What did you do to your Aussie S550 today..

[AussieGreg]

Took my Mustang for a drive to Singleton and back. All freeway driving of about 250kms. Got the fuel economy down to 9.1 litres per 100kms as per the photo when I parked the car back home. It was actually down to 9.0 for the last few kms of freeway driveway. Not bad for a 5 litre V8 6 speed manual sitting on 120kms at 2000rpm in 6th gear. And car has not quite down 2,500kms. Very impressed.

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[Yeah Nah]

[MENTION=20200]AussieGreg[/MENTION] like you said that is very impressive. They don't call it a Grand Tourer for nothing.

You running 98 RON?

 

[Yuvraj]

Took my Mustang for a drive to Singleton and back. All freeway driving of about 250kms. Got the fuel economy down to 9.1 litres per 100kms as per the photo when I parked the car back home. It was actually down to 9.0 for the last few kms of freeway driveway. Not bad for a 5 litre V8 6 speed manual sitting on 120kms at 2000rpm in 6th gear. And car has not quite down 2,500kms. Very impressed.

my cars nearly done 200kms

 

[AussieGreg]

@AussieGreg like you said that is very impressive. They don't call it a Grand Tourer for nothing.

You running 98 RON?

Yep run 98 in all 3 of my cars. I prefer BP

 

[peterdee]

Tried to install clutch spring, failed :(

Any hints on how to get the existing one out? Instruction sheet said to use long-nose vice grips but I don't have any.

 

[OZDAZ5.0]

Tried to install clutch spring, failed :(

Any hints on how to get the existing one out? Instruction sheet said to use long-nose vice grips but I don't have any.

Tie some decent string around it and rip it out sideways? Not sure if it would work but throwing it out there.

 

[OzS550]

Tried to install clutch spring, failed :(

Any hints on how to get the existing one out? Instruction sheet said to use long-nose vice grips but I don't have any.

This tool does make it very easy. Before clamping two of the coils, estimate the width the plier needs to clamp to and adjust.

Put a lead light down in the footwell and use the gap in the under dash plastic to see through.

Clamp the coils and rotate top of spring with its plastic top section towards you and out. There is plastic top and bottom sections that come with it.

You don't need the pliers to put the new spring (with re-assembled plastic bits) back in.

 

[Cj42]

I did it with non long nose vice grips, just got onto it.

 

[HybridGT]

Are the locking pliers absolutely necessary or normal pliers will do? (regular pliers [MENTION=22108]Cj42[/MENTION]? or did you mean regular vice grips)

I bought a set of long nose locking pliers already. Haven't had a chance to look under there yet.

Plan was to return the pliers if I didn't need them and regular pliers will do the job.

 

[Cj42]

Definitely need vice grip pliers, stock Spring is rediculously strong

 

[HybridGT]

Thanks [MENTION=22108]Cj42[/MENTION]. Install was a breeze. Didn't break anything.

Took 5 mins tops, and that's while being ultra careful. 90% of the time was figuring out how to lock the damn pliers lol

That's what happens when you buy a $9 Masters piece of crap vice.

 

[Cj42]

Thanks [MENTION=22108]Cj42[/MENTION]. Install was a breeze. Didn't break anything.

Took 5 mins tops, and that's while being ultra careful. 90% of the time was figuring out how to lock the damn pliers lol

That's what happens when you buy a $9 Masters piece of crap vice.

Haha yeah!
I didn't realise you could look through the gap under the wheel, so when I initially pulled the spring brace out I chipped a bit of the side plastic off around the top that keeps it into position but it still holds in perfectly.

 

[HybridGT]

Total KM's before installing the spring: 3150

Have driven about 100 or so KM with the new spring in. On the M5 traffic free, as well as some traffic/parking lot etc.

Mixed feelings about the spring so far. Here's my review so far:

Owned 3 cars before this (all manuals).

So far after driving 3000K's with the stock spring, I've pretty much gotten used to the stock springs clutch disengagement point. Shifts were never an issue after the initial period and were always smooth.

For those of you guys that haven't taken delivery yet, this spring definitely makes the pedal feel heavier/harder. Yes, there is a clear point of disengagement now with the spring in. However I'd probably advise against it if you drive long distances in traffic. It is not lighter (as expected at 35lbs new spring vs 185lbs stock).

There is about a 1/4" to 1/2" free play at the very top before the disengagement point now.

Pedal does not move freely without touching it (pressing down). So it can't "lift up" towards you any more with the spring in vs. no spring.

Will leave it in for a week or so and re-review it then and if I want to swap it back or not.

 

[Yeah Nah]

Thanks for the feedback HybridGT. I for one have always been hesitant of this mod and would never do it on mine.

How much free play at the point of disengagement with the stock spring?

 

[peterdee]

Thanks for honest review HybridGT.

As mine is a daily driver, I may keep the original one in now. I'm quite used to it anyhow.

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