Project Update - August 2006
08-28-06, 05:10 PM
#1
Project Update - August 2006
Hey All,
Well it's been a while since I gave a bit of an update on my project car, so I thought I'd do one now.
Latest Additions:
- Racing Beat STREET PORT exhaust system from front to back
- Powdercoated "+" Rims (thanks to Trochoid)
- Sumitomo HTR200 205/60-13 Tires
- Beautifully powdercoated and paintmarked pulleys (again, thanks Trochoid)
On top of those, I had to replace my fuel pressure regulator because the one I had bought (which I THOUGHT was the 1-4psi Holley FPR) was actually the 4.5-9psi Holley FPR. That discovery right there made the ReSpeed Fuel Pressure Guage worth its weight in GOLD. I never would have known that I was running almost 5psi if I hadn't bought the guage.
Pictures to follow probably on Wednesday if the weather is nice.
Previous Threads (for those interested in reading this spring/summer's updates if you haven't already):
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/project-update-if-anyones-interested-541098/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/fpr-doesnt-regulate-pressure-553111/
Current Imperfections:
Well there's always *something* left to do, so here's what I've got that's buggin' me now:
- Oil Pressure Guage doesn't give a reading. Haven't figured out yet if it's the guage, the wiring harness or the sender
- Left my gas cap in New York on my trip to see Sterling. Local parts store has had it on back order for two months, been too lazy to ask for my $4 back and go to another store
- Slow drain on the battery, can't figure out from where. It's about a 3/4 amp draw on the main fusible when the car is off. I've gotten around it by moving the fusible to an empty spot when the car's off, but that resets my clock...
And last but not least, I've got minor carb problems. I have a crazy stumble in right turns where the car just chokes and takes three or four seconds to recover before going again, but only when I turn right. Also, if I slow down too quickly from speed (like from 50mph to a stop light), it dies. Don't know why.
But other than that she's running like a dream. I'm so happy with the RB exhaust, especially since I ran with header-to-straightpipe-to-stock-muffler for a while there, it's a relief to have something that sounds good.
Next LARGE projects:
- Paint
- Ultimate 12a Rebuild
- GSL Rear with discs, new bushings and a Miata Torsen
and we'll see where it goes from there
Well it's been a while since I gave a bit of an update on my project car, so I thought I'd do one now.
Latest Additions:
- Racing Beat STREET PORT exhaust system from front to back
- Powdercoated "+" Rims (thanks to Trochoid)
- Sumitomo HTR200 205/60-13 Tires
- Beautifully powdercoated and paintmarked pulleys (again, thanks Trochoid)
On top of those, I had to replace my fuel pressure regulator because the one I had bought (which I THOUGHT was the 1-4psi Holley FPR) was actually the 4.5-9psi Holley FPR. That discovery right there made the ReSpeed Fuel Pressure Guage worth its weight in GOLD. I never would have known that I was running almost 5psi if I hadn't bought the guage.
Pictures to follow probably on Wednesday if the weather is nice.
Previous Threads (for those interested in reading this spring/summer's updates if you haven't already):
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/project-update-if-anyones-interested-541098/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/fpr-doesnt-regulate-pressure-553111/
Current Imperfections:
Well there's always *something* left to do, so here's what I've got that's buggin' me now:
- Oil Pressure Guage doesn't give a reading. Haven't figured out yet if it's the guage, the wiring harness or the sender
- Left my gas cap in New York on my trip to see Sterling. Local parts store has had it on back order for two months, been too lazy to ask for my $4 back and go to another store
- Slow drain on the battery, can't figure out from where. It's about a 3/4 amp draw on the main fusible when the car is off. I've gotten around it by moving the fusible to an empty spot when the car's off, but that resets my clock...
And last but not least, I've got minor carb problems. I have a crazy stumble in right turns where the car just chokes and takes three or four seconds to recover before going again, but only when I turn right. Also, if I slow down too quickly from speed (like from 50mph to a stop light), it dies. Don't know why.
But other than that she's running like a dream. I'm so happy with the RB exhaust, especially since I ran with header-to-straightpipe-to-stock-muffler for a while there, it's a relief to have something that sounds good.
Next LARGE projects:
- Paint
- Ultimate 12a Rebuild
- GSL Rear with discs, new bushings and a Miata Torsen
and we'll see where it goes from there
08-28-06, 05:40 PM
#3
Sounds good, Jon. It has come a long way. I remember seeing it when we were both newbies. Good luck.
I still wonder about that electrical drain issue. We know it is on the main circuit. The main feeds the fuse box in the car along with the alt. I believe you said your e-fan is on that circuit too. Or is it on its own circuit? Anyway, I think if you have a friend put a meter to measure the current draw while you start pulling fuses in the car one-by-one, you can narrow the problem down further. You could also try to disconnect the alt to see if that is the problem.
I still wonder about that electrical drain issue. We know it is on the main circuit. The main feeds the fuse box in the car along with the alt. I believe you said your e-fan is on that circuit too. Or is it on its own circuit? Anyway, I think if you have a friend put a meter to measure the current draw while you start pulling fuses in the car one-by-one, you can narrow the problem down further. You could also try to disconnect the alt to see if that is the problem.
08-28-06, 08:22 PM
#5
Originally Posted by gsl-se addict
Sounds good, Jon. It has come a long way. I remember seeing it when we were both newbies. Good luck.
I still wonder about that electrical drain issue. We know it is on the main circuit. The main feeds the fuse box in the car along with the alt. I believe you said your e-fan is on that circuit too. Or is it on its own circuit? Anyway, I think if you have a friend put a meter to measure the current draw while you start pulling fuses in the car one-by-one, you can narrow the problem down further. You could also try to disconnect the alt to see if that is the problem.
I still wonder about that electrical drain issue. We know it is on the main circuit. The main feeds the fuse box in the car along with the alt. I believe you said your e-fan is on that circuit too. Or is it on its own circuit? Anyway, I think if you have a friend put a meter to measure the current draw while you start pulling fuses in the car one-by-one, you can narrow the problem down further. You could also try to disconnect the alt to see if that is the problem.
Tried disconnecting the alt, no change. Efan is on its own circuit.
The only thing I can think of is that I trimmed the extra wires (like the rat's nest wires) out of my passenger's side wiring harness and changed the main battery cables. Batt cables I've done before on someone else's car and they're pretty hard to get wrong if you take your time. Positive to starter, negative to shock tower, shock tower to engine block.
Though I do remember *one* set of wires (a green and a black I believe) on the passenger's side harness that were connected to each other. I forgot to hook them to each other when I trimmed it all back, so whatever connection I broke there could cause it. Could just be that I'm not grounding something properly by having that connection cut.
I haven't found someone with an '84 that I could borrow the wiring harness from yet and the manual is very unhelpful. Unhooking the harness completely does not stop the drain (though I would not expect it to if my theory about the green/black wire combo ground is right).
As for the carb thing I hope it's not obstruction in the tank 'cause I had the tank blast-cleaned a few years back and have been careful about getting **** in there until I lost my gas cap.
It's funny 'cause I stumble in right hand corners, but all the things I've seen talk about stumbling in *left* corners. Like this article from yaw's site:
Originally Posted by Yawpower.com
The car was running poorly, stumbling badly out of left hand corners, and not making good power on the straights. Lowering the fuel pressure two pounds, and setting the timing was all it took to make the car fast and driveable. The difference was great enough that one of his competitors thought he already had his new carburetor.
The same weekend a guy in a SPEC7 car asked if I had any ideas for his car which was nearly undriveable out of left handers. It seems that some wise guy had added an additional stock pump to his car, plumbing it in series with the original pump. The result was about 7psi at the needle and seat at idle. I sold him a $30 regulator, and the car was transformed.
In both cases, the problem was simple, and easy to fix. Both cars were running poorly as the result of following the recommendations of an "expert." who could be more properly described as an idiot.
... (and from another article on the same site)...
A very typical situation is that the stock carburetor goes rich at high rpm. If the fuel jets are chosen to correct the top end mixture, the engine runs lean on corner exit. This hurts lap times, and adds to the problem of stumbling off left hand corners. As you can see, the real answer is to correct the fuel curve, rather than just changing fuel jets.
The same weekend a guy in a SPEC7 car asked if I had any ideas for his car which was nearly undriveable out of left handers. It seems that some wise guy had added an additional stock pump to his car, plumbing it in series with the original pump. The result was about 7psi at the needle and seat at idle. I sold him a $30 regulator, and the car was transformed.
In both cases, the problem was simple, and easy to fix. Both cars were running poorly as the result of following the recommendations of an "expert." who could be more properly described as an idiot.
... (and from another article on the same site)...
A very typical situation is that the stock carburetor goes rich at high rpm. If the fuel jets are chosen to correct the top end mixture, the engine runs lean on corner exit. This hurts lap times, and adds to the problem of stumbling off left hand corners. As you can see, the real answer is to correct the fuel curve, rather than just changing fuel jets.
So I'm left wondering what it is that's causing such a drastic stumble on RIGHT cornering! I may have to drop the tank and check, as per Trochoid.
I also have to locate a mysterious "vacuum leak" that I have somewhere. It's bloody small, but aparently it's there.
You see, when I went down to tune my carb with Sterling, a stock nikki would compensate for the tiny leak (because of it's alt compensator and other "easy to drive" goodies) but the Sterling wouldn't idle when jetted correctly. The primary slow air bleeds that I'm running right now are actually *secondary* slow air bleeds screwed into the primary positions! This has the effect of allowing it to idle, but obviously this is not the final solution. The problem is that I can't find where it's leaking from. I'm thinking my ACV, since the blockoff plate is only held on with 2 bolts and silicon. I broke one of the bolt heads off, and since it ran fine with the stock nikki I payed it no heed. I'm still waiting for my ported mani from Carl, so I didn't think to revisit the problem....
So next troubleshooting steps for all of the above are:
1. Borrow wiring harness from someone
2. If that doesn't work, check all fuses
3. Set timing (I've got the marks now, I just need a timing light)
4. Get Ported Manifold from Carl
5. Block off unused vac ports of carb spacer with JBWeld
6. Replace gaskets for : engine at manifold, manifold at spacer, spacer at carb
And if that doesn't do it I don't know what will! I mean my fuel pressure is *perfect* now, and I've double checked that my floats aren't sticking (they were at one point, causing me to flood out at idle).
Jon
08-28-06, 09:35 PM
#6
6. I never use gaskets on either side of the phenolic spacer, the spacer is it's own gasket. The SE and later FI engines have the same type of spacer between the TB and dynamic chamber, there are no gasket made for those.
For the tank, you might try Aussiesmg trick. Stick a magnet next to the drain plug where the tank dips, drive around for a while, remove the magnet, drain the tank. That may save you having to pull it. I use auto paint filters to filter out my fuel when I drain tanks with crud. My paint supplier gives them out free.
Any comments on my sig line, am I in trouble yet? lol
For the tank, you might try Aussiesmg trick. Stick a magnet next to the drain plug where the tank dips, drive around for a while, remove the magnet, drain the tank. That may save you having to pull it. I use auto paint filters to filter out my fuel when I drain tanks with crud. My paint supplier gives them out free.
Any comments on my sig line, am I in trouble yet? lol
08-28-06, 10:08 PM
#7
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Jon, theres a write-up on the right hand turn stumble and decell stumble on the Paul Yaw site, also, despite what people say, get a A/F gauge, they do help with some tunning, i know mine helps when i need to play with it.
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