Last weekend I finished up the fueling system, and dropped off my custom-made filter & E85 firewall mounts at the powdercoater on Monday. Once I get those back, I will mount everything up and show how it ties into my Tangerine Racing stainless fuel lines. I also carved out some time last night to assemble the long-block, after needing to buy some more small parts (gaskets, spacers, etc.) before mounting the heads. I also had to pick up my rebuilt Active Valve Control System (AVCS) cam gears from Pokrajac Motorsports. Below are some pictures.
Here is the right side of the short-block; you can see the ARP studs and OEM head gasket, as well as the side of the SmallCar cast aluminum oil pan.
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Next up is the right side head with the cams/caps removed, the ARP hardened washers installed, and ready to be torqued onto the block. ARP calls for three stages: 30 ft/lbs, followed by 60 and then 90.
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Here are the cams and caps bolted on. The intake (upper) cam uses a hydraulically controlled solenoid to advance the timing under higher load/rpm situations. Subaru's AVCS system is somewhat similar to VANOS (BMW) or VTEC (Honda). I used Permatex Ultra Gray for the forward caps for both pressurizing and leak prevention.
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The pics below show the valve cover mounted, the final long-block assembly, and then the cam gears -- including the AVCS intake gear -- on the left side. Before I called it quits last night, I mounted the right side cam gears, TGV-deleted intakes, AVCS solenoids. oil feeder lines, cam sensors, and a few other items. I hope to find time tonight to install the OEM timing belt and covers, and to wrap up the engine wiring harness, exhaust/turbo mounting/etc.
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I still need to weld up the final intercooler piping, the Tial blow-off valve and bungs for speed-density/air-intake sensor, which I will tackle after visiting my folks in my hometown of San Francisco for the holidays. Happy Holidays to you all!
Full Version: Suby-engined rustoration
How much HP do you expect to gain with this set up vs. the old engine? Did you spring for Outfront's reinforcement kit fr the open deck? I've read those studs are the ticket! ![popcorn[1].gif](http://www.914world.com/bbs2/style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
stock EJ255, stock heads and cams, modded VF40, AWIC on E85 should be in the 330-360whp range.
I would consider having the block bored and honed with a forged piston set to avoid issues long term. Broken ring lands are no fun.
I would consider having the block bored and honed with a forged piston set to avoid issues long term. Broken ring lands are no fun.
I dyno at over 300 torque (2800rpm) and 280 hp with my small G20. Cant wait to get the car on the road and finish break in. Next up is a different spool to move the curve up a bit.
Same 2.5 16v motor.
Same 2.5 16v motor.
Based on the mods I’d done to the previous engine, I believe it made 200 whp. I will “detune” this current engine to be about 300 whp so that I don’t stress it too much using the stock pistons. If (when?!) I blow it, I’ll go with a Stage 2 closed deck short block and turn up the wick a bit. Honestly, it starts to get a little silly with too much horsepower and limited tire size even with flares. I could easily spin 200 treadwear tires in second gear with the old engine...
No matter how many times you measure, you never really know if everything is going to fit until you mock it up. In other words, all good planning is rewarded with setbacks... 
Below is a picture of the long-block and transaxle mated up on my engine cradle, including the newly-powdercoated engine mount "U-bar" and trans mount. I started by using my cherry-picker to lift the engine from the engine stand to the cradle, and then using it to help mock the transaxle up to the engine (no flywheel yet).
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The next pic is of the car getting ready to gobble it up.
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I ended up having to remove the U-bar so that I wouldn't scratch it up on the rear trailing arms during the car lowering process; I used yellow painter's tape that you can see in the pic below to protect everything. With the help of my lovely wife, we fished/guided the U-bar in place after roughing up the location of the engine in the chassis. It took me about 90 minutes from the time I cherry-picked the engine from the engine stand until the engine/trans were fully mounted in the chassis.
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Now you can see where I ran out of space (talent?)...
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The intercooler inlet (passenger side of engine bay pointing to the rear of the car) could technically work by massaging the engine/trunk firewall and clearancing the engine lid cross-brace. However, the problem is the throttle body's orientation -- it aims at an upward-and-to-the-right angle directly at the bracing for the engine lid latching system. Three solutions are possible: 1) move the engine lid latch mechanism and bracing, and build "boxes" for the clearance needed on the engine bay/trunk firewall; 2) flip the plastic intake manifold 180 degrees; or 3) move the intercooler to the trunk. Option 1 would result in maximizing trunk space, and I already have all of the silicone couplers and aluminum tubing. But is requires a lot of fabrication and would still be VERY tight. Option 2 will require new alternator and air conditioning compressor mounts in order to also maximize trunk space, but will require a lot of new tubing work, rewiring, etc. Option 3 also requires new tubing, since it will open up the engine bay and ensure the shortest intercooler tube routing. But it further reduces trunk space.
I've opted for number 3. Since my engine tuner recommends that, instead of using 3" intercooler tubing throughout, I use 2" tubing and step it up for the 3" OD intercooler in- and outlets. The smaller tubing size also apparently helps maintain charge-air speed within the intake system while also requiring less physical space. I've already ordered all of the necessary tubing, silicone couplers, clamps and other assorted items. Hopefully, everything arrives in time to dive in next weekend.
In the meantime, I'll wrap up the fueling system, ECU mounting, wiring and reworking of the AWIC hose routing. Stay tuned!
Below is a picture of the long-block and transaxle mated up on my engine cradle, including the newly-powdercoated engine mount "U-bar" and trans mount. I started by using my cherry-picker to lift the engine from the engine stand to the cradle, and then using it to help mock the transaxle up to the engine (no flywheel yet).
Click to view attachment
The next pic is of the car getting ready to gobble it up.
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I ended up having to remove the U-bar so that I wouldn't scratch it up on the rear trailing arms during the car lowering process; I used yellow painter's tape that you can see in the pic below to protect everything. With the help of my lovely wife, we fished/guided the U-bar in place after roughing up the location of the engine in the chassis. It took me about 90 minutes from the time I cherry-picked the engine from the engine stand until the engine/trans were fully mounted in the chassis.
Click to view attachment
Now you can see where I ran out of space (talent?)...
Click to view attachment
The intercooler inlet (passenger side of engine bay pointing to the rear of the car) could technically work by massaging the engine/trunk firewall and clearancing the engine lid cross-brace. However, the problem is the throttle body's orientation -- it aims at an upward-and-to-the-right angle directly at the bracing for the engine lid latching system. Three solutions are possible: 1) move the engine lid latch mechanism and bracing, and build "boxes" for the clearance needed on the engine bay/trunk firewall; 2) flip the plastic intake manifold 180 degrees; or 3) move the intercooler to the trunk. Option 1 would result in maximizing trunk space, and I already have all of the silicone couplers and aluminum tubing. But is requires a lot of fabrication and would still be VERY tight. Option 2 will require new alternator and air conditioning compressor mounts in order to also maximize trunk space, but will require a lot of new tubing work, rewiring, etc. Option 3 also requires new tubing, since it will open up the engine bay and ensure the shortest intercooler tube routing. But it further reduces trunk space.
I've opted for number 3. Since my engine tuner recommends that, instead of using 3" intercooler tubing throughout, I use 2" tubing and step it up for the 3" OD intercooler in- and outlets. The smaller tubing size also apparently helps maintain charge-air speed within the intake system while also requiring less physical space. I've already ordered all of the necessary tubing, silicone couplers, clamps and other assorted items. Hopefully, everything arrives in time to dive in next weekend.
In the meantime, I'll wrap up the fueling system, ECU mounting, wiring and reworking of the AWIC hose routing. Stay tuned!
QUOTE(strawman @ Dec 24 2018, 11:40 AM) 
Based on the mods I’d done to the previous engine, I believe it made 200 whp. I will “detune” this current engine to be about 300 whp so that I don’t stress it too much using the stock pistons. If (when?!) I blow it, I’ll go with a Stage 2 closed deck short block and turn up the wick a bit. Honestly, it starts to get a little silly with too much horsepower and limited tire size even with flares. I could easily spin 200 treadwear tires in second gear with the old engine...
That is a lot of power!
I know you have done a lot of research on these mods but I thought about the oil restrictor in the head for the factory turbo. I have read in the far past about too much oil in the turbo getting into the air path. Do you have or need a restrictor in this new setup? e85 is a lot of work and expense, I know it is for the future though especially all out performance on the track. I probably missed a part about maybe a dual disk clutch and lighter flywheel? or just new factory parts?
Oil in the pathway does happen, I have used the Mann Provent 200s in all my turbo diesels and Scott's PORSTI build used one, they do pretty much eliminate the issue of oil in the intake. And they let all the "bad stuff" pass as intended.
Scott's prevent drains down into the dips stick tube. I have one on my ML320 right now, and I just have a valve, I drain it once a week, and I am collecting al the drainage to see how much oil I have recovered between oil changes. If I get into quarts I will drain it back to the engine, if not, I will leave it as is. My drain hose is about 2 get long, with a ball valve mounted low.
Also your solution to your intercooler is is an air to water unit, packaging is smaller, can be mounted out of the way with no airflow requirements.
Scott's prevent drains down into the dips stick tube. I have one on my ML320 right now, and I just have a valve, I drain it once a week, and I am collecting al the drainage to see how much oil I have recovered between oil changes. If I get into quarts I will drain it back to the engine, if not, I will leave it as is. My drain hose is about 2 get long, with a ball valve mounted low.
Also your solution to your intercooler is is an air to water unit, packaging is smaller, can be mounted out of the way with no airflow requirements.
I spent a (admittedly) hazy New Year's Day working on my teener; I was overserved the night before with friends at an English Beat concert. 
The more I looked at the idea of the intercooler (I/C) in the the trunk, the less I liked it. My main concern was the extremely short turbo outlet to I/C tract -- such a rigid connection will eventually damage the turbo with engine movement. I came up with a new I/C mounting system that will keep it mounted to the engine within the engine bay; those parts are on order and should be here early next week. I've essentially moved the I/C toward the passenger side and lowered it, while the tubing to the throttle body wraps around (rather than over) the plastic intake manifold on the driver side. I'll have to redo the I/C coolant pump-n-plumbing, but that is relatively easy. However, with all of these starts-n-stops on the I/C mounting design, there's gonna be a big pile of new & unused parts.
I also fabricated a mounting system for my IAG Performance air-oil separator (AOS) system. The IAG AOS is highly regarded in the Subaru world, although it is over $400 after taxes and shipping. Many race setups vent crankcase vapors to atmosphere, but when using ethanol, IAG recommends their "street" setup that uses the engine's vacuum to help evacuate corrosive ethanol fumes from the crankcase. It is a beautiful piece of machinery, although it looks like a spider with all the hoses coming out of it -- and that makes packaging in the 914 engine bay even more challenging. It uses engine coolant to heat the AOS chamber, which helps vaporize the moisture and "scrub" the air that goes into the intake tract (pre-turbo); the gathered oil is drained back into the crankcase. I'm happy with the mocked-up mount I devised (about four hours' worth of work) yesterday; I'll snap some photos when it is all set up.
Charlie, I'm running a separate/mini oil filter with the correct-sized restrictor from the block to the turbo. Suby engines are apparently pretty rough on turbo oiling, so I didn't want to risk early failure. In fact, BNR Performance will only warranty their turbo if you abide by their oiling requirements. I'm running a lightened flywheel with a Stage II sprung clutch. It held up well with my previous EJ22T with hard launches and other general abuse.
I made the mistake of powdercoating my engine U-bar mount, and my new Grimmspeed uppipe to the turbo rubs against it.
I'll need to notch out a bigger channel than the one that worked for my old EJ22T's uppipe, and weld-in a larger reinforcement. Then I'll get it blasted and powdercoated again. It was "pretty" for a while...
The more I looked at the idea of the intercooler (I/C) in the the trunk, the less I liked it. My main concern was the extremely short turbo outlet to I/C tract -- such a rigid connection will eventually damage the turbo with engine movement. I came up with a new I/C mounting system that will keep it mounted to the engine within the engine bay; those parts are on order and should be here early next week. I've essentially moved the I/C toward the passenger side and lowered it, while the tubing to the throttle body wraps around (rather than over) the plastic intake manifold on the driver side. I'll have to redo the I/C coolant pump-n-plumbing, but that is relatively easy. However, with all of these starts-n-stops on the I/C mounting design, there's gonna be a big pile of new & unused parts.
I also fabricated a mounting system for my IAG Performance air-oil separator (AOS) system. The IAG AOS is highly regarded in the Subaru world, although it is over $400 after taxes and shipping. Many race setups vent crankcase vapors to atmosphere, but when using ethanol, IAG recommends their "street" setup that uses the engine's vacuum to help evacuate corrosive ethanol fumes from the crankcase. It is a beautiful piece of machinery, although it looks like a spider with all the hoses coming out of it -- and that makes packaging in the 914 engine bay even more challenging. It uses engine coolant to heat the AOS chamber, which helps vaporize the moisture and "scrub" the air that goes into the intake tract (pre-turbo); the gathered oil is drained back into the crankcase. I'm happy with the mocked-up mount I devised (about four hours' worth of work) yesterday; I'll snap some photos when it is all set up.
Charlie, I'm running a separate/mini oil filter with the correct-sized restrictor from the block to the turbo. Suby engines are apparently pretty rough on turbo oiling, so I didn't want to risk early failure. In fact, BNR Performance will only warranty their turbo if you abide by their oiling requirements. I'm running a lightened flywheel with a Stage II sprung clutch. It held up well with my previous EJ22T with hard launches and other general abuse.
I made the mistake of powdercoating my engine U-bar mount, and my new Grimmspeed uppipe to the turbo rubs against it.
I'll need to notch out a bigger channel than the one that worked for my old EJ22T's uppipe, and weld-in a larger reinforcement. Then I'll get it blasted and powdercoated again. It was "pretty" for a while...
I removed the engine/trans last weekend, and devised the new air-water intercooler (AWIC) mounting system. First up is a picture of the old AWIC setup, which as described in earlier posts sat too high and too far back. As you can see, I used 3" tubing and the charged-air pathways were very short/direct. You can also see that I powdercoated the mounts, which are now beautiful and time-sucking paperweights. 
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The new mounting setup moves the AWIC lower and forward, as shown below. The charged-air pathways are slightly longer than the old setup, but the smaller 2" diameter tubing will apparently help with maintaining airspeed and throttle response. I'm using 1/2" OD steel tubing for the three AWIC mounts because of its strength and relative lightness, as well as a few cool counterbored bungs that allow use of stainless allen-head bolts. It takes extra time to fish-mouth each joint, but it is strong and cool-looking. You can see the yellow tape-protected piece of 2" intercooler tubing that comes from the drive-by-wire throttle body and wraps around/over the plastic intake manifold; I'm waiting on delivery of a 30 degree mandrel bend tube that I'll weld in to connect it to the black silicone coupler on the AWIC. You can also see my fuel feed/inlet mounting (the black y-shaped fitting on the "pedestal") and the Aeromotive adjustable fuel pressure regulator (FPR), which is the outlet back to the tank. That portion of the mount also provides protection from a failed alternator or A/C compressor belt. That is particularly important for the -10AN Accusump feed line that goes into the front of the block (you can barely make-out the black 45 degree fitting), as well as the fuel lines. I'm running 3/8" feed and 5/16" return for the fuel lines, which my tuner says is the bare minimum for my horsepower goals. The doohickey on top of the FPR is an electronic pressure sensor, which feeds info to the COBB AccessPort and will pull timing / reduce boost if the fuel pressure drops below a preset threshold... this helps prevent lean-running under load and can save the engine.
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From the side view above, you can see the relatively elaborate "cage" I fabricated for the outer mount. I will add a mount for the engine wiring harness plug to this cage once I finalize the wiring this weekend. You can also see the 90 degree tube that will connect a large K&N cone air filter to the turbo inlet. I still need to weld on some mounting tabs to this big tube, as well as a couple nipples for the Air-Oil Separator system hoses.
What's next? I need to weld a small bung onto the charged-air pipe for the speed density sensor and a large one for the Tial blow-off valve. I hope Brown Santa comes today to deliver materials for the custom flange I'll fabricate to mount on the turbo outlet, which will connect to the inlet side of the AWIC.
Click to view attachment
The new mounting setup moves the AWIC lower and forward, as shown below. The charged-air pathways are slightly longer than the old setup, but the smaller 2" diameter tubing will apparently help with maintaining airspeed and throttle response. I'm using 1/2" OD steel tubing for the three AWIC mounts because of its strength and relative lightness, as well as a few cool counterbored bungs that allow use of stainless allen-head bolts. It takes extra time to fish-mouth each joint, but it is strong and cool-looking. You can see the yellow tape-protected piece of 2" intercooler tubing that comes from the drive-by-wire throttle body and wraps around/over the plastic intake manifold; I'm waiting on delivery of a 30 degree mandrel bend tube that I'll weld in to connect it to the black silicone coupler on the AWIC. You can also see my fuel feed/inlet mounting (the black y-shaped fitting on the "pedestal") and the Aeromotive adjustable fuel pressure regulator (FPR), which is the outlet back to the tank. That portion of the mount also provides protection from a failed alternator or A/C compressor belt. That is particularly important for the -10AN Accusump feed line that goes into the front of the block (you can barely make-out the black 45 degree fitting), as well as the fuel lines. I'm running 3/8" feed and 5/16" return for the fuel lines, which my tuner says is the bare minimum for my horsepower goals. The doohickey on top of the FPR is an electronic pressure sensor, which feeds info to the COBB AccessPort and will pull timing / reduce boost if the fuel pressure drops below a preset threshold... this helps prevent lean-running under load and can save the engine.
Click to view attachment
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From the side view above, you can see the relatively elaborate "cage" I fabricated for the outer mount. I will add a mount for the engine wiring harness plug to this cage once I finalize the wiring this weekend. You can also see the 90 degree tube that will connect a large K&N cone air filter to the turbo inlet. I still need to weld on some mounting tabs to this big tube, as well as a couple nipples for the Air-Oil Separator system hoses.
What's next? I need to weld a small bung onto the charged-air pipe for the speed density sensor and a large one for the Tial blow-off valve. I hope Brown Santa comes today to deliver materials for the custom flange I'll fabricate to mount on the turbo outlet, which will connect to the inlet side of the AWIC.
So close to driving it. Cool stuff.
Spent many an evening, weekends and vacation days (and strains on my marriage!) to get the car ready for an autocross this weekend. But at 8:30 last Sunday, I finally threw in the towel. The next race is March 2nd, so I have a new deadline...
Here are some pictures of my progress. First up are some firewall pics showing my Cobb FlexFuel (E85) fueling setup & fuel filter, then the hole for the wiring harness, and then my grommet solution for the shifter cables. The grommet for the shifter cables came out of a late-80s Toyota pickup -- essentially a blank rubber plug and a metal mounting "frame". I put the rubber plug in the freezer overnight to harden it, and then drilled it at the appropriate angle for both cables.
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Next up are some pics of my accelerator solution. The EJ255 uses a drive-by-wire throttle, which is essentially just a big potentiometer. Some guys have mounted the stripped-down potentiometer in the engine bay and actuate it with the throttle cable. But since I'm mounting the ECU in the cabin, the factory wires and grounding shields would reach. Below show where I welded in the mounts for the pedal assembly. I also had to heat up and bend the pedal arm to make it fit. I am happy with the placement, and -- at least in my garage -- it will allow good heel-toe action.
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The next pictures show the engine wiring harness mounted on the engine without the turbo, intercooler or piping. You can see the firewall grommet sitting on the table -- it is from a 1991 Lexus LS300. I spent a couple hours in a Pick-n-Pull violently tearing out grommets, and this one seemed the best option; it has a metal mounting frame, has a snorkel on both sides, and the mid-section is long enough to span the firewall cavity. It was only $5, but it required a lot of swearing, wire slicing and cuts to my hands. I ended up slicing the grommet lengthwise to go over my wire bundle and used 3M 4799 Industrial Black Rubber Adhesive (elephant snot). I tested this goo on a spare grommet and let it set overnight. I tried to pull it apart but literally tore the rubber next to it. One trick I learned is to use narrow gauge SS wire in each pleat to line up the rubber while it cured. I'm really happy with the results but didn't take any pictures.
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You can see the Intake Air Temp sensor on the intake piping near the throttle body; it is from a GM car. This sensor will be used for my speed-density setup, which allows me to delete the factory Suby Mass Air Flow sensor. You can also see the Tial blow-off valve, which is right behind my ear. Yes, it will probably be too (boy racer) loud but I couldn't find another suitable place to mount it. The turbo outlet pipe is also in a raw form; I hadn't yet cut it and beaded the end for the silicone elbow into the intercooler. More on that later...
Below is a final picture of the engine in the car, followed by an early stage of bringing the wiring into the cabin. I ended up making a metal frame for the grommet and screwing it into the firewall (cavity). A word of advice -- avoid the shitty SS screws from Home Depot! Two stripped (I should have stopped at that point!), and the third broke off in the hole. I was able to fight out the broken piece, and bought quality screws at Ace Hardware when it opened the next morning.
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The 90 degree silicone elbow from the 2" turbo outlet tube to the 3" inlet of the intercooler is only 1/8" from the hole for the targa roof cup hole. So I plan to cut off the 3" inlet, weld on a plate, and weld a tight 2" cast aluminum elbow to provide more room. The intercooler piping also interfered with the engine lid latch cable tube -- so I cut out the mount for the cable tube and pushed it back out of the way. I'll need to devise a new system, but will at first just run without the engine lid.
This weekend I will finish up the wiring, flash the new ECU code and turn the key. Wish me luck!
Here are some pictures of my progress. First up are some firewall pics showing my Cobb FlexFuel (E85) fueling setup & fuel filter, then the hole for the wiring harness, and then my grommet solution for the shifter cables. The grommet for the shifter cables came out of a late-80s Toyota pickup -- essentially a blank rubber plug and a metal mounting "frame". I put the rubber plug in the freezer overnight to harden it, and then drilled it at the appropriate angle for both cables.
Click to view attachment
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Click to view attachment
Next up are some pics of my accelerator solution. The EJ255 uses a drive-by-wire throttle, which is essentially just a big potentiometer. Some guys have mounted the stripped-down potentiometer in the engine bay and actuate it with the throttle cable. But since I'm mounting the ECU in the cabin, the factory wires and grounding shields would reach. Below show where I welded in the mounts for the pedal assembly. I also had to heat up and bend the pedal arm to make it fit. I am happy with the placement, and -- at least in my garage -- it will allow good heel-toe action.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
The next pictures show the engine wiring harness mounted on the engine without the turbo, intercooler or piping. You can see the firewall grommet sitting on the table -- it is from a 1991 Lexus LS300. I spent a couple hours in a Pick-n-Pull violently tearing out grommets, and this one seemed the best option; it has a metal mounting frame, has a snorkel on both sides, and the mid-section is long enough to span the firewall cavity. It was only $5, but it required a lot of swearing, wire slicing and cuts to my hands. I ended up slicing the grommet lengthwise to go over my wire bundle and used 3M 4799 Industrial Black Rubber Adhesive (elephant snot). I tested this goo on a spare grommet and let it set overnight. I tried to pull it apart but literally tore the rubber next to it. One trick I learned is to use narrow gauge SS wire in each pleat to line up the rubber while it cured. I'm really happy with the results but didn't take any pictures.
Click to view attachment
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Click to view attachment
You can see the Intake Air Temp sensor on the intake piping near the throttle body; it is from a GM car. This sensor will be used for my speed-density setup, which allows me to delete the factory Suby Mass Air Flow sensor. You can also see the Tial blow-off valve, which is right behind my ear. Yes, it will probably be too (boy racer) loud but I couldn't find another suitable place to mount it. The turbo outlet pipe is also in a raw form; I hadn't yet cut it and beaded the end for the silicone elbow into the intercooler. More on that later...
Below is a final picture of the engine in the car, followed by an early stage of bringing the wiring into the cabin. I ended up making a metal frame for the grommet and screwing it into the firewall (cavity). A word of advice -- avoid the shitty SS screws from Home Depot! Two stripped (I should have stopped at that point!), and the third broke off in the hole. I was able to fight out the broken piece, and bought quality screws at Ace Hardware when it opened the next morning.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
The 90 degree silicone elbow from the 2" turbo outlet tube to the 3" inlet of the intercooler is only 1/8" from the hole for the targa roof cup hole. So I plan to cut off the 3" inlet, weld on a plate, and weld a tight 2" cast aluminum elbow to provide more room. The intercooler piping also interfered with the engine lid latch cable tube -- so I cut out the mount for the cable tube and pushed it back out of the way. I'll need to devise a new system, but will at first just run without the engine lid.
This weekend I will finish up the wiring, flash the new ECU code and turn the key. Wish me luck!
Very cool. Did you do valve guide work on the heads? That 4799 might be the hot ticket for splitting and replacing the wire bundle snorkel in the engine compartment.
Again, I failed to finish the wiring this weekend. I am a local PCA autocross instructor, so I spent all day Saturday for the clinic at the Santa Maria Airport. That only left me a few hours on Sunday. I finished wiring in the Fuel Temp Sensor, Fuel pump relay bypass (actually, the factory relay triggers a larger-capacity one in the frunk, which allows larger-gauge wire to run the pump through a rewired Fuel Pump Controller), wired the AWIC pump, and bent up a mount for a combo fuse panel and factory relays at the ECU inside the cabin. The plan now is to finish up the wiring and revised turbo-to-AWIC piping this week, and hopefully start it next weekend.
QUOTE(rhodyguy @ Feb 9 2019, 08:52 AM)
Did you do valve guide work on the heads?
Yes, I had Outfront Motorsports completely rebuild the heads to stock specs. They look beautiful and the valve clearances were spot-on.
First start today after a lot of struggles with wiring and tune. My tuner has been VERY patient with me through all of these struggles. Good news is that I’ve got good oil pressure and no untoward noises. Here is the video:
YouTube Video
YouTube Video
Mind sharing the re-flash of the ECU?
Oil! Well done!
Sounds great!! Fantastic progress!!
QUOTE(76-914 @ Mar 15 2019, 08:17 AM)
Mind sharing the re-flash of the ECU?
Not sure my final tune would do you any good unless you had the exact same setup as mine. My tune is based on stock EJ255 internals, cams and slightly ported stock exhaust manifolds, but with the followings aftermarket mods: Grimmspeed catless uppipe, shortened Invidia bellmouth downpipe and Flowmaster Delta 10 3” inlet/outlet muffler, BNR 18g-based hybrid turbo, Frozenboost Type 14 air-water intercooler, 2” intercooling tubing, lightened flywheel, Grimmspeed EBC solenoid, Injector Dynamics 1050X injectors, TGV-deleted topfeed manifolds, Cosworth fuel rails, Aeromotive FPR with electronic sensor connected to ECU (thru left TGV input wire), COBB E85 FlexFuel kit connected to ECU (thru right TGV input), AEM wideband O2 sensor connected to ECU (thru input of deleted rear O2 sensor), GM intake air temp sensor used for speed-density setup in place of the stock AFM, 3” aluminum intake tubing and large K&N cone air filter, Tial blow-off valve, and AEM 300 lph fuel pump. I plan to swap in a larger/quieter muffler to help avoid the attention of the PoPo before having the car pro-tuned on a dynamometer.
My “start-up” tune will be replaced when it gets pro-tuned on a Mustang dyno. My tuner will include a separate tune on my COBB AccessPort to limit the boost in first gear and likely also second gear to avoid excessive wheel spin (another advantage of using the Suby transaxle is the internal gear position sensor!) for autox duties. He charged me $700 for the start-up tune (several iterations so far!) and the eventual pro-tune.
Holy schniekies, it has been a long time since I updated this build... in the intervening months my mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of metastatic breast cancer in March 2019, so we moved her in with us for the first few months of her disease and then shuttled back and forth to San Francisco for her final two months on this planet. Thankfully, she moved on from her suffering in August. She raised my brother and I as a single-mother, fully blind and in a big city, while always supporting Rick and me no matter the bad decisions we made while growing up -- truly the definition of a hero/saint. I still cry a little bit every day...
Work has also been crazy-busy, but it provided much-needed distraction. On the positive side, our daughter Cassidy got engaged to a great guy in October, and Nancy and I are stronger as a couple than ever.
I also finally came to the conclusion that I had to give up on my adapted 2005 Legacy GT wiring harness, since I ended up frying the first 2004 Forester XT ECU and my COBB flex-fuel module. I pulled the chassis and engine harness, as well as the throttle pedal, from a wrecked 2004 Forester XT. I also obtained a different ECU on Ebay. My wife put up with the harnesses on our kitchen table throughout September and October as I made the necessary mods. I finally wrapped up that wiring nightmare about two weeks ago, and got the car running last Sunday.
It. was. scary. fast...
It still had some hiccups (poor throttle tip-in, hunting idle, etc.) during my first two drives so I took it to Pokrajac Tuning yesterday. I provided the ECU logs of these first ~10 miles help Mike with the initial tune. I had the chance to watch him with my car on his Mustang dyno, his earmuffs on and his laptop sitting on his lap -- secretly scared that he'd pop the engine. But he conservatively tweaked the tune over the next 60 minutes. My first pull was 250.10 ft/lbs and 242.12 HP. As shown the attached, he tweaked it to 324.40 ft/lbs and 290.69 HP at 18psi. He also provided two more conservative tunes on my COBB AccessPort: 1) wastegate/spring pressure, and 2) 15psi.
I picked it up during lunch today, and wow does it run like a scalded cat. I plan to drive it over the next couple of days to look for weaknesses, and to hammer it at the last PCA autocross of the year on Saturday in Santa Maria, CA. I'm running it on straight gas for now, but will wire in the new COBB flex-fuel module in the coming weeks. Of course, do I REALLY need more power?
Click to view attachment
Work has also been crazy-busy, but it provided much-needed distraction. On the positive side, our daughter Cassidy got engaged to a great guy in October, and Nancy and I are stronger as a couple than ever.
I also finally came to the conclusion that I had to give up on my adapted 2005 Legacy GT wiring harness, since I ended up frying the first 2004 Forester XT ECU and my COBB flex-fuel module. I pulled the chassis and engine harness, as well as the throttle pedal, from a wrecked 2004 Forester XT. I also obtained a different ECU on Ebay. My wife put up with the harnesses on our kitchen table throughout September and October as I made the necessary mods. I finally wrapped up that wiring nightmare about two weeks ago, and got the car running last Sunday.
It. was. scary. fast...
It still had some hiccups (poor throttle tip-in, hunting idle, etc.) during my first two drives so I took it to Pokrajac Tuning yesterday. I provided the ECU logs of these first ~10 miles help Mike with the initial tune. I had the chance to watch him with my car on his Mustang dyno, his earmuffs on and his laptop sitting on his lap -- secretly scared that he'd pop the engine. But he conservatively tweaked the tune over the next 60 minutes. My first pull was 250.10 ft/lbs and 242.12 HP. As shown the attached, he tweaked it to 324.40 ft/lbs and 290.69 HP at 18psi. He also provided two more conservative tunes on my COBB AccessPort: 1) wastegate/spring pressure, and 2) 15psi.
I picked it up during lunch today, and wow does it run like a scalded cat. I plan to drive it over the next couple of days to look for weaknesses, and to hammer it at the last PCA autocross of the year on Saturday in Santa Maria, CA. I'm running it on straight gas for now, but will wire in the new COBB flex-fuel module in the coming weeks. Of course, do I REALLY need more power?
Click to view attachment
Very sorry to hear about your mother!
325lbs of torque is MOVING!
Did the tuner tune with any E85 in the system?
Congrats on getting it running!
325lbs of torque is MOVING!
Did the tuner tune with any E85 in the system?
Congrats on getting it running!
QUOTE(Andyrew @ Nov 20 2019, 05:55 AM)
Did the tuner tune with any E85 in the system?
Thanks Andy for your kind words. The current tune doesn't include E85, but it is apparently pretty easy for Mike to add using his COBB AccessPro software setup. The fuel pump, lines and injectors were sized/installed with E85 in mind. The COBB flex-fuel module will automatically adjust the tune based on the percentage in "corn" in the fuel. I also installed a petcock on the bottom of the fuel tank to easily empty the E85, since it apparently gets "stale" pretty quickly if it sits. I merely need to replace the COBB flex-fuel module when it arrives next week and then pay Mike to put it back on the dyno for final scaling.
IE85 likes to attract water, so add a fuel stabilizer and it will extend its shelf life. Do drain it, before you store the car for long periods.
Also do not forget you will use more E85 than normal gas so your range will be reduced, even before you get on it with the right go fast pedal.
Enjoy, that setup is a great way to go.
Also do not forget you will use more E85 than normal gas so your range will be reduced, even before you get on it with the right go fast pedal.
Enjoy, that setup is a great way to go.
Also e85 will eat up fuel lines really quicky. I would say that for storage you should keep regular fuel lines in the car or you'll be going through filters and lines quite regularly.
You can probably get away with say an e40 mix and get quite a bit out of it as far as knock protection and Hp increase.
You can probably get away with say an e40 mix and get quite a bit out of it as far as knock protection and Hp increase.
So sorry about your Mom, this really tests our faith. My wife is well into ad at about three years. We all have different little time bombs inside us. I hope I outlast my wife to study ad and help her as long as I can. My st judes pm had a recall on the battery 4 or more years ago (the problem was known in 2011) and getting it replaced is something it really takes a lawyer and money to have success at. Lawyers are cheaper than Dr's. The wealthly are really the only ones with better healthcare no matter what country they are in. I do not know of any field in which central texas has good specialists in health care. It's up to each of us to monitor our own care and to not trust our providers.
I'm still lurking but probably my expertise is pretty dated. My son had a 04 487hp sti on e85. It was not a stock internal 255 so not much relevance here except for the e85 part. the only reason he ran e85 was to keep detonation under control on the street. this was just a street/road car hobby for him. he sold it to someone in dallas a little over a year ago and moved on to a audi rs3 something or other. 400hp stock but tuneable to a safe 500 on the street also on e85 but it senses automatically the octane. It even starts the fuelpump when the door opens. He would not sell the sti to me, I had built a cold air intake and shrouded the fmic and made several little manifolds to help engineer the breather system using the mann provent used by lingfelter originally on our research. I'm sure he did not want to baby sit me on it as it required a laptop a lot on our changing weather to keep it optimum on performance. He always tuned it conservatively to save it. In Waco pop 120k he only had about two places to gas up which to me was a real pain but they were close to his workplace. I think any alcohol in fuel causes more problems for a street car than it is worth especially when you consider the places where you can use the torque. The quality of the e85 requires you to monitor it on every fillup to keep the tune optimum. Also because of the water issue you might want to not use a vented tank but use a closed tank system to keep the moisture out. If I missed your mods to control it I am sorry.
I think as you have decided that a race e85 tune is good though and the under 20 psi is good and probably a tune all the driveline can handle long term. The only thing I would think might be tested is the volume of the airfilter on full boost. the old formula of 1.45cfm for 1 hp might be used to size the filter and intake tubes.
I like following along on your journey.
I'm still lurking but probably my expertise is pretty dated. My son had a 04 487hp sti on e85. It was not a stock internal 255 so not much relevance here except for the e85 part. the only reason he ran e85 was to keep detonation under control on the street. this was just a street/road car hobby for him. he sold it to someone in dallas a little over a year ago and moved on to a audi rs3 something or other. 400hp stock but tuneable to a safe 500 on the street also on e85 but it senses automatically the octane. It even starts the fuelpump when the door opens. He would not sell the sti to me, I had built a cold air intake and shrouded the fmic and made several little manifolds to help engineer the breather system using the mann provent used by lingfelter originally on our research. I'm sure he did not want to baby sit me on it as it required a laptop a lot on our changing weather to keep it optimum on performance. He always tuned it conservatively to save it. In Waco pop 120k he only had about two places to gas up which to me was a real pain but they were close to his workplace. I think any alcohol in fuel causes more problems for a street car than it is worth especially when you consider the places where you can use the torque. The quality of the e85 requires you to monitor it on every fillup to keep the tune optimum. Also because of the water issue you might want to not use a vented tank but use a closed tank system to keep the moisture out. If I missed your mods to control it I am sorry.
I think as you have decided that a race e85 tune is good though and the under 20 psi is good and probably a tune all the driveline can handle long term. The only thing I would think might be tested is the volume of the airfilter on full boost. the old formula of 1.45cfm for 1 hp might be used to size the filter and intake tubes.
I like following along on your journey.
A pre-autocross pic of my 914 behind its TDI-swapped tow rig. I’ll provide an update after the race today.
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Same here...sorry about your Mom.
She raised you well, glad I had a chance to meet and talk with you at our WCR2019 luncheon.
Guys/Gals...he won the 50/50 $$$ raffle and decided to pass. Very generous of him.
@Larmo63 name came up next
Hope to see your beast on the road soon.
Happy Holidays!!!
Oscar
She raised you well, glad I had a chance to meet and talk with you at our WCR2019 luncheon.
Guys/Gals...he won the 50/50 $$$ raffle and decided to pass. Very generous of him.
@Larmo63 name came up next
Hope to see your beast on the road soon.
Happy Holidays!!!
Oscar
Well, that was short-lived! The first four runs were an absolute blast, with oodles of torque and instant acceleration. I experienced no flat-spots or other untoward tuning issues; it is a BEAST! Even the guy in the GT2-RS came over to see "what the heck you got in there?" In fact, I broke the tires loose in third gear (albeit on relatively cold tires) on a straightaway.
However, while in queue for my fifth run my oil pressure started to drop (30psi at idle, and only went up to 60psi at 3k rpm). Like an idiot, I didn't park it and decided to hammer it anyway. About halfway through the run, I heard the distinct sound of rod knock and then quickly a loud bang... followed by lots of steam. I immediately pushed in the clutch and drove through a wall of cones to get off the track ASAP. Once we verified it was not on fire, I found the motor was locked-up. So much for my junkyard motor...
I haven't done the post-mortem yet (I've been busy helping with another 24 Hours of Lemons), but it appears that I threw a rod through the top of the block and punctured the cast aluminum coolant crossover tube. Hence the steam mentioned above. I won't be able to spend any time with the car for a couple of weeks, but I've already ordered a new IAG Stage 2 short-block with a couple of upgrades. It includes a new Subaru case, 2017+ STI nitrided forged crank, forged rods and forged oversized slippery-skirt pistons, as well as an IAG windage tray. Hopefully my recently-rebuilt heads aren't borked, but I won't know until I tear it down. I'll send my BNR turbo in for inspection to make sure metal bits didn't get past the custom turbo filter (which, if full, could've starved it for oil!).
I learned a couple of things: 1) Duh, I really shoulda parked it when the oil pressure dropped, and 2) I need more traction. I will install an electronic oil pressure sensor that will pull timing/limit boost if it drops below a PSI threshold, and I plan to widen the rear flares to get more rubber in the back.
I'll snap photos of the carnage and the build-up of the real motor. It's only time-n-money...
However, while in queue for my fifth run my oil pressure started to drop (30psi at idle, and only went up to 60psi at 3k rpm). Like an idiot, I didn't park it and decided to hammer it anyway. About halfway through the run, I heard the distinct sound of rod knock and then quickly a loud bang... followed by lots of steam. I immediately pushed in the clutch and drove through a wall of cones to get off the track ASAP. Once we verified it was not on fire, I found the motor was locked-up. So much for my junkyard motor...
I haven't done the post-mortem yet (I've been busy helping with another 24 Hours of Lemons), but it appears that I threw a rod through the top of the block and punctured the cast aluminum coolant crossover tube. Hence the steam mentioned above. I won't be able to spend any time with the car for a couple of weeks, but I've already ordered a new IAG Stage 2 short-block with a couple of upgrades. It includes a new Subaru case, 2017+ STI nitrided forged crank, forged rods and forged oversized slippery-skirt pistons, as well as an IAG windage tray. Hopefully my recently-rebuilt heads aren't borked, but I won't know until I tear it down. I'll send my BNR turbo in for inspection to make sure metal bits didn't get past the custom turbo filter (which, if full, could've starved it for oil!).
I learned a couple of things: 1) Duh, I really shoulda parked it when the oil pressure dropped, and 2) I need more traction. I will install an electronic oil pressure sensor that will pull timing/limit boost if it drops below a PSI threshold, and I plan to widen the rear flares to get more rubber in the back.
I'll snap photos of the carnage and the build-up of the real motor. It's only time-n-money...
sorry to hear about the carnage. It will take a real effort to clean out the heads oil passages. The heads have the little restrictors in them that can be removed for cleaning. The oil cooler/warmer is toast, if you are still using it, maybe the pump is ok it can be checked of course. metal removal in a suby is a hard job. So what rpm did you push it to? Do you know about the smoothing of the ports on the block behind the oil pump? 60psi is a lot of pressure at 3k. hot 200 degrees at idle 30 psi is good in my opinion. I guess it is no 3 rod. I'm sure it will be better next time. 7-8 qts of synthetic in a pan with gates maybe? 18 psi doesn't seem like a problem on stock parts unless it is a high mileage motor. Since you didn't loose any oil check the level before you take it down and study how it is before you disassemble it will give you some knowledge to start the inspection. I would make a list of questions to try to answer for myself. I've never cleaned a accusump before.
so sorry but you are young and knowledgeable.
so sorry but you are young and knowledgeable.
Hi Charlie, the tune limits revs to 7k, but my datalog shows I never got above 6,054 during the two runs I remembered to hit the "datalog" button. I'm not using the OEM oil cooler/warmer due to the shape of the Smallcar cast aluminum pan... but oil temps never got above ~210F despite driving it hard and upper 70s weather. The former EJ22T engine would easily go over 220F after a few runs. I'll clean out the Accusump again (I bought it used) and replace the o-ring again -- pretty simple process. I'm going to have Pokrajac Tuning build the motor and talk to him about smoothing the port behind the oil pump; we'll see if my brand new 11mm pump needs to be replaced. As mentioned, it is a used engine -- out of a wrecked car with ~104k miles that wasn't drivable... so I couldn't put it through its paces on the road before pulling it.
Mental note: gotta drag strawman up north of the grade and have you poke around my ugly beast of an STI swapped 914. Remind you of what turbo lag feels like!
It's like waiting for VTEC, but with actual results!
It's like waiting for VTEC, but with actual results!
Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I moved to a bigger place (with a 30'x50' shop!), and finally dragged the 914 to my new place. The new engine is in the car, but I haven't started it yet. Stay tuned... I'll provide an update with some pictures in the coming days.
Here's a teaser:
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Here's a teaser:
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As mentioned earlier, I heard a loud BANG at (according to my datalog) 5,130 rpms and then steam poured out of the engine bay. The car sat for a few weeks while I ordered the new shortblock and other parts in preparation for a new heart.
After removing the intake manifold I began to see what actually happened. As you can see in the first pic, the aluminum coolant crossover tube is cracked and you can barely see the hole in the top of the block.
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Here's a pic with the crossover removed; you can see the "custom venting" and several metal pieces laying about.
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I pulled the drivetrain and placed the engine on a stand to begin the real tear-down. This is where you can see the real ugliness: that's what remained of the piston and one of the valve heads, and the upper half of the connecting rod sat at a weird angle. Check out the cylinder scoring, too.
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Remember me talking about my totally rebuilt heads? Obviously, this head is beyond (feasible) repair.
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Here's more carnage:
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I don't have a pic of the turbo, but the hot-side impeller was damaged by all the metal pieces that shot through it. The intake was full of oil and small metal pieces, as were the cast iron exhaust manifolds. My brand new 11mm oil pump was surely damaged, too. Yuck.
So I sent the turbo back to BNR Supercars for a rebuild, and the 3-quart oil reservoir back to Accusump for a cleanout and reseal. I found a pair of used heads on Craigslist (after I had to send an Ebay pair back because the damage was not accurately described!). The heads I ended up using needed new exhaust valves, so I upgraded the springs throughout as part of the rebuild.
For grins-n-giggles, I separated the block to see more carnage. Obviously, the rod bearings were gonzo and the crank is junk. In my next post, I'll share the custom baffling I installed in the new block and in the oil pan -- and the hole in the now-empty block helped in devising the baffling solution.
After removing the intake manifold I began to see what actually happened. As you can see in the first pic, the aluminum coolant crossover tube is cracked and you can barely see the hole in the top of the block.
Click to view attachment
Here's a pic with the crossover removed; you can see the "custom venting" and several metal pieces laying about.
Click to view attachment
I pulled the drivetrain and placed the engine on a stand to begin the real tear-down. This is where you can see the real ugliness: that's what remained of the piston and one of the valve heads, and the upper half of the connecting rod sat at a weird angle. Check out the cylinder scoring, too.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Remember me talking about my totally rebuilt heads? Obviously, this head is beyond (feasible) repair.
Click to view attachment
Here's more carnage:
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
I don't have a pic of the turbo, but the hot-side impeller was damaged by all the metal pieces that shot through it. The intake was full of oil and small metal pieces, as were the cast iron exhaust manifolds. My brand new 11mm oil pump was surely damaged, too. Yuck.
So I sent the turbo back to BNR Supercars for a rebuild, and the 3-quart oil reservoir back to Accusump for a cleanout and reseal. I found a pair of used heads on Craigslist (after I had to send an Ebay pair back because the damage was not accurately described!). The heads I ended up using needed new exhaust valves, so I upgraded the springs throughout as part of the rebuild.
For grins-n-giggles, I separated the block to see more carnage. Obviously, the rod bearings were gonzo and the crank is junk. In my next post, I'll share the custom baffling I installed in the new block and in the oil pan -- and the hole in the now-empty block helped in devising the baffling solution.
Obviously, the old engine was starved of oil so I worked with my tuner to prevent a similar fate for the new engine. Although my COBB AccessTuner can display oil pressure and log it, there is no shut-down like we have on the buses here at work. COBB says they're working on something to at least sound an alarm, but it looks like I'll need to closely monitor it. Speaking of oil, the Smallcar cast aluminum pan is great for providing additional clearance while only giving up 1/2 quart of oil, but there is zero baffling inside. Further, the modified Smallcar oil pickup is suspended (no bracing) and it sits near the front of the engine -- so all the oil rushes to the back of the pan under acceleration. Did I mention this thing is a rocket under boost? Yeah, that ain't gonna do...
After cleaning everything up, I bolted the oil pick-up and pan to the bare "vented" block. Through the hole, I could easily trace the outline of the pick-up onto the floor of the pan through the block, which helped me figure out how to best baffle it.
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I bought a set of aluminum flapper baffles from Summit, which I installed in the custom-fit "can" around the pick-up. Below are pics of the mock-up and then as welded-in. As you see, I used flanges at the bottom to help with TIG welding, since I knew it'd be a challenge to mate the aluminum sheet and relatively porous cast pan. The flanges at the top provide some rigidity. I used SS rivets to secure the flappers to the walls of the "can." The holes behind the hinged section are barely smaller than the flap itself, so it flows well back into the can while returning oil constantly fills it.
Click to view attachment
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The welds ain't pretty, but I filled it with water and frantically ran figure-8s around my driveway to make sure the fluid will stay inside of and return to the can (I'm surprised my neighbors didn't call for the guys in white lab coats!). Not very scientific, but I hope it'll work and save the considerable investment that I have into my new engine setup.
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Finally, I wanted to shore up the Smallcar shortened oil pump pick-up; even the factory one has a bolted-on brace. So I bent up some scrap steel, cut-off the upper portion from the factory brace and welded it together. I then mocked up a rig to test for air leaks using old radiator hoses and clamps, some PVC caps, and pressurized it under water. It is tight! You can also see the IAG windage tray, which helps keep the oil in the pan and away from the rotating assembly.
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Final pic is of my new shop. Yup -- I have an old Benwil 12k lbs. 4-post lift, an Atlas 9k 2-post lift, and a shi**er in the corner. So far, I've installed twelve 17.7K-lumen LED lights (bright as WalMart!), wired up 38 pairs of 20-amp 110V plugs throughout, and three 30-amp 220V plugs for my MIG welder (each lift has one). Still need to wire in a 50-amp for my TIG, but I'm waiting for a new/larger panel that will be installed as part of the solar system in the next few weeks. The compressor will be installed under the lean-to. I bought a bunch of old pallet racking and an old Cat V50D forklift to help move-n-store big stuff. I still need to install the workbenches and small-stuff shelving. One small corner is reserved for my wife's lapidary stuff; maybe we'll spend more time together now?
Click to view attachment
After cleaning everything up, I bolted the oil pick-up and pan to the bare "vented" block. Through the hole, I could easily trace the outline of the pick-up onto the floor of the pan through the block, which helped me figure out how to best baffle it.
Click to view attachment
I bought a set of aluminum flapper baffles from Summit, which I installed in the custom-fit "can" around the pick-up. Below are pics of the mock-up and then as welded-in. As you see, I used flanges at the bottom to help with TIG welding, since I knew it'd be a challenge to mate the aluminum sheet and relatively porous cast pan. The flanges at the top provide some rigidity. I used SS rivets to secure the flappers to the walls of the "can." The holes behind the hinged section are barely smaller than the flap itself, so it flows well back into the can while returning oil constantly fills it.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
The welds ain't pretty, but I filled it with water and frantically ran figure-8s around my driveway to make sure the fluid will stay inside of and return to the can (I'm surprised my neighbors didn't call for the guys in white lab coats!). Not very scientific, but I hope it'll work and save the considerable investment that I have into my new engine setup.
Click to view attachment
Finally, I wanted to shore up the Smallcar shortened oil pump pick-up; even the factory one has a bolted-on brace. So I bent up some scrap steel, cut-off the upper portion from the factory brace and welded it together. I then mocked up a rig to test for air leaks using old radiator hoses and clamps, some PVC caps, and pressurized it under water. It is tight! You can also see the IAG windage tray, which helps keep the oil in the pan and away from the rotating assembly.
Click to view attachment
Final pic is of my new shop. Yup -- I have an old Benwil 12k lbs. 4-post lift, an Atlas 9k 2-post lift, and a shi**er in the corner. So far, I've installed twelve 17.7K-lumen LED lights (bright as WalMart!), wired up 38 pairs of 20-amp 110V plugs throughout, and three 30-amp 220V plugs for my MIG welder (each lift has one). Still need to wire in a 50-amp for my TIG, but I'm waiting for a new/larger panel that will be installed as part of the solar system in the next few weeks. The compressor will be installed under the lean-to. I bought a bunch of old pallet racking and an old Cat V50D forklift to help move-n-store big stuff. I still need to install the workbenches and small-stuff shelving. One small corner is reserved for my wife's lapidary stuff; maybe we'll spend more time together now?
Click to view attachment
Geoff, first I want to offer my condolences on losing your Mom. We were on vacation then & I totally missed that. I would liked to have known her. Rock solid and salt of the earth. Now I know where you get your resourcefulness. I like your baffle mod. Your new shop is the Cat's Meow buddy. Kent 
I wish you had a 7-8 qt pan.
Geoff man did I miss a bunch. None of it good. So sorry to hear about your mom.
Totally missed your earlier post on your motor going boom. Man can I relate. Had mine running 2 weeks before it spun a bearing. Finally got it back with another used 02 2.0 turbo motor. Guy left my ebrake partially engaged when it was on the dyno run. Passenger rear caliper leaked like a sieve after he got the tune done. Waiting to rebuild my damn caliper so I can actually drive my car
Well that shop is sweet man! Congrats on that & your new build is going to be sweet
Totally missed your earlier post on your motor going boom. Man can I relate. Had mine running 2 weeks before it spun a bearing. Finally got it back with another used 02 2.0 turbo motor. Guy left my ebrake partially engaged when it was on the dyno run. Passenger rear caliper leaked like a sieve after he got the tune done. Waiting to rebuild my damn caliper so I can actually drive my car
Well that shop is sweet man! Congrats on that & your new build is going to be sweet
Thanks for the kind words, it means a lot to me. We had to postpone Ma's planned memorial and ash-scattering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think about her everyday, which makes me appreciate friends-n-family even more than ever.
Charlie, while the pan holds a half-quart less, I have added 3 quarts capacity with the Accusump. My oil gauge showed no elevation in temps even when flogging it up the canyons, on the dyno, or at its sole solo race. I'm willing to add an oil cooler in the future if hotter summer temps suggest it is necessary.
Charlie, while the pan holds a half-quart less, I have added 3 quarts capacity with the Accusump. My oil gauge showed no elevation in temps even when flogging it up the canyons, on the dyno, or at its sole solo race. I'm willing to add an oil cooler in the future if hotter summer temps suggest it is necessary.
Mike Pokrajac... are they any relation to a Nick Pokrajac by chance?
Wow, it has been another six months since I last updated. Long-n-short of it is that the new engine rips. I had a lot of fun putting on the 800 miles break-in miles, although I finally added the rear window to reduce in-cabin noise (the Tial turbo blow-off valve is right behind my head!).
First pic is of the initial dyno pulls on the new engine. It is running premium gas in this pull, but it is completely set up for E85. As shown, it achieved 302hp at 6,079 RPMs and 334 ft/lbs torque at 4,112 RPMs. E85 helps cool combustion and allows higher boost levels, so I can't wait to see how E85 feels. That'll come over the winter.
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Next up is a pic of my beast behind my trusty old Suburban at a PCA autocross on August 15 at Santa Maria Airport.
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The first two runs were a battle for me to get traction, but the third run was a good one. However, I heard a weird clunk when shifting and pulled over to my pit area to get a closer look. Yup, I found the next weakest link...
First pic is of the initial dyno pulls on the new engine. It is running premium gas in this pull, but it is completely set up for E85. As shown, it achieved 302hp at 6,079 RPMs and 334 ft/lbs torque at 4,112 RPMs. E85 helps cool combustion and allows higher boost levels, so I can't wait to see how E85 feels. That'll come over the winter.
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Next up is a pic of my beast behind my trusty old Suburban at a PCA autocross on August 15 at Santa Maria Airport.
Click to view attachment
The first two runs were a battle for me to get traction, but the third run was a good one. However, I heard a weird clunk when shifting and pulled over to my pit area to get a closer look. Yup, I found the next weakest link...
I completed hashed the transaxle crossmember -- I could move the trans up/down about two inches with my bare hands. So I hooked the car back up to the Suburban and pulled it home to get a closer look and to plan for the repair. First, I removed the drivetrain (I'm getting too good at this ), and quickly realized that starting over would be better than trying to fix it.
First two pics show how the spot welds pulled through, followed by the gap between the crossmember and the trunk floor. Final pic is how badly cracked it was when pushed back up.
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So I built a jig to locate the replacement mounts. I used the factory holes near the lower rear rail pinch welds for the fore-aft, and then triangulated it off holes in my modified rear firewall. You can see where I used sheet metal screws to cinch up the crossmember to the trunk floor. I hadn't yet drilled out the two holes for each trans mount when I snapped the pictures.
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To provide a good solid basis, I used 2' x 4' by 0.120" wall rectangular tubing for the lateral. I already have the GT reinforcement kit welded in, but I needed to extend it back about four inches toward the rear to provide a strong base onto which to weld the new lateral tube. I used 2" x 2" by 0.120" wall for the the vertical standoffs, and angle iron to provide the mounting faces for the transmission mounts. I ended up using URO HD engine mounts, since the mounting holes were a little more favorable. They're also dirt-cheap and well-regarded. You can also see the patches I've welded-in to close it up; I still need to finish up some other patches and to seal everything up.
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After a 13-hour slog to get it ready for an autocross the next day, it was running again. Everything bolted right back in (phew!) but I was dead-dog tired. After only four hours of sleep, I drove off to the race. However, apparently I did not secure one of the two air-to-water intercooler hoses correctly, and I rubbed through a hole after my second run. I could have attempted a heroic fix (a 3/8" Craftsman deep socket looked like it would work!), but I was frankly exhausted. So I parked it. I fixed the hose in the next few days and have enjoyed hammering on the car these past couple of months. Best of all, the car ran great during WCR 2020.
), and quickly realized that starting over would be better than trying to fix it.First two pics show how the spot welds pulled through, followed by the gap between the crossmember and the trunk floor. Final pic is how badly cracked it was when pushed back up.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
So I built a jig to locate the replacement mounts. I used the factory holes near the lower rear rail pinch welds for the fore-aft, and then triangulated it off holes in my modified rear firewall. You can see where I used sheet metal screws to cinch up the crossmember to the trunk floor. I hadn't yet drilled out the two holes for each trans mount when I snapped the pictures.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
To provide a good solid basis, I used 2' x 4' by 0.120" wall rectangular tubing for the lateral. I already have the GT reinforcement kit welded in, but I needed to extend it back about four inches toward the rear to provide a strong base onto which to weld the new lateral tube. I used 2" x 2" by 0.120" wall for the the vertical standoffs, and angle iron to provide the mounting faces for the transmission mounts. I ended up using URO HD engine mounts, since the mounting holes were a little more favorable. They're also dirt-cheap and well-regarded. You can also see the patches I've welded-in to close it up; I still need to finish up some other patches and to seal everything up.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
After a 13-hour slog to get it ready for an autocross the next day, it was running again. Everything bolted right back in (phew!) but I was dead-dog tired. After only four hours of sleep, I drove off to the race. However, apparently I did not secure one of the two air-to-water intercooler hoses correctly, and I rubbed through a hole after my second run. I could have attempted a heroic fix (a 3/8" Craftsman deep socket looked like it would work!), but I was frankly exhausted. So I parked it. I fixed the hose in the next few days and have enjoyed hammering on the car these past couple of months. Best of all, the car ran great during WCR 2020.
That's one Hell of a Crack Jeff. I wonder if we'll being seeing more of those with the increase in torque on these cars?
I got a ride in that beast at WCR2020. That thing is fast!
I was behind Jeff and his wife as they got on the freeway- it was a smooth left turn, wide onramp and Jeff "got up in it" a bit and it was smoking the tires as it was drifting around the turn....very impressive and sounded great too.
QUOTE(76-914 @ Nov 9 2020, 08:30 AM)
I wonder if we'll being seeing more of those with the increase in torque on these cars?
Missed you at WCR this year Kent! But I sure hope you guys don't also experience the same failure. I neglected to mention that the factory crossmember was rotting a bit from the inside-out; nothing you could see from the trunk or underside, but certainly patina'ed deeply on the inside.
The fix is not for the faint of heart: it was a beeotch getting the curves at the outer ends of the new crossmember just right. I used two 18" pieces as template "mules" and then welded them together using a couple pieces of scrap angle iron to connect them just to make sure one piece would fit back in. Then I traced the compound end angles onto a single piece before cutting and cajoling it into place. I'm sure I spent 25 hours in mocking up the jig, cutting out the old pieces, devising the vertical standoffs, and welding in the crossmember... does not count removing and reinstalling the drivetrain!
What's gonna break next
Geoff
QUOTE(Cairo94507 @ Nov 9 2020, 01:56 PM)
I was behind Jeff and his wife as they got on the freeway- it was a smooth left turn, wide onramp and Jeff "got up in it" a bit and it was smoking the tires as it was drifting around the turn....very impressive and sounded great too.
Yeah, that caused an "upholstery cone" on the passenger seat! Nancy screamed at first and then bellowed with laughter for a few miles. It was nice meeting you and your brother at WCR2020. Your car truly deserved best in show!!!
Long time without an update; much of my time lately has been getting my new-to-me 1975 914 "garage find" running.
I took my Suby-powered Beast to Guy Ober at SGS Motorsports in San Luis Obispo today to check my alignment and corner balance it. Turns out my string box alignment was pretty close on the front, while the back was actually toed out a bit. We also discovered that I need more camber up front. As a reminder, I'm running raised (by 30mm; see posts #84 & #93) spindles on 911 Bilstein Sport struts, 911 alloy front crossmember with 18.8mm torsion bars, along with Tarrett camber/caster plates and Tarrett sway bar, and Elephant polybronze bushings. However, Guy could only get -0.6 degrees on the left side and -0.4 on the right side. So I plan to install a pair of de-cambered ball joints to pick up another -0.75 degrees.
The rear has Ground Control coilover sleeves on Bilstein dampers with 250 in/lb Eibach springs and Elephant polybronze bushings. The settings remain at -1.1 degrees on the left side and -1.0 on the right side, with zero shims on either side. Toe is set at 0 degrees front and rear, since the Beast is mainly used for autocross and backroad fun.
With a half-tank of gas and 160 pounds in the driver seat, my car weighs 2,077 pounds. Guy was able to corner balance it within 1%. Note that I essentially have no interior (only two Miata seats, seat belts, and some gauges), no side windows, no carpet, no door panels, no engine lid, etc. I also have no front bumper, although the 914Werks flat tow bracket is installed; the rear bumper is steel but with no bumper top, and no valances. Surprisingly, the front is 886 pounds, while the rear is 1,191 -- this 42.7% front / 57.3% rear is almost 911 taildragger territory. Guy recommends trying to get more front bias to more optimally balance it.
On the short drive back to my office the car seemed to exhibit less dartiness; the former rear toe-out made it a little twitchy, I guess. I'm running a Vapor Trails Vettes club autocross on March 13 at the Santa Maria Airport venue, so I'll get a chance to see how the corner balancing and new alignment really works. I've been avoiding true autocross tires in order to get a truer feel of the car without masking my mistakes with stickies. I'm currently running Dunlop Direzza tires -- 225/45-16 rear and 205/50-16 front, but they're due for replacement relatively soon.
I took my Suby-powered Beast to Guy Ober at SGS Motorsports in San Luis Obispo today to check my alignment and corner balance it. Turns out my string box alignment was pretty close on the front, while the back was actually toed out a bit. We also discovered that I need more camber up front. As a reminder, I'm running raised (by 30mm; see posts #84 & #93) spindles on 911 Bilstein Sport struts, 911 alloy front crossmember with 18.8mm torsion bars, along with Tarrett camber/caster plates and Tarrett sway bar, and Elephant polybronze bushings. However, Guy could only get -0.6 degrees on the left side and -0.4 on the right side. So I plan to install a pair of de-cambered ball joints to pick up another -0.75 degrees.
The rear has Ground Control coilover sleeves on Bilstein dampers with 250 in/lb Eibach springs and Elephant polybronze bushings. The settings remain at -1.1 degrees on the left side and -1.0 on the right side, with zero shims on either side. Toe is set at 0 degrees front and rear, since the Beast is mainly used for autocross and backroad fun.
With a half-tank of gas and 160 pounds in the driver seat, my car weighs 2,077 pounds. Guy was able to corner balance it within 1%. Note that I essentially have no interior (only two Miata seats, seat belts, and some gauges), no side windows, no carpet, no door panels, no engine lid, etc. I also have no front bumper, although the 914Werks flat tow bracket is installed; the rear bumper is steel but with no bumper top, and no valances. Surprisingly, the front is 886 pounds, while the rear is 1,191 -- this 42.7% front / 57.3% rear is almost 911 taildragger territory. Guy recommends trying to get more front bias to more optimally balance it.
On the short drive back to my office the car seemed to exhibit less dartiness; the former rear toe-out made it a little twitchy, I guess. I'm running a Vapor Trails Vettes club autocross on March 13 at the Santa Maria Airport venue, so I'll get a chance to see how the corner balancing and new alignment really works. I've been avoiding true autocross tires in order to get a truer feel of the car without masking my mistakes with stickies. I'm currently running Dunlop Direzza tires -- 225/45-16 rear and 205/50-16 front, but they're due for replacement relatively soon.
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