El Andrew

You have pretty much described exactly where I am aiming with my car to get a nice, strong daily driver. On what I've read, I wouldn't worry about the F6 cooler and would either forget it or go better. It is probably the one thing you could change later and not need a retune. I'd remove the question marks next to the fuel pump - they barely cost $100 for a Walbro 255 and are good insurance. Where are you located?

So far so good, but if they work loose more than once a year I'll probably look at aftermarket solutions!

I thought the issue of the studs and nuts joining the exhaust manifold to the turbine housing working loose was common even from new? That is, can be a problem even without the housing being cracked?

My view on the aesthetics...

Hard to tighten bolts that aren't there! And hard to know what is missing if you haven't dig around in there before. Based on my experience and the previous owner, my bolts are coming loose every 50,000 or so. I had a braided oil line, but having the braided water line now makes getting the front heat shield off MUCH easier. Lol re FB groups - there are some rippers in there. "I'm not sure which button locks my car and which one unlocks it, but can someone explain how to do an engine swap? I need it to get to work in 2 hours. Alternatively will swap car for a 6 pack and 2 kittens." Well, pretty much that but with much worse grammar...

Sweet. Manual 4 speed 4.1 XF S-pack with LTD wheels was my first car. Odo stopped working at 380k. They fetch a bit more cash now than the $500 I traded mine for.

I get emotionally attached to cars. So every time I spend something on it to make it better, I tell my wife that it is cheaper than me getting a new car

I was thinking about this a while back. I think people usually just get bored and want something newer. They use the breakdown reason to justify to themselves what is otherwise an irrational decision on economics alone (but totally rational if you just admit you want a new car:). A few I've heard from people are: 1. I need 83 airbags instead of 76 (I can understand the argument for safety features, although in reality the odds of using the extra safety are low for some safety features) 2. Fuel cost (despite the additional changeover/depreciation cost) 3. Better for the environment (despite a 1982 F100 being better for the environment that a new Prius because it doesn't have to be manufactured) Just admit you wanted a new car and get on with it!

Fark me. Don't feel so bad about my 4 gears now.

I've bought some bedding from them before and have been surprised by the quality.

https://www.tiperformance.com.au/products/tactrix-openport-2-0-pcmtec-ecuflash/ Have used these guys for a couple of things and have been happy. Was very slightly more expensive that getting from Tactrix direct (from USA), but worth it for simplicity.

Haha - just rolled her eyes. She was complaining the 200kW Toyota was "way too slow" so she knows where it's at.

Well, I've bought a J2534 cable and told the wife to hit me up with the software for my birthday in a few weeks!

Funny you should say that - intended up chucking in some cable ties on the exhaust side which made the water line a bit less loopy. Will look at the coil cover idea too. Had a look around for other P-clips but most with big screw holes are for like 1 inch hose (1 inch diameter hose always needs a big screw hole...). There's heaps of give in the water line, not so much my oil line. Stainless cable ties would be an improvement too. Biggest plus is the heat shield is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay easier to remove and refit.

Pic of braided lines@Puffwagon P clips didn't have big enough holes for the bolts (and were thin enough that they got munched when I tried to drill them out), so had to stick with cable ties for now. Still looks better than one hard line and one braided line I reckon.

Yeah I reckon you might be right - the oil has travelled far and wide so could well be squirting from the hose fitting. Cleaned up and installed new hose so will monitor from there. No more time today, so will finish the turbo water line tomorrow.

Thanks - yeah giving it a scrub now. Will chuck the line in anyway as it's much better quality than the stop gap one I used last time. And it does look suspicious...

Any quick thoughts on this? I thought my power steering high pressure line was shagged, but the amount and location of the message has me a bit suspicious of the pump or pump seals.

Looks nice mate! I love it when you kind of get forced into getting something better than you would have usually justified!

That bit of rubber hose connecting the water line didn't like being pulled off!

Haha nah - I like my Nespresso or proper espresso. Or Aeropress... Sweet, sweet Aeropress. Actually this morning I ordered a coffee and then noticed the barista basically had snot dripping out his nose while constantly trying to sniff it away. Having just had the whole family down with a bad cold, including having to cancel a trip to the coast, I wasn't going to risk it! Just quietly slipped away and bought another one somewhere else.

FTFY

Yeah ridiculous. At the other end of the spectrum, Canberra Exhaust and Towbars sorted out my exhaust smacking the diff cradle today. Removed and refitted the rear section, installed stiffer rubbers, shortened and repositioned the rear hanger (exhaust, not chassis!). How much do I owe you for that mate? Nah you've been here before - it's all good. Top bloke and got the job done.

True. I'll take pics when it's all done. Place here advertising entry level perfoamce upgrade: valve springs, injectors, minor service and a tune for... $3800...

Not super pretty, but will be fine once holding some braided lines.