The 1999 Blue Mtx - Joshalabama's worklog

[joshalabama]

I purchased my zx2 from ebay in May of 2007 after blowing my Jeep Grand Cherokee's motor. The car cost me $2600 and it was a nightmare to get. We drove down to Miami in my friends Grand Prix that was old and had no air conditioner etc. When I picked up the car it was running terrible, bucking and had no power or ac. The man I bought it from resembled a drug lord. It was scary. I bought the car and luckily it was only the timing belt. This is how she stood when I got her home after a wash:


http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/cars015-1.jpg
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/Car/cars013.jpg
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So my problems at this point were:
Shredded timing belt and busted idler pulley, Busted ac line and bad ccrm, Clogged PCV and melted line that was pouring oil into my intake, Exhaust leak from cracked manifold, Bad battery terminal connections, None working radio.

I then proceeded to replace the broken parts with performance parts one at a time.

Work done in near chronological order:
Oil Change to Mobil1 5w-20
Timing belt/kit and Valve cover gasket done by mechanic
PCV line and valve replacement
Coolant Flush
Fuel Injector cleaner used religiously
Knock Sensor mod
Ebay 3" CAI
Kamikaze header (took hours)
Ford Racing Spark Plug Wires

With these mods my best time was a 16.2 at 88mph at the 1/4 mile track.

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I then aquired a SCT X-Cal2, Esslinger Underdrive Pulley and Trubendz 2.5" Exhaust with Borla Muffler and Magnaflow Res.
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/Car/IMG_1238.jpg
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We then proceeded to try to turn the CAI into a true Cold Air. So to do that we cut into the fender well to the front of the car and isolated it with a heat shield. I now have a beautiful scar going across my wrist from this but it was a beauty:

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The car felt great at this point but it was time to get tuned. I was lucky enough to run into Doug from Bamachips one night at Walker Dyno in Trussville when we were tuning my buddies FD and I was in awe. This is one of the guys who worked with Vit in doing a lot of the major zx2 tuning. So we talked and he told me he would tune my car. After getting my bolt ons completed I went to the man ready.
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http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/th_Dyno2.jpg (http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/?action=view&current=Dyno2.flv)
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/th_Dyno4.jpg (http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/?action=view&current=Dyno4.flv)

Modest gains but a huge improvement overall. So all of this was fun for a while untill one night coming home from work after the Superbowl (it had rained) I slid into a curb and crushed my lower control arm, front wheel and tire, driver hub and strut. So to fix this I installed new Tokico struts and dropzone springs. That was great and a huge difference in looks. I then met zx2loon and purchased form him his stock swirlies. From that point until now I installed a Rockford Fosgate sub and amp, and a 21mm EGT RSB. This is how she stood at this point:

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At this point I swapped to Redline MTX fluid and went to the Alabama International Dragway where we rented the track for a day. It was time to test out what she had.

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x312/joshalabama/Steele.jpg

She ran a...

R/T … .413
60’ … 2.273
330 … 6.390
1/8 … 9.801
MPH … 71.85
1/4 … 15.212
MPH … 90.53

I was pleased and this was on 185/65/15 Goodyear Versas or something. Well from this point I added Energy Suspension Motor Mounts front and rear, and a zxtuner shift knob and leather shift boot. Then in a random act of hate my tires were slashed at an O'reilys Parkinglot. So I then proceeded to buy Falken Ziex 912, 205/50/15. They are beyond amazing.

I have yet to have gone back to the track but one night when it was raining me and my friends decided to go play in a parking lot where I blew my transmission. So I will have more pics up soon of the car taken apart but here are the plans from soonest to postponed:

Power
98' Transmission Swap 42,000 miles on it with new differential gears and Phantom Grip.
Either Gude Head or Esslinger State 2 head, undecided.
MMI Intake
Ported throttle body and Intake Manifold
Wet Nitrous Kit spraying a 35 shot with window switch (Icing on the cake)

Looks/Sounds/Etc.
Pioneeer Premier Speakers Upgrade
New Exterior Window Trim
Charcoal Interior Swap
Tinted Windows to 30%

That is it for now. Will update as needed.

[bluezx21999]

i like it


one question did you have any rubing on the 205-50-15

[joshalabama]

Yes on the fronts. I don't know if this is an issue with my side wall coming unbolted though.

[bluezx21999]

what do you get to fix it

a wheel spacer?

[joshalabama]

Maybe...I don't know if they are actually rubbing or if it is just that the plastic came loose...

[zx2reme]

Nice work so far. Nice numbers for just a few bolt-ons. I bet you can't wait to start with the bigger mods.

[joshalabama]

All ready started...Just waiting to finish them. I expect this Spring. The transmission will be on in a couple weeks and will def. put me in the high 14's.

[joshalabama]

So I bought another blue zx2 for $250 without a transmission. It is a 98 with 122,000. It is in fantastic shape and blue just like mine only it has a blue interior and has the sport package.

Back on my zx2.

I finally recieved Phantom Grip in mail from Canada. The guy shipped it in a Pizza Pops box which seems to be the reason it took so long, customs. But it is in good shape. So I went and made a $150 dollar run to advanced buying a new rear main seal, fuel filters, coolant, oil, oil filters, pcv, gear oil **valvoline 75wx90 (hope it is decent)** and a few other things. Then spent a ton on obsolete Ford parts for our diffys. Fixing two cars with the same problem is pricey.

So I am off Wen and Thursday night, so after class me and a buddy will start reassembling my car. So we will put the tranny back together and install the phantom grip, install pilot bearing, get the flywheel resurfaced and put it and the spec stage 2 on. Put the tranny back on and check shifting. Then just reassemble axles and hubs etc. I really hope by Thursday night to have a running, driving car. In a few weeks i'll have a MMI on it, should be a mean little zx2.

The other car *(98)* will probably take me a little longer to get working again. Once I get a tranny put together and put it in there I hope it runs...I hope the motor isn't seized, I will probably try to turn the engine over using the main crank pulley before doing anything...I'm a little scared. Wish me luck with that. The way I see it, even if the motor is seized it will still give me my money back with a partout. This car is completely stock with upgraded stereo and speakers (pioneer).

Well I suppose those are the updates for now.

[Blue ZX2]

nice story!

[joshalabama]

seems more like a stream of thoughts now that I read what I wrote. lol.......

[Hypnose Zx2]

looks good. i don't like blue zx2 but you have changed my mind

[joshalabama]

Thanks man. Yeah, I am going to keep it looking stock besides adding tint. I am buying a gude head package and it should be amazing then.