[Es2] I test drove the coupe today, long and a bit off topic.

[livinotte at cox.net]

Hello again

Well I been working on the coupe for the past hour. Basically I drive around the block, work my way back to the garage and fine tune it a bit.   I was driving around with the mid pipe pulled and the rear exhaust hanging but the rear exhaust metal bracket broke off.  I find this to be a good thing because i rather it happen now then later down the road.  It's an easy fix.  There is a wicked(yes I am rhode islanda) smell in the car.  I thought I heard something moving in the car, so I think I have a mouse in there.  pissing in my climate control.. Yuck.  

I haven't really gotten into boost that much, becuase it's not registered and it's not insured right now.   The DMV is going to love me when I take a 4 year old registration to them.  Hopefully that will work out.  Also, I don't want to push my limits yet.  But as the night goes on I may start working my way up the speedo.  

It's amazing how your thoughts change once you start to actually drive a project.  I have three gauges mounted in the middle console heater panel.  In my mind they are the wrong three.  The oil temp and oil pressure( I want a psi gauge vs bar) are going up with exhaust temp.   Boost is going down with the volts gauge.  I have an air fuel gauge but it's priety pointless with out a 5 wire O2 sensor.  Not sure if I am going to use it or not.  If I don't I am going to wire in the hella kill switch to the starter as a back up for an alarm system idea that I had.  

My valve cover gasket is leaking preity badly.  I compression tested the motor before because I wasn't sure if it was the head gasket or not, but I definately can say now that it's the vavle cover gasket.

Hopefully I can get the exhaust welded soon and start tackling all the little stuff.  I think I would like a softer spring rate in the coil overs.  

Little stuff. 

Well it's a big step for me.

Cheers
Josh

P.S. Jimmy on the matter of perfectionist.  I fit the bill.   I think it has alot to do because I am craftsman, but I think I am also addicted to pride. 






> 
> From: David Kase <davekase at pdqlocks.com>
> Date: 2004/11/05 Fri AM 10:13:31 EST
> To: Jimmy Pribble <Jimmy at texasbankers.com>
> CC: "'livinotte at cox.net'" <livinotte at cox.net>,  Es2 at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [Es2] I test drove the coupe today, long and a bit off topic.
> 
> Wow, this is great stuff!  I can't wait to get into the nitty gritty.  I 
> am only assembling my engine now and have a ways to go before the install.
> 
> Being a motorhead is not easy.  I still have to remind my wife of eleven 
> years that cars are a big part of my life and that will never change.  I 
> miss part of her family vacation for the USGP every year, I spend time 
> in the garage several nights per week, I ride my motorcycle some Sunday 
> mornings, so on and so on...
> Now I do take my kids on proper vacations as well and my family is more 
> important by a long shot than any physical possession.  But, I also 
> believe on living life.  I love cars, I now have at least some money 
> that I can spend on them and I am going to do it.  It is more than a 
> hobby, it is a passion for cars.  As Mr. Meguire says (with his cheesey 
> grin) - I am certifiably car crazy.  Lame description but I get his meaning.
> 
> Godspeed everyone,
> Dave
> 
> 
> Jimmy Pribble wrote:
> 
> >Josh,
> >
> >Congratulations on the test drive!  Also, I think you are a most excellent
> >person for trying to really understand your life.  I know far too many
> >people that seem to shuffle through their days not really understanding that
> >they only have one brief shot at fully participating in the rich experience
> >of life (with all due respect to the religions that observe reincarnation
> >doctrines).  I don't mind you sharing your "OT" observations, especially in
> >context of their relationship to your car building/driving experience,
> >because it helps me to understand you as a person and I believe in the human
> >experience that we share on these crazy lists.  I have made real friends
> >online.  The concern, support, advice, and generosity is all real.  I have
> >been lucky enough to have actually met in person some of the people that I
> >first met online.  I hope to meet many more in the future (eS2 contingent at
> >the next S-Fest anyone?).  Anyway, thanks again for sharing a little bit of
> >your life with us, Josh.  Carpe Diem.
> >
> >As it happens, while Josh was test driving his car last night, I was also
> >having the first really successful test drive of my car.  My car first
> >started many weeks ago, but I have only driven it a couple of times.  The
> >car has been plagued with problems.  It wouldn't idle correctly, it would
> >stall, it only pulled 10 inHg at idle, it felt low on power, it cut-out at
> >6000 rpm, the vacuum brake booster wouldn't work, etc.  It was just not a
> >happy car and I have been an unhappy and discouraged owner.  After some
> >debate on another forum yesterday, we decided that the cam timing was off
> >one tooth.  We made the adjustment and noticed that the idle issues were
> >gone.  That was a good sign.  Then Eric went for a test drive.  Now Eric is
> >an engineer for IBM.  He is very even-keeled and unexcitable.  I have never
> >heard him raise his voice or say a harsh word.  He is also a perfectionist,
> >which tends to dampen any kind of enthusiasm he might have about anything.
> >Even when things are going well, he will find something not quite right on
> >which to focus.  Well, after a few minutes, he pulled up in front of the
> >house and called for the next person.  Ken and I looked at each other.  We
> >had both heard it - we heard the excitement in Eric's voice!  The car must
> >be running well.
> >
> >Eric's brother Ken was up next.  Ken is the opposite of Eric.  He is
> >completely and totally emotionally driven.  He wears his extra-sized heart
> >on his sleeve proudly.  He's the most moody bitch I have ever known, but he
> >is passionate.  He laughs, cries, yells, curses and smiles wide at this car
> >stuff that we do and he drives a car like he means it.  True to his
> >character, it turns out that Eric had driven the car gently and had only got
> >on the throttle once.  We hadn't even heard him.  Ken was a different story.
> >I live out in the hill country outside of Austin, where it is pretty quiet
> >at night.  We could hear Ken tooling around over a mile away from my house
> >(my car is pretty loud).  He puttered around for a minute, getting used to
> >the car I guess and then we heard him get on it.  The sound of that
> >screaming engine booming through the hills gave me goose bumps.  Eric, Tom
> >(another friend) and I just stood around grinning stupidly at one another,
> >while we listened to Ken wail on the car.  That I5 turbo sound is truly
> >intoxicating.
> >
> >I took my turn next.  My drive was brief, because I was a little concerned
> >that Ken might have stirred one of the sleepy local sheriff deputies (whose
> >HQ is just down my street).  Without belaboring the point, my car is a
> >rocket.
> >
> >I only have one more week until the track event, so we have lots more work
> >to do.  I will report further details of the car in context of its
> >performance on the track.  I will also try to borrow a camera and maybe get
> >some video.  Stay tuned.
> >
> >Here is the cam timing thread:
> >http://forums.audiworld.com/i5/msgs/370.phtml
> >
> >Again, I agree with Josh that I couldn't have done this without the help of
> >many, many people, including the folks on the various Audi lists and forums.
> >Thanks!
> >
> >Jimmy       
> >
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> >  
> >
> 
>