Galant - holiday's overhaul

[swinks]

Well guys, as mentioned before, got 3 weeks holidays in PL. Lots of driving and visiting family and friends, but most important finally got 5 days off to take care of my Galant VR4.
Here some brief report:

1st and 2nd day - Brembo conversion.
Stripped front hubs. Got massive struggle with driver's side driveshaft. Couldn't remove off hub. Yeah... I know all tricks (nut, copper chunk and hammer, etc.)... Lost all day, gave up, and removed hub with driveshaft, left for all night soaking with wd-40 like strange liquid. Next morning managed to disassembly.
So got delay with Brembo calipers and new Bilstein B8 (short) shock absorbers.
Also discovered both steering rack boots knackered and passenger side inner cv boot splitted. Close investigation: just rubber, nothing worrying. To my surprise both steering rod ends were in perfect condition, so replaced just track rod ends.
Jobs done:
- new steering rack boots
- new track rod ends
- new anti roll bar drop links
- facelift hub carrier
- Brembo calipers
- new ebc discs
- new Mintex 1144 pads (first got 1166 but noise was bigger than bloody train with coal load, so changed to 1144)
- "rust gone away"
- wheel tracking and alignement
Pictures:

[swinks]

3rd day - engine.
Unfortunately haven't got pictures To be honest I was busy with fillig up swear jar.
Well, didn't expect such massive struggle with this...
Decided to do full change of timing belt etc. The worst part was to get water pump out (steering pump on a way). Instead spent 5 hours I spent 9 hours but in the end completed all jobs:
- new timing belt
- new drive belts
- new water pump
- new hydraulic tensioner
- new pulleys
- new crank pulley
Well, in the end hydraulic tensioner and crank pulley were in very good nick, having new replacements I changed them... At least I don't need do the same job in a future.
Also changed injectors for a newly refurbished by Ben at Eurosopec.

[Nutter_John]

Nice work Thomas , gotta love the axel stands

[swinks]

4th day - undersealing.
This time it wasn't me to get hands dirty. Thanks to Bart from Mitsumaniaki PL forum.
He's got blame for all job. Must say I was impressed by quality of his job.
- rust removing (sand blasting etc.)
- bare metal treatment with Lead tetroxide paint
- 2 coats of undersealing
Total of 9 hours job.
Price paid for all was stunning: 80 GBP!
Also I can recommend Bart for complex job: engine servicing (as described in my day no 3) plus undersealing for 250 GBP (excl. enigine parts).

Pictures as follow:

[swinks]

5th Day - rear brakes
Haven't got time to do polybushes. Again, got stock with hub and driveshaft. Couldn't leave for next day
So managed only to do:
- new ebc brake disc
- new Mintex 1155 pads
- new rear arb drop links
- new KYB UltraSR shock absorbers
- change oils in diffs (front and rear) and ayc
- new brake fluid (blue racing one)
Also changed rubber water pipes to nice blue silicone ones and fitted rear view camera into bumper.

6th day - summary.
Well, some of the planned jobs didn't completed, especially polybushes due to lack of time.
Got also few nasty surprises:
- drivers side engine mount is knackered (just I ordered new poly ones)
- rear driver side hub bearing is soon gone (not yet noisy, but can feel bit play)
- both exhaust flexi couplers completely gone (car is sitting too low and this RPW downpipe is nearly touching ground) - o2 sensor has false readings
- got to windscreen chips (one in UK, other in Germany) - so soon windscreen to replace

Well, apart of my... ... Galant is now in better shape than many of 3 yrs old vehicles . What is left to do?
Body detailing, etc. Front bumper especially, and plenty of parking dents.
Fine engine tune, I'm leaving this to Eurospec and Nutter_John.
And... that's it!

[Atik]

Excellent work there Looks really good. And like NJ said, awesome axle stands!

[miller]

those axel stands would go nicely on my log burner!

[Mark 4]

Good work Tomasz, pleased for you.

Those axle stands are probably more reliable than anything you can buy in our high streets. Can't beat a decent bit of wood.

[swinks]

Those axle stands are probably more reliable than anything you can buy in our high streets. Can't beat a decent bit of wood.

Been said... Words of wisdom

[tonyfazer]

Wow dude you have been busy.......good work fella





Tony

[ANTHONY]

Nice work Thomas , gotta love the axel stands

i can get them from work problem is they come in 7m lengths

[swinks]

i can get them from work problem is they come in 7m lengths

Even better option...

[giblet]

Thats a lot work, I admire how much effort you have put in! How long did it take you to drive to Poland? A friend of mine has moved to Krakow to teach for a year and im tempted to drive down to visit him at some point

[MarkSanne]

Great job Tomasz! Wish I had the time and energy to do some of the same to my cars.

[swinks]

Thats a lot work, I admire how much effort you have put in! How long did it take you to drive to Poland? A friend of mine has moved to Krakow to teach for a year and im tempted to drive down to visit him at some point

Depends...
Real drive from Dunkirk to Krakow is 17 hrs. But always it takes me few days. I would you recommend strongly a Mosel Valley (D) route. Not directly but very entertaining.
Recently, way back from PL to UK, I've been to Rothenburg (D), Speyer (D) and Brugge (B) on my way back home, and total was 4 days.
Next year there are Swiss passes in plans (incl stevio one).
Driving just thru continent is very very boring.

[swinks]

Well, forgot attach few pictures from holidays:

[swinks]

So, few weeks gone, everything seems to run smooth. Apparently fuel cut "moved" up to 0.9 bar (was 0.8 bar), which is sweet.
But, have some issues with lowered suspension. Genneraly, it's too low!:
1. My 18" Nissan wheels already were bit out of arches (hence arch extensions for MOT purposes). Was fine with stock height, but now front is -40mm on short Spax springs and Bilsten B8 absorbers. With big bumps and potholes on a road arch can rub agains wheel. Same with rear (-20mm) with fully loaded luggage.
2. My exhaust downpipe (RPW made) is dangerously to close to the ground (2 to 3 inches). Already was sitting lower than stock one but now - not fun at all.

But must admit - handling is awsome!
More pics how it's lowered:

[swinks]

What suggestions are to fix my virtually existing problem?
1. Should I do change for coilovers and rise a bit front? Well, It's shame to throw away new Bilstein set. And I need really hard set up.
2. Wheels, must go for Evo ones, but seems that Enkei only may do the job. Tried OZ one from Evo 7 and... didn't fit onto Brembo calipers (2mm short and rubbing caliper).
Open to suggestions...

[Gly]

custom springs,

i have 2 sets of adjustables,

Cusco Vacanza, and Tanabe Sustec Pros

the Cuscos are much more comfort orientated, with 8kg front 5kg rears,
i can bottom these out if im not careful especially with a loaded car,

and the Tanabes are much more sport orientated, 10.8kg front and 8.6kg rears,
these are much more solid, and the car isnt affected by loads so much,

im considering changing the spring rates on the cuscos when i can.

[tonyfazer]

Hi Tomasz....were is the castle dude it looks awsome.....car looks cool too