88 MR2 SC

Painted the wiper with a matt black... looks a lot better but hard to tell in this pollen covered pic :)

Yoshida back with rear break light removed...

Picked up car from Body Paint shop. $4,200 .. they had to replace battery since mine went dead... car looks great.... They forgot to remove rear tail light because it was too hard to unscrew... I told them I wanted it off and I'm going to return it and there going to do it... whatever... glad to have her back...

Had test pipe installed and Catalytic converter removed... also removed the rear sway bar... for $50 at R- Rated Motor sports in Onterio... These guys also rebuild motors in fact the owner s first car was a MRK 1 MR2 SC... his name is Jose... You met Juan at Edgars house on a motor bike...

OIL Change Today...

New speedo shows 100,050.... reality is closer to 200,000 :)

Edgar fixed my Speedometer ... two issues... the cable snapped because it was binding at a tight angle... problem caused by preferred auto ... I hate that shop... then speedo worked but not until 15-20 mph like that previous time... turns out the gauge  cluster was sticking and wouldn't engage until it hit a certain pressure... Edgar replaced the gauge cluster and now everything works perfectly... also used the polished gauge cluster screen...

added a quart of oil this morning and also the lubricant in Oil and fuel... After adding additive of any kind I always seem to notice the engine bugging down... I should stop doing it...

Passed smog today :)

Installed a short shifter in the car... it's subtle but noticeable... I'm glad I did it... also replaced the throttle cable... The cable I bought through Rock Auto was 1 inch too short so the shop had to modify a bracket... eliminated 85% of the idle humming noise so thats good...

Drove to Edgars place this morning... He was able to find the speedometer problem... the cable was broken... so he's going to locate one in a junk yard and we'll go from there... $40...

By the way.... Note to self... replace tires once a year... There cheap enough and the performance is amazing... you don't notice the drop off its so gradual... Car doesn't grab , much smoother and no tire squeal around corners in the Canyon... I'm noticing a whining noise when the car is in idle... I want to take the car in and have it checked out as well as engine compression and leak down...

Just ordered a set of EBC Yellow stuff brake pads... I know I'll be needing them soon... better to have them ready.... ordered directly from EBC for $170 front and back...

noticed my right rear tire was flat... filled it with air and one hour later it was back down ... I ordered 4 new Dunlops and having them installed 9 AM at Big Brand Tire & Service store in Newberry...

Just checked the oil... just under 3 months from oil change and car is about 1 quart low... I replaced it today... something to keep an eye on more closely...

It's been a while since I updated... went for a casual ride early this morning around Camarillo and then coffee at my favorite bagel place to chill out and admire Yoshida :)

First Oil change today... Mobil One Synthetic 10W-30... mobil One filter... 3.2 quarts... wasn't so bad... in fact pretty easy... next time will be less messy :)

Took Yoshida out for a canyon run... went through 23 and then Mullholand to the Gelsons Market... Had a coffee... then through Topanga Canyon and PCH with the sun at my back and then back on the 23 ... drove flawlessly... car responded really well... Not many things in life genuinely  makes me happy... But Yoshida is one... Have always though that it's better to want something then to actually have it... with Yoshida it's the best of both worlds... I have it but there are endless things I want to do to the car :)

Talked to Don and since my idle speed has been perfect since replacing the thermostat I don't need that part :) good thing because it's impossible to get a new one... period... I scheduled a track day on the Street April 4th... I'm hoping that bothersome throttle problem was also fixed with the thermostat ... Only time will tell...

Took the car back to Ricks Japanese car shop... Talked to Don about trying to find this re occurring throttle response issue that I have.... He replace the Thermostat and gasket .... apparently my car was never coming up to normal operating temp.... and OMG what a difference it makes... way better engine response... He also wanted to replace the Ignition idle speed stabilizer AC381 or OEM part # 22270-16010.... looks like this.... But I'm having no luck locating it.... 

Washed the car today... and discovered the cause to one of my most annoying rattles and fixed it :)

So car had the same issue it has had since day one which has appeared 3 times now... Under heavy acceleration the engine sputters and looses power... The last time this happened the problem went away... But this time it showed up at the track which is not cool... going to have to find a way to solve this... But whenever I take to shop the problem goes away...  Have to think about this...

New front light lenses and a front grill...

On a sad note... I'm noticing the car won't start some times I turn the key... Like nothing... I try again and it starts.... I might take it in to that Japanese auto place up the street after this weekend...

So more weight loss :) removed 9.2 lbs from the rear bumper....

OMG.... can it get any better ? Yes it can.... Took Yoshida out in the Canyons after about 3 months... The shifting is great... no grinding of any kind, going up or down the gears... Also the LSD coming out of the corners is way noticeable... I'm way more confident with putting the power down earlier... and then the 2.5 turn steering rack now allows me to never take my hands off the wheel at any point on the 23... perfect... I kinda think I feel the light weight flywheel making the engine a little more responsive... I should have gone with the even lighter one but I was leaning on the side of caution... That was one of the best feelings I've had... Can't wait to take her on the track on the 21st... And if that wasn't enough when I parked in front of Starbucks this morning a "Fast and furious" looking Spanish girl was staring at Yoshida... came back out to take pics of the front , rear and interior... What a great feeling when you see someone else admire yo...

Car back from shop... clutch feels good... he said I had 40% brake pads front and 80% rear... Painted the rear chrome tail pipe, front radiator over spray and interior spot behind passanger door with a mat black 2000 degree paint... looks cleaner...

I have both parts for Friday.... Clutch master Cylinder and slave cylinder...

Finally got my car back... 68 days in the shop... will Never go back... I asked Tetsu if he would ever consider doing work outside of shop... he said no... Oh well... I have a lead with Edgar Fiallos an old Toyota mechanic who also races RC... apparently works at Pepe Boys , he has a passion for old Toyotas and always has a project car going.... might be my guy ???   909-994-9666  here is a pic of his car...  Also need a alignment which I have scheduled with West End Alignment this Wednesday 2:30 Also need to replace the Master Clutch cylinder and slave cylinder which I'm doing this Friday at a local Japanese shop I found on Yelp... Ricks Japanese Car Care    (805) 373-9895

January 22nd... the day before Ming promised me 100% that I would get my car back I get an e-mail from him saying that my left rear knuckle hub needs to be replaced and that new ones are unavailable... thats it... no solution to the problem, just roadblocks .... I was able to find one from Neil in the UK... parts and shipping $200... I also ordered two new rear wheel bearings that go into the hubs since Ming suggested to change them... Bearings and shipping round $90.... The car continues to live at the shop.... Pic of the part... this one is actually the right rear...

Ming is unbelievable.... He's had the car 54 days this Saturday and now he says it wont be till next weekend... He said 100% sure and he;ll give me 5% off... WTF.... this is ridiculous.... I'm counting the days....

I'm back from Florida... finally heard back from Ming and he said car will be ready next weekend... whatever... I just hope they did a good job...