What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

Dr.Jeff said:
One option I prefer to do is eliminate the stock "cup" style hose crimps on the fuel injector lines. I replace them with more modern "FI" style clamps.
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To feel secure I now use both of them. Just like fat old guys wear belts AND braces šŸ¤£.
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ricar said:
In my understanding ethanol in gas is a problem for rubber parts. Could this be an issue?
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Yes and it is why hoses which had been adequate over time are degrading. Additionally the quality of many products has been slipping for years or fake parts have been taking over the marketplace. Itā€™s not hard to make a printing wheel to pull low quality hose through to make it say Gates etc.
 
Ethanol is a BIG problem, if you don't have rubber-parts that is ok for Ethanol.
Currently, here in sweden we have 95RON E10, 98RON E5 and E85.
E10 and E85 makes a havoc with rubber that is not compatible, E5 is normaly quite Ok.
 
The picture above is the result of 98 octane E5.Todays fuel is rubbish. Today's hoses is rubbish. I hope my new hoses are real Gates not rubbish hoses with printed Gates.
 
I had an RZ350, guys complained the ethanol would destroy the jets in the carbs but we could still get high grade... I think it was Shell that had not added ethanol to their top price fuel. It was a percentage, so they added more ethanol to the low grade to keep their numbers. Pilots, owners of small and older planes were freaking out as well because the laws were adding ethanol to their fuel as well but I haven't kept up so I don't know where that has gone.
 
It kind of surprises me that there aren't more ethanol rated fuel hoses available on the market. It can be a bit difficult to get. As I understand other parts of the world (outside of the US) have a lot more of ethanol fuels than we do. And we seem to have quite a lot here. With that many users you would think there is a decent demand. Granted newer cars come equipped with E rated everything. So perhaps the demand isn't as much as I might think.
 
Maybe that's where all the decent stuff is going, all the new vehicles.

A friend who owns a bike shop had said Maxis was not selling tires, all their tires were going to complete bikes. Apparently they could not get enough supplies to make tires for bicycle manufacturers and sell loose tires on top.
 
Tack welded my single piece, front bumper assembly, ready for finish fitting.

Had previously contacted THE carpet kit company in NJ with a special request (yup, the same company that makes most of the carpet "kits" we use if not from overseas). Asked if they could build me two, edged carpet panels (to match the brown carpet) approximately 18"x 22". Easy-peasy, about $50 shipped... The idea being able to cut apart the hideous $100 carpet for the best fit I could manage.

Finished installing this very cheap carpet kit, (with the mod) to a just marginal level of satisfaction. $100 carpet specials...get what you pay for I guess. Which allowed...

Final fitting of the fab'd Scorpion/Fiat hybrid seats.

Tomorrow: center console, wheel and seats. gonna pretty much be complete inside.
Anyhow, light at the end of the tunnel...
 
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Hottest day of the year today in Sweden close to 35ā°C. Good opportunity to check that cooling, and everything works as expected. Intake temp was 10-20ā°C above ambient and engine temp stayed normal during high boost. However after some hard breaking it felt like I lost power. I stopped and smoke was coming from left rear wheel arch. A lot of smoke šŸ˜µ, so I quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher just in case. The rim (steelie) was so hot that i couldn't even touch it and the plastic center cap had melt down. After a few minutes I heard a pop and I think the break hose exploded. After cooling down I checked that the wheel was free spinning and I started my way back home. But surprisingly I had no breaks at all, even with the pedal in the bottom. Is this normal? I thought this car had a dual break circuit.
Anyway, I am happy this happened not far from home.
 
Bjorn Nilson said:
Hottest day of the year today in Sweden close to 35ā°C. Good opportunity to check that cooling, and everything works as expected. Intake temp was 10-20ā°C above ambient and engine temp stayed normal during high boost. However after some hard breaking it felt like I lost power. I stopped and smoke was coming from left rear wheel arch. A lot of smoke šŸ˜µ, so I quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher just in case. The rim (steelie) was so hot that i couldn't even touch it and the plastic center cap had melt down. After a few minutes I heard a pop and I think the break hose exploded. After cooling down I checked that the wheel was free spinning and I started my way back home. But surprisingly I had no breaks at all, even with the pedal in the bottom. Is this normal? I thought this car had a dual break circuit.
Anyway, I am happy this happened not far from home.
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35* C is only 95* F! You cold climate guys are pu$$ys. :p:D But I can't stand when it gets below 50* F (10* C) so I'm no better. :rolleyes:

It will be interesting to hear what the extent of the brake damage is. Must have been more than a hose if there's no brakes at all now? Great excuse for a brake upgrade though!

Sounds like the intake and engine temps stayed good, that's great to hear. :)
 
Dr.Jeff said:
35* C is only 95* F! You cold climate guys are pu$$ys. :p:D But I can't stand when it gets below 50* F (10* C) so I'm no better. :rolleyes:

It will be interesting to hear what the extent of the brake damage is. Must have been more than a hose if there's no brakes at all now? Great excuse for a brake upgrade though!

Sounds like the intake and engine temps stayed good, that's great to hear. :)
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Bjorn, never listen to a guy talk about weather who lives in a desertšŸ˜† If it gets over 90 I start to melt but am good down to single digits. The North loves the cold.

As to the car it does have a dual circuit so will be interesting to see why it failed.
 
Could be leaking master cylinder, but, the reservoir is shared, I believe, so if the reservoir is drained down, there will be nothing for the front brakes.
 
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