evildriver build/question thread

Hey guys, as I begin my build and questions come up I'm hoping to get a little help while avoiding cluttering the forum. Background... bone stock 08 spec.B w/ 32k miles. Came from Cali, so super clean and not much rust. The plan is to start with suspension/drivetrain and then engine. Sorry in advance for any long winded posts.

Anyway today I installed the GS MCB, Group N pitch stop, Group N trans mount, Group N crossmember bushings, and Kartboy front shifter bushings. Everything went pretty smoothly for my first time wrenching on this car.

That being said... first question. I have a feeling I tightened the two nuts that connect the crossmember to the trans mount too much. I went snug with a ratchet and then set my torque wrench to 50 ft lbs but it just kept going. In fact, I have a feeling I may have started pulling one of the studs out of the trans mount. Is that possible? As I thought about it on the ground I was guessing maybe a torque wrench wouldn't work with the bushing in there.

Trans mount torqued up fine. Pitch stop was fine. Shifter bushings and MCB I went "good n tight" on because of limited space. Everything sounds and feels fine when I drive it. NVH is minimal IMO. I'm a little surprised considering how many people complain about it.

Let me know what ya think. Thanks in advance.

The stud should be threaded or welded to the metal plate in the mount.

You should be fine.

BTW there are very few items I torque when putting things on the car.

I did torque the crank pulley when I replaced the timing belt. I always torque the lug nut's. that's about it.

Oh yea, FW and pressure pad bolts. Torque them too.

sounds good, thanks guys. i may let things settle over the week and recheck.

question two... the MCB is a little off center of the master cylinder. i have a feeling it's because i snuck the fuel line bracket back on between the MCB and the strut tower. is it worth having the bracket on there or should i just pull it and get the MCB centered on the master cylinder? i can snap a pic over lunch if you need to see what i'm talking about.

Max may not torque his bolts, but he also knows what the hell he's doing and has been around cars for quite a while (at least that's my understanding). New guys: torque specs, torque specs, torque specs! If you can get a torque wrench on it and have the specs, there is no purpose in not using both. Byron, stop telling noobs not to bother with torque specs!

OP, I doubt you did any damage. The spec on those is 51 ft/lbs (sounds like you knew that), which is a pretty good bit of force.

Yea I've been doing this type stuff for over 40 years now.

It's always a good idea to go back and check things over too. Good thought there evildriver.

I won't say I've never had nut's or bolts fall off the car over time...lol

Yea I've been doing this type stuff for over 40 years now.

 

It's always a good idea to go back and check things over too. Good thought there evildriver.

 

I won't say I've never had nut's or bolts fall off the car over time...lol

+1 for this. Been working on cars since about 1972, and I rarely torque much except for the standards-head bolts, crank pulley, lugnuts, intake manifold bolts, oil pump bolts.

I generally go by the addage "Tights tight, and too tights broke" on most things and then on some other, "tighten it just as tight as you can get it and then go another half turn" (really BIG stuff).

It's always worked for me and very RARELY had anything fall off or break during use.

sounds good, thanks guys. i may let things settle over the week and recheck.

 

question two... the MCB is a little off center of the master cylinder. i have a feeling it's because i snuck the fuel line bracket back on between the MCB and the strut tower. is it worth having the bracket on there or should i just pull it and get the MCB centered on the master cylinder? i can snap a pic over lunch if you need to see what i'm talking about.

Did you flatten the bracket out before adding it to the mix?

Also, how off centered is it? Mine is off center a bit, but if the disc is still in full contact with the MC, and all the bolts on the strut tower wall are tight... you should be fine.

on a final note, search for 'vacation pics'... and you will have a plethora of torque specs for the future!

Although I have been using German torque for certain things for a very long time (Gutentight), or just doing things by feel (you get that with lots of age and experience, but experience also comes from bad judgment and mistakes).... there were very smart engineers who came up with the necessary clamping forces needed, to specify torque values for nearly all bolts. Now if we're talking the tiny plastic timing covers, those bolts are not critical. But a lot of things are, so there is no replacement for using a good/calibrated torque wrench everywhere possible, using the correct torque. Rust and fluids/gunk can throw those off though, be aware and beware.

So, yes I"m torn between the redneck mechanic in me (saying git-r-dun) versus the actual me which is an engineer (saying that everything is made for a reason and dont question the engineer).... but I default to the engineer unless in a jam. It's also a big difference between stuff that comes apart often (racing) and a DD which gets forgotten about regularly, and everywhere in between (most sporty drivers or "enthusiasts" like a lot of us are).

evildriver if you are sick of the car or think you screwed something up so bad, you can always sell it to me I couldn't imagine finding a 06-09 spec.B with that low mileage these days.

Although I have been using German torque for certain things for a very long time (Gutentight), or just doing things by feel (you get that with lots of age and experience, but experience also comes from bad judgment and mistakes).... there were very smart engineers who came up with the necessary clamping forces needed, to specify torque values for nearly all bolts. Now if we're talking the tiny plastic timing covers, those bolts are not critical. But a lot of things are, so there is no replacement for using a good/calibrated torque wrench everywhere possible, using the correct torque. Rust and fluids/gunk can throw those off though, be aware and beware.

 

So, yes I"m torn between the redneck mechanic in me (saying git-r-dun) versus the actual me which is an engineer (saying that everything is made for a reason and dont question the engineer).... but I default to the engineer unless in a jam. It's also a big difference between stuff that comes apart often (racing) and a DD which gets forgotten about regularly, and everywhere in between (most sporty drivers or "enthusiasts" like a lot of us are).

 

evildriver if you are sick of the car or think you screwed something up so bad, you can always sell it to me I couldn't imagine finding a 06-09 spec.B with that low mileage these days.

In my 8 years as a Flightline Jet Engine Mechanic in the USAF, the only things we troqued were the jet engine mounts. Everything else was tight enough.

Like I said before, it should boil down to this:

 

-Noobs: torque everything to spec and you'll be fine.

-Seasoned DIYers: do whatever you want because you're going to anyway and because if/when something goes wrong you'll just fix it anyway.

-Everyone: torque your lug nuts back on twice, once when you put the wheels back on and once 50 miles later. No one wants to lose a wheel on the highway.

I agree, I alway's torque lug nut's...after I put anti-sieze compound on them. I torque every lug nut to 80ftlbs. From the Crew Cab Duelly, the 40ft trailer it towed, the race car, all my cars and trucks over the years.

Yes head bolts always get torqued too.

Did you flatten the bracket out before adding it to the mix?

 

Also, how off centered is it? Mine is off center a bit, but if the disc is still in full contact with the MC, and all the bolts on the strut tower wall are tight... you should be fine.

 

on a final note, search for 'vacation pics'... and you will have a plethora of torque specs for the future!

Yeah I flattened the fuel line bracket. The width of the bracket is pretty much the same as the amount the MCB is off. I'll take a pic tonight... But I'm not too concerned at this point. Thanks for the vacation pics tip. I always wondered what that was about but never looked at the threads. Needs moar bewbs IMO.

evildriver if you are sick of the car or think you screwed something up so bad, you can always sell it to me I couldn't imagine finding a 06-09 spec.B with that low mileage these days.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l97/03evildriver/Funnies/cold_zps1c775b87.gif

Evil you have a gem there, care for it.

Max I assume you mean 80 on Subaru lug nuts, my Super Duty truck takes 165 ft-lbs. Which is funny since that is more torque than my 94 Leggy EJ22E engine makes.

oh i know what i have... i only spent a couple years trying to find it.

here are a couple pics of the MCB.

I think that's fine. Mine is similar to that.

I swear not all those holes in the strut tower are created equal.

alright, i'm on to the next phase... installing STi pinks, whiteline roll-center/bump-steer kit, anti-dive/caster kit, front inner control arm bushings, and camber adjustment kit this weekend. i started on the pinks tonight and ran into a couple questions.

1) how necessary of a step is it to use new self-locking nuts? i did this on my old car but completely forgot to order some new ones this time around.

2) when i disassembled the front struts i never saw the #18 (spacer) between the strut mount and the upper spring seat. is it potentially connected to one of those parts and i didn't notice it?

thanks in advance

alright so everything is installed... went to get an alignment today and the shop said they can only get -.6 degrees camber on the front drivers side... everything else they got to -1.2 for me. they said my options are a smaller diameter bolt or grind the strut. i'm not a big fan of either option. i told them to just do -.6 on both sides in the front for now and keep -1.2 in the rear.

thoughts on why just that one side is giving me trouble?

number 18 was probably stuck to the next piece..

I used new nuts. Why wouldn't you? They are cheap at the dealer.

tech loosened up the LCA and dialed in -1.1 in the front for both sides... i'm happy.

i'll probably order some self locking nuts in the near future and replace them. what is everyone's thoughts on just removing the dust covers and replacing those nuts while the struts are still on the car?

I don't see an issue with it! there are... three right?

do one at a time would be my rec.

hotchkis sways / avo reinforcement brackets / kartboy solid endlinks are going on this weekend. they've been sitting in the closet staring at me for months!

i need some stage 3 advice as well. originally i was planning a mild stage two and eventually a stage 3 E85 build but the VF46 - GS DP fitment issues have pushed me to upgrade the turbo. initially i was thinking stock fueling and TMIC but the more i think about it the more i want both. i like to be prepared and do things right the first time. thoughts?

parts list:

rebuilt / PnP'ed VF52

turbo blanket & heat shield

IP&T turbo oil supply line v2 kit (awaiting release)

GS TMIC (awaiting release)

blue-tee replacement

GS dp coated & wrapped + adaptor

DW65c

ID 1000cc & PnP kit

GS EBCS

turbosmart BPV

what are the small things i'm missing? i've got the turbo to DP gasket and exhaust gaskets (including the doughnut). i'll probably swipe a UP to turbo gasket while i'm at it as well. should i get any o-rings/gaskets for the fuel pump / injectors or will they come with what i need? i know my list is missing plugs, i'm still researching which ones to go with. i'll also be installing the killer b pickup and baffle. probably upgrading the motors mounts while i'm down there as well. recommendations on sealant for the oil pan? i'll likely be checking out the banjo bolt as well.