Krylon semi-flat black used on ash tray, shifter surround and cluster surround:

 

That's a brand new s4 radio surround and new center vent from Mazdatrix. You can see how close the paint match is with the painted ash tray. This is my n/a DD which is an s5, but I like the s4 radio surround better. It doesn't warp and bow like the rubber s5 surrounds do. Most often the s4 surround cracks are a result of people trying to remove them without knowing about the 2 hidden screws behind the center vent. D'oh!

 

of course, i really dont think it'll work as good as the stock coils without the blasters, blasters are made to work with an amp, we installed 3 coil packs and used 3 6AL msd boxes, and of course with the 6k rpm rev limiter chip to keep the motor in piece while break in, btw are you using a resister pack for your injectors? or does it get eliminated by a stand alone?

 

I know that the stock coils work better with an MSD box. But my question was, can you use the stock ignitor on after market coils.

The answer is NO!
last night I hooked up the MSD coils to the stock LEADING ignitor. Both spark plugs were firing, but they were weak. The stock leading coil ignitor is only designed to fire one coil so it's too weak for two MSD coils.

I stopped my experiment at that point, but you could potentially run the MSD coils with trailing ignitor because it is designed for two coils...


fd_dude, I'm using the motec, so no need for resistor pack. Good catch tho. I dont think anyone has asked about that.

Scip7, thanks for the pics. i'll have to check em out when i get home. Cant see'em at work

 

I haven't bought an MSD box yet, but am looking for a 6A if anyone wants to sell to me. I temporarily grabbed a used stock coil just to keep the car running solid.

A recent update:

Methanol installed. Just a stage one for now. sprays before the turbo, about 7" away from the blade. Now boosting 10 psi.

I had a fuel leak around the fuel filter. It was drving me crazy because it was a brand new filter, bought from MazdaTrix. I thought it was the lines or the clamps, but it turned out being the actual filter! It was a FRAM filter... so yet another bad review for FRAM.

I went and picked up a Beck&Arnley filter. Seems to be dry now, already noticing better gas milage.

I got a nice polyurethane dif mount, should have it installed pretty quickly. Try to get a pic update later today.

 

Not sure about everything else out there, but my MicroTech does.

 

WOW!!!! COLD AC ROCKS!!!!

I pressurized the system with r134a just to make sure it doesnt leak. i drove it to work today and it blew cold the whole way... ahhhhhhh

Once i am sure there are no leaks, I'll suck the system, replace the drier and fill with freeze12.

life is good

although, i did notice that idle went WAY down, and water temps jumped about 10*. i think I'll need to concentrate on doing some ducting around the radiator/condenser.

 

Update* I found a leak in the AC system. Sucked out all the refridgerant, and fixed the leak. I am now looking to put the freeze 12 in it, if I can ever find a place that will sell it to me!!

I've been concentrating on the Motec stuff lately. Basically, I've hooked up with Paul Yaw. He is a local Motec dealer and knows the software pretty well.

I will be purchasing the advanced tuning options soon so I can datalog and wideband tune.

YawPower offers dead band timing for fuel injectors. I am unsure of how this works with the software, but apperently, it will improve the drive-ability and response. So, he's got my injectors on his flow bench.

I am starting to get a good idea of how to tune this ECU, and also realize the MANY options that can be programmed into this thing. VERY exciting stuff.

The car is really fun to drive. Especially after driving this stock S5 around town. This S4 is really tight and responsive. Hopefully I can get some track/dyno time here soon.

 

Dead band is basically the time it takes for the injectors to "react" to the pulse sent by the ECU to fire. If the ECU knows how long this time is, it will compensate by sending the signal X amount of time earlier then it needs to be.

Allows for more precise injection. I've learnt more and more about Motec's because of this thread. And if I buy one one day - you'll be the bastard to blame for my 4K spending spree

 

LOL/\ hey classic, it aint THAT bad. I think you can get the unit, harness, sensors and advanced tuning for under 2500.

I think the dead band timing would make a huge difference in the response then.

I've learned quite a bit about this unit lately. There is a 'lambda was' table that lets you input where you'd like the lambda to be. Once you input what the lambda was, it will compensate for you. Then there is the lambda tuning. That is the option to make noise about. This is where you input your desired AFR, and the computer automatically does the rest. Once I get this figured out, I'll start on the closed loop tuning. Then this car will be dangerous!!!! (but safely dangerous)

The auxillaries are great as well. I'll probobly use on to control water/meth right off the bat. Paul was saying that I could use the other for a boost control *** in the cabin, and control boost on the fly!

 

We were having some issues with the lambda input coming from the AEM UEGO controller. We went through countless hours with a multimeter, and re-tracking wires; and all to no avail. The AEM gauge/controller output (in voltage) NEVER matched what the manual said it was supposed to be.

I got seriously pissed with this product, and tried using their Tech Support. They basically told me that I was wrong... So I sold the unit the next day, and traded it in for the Innovate LC-1 (thanks NMJ87T2). Unlike the AEM, I can actually program the output of the gauge to what ever voltage scale I want (AEM only gives you 5 modes).

I have yet to install the LC-1, but will hopefully have it in tonight. The tuning is coming along pretty nicely on the car, but without a proper lambda reading, I'll eventually need to go over some of the map again.

 

one of these days i hope to get yet another FC and have a build up like this

makes me drool

and also makes me jealous haha

 

HA, thanks.

Also, I sold the MSD coils. That route didn't seem like it was gonna work. I may still grab a 6A box in the near future. But most everyone on this board has advised me to stick with the stock coils.

 

great car looking for 2 my own project now

 

Without that AFM, I can really hear the turbo spooling. It spools up pretty quick, but before I am even in positive pressure, that thing is buzzing under my hood.

I've already busted two K&N air filters because my filter is too low. I'm gonna put one more bend in that intake to get it up right in front of the radiator.

I'll try to get some pics of the diff mount that my buddy made. It's pretty tough looking. I'll need to get that installed soon.

Hopefully this weekend. I'll get that installed, get my O2 sensor bung moved back a couple feet, and get my car thro emissions.

 

CAR PASSED EMISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!! w00t! It passed on the third try.

She's been parked for a couple months because I got pulled over with expired tags. The cops actually took my liscence plate away when they pulled me over... ??

Anyway, I took it through and failed pretty miserably the first time. I took the car out tuning once(using a plate from my other car). Since the lambda table wasn't updated on that tuning trip, it hardly made any difference on the 2nd try.

Then I took another tuning trip. Tuned the lambda table, disconnected the wastegate rod, and leaned the hell outta the fuel map.

The car went flying through!

1st
HC 4+ FAIL
CO 34+ FAIL
NOX 1.56 PASS
Gas Cap Test PASS
Pressure Test PASS
Evap Components PASS

3rd
HC 1.3 PASS
CO 3.6 PASS
NOX 1.5 PASS
Gas Cap Test PASS
Pressure Test PASS
Evap Components PASS

This guy at the smog facility said he couldnt hear the turbo, and asked what I did. I told him I disconnected the wastegate rod. Those guys all recognize me. Between this car and the red S5 T2 I just sold, I've been there about 10 times in the last 3 months.

In order to get the car to pass ,I had to:

*Put a catylitic on the car

*Get an airpump and bracket, then go to Checker and experinent with their belts to get the correct belt.

*Run a hose from the air pump to the nipple off the side of the cat.

*Get a charcoal canister and all lines. Hook them up.

*Replace the AEM EUGO lambda controller with the Innovate LC-1. AEM had some communication issues with MoTeC.

*Disconnect the wastegate rod. Most of the people at these smog places out here are young. They cant seem to go through a whole emissions test in my car with out pushing 5+ lbs of boost...

*Tune, Tune and Tune

Feels good to get through all that finally!
I'll post some pics of the emissions set up that got me through. I think I'll take the cat and air pump off, but leave the charcoal canister.

 

Do you think you needed the airpump? It only lower HC values at idle. You almost leaned it out too much. The leaner it runs the higher your NOx values go.

I have to get through here this month. Any tips on timing? My AFRs are pretty good.

I also dont have my evap canister connected, but in my last emissions test they just listed inaccessible. I wonder if it even matters for me to hook it up again. I am not so sure I left that solenoid connector on the wiring harness...

 

i needed the air pump and the charcoal canister for the visual. If they dont see it, or the see it and they notice one of the lines is disconnected, they'll fail you. At least, they failed the red s5 because of a disconnected line.

The air pump went straight to the cat. And we leaned my mixture out as lean as it would run, without raising the EGTs too much.

As far as timing, I tried a little more advance. That seemed to get all the fuel burnt, and kept the tip of the exhaust a lighter color...

I was using a lambda reading of 1.0 and greater. It ended up testing anywhere from .95 to 1.2 . I'm sure you can figure out the AFR of those lambda readings. Otherwise I can try to remember the conversion.

Good luck. I finally passed on my 3rd try. It was a happy day. I got my plates Tuesday and am good for another two years!

The cat and pump came off last night as soon as I could get to the shop!!

 

That is inspiring that your AFR went from 12.4 all the way to 15.5 and still passed. My tune is pretty good and unless they boost past 7psi shouldn't exceed 13.5 or so...vacuum maps are all from 16-14.5afr.

My charcoal canister is right around the gas tank on my car, the lines are under the upper intake manifold so I KNOW they can't see those. Hell I know EXACTLY where it is and where the lines are, and I can't notice it isn't connected.

The airpump is way tougher. With the way the turbo is mounted I can't have a mechanical air pump. If they visually inspect that way I dont know what I could do. Maybe mount the airpump where my power steering used to be... or where my a/c compressor is. It would just force me to remove that a/c compressor every two years and recharge the system and removing the compressor is totally a pain in the ***.

I dont know what I am gonna do. I guess I will try once and see what happens. The whole reason I went to that other turbo kit I had before Elliot's was because it allowed me to keep the airpump and pass emissions. He said he would take care of the emissions part with tuning and a friend who has a Porsche shop to test. I now see that isn't the case.

Anyway...I will probably be testing the day after Christmas. I will have my fingers crossed with no airpump.

I had the airpump in the last time it tested, but it wasn't connected (it looked like it was, but wasn't) the car still passed. The car looked a whole lot more stock then though. That for sure isn't the case now.

 

Cozmo, another option for the airpump is an electric LS1 airpump.

Could mount it in the glovebox (well not exactly but its far more versatile mounting wise then its belt-driven counter part.

 

digi7ech bought one. i think they are $90.
You just hook up 12v and mount wherever you want.

Classic, where are the pics of your sealed Moroso box? I wanna see how you mounted it!

 

Here's some of the bracket and the box, I need to get the pics of the brackets to the bin "frame" off the camera so I'll post them tomorrow.....I basically just raised up the entire assembly to fit over the box.

Anyways, here's how I did the battery:

Pics of the bracketry/bins tomorrow

 

wow, that box isnt going anywhere!!!

I just used the mounting that it came with. Cant wait to see the rest.

 

Brian, i had to disconnect the wastegate to keep them off the boost. It would've never passed otherwise.

I know we took quite a bit of fuel out, but did you see the numbers before? It was more than double HC and CO.

Tuning for emissions is a crap shoot no matter what. I watched the EGTs to make sure we weren't going too far with the NOx but, it was pretty much a guess-tamiate.

I thought there was a chance I could get on the tester as well, but it didn't work out. Luckily, it only took 3 tries to get through.

So you absolutly cant mount the airpump, even if it's non-functional? Mine was mounted very loosly. There are supposed to be 2 brackets. I only had one. The pump was not quite in the stock position. I had to get a custom belt for it (just guessed at Checker until I got one that worked).

 

Interesting blog you have there Keep it up m8.