Hey guys! Long time no see! Anyway, I am beginning to take the next step for my 10th ae...
My question is about the FCD of which I have a new one in hand now, though I am a bit nervous about installing it without a better understanding of what I may be doing to endanger my beloved 13B...

My current list of mods are as follows.. All very slight...
I have removed all of the emissions vac rack, and the ACV, EGR, Air pump etc...
Removed the MOP and am now pre-mixing.
I had the injectors cleaned and balanced by Marren motorsports.
Racing Beat downpipe and pre-silencer.

Now my last few hard drives with that config, right around 6500 rpm WOT in 2nd I experienced a couple times what felt like the fuel cut. Power would disappear for just a moment then come back... Hmm.. Was that fuel cut? Everything else in my engine I believe, is as right as the mail. If that sounds like something else tell me.

So here is my dilema. I got new gaskets and cleaned up a RP 50mm catback in great shape and I am going to install it tonight. I am concerned because I have heard not so great things about the s4 turbo so, that said, with this config and no super AFC and purely stock (POS) gauges, am I prone to dangerous boost spikes?

Or, is this setup mild enough not to worry about that sort of thing yet? I play very much on the conservative side of my car. Bit of a grandma driver (most the time!).
I am always trying to do my best not to hurt her...

My plan is as follows. I am going to install the new catback tonight and test drive and if it feels like I am hitting that afore mentioned cut often.. Well I am not sure.
So, how can I best safeguard my engine in this phase?
So, what do you think?

Ps. My next step of course is to get all the engine monitoring devices before any further upgrades. Timer, boost gauge and S-AFC...


Thanx!

 

hmm.... bump.. no one has any advice?

 

With intake exhaust upgrades, A boost sensor and FCD are almost required for reliable monitoring of boost creep and over boosting. You're unrestricting air, and exhaust, your next step is fuel. The next 3 things I would upgrade (preferably at the same time) is a walbro fuel pump, FCD and Boost gauge.

 

Hands up! This is a hijack!

Is the Fuel Cut Defender the same thing as the Fuel Cut Controller that Racingbeat offers? If so, is the one racingbeat offers and good choice?

 

I think they are they same... The racing beat one is the one I have in my hand...
thanks f1, that sounds great!

 

fuel cut should feel more like violent bucking, iirc. It's been a while since I stuck in my FCD.

 

Yes, and Yes.

 

the way I see it here, you have two options.

1: port your wastegate and don't blow your motor.
2: don't port your wastegate, buy FCD, blow engine.

 

It'll probably be a cold day in January before you hit fuel cut with just a cat back. The removal of the vac rack, acv, airpump, mop etc have nothing to do with more boost pressure/performance.

There's no sense in porting the wastgate with just a catback. You'll be lucky to hit fuel cut much less boost over 10psi. With a pod airfilter is just possible that plus the catback you'll hit fuel cut on a cool morning in the summer.

If you install a waldo fuel pump you'll run even richer than you are now causing a loss of power.

I'd do the fuel pump rewire at most. NZConvertible has written/posted a clearer schematic of what it should look like. It's somewhere out there.

Put your money into a aftermarket boost gauge. Autometer will do for now.

If you have a fuel cut defender you might as well install it now as later. You won't notice a change in performance.

The above was assuming that you have the stock downpipe and it is not hollowed out etc.

 

hmm.. allrighty sounds good. I do have the Racing beat downpipe and presilencer so things are pretty straight through. So, port that waste gate and re-wire the pump. Add boost gauge, and... intake?
I gotta find these threads about the fuel pump wiring and the waste gate porting. Which I assume means removing the turbo and taking it to a shop... fun... does that sound right ?and is it expensive?

 

A walbro would be appropriate, it won't make you run rich if your car is actually running properly. If you pay attention to your boost gauge and don't let it creep with a turbo back exhaust you'll be fine.

 

Judging from the competency of some shops in my area if you take a turbo to them and ask them to port the wastegate you'll end up worse off then you started with less money in your pocket. If you have any mechanical inclination there are many good writeups on this forum on how to port your wastegate with a dremel or other grinding tool.

 

okay, I was reading a little bit about it today, I've been very busy with work....

But I guess, there is a way to remove whats called the "hot side" which, if I have this right, seems to be basically half of the turbo.
Mechanically inclined, I feel like I am. Though I have no experience yet really with grinding thus, a little nervous about starting out on a turbo... But I bet I could do it... What's a dremel go for anyway? You can get them at SEARS right?

 

^yup, should cost about $30. you shouldnt have to remove the turbine housing though, just take the clip off the acuator rod and zip tie the flapper open while you grind away, clean it up real good afterwards.

 

forget about grinding man...

simply take the hotside to a machine shop, say to them that you want a 30mm hole, remove the old flapper bump to make all the surface even, and weld a washer to seal properly

it cost me 140$ canadian to get this done + ported runners

check this out



I'll never experience creep anymore... and that's a good thing!

do it once, do it right

 

hmm... that IS pretty...
Not so sure about the flapper thing tho... What is it? where can I find some more info on it. I am having a bit of a hard time with searches for these things.. Thanx again!

 

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...ghlight=rewire

That is one of many threads on the fuel pump REWIRE. It also has a link in that thread that will lead you to a setp by step *how to* of the rewire.

I got this by going to the ADVANCED SEARCH of the SEARCH engine on this pages upper right hand conrner. I typed in REWIRE and NZCONVERTIBLE. I got numerous hits such as the one above. I didn't look long enough to find the better dwg by NZCONVERTIBLE. It's out there somewhere.

Yeah, with the RB downpipe and presilencer you'll hit fuel cut prior to a cold day in January. BUT it depends on what size of downpipe to some extent. A three inch downpipe vs a 2 1/2 inch downpipe is what I refer to.

 

Look also into NZ monster WG porting on this page

BTW, Thanks NZ, I took all my info to monster port my WG in your thread!

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/serious-s4-wastegate-porting%85-343788/

Great info for you!

 

Yes it probably was.

Not boost spikes, boost creep. A spike is just that, it goes up too far then drops again. Creep just keeps going up... Get the wastegate modded before you start getting serious with intake and exhaust mods, or you'll risk blowing the engine.

Until you get a boost gauge you won't know. It is very foolish to start modding a turbo car without fitting one first. Do that before you do anything else.

You're looking at it. It's the flap next to the turbine wheel. In stock form it's too small and must be enlarged to match the bigger wastegate port. You can see in the photo a washer has been welded to the stock flap.

 

Thank you NZ, I always appreciate your clear answers. And, you always get all my questions... Thanx again.