Since it's only a matter of time before 6th graders learn how to build a new key fob for our cars, you should add a PIN to your tune John. Once added, if you ever need to park anywhere for an extended period of time, you simply insert the Ecutek BT dongle, scramble the pin, then remove the dongle and carry it with you. I tested this and and it works. The car will start, then die because the fuel is cut. Insert, restore the correct pin and drive away.

 

Understood. I have the Z1 undershroud and urethane diff bushings, but I shy away from their other suspension components, brakes, hoses and electrical items (although I have considered their coil packs). Their business model of partnering with ODMs in China and rebranding makes sense as they stand behind everything with their name on it, which commands a small premium. I wonder why they haven't done the same with one of the heads up displays with Apple Carplay as there as many of them that they could pull in house and sell as a Z1 unit.

 

I've had mixed success - the 2 piece rotors I have are very well made and several years on doing great. The brake lines are decent (the premium ones moreso). On the other hand, their radiator silicone hoses all spotted immediately (with the OEM blue coolant) and their only suggestion was that I have a pinhole leak somewhere, and got snippy when I tried to return them. Went back to OEM rubber.

I've got a Z1 heater hose bleed fitting but haven't installed. Also have an amazon red aluminum one (no bleeder) so I'm of mixed minds in installing the Z1 unit.

Trying to think what other Z1 goodies I've gotten over the years, and it's more a fact of buying other manufacturers stuff through them (which has been fine). I've been to their shop and seen the proto labs... neat stuff. TBH I get the design here, manufacture elsewhere idea and I've mentioned this before with tools - the difference between harbor freight and much of Snap-On is quality control not where they were made.

 

That's unfortunate to hear. My coolant hoses were from CZP mainly bc I didn't want the logos, and they're still going strong 3 years later with no spots. My reasoning for using a no bleeder fitting was bc I didn't want any more potential points of failure. I was able to get all the air out of the system first try by using one of those coolant bleed funnels and lifting the front of the car slightly (I was doing the lower hose as well, so I just left it in the air).

I agree with the harbor freight thing. I heard the Daytona jacks come from the same factory as Snap-On too, and the one I have is amazing for my slightly lowered car. The advice I've heard was buy HF tools and if they break, upgrade. The thing I dislike is their wrenches and socket sets skip sizes.

 

I know it's purely cosmetic, but I was quite liking the black-red-aluminum underhood thing I had going on, so losing the red silicone rad hoses was disappointing. Not the end of the world though, and it's not enough to put me anywhere near winning a car show (google Charleston's Ale and Octane shows... Lamborghini seems to be the entry level show car).

I bought the Z1 connector-with-bleeder long ago thinking I'd replace all those hoses as a preventative maintenance thing. Then my plastic coupler had a rapid unplanned disassembly incident and was replaced with brass from Lowes. I've got new heater hoses, the proper clamps, and both the Z1 with bleeder and a red connector with no bleeder. When I patched the car back together on my trip where I had the 'splosion I used a funnel bleeder and it worked amazingly well so... I'm thinking not using the extra bleeder one.

I've been working today and yesterday on installing my Vline 2 carplay adapter. About done but can't get the radio head back into the slot - need to get my hand back there and see what's being pinched.

Also learned that the AC amp and the stereo have plugs that are identical (but not the same wires). I'm guessing the one with more wires is the AC amp but I'll check with the FSM before I button it all up.

Of course, now that I have the center stack torn apart in the car, I need to drive it tomorrow. :roll:

 

Very easy to mix those connectors up and well documented on the forum how to identify which goes where. Look for the yellow tape. The two connectors wrapped in yellow tape get plugged into the UMAC amp:

 

Ultimately that is what both intuition and the FSM both said LOL.

Don't have the car put back together yet (ran out of daylight, then had to drive it next day) and thought I'd have no tunes - but lo, I had bluetooth to the car and it started playing music. No controls (screen, faceplate, etc are not installed) but then I was able to use the steering wheel controls to change volume etc. LOL

There's something getting squished wrong behind the head unit and try as I might I can't both try to place it back and get my hand behind it to guide the wires out of the way. Oh well - for a thing to be frustrated about this is pretty minor.

VLINE is installed and wired up; not sure if I should mount it IN the glovebox or on the back of the box towards the dash. Don't imagine I'll need constant access from it.

Last question/comment - I know the VLINE replaces the USB-in at the head unit (and tells you to use the USB ports on the VLINE). Is there an easily available connector from USB-A to the car-harness, so I can continue to use the USB port in the armrest?

 

None that I've ever come across. The cable between USB port in the console and the head unit use Hirose-type connectors (blue at the head unit and green at the port). You would likely have to cut-and-splice between one and the other.

Easier to maybe use a USB "extension cord" and route that cable from the V-Line box to the center console (easier with the console all disassembled).

 

A lesson to all of us. Don't shop under the influence.

 

Like this right (schematic on first post)?
https://www.myg37.com/forums/audio-v...install-2.html

 

Maybe. To be honest I think I've got the magsafe charger connected to a cigarette-lighter voltage converter rather than the onboard USB (power levels), so it might not matter.

On the other hand, I should probably do motorvate's GTR screen activation before disabling the USB port...

In the process of having the center stack taken apart, I got a dipped stereo fascia and swapped that for my carbon-flake wrapped one, and put all the carsmo ***** on there.




For those of you with sharp eyes, note the CD slot is in a different place. I'm guessing 2009 v 2010 or non-nav vs nav. Either way - I've not owned a CD since before I bought this car so IDGAF.

 

Yeah, I ran into this difference a few times. First is the AC amp control module is in a different place in the two versions. Then the market the car is in also makes a difference, as well as the year and trim. Ultimately there are two final versions where just the CD slot moves on the front cover. I had to cut the hole wide and wrap the piece under my overlay with come CF vinyl, seen in this photo.

 

The CD slot inner trim is removable from the faceplate electronics inner chassis, so I pulled that, trimmed the various little plastic studs that interfered, and just moved it down to fit. This means I cannot use my CD player without further mods, but as mentioned, I really don't care - I don't have CDs or even a way to burn one LOL.

Carplay and a volume **** is all I'm asking for from a car these days.

Edit: I didn't even think about the hole for the clock. I've got a 3-d print here somewhere to fit an OBD-gauge in there that I should probably finish before I die of old age.

Edit 2: Carbon-flake wrapped fascia is FS for cheap, LOL. Professionally wrapped at a local shop (too hard to wrap around the holes for my skillset)

 

Lol, I was tempted to do something like that by moving the cd reader down, but didnt want to cut into the trim piece so it can all be reversed. Didnt even realize it can be removed separately. The last thing I used the CD slots for was to update the maps and firmware, but there are no more new versions since that one. Ordered a carplay/android auto decoder, will be installing it soon. Just going to use the OEM 720p monitor with it, more than enough. i guess the only benefit I really got from doing the update was the newest version of bluetooth.

P.S. I dont think Motorvate is going to end up releasing the GTR gauges as a product. He has to make new boards that plug into the OBD port for them to work, its too much of a lift for no profit in a really niche market. He's working on another gauge thats more like a pod with multiple options for data display. Much more compact and modern. I need to go see him about adding a bluetooth server and some sensors for oil pressure and stuff sometime before spring, Ill see if I can get any more behind the scenes.

 

Saw that a couple of the rubber mounts which hold the OEM airboxes in place were missing, so I bought a set of 4 from Z1 and replaced them over the weekend.

While I had the boxes off, I cleaned the MAFs, outside area of the TBs, resealed the air boxes and cleaned the inside of the intake tubes, air-box and cold air passage through the firewall.

Also took some time to detail/clean the passenger side area of the engine bay while I had everything apart.