In eager anticipation of the TOD trip this week, I asked Mark (Houston_C4S) to help me with a few maintenance items on my car so I could confidently carve up the dragon.
The goal was to change the drive belt and bleed the brake lines. I also needed to remove and re-attach one of my side skirts because the tape didn't hold the first time around.
The brake bleeding too a lot longer than I thought... it's a two person job as well without a power bleeder. One person must pump the pedal while the other one drains the fluid from both sides of the calipers. My fluid was 18 months old and quite dark at the calipers... I also had a couple of clogged bleeders, one of which had to be removed and cleared. BTW, it took a 32 ounce bottle of synthetic dot 4 brake fluid, and it's recommended that we get our brakes flushed once a year or so to keep water from accumulating in the lines (search threads on this if you like... there's been a lot of discussion about it and why it happens).
The drive belt was inspected by all four of us and we decided it was in good condition and did not need to be changed, so I didn't do that. I'll bring my spare belt and my big metric socket I bought along on the TOD trip in case I break it or someone else has problems with a drive belt and we can get that done on site so the trip isn't spoiled.
The side skirt was not difficult, but removing the residue from that 3M body panel tape is a pain in the arse! Let's all say a quick prayer that the new tape holds and that I never have to do that again. Ugh.
Because I knew Mark and our other associates are over-achievers, I brought my rear diffusers with me because I had not been able to install them by myself (the holes in the bottom of the bumper did not line up and the location and shape of the diffusers made them very difficult to work with alone). We grunted and cussed and said quite a few choice words, but Brett and Dan got them in. I was under there for a little while, but frankly, I was not much use. When the eBay seller says "removing the rear bumper cover is not mandatory for installation, but highly recommended" he wasn't lying!
While Brett was under my car, he noticed a shift cable coming out of a U shaped bracket at the back of the the tranny.
Now I'm all ready for the trip! Oil was changed, a month ago, brakes ok, tires are new, no fiberglass will be dangling from the sides of the car, I will be able to shift gears at will... yup! I'm ready. Anticipation has to be the best part of any event.
Thanks Mark, for your hospitality.... and the beers and the pizza and the garage and for washing my boxster while I was driving your 07S unsupervised on some amazing little twisties 2 minutes from your house!
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