Gotta share with some fellow car lovers
Done a few little things to the wife's Pro5 recently. Started off with the cute little power window switch mod: flipped a wire and a fuse, and now the power windows work all the time, no key in the ignition needed. Very slick. Also put a 12" Pyle sub in a 2cu ft sealed box under the package shelf driven by a MTX 6500 amp. I already had all the electronics, so cost was $20 for an amp wiring kit. The box takes up the right hand third of the space, not bad at all. Sounds great, nice and tight and clean, now the rest of the (stock) stereo really needs work! Door speakers to come next 9have those too) then maybe a head unit. There is something to be said for the stock unit, I consider it a good anti-theft device
Then we put a 160F thermostat in the engine, done it to all my cars, seems to help things stay cooler and maybe makes a bit more power. We put Redline fluid in the transmission and Kartboy bushings on the shifter linkage, made it slicker and tighter, very nice.
I bought a $26 intake with a K&N knockoff filter on Ebay awhile back and never put it on, had been assuming it was a cai and found out it was a sri when it came. Had it sitting in the garage for a while, but decided, what the heck, throw it on and see how it is. It might gain a little horsepower, loose a little low-end torque, depends on who you listen to, but man did it smooth the engine out. I couldn't believe it. It idles so smooth and quiet now, smoother than my truck's v-8, I thought I killed it the first time I braked to a stop. I had to look at the tach to see if the engine was on. I mean, no vibration, and this thing's a friggin four-banger. Anyone else notice this?? It does sounds cool under acceleration, and makes the engine feels way smoother, less thrashy, in the higher rpm's also. Not bad at all. I'll watch mileage and see what happens.
But the best mod so far was really cool: replaced the stock rubber rear sway-bar bushings with polyurethane, and wow, did that make a difference. I wasn't expecting all that much, but it totally makes this thing feel like a rear-wheel drive car. It is so flat and balanced in the curves now, instead of feeling a bit nose-heavy. It wasn't bad by any means before, in fact it was really good compared to most cars, but this little $20 mod balanced it out and makes the rear tires do more cornering. This isn't just me jawing either; my wife, in the passenger seat, said "wow" on the first corner at the end of the street. Order the part at JC Whitney and bend the bracket so it fits, and you have way better, balanced ride for few $ (cool)
Just yesterday we got a set of lowering springs, I got them for $100 through a dude in the Marketplace, he says customers so far think they're good. They're supposed to lower the car about an inch and it's supposed to be just slightly firmer than stock; I sure hope it's not much harder, cause the car rides dang good as it is. I just want to lower it a bit. They go on next week.
All good stuff; i like this car. With the sri and the bushings, it's a very different ride. Drive on.
Done a few little things to the wife's Pro5 recently. Started off with the cute little power window switch mod: flipped a wire and a fuse, and now the power windows work all the time, no key in the ignition needed. Very slick. Also put a 12" Pyle sub in a 2cu ft sealed box under the package shelf driven by a MTX 6500 amp. I already had all the electronics, so cost was $20 for an amp wiring kit. The box takes up the right hand third of the space, not bad at all. Sounds great, nice and tight and clean, now the rest of the (stock) stereo really needs work! Door speakers to come next 9have those too) then maybe a head unit. There is something to be said for the stock unit, I consider it a good anti-theft device
Then we put a 160F thermostat in the engine, done it to all my cars, seems to help things stay cooler and maybe makes a bit more power. We put Redline fluid in the transmission and Kartboy bushings on the shifter linkage, made it slicker and tighter, very nice.
I bought a $26 intake with a K&N knockoff filter on Ebay awhile back and never put it on, had been assuming it was a cai and found out it was a sri when it came. Had it sitting in the garage for a while, but decided, what the heck, throw it on and see how it is. It might gain a little horsepower, loose a little low-end torque, depends on who you listen to, but man did it smooth the engine out. I couldn't believe it. It idles so smooth and quiet now, smoother than my truck's v-8, I thought I killed it the first time I braked to a stop. I had to look at the tach to see if the engine was on. I mean, no vibration, and this thing's a friggin four-banger. Anyone else notice this?? It does sounds cool under acceleration, and makes the engine feels way smoother, less thrashy, in the higher rpm's also. Not bad at all. I'll watch mileage and see what happens.
But the best mod so far was really cool: replaced the stock rubber rear sway-bar bushings with polyurethane, and wow, did that make a difference. I wasn't expecting all that much, but it totally makes this thing feel like a rear-wheel drive car. It is so flat and balanced in the curves now, instead of feeling a bit nose-heavy. It wasn't bad by any means before, in fact it was really good compared to most cars, but this little $20 mod balanced it out and makes the rear tires do more cornering. This isn't just me jawing either; my wife, in the passenger seat, said "wow" on the first corner at the end of the street. Order the part at JC Whitney and bend the bracket so it fits, and you have way better, balanced ride for few $ (cool)
Just yesterday we got a set of lowering springs, I got them for $100 through a dude in the Marketplace, he says customers so far think they're good. They're supposed to lower the car about an inch and it's supposed to be just slightly firmer than stock; I sure hope it's not much harder, cause the car rides dang good as it is. I just want to lower it a bit. They go on next week.
All good stuff; i like this car. With the sri and the bushings, it's a very different ride. Drive on.
