jono20

Well I sold my NA for $6000CAD, and have decided to build up a t2, with this as my budget.
I'll be using this thread to post any questions, or to ask for advice.

I've found the base car: 1987 t2, 60k on rebuild motor, 100+psi front and back. stock turbos, aftermarket exhaust, fcd, grey leather (good leather cond.) interior with a few pieces missing. $3500. it has some minor boost creep at WOT< so the wastegate will be ported right off.

this leaves me 2500 dollars to build this car up so a DD state for the next 8 or 10 months until I sell it.

I am aiming for 8psi, and about 250whp.

So far here is what Im planning on buying straight off:

(All from corksport)


Front & Rear strut bars (rear speaker towers have been removed so im bracing with the strut bar)
APEXi twin chamber BOV
SS brake lines
KVR carbon fiber brake pads F & R
GReddy turbo timer
TurboXS boost controller

there is my first $747USD + tax + shipping and duties. probably looking at a bit oer $1000CAD.

I can get rotors from my buddy through school for really cheap (hundred bucks for 4).

SO. after a full tune up , I estimate ive got about 13 or 1400 dollars left to play with.

its going to be rolling on t2 rims, but im going to need some tires. probably end up going with wanlis or something.

ANYWAYS! hit me up with some suggestions. I can pick up 2 720cc injectors from my buddy for about $100. is it necessary for 8psi?

this car is going to need some gauges pretty quick as well. probably h20 temp, oil press, and boost. id like a wideband but I dont think its going to fit into my budget.

im probably going to need some fuel management. would a first gen used SAFC suffice? am I buying anything unecesarry? with the stock fuel pump hold up?


keep in mind I need to keep a couple hundred bucks saved up for a few quarts of paint later in the year.

thanks in advance guys

http://members.shaw.ca/jono23/fc001.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/jono23/fc002.jpg

fcdrifter13

Who mauled the rear quarter.

Tournapart

iTrader: (4)

i think the safc would work great, but an rtek 2.0 would be better considering you have a s4, i wish they had something for my s5, but, whatever

you'll mostly likely need to run in the 10-12psi range to get 250rwhp out of the stock turbo

fuel fuel fuel mods get a 255lph and some 720's all around, this is why rtek would be great for your application

im a big fan of suspension, especially when you up the hp

get an FCD

most of this, minus the rtek, you can find used for a good price to fit your budget

im no turbo guy, but i read alot, these are just my suggestions

-efini-

Nice find.

Your not going to need 720s at 8psi. Your goal of 250whp at 8psi is not possible on a stockport s4. At 8psi your looking at maybe 210whp.

If it was my car, i would do full exhuast, turbo timer, mbc, tid, turbo rebuild with hybrid compressor and port the wastegate, and some suspension. Lose the a/c p/s and emissions. And a general tune up of course.

jono20

believe its a bunch of bondo and crappy spray balm.

my buddys a damn good body man.... good thing bc it looks like weve got out work cut out for us.

jono20

well nevermind the 250hp, but like I said, 8 or 9 psi on the stock turbo just to keep it driveable.

so if I get the stock 550cc's rebuilt and balance it will support below 10psi?
FCD is already installed.
Full exhaust it done
Carbide burr came in today for the wastegate porting


its still sort of a toss up for me between an SAFC I or II and an rtek.

I like the idea of the visual display on the AFC, and the accesibility. I dont owna palm pilot and probably wont buy one, which sort of defeats the purpose of Rtek. at 8psi an SAFC would suffice would it not?

most of the emmissions stuff seems to already be removed. no A/C. I think I may leave the P/S installed on this car for autoX


should I forget about the turbo timer?
opinions on the front strut bar (and the necessity of the rear with the speaker towers removed)

jono20

thinkin about going with a home depot style PVC TID...

adrock3217

Go with an SAFC2. The original is just not as good. If you can afford, get an Rtek 1.7 or Megasquirt.

gxl90rx7

iTrader: (1)

rtek 2.0 all the way, its only $80 more than safc II, and you get timing control as well, and most engine sensor readouts/checks. And you dont have to cut up the engine harness. I bought my PDA off ebay, $30

Terrh

iTrader: (7)

rtek7 2.0 or megasquirt for engine managment. SAFC is overrated.

My5ABaby

iTrader: (7)

In your opinion (or other's opinions), is going with an rtek over a SAFC/SAFCII worth it for an N/A?

Terrh

iTrader: (7)

the fact that you get full fuel and timing control for the engine seems to be worth it to me...

it really depends on the level of modification though, if your car is stock I'd leave it alone, if it's far from stock you're going to need better engine managment.

gxl90rx7

iTrader: (1)

it will only work for S4 TII (for now), you will have to use something else for n/a

ViperDude152

Not a turbo guy but, wouldn't porting the waste gate lower your PSI? Or am I thinking of something else?

X-JaVeN-X

get the rtek 2.0...i recently went from safc to this...and i'd never go back to an safc. Get a pair of 720's for the secondaries to be safe, and I would personally get a better fuel pump.

You say only 8psi...are you 100% sure that you will never mod the car any further? If you know for a fact you will never run over 8psi on the stock fuel system then spend your money elsewhere, but I"m guessing that you will one day realize you want more than ~210whp....think for the future.

Juiceh

iTrader: (4)

Before you get a boost controler you should get a boost guage and see what your actually boosting at with the full exhaust the car has already installed. Its possible your close to 8psi already.

You don't really need to get that BOV unless your going with a FMIC or just want to hear it blow off louder than the stock recirculating valve.

Don't dick around with an safc. You have an s4, Rtek is a perfect option. Cheapo PDAs can be had off ebay. Walbro 255 and some 720cc secondaries would go great with that.

Many argue that our stock turbos don't need a turbo timer. Unless you plan on upgrading the turbo later I don't think you need the timer now.

Water temp guage would be nice as well, but you have an s4 and the stock temp guage isn't as shitty as the s5's.

I suggest using your leftover $ to invest in suspension.

jono20

ive got no idea how to tune a fuel/ timing map though

I need to be able to sell this car in 10 months or so so I figured I wouldnt boost it too hard. I cant afford another new engine

im getting th BOV bc the car came with a blitz BOV< but my friend is taking it off, so it will have nothing

DarkKnightFC

GET A RADIATOR
GET AN EFAN
Get a Fuel Pump
Get an RTEK

Stainless lines are great. Pads are great. Strut Bars are great. I hate corksport tho because it took me almost 2 months to get my damn strut bars.

Stay away from plug up FCD.


OH wait, I just read your post about not keeping it. Why would you want to buy one, do stuff to it, and then sell it?

Boostmaniac

what is a plug up FCD? like the knightsports one that plugs into the boost sensor?

jono20

because I ENJOY fixing cars. This is my 3rd RX-7 now. To me it feels great to buy a car thats barely running put a couple thousand hours of work into it, and see the outcome. I like building up different ways and trying different things to see what works better.
no matter how good I get, theres always something I regret doing. something where I know if I did it again I would do it differently. I like giving myself the chance to start over and perfect all of my techniques.

If I do all the labour, paint, and bodywork myself, and take advantages of the prices I can get through a few people, I break even, or make money on the car when I sell it.

Plus I move up to Dawson Creek next year for a few months to finish off the Aircraft Maintenance Eningeering course im in, so ill probably be buying a truck for a few months.



Anyways! im princing out rtek to see if I can fit it in to my budget. Ill need to buy injector and stuff too..


The Rad, fuel pump, e-fan, and rtek are all a great idea, but Ive got to stay within this budget I set. There are a few things I MUST buy for it, like a throwout bearing and rotors/pads fer the brakes. im just trying to price everything out.

I mean the rtek is 400 dollars by itself, plus shipping, plus the hotsync cable, plus shipping and duties accross the border. thats a lot of money :P along with new injectors and stuff im geting up toward 1000 bucks just for the fuel management.

like I said. I need this to be my DD, and I dont want to sell a car ive beat the crap out of. im staying conservative as much as possible. everything I need to keep the car stable and safe.

13b4me

Any FCD...

Get the Rtek 2.0, wideband, radiator, efan, port the wastegate, exhaust, fuel pump, 720's (just to be safely below maximum pulsewidths)...

jono20

like I said its already got a plug'n'play FCD installed


a wideband is another one of those things that I would LOVE to have, but it just doesnt seem practical

I bought a flex-a-lite black magic e-fan for my current n'a. I think I may just go with a taurus/escort fan this time...

if I can get a koyo rad for cheap ill definitly head that direction. I blew the coolant seals on ym current n/a, so im quite concentrated on sufficient cooling



the rtek 1.7 seems like a better choice in the confines of this project. with some minimal upgrades (2.5 psi), would the 2.0 really be necessary?

CrackHeadMel

iTrader: (2)

wow nice car. only real input i have is on the reteck. personaly i would go with it, it seems like a good unit


and, why could you not use it on a n/a? just slap a t2 harness on your n/a and your good, just re-tune the map and volia

88rxn/a

iTrader: (6)

maybe the 1.7 rtek would be better...
i bought that instead of the 2.0 becuase i have NO idea how to adjust the timing right.

jono20

taken from pocket loggers site:

"If your mod level requires advanced fuel and timing control, then Stage 2 is for you. Stage 2 is a powerful tuning tool that has the ability to destroy your engine if not used properly. Proper engine tuning knowledge and engine monitoring using a Wideband A/F Meter is very highly recommended for safe operation. "

I dont think im going to require advanced fuel and timing control at 8 or 9 psi. plus I doubt ill have a wideband