dandan

I've often wondered about this too, could be very useful.

I have a Mines ecu spare, removed from my car when I went single. It would suit a BPU, Jap, manual, with the stock 440cc inejctors.

Thanks. I had a bit of a google after your first post about them not working - all kinds of horror stories out there about house fires and all sorts! A chap at work recommended them to me a month or so ago and I tried it and they definitely helped. However, I'm now thinking that was just the warmth softening some of the wax and then me getting it out on my own afterwards. I didn't have any major serious wax problem though (just some discomfort and "water in the ear feeling"). I'm not a candle practitioner or anything weird like that so I don't need convincing they don't work. My bbs membership has saved me buying any more now - well worth the tenner

After using them it definitely made a difference to me but it seems that was just a result of the warmth and then me doing a bit of a "clean up job" of the softer wax with a cotton bud I could have probably achieved the same thing after a little soak in a sauna and then using the cotton buds!

Have you ever tried one in your ear? Edit: I'm interested enough to burn one "out of the ear" now to see what happens I'll try it tonight.

I've got two "squirted" cars - one on an MS1 with the extra code and the other on an MS2. It's very satisfying when you build the complete ecu from scratch, install it etc and then fire the thing up with a VE derived map for the first time.

7 complaints out of 6.4million viewers isn't bad

Were there any witnesses? Did you happen to get his plate?

Buy your own and do it at home with someone holding the candle for you. Only takes 5mins per ear, no need to pay someone else to do it. What was it you were trying to achieve with them - removing wax build ups or something else like relaxation or something? They do work - I used a pair about three weeks ago with excellent results as I was having some wax/mild pain problems. The warmth softens the wax and the flame produces a draught that gently sucks the wax out of your ear and up into the candle where it gets trapped. Once you've done it and they have cooled you can cut the candle in half if you want to see how much wax was pulled out. I would 100% recommend it. These are the ones I used - "Biosun" Hopi Ear Candles: http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=1068&prodid=1492&afid=70&safid=AG&scid=14581&cm_mmc=Aggregates-_-Comparisons-_-GoogleProducts-_-HBMVPCGP&of_tid=VujYhipqQezg_A-_dNCLT8j3QKqm8Q2XK63YCfCrlBuJtIsYAMDpa1DimkbpwD68 http://www.auravita.com/product/Hopi-Ear-Candles-Ylang-Ylang-Geranium.BIGM10009.html?RefId=220&adid=BIGM10009 http://www.auravita.com/product/Hopi-Ear-Candles-Ylang-Ylang-Geranium.BIGM10009.html?RefId=220&adid=BIGM10009

I'll take the skirt pieces if you still have them. please pm me your payment preference.

Did you get a chance to ask him yet Ibrar? Also, do you remember what you did about airbags? As I understand it the Celica seats have airbags in the sides! Will do my friend. That's interesting, there may well be hope yet for a lower seating position then. Please let me know if you find anything out about the frames etc.

I attached a few pics and you can see the section of the front tyre is quite "hungry" and fills the arch a fair bit. Also, on the first photo if you look at the front tyre it looks pretty well flush with the wing. This is: 245/40/18 Eagle F1 on 8.5 x 18 with 35 offset 275/35/18 Eagle F1 on 9.5 x 18 with 30 offset Current ride height is a bit higher on the front (maybe half an inch) than shown in the third pic. Sorry for the crap little photos.

No not really mate, yours looks a little lower if anything. The 245 40 front tyre is what is killing me; I think you mentioned before that you used to have 245 35 on the front - that is a lot slimmer (in terms of arch rubbing) than the 245 40. Plus you were stretching it over a half inch wider rim which would have helped too. I will probably try the 245 35's next. The rears do rub but I can't recall any times when they have rubbed when I've been driving on my own - it only happens with passengers in. I need a very small amount of rear rolling done to sort that and it's another job on the list but by no means urgent.

Ahhh ok I'm with you now - if I'd had a 225 tyre on the front I would have LOADS of room. The 245 with a 40 profile is a big tyre in terms or using up arch space....I know if I go to a 245 35 or even a 255 35 I will gain more clearance than I have right now. What tyre was on those rears James?

I have 8.5" x 18" (35 offset) on the front with a 245 40 18 tyre and get a tiny bit of rubbing if I'm turning with a fair amount of lock and braking HARD or hit a bit of a dip in the road with a lot of lock on...this is with no arch rolling. I am considering dropping the front tyre to a 245 35 18 as that will gain heaps of room but I'm a little concerned the ride will harshen up a touch. What size tyre did you have on there, are you sure the wheel was definitely 8.5" with the 35 offset? There is no way in hell I could add a 15mm spacer to mine on the front with the 245 40 18 tyre. Rears are 275 35 18 on a 9.5" x 18" rim with a 30 offset - they also rub very occasionally (big bumps or passenger + shopping in boot on rough roads) and I am waiting to get in to have the arches rolled.

£150!

Good shout Wes. I am slowly piecing together a full Alcon setup based around the Monoblock 6 piston front caliper and Monoblock 4 piston rear caliper. I have the calipers and am now waiting to buy the correct sized discs and make the bells etc. The calipers really do look to be an excellent design with integral stiffening bridges, concealed dust seals, and they are a low profile meaning big discs can be squeezed under smaller wheels.

I like it a lot, well done. Looking forward to seeing the finished article!

I don't have the numbers on my laptop but if memory serves correctly they are 42mm or 42.8mm.

With the AP calipers the "squeezing action" is a little bit weaker (87% of the UK caliper) so even though it is out on a bigger diameter you don't see mega increases. Disc diameter isn't the whole story (and it actually plays less of a part than most people think) there are other factors which Tony listed. Tyres have no effect on the theoretical braking force calculations for one setup vs. another. However, as everyone loves to point out... if you can repeatably reach the tyres' limit of adhesion then further increases in braking torque are pointless. Don't forget that once you improve things with different tyres, more favourable weight distribution and suspension changes you can increase that tyres' "limit" and make use of more braking torque. Not many people with big power motors are still running a 235 45 17 Original Equipment (17 year old design) front tyre so there is plenty of scope nowadays for more powerful brakes as tyre technology has moved on.

The AP calipers have a piston area that is only 87% of the UK calipers and are therefore less "powerful"....applying less force onto the back of the pad to squeeze the disc. The disc diameter increase is needed to restore the braking torque back up to what it would be with a stock size 323mm UK disc and caliper. (This still ignores changes in friction factor between the pad and disc)

IMHO I definitely believe so....but it does all depend on what it is you want to be "better". Not at all - the mathematical braking force/torque increase is irrelevant in this case. More difference? Maybe - but when you've changed tyres, suspension components, weight distribution and brakes then conclusions about which components or changes give perceived or measureable improvements is almost impossible.

Not at this time of the morning

Looking good Jay, glad you got the fitting problems sorted in the end I have made the following assumptions when working this out: - AP disc diameter 362mm - AP CP5555 caliper (38.1mm, 31.75mm and 27mm pistons, uses a 54mm depth pad) - Same coefficient of friction between UK and AP setups - All pads sit 0.25mm in from the edge of the disc A front AP setup based on these numbers yields 1.18% more braking force than the stock UK setup. I don't have any data for the J spec brakes but if someone has the piston size, pad depth and disc diameter I will work it out. The mechanical braking force calculations obviously ignore the BBK benefits of unsprung weight reduction, potentially wider pad selection, reduction in pad knock back and the associated improvement in feel, consistency, and predictibility. Jay - if you let me know the actual disc diameter I will amend the numbers.