Lol, swapping those two coil pack connectors is stupidly common thing to happen. Gets the best of us.

 

Which ball joints are those? Mevotech? I'm looking to pick some up for my suspension refresh and am looking for suggestions ('04 coupe).

I'll do that once I get the correct antenna adapter in. Although it works perfectly fine as-is.

 

That's ACDELCO ball joint. The boot design looked like it would stay the best. Last set didn't seal up well and washed out the joints (CZP branded) over the course of a few years. These are also greaseable for preventative maintenance.
I did a front refresh about 100k miles ago and used all Mevotech arms. About 50% had failed ball joints. Went with ACDELCO and MOOG parts this time around.

 

Thanks for the input and updates. I had been using the renowned "Lost180 suspension refresh" thread as a starting point. I currently have waiting to be installed:

-Mevotech Supreme FUCAs, outer tie rods, sway bar links
-Moog LCAs
-OEM compression rods (long story, had the dealer do them a couple years ago)
-KYB Excel-G shocks+struts

I'm still looking to order:
-lower ball joints (one vote for AC DELCO)
-upper strut mounts (probably OEM, read some things here about aftermarket that scared me)
-all of the rear components

I've pretty much decided against going with urethane bushings. I put maybe 3k miles/year on the car so longevity isn't really a concern.

 

Well the G has been sitting for 2 months since the coronavirus hit Washington State since my wife and I have been driving the shitbox Focus everywhere.

Charged up the battery, gave it a wash, drove to Home Depot and the grocery store. Mowed the 18" long grass around it that was threatening to suck the car back into the earth.

On the way home we had the AC on and it was about 85 F outside, I was sweating like crazy until I realized my heated seat was still turned on from when I drove it last back in February... got a good laugh out of my wife.

 

We play a game with each other in the car by "secretly" turning the heated seats on (HIGH/MAX) and see how long it takes before the other person notices. I tend to notice much quicker but the kids will ask me to turn the AC colder or roll down the window while they wave their hands (like "it's hot in here"). Our 10 year old didn't realize anything until she said "it feels like my butt is on fire !" !!

 

I had the same problem with a set of $400 moonface roll center adjusting bottom ball joints. They washed out and I had to replace them ....man was I pissed. The next set I made sure to buy a few different size boots and test fit until I was sure they fit.

 

Went and got the brackets from z1, z1 ss brake lines, rotors and pads to install akebono kit tomorrow and on the way home my f#@kin passenger side window motor goes out smh....will post pic tomorrow of the new set up.

 

Put the bbk on, akebono of course all in cost me about 750 that's with calipers, turned rotors, z1 brackets, z1 ss lines, speed bleeders and front and rear new pads and czp decals. So I'm still 1000 under budget.

 

New NGK spark plugs, new valve covers and all the gaskets, new o2 sensors and axles

$900 later, she’s running good

 

Replaced my knock sensor + harness, and added a Motordyne 5/16" plenum spacer on Saturday 5/16. A rat decided to munch through my harness, but oddly enough I had ZERO check engine light
I only learned I had a code of any sort when I plugged in DataScan 2 for the first time on earlier that week. It showed P0327 active. My scangauge and Innova scanners showed no codes at all. Must have been pending??? Being the impatient millennial that I am, I wanted to nip it in the bud right away.
Super thankful for ConceptZ. I ordered my all parts Thursday night for Friday overnight shipping, Saturday delivery too! I checked tracking like a hawk, and sure enough FedEx express rolled up at 10am Saturday. The only part I had to venture out for was the O-ring for the fuel line.
The biggest frustration was trying to disconnect the original knock sensor harness. There is a small bracket and fastener holding in a very bad/awkward position under the coolant pipe on the passenger side rear of the motor. I spent 20 minutes fighting it, then finally got it out. I ended just zip-tying the new harness and connector the main harness running across the top of the bell housing. Torquing down the lower intake manifolds was a pain, I had manuever the socket and extension around the fuel rails. If I were to do it again, I'd order the injector o rings and do it the whole 9 yards. But suffice, live and learn.
I snagged some nice insulation from my work since we have thousands of feet of it we rarely use. Everything else is relatively straight forward, be ready for spilled fuel and coolant, and maybe a little oil too from the plenum.
I also replaced the small coolant lines running to the intake, but I forgot to install the damn valve! Oh well, next weekend maybe!
Very happy with the performance of the plenum spacer. I reset the ECU with datascan and thought I would need to do an idle relearn and throttle closed relearn, but the car idles and runs fine, so I may screw around with it later.

 

first tank of gas in 2 months, due to the virus

 

Picked up a Badgeless grill and installed my front lip

 

Paint matched the battery and JDM battery cover

 

Wow that looks really clean with those painted.