North America Chat

[Wakaba]

Yea the world Galant/legnum platform is so much nicer than the north American platform. The interior alone is worth not going with the north American car.

From what I understand once the autos are built and the weak points addressed they aren't bad. I plan to keep mine auto as it's a "DD" for me and I have a mirage to Evo conversion that's cheaper to mod/have fun with when the power bug bites me.

Was chatting with a local who is banging on the 1000whp mark in an awd converted 3g eclipse. Gave me the skinny on the trans and where the weak points were. For my sub 450whp goal he said just wave spring and a good cooler. Rest will be fine. So I’m allowing that to be my guiding light.

Don’t get me wrong. I was not unhappy with getting the auto. My first Legnum was an auto and I flogged the snot out of that poor thing in the mountains between Fuji and Tokyo. I know it can take a beating. I’m mostly just making decisions as a long term goal so when the day comes, I don’t need to start digging. Also. If I want to get my purity dose, my wife daily drives a ‘19 Golf R 6spd. Also need to get the 1380 built for our classic Mini to get it back on the road.

Short term for the Legnum is getting the LinkECU installed and a mild tune done. Then a set of paddle shifters. Because if I’m running an auto I want flappy paddles. Just as soon as my buddy ships out my evo X wheels, I’ll be able to swap in my Evo brakes.

Alas. Fall is nearly upon us and car will be heading into storage till spring.

 

[BCX]

While your doing the wavespring, tig the pins on the planetary carrier. They were also another potential point of failure.

And make sure its got the right fluid. Some have had luck with multi spec atf fluid but ymmv. But also seen/heard of plenty of these boxes having issues.

Here in AU, the locally made Magna/Verada (based off the Diamante) used the 4 & 5spd auto box (mostly fwd, but some are awd) and there used to be a dedicated Magna forum (aussiemagna) with plenty of horror stories with these boxes, usually from neglect, wavespring or wrong fluid.

Finding another awd trans is easier than finding a good 6a1 block. Plenty of these trans at the wreckers here inAU. And the transfer case on awd Magna is more like later evo.

 

[Wakaba]

While your doing the wavespring, tig the pins on the planetary carrier. They were also another potential point of failure.

And make sure its got the right fluid. Some have had luck with multi spec atf fluid but ymmv. But also seen/heard of plenty of these boxes having issues.

Here in AU, the locally made Magna/Verada (based off the Diamante) used the 4 & 5spd auto box (mostly fwd, but some are awd) and there used to be a dedicated Magna forum (aussiemagna) with plenty of horror stories with these boxes, usually from neglect, wavespring or wrong fluid.

Finding another awd trans is easier than finding a good 6a1 block. Plenty of these trans at the wreckers here inAU. And the transfer case on awd Magna is more like later evo.

By the case.

I’m going to follow the instructions on modding the trans on a budget. Wave spring, weld the pins, etc.

 

[jdmftwyo]

Yep I plan to do the same when I do my wave spring. I plan to pull the transmission and do both planets.

I purchased a cooler and thermostat. Plan to put that on the car after I do the mods to the transmission.

Also here in the USA there doesn't seem to be an alternative to the SP3 that's worthwhile, everything that has the proper specs is actually more expensive than the OEM fluid lol.

 

[Wakaba]

Long story short. Found this larger capacity direct drop in coolant expansion tank from a car that has a 8.8L coolant system.

Before:

View attachment 66232

After:

View attachment 66231

Adds just about 250mL with room for a bit of air over the standard part.

Part number MR212510.

Fits 3G Eclipse and some Galants if you’re junkyard hunting.

Going to watch carefully to see if it’s enough for the upgraded radiator. If not a small recovery tank may be in order.

​

After burping the system the 3G Eclipse bottle is about perfect.

Full cold:

Full hot:

 

[jdmftwyo]

Spent the holiday putting on these brembos. (Yes I know they need finished/refinished.) I go to tail of the dragon in 3 weeks so lol.

Used a 2g dsm adapter kit for the fronts vs trying to source fl knuckles.

 

[Wakaba]

Waiting on my evo x gsr wheels to get here from Japan. Then the car gets the brembo swap.

 

[jdmftwyo]

Waiting on my evo x gsr wheels to get here from Japan. Then the car gets the brembo swap.

You managed to snag fl knuckles right? It will be so much easier but I'm cheap. 2 project cars and other hobbies are killing me.

I used Evo 8 braided lines but I think I'm going to pick up dsm lines over the winter. Evo x wheels look great on these cars. I'd like to switch to 18's also once these federals wear out.

 

[Wakaba]

You managed to snag fl knuckles right? It will be so much easier but I'm cheap. 2 project cars and other hobbies are killing me.

I used Evo 8 braided lines but I think I'm going to pick up dsm lines over the winter. Evo x wheels look great on these cars. I'd like to switch to 18's also once these federals wear out.

I know that feeling. Still have the 1380 to build for my wife’s Mini so she can drive it again.

I picked up the knuckles and a bunch of other parts off Yahoo auditions. We have good friends who live in Aomouri. I was amassing parts in their garage for months, then spent two days boxing and shipping them home when we were there this summer. Ended up with a bunch as checked bags on the flight home.

I had snagged a set of FL knuckles off yahoo and pulled the stock calipers, rotors, and hubs. They went in the bin to save weight.

Sadly in 2016, when we moved to the new house, my buddy convinced me into tossing out the set of FL knuckles we brought when we moved back from Japan in 08.