Given my criteria of not touching the steering rack or firewall, we mounted my 20B as far back as we could getting the shifter perfectly in line. We also modified a PS fitting on the steering rack and managed to get the engine about 2" lower than you see in the below pictures.

My question is this: I have heard alot of discussion regarding cutting the lower intake manifold to get a little less height, but as you can see from the picture below it seems that this would not solve the problem of a) the alternator, b) the upper water neck/thermostat housing. I am not worried about the turbo/intake piping as we can fabricate and move all this.

Does adding the 13B front cover and accessories help with the height of the alternator and upper water neck? If not, I don't see how people claiming that "all some shops do is use stock mounts and cut the LIM" can be accurate.

Thanks in advance!

 

Man your motor sits high, I have about 1/8th inch clearence between my hood and the top of my UIM. Did you not check for clearence while you were fabbing the subframe? You don't need to swap the front cover to use the 13b accessories.

 

We didn't fab any subframe, that was kinda the whole point of the way I wanted it mounted. We left the entire stock subframe (cut the back part out to clear the oilpan and rewelded), modified the oilpan, modified the steering rack PS fitting, etc etc.

Bear in mind the motor is about 2" lower than the pictures you just saw, they are somewhat dated. I was mostly curious as to how people cut the LIM to gain clearance - doesn't the alternator still get in the way, or does the 13B accessory bracket place the alternator lower down?

 

Do you mean does the alt get in the way of the hood? Mine does not, as far as cutting the LIM most people who do usually cut the emissions portion out a reweld the it back together, PM Herblenny he is doing his that way. I left mine @ stock height.

 

More like, does the Alternator sit lower when using 13B accessories than with 20B, and if so, how much?

I didn't want to move the steering rack by using someone elses subframe which is what has put me in this predicament

 

Your going to have to use the Fd's or Fc's water pump and housing. They sit alot lower than the 20b's. Now as far as the alternator goes, I would use the Fd's alternator and mounting bracket. The Fd's alternator is 100amps (10 more than the 20b's) and you may have to cut the adjustment groove so the alternator can be adjusted lower. Then just measure for a shorter belt.

 

Been there, done that on my rotary MG Midget. I'm not sure if I'll have to do that on my 20B yet.

 

I've been doing some study on this and I'm doing what Acosta did for Red-Rx7's 20B.

If you cut 1 or so inch off of LIM with fd3s rear plate and front cover should fit fine with stock hood.

Also, I think VIS racing Carbon fiber hood gives slightly more room inside the bay area.
I've recently let Hinson super cars borrow my hood and fitted well with one of their LS1 conversion.

i've tried to pm Red-Rx7 to confirm about cutting LIM but no answer. I'm assuming it might be something to do with dealing with Acosta. I'll let you know how mine turns out.. but it might be awhile. Its been at Garfinkles for past 5 months.

 

What is the purpose of using the 13B rear plate - so you can use stock 13B mounts? I have custom mounted using 20B rear plate, I wonder if this creates any height differences.

What is the purpose of using the 13B front cover with regards to hood clearance? As far as I am told, the 13B water pump housing and pump will bolt to the 20B front cover which should solve that height issue. I am guessing that people referring to using the 13B front cover are also referring to the 13B waterpump housing and accessories as well.

As you can see from my picture, the water neck and the alternator sit as high as the intake manifold, so cutting the LIM alone will not be enough.

 

iam using a fd water pump and housing and it fits perfectly just remember to get the fd long studs along cuz the20b has short ones. as far as the clearances i will find out saturday thats when i drop the engine in

 

It is. I wish I could be of help, but that would violate my car builders trust. I have posted pictures, but can't really discuss exactly what has done. I can only state the obvious.

 

Thanks Mike, I thought thats why and hence I stopped bothering you and didn't take it personally. Now I know..

PHIL

 

Most of the stuff has been said. I think there is still one or two things that haven't been mentioned quite yet, but I was reading somewhere where someone mentioned it. Either way, most of my pictures show it all.

 

hakeem can you please show me a pick on the mod you did to the fitting on the rack cuz im trying to do it the same way ,didyou cut it and weld it , i thought of cutting the rack housing on the passenger side where the fitting is and turning the whole thing like 90 deg .
thanks

 

bump

 

Can we get some pictures of the cut and welded 20 Manifolds please.

 

I have been where you are a year ago. Here is the deal, using a 13b rear plate and mounts, you HAVE to mod. the steering rack/subframe, I dont care what anyone says, I tried. Second, I made mounts and modified the steering rack fitting as you did. Now, I am selling a kit to solve your problem. First use the 13B-rew accessories and front cover. The front cover is much nicer. Even with the FD pump, the outlet will hit the hood still. And the alternator will hit the hood still. I have the pieces already machined and ready to ship out, which places the alt where the a/c used to be, and provides a tensioner to keep the waterpump running. Then just bolt on my machined water outlet, and your done. (except the intake mani, but that is the easier piece to mod. Hope that helps.

 

Overall I wish modifying the firewall was much simpler. Then you wouldn't have clearence issues.

 

Yeah, but you get a bunch of new and exciting issues to deal with
-new subframe
-new shift rod linkage
-brake fluid and booster lines that go across the firewall have to be replaced & rerouted.
-new driveshaft (because the stock shaft cannot be shortened)
-modified PPF
-remote mount for oil filter
-new throttle cable
-engine bay repaint

 

GTO RX7,

Are you selling the alternator relocation kit?? I'm interested if you have one.

Also, have anyone else cut the LIM to clear the hood??

 

Mines being cut right now at Blackstone Racing in Idaho (of all places). He's done it before and did an outstanding job. i should get it back next week some time. i'll post pics when i get it back. i only needed about an inch, but i think he's taking more off, just to be on the safe side.

I shouldnt' have had to do this btw, i have the Pettit subframe and spindles, and my oil pan still hit the steering rack. <shrugs shoulders>

 

Yep, most of the pieces are ready to go.

 

I had Acosta cut mine. It cost me 250.00. BTW I have the stock subframe on mine with a 13b rear iron. The only thing I couldnt fit was the alternator. I relocated that where the ac was and used a ford ranger alternator. It has more amperage and was easier to fab up than the stock alternator. I could gt the hood to close with the alternator in the stock location but had no room to adjust the belt tension. Im guessing with some more finagling I could have made it work but moving it seemed to be easier on the brain.

 

i called Acosta and they told me $400. Oh well...

 

GT the hood? Why not just fix mount the alternator and then engineer a tensioner for the alternator so you could leave it in the stock location?