What have you done to your P5 today?

Been OCD'ing lately about my engine bay looking rusty as crap. So when my transmission started grinding in second i saw an opportunity to remove everything and do an overhaul.

This is my engine so far after washing it down, removing rust scaling and peeling factory black paint, wire wheeling it, and finally repainting it. Only thing I didnt remove was the head.

 
Been OCD'ing lately about my engine bay looking rusty as crap. So when my transmission started grinding in second i saw an opportunity to remove everything and do an overhaul.

This is my engine so far after washing it down, removing rust scaling and peeling factory black paint, wire wheeling it, and finally repainting it. Only thing I didnt remove was the head.


Great work, it looks like new!


I took apart my rear brakes this morning for their yearly cleaning/lubing and it looks like the dust shield on the right side decided it would fall off. I don't know when it happened, but my car made itself a little lighter sometime in the past couple months =/
 
Just had my new brakes installed and it now stops on a dime. Hopefully installing my Rally Armor mud flaps tomorrow. Will post pics upon completion. Also thinking about putting yellow tint film over my fogs.
 
Fixed the horn was not working with the detachable set up after my bro had the car -.-
 
Today was pretty productive. Car is finally up and running absolutely perfect. Deleted the cruise control, re-taped a buncha wires and cleaned up the engine bay, painted header heat shield, and made a sun visor outta 5% Tint.
 
While sitting in a drive thru last night I noticed my fogs weren't on with the parking lights. Double checked the switch and it was on. Thought maybe the connection came loose so I turned on my head lights and nothing. Got home and checked the fuses (both ok) as well as popped off the panel to verify the connection (good). Next step is to check the harness to make sure it didn't come disconnected. Can't imagine both bulbs would blow at the same time.

Bulbs are good and while I had the fogs off I cleaned up the lenses. :) Still had some residue from when I removed the overlays. Took a voltmeter to the harness and all was good so next took it over to the switch and removed the wing nut from where I tied them into the parking lights. That was good and after tying it all back together they worked? Best guess is the connection within the wing nut was off just enough.
 
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Found the rear plastic black piece that goes on the bumper of the p5 . Now questions is what type of glue can I use to put it on?
 
Bought Evan's Mazdaspeed floor mats yesterday. I'm basically stoked to have something comfortable (and sweepable) under my feet this summer.
 
got some parts in (taillamp, shifter, and owners manual)

Waiting for more parts. I'm going to lose my mind though. Rattles galore coming from heat shields that won't be there long. At 2k and when it's dropping to 1.8k, there's like a metallic rattle coming from near the main cat I think. I'll check it out after work. I know it's early and rash but, if I had the opportunity to trade it for a speed 3 and not get shafted by insurance, I just might do that...
 
Funny you mention that, a couple of years back when I lived in Southern NJ I was trying to sell the hood but no one ended up purchasing.

Sounds like around the time I had my Wings West hood so I wouldn't have been looking. I've since sold it and would love to have the reverse cowl. Why did you have to go and move...p/u would have been much easier in South NJ. :p

got some parts in (taillamp, shifter, and owners manual)

Waiting for more parts. I'm going to lose my mind though. Rattles galore coming from heat shields that won't be there long. At 2k and when it's dropping to 1.8k, there's like a metallic rattle coming from near the main cat I think. I'll check it out after work. I know it's early and rash but, if I had the opportunity to trade it for a speed 3 and not get shafted by insurance, I just might do that...

Sounds like the heat shiled on the exhaust manifold is one of your culprits. My guess is the lower mounting point is completely rusted away and it's shaking violently around the bolt. If you still have the shield on the j-pipe, now is a good time to check as well. I removed both of these in the same week last year.
 
Yeah, I messed around with the shifter and had to remove a bolt from the heat shield. I wouldn't be surprised if the bolts gone to be honest. I had problems getting the bolts out and when one broke free, I couldn't screw it back on...

I took the upper heat shield to the cat off as that was gone. The jpipe heat shield is gone too. There's also a rattle nearer the rear of the car when the cars warming up. I don't know what exactly is making that noise though. I'll have a poke around after lunch and after I drop my car off at home. I have to trek on the highway and I think my tires are out of balance b/c over 75mph, the car wobbles a little bit. If I haven't already asked, could anyone elaborate on the possible causes?
 
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