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The Frantic Install at Midwest Rotary Revolution...
For some reason, I had this nagging feeling I should bring my whole Microtech setup with me, in the box, to Indy . I wanted to show my dad it when I got home to pick up my camera, but that wasn't the real reason. I didn't want it stolen either, but I knew it had to go.
I drove my car on the strip about 12 times in a row; my SAFC richening it up fine enough. Then it was autocross time. I never have autocrossed before, but I drove like a madman and had a lot of fun, despite my car being horrible for auto-x. Then I let Mark'smazda (here on the forum) drive my car like a madman. That is the first time I've seen someone drive my car and drive it well. He did alright. I told him to beat the hell out of it. I got my vid cam, and Rotoman and I decided to take some in car movies of me sucking really bad (he thought I was funny though). On one of the last turns, my engine shut down, and I KNEW a fuse blew. Yeah, another electrical problem. I coasted all the way to the front of the track, and popped the hood. I then blew 2 more fuses, and decided it was screwed. I tried tinkering a bit, testing with my multi-meter, but there was a short in the harness somewhere.
Aaron from Madison Heights (Black FD, he ran very well) had trailered his car, and offered to take my car back, as long as his or Dan's FD didn't break. So I went back and grabbed the trailer/truck, crossing my fingers. But my car still sat, and I thought, well, we could install the Microtech....
Aaron Cake was with us, and didn't think it could be done. Over the weekend he had admitted he was a bit pessimistic, but Mark'sMazda had installed his the week before, and I am pretty good with wiring things up. Mark and I figured we could at least get it started, and still just leave it if we didn't finish. Better than nothing. We started it, and the clock started ticking. We had 2 and a half hours to get this thing installed. Aaron jumped in after Mark and I had started, not knowing we had. Aaron actually had become gung-ho, and Mark and I both realized Aaron could definately help, and wow, we were glad he was there. The 3 of us did different jobs, and finally had it wired up. After an hour and a half (yes, hour and a half) we had it ready to go, soldered connections, but taped, but still trustworthy enough. The car would not start, and I did not know the laptop software enough to figure out what was wrong. The guys at the track tried to intimidate us by standing around with the wrecker, and I just explained we had a teeny-tiny-bit left to go. They seemed satisfied.
Dan blew his FD's rear, and I lost my chance of using the trailer. Crap.
We ended up going to Hooters, and thought about what happened. We talked to the Gotham Racing guys, and they gave us some info on what could be wrong on an aftermarket EMS. I did get to ride on the way back in a Z06 to the hotel, and then on the way back from Hooters in MichRX7's FD. WOW. I got video.
Rob (Mrimportguy) drove me, while Aaron and Mark rode out in the Insight back to the speedway. We got started and found the wiring problem quick, but there was also a fuel leak. After getting it all fixed, we cranked, and it started. The timing was off a bit, but we said it was good enough.
I ended up driving 300 miles home at about 70 on my Microtech which was barely set up. I calibrated the TPS and got the timing in the ballpark, and that was it.
If it wasn't for those 3 other guys though, I would have a couple days of work ahead of me to haul my car back up here, as well as spending over 100 bucks on transporting it.
Thanks guys.
I'm also impressed that the car ran so well on doing nothing. I drove 70 mph, and in the MAP modes, it was awsome. Infact, I got 25 mpg.
I can't wait until next year for the Midwest Meet!!!!!!!!
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ya we all thought you blew a motor when we saw you pushing it. i was sitting at the dyno when it happened. good to hear it was something minor and you got the microtech installed!
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92 F150 - Daily Driver
hehe damn that's impressive.. i was just glad i did mine in a well lit garage with heat and some tunes. I can't imagine doing it in a parking lot... glad all went well for you!! the microtech install is pretty straight forward which makes it nice..
Hey glad to hear you made it home. I took another route back to MI. I was hoping you made it home. Hopefully I'll see you at the next MI meet. Take it easy
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87 GXL and 93 R1 E Stock, A Street Prepared - Down to two now.
hehe, thats funny, I just finished my microtech install this morning, I plan on posting pics. I spent 2 hrs the night before(started at midnight after being out drinkin with my bro's) spent 2 hours disassembling and fully terminating the harness. This morning(err, afternoon, woke up about noon, got started about 1pm) I dropped the harness in and bam, everything worked except the tach, which I miswired. I am loving the microtech, the intall was absolutely awesome. Doing a VERY thorough job of the install(solder, heatshrink, insulation, ribbed tubing on all leads) it took me about 4 hours. Nice work, it's a great feeling when you accomplish something like that in the pit. Fortuneately, I have only had to swap a tranny when faced with a similar situation
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Your taxpayer dollars pay for my rotary addiction.
Thats awesome man... wish i could have been there to help. even if i was there i dont think i would have been much help anyways. Im an idiot when it comes to the electrical stuff in our cars.
Yep, that's pretty much how it went. Though it was my fault the leading coil was wired wrong (had to extend the harness with speaker cable, and got the wires confused) I feel I redeemed myself by spotting that fuel leak before the car became a bonfire.
There were a few connections that I would definitly redo (the main and fuel pump power, and battery cables) but the others should be good for life. At least, the ones I soldered.
Glad you got home OK. Once you tune that thing, it should be a beast.
And I'm VERY impressed with the Microtech...
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'76 RX-5 Cosmo: Next project 2001 Honda Insight: 144V, 1800LBs of 88MPG fun!
Did you guys do it without removing the UIM?
I keep asking all these gasket related questions...
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There is no way to do it without removing the UIM, you have to rewire the fuel injectors and remove the stock harness. The UIM is easy, 5 bolts, a few vac lines, the throttle cable, and MOP stuff (if you have it).
If you have a new gasket you can easily get away with reusing it.
You can easily make your own gasket. Just go down and buy a roll of gasket material.
Something else I learned along the way - Use a blank white piece of paper and a crayon to sketch out the design of the gasket. it works wonders! Do you remember tracing flat objects such as leaves in kindergarten? Thats what you do. Pull the paper back on the crayon, tilt it long ways, and rub the paper down. The outline of your intake gasket will emerge with great presision. Just cut that out and transfer to your gasket material and cut with knife. I've run this type of gasket between the upper and lower intake manifold for more than a year, and this one gasket has been reused a bunch.
man, if you want to make a gasket you don't need to do all that tracing and dificult cutting...
take the roll of gasket paper and cut a rectangle large enough to cover the area you need a gasket for. lay the paper over the area and smash the paper against the surface with a screwdriver handle or some other hard urethane or plastic object (i use one of the handles from my breaker bars). start on a bolt hole so you can put a bolt through the paper to hold the paper in place. then continue on to the rest of the holes. this will give you a PERFECT gasket nearly everytime. if there are studs then just poke holes to let the studs through the paper.
not sure if i explained that well enough, seems to be one of those things that is easier to show someone that describe how to do it!
hey aaron cake, and pirahna, i think u were the guys i sat with at hooters, i was the fat kid with glasses that had to leave early :-p i'm not quite sure if i remember ur names/forum names correctly, just checking.
If you want it to look like spagetti like mine did. I spent a good 8 hours redoing most of it and getting it how I wanted.
Columbus I think I remember you, but after not eating or drinking anything the whole day (I was busy trying to get my puter installed) those few beers did pretty well. How could you forget who you sat by? You didn't drink beer!
I should have this thing back together.
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