Latest Acquisitions

We talked about not installing an oil earlier. However, I just could not resist buying this oil cooler when I saw it being sold. Its actually meant for a different application but it looks and performs almost exactly like the one being sold by JWRC Custom. What I really like about it is that it should lower temperature by a few degrees but not drastically. Furthermore, oil pressure should not be affected too much since it is an in-line system. Lastly, the real reason for installing this oil cooler is the 'cool' factor. This will add some bling to the front since everything is red and black. Of course, the price difference between the JWRC Custom and this one is extremely large. Here's the JWRC Custom version.

And here's the one I bought.

Another acquisition that was discussed earlier was the ScanGauge II car computer. After doing some research on other car computers that are available in the market, I decided that the ScanGauge II is the one to buy. The gauge has most of the functions I would want eg. trip computer, voltmeter, etc. Since everything is built-in into one single gauge, I do not need separate gauges eg. voltmeter and this in turn, translates into less clutter and more space in the centre console area. I have also purchased a cover to mount the ScanGauge so it will look neat and integrated with the dashboard. More information can be found here: http://www.scangauge.com/

If there's any space left on the cover after mounting the ScanGauge II, I would like to include an additional cigaretter lighter power outlet and some switches to turn on/off power supply to the charger for the comms set and GPS.

Another item on the order book is the SecureStart Jump Starter. Since I will be deprived of a power outlet to charge my Racetech battery when I move to my new place, I needed a replacement to continue providing a trickle charge to the battery when the car is not being used. I could use the stock battery but that is too heavy to carry around. I came across this product and realised how useful it is and the technology behind it is quite amazing too. It is ridiculously small but yet powerful, 900mAh is a lot of power. My plan is to put it inside the engine compartment and have it hooked up to the Racetech battery. Every week, I will take it out and have it recharged using my CTEK electronic car charger. In fact, I may not even have to do the charging at home since the SecureStart jump starter can be fully charged from the cigarette power supply in minutes depending on the amount of power drawn. Technology is indeed wonderful. In addition, I can carry it with me in the car and perhaps, save some damsel in distress. More information can be found here: http://www.boldertmf.com/product_2.htm

I have decided to give the car another makeover. The two Kansai splitters are coming off and replaced by a Greddy Front Lip. The side skirts and rear diffuser will also be re-sprayed to red to match the rest of the car. The rear spoiler may be re-sprayed to black completely or else, the two wing tips will be re-sprayed to red instead. I am still undecided whether the front grill should be replaced by the original grill. In the end, my inclination is towards a mono colour car rather than splashes of additional colour here and there. Essentially, the front end will look like this.

Pressure Sprayer Tried, Tested & Proven

Not completely convinced that the pressure sprayer will do the job of removing dirt and grime on the car, I decided to put it to the test one more time. It was raining the whole day yesterday and the truck had to go through a few muddy puddles. Of course, dirt was stuck everywhere and by this morning, this was the situation.

This provided me with an opportunity to test the pressure sprayer. I added car shampoo into the 8 litres sprayer and top it up with 5 litres of water. A few quakes to make sure the shampoo is well mixed with the water and a few pumps on the handle and we were ready to go. The whole truck, including the wheels were sprayed with the foamy mixture. The inside of the wheel arches were badly coated with mud but once the foam hits the mud, it melts right off. By the time I reached the starting point, some of the dirt had already came off. Since there was balance left in the pressure sprayer, I sprayed more foam on the dirtier parts of the car.

Next, I filled up the pressure sprayer with water up to the 8 litres mark. With a micro fibre mitt, I sprayed water on the area that the mitt was working. I stopped now and then to inspect the mitt to make sure there were no visible contaminants that might scratched the paint. I was also thinking that the mitt would actually be soiled with the dirt being picked up. Surprisingly, the mitt was clean and I concluded that it is actually being 'washed' all the time since there is a constant flow of water. To play safe, I rinse the washing mitt in a pail of water after going through the dirtier parts. About 6 litres of water was used to wash and rinse off the foam.

The first thing I noticed was that most of the water has run off. The truck was relatively dry. However, this could also be attributed to the constant polishing. Next, I filled up the 1.5 litre pressure sprayer with about 1 litre of water and a cup of liquid polish, give it a good shake and a few pumps on the handle. I sprayed the mixture on one side of the truck first and then wipe it off, rinsing the cloth frequently. Its better to work panel by panel with the polish mixture. The whole wash and mini-wax job was completed in 30 minutes. The result was most pleasing. Close inspection did not show any serious scratch marks were left on the panels. By the way, the car shampoo was not anything fancy; a 2 litre bottle cost $3. The label said that it contained silicon wax. One more observation, I did not get all wet and dirty compared to using an electrical high pressure washer or even a regular hose.

This method obviously does not replace the conventional and proven system of using high pressure washer and water hose. But in a situation whereby facilities are limited, this method works well. The important point to note is not to rush and apply too much pressure. Keep the water flowing all the time to ensure the area being washed is well lubricated. Rinse the washing mitt and drying cloth often to prevent dirt from collecting inside.