it but will risk chipping.
5. yes, there is a way to make the fogs come on without the head lights. you will need a meter to identify the "trigger" wire and re-route it to a constant.

 

If you haven't yet, please read through our FAQ. Should answer many questions that will pop up.
https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-cl-2001-2003-50/%2A%2A%2A-official-2nd-gen-cl-information-thread-%2A%2A%2A-480087/

 

As far as the interior goes...I painted my interior pieces black a while back just so the entire interior was black and if you do it right you should be fine. Mine have been great for over a year now, absolutely no problems.

If you find out the name of the ipod adapter that you can use the steering wheel controls let me know

 

Starting putting away a little bit of money for a rainy day just in case your transmission goes out, and congrats on your purchase

 

I just dont see ppl doing this, especially new owners. They want to fix/mod not plan for the future.

For the interior trim, you cant just buy the trim piece on the front door panels. It is attached to the door and only sold as the full door panel for well over 300. i would just leave them or paint them. For the seat heater and fdoglights there are threads that discuss these issues try searching for them. I find it better to put your search into a site like google etc and type acurazine in the search field cause this forum has bad search function.

 

I totally agree with you, but the transmission has been rebuilt before, and this car has a history of bad transmissions. Better to be safe then sorry. I wish I had done that when my transmission blew out,it hit me at a bad time. Alas, its all good, I know he wants to mod and fix the car, but also you want to get your money's worth.

 

1. Synthetic only (any reputable brand i.e. Castro oil is all I use on street cars) I personally stay away from mobil1 (don't ask, buy law I cant say)
2. Check these guys out http://www.metraonline.com/contact2.aspx
   
3. Start with the cheapest fix first I.e. fuse, soldering, ect and move your way up...
4. I have nothing nice to say about this...
5. they are not Fog lights... they are simply running lamps...

 

Welcome, congrats on the pick up, looks clean

 

Thanks for all the advice and compliments. I do agree with "sayfulhaqq" about setting aside money. I'm not really planning to mod the car, just subtle updates really to fit today's lifestyle. I'll definitely check into the iSimple for iPod/iPhone connectivity.

So everyone here uses full synthetic for oil?

Makes me wonder what you mean by that lol

 

No, semi-synthetic at 7.5k intervals has proven fine for over 200k miles in my car. I ran Mobile 1 in previous cars (modded Audi 1.8T for example), but see no need in MOST of our applications unless your engine sees a lot of hard miles (city/track usage, etc..), or you would like the extra sense of security.

As for the mp3 adapter, I have had no issues with my Blitzsafe. If I had an Ipod I would look into the other adapter being mentioned.

 

I use Mobil 1 synthetic and haven't had any issues. As for the adapter, I bought the iSimple from Uncald4 and I really like it. I can use the steering wheel to switch tracks and change the volume, plus I can listen to Pandora through the stereo. No complaints whatsoever!

 

Nice NBP FTW.

 

I use synthetic only but you can use a blend or conventional and it will be fine. Just adjust your OCI accordingly.

and congratz on the pick up. If I see you around town, i'll try to flag you down. Hope to meet you in person soon at some local meets! Check the sac chat thread for the latest!

 

Im not a fan of rattle can custom interior part, and not answering was my way of "if you cant say anything nice don't say anything at all"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I had titanium parts in my moderately-highly modified motor, I use to send my used oil for analysis. It always came back with high sodium and titanium levels (I used a particular synthetic oil) and due to that oil not providing sufficient lubrication to internal engine components the engine fail.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Synthetic:

Synthetic has a better shear capability, better cling, and thermal breakdown IS an issue in a daily driver. More so if it's a turbo car. [Dan Stern added Other [advantages] include much lower pour point, much less viscosity change over time, and flat-out better lubricity. All of these are quite advantageous indeed--even in daily drivers. That lower pour point is particularly good--it means that oil gets where it needs to be much more rapidly after a cold start, especially in very cold weather. ... What you refer to as "thermal breakdown" manifests itself as sludge and that tarlike goo that comes out of your crankcase every 3k miles. It happens on daily drivers! If you're not driving in conditions that let you take advantage of the lower pour point of synthetic oil, then you're most likely driving in conditions that let you take advantage of the resistance to thermal breakdown.



see more here: http://www.allpar.com/eek/synthetic.html

 

#3, there is a thread in the 2nd gen TL forum about the simple cheap fix for that issue, so wander over there to find the detailed info.

 

nice pick up

 

Thanks for the advice and feedback everyone.

I guess I can see why spraying the trim could be frowned upon, but I did a quick search and found that some people had decent results. Also, contrary to what I was told on here, I found a pic in the for sale section that had the door trim removed:

 

yea thats my old woods.
do you need the know how to remove them ?
let me know,it's fairly easy.

 

nice pick up! Welcome!

 

Here is a good video on how to take out and repair a TL seat heater. Same basic procedure for the CL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Ftv3hnDXk

Nice pickup and welcome.

 

Nice video for sure.
My passenger heater don't work either.

 

congrats! how much did you pay for her if you don't mind me asking?

 

nice vid! who made that? that vid should be posted in the 2G TL DIY heated seat thread.

 

it is not contrary to what i said. i didnt say you cant remove the trim i said the dealer and online stores wont sell the trim seperate from the door panel.

 

Nice video, thanks!


My mistake, I misinterpreted!

 

Synthetic. Amsoil has been absolutely great for me.