2008 Lancer CJ VRX - Build thread

[bumblebee]

If you spend some time reading this forum

viewforum.php?f=34

It will answer your questions on car audio

[Avenir]

BUILD UPDATE:
So a few things have happened recently, some good and some quite bad. Starting with good news:

- The extractors have arrived and are sitting at my dad's place at the moment. I'll install them probably Christmas time, as i'm on a business trip for a while.

- Alloy lancer fuel cap has arrived as well which is sweet, I might end up spray painting it black not sure yet.

- Picked up some blacked out side sequential indicators for like 20$ to replace the ugly looking clear ones. Just arrived in Australia so I am keen for those as it'll be a nice touch up - also suits my newly added VLAND taillights.

- I have found a rear strut brace by Ultra Racing for cheap which just attaches to the stock mount bolts, with two seperate steel poles (pretty good quality really..) and I'll be buying it soon, which means I'll have the front stock strut and back strut then Keen to up the handling of my car as I tend to agree that lancers don't grip quite as well as I thought initially, a surprising amount of body roll. I'll combine this with a Whiteline grip kit which is your front and rear sway bars, linkages, bushings etc.... which I am really keen to see how it drives after that...

Now the bad news..

- As I woke up and was about to load my car for my work trip, I have found someone late in the night (after 12..) has slammed their car into my drivers door and pretty much scrapped the shit out of it as well as dented it all in. So so mad about this, as I just got it fixed and the tosser did a hit and run of course. Got quoted $2000 to get it fully repaired and flush as new again but thats not a fucking option really. Insurance isnt either as premiums are already really high, and theres no one with footage that late at night. The whole situation is just fucked really. So I wear the $$$ fine. Dad is probably going to get his tools out and panel beat it all himself as his pretty adept in the field. It's just not something you typically just wake up to and think its actually happened. Anyway. I wouldn't want to find this person cos I think I do something pretty malicious to his house lol.

Heres a pic before the accident of my new taillights, pretty happy with them... sorry the car is dirty:


So a couple of parts coming to improve lancer quality of life! - Still deciding if I should get exhaust or coilovers next... I keep mentioning it but I will decide soon, I asked CMA about the Magnaflow exhaust they have, and the guy quoted me 150$ off the full price. So i'll see if I can still take advantage of that.

Avenir.

[bumblebee]

I would get a new door off a wreck

[CJVR08]

Soon as I saw my engine with a stupid pod on it I was horrified and I will be looking for an OEM Airbox asap...
I've always been told and read that air pod cone pod whatever they are called are useless and suck hot air so I'm hoping an OEM air box and filter will be better for my car but my car is only a stock CJ VR 2L

[CJVR08]

Nice ride mate and my car has just got like a 6 inch pioneer DVD unit with built in Bluetooth and all and it works really well no issues just no steering wheel controls

[bumblebee]

Yup
CAI = waste of time and $
Once you get data logger working on ECU it's plain and simple to see

[Avenir]

Yeah I'm looking at a new door now to replace it entirely bumble.

Each to their own, your set up is actually just an air pod slapped on to the stock intake. Not a huge fan of that either... There's always a lot of discussion on them, but in the end it's what you want in your car.

Thanks for that! It's still very much a work in progress as I've had to fix a lot of exterior pieces on it, but it will be all wrapped up probably middle of next year. My car has the steering controls on it... but I will probably change it eventually to a MMCS or something else, the 6 stack is useless to me. I'll do another build update soon, got a few things ready to put in and a few extra things planned (may have picked up the exhaust too... stay tuned) but I have a lot of things happening outside the car world at the moment that are definitely more important so it's taking a back-seat for a week or 2..

Avenir

[CJVR08]

Yea true can't wait to get a stock air box

[Avenir]

BUILD UPDATE

Starting off with the lancer alloy fuel cap.. I have no pictures right now but it's installed. It's pretty good looking plus in great condition. The installation is actually a lot more intricate then it may seem at first....

Extractors are finally in the car and running well!! Few mishaps made it a bit harder to get finished. Started off going across NSW border to grab them, after that got all the necessary extras for wrapping and wrapped them with my bro. Getting the original heatshield and exhaust manifold off was a task.. ended up bending the heat shield to squeeze it out, raised the hoist and got the lower bolts etc. Till it was off. Finally got thr new ones on and watched all the smoke pour from thr motor hahaha. Honestly thought the engine itself might have been a bit louder after the install (less restrictive etc) but no difference at all.. lower rpms seem to climb quicker but overall car doesn't feel faster.. so we will see how much the bottle neck is at the end of the exhaust after upgrading it..









Also fixed up the shifter so that the spacer is underneath the shift boot and looks all very clean now. Shifts like a dream. But I'll probably need a new clutch soon 140xxxkms on original clutch..

ON THE WAY:
2.5inch catback magnaflow exhaust
Blacked out side sequential indicators
New door replacement

TO BUY:
XYZ Coilovers (Suspension is rooted still, gonna need all new bushings as well..)
TUNE...

I see so many neat and good looking lancers and I'm pretty jealous but I still have some ways to go yet.

Avenir

[Mars1811]

Lovely work!
Keep up the build thread. I love seeing progress.

[bumblebee]

Well done on shoving in the extractor
However
Cat back system are a waste of time and your $
All they do is make the exhaust shop more $ from your pocket to pay for their Christmas party
The OEM cat is by far the biggest restriction in your exhaust system

http://imgur.com/a/EMOiL1d

Take a look at the difference in the honeycomb between OEM and 200 cell.
It's all document in the performance section of this forum if you want to learn more

[lancerdarryl]

Neat job on the wrapping,well done

[Avenir]

Thanks Mars!! I'll keep everyone entertained as much as I can..

Bumble I have to change the rest of the exhaust anyhow, I can't leave it stock it won't help anything..

The pictures you have linked show a custom exhaust anyway with the cat welded on it looks? Is there no other cats that will bolt on instead of welding on? I found this one with a real quick search and seems good (I know it's 100 cell, but honestly who's gonna know.) :

https://www.performanceexhaust.com.au/~2142

Thanks Darryl it's okay for a first time... my brother had wrapped before but ended up getting half way on his corolla and paying someone else to do it... I've never done it before either, but it started fraying a fair bit towards the end (1st pipe) and isn't the best showing there but all is good on the other 3 pipes...

[bumblebee]

Exhaust system definitely some you want welded up
I dunno about you but I know I can't live for long when I start to breathe in lung full of carbon monoxide from a leaking exhaust.
2.25 inch Mandel bent exhaust mine is with 200 cell cat

Did you spray paint the wrap with flame proof paint before installing it ?

[Avenir]

Obviously welded up... I'm saying onto the cat itself not the rest of the piping...

The one I have coming is mandrel bent so should be much the same. Just slightly larger as that was recommended for 4b12.

No I didn't, never came across it or the idea of it so just went straight into wrapping. Christmas period made it hard to even get the wrap haha. Also don't mind if it changes colour, it's barely ever seen.