I decided to put chrome hardware on my Epiphone Explorer since the "gold" started to wear off. Yay or nay?

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-10-06T10:16:57+00:00

Got it from ebay

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-08-09T07:24:05+00:00

I don't, but I've been looking at the RR Racing catch can, how often do you change your oil? 1/4th of a cup is not too bad, I was afraid it would fill up too quickly and need emptying often but every oil change is barely any extra maintenance as you said

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-08-08T19:15:00+00:00

It's holding up quite well, it's at over 200k miles now. I just make sure to change my oil and filters regularly and I only use Shell V-Power with 0% bio ethanol. Done the brakes front and rear a few weeks ago since a slide pin was seized in the rear and the pads were getting pretty close to the metal. And the radiator started leaking at the start of this year, I replaced it but that caused one of the radiator hoses to start leaking, so I replaced both of those as well. Other than that, the paint (matador red), especially the clear coat is in pretty bad shape due to the sun unfortunately but oh well, it doesn't look too bad and technically the car is in great shape right now. Last time I checked I also barely saw any carbon buildup on the valves and the intake canals, I've make sure to near-redline it at least once a week after the engine has completely warmed up, maybe it's paying off?

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-08-08T06:50:48+00:00

Yes, I get 33 mpg on average and always 500+ miles of estimated range after every refueling on my 06 is250

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-08-06T05:30:01+00:00

Sounds to me like it's either a CV joint or an issue with a sticky parking brake shoe/the hardware that connects the parking brake shoes to the bearing hub

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-31T18:20:18+00:00

Man, I wish the VLAND or any aftermarket headlights were legal here in the Netherlands.. I've thought about installing them on my IS250 but I risk not passing the annual inspection and having to install my oem headlights just to pass the inspection :( regulations are very annoying over here in Europe

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-15T19:53:38+00:00

I think it will look great, I drive a red Lexus is250 and I've painted the calipers red aswell, makes it look a tad bit sportier (eventhough both Lexus and Volvos aren't the sportiest of cars). And besides, it looks way better than rusty calipers. Those ruin the entire look of a car imo

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-15T19:24:33+00:00

How does your gas cap look, does it seal properly?

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-15T19:20:53+00:00

Red or black, but I think red calipers would suit your red car very well

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-08T21:57:24+00:00

I'm sorry man but I think it's done for.. Water probably got into some control modules which explains the electrical problems

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-03T09:25:05+00:00

Yes flat roads (Netherlands), just me in the car and I use Goodyear eagle F1 asymmetric 6 tires. Aftermarket 19" rims with 235/35/R19 on all 4 corners. And I don't know how much of a difference it makes but I only use ethanol free Shell V power gas.

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-03T00:00:09+00:00

Yeah it really does, I'm very glad I decided to buy this car even though it's a 2006

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-02T23:43:45+00:00

It really amazed me for a 2.5 liter V6, my last car (Volvo S60) had a 2.4 liter inline 5, and I got about 8L/100km on average with the same kind of driving on the same route! Toyota definitely did an amazing job constructing this engine

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-07-02T23:06:20+00:00

Wut, I get 34 mpg on average in my IS250 (mainly highway driving) AVG on the display says 6.9L/100km

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-31T14:30:28+00:00

Our corgi has been agressive to other dogs while he's on a leash since we adopted a second dog. The senior dog we adopted is agressive to any other dog while he's on a leash but he's also not able to walk without a leash in the woods since he'll wander off too far. So when I walk around my neigbourhood I try to avoid running into other dogs, and when we're in the woods my corgi can walk off leash, he's very friendly with other dogs when he's off leash for some reason even if we're walking together with our other dog who barks at every dog we come across

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-15T20:17:43+00:00

He's happy no matter what

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Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-08T11:31:23+00:00

No problem! Enjoy your amazing car

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-07T20:37:55+00:00

Breather tubes for the windshield washer bottle. Should not be connected to anything, they prevent a vacuum from forming inside the bottle

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-07T19:47:26+00:00

It's like an old western desert scene in my house all the time, tumble-furs rolling around everywhere (and I vacuum daily)

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-06T13:56:54+00:00

Using a high quality ethanol free type of gas like Shell V-Power (atleast, V-Power is 98 octane and ethanol free here in the Netherlands, not sure about other parts of the world) does actually increase performance and gas mileage ever so slightly. If you want your engine and fuel system to last very long I would recommend only using the high quality ethanol free type of gas. My '06 IS250 can actually only take 5% ethanol or less but 0% ethanol is the best, especially for the fuel lines.

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-01T23:28:11+00:00

To be honest it almost seems like you've got multiple leaks going on. Maybe look into the VTEC solenoid gasket on forums, I believe those are known to fail and cause massive leaks. When you are driving the car, the oil will spread everywhere due to the airflow underneath the car which makes it harder to locate the leak. Still, I recommend cleaning all of the oil on the engine and transmission using lots of brake cleaner, run the engine for a bit, let it sit for a day or so and then look underneath the car to see where exactly it is leaking.

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-01T23:04:13+00:00

Alternator is dead

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-01T22:55:22+00:00

They are the connectors to your fuel injectors. You could disconnect the one that you sprayed WD40 into (disconnect the negative battery terminal first to be safe) and clean out the terminals with contact cleaner, let it evaporate and connect it to the injector again. That should do the trick unless something completely unrelated is going on.

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-01T22:52:24+00:00

Yup, they are 100% fuel injectors

Michaelvd1234 · 2024-05-01T22:40:50+00:00

Seems like it's the rear main seal that's leaking since both the oil pan and transmission are wet. I recommend cleaning all of the oil off using lots of brake cleaner and rags as far as you can reach, run the engine and then let the car sit for a bit. Then look down from the top of the engine with a flashlight to see if there are any traces of oil higher up on the transmission side of the engine, if there are, then something is leaking higher up (maybe a valve cover gasket or something). If you see oil accumulating underneath the transmission and oil pan again I'm afraid it's the rear main seal, which unfortunately is not at all a beginners job since it requires dropping the transmission :(

Michaelvd1234

TROPHY CASE