Benzino's 2.0L Lanos (Links in 1st post)

[benzino]

changed my instrument cluster as the odometer had died
the km now reads higher but I never plan to sell my lanos anyway

I took the oppurtunity to put in white LED and colour the needles red


I didn't bother removing any needles to colour them, just used a steady hand and did the tops and sides, I think if I did the bottom as well it would have been too dark.

At least now it matches my other gauges, but it will never be as bright!!

(far left gauge is flashing red because the engine is off=no oil pressure, it's not just some random red gauge!)

I also attempted to fix my HVAC cables. I glued all 3 (heat and recycle at the control panel and position at the hinge where they had broken). When I was putting it back, the position one broke at the control panel (the only one that wasn't broken before) I left it for another time...

[gse_turbo]

very nice looking setup. did you do the lights in the HVAC as well?

[benzino]

no, I didn't even realise they could be changed
the needles didn't come out as I'd hoped, probably a bit too dark
but they are still easily readible

[gse_turbo]

better than GREEN!!

i did similar when I install the Euro cluster. I wound up putting the green bulbs back in cause in didn't like that the dash had different colored lights. then one i noticed that the HVAC control used similar lights and they could be changed. now I'll go though and change them all back to white. it's worth the effort.

[benzino]

the red needles look really good during the day

I just wish the HVAC cables weren't so bloody fragile!!! hahaha
I also hate that it doesn't default to de-fog, I was thinking about making it permanantly stuck there as that is the only necessity for me. I really dislike driving without being able to see... hahaha

[benzino]

a small teaser of my partner's new car
more details soon

[gse_turbo]

I meant to ask, what did you do to get the cluster apart to paint the needle?

[benzino]

I meant to ask, what did you do to get the cluster apart to paint the needle?

I just popped the clear window off and used a red sharpie on the top and sides of the needles.
A lot better than stuffing around trying to take the needles off! It was a 5 minute job

[benzino]

[benzino]

Had a nice weekend
Washed my car and thought it looked very dull...
AFTER washing:


old wax build up... Yuck!!

After polishing with Meg's deep crystal paint cleaner:


unfortunately no wax yet... need to find some Eagle one Nanowax paste... it's meant to be the sh!t... that will be for the next wash


also did my intake pipe and some NGK spark leads (one of my old ones was over 30kOhm/m!)
Before:


after:


it's very nice not having to worry about plumbing in an AFM

[buddha102]

I love the pluming pipe LOL

[benzino]

What plumbing pipe?

[buddha102]

sorry, the "hose" for the intake box to the valve cover

[benzino]

I was trying to make a home made oil catch can but the hose I have wasn't flexible enough so I just ran it round the back of the engine.

It could be a bit neater but it does the job

[benzino]

Update: Exhaust is done
Extractors > 2.5" magnaflow metal cat > small resonator > 2.25" STI muffler



It's nice and quiet which is what I wanted, but it has a rasp when you step on the gas initially before smoothing out again.
And the car feels so much better, it can actually breath and accelerate past 4000rpm! hahaha