What Did You Do With Your Kizashi Today?

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n8dogg
Posts: 215
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:20 am

Installed new struts myself after 150K miles! Does the Kizashi need an alignment after changing struts? I don't know much about alignments, but it seems the only adjustable components are the tie rod ends, didn't notice anything adjustable about any of the connections with the strut itself.
'12 Kizashi SLS AWD w/RF sound
easy to chip Vivid Red and 25% window tint
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Plus II
Power Stop Rotors and Pads
183,xxx miles and still lovin it!
old tech
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Location: n/w pennsysvania

If your car was wearing tires well both front and rear and you wanted to change the front struts without doing an alignment . A quick toe measurement with just a tape measure and using the tread grooves can be taken before the work and then checked again after the work is completed. Any slight change of angles from the old to the new parts will be amplified in the toe measurement . If there was any compromised parts such as a slightly bent strut and alignment had been performed on it before your job of replacing struts, this would show up in toe. Although a good indicator that everything is fine is that the steering wheel is still in the same clock position driving straight down the road,a proper alignment is just good maintenance.


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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

I'm not a pro, but I think it's a good idea to get an alignment every time you get new struts/shocks and new tires. Alignment after suspension parts because things can change as Old Tech explained and alignment after new tires because you want to prevent unusual wear as much as possible to get on a good start.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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AirRideFan
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Evanzo7 wrote: Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:51 am Anyone seen that Unqomn Builds Kizashi on YouTube and Instagram?

YT - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNFj90 ... 0DT3VRKLHg
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/unqomn/
YES! I found it on Marketplace- just browsing... but not sure what happened. Seemed like the guy is DEF keeping it now. I LOVE IT !
2012 KIZASHI Sport SLS

ExtremeContact DWS Tuned tires on staggered Speedlines! :o
Ecsta V720 235/40's on the OEM 18's
Hakkapeliitta R2 235/45's on Sport Edition KV5 18's <- too heavy
WinterContact 215/55's on Lexus GS 16's this winter!
KlutzNinja
Posts: 286
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 6:58 am

Tonight I learned my car is dripping oil, albeit slowly, and my brand new underbody panel is now coated and glossy. The leak is from a mildly loose oil filter, turns out. The thing is, when I last changed my oil in late August, it felt like I had a pretty slippery grip on the new Wix filter as I tightened it, but I tightened it as well as I could have, given the terrible depth and angle of the mount. I’m curious as to why it took months to start leaking; maybe engine vibration? I was under the impression that it would have leaked not long after the oil change. My previous two oil changes (I’ve had three total since getting the car) were fine as far as the filter went. I reached down when I learned of this and it was still pretty difficult to get a good grip for tightening, but nonetheless it did feel ever so slightly loose. I tried to tighten as best I could, again. I was wearing protective gloves meant for hazardous materials, but otherwise it was pretty risky given I had just turned off the engine. I may or may not have touched the heat shield in the past when it was still hot :lol:. I’m hoping that helped. But I’m bummed about soiling my new panel. I’ll have to wait and see if there are more dark spots on the driveway. I was worried that maybe the drain plug was leaking again because maybe I over-tightened it (the torque wrench wasn’t clicking well :oops:), or the crusher failed, which I assumed was a permanent kind, according to what Kuro has said (and so it shouldn’t be an issue). But this is preferable because at least I don’t need to lift the car or anything (so far).

Has anyone had this issue of the oil filter loosening like this? Or am I just that much of a scrub? :lol:

Next oil change I’ll make sure that the filter is as grippy as possible. And I’ll check it again tomorrow before I drive anywhere. This stressed me out because I’ve heard of oil filters just falling loose and spilling everything while driving. And I was worried about the drain plug for a moment, too. But I’m glad I caught it pretty fast, and that it’s not a leak in the actual system that would necessitate a big repair bill.
Current: Blue 2018 Mazda 3 GT 5-Door
Previous: Blue 2010 Ford Focus SES,
Black 2013 Kizashi Sport GTS-L (CVT; FWD)(RIP)
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SAEED_KIZZY
Posts: 507
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:31 pm

KlutzNinja wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:58 am Tonight I learned my car is dripping oil, albeit slowly, and my brand new underbody panel is now coated and glossy. The leak is from a mildly loose oil filter, turns out. The thing is, when I last changed my oil in late August, it felt like I had a pretty slippery grip on the new Wix filter as I tightened it, but I tightened it as well as I could have, given the terrible depth and angle of the mount. I’m curious as to why it took months to start leaking; maybe engine vibration? I was under the impression that it would have leaked not long after the oil change. My previous two oil changes (I’ve had three total since getting the car) were fine as far as the filter went. I reached down when I learned of this and it was still pretty difficult to get a good grip for tightening, but nonetheless it did feel ever so slightly loose. I tried to tighten as best I could, again. I was wearing protective gloves meant for hazardous materials, but otherwise it was pretty risky given I had just turned off the engine. I may or may not have touched the heat shield in the past when it was still hot :lol:. I’m hoping that helped. But I’m bummed about soiling my new panel. I’ll have to wait and see if there are more dark spots on the driveway. I was worried that maybe the drain plug was leaking again because maybe I over-tightened it (the torque wrench wasn’t clicking well :oops:), or the crusher failed, which I assumed was a permanent kind, according to what Kuro has said (and so it shouldn’t be an issue). But this is preferable because at least I don’t need to lift the car or anything (so far).

Has anyone had this issue of the oil filter loosening like this? Or am I just that much of a scrub? :lol:

Next oil change I’ll make sure that the filter is as grippy as possible. And I’ll check it again tomorrow before I drive anywhere. This stressed me out because I’ve heard of oil filters just falling loose and spilling everything while driving. And I was worried about the drain plug for a moment, too. But I’m glad I caught it pretty fast, and that it’s not a leak in the actual system that would necessitate a big repair bill.
the double gasket can cause it(when you tighten the new oil filter on the old filter gasket stick to the engine)
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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

I always install my oil filters by hand and tighten as hard as I can with my hands. Of course, you don't always get a great grip and the Kizashi's oil filter location isn't the most accessible. I think many oil filters state to tighten with an oil filter wrench about 1/4 turn after tightening by hand. Depending on the filter and my grip, I follow this process but careful not to overtighten.

I've never had an oil filter come loose or leak on me but I did help my roommate once with the issue. He was panicked because his car was leaking oil and wasn't sure why. I checked his filter and it was very loose and sprayed oil out at the mount. I tightened it for him after a wipe down and it worked fine.

I also agree with Saeed that it's a good idea to always check the mounting surface of the filter to make sure there are no old gaskets or any obstructions on it. I also always wipe it clean and dry before installing a new filter. Always lube the gasket of the new filter with a thin coat of new oil. It's hard to see the mounting surface but you can from under with a flashlight at the proper angle. I also recommend taking off the exhaust manifold heat shield when changing the filter to gain better access and visibility. It's optional but makes the process easier, IMO. Of course, let your engine cool a bit before the job but that's recommended anyway for an oil change so more oil collects in the sump for more complete draining.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
KlutzNinja
Posts: 286
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 6:58 am

Thanks for the replies, guys. I checked again this morning and no dark spot on the ground, so it seems okay for now. I’ve never had an issue with the old filter’s gasket coming off during an oil change, but that’s good to know. And I do use new oil on the new filter gasket, as Kuro mentioned. I haven’t taken the heat shield off during a change but I might look into that next time. Same with the wrench. Although I am a little paranoid about over-tightening these kinds of things. Unfortunately, I am not good about cleaning the mount area much because the DIY shop’s rags were, well… raggedy lol. They were falling apart really badly, so I was hesitant to use them in any areas that could be contaminated like that. I have my own box of rags that I’ll bring next time.
Last night I found that a non-straightforward approach actually worked pretty well in getting a decent grip. When I reach from the front, facing the mount head-on, I almost have to break my arm at the elbow to get a good grip on the filter lol. Plus the heat shield and maybe other components dig into your arm. But if I’m standing at an angle (and not head-on) and reach in a way where the arm and hand don’t have to twist around to get a grip, it’s a bit easier. I probably didn’t explain this well lol. I’ll continue to keep an eye out for leaks. Luckily I didn’t lose much oil, either.

Update: I checked under the hood to see if the filter needed more tightening, and apparently it did. Or at least it looked like it moved a little. It’s hard to get a good feel with the gloves I use since they’re ill-fitting. I hope this won’t become an ongoing issue as long as I have this Wix filter on…
Current: Blue 2018 Mazda 3 GT 5-Door
Previous: Blue 2010 Ford Focus SES,
Black 2013 Kizashi Sport GTS-L (CVT; FWD)(RIP)
SamirD
Posts: 3074
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:07 pm
Location: HSV and SFO
Contact:

KlutzNinja wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:58 am Tonight I learned my car is dripping oil, albeit slowly, and my brand new underbody panel is now coated and glossy. The leak is from a mildly loose oil filter, turns out. The thing is, when I last changed my oil in late August, it felt like I had a pretty slippery grip on the new Wix filter as I tightened it, but I tightened it as well as I could have, given the terrible depth and angle of the mount. I’m curious as to why it took months to start leaking; maybe engine vibration? I was under the impression that it would have leaked not long after the oil change. My previous two oil changes (I’ve had three total since getting the car) were fine as far as the filter went. I reached down when I learned of this and it was still pretty difficult to get a good grip for tightening, but nonetheless it did feel ever so slightly loose. I tried to tighten as best I could, again. I was wearing protective gloves meant for hazardous materials, but otherwise it was pretty risky given I had just turned off the engine. I may or may not have touched the heat shield in the past when it was still hot :lol:. I’m hoping that helped. But I’m bummed about soiling my new panel. I’ll have to wait and see if there are more dark spots on the driveway. I was worried that maybe the drain plug was leaking again because maybe I over-tightened it (the torque wrench wasn’t clicking well :oops:), or the crusher failed, which I assumed was a permanent kind, according to what Kuro has said (and so it shouldn’t be an issue). But this is preferable because at least I don’t need to lift the car or anything (so far).

Has anyone had this issue of the oil filter loosening like this? Or am I just that much of a scrub? :lol:

Next oil change I’ll make sure that the filter is as grippy as possible. And I’ll check it again tomorrow before I drive anywhere. This stressed me out because I’ve heard of oil filters just falling loose and spilling everything while driving. And I was worried about the drain plug for a moment, too. But I’m glad I caught it pretty fast, and that it’s not a leak in the actual system that would necessitate a big repair bill.
I've run into this a few times and it's always been 'just not tight enough' and another 1/4 turn or so with the Suzuki filter tool on a genuine Suzuki filter would do the trick. (For aftermarket filters I have a different tool.)

One of the things I do besides the aforementioned cleaning of the contact area and thin coat of oil on the new gasket is that I don't tighten in just one direction. The gasket is rubber and if it grips, it will 'bunch' a bit, probably not even measureable without xrays or other scanning imaging, but maybe enough for a leak. So I'll tighten, loosen a bit, tighten, loosen and finally tighten. This way, the gasket gets 'stretched' both ways to hopefully be completely flat. I can't say if this has helped me prevent leaks, but it sounds good in theory at least.
SamirD
Posts: 3074
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:07 pm
Location: HSV and SFO
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Okay, so lots of updates including this one which I don't think anyone has done--ran the key fob through a full wash load in the washing machine. :shock: :o :( :(

With only one fob left (other was stolen years ago when my wife's purse was stolen), I was afraid that this was going to be a really big issue.

I immediately wiped it down to remove all the water I could and removed the key so that all that water could come out as well. Then I remembered--rice! It works for cell phones, right?! But I didn't have any rice. :? So what else to use?! How about this container of oregeno? Sure, better than nothing!

So I dropped the fob in the container of oregano and shook it vigorously to hopefully get all the water out into the super absorbent oregeno.

I did this twice, leaving it in the container for a while (can't remember if it was minutes or hours now), and then pulled it out and cleaned it off using a paper towel and toothpick, shaking it first to make sure there wasn't any more water in it.

I fully expected it to be dead, but I approached the car and the door unlocked with just a press of a button like normal! I proceeded to make sure it worked for the ignition and has been working fine ever since. :shock: :shock: I know the fob isn't just for the Suzuki, but boy is it well made and tested. I'm very thankful this turned out okay.

So now onto the second item to share. The poor Kizashi has turned into a rust fiend after leaving the Midwest for the SE again. There is rust everywhere! I don't think I shared the story of how after just one month of leaving the midwest and parking in the SE for a month that the entire braking system was rusted solid and it took a lot of pb blaster as well as almost 2000rpm in reverse before everything finally broke loose. And unfortunately, I didn't have time to even inspect it and had to just drive it that way. Well, that was 3 years ago...

And in that time, it's become obvious that there is stuff seized in the braking system--constant brake dragging, grinding and other noises that initially I thought would go away as the brake surfaces restored themselves. But maybe it was the pads and rotors being original and not completely full or just the extreme abrasion from cleaning rusted spots off rotors that has wore them down to the pad backing--who knows.

Well I found out the answer the other day when I was reversing the car into its spot and I heard a metal 'klunk'. It wasn't a hard klunk, but definitely the sound of metal hitting something. I knew it had to be something with the brakes, so I just barely used them parking the car. And sure enough when I went to inspect the driver's rear, something didn't look right. And I found out why when I went to the front of the car and noticed a rear brake pad sitting there on the ground. :shock: :shock:

So a long overdue Kizashi brake overhaul is now imminent, but for now I'm just going to just work on the driver's side rear to the point that pad stays in. I suspect all the calipers sliding capability was never restored so they've basically been wearing on one side or the other. And I remember our rear calipers were only using the very inside of the rotor for some reason so the rears already had some sort of issue in this department, although there was nothing noticeable when I was doing the seasonal tire swap when we were in the midwest.

All this and our car doesn't even have 95k on it yet. :mrgreen:

I've been reading the service manual this morning and my only two concerns are the parking brake cable and turning the piston back into the caliper. I've been searching here too, but it seems we don't have a link in the DIY for brakes. :?:
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