CORSA NUT
Member
Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
User status: Offline
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Hopefully that fuel issue won't raise it's head again any time soon 
Garage looks awesome 
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Simon_16v
Member
Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Once you get the jap saloon fixed we can get this french thing of mine undersealed properly 
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SteveoBC
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Feb 07
Location: Bucks
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 okay........now im really fucking jealous
double garage wanker 
nah looks good Kyle, if you can get both doors open on a car inside a garage whilst being sheltered in the dry you are laughing
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Cheers chaps.
Can indeed get all doors open, with room to spare
Compressor didn't arrive today, which is annoying. Meant I couldn't use it to pop my pistons out - but I decided to get on with priming anyway.
Calipers were a right pig to clean properly, and even once clean they're a bit of a mess with chunks coming out of them in various places, stuck stones I suspect - they do run REALLY close to the OEM alloys.
Cleaned them all up and then rubbed down with 240 wet and dry, it's the coarsest stuff I had and could probably have done to have been a bit coarser - but eh well. Wiped down with an IPA and then popped out the bleed nipples before stuffing all the threaded holes with tissue.
Quick blast with primer later, and we have some grey looking calipers.
Overspray you say? Never.
If compressor gets here tomorrow, I'll pop the pistons and seals out - get the bores plugged up with rag and then we'll put my top coat on, hopefully lacquer tomorrow night and then rebuild/refit first thing thursday morning. 
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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VrsTurbo
Premium Member
Registered: 8th Jun 10
User status: Offline
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Make sure your fingers are well away when the pistons pop! never been in so much pain!!
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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I've got an unsuspecting bit of wood for that job, seen videos them launching through garage doors and all sorts 
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Productive day today on the calipers.
Courier arrived at aroumd midday with my compressor, nice tidy wee bit of kit from SGS Engineering.
Set the compressor up, then set about popping the pistons out of my calipers with it. The 2-pots came out easy, just stuffed a load of folded cardboard between the pistons so they both came half out, then wiggled them out with my hands.
4-pots were another story though, impossible to apply even pressure to all four pistons so ended up popping to homebase for some clamps.
With the clamps in place, I fired the rest out - jeez they come out with some force
Once the pistons were out, I popped the seals out with a wee screwdriver and then set to work scraping out the remains of the old dust boots. These were seriously melted/burned into place in some areas.
I then gave the calipers another clean down, degrease then hung them back up for spraying.
I had bought some special "caliper paint" a few weeks ago, came with a bottle of hardener that I had to mix. 2 parts paint to 1 part hardener. Got it all mixed up, then loaded up my spray gun.
Had a few test blasts on a convenient board of asbestos in my garage - tweaked the fan/pressure a bit then got to work.
My first ever go using a gun, seemed to go OK. I think my hanging arrangement for the calipers should have been much better - they span around like crazy under the pressure of the air/paint and as a result - I later found my coverage to be a bit uneven when it started to dry.
I did 3 coats approx. 40mins apart - then left them for a few hours.
Few hours later, got them in the house and couldn't help myself. Quick wipe down with degreaser then put my stickers on 
Old seals and dust boots:
Pistons all cleaned up, and all in really good condition:
My seal kits ready for tomorrow:
Plan for tomorrow, get the new seals in and the pistons back in - and mount calipers to the car.
I did buy a can of lacquer, but I since read that I shouldn't use it with the paint I've used(?) They do have a very smooth/shiney finish to them so I'm no too concerned.
Hopefully if Simon is free in the evening, I'll get the brakes bled (got some new pads to put in too) and we can go for a test drive
In the middle of all this today, a very JDM looking box arrived.
More on that later
[Edited on 18-03-2015 by Kyle T]
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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djgritt
Premium Member
Registered: 1st Nov 07
Location: Dorset Drives: Focus ST / Hyundai i20N
User status: Offline
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New boxed thing could look smart...
Good finish on the Calipers too!
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3CorsaMeal
Member
Registered: 11th Apr 02
User status: Offline
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Steering wheel imo
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Oh why always some drama?
Had the calipers bolted up to the car on thursday, but had to go out so no time to bleed and get the wheels on.
Tonight I had Simon lined up to come round and do some bleeding with me, so got in from work and did a few finishing touches... screw the bleed nipples in.
Succesfully screwed 7 of the buggers in, then the final one in my front drivers' caliper just span around and around... stripped thread in the caliper. Not sure when this happened, as I don't remember any issues with it coming out and it certainly wasn't difficult to get in. Either way, the thread is completely smooth inside the bore :@
Found an Amazon seller who can Prime me an appropriately sized Helicoil kit for tomorrow. Going to give this a try, though with it being a quite important component to my safety I'm a little nervous about it.
From what I can gather, the bleed nipple seals at the base - not in the threads, so it needs to be 100% straight in the bore for that seal. At the very least I can give it a try, and have somebody stomp on the brakes after bleeding for a bit to see if we can encourage any leaks... then take it out on the road and hope for the best!
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Brett
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
User status: Offline
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Worth it mate, definitely some real effort going on with this Impreza and it shows Got a to-do list as long as my arm for mine at the mo lol Got a few bits to put on as soon as I get a nice weekend; new discs/pads, bulbs all round, oil/filter, plugs. Got it booked in for it's front end respray after the bus incident too, as well as having the door dings pulled out. Still need to get my gauges and get them fitted, will certainly be using your thread as a guide for that one
[Edited on 20-03-2015 by Brett]
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Thanks Brett. I'll be honest though, I've had the car driveable for about 4 weeks in the last 12 and it's really starting to wear me down, and the missus is getting sick of car sharing.
I need several months of hassle free motoring after this brake episode is done, otherwise I'll be struggling to maintain enthusiasm. EDIT: Though it has to made clear, for the reputation of the Impreza that ALL of my trouble has been self inflicted. I had a perfectly running 320bhp car which could take abuse with minimal fuss. My efforts to push the car a bit harder have led to teething problems, which I suppose I should expect.
Helicoil kit arrived at 10am this morning, bloody brilliant service from Amazon Prime once again.
Went through the process, coil went in and all seemed nice and tidy. Hooked the caliper back up to the car but it was still leaking from this nipple when pumping the pedal. Seems it's just not seating right on the base (Which provides the seal, not the threads).
Had a bit of a strop, missus had an attempt to cheer me up by telling me the car should go and I should go put a deposit down at Subaru for a '15 STI
Called Ian @ Godspeed to ask if he had any single calipers knocking about for sale, no good but he did offer to take a look at my caliper as they do thread repairs all the time on these - and said he would effectively remachine the hole and base completely to make sure of a good seal.
I explained I'm on tight time, got a trackday in a little over a week and he said it would be no problem turning it around for me.
Will get this caliper packaged up and sent off ASAP.
Bloody thing!
[Edited on 21-03-2015 by Kyle T]
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Darryl H
Organiser: South Central
Premium Member
Registered: 19th Nov 09
Location: Camberley Drives: Porsche 944
User status: Offline
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Good work Kyle! Glad to hear you'll get that bleed nipple sorted
I'm with you on the whole teething issues! Still sorting little bits on mine and it's annoying having to work on the car most weekends It will be all worth it though! You won't regret it when it's a nice day and you can go take it for a spin!
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BarnshaW
Member
Registered: 25th Oct 06
User status: Offline
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nice work mate, tasteful stuff going on.
I do feel for you though, the fear of things always breaking and going wrong put me right off in the end, fell out of love with the car, got a lexus 7 months ago and never have that same fear of something new not going wrong in the morning
Calipers would have looked nice bright yellow I think
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djgritt
Premium Member
Registered: 1st Nov 07
Location: Dorset Drives: Focus ST / Hyundai i20N
User status: Offline
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Well, at least it's not the fuellin isdue now.... 
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Wrighty
Member
Registered: 28th Feb 04
Location: Howden
User status: Offline
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Should have just got an aftermarket brake kit 
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Cheers Darryl, Barnshaw.
Wrighty - you're not kidding. Keep looking at an AP kit in a group buy atm... about 1250quid which I'm still a long way short of investment wise on my brakes, but adding in effort and time off the road - I wish I just had a shiney set of AP's on
Did a couple of odd jobs tonight, one of which was taking my TSL backbox off in preparation to put my quieter prodrive one back on for the track day. CBA Lumping a spare backbox all the way to Oulton so will just turn up as quiet as I can.
Backbox gasket is looking a little second hand, as were the bolts - so got some new stuff on the way.
Quite an annoying day, sun was out - and this new house is right on a country road which seems very popular amongst weekend hooners. Today I've seen two different Audi R8s, a load of Boxters, a bright green 911 which I believe lives opposite, an Evo 10, and a dude on a penny farthing Boiled my piss seeing all those people out, and me stuck inside with a car on ramps
Even the neighbour washing his Lexus annoyed me.
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Willowsdad
Member
Registered: 30th Dec 13
Location: Chatham
User status: Offline
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Great job painting the calipers. I've got a sticky brembo caliper that needs fixing. In 2 minds about trying to strip and rebuild them myself. The thread stripping problem seems quite common. Is that one of their flat bottom wheels in that box? Very nice if so.
[Edited on 22-03-2015 by Willowsdad]
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CORSA NUT
Member
Registered: 3rd Aug 01
Location: Wirral
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by BarnshaW
nice work mate, tasteful stuff going on.
I do feel for you though, the fear of things always breaking and going wrong put me right off in the end, fell out of love with the car, got a lexus 7 months ago and never have that same fear of something new not going wrong in the morning
Calipers would have looked nice bright yellow I think
What Lexus you get mate? Just being nosey like 
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3CorsaMeal
Member
Registered: 11th Apr 02
User status: Offline
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Can't you get a larger nipple and just tap the thread out to the next size up.
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by 3CorsaMeal
Can't you get a larger nipple and just tap the thread out to the next size up.
That's possibly how Godspeed will fix it.
My issue is, I've got no facilities yet to clamp it all down and drill it straight. As the nipple seals at the tapered base - it needs to be 100% right.
Got it in the post first thing this morning, hopefully I'll get it back before Friday.
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Simon_16v
Member
Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Any updates 
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SteveoBC
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Feb 07
Location: Bucks
User status: Offline
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....and this is why i cant be arsed to piss-ball about with my own calipers lol
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Good News!
Got my caliper back
Now I know what you're thinking... but no, they're not a different colour - it's just the lighting.
While it was away, I took a bit of wire wool to my brackets - they came up a treat aye?
Even with everything nice and shiney, still wasn't entirely straight forward to get the car back road worthy.
First, I had problems with clearance with my new... er, I mean cleaned up caliper bolts which needed a bit of dremel'ing to give me adequate clearance:
Got the calipers mounted up on thursday night, looking good
Had a go at bleeding with Simon, it was getting late and we rushed through it a bit I think. Ended up with the pedal just going to the floor, and needing 3 or 4 pumps before I got any brakes.
Went to bed knackered, but ready to get it sorted on my day off today.
Got up, re-bled and this time it was much better - so went for a drive. I fitted my trackday wheels/tyres as they've never been on the car before and wanted to confirm clearance etc in time for Oulton on tuesday.
After my wee drive, decided to clean the car - first time in months.
Obligatory snow foam shot:
Followed that up with a wash, dry, Iron-X and then claybar.
Iron-X had a decent yield in places.
This is how it looked after clay, just before being wheeled back in the garage for polish and sealant tonight/tomorrow:
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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neil h
Member
Registered: 28th Sep 06
User status: Offline
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That's a Godspeed kit isn't it? How did you find the fitting?
I had a right mare with mine because of the way the bracket mounts to the hub. Ended up spacing the calipre away from the bracket and the bracket away from the hub to get the things to fit properly (even though Ian reckoned I shouldn't have needed to).
[Edited on 27-03-2015 by neil h]
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