Checking in again after a break from journaling.
Suspension is feeling nice! Big thanks to Acadia's Garage for giving me the space and help to learn as I install components. I've definitely begun to forget what the old setup felt like, but I'm often appreciative of the Konis on wavy rough roads like River Street in Cambridge. I feel confident charging along at 25-30 while everyone else is timid and afraid of the pace. The LCAs were very worth the time and money, turning feels much more precise and direct, both leaving center and maintaining a steering angle. As soon as I installed them I took the car out of sport mode (heavier steering) and have left off since then. I think sport mode was masking the bushing imprecision just off center. After that session of installation I ran into some confusing rub issues, that turned out to be because one tire that got rotated to the front was two sizes too big. Upgraded the tires to conti dws just to be set on tires for the next year at least. Thanks to my work-local garage that inspected my work, figured out the tire size issue, and didn't charge me for their time.
Currently experiencing some squeak/groan that is likely top hat related. I'm thinking install error, either aligning, tightening, or materials. Bought new strut mount and bearing just in case.
I've got a bunch of small installs queued up that each should take 1-2 hours that I've been putting off: engine mount, trans bushing, stabilizer arm & puck, head lights, pedal spacer, super pin & bushings, tail light harness. Looking forward to getting the bushing situation completely upgraded and stabilizing power delivery through the engine and transmission, as well as completing the lighting upgrades.
Lately, I've been hearing a whining sound that I'm concerned isn't normal. It seems to be present throughout the rpm range, with pitch changing with rpm. It's most notable from 2k-3k, after which the noisy unresonated magnaflow exhaust takes over. My first thoughts was that it's normal induction noises, but then anxiety set in. I made the association with straight cut gearbox noises and wondered about my transmission, having already wanted to change out gear oil. The noise volume cuts when disconnecting clutch and seems to increase with engine load. Now I'm wondering if it could be belt related. I haven't inspected any belts such as serpentine in my ownership, and deferred the timing belt replacement during the water pump install. At close to 85k miles I'm coming into the territory where anything could be aging out on this car, and the paranoia is real lol
On a positive note, looking to the future I'm excited to go properly stage 2. Dreaming of a full turbo back setup from Baun Performance, likely getting rid of the magnaflow catback. That plus the mild blurbles has been amusing, albeit a bit juvenile. I find myself apologizing to new passengers for the vroom vroom noises. The resonance is pretty not great, and I'm guessing the rich af tune is the reason my oil reeked of fuel when I changed it recently. I plan on self-tuning through open source. I want to gain experience in a more simple stage 2 tune and then consider moving towards spicier things such as mpi and big turbo.
Also on a positive note, my gf is getting a car, so automobile transportation duty is no longer exclusively my responsibility. We'll take road trips in hers to limit my mileage and save on gas. It also means a lot of stress is off of me for needing my car to work every day - if I suffer a breakdown or repair work takes longer than expected I can borrow hers.