Old plugs. Look pretty consistent with good coloring.

Plug It Up

With about 23k on the clock, and performance tunes having been flashed, I figured it may be a wise move to replace the stock spark plugs, gapping them to the narrower spec of .024″ (current plugs were also gapped this way).

NGK Laser Iridium SIKR9A7‘s

Laser!

Laser!

Gap them critters to .024"

Gap them critters to .024″

Unplugged

Unplugged

Old vs new. Not too bad.

Old vs new. Not too bad.

Old plugs. Look pretty consistent with good coloring.

Old plugs. Look pretty consistent with good coloring.

Summer’s Here! Well, Tires Are

This March is actually turning out to be quite nice! A stint of unseasonably warm weather has caused me to throw caution to the wind, and do away with the winter wheels and tires for the season. Hopefully I don’t regret this decision in a couple weeks.

Since the stock Pirelli’s were nearly slicks after 20k, a new set of rubber was in order. I opted for a set of 205/45ZR-16 BFG g-Force Sport COMP-2‘s.

Just so you know, you can fit 8 tires into a 500! Fortunately, I didn’t have to drive far in the configuration (the tire shop was just up the road), since visibility to the right and rear was pretty much zero. I needed to have the stock tires dismounted from the factory wheels, and the new tires mounted up.

Why didn’t I just swap over the wheels in advance, so I would only have needed to take the new tires to the shop?  Because I don’t trust any shop to put Fiona on a lift, nor lay a socket on her lug bolts, that’s why! I swapped the wheels over myself as soon as I return home :) Then found some corners in need of carving.

Gotta love these deliveries from tirerack.com

Gotta love these deliveries from tirerack.com

Groovy!

Groovy!

Tread for days

Tread for days

205/45ZR-16 BFG g-Force Sport COMP-2

205/45ZR-16 BFG g-Force Sport COMP-2

Cleaning up the factory wheels

Cleaning up the factory wheels

Loaded to the gills! 8 tires and 4 wheels in there

Loaded to the gills! 8 tires and 4 wheels in there

So much room to spare

So much room to spare

Buckle up!

Buckle up!

Not the most talkative passenger

Not the most talkative passenger

Over the top

Over the top

Nothing to see here, officer

Nothing to see here, officer

Let's swap!

Let’s swap!

It's go time!

It’s go time!

195/45R-16 Pirelli Winter Snowcontrol Serie 3 on MSW Type 25 Wheels

Re-Tired (and Wheeled)

After last year’s beyond terrible winter performance from the stock Pirelli P7’s, I knew I wanted some true snow tires before the flakes came down this year. For ease of swapping over from Summer to Winter, I opted to have the 195/45R-16 Pirelli Winter Snowcontrol Serie 3 tires mounted on a separate set of silver 16×7 MSW Type 25 wheels.

To complete the winter trim, I also installed the R3T skidplate to help protect things, since the car is sitting even lower than last winter. I’m sure this all means it’s never going to snow ever again. Thank me later.

195/45R-16 Pirelli Winter Snowcontrol Series 3

195/45R-16 Pirelli Winter Snowcontrol Serie 3

195/45R-16 Pirelli Winter Snowcontrol Series 3 on MSW Type 25 Wheels

195/45R-16 Pirelli Winter Snowcontrol Serie 3 on MSW Type 25 Wheels

R3T Skid Plate Underside

R3T Skid Plate Underside

R3T Skid Plate Top

R3T Skid Plate Top

R3T Skid Plate Installed

R3T Skid Plate Installed

Winter wheels & tires

Winter wheels & tires

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

Winter Trim. Waiting for the snow

K&N Filter with venturi

Intake it to the Extreme

Colder air = better air, no matter how you slice it. Getting cool air into the intake becomes even more of a challenge when you have a turbo heating the air as it’s compressed (remedied by the intercooler), as well as heating the engine bay while it’s doing its job (solved by intake placement).

ATM came up with an innovate design that places the filter down in the bumper, where cool air is readily available, and then requires just a short, direct run to get to the turbo. The only thing in the way of this design (after the stock intercoolers are removed, and replaced with their front mount unit) is the windshield washer reservoir. So, add a simple remote-mount tank and bracket, and we’re ready to rock & roll!

K&N Filter with venturi

K&N Filter with venturi

ATM Intake Tubing

ATM Intake Tubing

Remote Reservoir & Bracket

Remote Reservoir & Bracket Kit

Remote Washer Reservoir

Remote Washer Reservoir

Remote Washer Reservoir & Filler Neck

Remote Washer Reservoir & Filler Neck

Intake placement from the front

Intake placement from the front

Intake Installed

Intake Installed

Intake Installed Close-Up

Intake Installed Close-Up

Apex Washer reservoir installed

Apex Washer reservoir installed

Washer reservoir filler hose routing

Washer reservoir filler hose routing

Washer reservoir filler hose routing

Washer reservoir filler hose routing

Washer Reservoir filler

Washer Reservoir filler

Final Installation

Final Installation

Final Installation

Final Installation