TARP Blog

It took the better part of yesterday to finish getting the oil seal replaced and then a late night last night to put all the pieces of the drive shaft and left rear suspension back on the car, but by 1:30 this morning, it was done. And yes, the half-shaft bolts were torqued on to spec (27 ft-lbs for those playing at home).

After dropping the girls at school this morning, I came home to test the car. And what do you know, it worked! I’ve started it a few times since the race just to circulate the fluids but this was the first time that it had moved under its own power since that fateful broadsiding that robbed it of its precious bodily inboard joint. I drove it around the block. Same sounds as before.

Tearing it apart and putting it back together revealed some interesting things about the car. The strut insert (a/k/a shock absorber) on the driver’s rear is totally blown; I suspect the same is true for the other rear corner. Also, the rear brakes are hardly being used even in race conditions; the rear pads were barely worn. So there’s a couple of things to add to the list: new, cheap rear strut inserts and a cheap brake proportioning valve so we can get some more oomph (or any) out of the back brakes.

But for today, a small triumph. At least the car is ambulatory again. Huzzah!

MR2, Race Prep Author: Pat