What have you done to your P5 today?

It took me 2-1/2 hours to change my horn and 2 headlight bulbs on my car. Why 2 hours? Because BOTH screws holding my grille to my headlights are seized in place. So, I had to cut the tabs on the grille to carefully remove the front bumper... with the headlights still attached. We're good though.

I hope I'm not the only n00b that made the mistake of getting the recommended Blazer horn from Autozone as a replacement. It is WAY more obnoxious than factory... but for $15, it's a good temp horn. However, I do feel less masculine atm.
 
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Got the rear brakes finished last night. What a PITA.....thought calipers were seized so bolted everything up Sat. night to wait for a friend to stop by last night to help with bleeding. Bought two reman. calipers yesterday and when we mounted everything up the front pad wouldn't clear the rotor, we tweaked it to fit but then the backside of the rotor would rub on the bracket...trip back to AZ to confirm part #s and double check that I had the right pads/rotors, check, check and check...got back home and we played around with the old calipers and found they were not seized (oops!) so bolted them up and eveyrthing fit just fine....bled both sides and she's back on the road and I have $255 back in my pocket! :D

gotta rock them 14s!

Oh yeah!

It took me 2-1/2 hours to change my horn and 2 headlight bulbs on my car. Why 2 hours? Because BOTH screws holding my grille to my headlights are seized in place. So, I had to cut the tabs on the grille to carefully remove the front bumper... with the headlights still attached. We're good though.

I hope I'm not the only n00b that made the mistake of getting the recommended Blazer horn from Autozone as a replacement. It is WAY more obnoxious than factory... but for $15, it's a good temp horn. However, I do feel less masculine atm.

Did you try some PB Blaster on those bolts first? I will say that I'm stumped as to how you removed the bumper with the headlights attached? Unless I'm reading it wrong.

What are your perm plans for the horn? I've been using the Stebel Nautilus for a few years now and very happy with it. Hella Supertones are another nice choice.
 
Moved a KA24e motor today with the masher... wish I knew fluids were still in there. :/

It wasn't bad but still shoulda bagged the motor. Also went disc golfing with it. We had fun got 38 holes done. Twas a relaxing ride home.
 
It turns out you don't need to remove the EGR tube as long as you don't need to remove the bottom-half of the manifold (or as it's referred to in the service manual, the "dynamic chamber"). You'll end up with the following left in the engine bay. Which is fine, if all you're doing is checking the VTCS/VICS butterfly screws then you don't need to remove anything else.

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BTW, you're going to need new gaskets so get this kit from Mazda (FSY1-13-SRZ):
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You get all of that for $22 (less than the price of just the intake gasket)! This was the kit they developed for the VTCS/VICS recall, and most places still have a bunch in stock (my local dealer had over 400). The lady at the parts counter literally had to wipe the dust off of it before selling it to me :D

While I was in there I deleted my VTCS butterflies, the butt-dyno says it pulls harder but we'll find out for sure at the track on Monday ;)

awesome dude thanks for the pics and part number! thats gonna help the gasket brands we sell dont carry the plenum chamber gasket so thats a big +. so then the bottom part may stay in to remove the vcts?? cool i guess its easier than i thought, ill get to it this weekend, thanks again!
 
Got the bay ready for Mazfest

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Then installed rivet nuts and JDP front lip

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Then took the lip off until I leave on Friday so I don't destroy it getting out of my driveway (will have to install it in the street :icon_lol: )
 
All you need now is to replace that ugly PS can that's ruining the look of your gorgeous bay....and I'm not going to mention anything about the windshield washer res. LOL
 
Hey katya4me where in NoVA are you located? Im in Springfield/Burke area. There are no protege people out here except for me....atleast that i know of...
 
Haven't been on here in a long time. Replaced my rear calipers. Rotors. And pads. Seems like every time I do a rear brake job on this car calipers are included.

On a more personal note I'm now a Nissan tech ��
 
Haven't been on here in a long time. Replaced my rear calipers. Rotors. And pads. Seems like every time I do a rear brake job on this car calipers are included.

On a more personal note I'm now a Nissan tech ��

That's how mine was toward the end of its life.
 
I recently replaced my rear brake setup since one caliper was seized and leaking so bad the brake fluid reservoir would run dry every 3 days. I bought a full MSP brake setup (calipers, rotos, pads, lines). I resurfaced all rotors and painted the calipers. Rear got installed, but I haven't had time to install the fronts. Currently, my rear brakes are larger than my fronts >.<

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Havent been on in a long time. Moved to New Orleans and in state 4 days and got hit. Car was in the shop for 7 weeks and they messed it up bad. Rear quarter panel is shifted forward about 3/8" and the paint job they did is s***. In the process of dealing with geico (lady who hit me insurance) to get they to make it right. Going to want they to repaint the whole car as compensation.

But besides that put on a custon overflow can made out of a paint ball CO2 tank, replacing front wheel bearings as right side is making noise, and getting new tires for my birthday. Cant wait to be back to normal.
 
^ I got hit 3 months into owning mine. Car did a bad job, quarter panel isn't close to stock width and paint was chipping off. They immediately went out of business
 
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