cbrock

iTrader: (1)

Well, I'm laying out what I need to buy and how much it'll cost me. Right now I'm looking at a budget of ~2500.00->$3000.00 for engine and reliablity mods. Here's what I already got

1988 10th Stock turbo 40,000 miles

ACT X-treme/ 9.5lb fly
3" exhaust to dual 2.5"
TID
Walbro high flow
#8 feed line to dual #6 to Aeromotive FPR
Removed emissions
Removed AC/PS
Relocated Batt to bins
+lots of other non engine related stuff

Here's what I need and a few like to haves

Hawk Brake pads
Dual oil filter relocation kit
Circuit breaker for batt relocation
Howe dual pass radiator ($250.00)
Spearco or griffin core
Some mandrel bends and couplers
BOV
New Gauges probably ultra lites (h2o/oil temp, boost, dual digital egt)
Get S4 turbo ported and larger wastegate flapper
Haltech E11

Ok, the haltech puts me over the mark. What are your opinons? Should I do the haltech first or the FMIC? With the larger flapper on the turbo, I hope to keep it around 10 psi..maybe less. I figure I'll have some safety with the FMIC/radiator and the high flow pump. I can also bump the rail pressure up a few clicks too. I'd like to drive the car come spring time and I'm not sure if I have enough time right now to fiddle with the haltech. I just want to make sure I don't frag this engine (just yet :P).
Half of me says FMIC and bump the fuel pressure. The other half says hold on the FMIC and do the haltech. The dark side of me says eat ramen noodles for the next 3 months and get em both. Lets hear what you have to say. Thanks guys.

Evil Aviator

Replace things as you need them. For example, if your brakes are bad, then get the Hawks. If they aren't bad, then get a new radiator if yours looks pretty shabby. Some of your other desired mods don't sound quite as necessary as others. BTW, the remote dual oil filter is mostly for cars with a dry sump, so I'm not sure how much difference that would make on your car.

If nothing really needs replacing, then get the Haltech E11 first, and that way you have tuning and datalogging capabilites BEFORE you start messing with all the other mods. Also, the Haltech will allow for better tuning for what you already have, it allows you to ditch the stock AFM and bypass the slow stock ECU, eliminates the flooding problem, and negates the need for a FCD. Just make sure that you put some money aside for some professional help in tuning and/or installation so that you don't blow up your engine.

banzaitoyota

Might also want to consider a Microtec vice the E11. Saves some bucks there.

Fitness Stain

what about the greddy emanage....i heard it would work real nice and for not as much as the other ****....i was thinking of going with the greddy for my car....any opinions AND facts on the greddy???

cbrock

iTrader: (1)

Ok, perhaps I should tell you the future plans. Next year will be the T04 upgrade or GT35/40. A goal for this car is about 400+ RWHP. I'm doing all the supporting mods now. All the stuff in the car is fine. It's pretty much the cleanest most well kept 10th ann left in existence. And then I go and tear it all apart. But I know for a FACT that the car will be a good base. I do need pads and if I double the stock HP, I'll really need some more WHOA. The radiator is a no brainier, heat bad and I'm getting all the heat I can the hell out. Same can be said for the IC. The remote oil filter is just a nice to have. Imagine 2 nice big oil filters to prevent crap from getting into your engine instead of that little POS. I'd also gain about 1-1.5 quarts of oil capacity. But I do wonder why you say it's mostly for dry sump cars? Both need filtered, why would a dry sump need more?

Guess the best question is the capacity of the stock IC. Some people say 10psi some say 14psi. Has anyone measured the intake temp and can actually say where we stand at those levels.

Also, I really want to go with the spearco core but I'm somewhat concerned about the thickness of most of their cores (3->3.5"). The griffin core is about 2.75" thick. I was on www.roadraceengineering.com
and was somewhat confused by their charts. I think the griffin charts are only at a low 250cfm while the spearco charts cover the whole spectrum. I also know that top to bottom flow offers the best efficiency at the cost of pressure drop. I'm pretty sure I want to go side-to-side, but what are your opinions on that?

Is it your firm belief that the Microtech is a better ECU than the haltech? I know quite a bit about the haltech and I'm a little in the dark on the microtech. I'll do a search and find out more, but what are your reasons for going to that ecu. IE: convince me to buy one. I'm looking for things like: Is it easier to use? More features? Support? Installation? Maps? Stuff like that.


Lastly, I think I see a lot of ramen noodles in my future:P

cbrock

iTrader: (1)

Sorry for the double post, but I'm having a hard time finding Microtech's website. Although, from what I've seen so far, it definately doesn't have as much in the way of i/o's as the E11. Is the software dos or windows based?

nonameo

maybe try a megasquirt kit?

www.bgsoflex.com/megasquirt.html

you don't get the same kind of support you would with the m-tech or haltech but you can't beat the price. oh yea, it only does fuel so you can't quite ditch all of your ECU. still need it for spark!

cbrock

iTrader: (1)

eh, I'll pass on the megasquirt. I want to make sure I do it right. I'd much rather spend more money and be happy than cheap out and want to replace it down the road.

cbrock

iTrader: (1)

Ok, yeah. The microtech doesn't have closed loop control and considering this will be street driven, I think that's a feature I'd like to have. Plus I've heard of some serious drivablity issues. I then found out about the SDS system and that seemed like a great system. Plenty of features and closed loop control. And for only $1120.00 (with everything) you can have an ECU. One problem, no ignition control. What a piece. So I've made up my mind...save up for an E11. I think I'll do the FMIC first and just not run the car hard until I install the ECU.
Also, will the walbro be enough pump to run 1600cc's in the future or will have have to run 2 like soul? Thanks.

Fitness Stain

does anyone have any experience with the greddy emanage....is it good/ worth it....

nonameo

well then have someone else build your MS for you! people are selling them on the group every once in a while. I understand your reluctance, though. I would be reluctant, too, except that I have a backup car (sortof), I like doing things myself, and I really don't have 1000-2000 to toss around on fuel computers. I am more doing this as a "for fun" project rather than something my car actually needs. but in case you might change your mind I would also like to note that:

they are coming out with a DIY spark controller, so if you changed your mind and wanted to get one of the fuel computers that didn't control spark, you could. I would imagine that the DIY spark controller will cost less than the megasquirt.

another thing that I would like to note on "cheapness" is that the MS is expandable while other ECU's are not. while the MS is, in its very basic form, a simple fuel computer, you can modify it to do just about anything you want as long as you have:
A: ram space
B: skills
C: tools

the skills and tools can be borrowed, and there are a few people looking for ways to page to flash to free up ram on the MS.

MS supports closed loop operation.

anyways I am sorry to be pitching this so hard its just that I think that it is a really neat thing, and the more people you have, the more development/testing you get.

besides, for 150$ you can afford to play with it. just start REALLY rich and tune from there. You would have to do that with any other system anyways.

Evil Aviator

The pumping flow is different in a dry sump, and a non-bypass remote filter mounted inverted (ie opposite of the stock filter) is recommended. Dual filters are needed more for race cars with a high flow demand, and are really only found on cars with dry sumps or highly-modified high-flow wet sumps. I don't see anything wrong with putting a remote dual filter unit on your car, but it's just not as necessary as the other items that you listed IMO. The stock Mazda brand oil filter is excellent, and is not a POS.

Intercoolers are not measured in capacity like that. Any intercooler is capable of any airflow rate and any pressure up to the point that it bursts. What matters is the thermal efficiency and pressure drop at your expected operating conditions.

Don't use anything larger than a 3.5" Spearco core on the street. Generally, a thicker core is better for road racing because it acts as "cold sink" in-between boosts, while a thinner intercooler is generally better for drag racing because it doesn't heat soak as much while the car is sitting on the line. Also note that in intercooler advertisements, "high-flow" usually means "low-efficiency".

Good, I thought that I was the only person who didn't like those Griffin IC charts. I think they used the same marketing geniuses who made those wonderful Garrett GT turbo charts, LOL.

Corky Bell's IC formulas have never worked for me. I suggest forgetting about most of his criteria for determining the flow of an IC, and just simply spend a whole $3 on a Spearco catalog which shows the actual flow qualities of their standard cores.
http://www.turboneticsinc.com/spearco/index.html

The Microtech MT and LT series are half the sophistication of the E11, but they are also half the price. The value of each depends on individual preference. The only poplular EMS that still uses DOS is Motec, which I think is rather ironic because of their otherwise higher-end products. As far as I know, Microtech doesn't have an official web site. Here are some unofficial web sites:
http://www.chiptorque.com.au/105691.php
http://www.daltonautomotive.com/pricelist.htm
http://www.injectionperfection.com/
http://www.rxengineering.com/
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Microtechecu/

Closed-loop isn't much of a consideration IMO. I don't know of any Haltech or Wolf EMS users who even bother with this function on their RX-7. In fact, a friend of mine gets better gas mileage than the factory specs by running his street/strip NA RX-7 with a Wolf EMS in open loop mode.

I haven't tried it, but with only 5 rpm points, it's really more of a "band aid" than a serious ECU. The Support Tool option with 16x16 mapping sounds much better, but I have never seen one, nor have I seen a price for it. If GReddy wants to keep the good stuff away from the average Joe, then I think that a Microtech EMS would be a better option for those who are on a tight budget.

cbrock

iTrader: (1)

Looks like I'm sending away for their catalog. I thought it used to be free. Oh well. Depending on how I do my intercooler/radiator setup, I might have to relocate the oil cooler a little. I just figured I'd put in a baffle, dual filter, higher pressure regulator. But if I hold on that stuff and get just the basics, radiator, FMIC and ECU, I'll be close enough to my budget. Can't wait for the tax return :P