The GTM Supercar Build Log

Archive for May, 2011

Engine Cover, New Trans Oil Puke Tank, and Engine Oil Breather Tank Installed

Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

Enjoying a rainy weekend here so I got a few more ‘to-dos’ checked off the task list. First on the list was installing the carbon fiber engine cover to make the engine bay look ‘pretty’. Since my old breather/oil fill cap would not fit/work with this cover I opted to install a remote breather tank for any oil fumes/vapors that get emitted through the breather otherwise.  This was something I’ve been wanting to do as the oil vapors and junk collect on the rear glass…and I wouldn’t want that stuff all over the new engine cover. The breather tank was mounted in the driver rear wheel well (lots of space back there to work with), and connected it to a screw in AN adaptor that fits the LS valve cover oil fill neck.  The engine cover then installs by sliding down over 4 set screws that I installed in lieu of the fuel rail bolts used previously. I just need to have some badges/emblems made to fill out the inserts now.

The trans oil puke tank was another issue I’ve been looking to correcting. The trans likes to spew oil in considerable amounts into the puke tank that I had installed previously, as it seems that the breather was mounted right over 5th gear. I acquired a new tank and mounted it high in the passenger rear wheel well so that any overflow from the trans should hopefully drain back down into the trans rather than just collecting in the tank. Time will tell on how well this current attempt works.

Fog Lights Upgraded

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Today I installed the new fog lights I had purchased for the GTM over the winter. I’ve been dying to swap out the generic fog lights that FFR supplies with these new Hella Optilux 2500 lights. These lights are way brighter than the stock lights, and have sharp looking halo LED lighting accents. I’ve never felt that comfortable with the GTM’s lighting on prior twilight drives, but these new fogs make all the difference.

Since the lights use separate wiring for the LED halos and the 55w halogen bulbs I decided to hook up the halo rings to the parking lights, and the fog lamp switch remains dedicated to the main bulbs. The bracket that comes with the lights is a ‘hanging design’ bracket, so I had Josh modify them so they could be surface mounted in the fog light recesses. A carriage bolt was inserted into the bracket to bolt it in place using the previous fog light holes. I’m really pleased with the look of these lights.

1000 Mile Milestone

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

Finally reached 1000 miles in the GTM today and it is running great.

Time will soon be more readily available to work on the GTM so here is a rough list of things that I will be working on once I get the chance:

1. Raise rear ride height to 4.75″ (was set to this pre-body fitment, but it has settled to well under 3.5″)
2. Get a new alignment – the rear needs more toe-in
3. Carbon fiber front splitter and rockers
4. Carbon fiber engine cover
5. FFR “recall” suspension shock mount reinforcement brackets
6. Relocate transmission oil overflow puke tank so oil drains back into the transmission
7. Oil fume catch tank for breather on the valve cover oil cap (spraying oil residue over the hatch window)
8. Push-button start with RFID security
9. New ‘halo’ style fog lights
10. Fix transmission oil cooler switch (right now the switch is bad, causing the pump to always be on, as opposed to when the  trans oil reaches hot temps)

That is the ‘Top 10’ right now. There are a handful of other things that are on the ‘if these get done, then I’ll think about it’ list. Don’t want to have too much down-time and miss quality driving days 🙂