Project Tc

[carboncrazytc]

powder coat the headers ??? wont it just burn the paint and turn it funny colors ??

[navylife59]

Not this, it is a special high-temp coating that is supposed to be good up to 1000°F once cured. It is offered by Eastwood and is pricey at $20.99 for an 8oz bottle. It isn't as good as a ceramic coating, but far cheaper and easier for me to do.

OK, the shifter mod is done (minus testing). Due to the map cubby trim being real close, I may have to adjust the angle back about 5°. My forefinger gets pinched when I shift to 1st with my hand on the end. Shifting 1st with my hand gripping the TRD shift knob like a baseball bast solves the problem. Can alos be fixed by going with a ball shifter.

The idea came to me over a year ago. Remembering the old Hurst side shifters on old muscle cars, I thought that a smiliar geometry might help with shifting ergonomics. It has been low on my priority list. With my upcoming tranny buildout, it needed to get done. I will post this as a how-to article once it is tested OK.

[navylife59]

This is why I can't test out the shifter yet. It may get hidden away below my S/C compressor, but atleast I know it is there. Clean, rebuilt, and powdercoated in metal flake (black/blue), red, and reflective chrome, then cleared. The starter was rather easy to take apart and reassemble. You just have to be careful of the polarity order of the field magnets.

[navylife59]

As advertised, here are updated pics of my highly modified TRD S/C compressor housing. Besides the sweet Starlight Blue powder coat w/ 95% gloss topcoat, you will see the manifold boss drilled to be taped for 1/8" NPT fitting for a PLX Devices Air Temp sensor, the TRD air intake "horn" mounting flange is ground smooth, and rough cast polish that includes a clear toughcoat. The toughcoat give the overlying rough cast surface a nearly smooth and impermeable surface to further reduce air to surface friction. The housing's impeller mate surface was bead blasted slighty and lightly coated to allow the impeller to "reseat" for a better seal. I am by no means a Forced Induction expert. Just trying to squeek a little better adiabatic efficiency out of this Vortech unit. Call me crazy, just trying to think out of the box. Also spoke with a "soon to be authorized" TRD S/C repair facility. They state that the TRD supplied horseshoe brackets are the cause of all the TRD woes; from the broken mounting bracket, the blown end seal, and the worn shaft end bearings, to the complete failure of the torque shaft. I was told that the torque shaft is made out of mild steel and will sheer the keyway off if I try to spin to 14.5PSI. He maybe right or wrong as I am not the only one that has tried this.

[navylife59]

Just a lil powder coating madness



Yeah, I cheated on the block and tranny using hi-temp engine ceramic paint.

[carboncrazytc]

lol thats alot of blue . you should name your car the smurf.. but it looks sweet : )

[ac3 b00gi3]

the blue really is nice
i take it thats ur favorite color
do you powder coat them ur self ??

[Ahriman]

Originally Posted by navylife59

How's this?

have you considered painting the stock wheels black? I like the stock tC wheels, but black on that blue would be siq. its not that hard, just some light sanding to ruff up the surface, then a few coats of that dupli color wheel coating and some clear coat. it can be done in just a couple hours, and comes out looking great!

[navylife59]

Originally Posted by ac3 b00gi3

the blue really is nice
i take it thats ur favorite color
do you powder coat them ur self ??

Yes, I do it all myself in my little workshed. I bought the PC gun and powders from Eastwood Yep, I love blue. I will be accenting with black to balance it out and a few reds no and then.

Originally Posted by Ahriman

have you considered painting the stock wheels black? I like the stock tC wheels, but black on that blue would be siq. its not that hard, just some light sanding to ruff up the surface, then a few coats of that dupli color wheel coating and some clear coat. it can be done in just a couple hours, and comes out looking great!

That is my plan for my Son's RS3.0, except for, I am going to powder coat them. A friend painted his bronze on his silverstreak and it looked awesome using the paint kit that you are talking about. It turned out way better than I though it would. I thinking for my Son of doing like a black chrome. As for me, I am getting a gloss black insert with a polished chrome lip.

[Speedstar]

So how do you like the motor mounts for your set up? I know that ZPI is out of the tuner market now, but over all do you think that they were worth while?

[ac3 b00gi3]

i just boost and have a set of motor mounts and they feel great .. reduced wheel hop
but i also have a weapon r torque damper .. soo im sure there both doing there jobs

[navylife59]

Originally Posted by Speedstar

So how do you like the motor mounts for your set up? I know that ZPI is out of the tuner market now, but over all do you think that they were worth while?

I have the stock mounts with a set of Energy Suspension polyurethane inserts on order. Since I have a complete powertrain assembly, I am going to engineer a set made out of aluminum like Hasport has for KA swaps. If all goes well, I will produce them. The tC has 4 engine mounts and is why it is a sturdy platform for torque. I will see how the Energy bits do first.

[ac3 b00gi3]

theres 4 ?
how come i ordered the polyurathene ones from speed source they said they only sent two ?

[navylife59]

Dunno. Maybe they don't know. There is a mount off the timing chain cover, one on the backside at the crossmember, one at the end of the transmission, and one at the lower radiator mount.

[carboncrazytc]

do you think motor mounts are a neccesity ???? for boost

[navylife59]

Not unless your pushing over 300WHP.

[carboncrazytc]

hmm so i might wanna look into that.. should i replace the whole mount or just get the urethane inserts ??