Hey guys, I’ve noticed multiple questions keep popping up every other week, and I’m sure most of you have been wanting an FAQ as much as I have...so here it is. If you happen to be a new owner, a potentially new owner, or a new member of this forum, please read through this as it will probably address over 90% of your initial questions, providing you with quicker answers to your questions, and saving others the time of repeating themselves on a weekly basis. Also, if you cannot find exactly what you are looking for in this FAQ, please try the ‘Search’ feature on this forum, prior to posting...it just saves everyone time. Thanks.
And just FYI, I have a vr-4 so chances are that this will be slightly biased towards 3000gt over Stealths and to TT setups over N/A, but I will try the best I can to keep this in mind.
-What are good beginning mods/staged upgrades etc.?
A: The best upgrade guide that I have come across is
http://www.3si.org/pages/mods.html
This offers 2 upgrade guides, POWER and PERFORMANCE guides. These are mostly geared towards the Twin Turbo models, ie, the VR-4 and the RT/TT, however some mods apply to all 3/S cars. My only point of dispute with this mod guide is the exhaust. As far as performance, the stock exhaust is already 2.75" wide, and is fully capable of supporting 500hp and 11sec 1/4 times. If you upgrade, it really isn't worth it as a starting modification(in my opinion). The stock downpipe and precats are more of a restriction, so you would benefit more by replacing the downpipe with an aftermarket one, and gutting the precats, before getting a cat-back and hi-flow cat or test pipe. In my opinion, the only reason to swap the exhaust for an aftermarket catback would be if you want an aftermarket look or sound.
Here is another excellent mod guide that goes along the lines of what I was saying:
http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/Upgrades.html
Also, if you have a first gen(91-93 vr4) chances are you have noticed it is rated 20hp less than the 2nd generation vr4s. This is simply because the stock boost settings are lower from the factory. You can easily turn them up to the 2nd generation boost levels by performing the free boost mod:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-freeboost.htm
If you just got into modding, and are starting with a stock car, my advice is get an intake, a boost controller, an aftermarket boost gauge(as the stock boost gauge is a POS), turn up the boost to 14.5psi, a downpipe, and gut your precats. This can be done for $400-$1200 and will put you in the ballpark of 400hp and into the 12s. This is just my advice, though, do what you want.
Anyway, after the basic beginning mods, I seriously suggest you do two things.
1) Figure out what your goals are. Are you building a street or track car, what kind of numbers are you seriously looking for. And be honest with yourself. Yes there are some 10 second cars out there, yes there are some 700hp cars out there...but realistically they aren't cheap to build/maintain and you need to be honest with yourself.
2) Take the time to do research into the route you plan on taking. There are SOOO many different turbos, intercoolers, air/fuel/timing control and logging options, fuel injector options, etc. That a comprehensive guide is next to impossible. At this point I highly recommend going to 3si and reading over alot of the comparison threads over there, where many many many products are compared to each other and you can really decide what is best suited to your needs/goals.
For N/A(naturally aspired...or non-turbo) 3/S cars, check out this link to get an idea of potential mods:
http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=85924
I don’t have an N/A so I can’t confirm this guys opinions.
A nice set of long tube headers for NAs just came out as well from 3sx for around $700
But remember, moding is up to the owner...go where you want to with it. Most of these are suggested routes to follow, obviously some are necessary to perform before others, but mostly it is opinion, these are all to help you get an idea of what is available. Disclaimer: If you break something on your car or hurt yourself, it isn’t our fault, or AF’s fault.
-mod comparisons...downpipe, intake, bov etc
Trying to figure out which boost controller, turbo timer, etc to get to best fit your needs and budget...check these out.
Boost controller comparison:
http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/Boostcontrol.html
Intakes:
http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/Intakes.html
Plugs and wires:
http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/PlugWires.html
Downpipe:
http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/Downpipe.html
Blow off valves:
http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/BOV.html
Turbos:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-turboguide.htm
Brakes:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-brakeupgrade.htm
Fuel Pump:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-fuelpumpguide.htm
Pistons:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-pistonguide.htm
Oil Filters Study:
http://www.frankhunt.com/FRANK/corvette/articles/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html
-How do I...
A: Looking for detailed instructions on how to do some maintenance or install a new mod,
www.stealth316.com is one of the best sites I’ve ever found...always check there first, especially the garage section. Also check out
www.vr4stealth.com,
http://www.supercar-engineering.com/rubberducky/ and
http://johnmonnin.netfirms.com/
Some of the more common How-To’s...
Oil Change:
http://www.team3s.com/~egross/3S/Maint/All/OilC/index.html
Changing Spark Plugs:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-sparkchange.htm
Free Boost Mod:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-freeboost.htm
Intake install:
http://mi3si.org/techdata/knairfilter.htm
Changing brakes:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-rotorpads.htm or
http://www.team3s.com/~egross/3S/Maint/All/BPad/index.html
BOV install:
http://www.penguinhosting.net/~bigmac/store/RT/dsmbov/dsmbovInstallation.html
Turbo Timer install:
http://www.team3s.com/~egross/3S/Mods/TT/TTimer/index.html
Best write-up I've seen on gutting precats, by jstodda79 on 3si:
http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread....4&page=1&pp=10
-3s tuners and other useful websites
www.3sxperformance.com
www.importpoweronline.com
www.horsepowerfreaks.com
www.gtpro.com
www.dynamicracing.com
For a complete list of shops that specialize in our cars:
http://www.3si.org/pages/tuners.html
Got a ticket...fight it!:
www.beatmyspeedingticket.com
Another great forum devoted to our cars:
www.3si.org
Random 3/S sites:
www.3kgt.com www.daveblack.net
www.3sny.com (home of the some of the fastest 3000gts in the country)
Specs for every year, make, model...weight/hp/torque/etc:
http://www.team3s.com/FAQ-Specs1.htm
or
http://www.daveblack.net/asp/3SiSpecs.asp
Production #s and more specs:
http://www.3kgt.com/dimensions.shtml
Cheapest $$$ Manual boost controller I’ve found:
www.HiBoostRacing.com
Looking to buy a 3000gt or Stealth, check out
www.autotrader.com
To get an idea of a possible insurance quote, go to
www.progressive.com or
www.geico.com (check out insurance FAQ for discounts)
-what does vr4 stand for?
A: The debate rages on...Popular belief was that it stood for Viscous, Realtime-4... Viscous coupling is a type of differential that links your front and rear so if the front or rear start breaking loose and lose traction, the torque is transfered to the other set to allow the wheels without traction to lock up again. Realtime all wheel drive with 4 wheel steering.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential9.htm --What is viscous coupling?
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=254947&highlight=vr4+stand
On the other hand,
ikOnone has suggested this is simply a guess that many owners have come to except, but ultimately is not true.
Linebckr49 has evidence from a European promo pamphlet that seems to support 'velocite de raison'. A French transliteration of this phrase is Velocity with Reason...on 4 wheels. "Although 'Viscous-Realtime 4' is a good try, it wouldn't make sense nor would it appeal to the average consumer, who most likely doesn't know and doesn't care what a differential, let alone viscous coupling, is."
Why a Japanese company would name their car in English or in French is beyond me...but at least you now know both sides of the debate.
-1/4 and 0-60 stats
vr4 stats are assuming good drivers and conditions.
91-93 vr4s/RTTTs run 13.9-14.1 in the ¼ with low 5 second 0-60s
94-99 vr4s/RTTTs run 13.5-13.7 in the ¼ and do 0-60 in around 4.8 seconds
91-99 SLs/91-96 base 3000gts/Stealth ES/Stealth RT generally run around 15.2-15.5 in the ¼, although some members have claimed times as good as 14.9 This of course is assuming manual transmissions, autos will be almost a second slower. 0-60 ?
97-99 base 3000gt and all base Stealths run mid 16s with a 0-60 of about 8.5 sec. Again, assuming manual transmissions.
-Differences in years/gens
Well first off, there were a bunch of features that faded out over the years and available in only 1 or 2 of the trims, I am not going to address those differences here.
The big cosmetic differences: 91-93 3000GTs were known as the first generation with more older exotic styling. 94-98 had much more curvy styling and is known as the second gen. In 99, Mitsu gave this car a styling makeover in the front and back.
In 95 and 96 Mitsu offered a hardtop convertible version of the vr4 and the SL, known as Spyders.
In 96 Dodge ceased production of the Stealth, so in 97, Mitsu swapped in the 161hp SOHC engine into its base model, making a more economical version available...this was viewed as a serious downgrade by all 3/S enthusiasts.
Now as far as engines, trannys, and internals: 91-93 had 5spds, they were set at 9-10psi from the factory
94-99 6spds set at 12psi. This accounted for the 20hp difference between the 2 generations, but this can be easily remedied by fooling with the boost selonoid. See "free boost mod" if you want more info on that.
I took this from
www.stealth316.com:
"The DOHC 6G72 is an extremely strong engine, with an alloy steel block and aluminum alloy heads, and is capable of delivering well over 500 HP with turbocharging. As good as the first versions of the engine were, Mitsubishi decided to make the engine even stronger in 1993 models (starting with June 1992 production-date cars) giving it a 4-bolt main bearing cap girdle (the original used 2-bolt caps with stiffening stays on the middle 4 bolts) and a nitrided-steel crankshaft (the original was cast iron or mild steel). Mitsubishi made other changes, most significant of which was moving the crank and cam angle sensors from the left head (where it was user-adjustable for timing) and into the block (not adjustable).”
Essentially, the following internals were changed mid 92:
92.5 has 4 bolt main, 91-92.5 had 2 bolt main (although it doesn't really matter unless you plan on modding the hell out of it). (ALL NAs are 2 bolt)
93 has forged connecting rods, 91-92 does not
93 has forged crankshaft, 91-92 does not
93 has forged steel inserts inside cast aluminum pistons, 91-92 does not
93 has forged steal 25 spline output shaft, 91-92 have a cast 18 spline.
93 has stronger internals in the transfer case, and is a different design than earlier ones
91-93 had OBDI ECUs and are very easy to datalog, 94-95 had hybrid OBDI/OBDII, 96+ had OBDII
Lastly, in 99 they finally upgraded the lash adjusters(lifters) from 1mm to 3mm to eliminate that annoying lifter tick.
-Differences in American/European/Japanese GTOs
There were 3 kinds of GTOs(3000GTs in Japan), the SR, TT, and MR
The SR is pretty much an AWD SL
The TT is the equivalent of our VR-4
The MR (stands for Mitsu Racing) is AWD with the same 9b turbos. It lacks some of the features the VR4 has, such as AWS and some other stuff, simply to save ~30kg in weight. And it has shorter gears, than the US vr4. It is reported to run ~12.8 in the ¼, and only 500 were made.
The UK spec GTO had the dealer option of 13G turbos, but many stuck with the same 9bs as ours.
(Thanks to everyone who researched and debated all this)
-Records
I was hesitant to do this, because I knew as soon as I wrote this, somebody would probably destroy the old records and this would be outdated, but whatever, I'll post them, but when read, make sure to keep in mind I've last edited this in Nov. '06, and while new records were just recently made...they maybe broken yet again in the upcoming weeks/months/years.
Currently:
Matt Monett from Dynamic Racing piloted the first AWD 3S into the 9s and 150+ trap speeds with his run of 9.73 @ 151.39 running 30psi on a stock shortblock!!!
Later, Chris Hill broke into the 9s as well, driving the 3SX powered T4 car to a 9.98 @ 147.58 with a 6spd. And then later produced the
NEW WORLD RECORD run of 9.666@139.08 with a custom AWD AUTO setup.
Chris Hill (3SX) also has/drives the World's Quickest and Fastest FWD SL-TT with a 10.8X @ 147.9 and a 10.191 @ 140.31
Ray Pampena, owner and chief mechanic of Pampena Motorsports, holds the 3S world record of 873.76AWHP / 598.68AWT (702.41AWT w/35 shot)
Here are 2 record lists (maintained by Chris Hill and Matt Monett I believe) that will probably remain more updated than this:
http://www.3squicklist.com/ AND
http://www.dynamicracing.com/mw/inde...0_Fastest_List
-What turbo do I have?
Stock the Vr4s released in the US had 2 TD04-09B-6cm2 turbos
For ideas on possible turbo upgrades check out:
http://www.stealth316.com/2-turboguide.htm
Remember your stock fuel system has its limits. On the stock turbos and stock fuel system, you shouldn’t boost over 14.5psi or you will destroy your engine. If you upgrade your turbos, you will need to upgrade your injectors, fuel pump, and get an Air/Fuel controller.
-What Oil should I use
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...2&page=1&pp=15
-Common problems and reliability
Common problems are the transmission synchros...it is either a hit or miss with these, they have a tendency to get worn out, and people have 1, 2 or 3 that need to be replaced. This doesn't mean you need a new tranny(even though some mechanics and dealerships will tell you that), but you can buy individual synchros for a $80 a piece from Kormex, and then get them installed at a local shop for $500-$1,000.
Another thing to check with mileage over 100k is the valve stem seals, they have a tendency to start leaking oil when you get up there. If this is the case you will get blue smoke out of the exhaust. You can fix them yourself for under $80 if you are mechanically inclined.
The transfer cases are probably our Achilles’ heel, they can leak, but the good news is they have been recalled, and any dealership should repair or replace them for free. While they maybe reluctant, we have the right phone numbers of the right people to persuade them. So just ask us.
Another problem that isn't necessarily common, but it does happen occasionally is worn carrier bearings/u-joints in the driveshaft. When they get worn, they allow for more play, which results in drivetrain vibrations or thumping under the car, typically when shifting or under low acceleration, but sometimes you can feel them the entire time. Not to be confused with a drained transfer case which would cause a lock-up and alot of drivetrain issues. I will add more on replacing the carrier bearings and/or upgrading to a lightweight driveshaft in a seperate post on the 2nd page of the FAQ.
Oil cooler leaks in wintery climates, discussed in a post below, would cause oil to leak in front of the driver's front wheel.
Active aero malfunctions occur every once in awhile with the rear spoiler, but this is a cheap and easy repair that you can do on your own.
I believe directions are on
www.vr4stealth.com
91-93 (first gens) have an issue with the ECUs. Mitsu used poorly constructed capacitators in their ECU, over time they leak, causing all kinds of issues. The caps still work fine, but the leaking crap can ruin other parts of the ECU causing wide varied issues. Generally when they leak you will smell fish or burnt fiberglass from under the dash between the two front seats...you may even see some smoke, and different things will start acting funny. These caps can be replaced for cheap upfront if you find somebody to do it, or you can send them to AVPro and have them fix it all up and do a great job with lifetime warranty for around $270. They have a great informative website:
http://www.avproecm.com/process1.htm
Lastly, the clutch slipping. If the car has been abused from many hard launches, or has over 400hp from modifications the shortcomings of the stock clutch become evident and it may begin to slip.
It is just like any other car...the 3/S are average in reliability, not excellent, but not bad. If they have been abused and maltreated by previous owners, then chances are you may experience one of the above problems. If the previous owners have been good to it, then chances are it will be in good shape. I’ve heard of 3/S cars running well over 200k, one even up to 413k miles. They are just like any other car, they have specific problem spots, so when you test drive it, race it around, shift through the gears pretty hard, and make sure you don't get grinding and such. Also make sure you aren't getting smoke coming out the exhaust, or oil leaking from the T-case or oil cooler lines. Then just check all the normal stuff, get a mechanic to check it out...etc
-Lifter Tick
Taken from
www.3sxperformance.com:
“TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK... Does your car have the infamous lifter tick? You can upgrade to the later ‘3rd Generation’ lash adjusters which offer a HUGE improvement in oil circulation in the heads, thus virtually eliminating the ticking sound that incessantly emanates from the top of your motor. While the opening at the top of the lash adjusters in the 91-96 cars is less than 1mm, the opening in these is 3mm, allowing for much better lubricated rocker arms and a quieter, non-ticking ‘time bomb’ motor. ;-)”
Later 3rd Gen lifters are available for around $300 at most 3S shops, but if you check for current group buys on 3si, or ask around, recently they have become available for as low as $115.
If you don’t have the money and it is starting to get annoying, just remember it isn’t causing any harm. Typically, this is just a sign that you need an oil change. Change your oil and filter, some suggest Redline oil and OEM filters. More on lifter tick below.
-Shift Boot Replacement – provided by
YogsVR4
At one time or another, we all have to replace our worn out shift boot cover.
Remove the knob at the top of the shifter by turning it counter clockwise.
Pull the old boot upwards to disengage the frame from the console. Continue pulling the boot up over the top of the shifter shaft.
Make note of the boot position on the shifter before removing it
Cut the tie that holds the old boot in place on the shifter
Remove the old boot from the frame that holds it to the console
Put the new boot on the frame.
Push the boot down through the frame so it is inside out and place it over the shift knob.
Pull it down to the same place that you marked as being the original position.
Place the tie around the leather boot and pull tight to lock it in place.
Push the boot and frame down over the shifter and push the frame back into the console.
Congratulations, you’ve got the job done.
-tt conversion
http://www.3sxperformance.com/faq/ttconversion/partslist.html
has a basic parts list.
http://www.bobthegreat.com/pages/mycar/mods/turbo/index.html
awesome site by bob the great with lots of picture tutorials
Also check out 3si's FWD forced induction forum, wholy devoted to TT conversions:
http://www.3si.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=53
MORE COMING SOON...
-Dashboard warning lights
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=218305
This will tell you what each picture means if you don’t have your service manual.
-60k tuneup
This is the biggest event in your cars life, if done yourself, you may be lucky to do it for $300, but if a dealership does it, expect $1,000-1,500. Not to mention, it has to happen again at 120,000 miles. This is not an undertaking to do if you lack mechanical knowledge and whatnot. The most important element is probably the timing belt...these are supposed to be changed every 60,000 miles or 5 years, if they break you can do some serious damage to your valves and it wont be cheap to repair.
http://www.team3s.com/60k.htm
http://www.vr4stealth.com/60k-tune.htm
http://www.team3s.com/~egross/3S/Maint/All/TBelt/index.html
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=376006
Also check out
www.thepartsbin.com if you plan to do it yourself, parts can be aquired for around $300-$400.
www.3sxperformance.com also sells parts bundles as well for a bit more.
-Pricing value
So you are looking to buy or sell a 3/S and want to know what a fair price is
First check out
www.kbb.com They have an excellent site that will help determine a fair price whether you are buying from a private party or a dealership...chances are dealerships will charge more.
www.edmunds.com is another site to help with this.
The most important thing to remember is a car is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If someone is willing to pay 50 grand for a car, then that car will sell for $50k, these sites are only there to help assist in determining an average asking price, they are not the gospel truth. These cars aren’t being produced anymore and some people are willing to pay alot for them.
If you are buying or selling a car that has been modified, one important thing to remember is that mods do not add any value to the car, the seller is simply trying to make back some of the cash he/she has invested into their car. So your best bet as a seller is to find a buyer who wants a modified car and can appreciate the money already invested into it, or sell your mods individually and sell the car stock.
If you are looking for a 3000GT or Stealth, check out
www.3si.org and
www.autotrader.com also remember to run the VIN on
www.carfax.com to check the cars history.
-Insurance FAQ – provided by
Gateway
How much will it cost to insure my 3KGT/Stealth?
Answer: Depends on MANY MANY factors. Some you can change, some you cannot. They range from Sex, Age, Marital Status, Where you live, What type of car you drive, Credit (not in all states though), if you have current insurance or not, your level of education, your driving record, and a few more.
Usually the midwest states are less expensive than the east/west coast, and also the south. Some of the worst states for insurance are: New York, Texas, Colorado, Louisiana, Florida, California (off of the top of my head)
What can I do to lower my insurance rate?
Answer: As with the first question, there are many many factors determine how to lower your insurance. They range from discounts, to changing your coverages, to moving (ha ha)
Some possible discounts: Good student discount (usually a 3.0/4.0 or higher), alarm discount, air bags, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights (very few states offer this discount...NY is one of them), good driver discount, renewal discount, homeowners discount, military discount, getting VIN etched in the windows (again, few states offer this), and lo-jack.
Other ways to lower your insurance:
Get older! Usually at ages 19, 21, 23, and 25 you will see a decrease on your insurance.
Raise your deductibles for comprehensive/collision. There are ups and downs to this. You want to have your deductibles at a level comfortable to you. Your deductible is how much you agree to pay first if there is a claim on your vehicle. The most popular/common deductible is $500. Usually deductibles range from $25 - $1000. You can raise your deductible, which would increase the amount you pay in a claim, but lower your cost of insurance. Word of warning -- A lot of lienholders (the bank who gave you the money to buy your vehicle) will only allow $500 as the maximum, but every lienholder is different. Usually raising your deductible from $500 to $1000 isn't the best idea anyways because it doesn't save a whole lot of money....however, since we are taking about the 3KGT/Stealth, and young(er) male drivers, you will probably see a bigger decrease than normal.
Take a defensive driving course. Depending on your state you can take a defensive driving course to save 5-20% off of your insurance rate. The cost of the class is usually between $10 - $40, but the discount will apply on your insurance policy for 3 years, which more than makes up for the initial class. You can physically take an actual class (no driving involved) or you can go online to take the class. 1 800-621-7615 is the phone number to the National Safety Council, they can tell you where/when you can take a class in your area. You can take the DDC online at
http://www.nsc.org or
www.defensivedriving.com.
Try your best to keep your driving record clean. Insurance companies will surcharge for any activity for 3 years. Get a ticket, it's stuck with you for a while.
General tips for insurance
Know your insurance policy. Know what coverages you have and what they do for you. Some coverages are required, which means you can not remove them, and other coverages are optional, which means you can remove them if you want. Some require written signature to reject, some don't. If you have good health insurance, you might think about rejecting Uninsured Motorist coverage. This covers you if you get into an auto accident and the other person is at fault and doesn't have insurance. If you have health insurance, then usually you are covered anyways...no need in paying for the coverage twice. Also is "medical payments" or "pip" (personal injury protection). This covers you if you are hurt in an auto accident, regardless of fault. Same as before, if you have medical insurance, you might not need this coverage. Medical payments is ALWAYS optional/rejectable. PIP is SOMETIMES optional/rejectable and sometimes required.
Add road service! It usually costs $.50 - $3/month. Well worth it if you ever need a tow/lock yourself out/run out gas/flat tire/need a jump start.
Rental Reimbursement -- covers most of the cost of a rental car while yours is in the shop due to a comprehensive/collision claim. Usually this costs $2-$5 a month. If you only have 1 vehicle, it's usually a good idea. If you have an extra car at your disposal if something happens to your main vehicle, then this might not be needed.
Car Detailing – provided by
YogsVR4
Nothing you do to your cars appearance is more important then keeping it clean. A great source on the ‘how to’ of keeping our cars clean (or any other car for that matter is)
http://www.team3s.com/FAQdetailing.htm#Detailing%20Intro
Here a few dos and don’ts to remember.
DO
Wash the car regularly. The car gets a buildup of road grime, pollen, sap, salt regardless of how nice the weather seems.
Remove any bird droppings, water spots or other contaminates as soon as possible. They will eat through your finish and mar the paint.
Use high quality waxes and polishes. If you want a show car quality finish, I can’t recommend Zaino highly enough
http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc Meguiars and Mothers are high quality products and good old Turtlewax will get the job done.
If you have the time, using a claybar will make a world of difference on your finish. (We’ll address this later)
Clean the chrome! Chrome will flake and peel quite easily if you do not keep it clean. Especially the exhaust tips.
Treat your leather. Cracking and tearing can be avoided by keeping the leather nice and supple.
Use clean 100% cotton towels to remove wax.
Work in a cool shaded environment. Some products say its ok to work in the sun. Good for them. No product ever tells you its bad to work in the shade.
DON’T
Avoid automated car washes that touch the car. If something touches your car that you can’t inspect, expect the worst.
Don’t use money raising car washes. These folks are looking for money – not to do a quality job on your car. Please, feel free to donate, but do not let them touch your car.
Don’t forget to wax your car after using a claybar.
Don’t use dish soap. Dish soap will remove wax from the car and dry out the paint. The only exception to this is if you plan on polishing and waxing the car immediately after washing it this way. I would argue against, it, but the jury isn’t completely with me.
Don’t use rubbing compounds on our cars. Nothing more abrasive then the claybar.
Don’t be in a hurry. Treat your baby with time and care and she’ll shine for years.
The Claybar
This is one of the things not many people do but can have a huge impact on your cars appearance. Clay barring does not damage the paint. Not paying attention to what you are doing can do that. Follow these simple steps and you will strip away paint imperfections, distortions and get the surface silky smooth.
Wash the car.
Dry the car.
Now you’re ready to use the claybar.
1 Use plenty of lubricant – this cannot be stressed enough. You cannot use too much.
2 Use only fresh, clean clay
3 Use a very light hand with the clay
4 Stretch and refold the clay frequently
5 On the area you are working on, only use the clay until it passes the plastic bag test
I prefer to use finishing spray as the lubricant for the claybar. Others do recommend using soapy water. The choice is yours, but I live in northern Michigan where the salt, sap and bird dropping flow and my finish shines like the day it was new.
Put your hand in a thin plastic bag and rub it on the surface, the bag will stick and feel bumpy on spots with imperfections. Spay on the lubricant and lightly rub your claybar over the surface. (remember to fold often) You’ll feel the surface become smooth again and see the imperfections taken out of the paint.
Continue this process until the car has been fully inspected and rubbed down with the claybar.
Follow that up by washing the car again. If you have swirl marks in your paint, this is the perfect time to address them. There are many swirl mark removers out there. Follow their directions and you can remove or greatly reduce the swirls.
Now your cars paint is ready for a polish and wax. I always use Zaino car products to polish and wax my Spyder and I use Turtlewax on my other cars (other then the Delorean which has its own unique finish).
It is important that you at least wax your car. After using the claybar, there is no wax left on the areas you treated.
Final Note:
We want to keep this FAQ clean, organized, and most importantly 100% correct. So if you have anything to add, suggest, correct, etc. Feel free to post it. It will be reviewed and then possibly added...however, once it has been reviewed, I will delete the original post to keep it organized and also to keep this thread from reaching 1,000 pages. So please do not post comments that do not have useful information. And please do not get upset if your post gets deleted due to ‘Spring Cleaning’...Thanks to all who contributed
