Soarin'

Mainly photos/updates of my 1986 JDM GZ20 Soarer that is affectionately named Scarlet after her deep red factory paint job.

[sammyboijenkins]

Got my w58 in and had it for a few weeks now. Few issues with gearbox mounting to sort out but it's still so mad rowing through gears. Every 1ggte powered car needs one! Happy snap of the Team Toyota Toowoomba garage ;)

[vygtrn1]

[sammyboijenkins]

Aerocabin road trip

[sammyboijenkins]

Snapped bolt in my flywheel has me like...

[sammyboijenkins]

Only three moths until I can drive at night again 😀 🚘🔰#keen #latenightdrivingrestriction #toomanyfines #rebel #filterwhore #gz20 #soarer

[manualhero]

[sammyboijenkins]

The dream hah...

[sammyboijenkins]

W58 gearbox came today. The Soarer is in real need of some 5 speed manual loving. 

[sammyboijenkins]

This is pretty much where I'm up to. I found out it was my stem seals that were buggered. new ones on their way from Japan. Changed the t-belt and water pump (thank god that ordeal is over), timed it correctly this time too (was 15 degrees retarded, once again the previous servicer must have been careless). After this the 1G is running sweet so I'm going to sell the 1J and push 300hp out of the 1G. I've got a w58 coming from Tassy this week and just bought a GFB G-Force boost controller, mainly to make boost come on faster, not so much run more. After all that I decided to get rid of the ugly Enkei RP02 replica 17's. Found these little gems. Genuine Tom's C7R 16's. 16x8 +0 on the rear and 16x7+0 on the front. Was $450 for the set including near new semi slicks, so just as wide as my old setup, more dish and now looks the part! They are pretty beaten up but with a fresh coint of paint in the middle and polish of the lip they'll be sweet. Had a quick test fit, I failed the shoe test so hard. Time to dump it with the lowering springs that were on some Bilstein's when I bought it. Looking to get some damper adjustable Koni's or Bilstein's with the stiff lowering springs. Hopefully that takes the boatiness out of it and makes it feel like a real Jap 80's sportscar :D

[sammyboijenkins]

Upon news of my low compression on the 1G-GTE, I went and blew some money on this monster... One Jay Zee! It had a big single turbo conversion and was probably good for about 450 horsepower.I was going to tone it down with the standard twins though and push out about 300 in my Snorar. It also gave me a good excuse to buy an engine crane. Heh heh, nothing like new tools.

[sammyboijenkins]

Gearbox failures

During the roadworthy the mechanic told me my gearbox wasn't going to last more than a couple hundred k's. I knew the gearbox was shithouse but I was planning on swapping in a 1J+R154 so I didn't mind until I heard it wouldn't even last that long. I sourced an auto out of another GZ20 and got the mechanic to chuck it in. I had filter issues as the one I ordered for another A340 auto box didn't fit my new A340. So the car got towed back to mine while I waited for the right filter to arrive from the motherland - Japan. In installing the filter I checked the timing belt. It literally had a chunk out of it about 5mm all around the belt. Time to get onto that... haha. I also compression tested it and got horrific results. 110-115 on all cylinders. I was baffled. There was no smoke on start up for valve stem seal, no blow-by for piston ring damage, no cracked block or head. So I thought, the valve clearances must be WAYYYY out. Time to buy a feeler gauge... But nope they were fine too, great infact! A problem for another day... I just got it regoed and now had to wait two weeks to get an exemption to drive the turbocharged chariot in Queensland as a P plater :)

[sammyboijenkins]

Getting reliable

Next was getting this thing roadworthy. I was still pretty new to working on cars and I was pretty much limited to oil changing, coolant topping up and changing an air filter. I thought this was ok as the car won't need much done, it's only done 100 thou k's. Oh the naivety! Changed oil, filter (worst filter I have EVER seen, also had to stab about 10 holes with a screwdriver to twist it off), new plugs ($15 each, Repco failed me here), new dizzy cap (only because the old one actually broke, check photo)

, new rack end boot, coolant flush (dirty brown water swapped over for nice fresh green stuff), few vacuum hoses, a switch inside the cabin and just a general check over. All ready for a roadworthy! Or so I thought... In checking how a boos kit worked (replace this ratty wheel)

I accidentally broke my indicator arm. Well, it worked just fine as long as you wanted high beams permanently on hahaha. So I bought a new one of a bloke down south. The replacement one is super worn though so I'm hoping to repair my mint condition one :)

[sammyboijenkins]

Initial issues

First things were first; I needed to fix that ridiculous oil leak and starter motor issue. I got it started and took the car to work for the day. One of the old boys told me my rear main seal was busted due to the dripping being between motor and gearbox. I believed him until I took the car to get it's starter motor issues fixed. The shop I took it to built up a custom one using bits from mine and a 7m one. The old one was full of oil causing shorting. The guy there told me he thought it was my rocker cover gasket causing the leak. There wasn't really any oil around the covers especially not enough to cause the constant drip that came from under the car. when I finally got the guts to pull it apart and take off the covers i noticed they were only finger tight on the outside. What was worse on the inside row of bolts they were rattling around loose... The oil had seeped out the covers, through the spark plug valley and down the back of the motor and gearbox. This is also why the engine was greasier than your local KFC (no joke, this thing was disgusting). I didn't know whether to be relieved that I  didn't have to change a rear main or whether I was in disbelief at how inattentive the previous servicer could have been. Either way it started and ran without dropping it's guts. Good enough for this bloke :D

[sammyboijenkins]

Introduction

For anyone actually taking their time to read this; I thank you. This is a blog of my '86 JDM Z20 Toyota Soarer, affectionately named Scarlet. But first, some history... I got into cars when I got my first car, a 96 Commodore (the most bogan Commodore imaginable too), how this thing got me into cars is beyond me! Anyway, I soon inherited a Toyota Corolla of the same vintage and I was pleasantly surprised how much better the car was in terms of economy, build quality and fun. It wasn't long before I was on car sales looking for a Japanese sports car to call my own. I had two search parametres- turbocharged and under $3000. I think I had arranged pick up just one or two hours later and the rest is as follows...