Lewis7789 2002 Protege5 build thread (tons of pics)

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Sean, when I get the exhaust welded up I'll got to my work parking lot and try to get some video.

AJ, I don't have an LSD. I also don't have the 200hp KLZE (like Justin and Sean), I basically have a Probe GT KLDE motor (170hp). Though if this tranny doesn't start to wear in and get easier to shift I think I will be looking for another tranny to swap in and put the LSD in that. There are a couple KL 626's at Pull-a-Part with manual tranny's. Probably not the ideal gear ratios but I'm not a race car driver either.

The reasoning behind not getting the LSD is that they are a bit expensive ($650 for a new MFactory) and I don't have much horsepowa........ yet.
 
There are a couple KL 626's at Pull-a-Part with manual tranny's. Probably not the ideal gear ratios but I'm not a race car driver either.

The difference in gearing is pretty negligible. But the gain in MPGs should be noticeable, with the 626 trans vs MX6 (assuming the MX6 is the same as the PGT, which I still haven't heard either way about).
 
well limited slips are good for handling power but no matter how much you have they will make you faster pretty much everywhere
 
lol I don't think they were being serious either. I think they were doing the sarcastic internetz you mad joke. I can't wait to check this beast out either! Next weekend!
 
The difference in gearing is pretty negligible. But the gain in MPGs should be noticeable, with the 626 trans vs MX6 (assuming the MX6 is the same as the PGT, which I still haven't heard either way about).


The MX-6 is the same as the early 626's, the 1-5 gears are the same in all, but the PGTs and MX-3s had a shorter FD; I just broke out all of the ratio's in my build thread (currently shopping for a trans). The later 626s (~2002) went with an even shorter 5th gear ratio but have the same FD as the MX-6. The difference can be small, but the reasoning behing the different FDs was the tire offering from the factory, or so I hear. If you use the PGT/MX-3 trans with a 215/45/17, the effective speed/rpm in each gear are spot on with a MX-6 trans w/ 205/45/16. In theory if you wanted shorter gears, you would go PGT/MX-3 trans with the 205/45/16 wheel and tire package. If mpg's are your thing go with the any of the 626/MX-6 trannys. In the end, the difference @ 70mph is +/-200rpm.

Maybe Justin can chime in, but he mentioned that if you go PGT trans, you can't run the MSP diff. I'm not sure why that is, or if it would be as easy as swapping ring gears to make it work, maybe he can give specifics. I already have an MX-3 trans but am having trouble with the halfshaft assembly and I think that you need the same halfshaft that came with your trans (which I haven't found).

**Edit, fix some typo's and reword a few statements.
 
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Well it was a semi-busy weekend. Just working some bugs out of the car. The biggest bug was my 1500rpm idle. That was annoying as s***. I adjusted the idle screw all the way down (it was around 2k rpm). So I cut down the spacer in the throttle linkage and that didn't help. I adjusted the throttle cable at the TB and that didn't help. Then I found a little allen bolt and nut that needed to be backed off so the TB butterfly would close completely. Aww yeah. Worked like a charm. Nice smooth idle at 700 rpm and not really much vibration from the AWR motor mounts. Gotta love the V6.

I went to Josh's house then shop for some welding on the exhaust. He got the tubing all welding up and used the old Corksport hangers, with some heating and bending, welding up. It sounds much better now and doesn't drone at all on the highway which I am THRILLED about. My old FS-DE setup droned like crazy.
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What do you think about those welds, Josh? Yeah, I thought so. So silly. He welded the exhaust tubing together but the very top so I put the clamp back on and it sealed it up.
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Poll time: Rice or Nice? I got it from Amazon and it works pretty well. I like it.
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I finally got to clearcoat my DGM hood this weekend. The first round was a freaking disaster. haha. Clearcoating is farking hard! It was all streaky and uneven. So I picked up some 1000 grit sandpaper and wet sanded it and it just looked worse. So I cleaned everything and sprayed it again. I still don't have the perfect spray mixture down but it came out much better. Good enough for this year. I'm sure I'll need to redo it all next year. The clearcoat has some tight orange peel to it. And I just put the hood on today. I've always loved CF bits on cars and especially on o0n8's (Nate from Columbus' silver MSP) car. But too me it looks a little too "Hey look at me!" so I might paint it silver in the fall when the stock hood goes back on for the winter.
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And a pic of the engine bay. I still need to wire up my oil pressure guage and HID's.
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Ivan, don't get your hopes up man, it's still slow. Expecially compared to your new MS3. :)

Cheese, I am very thankfully for all my friends (online and in the real world) indeed. And thank you for voting.

Here's some pics my GF took of Kevin and I working on his rear stainless steel brakelines. Some of the 10mm nuts were rusted so he had to cut them and make new flares. But he's a pro at them now. It was raining during the last brakeline and during the bleeding process. heh-heh.
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I mean, who stops in the middle of working to take a phone call? Kevin does. haha! Just kidding man, you did a good job.
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LMAO at you and Kevin. And yea I love the MS3 like no other but I'll always have a soft spot for P5's. Especially ones that are well cared for and tastefully modified.

On another note, I do vote that you paint the sides of the hood though to match
 
Yeah, next month I'm going to take the car to Josh's house for some rust repair and paint work. I think I'll paint the sides then.
 
Yeah, next month I'm going to take the car to Josh's house for some rust repair and paint work. I think I'll paint the sides then.

I need to take Spicy for Josh to give it the once over on the quarter panels and on the roof and a-pillars too!
 
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