Track Elan

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||12/17/04 at 04:46:19|moshow
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... ?.dir=bd70
Scroll to the pics at the bottom to see the latest shots of the engine. Basically everything but the injector housing-portion of the intake is removed (because one bolt also holds the engine hook!) from the head/block. The remaining lump is going to the engine shop soon. Then my attention will be on cleaning the goo off all the removed parts and the inside of the engine bay/frame. Some are a real mess. I'm also accumulating a group of items for Jet Hot. Then on to the interior to remove the seats and the shifter for more modification. While the interior is in bits I'm considering bending up some custom brake line to incorporate adjustable porportioning valves for the rear brakes. [smiley=headscratch.gif] I'm thinking having the adjusting knob(s) in the center storage bin would be kinda neat...


12/17/04 at 04:46:47|moshow
|Dave M.||01/04/05 at 05:54:47|moshow[quote author=AV8NDOC link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=90#91 date=12/13/04 at 11:28:33]Surprised how clean your engine looks, Dave! Then remembered all the side projects you have done and figured you have been keeping bits of it clean thru those adventures . . . [/quote]

Had to chuckle at this post, Doug. I just finished putting all the bits in boxes and sandwich bags (great for bolts!) after cleaning and labeling everything. It took a good 4 hours to clean just the bolts and ancillaries that came off the engine! Couldn't believe that the coolant inlet was actually aluminium. It had always been black - covered in goop. ::) Used the better part of a can of brake cleaner for it all. The layer on the plastic cam belt covers was amazing in itself... Now onto the engine bay for cleaning and rewiring. Engine has not been started yet - hopefully this week.


|Dave M.||01/10/05 at 05:37:07|moshow
Had a meeting at the shop Saturday. The block is stripped and cleaned and measurements are to begin to determine new piston size and to see overall condition of valves/crank/con rods. I was assured (again) that the Unichip will work. I'll keep you posted on that Philbo. Was up late that evening pulling the remainder of the A/C (wow, does that clean up the engine bay!), and some other bits, including a relay and about two pounds of wiring from a crappy set of driving lights the previous owner had installed. The lights came off the first day I owned the car. This mess is now out: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
The center bundle is about 3' of wire I had previously taped up out of the way. Then I set up a small folding seat in the engine bay and sat in relative comfort while scrubbing the inside. Have I mentioned I'm anal? ::) Here are the “before” shots of the wires and grime: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
I've also pulled the gear selector and will be having solid mounts designed as well as a short shift kit. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph


|Dave M.||01/15/05 at 18:09:36|moshow|
While I wait for word on the engine, I've had some time to review the turbo situation. I've been talking with Russ on other options and have pulled the T3 apart to have a look. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
At a minimum, it seems the bearing is shot (slight movement in the shaft), and after looking closely, the compressor side has one vane that looks as if it's been dinged by something. For those interested in the guts: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
Might go with a T3-50 wheel (instead of the current T3-60) depending on how well that matches the flow rating from testing. Then again, flow may determine one of the GT turbos is a better fit. Then project creep will take over again... No gold in the engine bay, but I feel it has “natural bling” now as the main layer of grime is almost gone. See before:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
and after:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph


|AV8NDOC||01/15/05 at 20:33:37|AV8NDOC|
Dave, perfect time to ship those manifolds off to Jet-Hot !!

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||01/21/05 at 06:33:21|moshow
Just heard from Kaz and good news: cams are in very good shape, crank looks good, and no major issues with the bearing surfaces. Pistons will be replaced along with a ~.010 overbore due to some wear on the cylinder walls. Block is cleaned and is being magnafluxed. I'll be talking to him more tomorrow, but first report is good. That will keep the bill down!


|Dave M.||02/14/05 at 05:17:36|moshow
Latest stuff: -A piston is on its way to Robie for measurement/duplication -Head will be flowed as soon as parts are in -Flow numbers will determine what turbo route to go - stick with current, get new GT28RS, or modify wheels in current to best match the “new” engine -I'm bouncing around the idea of new seats. Anyone have experience with the Momo RS GT? http://store1.yimg.com/I/shopmomo_1829_34265699 -I'll be talking to a guy about ideas for a short-shift kit this week -After staring at the front end last night for a bit trying to get IC and radiator position options, I was thinking about brake ducting for the track. See the following thread for some questions/help needed:
http://www.lotuselancentral.com/cgi-bin ... ;start=0#0
Things are advancing slowly thanks to busy season [smiley=cussing.gif] but the engine is out of my hands at this point. Just waiting... We did find another “assessory” for the Lotus in the meantime. We are finally giving in and getting a van. Found a 2002 VW EuroVan on Ebay and it will hopefully be shipped this week! Can you say “tow vehicle”? ;D Can you also say “I want to buy a 1993 BMW 525i”?


02/14/05 at 05:18:01|moshow
|AV8NDOC||02/14/05 at 10:13:54|AV8NDOC|
[smiley=thumb.gif] for the seat reminds me of the Recaros in the Evo, which are awesome. Think of it as losing 50lbs in weight of the car if you swap out the old heavy OE seats too . . . then you can go off your diet ;D It'd need a re-trin to look its best though.


|Dave M.||02/14/05 at 18:19:08|moshow|
I don't know what the stock seats weigh, but at 16.2 lbs each, these are great seats! I'd sure miss the nice smell of the stock leather, though... And no, the car will continue it's diet. Just need to determine what comforts I can live without. ::) More power to weight ratio will make me forget about the A/C. Faster = more cooling, right?


|AV8NDOC||02/14/05 at 19:26:36|AV8NDOC
I seriously remember weighing in the OE seats at 40 to 45lbs. so install lighter seats and re-install the A/C, mon

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||02/15/05 at 04:32:50|moshow[quote author=AV8NDOC link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=90#102 date=02/14/05 at 19:26:36]I seriously remember weighing in the OE seats at 40 to 45lbs.[/quote]

Wow! No wonder they are such a pain to get out of the car. My only issue is the shoulder “wings” on the seats. With my rollbar, I may not be able to get the seat installed far back enough. I've got to find a place that will accept returns to order from and try one seat. Most places have all sales final on seats. Grrr... If I do switch, I may make a base for one of the stock seats and use it for my office chair at work. [smiley=headscratch.gif] Then I can still enjoy the smell.


|Dave M.||02/17/05 at 04:57:26|moshow
Just received some of the pictures from the engine shop of the guts. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... .dir=/61f0 Also, while I was in the shop last, I got to poke around the 429 Cobra (real one) they are rebuilding. Apparently the engine was in rough shape when purchased, but was balanced within 1g for all parts. Hi-rise manifold, custom fuel injection into what looks just like a carb, and lots of other goodies. It ran something insane like 500+ HP and 550-600 lb/ft of torque on the dyno. Need any stumps pulled? Wow...


|Mike|02/17/05 at 16:22:14|Mike|
Dave-I guess we'll see you arrive for LOG 25 in St.Louis pulling a trailer. No way you can drive that far in a racing seat. I trust you will share your engine odyssey with everyone. Can't wait! I have finished the Elan coolant hose research and writeup, but I need pictures from Jeff in Houston to complete it. He has been through a hose replacement project, bless him. Maybe I'll have it all by LOG 25.


|Dave M.||02/19/05 at 07:32:28|moshow
If I can find a cheap trailer by then or borrow one, I definitely plan on pulling it down. That way the fam can come without driving 2 vehicles (although I *do* want to autocross my Subaru ::). I can also save some tread on the V700s that way! As for the seat, I wussed-out and am going to try the Momo RS GT (a “tuning” or street seat), not the Start (racing). There's more support in their racing seats, but I drive enough on the street that I didn't totally want to compromise some comfort. Besides, both seats weigh about the same as the RS GT is not reclining seat. We should have lots of info to share at the tech session, eh? Between engine and cooling that should fill the breakfast talk.


|davidjt|02/21/05 at 05:06:43|davidjt|
|Dave This is probably old news, but just in case..... One of the guys I was with on Saturday has serious heat problems - the manifold wrapping eventually caught fire, not for the first time, and spoiled his day. He's now getting some new material via the Heat Mangement section of the NASA web-site - reckons a business of any kind can access masses of data and source material & components that way. As I said, you're probably way ahead of me here, but it sounded pretty useful. David

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||02/21/05 at 09:33:14|moshow
David, no, I haven't gotten into the cooling area that far just yet. Thank you for the info! That will be a must see. I definitely want to shield more things than I had done prior (one example: the new exhaust is about 1/2” from the oil pan). I also will likely have a different O2 housing, so shielding will be needed there, too. I'm going into it with the thought that all residual heat is bad and to minimize it as best I can. The only place I want heat is going into the turbine!


|nitroman|02/21/05 at 09:57:25|nitroman
That is where Jet-Hot will serve you well. Especially the pipe which passes under the oil pan, as the tolerance is so tight. If I had the engine out like you I would strip, grind (if needed) & “purify” the oil pan, to send it off to Jet-Hot as well. Not only will it look like a million bucks INDEFINATELY, but I will wager that by the time you get your car up on ramps you'd actually be able to touch the pan above the exhaust without the need for aloe!


|Dave M.||02/21/05 at 12:24:24|moshow[quote author=nitroman link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=105#109 date=02/21/05 at 09:57:25]If I had the engine out like you I would strip, grind (if needed) & “purify” the oil pan, to send it off to Jet-Hot as well.[/quote]

Geez...never even thought of that. ::) I'm gathering bits to send to Jet-Hot right now. Think I'll throw that in the box as well! Having the pan Jet-Hotted along with installing some special insulative, adhesive-baked piece to it so the exhaust is shielded should make some difference in oil temps. One thing I may have done additional to the pan is to install baffles so there's no chance of starving the pickup in track action.


02/21/05 at 12:26:14|moshow|Mike||02/21/05 at 17:50:41|Mike|
got any pictures of the harness bar you added to the AE set up for the shoulder harness? I remember looking at it at LOG, but should have caught it on camera. I'm going to add it to mine to better position the belts. Not so sure about the belt guide openings like yours in the seat back, though. I don't think I can handle taking out the seat again with my back. Does the harness mounting location put it within the SCCA's 20 degree variance from horizontal? I guess it would be best to measure that we me in the car anyway. Of all the options I've added to my car, the roll bar is the only one my wife understood and agreed with. A friend in the British club here had a terrible accident in his Healey BJ8 on I-459 (the road to the Barber track) exiting a fly-over two weeks after LOG 24. Took the curve too fast, back end broke loose and came around, hit the barrier, spun back the other way, rotated into the grass sideways and the wheels dug in- over she went, about 3 times (a car following saw it all). He lost one ear (sewed it back on), right hand was mangled (no longer usable) and some brain damage, enough where he will never hold a meaningful job again. Wife and two small kids. It's a miracle he lived. Two weeks before it happened, he decided he was going to put a roll bar in, but never got to it in time. He accompanied our club to Huntsville last weekend to tour the Lotus 7 replica manufacturer there. It was good to see him out, as his wife thinks it does him good to spend time with his old buddies. But it gives one reason to pause when you see how he was affected by it all. I got to thinking about this after hearing of Monty's ordeal with Pinky. My suggestion-get a rollbar if you are going to play hard and run the slightest rick of a shunt, where the car can hang a wheel on something and flip. Still, the only way to be sure of near 0 chance of injury in a rollover is to wear at least a 4 point harness, arm restraints and a helmet-then go to the track so you won't look like a fool. There is no track I know of here that will allow an open car without some type of rollbar-preferably w/ 5 mounting points. Sorry for the unsolicited advice, and I am not running for safety steward of LEC.


02/21/05 at 17:51:56|Mike|02/22/05 at 03:24:27|xtreme_lotus|
Mike some great advice there, so sorry to hear about u`r friend an u are right if u`r going to push the limits best done on the track. The only thing with track days over here is u don`t need to have a rollbar ??? got mine on order for my next M100.

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||02/22/05 at 05:14:07|moshow
Hi Mike. Sad to hear of your friend and thoughts and prayers to him and his family. We have a lot of fun with these cars, but also have sobering reminders of the dangers every once in a while. Not to say don't let it rip now and again, but take all precautions necessary first. A rollbar is just a little extra “what if” protection in my mind along with my harnesses. I looked for some pics of the harness bars, but could only find the following where you can sort of see them. They really tend to blend in. http://www.lotuselancentral.com/images/ ... llbar1.jpg
I think they are over the 20 degree SCCA requirement (not surprising that AutoEurope didn't think of this), but with my new seats sitting lower, I should be fine. My shoulders will be about at the same level as the bar, even though the seat openings are about that. You're right, just measure with you in the car. If you'd like to use my seats with the slots already in them, maybe we could trade. It looks like the Momo seat will fit (see next post), so I'm likely ordering the second and fitting them. I still want to keep the stock seats, but if someone else needs the slits for a harness, we could work something out. Could be a project for us at LOG? Sat morning seat swap!


|Dave M.||02/22/05 at 05:24:42|moshow
One word on the new seat: awesome! I cannot believe how light it is compared to the stocker! Don't think this one will hurt your back, Mike. At 16 lbs I was carrying it around with one hand. Imagine doing that with the stock seat. It looks like it will fit fine with some custom brackets, though the shoulder “wing” on the door side is very close to rubbing. It should be easy to align, though. The end result could be a seat that sits about 3-4” lower than the stock one and saves somewhere near 30 lbs by guess-timation. Not only will it give me a touch more headroom and lower the center of gravity a touch, but the seating position feels great. Plus I can see the whole speedo now through the steering wheel... ::) Here's the test fit and a few comparison shots. You'll notice how much thinner it is. Plus the seat “bucket” alone lowers your butt by 2”. (If the pic comes out dark, check your monitor contrast. My computer at work is horrible and I can hardly see detail in the seat) http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph


|AV8NDOC||02/22/05 at 10:03:52|AV8NDOC|
Nice--you're also going to love a seat that will hold you in place around corners


|Rob|02/22/05 at 10:13:23|Rob_B|
They look very nice Dave, I have only been on the track in mine once and that was at Curbough which is a sprint track. I was bracing my self with my knees all the way around so those seat should do he trick and let you concentrate on the driving.


|Dave M.||02/22/05 at 14:23:01|moshow
Between being held in place by the seat and not having to worry about the coolant temps this year, I'm really going to enjoy track days again! Not only will cornering be better, but sitting *down* in the seat will keep me in a better position under braking, too.

[Dave M]

|Sy|02/22/05 at 14:34:02|Simon_V|
Dave I voiced my concerns about our stock seats recently in another thread. My worries were based on Monty's injuries and the fact that the top of our OE seat's back finishes somewhere around the nape of my neck...the headrest is more of a back scratcher for me. Also, I too feel remarkably insecure cornering on slippy leather seats (as alluded to to by Rob earlier). I'm forking out a small fortune on having the seats refurbed at Hethel at the moment. However, I fully intend doing a number of track days from here on. Q. Notwithstanding the fact that I need to source a seat over here (so the exact type at this point is unknown), but it'll have to be “accommodating” shall we say. These seats that you see in various racing outlets and places like demon tweeks etc...how easy would it be to rig up an “unbolt OE and replace with driver's (only) racing seat” set up, do you think?


|Dave M.||02/22/05 at 17:19:06|moshow
Sy, I'm with you. The “headrest” on the stock seats is only such if I lay my head back and look straight up! If you are looking into rigging up a seat to swap in and out for track days, the swap may not be too bad. The stock seats aren't too horrible to get out, time-wise. The trick is getting a bracket made that goes in just as easy as the stock ones come out. It won't be a “quick release” set up (though if you had someone handy with some welding gear, it *could* be done), but in 15-20 minutes you could switch. I'm looking at making some “L” shaped brackets. One bolts to the floor, the other to the seat. Then I just bolt the two Ls together. The seat will *not* be adjustable front to rear, though. This type of bracket approach can be done with the Momo as the bolt spacing side-to-side is almost identical to the floor pan (within 1/8”). It would likely be different for another manufacturer, but may provide other options. If you put in a slider base, you may be able to modify it to work just like the stock base. Then it's 4 bolts out, 4 bolts in. See if you can get your hands on the Dec 2003 (I think) issue of Sport Compact Car. It had a seat guide in it that rated each seat and how they accomodated people of various waist sizes. Otherwise, let me know what seat you are considering and I'll look it up for you. If you're looking for something “accomodating” as you say, you sure don't want the RS GT. At a 31 inch waist, I'm snug. Might be a nut squeezer for ya...


|Mike||02/22/05 at 18:24:24|Mike|
Great racing seat, Dave. I would be interested in one if it could be swapped out easily when going to the track. My only concern is the inboard rear bolt that runs through the seat runner, through the floor and screws into a floating plate underneath the car. I found it nearly impossible to line up the bolt and the plate-it was like pushing a string through a hole w/o being able to see the hole. This would preclude a quick change out, at least by me. It would have to be some system with a quick release with the entire runner coming out, ideally. I'd be glad to discuss a stock seat swap as an alternative, but mine are not in as good a condition as yours. But I'm not sure about spending LOG time underneath the car fooling with the floating plates while everyone else drinks beer! But then, after a few beers, I may not care. Thanks for the picture of the harness bar as I now see the bow that runs directly behind the seat to allow it to move back.


|Dave M.||03/17/05 at 05:46:25|moshow
The latest on the engine from Kaz:

We did flow the head, even though it is not terribly bad, it can stand some serious improvements. We need to finish the head and flow it again to have the final numbers to choose the turbo parameters. So it's too early for that right now. We also measured the cams, they are very close to each other (if not same!)

There was a goof in the piston order, but things are back on track. Unfortunately I believe I've lost about 3 weeks. That sucks, but it may be just as well as I need to get the radiator and new IC ordered yet. This weekend will hopefully bring me a little time to do those measurements as well as get the seat final mounted. I am also boxing up everything to be sent to Jet-Hot. Despite the fact I'm extremely jealous of all you going to Donny, I won't curse at you as I am stuck under a pile of tax returns this weekend! OK, I may curse a little... Have fun all!


|Peter W|03/17/05 at 11:29:32|Peter_W|[quote author=Dave M. link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=120#121 date=03/17/05 at 05:46:25] . . . I need to get the radiator and new IC ordered yet.[/quote]

Dave, have you made a decision on a new configuration? (apologies if I missed a post on this)

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||03/17/05 at 11:40:03|moshow[quote author=Peter W link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=120#122 date=03/17/05 at 11:29:32]have you made a decision on a new configuration? (apologies if I missed a post on this)[/quote]

Hi Peter. Due to a problem with the radiator I had built, it's in for warranty work and I get a brand new core. That means I get to “start over” with sizing. I did decide to go with a slightly different configuration. The FMIC will no longer be in front of the radiator, rather a unit about 3/4 the size of my first FMIC will be stuffed into the stock location. It will extend behind the new radiator a touch, but both units will be ducted for separate air paths in and out.
Something like this: ========= FMIC
Radiator ==================
front of car The duct for the IC will start at the right edge of the radiator and angle inward to the left. The IC will be straight up and down while the radiator may lean back like the stock unit does. I should have the whole thing on paper after this weekend and get the bits ordered Monday.


03/17/05 at 11:41:46|moshow
|Peter W|03/17/05 at 14:00:02|Peter_W|
Thanks Dave - sounds like a good plan.


|Dave M.||03/21/05 at 05:55:27|moshow
Well the driver seat mount is done and other than being a bit further forward than I wanted, it should be a great change. Basically I made the mount out of L-shaped steel bits that will be bolted together. Total weight savings should be in the 30-40 pound range over the stock seats! It's a tight fit (the “wings” by the shoulders will just miss the door after some slight modification of the mounts), especially with the rollbar in. But now that I know it fits, the passenger side gets ordered today.
Seat brackets - http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
Bracket in car - http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
Along with the seat I also call on the replacement radiator today. It looks as if the size before (32”x8”x2”) will be the size again unless I can get a thicker core without much hassle (I am getting a warranty replacement on the original core - so I may need to use the same end tanks as before). It also appears I'll be using a new IC. I think I can stuff a 16.25”x8”x3” into the stock location with some serious ducting. This will be about 10” narrower than the first iteration, but .75” thicker to help compensate. The way I have the piping worked out, I should save 20-25” of intake over the setup before. It'll be interesting to see if it makes any difference in lag. On a related note...if you know of anyone wanting a good custom Spearco FMIC, I have one! PM me.


|Dave M.||03/23/05 at 10:19:04|moshow
Just thought I'd put in a plug for Jeff @ Rhad Performance in San Diego, CA. I ordered my 2nd Momo seat Monday about 3:00 pm and it just showed up at my office at 1:00 pm today! This was standard shipping through FedEx from a Kansas City warehouse that cost $15. This is not a small box, either! A great shop with very good prices and excellent service. They carry all of Momo's line, I believe. Here's a link to their seat page, but you can find lots of other gear on their site. http://www.shopmomo.com/seats.html


03/23/05 at 10:20:03|moshow|Dave M.||03/31/05 at 04:54:33|moshow
I just got the flow sheet back from the shop after they completed the head and I asked Kaz (the owner) what all the data meant. Following is his reply. Looks like some power was to be unleashed in there... Costas, you need another project, right? ;D
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Kaz Aya Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 4:16 PM To: David Meyers Subject: Re: head work and Unichip
David, There is drastic improvement over the stock. Intake: lift .300 - .350 Was: 171.2 - 171.8 Now: 176.6 - 193.9 (12.8% better) Exhaust: lift .300 - .350 Was: 128.9 - 131.7 Now: 155 - 163.9 (24 % better) Balance: (exhaust/intake ) Was: 75.29% - 76.65% Now: 87.76% - 84.52%

[Dave M]

|Philbo|04/01/05 at 06:48:43|Philbo|[quote author=Dave M. link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=120#127 date=03/31/05 at 04:54:33]I just got the flow sheet back from the shop after they completed the head and I asked Kaz (the owner) what all the data meant. Following is his reply. Looks like some power was to be unleashed in there... [/quote]

Wow Dave, interesting numbers. I don't really know my arse from my elbow when it comes to interpreting the numbers but it sure looks like the new head is more efficient and balanced. That's got to be a good thing... Thanks for getting those as they are the first analysis of the head for the Elan I've seen.


|Dave M.||04/01/05 at 08:19:47|moshow
I'm with you, Philbo. A bit over my head, too (no pun intended). From what I can gather, the stock cams provide ~ .325” lift (both intake and exhaust). The shop did flow tests at lifts ranging from .100-.500. The stock intake flow at .300-.350 was 171.2-171.8. I assume this is cfm at a consistent pressure. So for .050 of increased lift, there is almost no additional flow. After they tweaked things, the .050 additional lift gives almost 20 cfm more flow. As an additional note, the test sheet shows flow only goes to 203.1 at .500 lift, so it appears either they stopped porting to match the current cams, or even more lift (i.e. custom cams) won't help flow that much unless more modification is done. The data on the exhaust side is interpreted the same. New flow is up around 30 cfm, and not just at the higher lift. Finally, as far as balance, the intake and exhaust flows are now closer. I assume as long as there are no restrictions in the intake/exhuast piping that restrict flow more than the head does, this means the engine will be ~20% more efficient at getting air in/out of the head. It will be interesting to see what this means as far as power, but since I am making other changes at the same time, it will be hard to isolate the gain. I'll ask the shop what they think it would be, all other things being equal. I'm meeting with the shop tomorrow to discuss the whole spec sheet they send me as well as what the “new” head means for turbo and wheel selection. For Garrett wheels, the original flow data appeared to favor the T3 with a T3-50 compressor wheel, but that's using my amateur calculations. Who knows what I'll end up with tomorrow!


04/01/05 at 08:31:07|moshow|Dave M.||04/01/05 at 08:35:02|moshow
FYI, here are the specs on the cams: Intake: -1.00 deg 11.00 deg .050 open 111.00 deg .050 close 131.00 deg lift .325 exhaust: +1.00 deg 14.00 deg .050 open 113.00 deg .050 close 130.00 deg lift .320 to measure overlap we need to have the engine assembled.


|Brian_MDB|04/01/05 at 15:00:15|Brian_MDB|[quote author=Dave M. link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=120#132 date=04/01/05 at 08:35:02]FYI, here are the specs on the cams: Intake: -1.00 deg 11.00 deg .050 open 111.00 deg .050 close 131.00 deg lift .325 exhaust: +1.00 deg 14.00 deg .050 open 113.00 deg .050 close 130.00 deg lift .320 to measure overlap we need to have the engine assembled. [/quote]

It's not much, 14 degrees according to the manual and .330” lift... Do you have before and after pictures of the ports?


|Dave M.||04/02/05 at 04:17:51|moshow
I'll see what the shop has as far as pictures now. From the sounds of it, they weren't going to take much material out, just balance the flow a bit more and make some small improvements. The thought was/is if the intake passages are opened up too much it could actually hurt performance without going to custom cams. Project creep will likely never attack my car that bad.

[Dave M]

|Brian_MDB|04/02/05 at 22:30:28|Brian_MDB|[quote author=Dave M. link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=120#134 date=04/02/05 at 04:17:51]I'll see what the shop has as far as pictures now. From the sounds of it, they weren't going to take much material out, just balance the flow a bit more and make some small improvements. The thought was/is if the intake passages are opened up too much it could actually hurt performance without going to custom cams. Project creep will likely never attack my car that bad. [/quote]

With a turbo engine for street use it's got to be better to enhance flow at low RPM when the turbo's not ramming air into the engine. The trick is to achieve optimum airspeed in the port so you get some inertia ram effect which can sometimes require that you actually reduce port area...


|Dave M.||04/04/05 at 05:46:03|moshow
You got it Brian. On Saturday I spoke with the owner about exactly that. What an education on intake and flow through a head! Wow. I learned as much new stuff this weekend as I did the time I sat down for lunch with Kyle from BHP years ago when he did my turbo. Basically the idea we are working with is to retain as much drivability but maximize the performance under certain limitations. That means the following steps: 1 - Smooth out and balance flow with the head. This should help lower RPM torque as Brian mentions. The other benefit is the improved flow will allow me to more effectively use the increased boost. According to Kaz, you can increase boost all you want, but you will reach a point where you try flowing more air into the cylinders than the passages will allow. This causes turbulence and will actually *hurt* performance. He said when we dyno, I'll see the point where power stops going up in large amounts with increases in boost. Bizarre, but it'll be interesting to observe. 2 - Match a turbo to the specific flow of the engine and my needs as a driver. After running a lot of numbers in the past and finalizing them Sat, it appears the turbo I have has been the right one for my application all along - the Garrett T3. For those familiar with turbo maps, to run higher boost, our engine needs a turbo that has an efficiency range that is fairly vertical on the map/chart. For example compare the following maps: http://www.stealth316.com/images/t4-46trim-cfm.gif http://www.stealth316.com/images/t3-50trim-cfm.gif You'll see to run a 2.4 (bar) pressure ratio within the efficient range of the turbo you need over 400 cfm of airflow from the engine with the T4 wheel vs. 300 cfm for the T3 (and even that is just outside the efficient range). The long and short of it is the larger the compressor wheel, the larger the engine you need to spin in in its efficient range. Any engine may spin any turbo, it just may not do it well. We determined that the T3 with a 50-trim wheel is the answer, along with a larger turbine if possible. The plots we made ran right up the center of the efficient range! 3 - As mentioned in #1, then we need to tune the boost to find where the max “useable” amount is. If it is under 1.4 bar/20 psi, that's where I'll stay. Otherwise we may tune to above that, but back it off for longevity purposes. This should provide nearly stock drivability but allow the car to flat fly under boost. Yes, there would be more peak power in the engine, but to use more boost and get the power you'd have to open up the head passages more, change the cam profiles, increase valve overlap and sacrifice low end torque for high rpm power. A drag car, in essence. Should be interesting to see how this all shakes out. Another 2 weeks and I'm free of work to spend a lot more time getting things done!04/04/05 at 05:57:25|moshow
|Dave M.||04/04/05 at 06:00:08|moshowOn another note, I did get the brackets made for the 2nd Momo seat. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
I also took a few pics of the rollbar harness mounts that were added to my AutoEurope bar. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
The shaft collars keep the harness straps from sliding too far to the sides.


|Brian_MDB|04/04/05 at 12:41:14|Brian_MDB|
Interesting stuff Dave. When they flow benched your head was the manifold attached and were the auxiliary throttles open or closed as I think the ECU only opens them past 4500 RPM? Someone mentioned previously that some Isuzu owners remove the auxiliary throttles completely, what's your guys take on this?


|Dave M.||04/04/05 at 13:59:20|moshow
Only the head was flowed at this point with neither manifold attached. Good point on the butterflies...I hadn't talked to the shop about those yet. I had those in mind a while back when I was running the Apex'i V-AFC for fuel control. The thought was to use the V-TEC lead at some point to vary the point at which the secondaries open and see what it did to power. I imagine the Unichip will have a similar RPM control lead that we could hook up in the same way. I'll make sure I add that to my “to do” list!


|Turbocharger|04/05/05 at 12:17:32|Turbocharger|
Hi Dave, Looks like you're using the formula in Corky Bells “Maximum Boost” to determine your PR. Excellent book by the way, but would like to point out what's used at Garrett. This is just for information only, and some may find it useful, even if you use a Brand X Turbo. Not that there's anything wrong with that! [smiley=gray.gif] http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbobyga ... hinfo.html

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||04/06/05 at 11:29:28|moshow
Yes, Maximum Boost is sitting on my office floor right next to my desk. When I don't get enough math with busy season, I open it up and run a few equations just for fun. ::) Thanks for the other formulas. I'll plug in my new numbers and make sure everything still lines up the way we've planned. I'll shoot you an e-mail with some other misc. questions in a bit. Thanks, Russ!


|Brian_MDB|04/07/05 at 23:39:19|Brian_MDB|
Intake air temperature... I've often wondered about the effects of the heated throttle body and insulating the intake manifold from the cylinder head? This article answers both questions and it may be food for thought as we start pushing more boost into the engine? Also I checked the manual for secondary throttle operation and apparently it stays shut until 5200RPM :-/ I wonder how feasible it would be to manually crack this open during a dyno run to find if 5200RPM is the optimum speed with increased boost?
http://www.hondata.com/heatshield.html
I thought I'd place the post here Dave as we all know your heads off (or something like that ;D) and you may want to incorporate this into your rebuild?


|Dave M.||04/08/05 at 04:56:56|moshow[quote author=Brian_MDB link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=135#142 date=04/07/05 at 23:39:19]I thought I'd place the post here Dave as we all know your heads off (or something like that ;D)[/quote]

If you only knew... Constant 70-80 hour work weeks have goofy effects on people. I actually have some of that material one of the Isuzu guys was good enough to send me a while back. I plan to make a “gasket” for between the head and the injector housing. If I have enough material I'll put one between the injector housing and the intake manifold as well. The only problem I see may be spacing. The material is 5-10x thicker than the gasket (maybe +1/8”?) so I'll need to put something between the head and manifold where they connect along with some other misc bits (rear engine lift bracket, etc.). Shouldn't be an issue, though. Costas, see what you can do when you dyno. If not, I plan on making my butterflies adjustable as part of my upgrades. Seems the Isuzu guys liked to just take them out, but other that Steve Lockett, no one ever seemed to have results (dyno or otherwise) to hang their hat on. My guess is it would kill low-end torque. I seem to remember Steve said it didn't do much at all to his 1/4 mi times either.


|Dave M.||04/28/05 at 05:50:30|moshow
Fresh from a break after 4/15 I'm back to the real world of “normal” work hours and fun every other evening or so with my car. I've also had a little computer education on resizing pics, so I can put them in the thread instead of linking to my Yahoo albums. It takes longer, but might be easier for all of you to view. The seats went in last night (finally!) after cutting, drilling, and painting the brackets. In order to get everything aligned so the shoulder bolster “wings” didn't touch the door and the rear of the seat does not rub on the rollbar, it took a good hour or so adding/subtracting a few washers for spacing, but they fit great. As a side note, these seats with similar brackets would fit just fine in a car without the rollbar. I've included a few pics with and without the harnesses below. You can see all the photos of the brackets, etc at the bottom of this album: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... /my_photos
I figure I've saved ~ 50 pounds between the old seats and the new. A bit closer to Elise weight now. ::) On the engine side, still waiting for the pistons and my Jet-Hot order...grrr. The radiator is back with the fans mounted so that may be the next install. I've also decided to go with a full Garrett T3 with the 50-trim compressor for the turbo instead of the hybrid I have now. It will complicate things a bit as I will need a new O2 housing/turbine exit pipe, but in order to control the boost I plan to run, an external wastegate has been recommended. This will require another exhaust pipe anyway that merges into the current piping before the cat anyway, so might as well change. With the A/C compressor out now, I've got room for a larger pipe that allows a smoother flow, too. Lots of stuff to do, and most of it on hold until the engine is back. Bummer, but progress is happening.

And for those who don't like the harness pads...


04/28/05 at 05:52:36|moshow|Dave M.||04/28/05 at 06:51:11|moshow
On a related note to the new turbo:
http://www.lotuselancentral.com/cgi-bin ... ;start=0#0

[Dave M]

|Ashaman||04/29/05 at 23:24:26|Ashaman|
Lagging on this thread a bit, but on the topic of secondaires... A few people on the Isuzu list said that removing them killed low end performance. What was suggested to me with the Haltech was to use an RPM activated switch (Like MSD offers) to control their opening. It is a simple solenoid that controls vacuum flow to them, so adding one of thise would be easy to do and would also allow for easy changes to the point of opening/closing...


|Dave M.||05/02/05 at 13:44:07|moshow|
The Jet-Hot order came in, and other than a scare that they lost my valve cover (they didn't), things are good. (as a side note, aluminum parts are a no-no for Jet-Hot - the company bakes on the finish/coating at such a temp the parts could melt).
[s]clockwise[/s] anti-clockwise from top left: left engine mount, bracket under the oil separator, left engine mount spacer, rear engine lift point, oil separator bracket, power steering bracket, exhaust manifold (done in Jet-Hot 2000 - good to 2000 F), oil pan.


05/02/05 at 14:11:51|AV8NDOC|nitroman|05/02/05 at 14:46:04|nitroman|
VERY IMPRESSIVE pics. BTW, what is my cut for suggesting they do your oil pan (as I remember what it looked like B4!? They will do aluminum, for instance, your valve cover is aluminum (they also did my aluminum spark-plug cover) but will caveat you with a warning that the thinner the material the greater chance for “warpage”. When you get “the warning” you also lose their guarantee not to ruin your part. They are especially wary of stamped aluminum parts, not so much the cast ones. It all boils down to, can you afford to replace the part with a new/used one should they 'F' it up? Looks fantastic dude, rock on!


05/02/05 at 15:24:34|nitroman|Dave M.||05/03/05 at 05:37:32|moshow[quote author=Dave M. link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=135#148 date=05/02/05 at 13:44:07][s]clockwise[/s][/quote]

Thanks, Doug... @ Matt, that's exactly the reason they did NOT do my valve cover. It would likely have been fine, but I can fix the few chips mine had and bake it on using my propane heater without the fear. Are you saying my oil pan was dinged up before? http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph


|nitroman|05/03/05 at 08:07:56|nitroman|
Will show you a picture (when I get home) of an ALU cam-cover they did for me for a couple years ago. Stunningly beautiful and no warning from them as the casting was too thick to worry about warpage (it sealed fine afterword - and you know how I am about oil & such!).

[Dave M]

|nitroman|05/03/05 at 10:39:02|nitroman|



|Mark||05/10/05 at 17:50:17|mark|
dave, did you end up with the momo rs2 seats? I am looking for replacements as my drivers seat is quite torn up, plus i want to put in a harness. looking at the sparco torino, momo rs2gt, bride ergoII, etc. all these have the wide wings, and measure out with the wing hitting the side of the autoeurope rollbar. an inch or inch plus off in the measurement approximations could make all the difference in whether they fit or not. I normally drive with the stock seat set back just under the rollbar, so there has to be some clearance. how did you deal with this?


|Dave M.||05/11/05 at 11:49:24|moshow[quote author=Mark link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=150#153 date=05/10/05 at 17:50:17]dave, did you end up with the momo rs2 seats? I am looking for replacements as my drivers seat is quite torn up, plus i want to put in a harness. looking at the sparco torino, momo rs2gt, bride ergoII, etc. all these have the wide wings, and measure out with the wing hitting the side of the autoeurope rollbar. an inch or inch plus off in the measurement approximations could make all the difference in whether they fit or not. I normally drive with the stock seat set back just under the rollbar, so there has to be some clearance. how did you deal with this?[/quote]

Hi Mark. Yes, I did end up with the RS GT seats (not the RS2 GTs-those recline and weigh/cost more). I had the very same issue when I measured for the seats. Every Momo seat I saw seemed too wide for the AE rollbar except the T2000 which I couldn't find anywhere. As I wasn't sure of them fitting, I finally found a shop (http://www.shopmomo.com/seats.html) that I could return a seat to if it didn't fit the way I wanted - albeit with a return charge. I ordered one seat, built some brackets myself, and tinkered getting the seats to slide back enough for me to fit with enough legroom. They fit, but it took a while. In the end the seats tilt inward very slightly (maybe 2 degrees-but not noticeable) to allow the rear of the seat to slightly clear the rollbar and the shoulder “wing” to clear the door. You can see how close the rollbar is at: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/themeyers ... mp;.src=ph
The pic is a bit dark, but you get the idea. Just enough space so it doesn't rub. The seating position is maybe 1” closer to the pedals than I was before and I do have a little more wiggle room if after driving the car I want the extra inch. I also drove with the stock seat back to where the rollbar was. You do gain a little space as the back of the Momo is thinner than stock. The Momos are also quite narrow. I'm tall and thin (6' tall, 32” waist) and am snug. Like nothing-is-going-to-move kinda snug. These could be a kidney and nut squeezer for much larger folks. They should be awesome on-track, however. Let me know if you want more pics of the fitment. But from the sounds of it, you need about the same legroom I do and it's *real* close.


05/11/05 at 11:53:15|moshow|Dave M.||05/11/05 at 11:55:31|moshow[quote author=nitroman link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=150#151 date=05/03/05 at 08:07:56]Will show you a picture (when I get home) of an ALU cam-cover they did for me for a couple years ago. Stunningly beautiful and no warning from them as the casting was too thick to worry about warpage (it sealed fine afterword - and you know how I am about oil & such!).[/quote]

Looks great, Matt! I may get the guts to have them do it. Once I get the new intake and O2 housing/downpipe made I will be sending another bunch of bits to Jet-Hot, so maybe I'll try again. ;D


|Dave M.||05/11/05 at 12:05:00|moshow
The new Garrett T3 came yesterday and it's amazing how much more compact it appears without the wastegate actuator (I will be running an external wastegate with the new setup). Following are some shots of the BHP IHI/Garrett hybrid next to the full T3. While the compressor housings are almost identical in size (inlets/outlets are the same)...

Notice the difference in the turbine housings...

The turbine outlet is setup differently for the external wastegate (no flapper vavle)...

I will end up having two exhaust pipes coming from the turbine housing - one normal 2.5” for the turbine exhaust and one 1.5” leading to the wastegate. This will eventually mate with the 2.5” pipe before the main downpipe. These pieces will completely replace the stock O2 housing and precat and should give a much better flow for the wastegate. As a result, boost creep *should* be eliminated.

[Dave M]

|Ashaman||05/11/05 at 19:46:47|Ashaman|
Wow, a T3 without a crack between the wastegate port and turbine outlet...I don't think I have ever seen one like that ;D I always thought that your turbo was a little odd looking (I commented on it once before since it didn't look like a T3 to me?), the new one looks like what I would expect! Pretty, heheh. Is this one a ball-bearing design? How about some pictures of the new header/adaptor? The new exhaust pipe should rock, that is one sure way to get around “boost-creep!” Do you have someone lined up to make it yet? Should be interesting as always!


|Dave M.||05/12/05 at 05:27:40|moshow
Unfortunately the T3 does not have the ball-bearing center, so not quite the spool-up monster that the GT series is supposed to be. But with the adapters that will be made to fit it in the Elan, I can always upgrade later if I feel it is lacking... ::) As for the O2 housing replacement and external WG plumbing, I'm having a go at making it myself. I don't weld, but will cut and fit all the pieces together (as I did for my prior intake system) and have them welded. That will save me taking the car somewhere before it runs - and should save a lot of $ in labor! For now I'm sticking with the stock manifold and will do an adapter similar to what Russ (Turbocharger) did for his GT25. Bascially a plate that bolts to both the stock manifold (IHI pattern) and the T3 inlet. I'm searching right now to try and find the pictures he posted... Once this whole mess is sorted I'll have to road trip down and we can go hunt for more Mustangs.


|Ashaman||05/12/05 at 08:40:32|Ashaman|
Well, your old one was pretty amazing, so the new setup should not fail to please I really like the idea of a ball bearing setup, but they seem to run about double the price, which is kinda hard to justify. Have fun with the cutting, you should buy yourself a little MIG welder with all the adapting you do! They are pretty cheap, and suprisingly easy to use. Good luck with the work, hope it goes smoothly!


|Dave M.||05/27/05 at 05:35:37|moshow
When it rains, it pours! I go on vacation after receiving my turbo, then come back and have all sorts of goodies waiting for me! Now it's time to get them in the car!!! First, the pistons from Atomic Speedware (which are going to the engine shop TODAY):

Then all the turbo accessories (including Tial external wastegate on the left)

Also, all the mandrel U-bends to make the intake and downpipe came in. Woo-hoo, Christmas in May! Hopefully the shop can fit the pistons quick so I can move on the rest of this stuff!


|Doug|06/02/05 at 22:21:18|AV8NDOC|
Dont know why I was reading the letter section tonight in SCC, but I was about to turn the page when I saw a letter with “Dave Meyers, Jolly Olde England” on the bottom. I though to myself, “Dave Meyers, what's up with that?? I know a Dave Meyers.” I look to the letter and see the “M100” in the text. Sure enough, there's Dave telling about his cooling problems. I was impressed with the length of the response, but I think it is all stuff he has given thought to in the past. I am surprised they did not mention anything about thermostats or water pumps ??? Dave, have you tried removing the thermostat for hard driving and see if it helps? Anyway, just wondering where you are in the quandry now? I think you may have just sold off the intercooler in question, so the point may be moot anyway . . . ?? ??

[Dave M]

|Dave M.||06/03/05 at 13:19:27|moshow[quote author=Doug link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=150#161 date=06/02/05 at 22:21:18]Dont know why I was reading the letter section tonight in SCC, but I was about to turn the page when I saw a letter with “Dave Meyers, Jolly Olde England” on the bottom. I though to myself, “Dave Meyers, what's up with that?? I know a Dave Meyers.” I look to the letter and see the “M100” in the text.[/quote]

Do we have another Dave Meyers on the board from the UK? I'm way behind in my SCC reading, so I'll have to check that out. I e-mailed Dave Coleman (SCC tech editor) last summer on my cooling issue and did get a response right away - wonder if he used the e-mail? My hope is the failing head gasket contributed to the cooling issues as near the end there was no rhyme or reason why the gauge would suddenly spike. Considering the significant changes made this winter, I'll probably never isolate what it was. I've re-cored the (leaky) radiator, new water pump, separate air paths for IC and radiator, new thermostat, and had the block cleaned to get any goop out of coolant passages. I'm currently in a quandry with my engine builder on my new pistons. It's a long story that ends in the shop needing to get me answers ASAFP. I'm a long way out from originally ordering the pistons and still no completed engine. At this point I'm just hoping to make LOG. Sick, just sick. On a positive note, I have come up with an interesting solution for brake ducting using the turn signal housing. I'll have the fiberglass work done in a few days and will post some pics. The short shift prototype is done and I'll also be trying that out (with my transmission sitting on the ground in the engine bay! LOL), so there is hope soon of the kit being completed that will include the solid mounts. Waiting this long for the #@$% car will make me more determined to get to CA this fall to extend my track season at least!


06/03/05 at 13:21:18|moshow|Dave M.||06/06/05 at 05:09:48|moshow[quote author=Doug link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=150#161 date=06/02/05 at 22:21:18]Dont know why I was reading the letter section tonight in SCC, but I was about to turn the page when I saw a letter with “Dave Meyers, Jolly Olde England” on the bottom. I though to myself, “Dave Meyers, what's up with that?? I know a Dave Meyers.” I look to the letter and see the “M100” in the text.[/quote]

After looking through the issue this weekend, yep, that's me! Guess the Jolly Olde England part was an assumption on Dave's part since it was a Lotus. Interesting that he kept that reply around for so long...


|davidjt|06/08/05 at 08:50:35|davidjt|
Dave Two questions re the turbo, one practical, the other theoretical: were you still using the standard fuel pump to supply the bigger injectors, and if not, what did you upgrade to? And on the subject of boost creep, I've heard a suggestion that a bigger (2 1/2”?) system will solve it; if creep is simply the result of the turbo forcing through more mixture than the exhaust can handle, this makes perfect sense; except that a number of threads on here suggest that its the bigger exhaust that causes the creep! ???


|Doug|06/08/05 at 16:08:48|AV8NDOC|
creep is definitely brought out by bigger exhausts. the wastegate hole size is the restriction and does not change -- only so much exhaust flow can go out thru the wastegate and avoid the turbo -- the rest shoots thru the turbo and spins and accelerates it. thus, if you open up the exhaust flow then it is just more readily flowing, yet the flow amount to the wastegate is still the same -- so you end up spinning the turbo faster because of the more flow and this causes progressive boost that the wastegate cannot bypass -- then you get overboost . . . . then the cure is to port the wastegate opening and/or passage to increase the flow capacity of the wastegate path


|Dave M.||06/10/05 at 06:51:01|moshow[quote author=davidjt link=board=project;num=1052318814;start=150#164 date=06/08/05 at 08:50:35]Dave Two questions re the turbo, one practical, the other theoretical: were you still using the standard fuel pump to supply the bigger injectors, and if not, what did you upgrade to? And on the subject of boost creep, I've heard a suggestion that a bigger (2 1/2”?) system will solve it; if creep is simply the result of the turbo forcing through more mixture than the exhaust can handle, this makes perfect sense; except that a number of threads on here suggest that its the bigger exhaust that causes the creep! ???[/quote]

I am still using the stock fuel pump, even with the 550s. I will be watching it closely when I get things back together and tune. With all the monitoring we will be doing, I assume we'll know if the pump is falling behind in any way. As for exhaust, Doug covered it pretty well above. It's a catch 22 with upgrading as it offers much more flow and power/torque, but the boost creep usually becomes an issue. Mind you, I only had creep issues when I ran my stock system right up to ~.9 bar with my first MBC. Once I backed off to about .8 bar I still had creep, but it never hit the limiter. I haven't followed the thread on Alan's chip too closely, but does this addition help creep issues?

[Dave M]

|Costas|06/10/05 at 07:07:16|Velisarios|
Dave, I got 500cc fuel injectors and I am still using the stock fuel pump. Yet, we were considering to install a second pump just in case, but after we tested Sh4rk at 1.5bar and with NOS on, producing 370-400hp the fuel mixture was always rich, so no worries there, at least in my case.


|davidjt|06/10/05 at 08:07:59|davidjt|
That's one less complication to worry about, then. Many thanks. (The new Bosch injectors are supposed to be setting me back about £60 for the set; if anyone else is interested, I'll update as and when they appear.....)


|Dave M.||06/16/05 at 12:10:54|moshow
The new FMIC is in and it is a brute! Despite being narrower than my previous unit, at 3.5” thick it really seems more substantial. This will go in the stock location (with some modification) and will overlap behind the radiator only a few inches. There will be separate air paths regardless.



Here is the original IC for comparison purposes:



|M6TT_F|06/16/05 at 13:07:01|M6TT_F|
that looks like a beautifully made piece of kit!!


|davidjt|06/21/05 at 01:55:19|davidjt|
Dave Was the original one 'plug 'n play'? And if so, is it for sale?

[Dave M]

Yeah! The thread is back on track. From this point forward are the new posts since the new forum has begun.

[F1 LOTUS]

The Scorcerer is back!
Looking forward to the next thrilling installment Dave!

[Dave M]

The Sorcerer is back!

The Sorcerer...I like that. Now if only I could whip up some magic to get this car done before LOG!

As for the latest installment, the new pistons are FINALLY done. For those who remember the picture of the other new pistons about a month back (see above), yes - I have two sets now. Long, infuriating story. The short of it is: after ordering the pistons in February, I now have them...sort of. I found out last Friday that the rings weren't received yet and should be here by this week's end. Then the balancing and assembly can be done. Part of the reason this is taking a while is the engine builder is very particular. While not a good thing time-wise, the internals should be near perfect, and in the end I hope to be very happy with the result as he is more anal than I am (and that's saying something!).

As for the potential power of the new engine, it could be more than I'd set as a goal. As the engine build goes, the shop owner keeps saying things like "we need to make sure the engine can handle 35 psi". This was part of the concern with the pistons as he wanted them just so. I told him that I only want to run the car at <25 psi for longevity's sake. He said that's fine, but we will tune and map to 35 psi as the engine will be built to handle it. That way I can set the boost wherever I want it.

Um...OK!!!

Knowing that, I'm planning the T3 install to be flexible so I can swap it out for the GT28RS at some point. I believe the turbine inlet/outlets are the same. Therefore I would just need to change things on the inlet side of the compressor as the GT28RS has a larger diameter opening than the T3. That's fine as I'm using 2.5" inlet piping now with a silicone reducer hose for the T3. For the larger turbo, I'd just need to change the turbo hose and it should swap right in. That way I could someday try both turbos, see which I like the best as far as track vs. street driving, and see how the compressor maps translate into real world power. Yes, I'm certifiable... Is that bad that I'm thinking about an upgrade even before I complete this turbo setup?!?

Once I get the engine together and get some good datalogs, then I can go back to the compressor maps. I'll know exactly where my points should be plotted. I believe the key is how quickly the engine can build and use the boost. We may tune for 35 psi, but find the car won't build any more power after 25 psi - who knows? It'll all come down to flow limits.

More to come as I've also finshed a few other bits...

[Dave M]

One item that has been completed recently is the front brake ducting. After considering a number of options, I decided to remove the parking light section of the front bumper lights and fiberglass in a connector to be attached to some flexible hose. See PICTURES #2 & #3

The hose is from Pegasus Auto Racing in WI (http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/). It is neoprene and has a wire wound in it so you can make a 180 degree turn and the hose doesn't crimp and lose it's internal diameter. Cool stuff. PICTURE #1

See next post (I need another for the other pics)...

[Dave M]

Brake ducting continued...