The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

1986 RX-7 GXL

My first build thread was here: https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/my-s4-n-nitrous-build-683543/
(even though it turned into a giant argument about nitrous more than anything else)

GOAL: A different, fun car that won't blow up the first time I drive it. I don't have a concrete power goal, I don't need a timeslip to be happy. Hoping for 375-450whp.


Anyways, here's what I have:

Engine/Power
All emissions removed
PS and AC deleted
Rebuilt S4 TII engine with RA seals and hefty streetport
Brand new Holset H1E
Turblown tubular T4 divided turbo manifold
TiAL 44mm wastegate/open dump
3" single exit exhaust
Greddy Type RS BOV
3" intercooler piping to a 36x12x3" intercooler
ACT Prolite flywheel
ACT clutch
TII transmission, N/A LSD
Solid engine mounts, stiff trans mounts
Need to buy: Radiator? Stainless oil feed/drain lines

Fuel/Management
e85
Haltech e6x
LS1 coilpacks
AEM Eugo Wideband
AEM Pyrometer
Autometer Oil pressure
Autometer Oil temperature
Autometer Boost/vacuum
Autometer Fuel Pressure
All stainless steel braided lines from firewall forward
High flow aluminum fuel rail
1000cc/1600cc injectors
Marren FPD, Pressure regulator
Aeromotive fuel filter
Custom copper lines from tank to firewall
Need to buy: Coolant temp sensor, second walbro/boostapump?

Suspension/Brakes
Racingbeat Springs
Racingbeat sway bars
KYB AGX adjustable struts
Depowered TII rack swapped in
All new brakes: Lines, master cylinder, and 4 calipers
(need to purchase: upgraded brakes, bushings, wheels/tires

Exterior
Previous owner debadged it and painted it this nifty blurple color that's metal flake dark blue in the sun, and purple with the flash off.
I plan on making a reverse cowl hood out of an aluminum hood I have laying around.


And some pics...

The day I got her...





After installing new calipers, I split a hard line, prompting me to replace all the hard lines on the car. I also took all the rust off the bottom and sprayed it with undercoating.




I dropped an N/A engine into it and got to drive it a few times before deciding it wasn't worth making it run right before making the turbo leap:

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...t=nobrakes.flv

Tore the N/A engine out, spent the next 6 months in Australia, going to school, but mostly buying turbo parts 8-)

Got back, got the engine ported, started building:











...and that's about where I'm at right now. Made a little more progress on the engine, got the intake manifolds cleaned up and the Haltech sensors installed on the TB and waterpump.

On the car, I removed the factory ECU, and a bunch of the harness and all of the other stuff I'm not going to need. Cleaning up under the hood.





Questions I need to answer myself:

e85? or 91 octane?
I want to run e85 because it's cool, cheap, but mostly added detonation resistance. We'll have to see how my fuel system holds up, might need to add some injectors.

Turbo hotside is probably too large

It's the biggest hotside Holset puts on the H1E...we'll see how it spools, might end up upgrading to a smaller one.

Am I any good at building rotary engines?
I've built piston engines before, but this is my first rotary build...we'll see how she holds up....

RB_eater

iTrader: (1)

Good to see that standalone being put to work

I wouldn't reccomend ethanol unless you have a fuel system designed specificly for it. It attacks rubber seals and parts which can cause leaks and malfunctions in the future.

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

Right...but I will likely be using stainless braided lines from the tank forward.

If I can run 400whp safely on pump with whoever tuning it and no AI, I'll do it.

Turblown

iTrader: (12)

I would recommend bracing the turbo manifold. That is one of our older units, before we switched to 321SS.

Since those are a relative low mount something along the lines of below would work well...

flaco

iTrader: (7)

yes yes looking very good im an aw most of the time but damn i like it and your going over 400s with a good tuning

beefhole

iTrader: (29)

The ability is there, but the S4 turbo engine is a potential problem. It will make your power goals, but may not hold up. The S5/S6 irons hold up better under the boost/power. Their rear irons are stronger and cast thicker.

flaco

iTrader: (7)

wtf ok explain the guy whats the reason that breaks the plate..

s4 s5 s6 they will all brake anyways just do it right and carefull on the timing

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

Little update...i'm in the Panspeed reverse cowl hood buyin Pretty excited to see this bad boy. I plan on painting it gloss black rather than trying to match the shifty paint.

Picked up a Marshall Coolant temp gauge (full sweep, tinted, electric, looks nice!)

Engine, transmission, mounts, flywheel, clutch, all bolted together and installed in the car! Next step, wiring up the Haltech (which I will do in a few weekends when I am home). Going to college 3 hours away from my garage certainly has it's downsides...

Next question I need to answer...AI, e85, neither or both?

stylEmon

iTrader: (2)

Nice turbo manifold; I have the same one

nitronatefc

iTrader: (2)

I was putting down 381rwhp on E85, using only a single walbro pump and 880/1680 injector combo. My duty cycle was 85% on the injectors. I'm running a full -an fuel system too. Don't worry about the supposed corrosiveness of E85 in your fuel system. By the time it eats through seals like people claim, you'll be on your second or third rebuild


Also, the group consensus down at the tuning event in St. Louis this summer was that the LS1 coils sucked *****. Hopefully you'll have better luck

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

Really? That sucks. I've also heard about some people having problems with the CAS pickup on the e6x. Looks like a bunch of headaches ahead :/

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

I've made a ton of progress...car is now lowered on racingbeat springs and Tokico Whites, along with racingbeat swaybars, front and rear.

I terminated the entire Haltech harness and I've begun taping it up and making it look neat.

Fuel rails are installed and I'm going to be working on running brand new steel fuel lines from the tank up to the engine bay.

Here's the issue at the minute...turbo manifold is a REALLY tight fit!







The hotside of the turbo is hitting the strut tower...granted, the hotside is HUGE, but I'm really not comfortable with how it's sitting right now.

Any ideas?

slpin

iTrader: (9)

i had that problemt oo....
was also getting too close to the brake line - i just spaced it upwards....

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

Spaced what? The turbo? The brake line? The engine? Square root of three?

Turblown

iTrader: (12)

You should remake the brake to run around the top of the shock tower. I would just take a swing at the shocker tower with a big hammer. Not really going to hurt anything. Or shim the passenger motor mount which will twist everything away from the shock tower..

slpin

iTrader: (9)

the turbo

i end up routing the hard line on the other side of the strut tower where it meets the turbo


raising the pass side of the motor is def a good idea. - after all, the pass side heads down under load

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

Ah, some good ideas there. More hardlines to buy and bend >.< I figured I was going to end up beating in the tower a bit as well, but I wanted to wait to see if it was absolutely necessary. I'll try shimming it.

I've been cursing at these damn braided lines...I bought them as a pre-made kit who had them on his running car:



but I can NOT get them to line up like that! If I try to run the lines like he has them, the 270* fitting on the fuel rail runs right into the UIM and kinks the hose. I'm guessing it's a difference between S4TII and S5TII manifolds. I've swapped a few of the hose ends and got it to fit better without the hoses kinking, but now the FPR will probably not clear the hood. I'm going to buy another 90* fitting, replace one of those stupid 270* fittings, and maybe trim the lines a bit shorter, that should work.

Turblown

iTrader: (12)

Hes also running an spacer for the FD upper. That is going to increase the length of the hose right there. Just trim the hose and reassemble the fitting.

stylEmon

iTrader: (2)

Wish I could help ya bro. My manifold is slightly different, but I've had no issues with it being that close. My flange sits up a little higher....and my turbo is not that HUGE!

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

Here's some progress I made last weekend. Please excuse the tiny pictures!

First of all, I have the turbo mounting situation figured out!



Fits awesome on there, clears everything nicely. You can barely see the solution at the bottom of the picture....half a hockey puck added to the engine mount

Fuel tank was rusted shut. I drained it, removed it, took all the rust off it, drilled the scews out holding the fuel pump in, and hit it with rubberized undercoating. Then I installed the Walbro, made a new gasket for the top, filled the tank with water, and welded two studs from the inside of the tank up. These are 3/8" fasteners and bolted down tight..it seals good!




Finally, I got my battery box installed on brackets and mounted to the backseat. Everything is bolted down tight and feels really sturdy. Thanks to Reted/FC3spro for the tutorial.

I've started installing the wires. I'm pretty confused, I got this kit from another member that had it installed in his FC, and there's a ton of wires that I have to figure out where they go. I'll dig in deeper and figure it out in a month when I'm home again!

texFCturboII

iTrader: (17)

Its well known that the s5 rear irons are much stronger than the s4's. I can think of three guys i know that had a s4 rear iron crack on them under high boost. But yes, they will all break anyways.

bad 83

iTrader: (3)

For anyone looking for the stronger S5 TII irons, they were '91 only. They have an extra "bridge" under the oil filter pedistal. Good looking progress so far. But your right about the Haltech having problems reading the CAS. I have run into this problem specifically with the E6K. If you break the rear iron, dowl it next time!

The Shaolin

iTrader: (5)

Sizable update!

My Panspeed replica hood came! (It's just sitting on the car, so it doesn't line up). Can't wait to get this painted...big thanks to ShineAuto on this one!





Got the wastegate mounted with dump tube...super excited to hear how this sounds! I love the fact that is directionally terrifying!




Box of goodies! My hours of making a list and checking it twice were for naught when I realized four of my adapters had female ends instead of male >.<



Turbo (hopefully) mounted for good. The bolt under the center housing was a giant bitch to install!


Progress I made tonight: Starting to run piping for the FMIC.

The exhaust I will have on the car...3" of straight goodness.

bad 83

iTrader: (3)

That turbo is huge. Makes my TO4E look tiny

20Bforme

looks like its coming along nicely!