The Batmobile_Engage Member Journal

[Batmobile_Engage]

Sooo....I'm chomping at the bit, waiting for a shipping notification for those KSTech 19mm spacers. Haven't heard anything yet. So I log in to my account on their website and the order says "Awaiting Fulfillment". WTF man...I ordered those spacers on Friday night and paid for 2-day shipping, and they haven't even processed the fucking order yet. :banghead:

So I call their phone number and it immediately goes to voicemail. I left a message, inquiring about the status, but haven't heard back yet.

Speaking of things not processing or shipping. I ordered a 3-bolt header-to-up pipe gasket from Daddy's Sport Compact Performance (they make Maddad Exhaust components, among other things) almost a month ago. I checked the order status on their website and it hadn't even shipped yet. I ended up cancelling the order and should be getting one through Oakos instead.

WTF gives with these companies not having their shit together. A month to source a gasket? Multiple days to process a purchase for spacers? WTF man? I could have made a gasket myself by then! :doh:

 

[Grinder34]

Sooo....I'm chomping at the bit, waiting for a shipping notification for those KSTech 19mm spacers. Haven't heard anything yet. So I log in to my account on their website and the order says "Awaiting Fulfillment". WTF man...I ordered those spacers on Friday night and paid for 2-day shipping, and they haven't even processed the fucking order yet. :banghead:

So I call their phone number and it immediately goes to voicemail. I left a message, inquiring about the status, but haven't heard back yet.

Speaking of things not processing or shipping. I ordered a 3-bolt header-to-up pipe gasket from Daddy's Sport Compact Performance (they make Maddad Exhaust components, among other things) almost a month ago. I checked the order status on their website and it hadn't even shipped yet. I ended up cancelling the order and should be getting one through Oakos instead.

WTF gives with these companies not having their shit together. A month to source a gasket? Multiple days to process a purchase for spacers? WTF man? I could have made a gasket myself by then! :doh:

At LEAST an email with a) an update so you're not left hanging b) an explanation so you're not mad at them c) offer to speed up shipping or refund.

Had that happen with something I ordered recently, and have had multiple emails about "hey, our warehouse seems to have lost those." then "the manufacturer is back ordered, we dont know when we'll get it" then "the manufacturer said it'll be in our weekly shipment next week, and we'll send it overnight once we get it". Supplier was e-trailer on some obscure part NOBODY has. I'm not even mad at this point.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Maybe I've jumped the gun, but I just can't wait any longer. I ordered Torque Solutions 19mm spacers from Jordan [MENTION=2334]Defined Performance[/MENTION] and contacted my bank about stopping payment to KSTech because I can't even get a hold of anyone and there is no option to cancel the order on their website. I've been doing some looking around on other forums and problems like this with KSTech seem to be the norm going back a couple years even. Every so often, someone chimes in that they received their order on time, but it seems like 80-90% of people responding have been waiting 2-3 months for the parts and are never able to communicate with anyone from the company.

Sooo....word to the wise, steer clear of KSTech unless you are ordering parts a year ahead of schedule. Even then, it might be a gamble.

 

[Alin]

You want a set of Blizzaks, @Alin? I'll make you a great deal if you come pick them up.

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What size are they? My STi will never see NE USA winter ever again. However, I wouldn't mind Blizzaks on the TDI, which has 195/65R15. My assumption is they're either 225/45R17 or 235/45R17, though.

 

[Grinder34]

What size are they? My STi will never see NE USA winter ever again. However, I wouldn't mind Blizzaks on the TDI, which has 195/65R15. My assumption is they're either 225/45R17 or 235/45R17, though.

Well they're not 15" unless he's got some elite rally gravel brakes fitted under there!

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Correct, [MENTION=1172]Alin[/MENTION]. They are 235/45R17.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

The transmission has been successfully reinstalled. From a technical standpoint, it's a very easy job with the engine being out and all. I think it's just 8 bolts to secure the trans in place. But you definitely need two people, especially if you don't have a transmission jack. The trans weighs about 180 lbs so it's a lot of brute force, manual labor.

Make sure you have great health and life insurance if you attempt this on your own. :lol:

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Sooooooo..... the 19mm Phenolic Spacers showed up today, with the wrong fucking gaskets. I shit you not. I can't win.

Anyway, the spacers seem pretty decent although you have to pound them onto the head surface with a mallet. The holes for the pins (that help you position the gaskets) are a bit small. Thus, the mallet and my wrong-gasket frustrations.

On the bright side, the rails now clear the support brackets for the AVCS solenoids. So at least I don't have to chop them off with a disc grinder.

 

[Grinder34]

Sooooooo..... the 19mm Phenolic Spacers showed up today, with the wrong fucking gaskets. I shit you not. I can't win.

Wow. Just, wow. Sorry man.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Luckily, Oakos has them in stock and my wife said she'd take a long lunch to pick them up for me. That's great, because if I had to fight that damned traffic again for 2 hours for an $11 gasket, I might go full demolition derby.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Finally! My wife got the gaskets and sent me a photo to confirm they are the correct ones. Smart girl :lol:

 

[Raven32]

Couldn?t help but think of this

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[Alin]

Wow, that's hysterical!!! :rofl:

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Guess what... Some of the new valve buckets don't fit. I can't imagine we measured wrong, so the only thing that makes sense is that after 70,000 they were worn down. For example, we measured the gap and felt we needed an extra thickness. We look at the bucket and it says "487" (4.87mm) so we order a 488 and 489 to try. Meanwhile, what was labelled 487 has worn down to 485 and now the $27/each, non-returnable vavle buckets I ordered do not fit.

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[Alin]

Man, the shafted just doesn't stop, does it?! Damn...

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Man, the shafted just doesn't stop, does it?! Damn...

Hold on now, there's more where that came from... The turbo oil drain hose on my previous turbo was absolutely not coming off. It would rip before it would separate from the turbo. So I figured, no big deal I'll just buy another OEM Turbo Oil Drain Hose from Oakos. I get it and it's about 4-5" long. Turns out, that ONLY fits with the stock IHI VF turbos. Since the company I got my new turbo from decided to be different AND not include a drain hose, I'm f-ed until I get another couple hoses in from Amazon and see what fits. It is also practically impossible to get one that is the right size, oil resistant AND will handle the heat. So while the hose(s) I just ordered might fit, I'm going to have to heat shield them as well. Even then, the temperature of the oil inside is likely to melt it out. Stay tuned for next summer when I find a pool of oil under the car and have to rip the fucking turbo back out again.

My advice? Save your money and don't do an engine build. If you do, make sure you have an entire year to complete it. Best option is, save up and have someone else deal with all this bullshit for you.

 

[Raven32]

I used this stuff that I picked up from napa auto parts

Heatshield Products 274034 Thermaflect Sleeve 3/4" ID x 3' Heat Shield Sleeve https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002UGX0ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0WInDbJ9Y32SK

Along with some hose that resistant to oil/gas. Might want to check local auto parts store or order from amazon the size you need.


So far it?s been holding up quite well with the TDO6-20g.





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[Alin]

Hold on now, there's more where that came from... The turbo oil drain hose on my previous turbo was absolutely not coming off. It would rip before it would separate from the turbo. So I figured, no big deal I'll just buy another OEM Turbo Oil Drain Hose from Oakos. I get it and it's about 4-5" long. Turns out, that ONLY fits with the stock IHI VF turbos. Since the company I got my new turbo from decided to be different AND not include a drain hose, I'm f-ed until I get another couple hoses in from Amazon and see what fits. It is also practically impossible to get one that is the right size, oil resistant AND will handle the heat. So while the hose(s) I just ordered might fit, I'm going to have to heat shield them as well. Even then, the temperature of the oil inside is likely to melt it out. Stay tuned for next summer when I find a pool of oil under the car and have to rip the fucking turbo back out again.

My advice? Save your money and don't do an engine build. If you do, make sure you have an entire year to complete it. Best option is, save up and have someone else deal with all this bullshit for you.

Truly unfathomable... Problems that you're not aware of until the heat of the moment...

If you don't mind sharing AFTER the build is complete, could you post what you paid in total versus what it would have cost for a shop to rebuild and install?

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

I'm not even sure I could tell you because I've completely lost track. Let's just say it's probably around twice as much as I budgeted for and I was pretty generous on the estimate.

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[Alin]

Things never go as planned! :lol: