She Followed Me Home, Honest
06-16-14, 07:14 PM
#1201
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agreed! call it plan B, but the FC has that rubber mudflap there.... or maybe some nice curtains, or a shubbery (with a little path down the middle)
06-16-14, 10:10 PM
#1202
And a garden gnome!
And more cowbell!
A major lesson I learned from converting the switchgear in the FC was the aesthetics are the hardest part. It is incredibly difficult to mimic the OEM look...perfect but mass produced.
I wasn't ever really in love with the Miata combination switch, I disliked that it had a cruise function we'd never use and would prefer adjustable delay instead.
MX-6 have about what I want but I need to evaluate the surround trim shape/size.
During this dash work, I've had to remove and replace it several times, all by myself.
As is typical, I pay attention to this r&r process and try to refine the hardware/bracketry to be easier to work on. I'm currently using the second version in metal and it's OK but I'm on V.4 mentally and will probably be revisiting that soon.
I'm trying to pawn off the fitting of the HVAC to Sigfrid...I'm tired of brackets for the time being and have other things to do.
And more cowbell!
A major lesson I learned from converting the switchgear in the FC was the aesthetics are the hardest part. It is incredibly difficult to mimic the OEM look...perfect but mass produced.
I wasn't ever really in love with the Miata combination switch, I disliked that it had a cruise function we'd never use and would prefer adjustable delay instead.
MX-6 have about what I want but I need to evaluate the surround trim shape/size.
During this dash work, I've had to remove and replace it several times, all by myself.
As is typical, I pay attention to this r&r process and try to refine the hardware/bracketry to be easier to work on. I'm currently using the second version in metal and it's OK but I'm on V.4 mentally and will probably be revisiting that soon.
I'm trying to pawn off the fitting of the HVAC to Sigfrid...I'm tired of brackets for the time being and have other things to do.
06-18-14, 08:57 AM
#1203
I've been terribly unfocused lately; silly mistakes, omissions and assumptions have eaten up a lot of time.
Plus, I've been trying to juggle three major projects at once and it's not working well.
Sigfrid is back in town and he'll help stabilize the schedule, he's agreed that paint is a priority and that helps clarify my priorities.
Basically, that moves the wipers to the top of the list. If I can make the single wiper setup work, the valence panel will need modifying (make a new pivot post hole and delete the original two mount holes), so I need to finalize that decision before Saturday.
I may have found a solution to the combo switch/surround trim issue, I'll know today if it's gonna work.
As the bodywork goes on, at least it'll look like we're getting somewhere.
Plus, I've been trying to juggle three major projects at once and it's not working well.
Sigfrid is back in town and he'll help stabilize the schedule, he's agreed that paint is a priority and that helps clarify my priorities.
Basically, that moves the wipers to the top of the list. If I can make the single wiper setup work, the valence panel will need modifying (make a new pivot post hole and delete the original two mount holes), so I need to finalize that decision before Saturday.
I may have found a solution to the combo switch/surround trim issue, I'll know today if it's gonna work.
As the bodywork goes on, at least it'll look like we're getting somewhere.
06-18-14, 09:21 AM
#1204
MECP Certified Installer
If this helps anyone, than good...
I had the pleasure of working on a 93 Toyota MR2 last week at work. Guess what wiper motor it has? You guessed it, the same used on the RX7!
I had the pleasure of working on a 93 Toyota MR2 last week at work. Guess what wiper motor it has? You guessed it, the same used on the RX7!
06-18-14, 10:03 AM
#1205
Ban Peak
iTrader: (49)
I've been terribly unfocused lately; silly mistakes, omissions and assumptions have eaten up a lot of time.
Plus, I've been trying to juggle three major projects at once and it's not working well.
Sigfrid is back in town and he'll help stabilize the schedule, he's agreed that paint is a priority and that helps clarify my priorities.
Basically, that moves the wipers to the top of the list. If I can make the single wiper setup work, the valence panel will need modifying (make a new pivot post hole and delete the original two mount holes), so I need to finalize that decision before Saturday.
I may have found a solution to the combo switch/surround trim issue, I'll know today if it's gonna work.
As the bodywork goes on, at least it'll look like we're getting somewhere.
Plus, I've been trying to juggle three major projects at once and it's not working well.
Sigfrid is back in town and he'll help stabilize the schedule, he's agreed that paint is a priority and that helps clarify my priorities.
Basically, that moves the wipers to the top of the list. If I can make the single wiper setup work, the valence panel will need modifying (make a new pivot post hole and delete the original two mount holes), so I need to finalize that decision before Saturday.
I may have found a solution to the combo switch/surround trim issue, I'll know today if it's gonna work.
As the bodywork goes on, at least it'll look like we're getting somewhere.
Seems like you need to smoke some bowls to get back on track.
For the gap between the dash and column surround, why not a nice leather boot? I'm sure you could find one to attach to both sides, don't some newer cars with tilting/telescoping columns have them anyway? IIRC I've driven a car that had a combo plastic surround with leather boot.
06-19-14, 05:17 AM
#1206
I'm right on top of that, Rose.
New combo switch and column trim (from a Protege), kinda/sorta fixed the gap.
Given that we intentionally cut/recessed the whole dash to clear the shifter, it was inevitable that we'd face the consequences sooner or later and this one particular interface (column trim>dash) seems to be the spot. The new clamshell is longer and fits better on the bottom and sides but still leaves a gap at the top and you know what?...we can live with it for now.
Sooner or later, something interesting will pop up and solve the issue but for now, we're fine.
I like these switches much better anyway, they are the same ones I tried to fit on the FC. Very excellent ergonomics and "feel".
After solving a few technical issues I was able to proceed with the "single wiper" project and I'm happy to report that we're now using the stock linkage and two wipers.
At least now I can clearly see what I'm up against, the geometry becomes evident once seen in action.
I could make it work if I settled for parking the blade vertically, as commonly seen on LMP cars and the like but that's not what I wanted and making it work as I hoped would require some fiddlin.
It's a project I might revisit in the future but for now having completed/functional wipers is more important and they're done.
I temporarily cobbled the switch in and actually powered the wipers through the system...everything works!
It's not as exotic as I'd hoped but the Miata wiper arms are an upgrade over stock and it looks pretty good.
Today I'm basically taking the day off, one little junkyard run to source some windshield squirter nozzles and that's it.
Tomorrow I go over to Sigfrid's and spend the next three days prepping/painting/hanging the remaining body panels. We should have a (nearly) complete body by Sunday night!
After returning from work, we ordered in pizza and I caught S. up on what I'd been doing and really- despite moaning about focus- I'd managed quite a lot.
She's gonna look a whole lot different come Monday.
New combo switch and column trim (from a Protege), kinda/sorta fixed the gap.
Given that we intentionally cut/recessed the whole dash to clear the shifter, it was inevitable that we'd face the consequences sooner or later and this one particular interface (column trim>dash) seems to be the spot. The new clamshell is longer and fits better on the bottom and sides but still leaves a gap at the top and you know what?...we can live with it for now.
Sooner or later, something interesting will pop up and solve the issue but for now, we're fine.
I like these switches much better anyway, they are the same ones I tried to fit on the FC. Very excellent ergonomics and "feel".
After solving a few technical issues I was able to proceed with the "single wiper" project and I'm happy to report that we're now using the stock linkage and two wipers.
At least now I can clearly see what I'm up against, the geometry becomes evident once seen in action.
I could make it work if I settled for parking the blade vertically, as commonly seen on LMP cars and the like but that's not what I wanted and making it work as I hoped would require some fiddlin.
It's a project I might revisit in the future but for now having completed/functional wipers is more important and they're done.
I temporarily cobbled the switch in and actually powered the wipers through the system...everything works!
It's not as exotic as I'd hoped but the Miata wiper arms are an upgrade over stock and it looks pretty good.
Today I'm basically taking the day off, one little junkyard run to source some windshield squirter nozzles and that's it.
Tomorrow I go over to Sigfrid's and spend the next three days prepping/painting/hanging the remaining body panels. We should have a (nearly) complete body by Sunday night!
After returning from work, we ordered in pizza and I caught S. up on what I'd been doing and really- despite moaning about focus- I'd managed quite a lot.
She's gonna look a whole lot different come Monday.
06-20-14, 08:25 AM
#1210
This morning I head over to Sigfrid's and stay the weekend as we finish painting/hanging the rest of the body. His wife and kids are returning from vacation sooner than expected, so we're pulling a few all nighters to maximize his free time.
It's been almost exactly a year since we began and it looks like we're getting very close.
After all this time, I'm finally putting stuff on that won't be coming off again...very encouraging.
Plus, putting the bodywork on will be a giant psychological boost, she'll look like a whole car for the first time ever.
I see Photobucket is being bitchy...the pics should all reappear soon...
06-22-14, 11:27 PM
#1211
It was quite a weekend.
We made incredible progress, suffered an inexplicable problem, were visited by disaster and ended with weirdness...all in the course of 50-some hours.
I'm simultaneously elated, distraught and confused.
It may be menopause.
I started Friday wanting to get the dash final installed.
It needed to go in, come out and go back in the same spot repeatably, easily and securely.
I fiddlefucked with the main transmission tunnel brackets, it mounts much like the FC does except I used studs and slotted the dash bracket, so the dash slides down and rests on the studs while you thread nuts on. This means you don't have to hold/juggle the dash as you thread bolts through to capture nuts.
There are two more mounts on either side of the dash and that's it, the whole thing can be removed by one person in about 10 minutes.
With the dash final located, I started fitting the center/main HVAC box, which needs to mate to the dash ductwork/plenum. This interface was never going to be perfect, the size/shape of the box and space it had to fit were not a great match (duh) but I managed to get the two to within a half inch or so of mating and we can just make a thicker foam gasket to account for the mismatch.
The center box now mounted, the AC box is next (in our case empty) and then the blower assembly.
By 10 pm Friday we had the whole Miata HVAC system fully installed on permanent brackets.
I thought the climate control would be a bigger challenge but it just kinda went in.
It's way easier to r&r this Miata setup than the original Z stuff and it's also significantly lighter...we probably saved 50lbs without losing any functionality.
We still need to figure out the defrost setup but we have two fairly simple options and that's more of a cosmetic issue than a technical one and as such, has been put aside till we concentrate on the interior design.
For all current requirements, the Miata dash conversion is done and completely successful.
Buoyed by such (relatively) simple progress, we began Saturday in an optimistic mood that did not last long. All week long the weather had been forecast to be sunny and 90°...what we got was 75° and overcast. This was not a real problem- as long as it didn't rain- but it took longer to dry the parts after their final wash down and we didn't begin spraying till about noon.
And it went to crap immediately.
Something was wrong and we couldn't figure out what but the finish was just not laying on right.
It'd be fine for a while then suddenly get all dusty and dry...we couldn't figure it out.
Sigfrid took the gun apart, we opened a new gallon of dip, he tried spraying horizontally and vertically, it didn't matter. It'd be going great and then start to spray dry paint.
Sigfrid was getting majorly pissed off and we decided to quit while we were in recoverable shape...there were only a few coats applied and it could be fixed and overpainted without too much work.
This was disappointing but not yet a disaster.
The disaster came as he finished the last coat on the hood and suddenly out of the blue, we got a microburst rainstorm.
From zero wind all day, we got hammered with 40mph gusts in a matter of seconds.
It blew the hood over (onto the paint, of course) and dented it up in a few spots.
Sigfrid is not sure he can salvage it to his satisfaction.
A cruel end to a very trying day.
As I said, all the panels are fixable without too much effort and we'd always planned on a final beauty coat when the assembly was complete but we'll have to strip the hood down to metal and see what can be done with the damage.
With the weekend dwindling and Sigfrid's immediate future car/play time limited, we decided to assemble the body as is.
The paint looks blotchy because he only got a few light mist coats on, never made it to full wet but it's black enough that I can finally see the shape of the body as a unified whole.
The panels are fully installed, every nut, washer, bolt and screw is in place and line up pretty nicely.
We could then install the new urethane airdam that's been sitting in the attic for a year:
That job went easily and well, so we ended the weekend on a good note.
I was filthy and dead tired, went home about 2pm, took a shower and fell asleep.
Woke up a while ago to eat and had a message from Sigfrid.
We've just acquired a SR20 DET motor and transmission.
That's weird and I have no idea what's going on now.
We made incredible progress, suffered an inexplicable problem, were visited by disaster and ended with weirdness...all in the course of 50-some hours.
I'm simultaneously elated, distraught and confused.
It may be menopause.
I started Friday wanting to get the dash final installed.
It needed to go in, come out and go back in the same spot repeatably, easily and securely.
I fiddlefucked with the main transmission tunnel brackets, it mounts much like the FC does except I used studs and slotted the dash bracket, so the dash slides down and rests on the studs while you thread nuts on. This means you don't have to hold/juggle the dash as you thread bolts through to capture nuts.
There are two more mounts on either side of the dash and that's it, the whole thing can be removed by one person in about 10 minutes.
With the dash final located, I started fitting the center/main HVAC box, which needs to mate to the dash ductwork/plenum. This interface was never going to be perfect, the size/shape of the box and space it had to fit were not a great match (duh) but I managed to get the two to within a half inch or so of mating and we can just make a thicker foam gasket to account for the mismatch.
The center box now mounted, the AC box is next (in our case empty) and then the blower assembly.
By 10 pm Friday we had the whole Miata HVAC system fully installed on permanent brackets.
I thought the climate control would be a bigger challenge but it just kinda went in.
It's way easier to r&r this Miata setup than the original Z stuff and it's also significantly lighter...we probably saved 50lbs without losing any functionality.
We still need to figure out the defrost setup but we have two fairly simple options and that's more of a cosmetic issue than a technical one and as such, has been put aside till we concentrate on the interior design.
For all current requirements, the Miata dash conversion is done and completely successful.
Buoyed by such (relatively) simple progress, we began Saturday in an optimistic mood that did not last long. All week long the weather had been forecast to be sunny and 90°...what we got was 75° and overcast. This was not a real problem- as long as it didn't rain- but it took longer to dry the parts after their final wash down and we didn't begin spraying till about noon.
And it went to crap immediately.
Something was wrong and we couldn't figure out what but the finish was just not laying on right.
It'd be fine for a while then suddenly get all dusty and dry...we couldn't figure it out.
Sigfrid took the gun apart, we opened a new gallon of dip, he tried spraying horizontally and vertically, it didn't matter. It'd be going great and then start to spray dry paint.
Sigfrid was getting majorly pissed off and we decided to quit while we were in recoverable shape...there were only a few coats applied and it could be fixed and overpainted without too much work.
This was disappointing but not yet a disaster.
The disaster came as he finished the last coat on the hood and suddenly out of the blue, we got a microburst rainstorm.
From zero wind all day, we got hammered with 40mph gusts in a matter of seconds.
It blew the hood over (onto the paint, of course) and dented it up in a few spots.
Sigfrid is not sure he can salvage it to his satisfaction.
A cruel end to a very trying day.
As I said, all the panels are fixable without too much effort and we'd always planned on a final beauty coat when the assembly was complete but we'll have to strip the hood down to metal and see what can be done with the damage.
With the weekend dwindling and Sigfrid's immediate future car/play time limited, we decided to assemble the body as is.
The paint looks blotchy because he only got a few light mist coats on, never made it to full wet but it's black enough that I can finally see the shape of the body as a unified whole.
The panels are fully installed, every nut, washer, bolt and screw is in place and line up pretty nicely.
We could then install the new urethane airdam that's been sitting in the attic for a year:
That job went easily and well, so we ended the weekend on a good note.
I was filthy and dead tired, went home about 2pm, took a shower and fell asleep.
Woke up a while ago to eat and had a message from Sigfrid.
We've just acquired a SR20 DET motor and transmission.
That's weird and I have no idea what's going on now.
06-23-14, 12:26 AM
#1212
Rotary Enthusiast
Provided that SR20DET is in good shape, complete, with good components and compression, you've got a DOHC inline four Turbo with EFI that puts out at least 200HP from the factory in a shorter and (possibly) lighter weight package than the original motor.
06-23-14, 08:04 AM
#1213
Although we've constantly discussed a motor swap and even formalized the idea in the planned "stage two", this sudden acquisition is a surprise. I'm not at all sure what his plan is- do we sit on this drivetrain and keep working with the stock setup or does it go in immediately?
I'll find out soon, I suppose.
I found a few shots of the HVAC as it was installed.
I wasn't really planning on as much progress as I made, I thought I'd be trying to figure things out instead of actually bolting them in, so I wasn't in pic-mode during the process:
The main section is installed (you can see the studded trans mounts right in front of it) and so is the AC section.
The blower assembly has also been mounted but at this point is disassembled for cleaning, refoaming and the modification needed for the fresh air intake.
With the air intake mod completed it may be necessary to adjust the mount a bit but the HVAC is basically finished.
I also had a eureka! moment and believe I figured out the single wiper setup I wanted. Not sure when I can get to it but am now pretty sure I can make it work.
I'll find the time somehow.
A potential engine swap does not affect the work on the chassis harness, so that remains the top priority. I'd much rather be mounting the rocker trim or modding the wipers but the electrical is my penance for a life carelessly spent.
Off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Ohm.
06-23-14, 06:48 PM
#1216
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That picture sums up my week. Nice choice on the sr20. Things to keep in mind wire wise. These is a difference between S13 and S14 SR engines. The nice thing though is they are lightish being aluminum.
Did it come with any remnants of a harness or the ignitor? Also the body is looking good.
Did it come with any remnants of a harness or the ignitor? Also the body is looking good.
06-25-14, 10:35 AM
#1217
Well, the motor deal- whatever the motor was, whatever the deal was- fell through.
I still have no idea what that was all about but it's a moot point now.
Sigfrid's wife and kids returned yesterday and they have company coming tomorrow (busy schedule!), so there will be no work on the car this weekend.
They are camping over the long 4th of July weekend, I'll take the opportunity to get back on the car, even if S. cannot. I guess he'll be free the following weekend.
I'm gathering up the final bits/bobs for the electrical and only need a few more things.
I'll be using a combo turn signal/hazard flasher from a Mazda 626 (and a bunch of other models) as well as the timed relay for the rear defroster.
That will leave just the "main" ignition switch to source and I don't know exactly what I'm looking for...hope I know it when I see it.
Sigfrid is pretty sure he found the source of the spray problems we had...the pressure feed line to the paint cannister was weirdly designed/loose and was bleeding off pressure under certain conditions. This was varying the amount of paint delivered to the spray tip and with too little paint, it was blowing out as dust.
If this is fixed, we could respray the front panels any time but the hood is going to need a lot more work, I'm afraid. I think it can be salvaged though.
I need to root around in the attic and find the headlight buckets, which I haven't seen in a year.
Pretty sure they'll need some overhaulin'.
I really wish there was a way to get the car over in my garage for a while. progress would increase exponentially. With limited access and being 20 miles away, I'm getting bored.
I've already built and finished the electrical several times over in my head, now I'd like it done in real life.
I still have no idea what that was all about but it's a moot point now.
Sigfrid's wife and kids returned yesterday and they have company coming tomorrow (busy schedule!), so there will be no work on the car this weekend.
They are camping over the long 4th of July weekend, I'll take the opportunity to get back on the car, even if S. cannot. I guess he'll be free the following weekend.
I'm gathering up the final bits/bobs for the electrical and only need a few more things.
I'll be using a combo turn signal/hazard flasher from a Mazda 626 (and a bunch of other models) as well as the timed relay for the rear defroster.
That will leave just the "main" ignition switch to source and I don't know exactly what I'm looking for...hope I know it when I see it.
Sigfrid is pretty sure he found the source of the spray problems we had...the pressure feed line to the paint cannister was weirdly designed/loose and was bleeding off pressure under certain conditions. This was varying the amount of paint delivered to the spray tip and with too little paint, it was blowing out as dust.
If this is fixed, we could respray the front panels any time but the hood is going to need a lot more work, I'm afraid. I think it can be salvaged though.
I need to root around in the attic and find the headlight buckets, which I haven't seen in a year.
Pretty sure they'll need some overhaulin'.
I really wish there was a way to get the car over in my garage for a while. progress would increase exponentially. With limited access and being 20 miles away, I'm getting bored.
I've already built and finished the electrical several times over in my head, now I'd like it done in real life.
06-29-14, 10:41 AM
#1219
Not sure why but S. doesn't like the idea of moving the car, so the status quo remains in place.
I am totally ready for the wiring, been gathering schematics all week long.
Fortunately, most of the components are Mazda and boy howdy, what a pleasure that has been.
Mazda has some of the most lucid, easily deciphered diagrams I've ever used. In comparison, the Datsun diagrams are practically unreadable and I've been going blind trying to make sense of them.
I made the decision on where to site the fuses/relays for the rear components and it's not a place I'd considered before. This came about after I'd started considering the impact the interior panelling would have on access to the electrical.
The Z has bins behind the seats, much like the FC although they are built into the metal and not removeable. These bins have always been the top candidate for the wiring cluster until I started mentally building out the interior and realized what a PITA access would be.
By the time of the 280 series, these bins had been covered by a false floor (necessary to hide the full size spare) and to get to them, the carpet must come up, the hinged front of the "floor" raised and then the bin cover lid opened.
In essence, the bins are useless- a good idea ruined by later modifications.
We had discussed using the bin cavities as speaker boxes (very common) but I'd put a first claim on them for electrical, a claim I've now rescinded.
It was the Miata dash that did it.
Both the Miata and original Z center consoles are useless to us and we knew we'd have to create our own eventually.
It dawned on me that since we were already making a custom piece, putting electrical in the console was no big deal and access would be much simpler. There is a ton of room which normally would be unused and it's conveniently located and accessed.
Probably take me about ten minutes to mount the two components (fusebox and relay box).
The control wires for the front and rear clusters (the switchgear has now been mostly relieved of power carrying responsibilities and only triggers relays...pretty much a FC power window mod on a grander scale) meet at the passenger footwell and then across the firewall to the main control center, the steering column.
For the most part, the engine control harness is completely separate from the chassis harness, only needing switched and unswitched power and a ground.
The wiper circuit is also discrete and goes directly from the switch through the firewall into the back of the wiper cavity, it's about two feet long instead of six. This harness needs fused, 12v power, a ground and the power feed for the washer pump.
I have all these circuits in my head and could probably put it together in my sleep at this point.
Initially, gauges are going to be a real problem and I'm not sure what we're going to do.
We don't want to invest in gauges until we finalize the engine choice, so we'd planned on using the stock ones at first.
Unfortunately, the stock gauges are absurdly GIGANTIC and won't come close to fitting in the Miata cluster. In fact, the speedo (the worst of all) won't fit beneath the gauge hood even if the cluster housing is removed.
It's a problem.
The original subgauges (fuel, volts, oil pressure and water temp) can easily go in the radio space of the center stack since we won't have music to start with, but it pains me to have an unfinished dash for the year it will probably take to decide on an engine swap.
Right now this is the biggest problem I face.
I think S. got burned out by his hectic schedule and discouraged by the painting problems, so he's been laying low this past week.
He and the family are going camping over the long holiday weekend and I'm moving in and going nuts on the car while they're gone. I hope that significant progress will cheer him up and get us back on track again.
You can bet I'll be sneaking the rocker trim on also, I'm dying to see how it turns out.
I am totally ready for the wiring, been gathering schematics all week long.
Fortunately, most of the components are Mazda and boy howdy, what a pleasure that has been.
Mazda has some of the most lucid, easily deciphered diagrams I've ever used. In comparison, the Datsun diagrams are practically unreadable and I've been going blind trying to make sense of them.
I made the decision on where to site the fuses/relays for the rear components and it's not a place I'd considered before. This came about after I'd started considering the impact the interior panelling would have on access to the electrical.
The Z has bins behind the seats, much like the FC although they are built into the metal and not removeable. These bins have always been the top candidate for the wiring cluster until I started mentally building out the interior and realized what a PITA access would be.
By the time of the 280 series, these bins had been covered by a false floor (necessary to hide the full size spare) and to get to them, the carpet must come up, the hinged front of the "floor" raised and then the bin cover lid opened.
In essence, the bins are useless- a good idea ruined by later modifications.
We had discussed using the bin cavities as speaker boxes (very common) but I'd put a first claim on them for electrical, a claim I've now rescinded.
It was the Miata dash that did it.
Both the Miata and original Z center consoles are useless to us and we knew we'd have to create our own eventually.
It dawned on me that since we were already making a custom piece, putting electrical in the console was no big deal and access would be much simpler. There is a ton of room which normally would be unused and it's conveniently located and accessed.
Probably take me about ten minutes to mount the two components (fusebox and relay box).
The control wires for the front and rear clusters (the switchgear has now been mostly relieved of power carrying responsibilities and only triggers relays...pretty much a FC power window mod on a grander scale) meet at the passenger footwell and then across the firewall to the main control center, the steering column.
For the most part, the engine control harness is completely separate from the chassis harness, only needing switched and unswitched power and a ground.
The wiper circuit is also discrete and goes directly from the switch through the firewall into the back of the wiper cavity, it's about two feet long instead of six. This harness needs fused, 12v power, a ground and the power feed for the washer pump.
I have all these circuits in my head and could probably put it together in my sleep at this point.
Initially, gauges are going to be a real problem and I'm not sure what we're going to do.
We don't want to invest in gauges until we finalize the engine choice, so we'd planned on using the stock ones at first.
Unfortunately, the stock gauges are absurdly GIGANTIC and won't come close to fitting in the Miata cluster. In fact, the speedo (the worst of all) won't fit beneath the gauge hood even if the cluster housing is removed.
It's a problem.
The original subgauges (fuel, volts, oil pressure and water temp) can easily go in the radio space of the center stack since we won't have music to start with, but it pains me to have an unfinished dash for the year it will probably take to decide on an engine swap.
Right now this is the biggest problem I face.
I think S. got burned out by his hectic schedule and discouraged by the painting problems, so he's been laying low this past week.
He and the family are going camping over the long holiday weekend and I'm moving in and going nuts on the car while they're gone. I hope that significant progress will cheer him up and get us back on track again.
You can bet I'll be sneaking the rocker trim on also, I'm dying to see how it turns out.
06-29-14, 10:02 PM
#1220
Rotary Enthusiast
Nissan hasn't improved their wiring diagrams with the Z32 300ZX. I once ended up unplugging a bunch of stuff around the interior fuse box thinking that the one wire I needed to tap into for a auto-dimming rear-view mirror was behind the fuse box, but was actually on one of the plugs to the left of the box. Fortunately, they also make everything easy to plug back in.
Mazda definitely does know how to do wiring diagrams. I've had no problems figuring stuff out on my S4's electrical system--of whta's left of it after weeding and modifying it (and in a few years, I plan to remove almost all of it and start over from scratch).
Mazda definitely does know how to do wiring diagrams. I've had no problems figuring stuff out on my S4's electrical system--of whta's left of it after weeding and modifying it (and in a few years, I plan to remove almost all of it and start over from scratch).
07-01-14, 10:36 AM
#1221
I have a question...
I'm now getting to the final nuts and bolts of the wiring plan and wondering about the fuel pump circuit.
Specifically, whether or not to run it through the switch in the AFM.
(I'm actually going to try the FC AFM but if that doesn't work, the stock Z unit is wired exactly the same and has the same cutoff switch)
I see the extra wiring and connections as potential failure points that I can easily avoid but on the other hand, I can see how switching to RUN without activating the pump might be handy/better.
It just occurred to me and I have no strong feeling either way.
I'll admit that the overall objective of the wiring is to maximize simplicity, so the natural inclination would be not to detour into the engine bay but since I'm building the engine harness from scratch also, it's not a big deal.
We will be using the stock ECU in the beginning and it's one crude, floppy era POS and has no real reason to be involved with the fuel circuit besides this AFM switch. It doesn't prime the pump or vary voltage or anything useful like that, so I'm wondering if the AFM switch is primarily a safety device.
Edumacate me, please.
I'm now getting to the final nuts and bolts of the wiring plan and wondering about the fuel pump circuit.
Specifically, whether or not to run it through the switch in the AFM.
(I'm actually going to try the FC AFM but if that doesn't work, the stock Z unit is wired exactly the same and has the same cutoff switch)
I see the extra wiring and connections as potential failure points that I can easily avoid but on the other hand, I can see how switching to RUN without activating the pump might be handy/better.
It just occurred to me and I have no strong feeling either way.
I'll admit that the overall objective of the wiring is to maximize simplicity, so the natural inclination would be not to detour into the engine bay but since I'm building the engine harness from scratch also, it's not a big deal.
We will be using the stock ECU in the beginning and it's one crude, floppy era POS and has no real reason to be involved with the fuel circuit besides this AFM switch. It doesn't prime the pump or vary voltage or anything useful like that, so I'm wondering if the AFM switch is primarily a safety device.
Edumacate me, please.
07-06-14, 02:26 PM
#1222
It is primarily a safety switch, so that in the event of an accident, engine fire, or anything that could cause the car to be switched on but prevent the engine from running (or cause it to shut off), there's no risk of spraying fuel out of damaged lines. Plus, it prevents the fuel pump from running when the ignition is just keyed on, causing a battery drain.
07-06-14, 07:07 PM
#1223
Yeah, I figured it was primarily a safety feature and admit I'm conflicted.
I can see the utility but am loathe to depend on the 40 year old ECU to control the pump.
I have a few days to decide, I'll see if Sigfrid has an opinion on the matter.
Well, I'm now about 30 hours into the wiring.
It's been brutally hot and I've had to pace myself but even so, a great deal of progress was made.
Unfortunately, wiring is one of the least photogenic processes...it all looks like a right clusterfuck right up to the end and then, if you've done it right, it's pretty nondescript.
The rear of the car (basically, the lights and fuel gauge) is harnessed and complete all the way to the relay/fuse cluster at the back of the transmission tunnel.
These are the same two components I used at the front of the car.
Relays/fuses for fuel pump, brake lights, running lights and timed rear defrost.
A lot of time was spent locating the various components under the dash.
It finally kinda fell into place:
From left to right:
-grey square box is the TS/hazard flasher (Mazda)
-Volvo 2-speed fan relay, used here as the starter cut relay
-Volvo 40a relay for starter
-small 20a relay (Toyota) for wipers
-VW/Audi power distribution block. This is the main fuse panel for the cabin.
Seems like a terrible spot for a fusebox, doesn't it?
Well:
I figure maybe 15-20 hours left on the chassis harness.
I can see the utility but am loathe to depend on the 40 year old ECU to control the pump.
I have a few days to decide, I'll see if Sigfrid has an opinion on the matter.
Well, I'm now about 30 hours into the wiring.
It's been brutally hot and I've had to pace myself but even so, a great deal of progress was made.
Unfortunately, wiring is one of the least photogenic processes...it all looks like a right clusterfuck right up to the end and then, if you've done it right, it's pretty nondescript.
The rear of the car (basically, the lights and fuel gauge) is harnessed and complete all the way to the relay/fuse cluster at the back of the transmission tunnel.
These are the same two components I used at the front of the car.
Relays/fuses for fuel pump, brake lights, running lights and timed rear defrost.
A lot of time was spent locating the various components under the dash.
It finally kinda fell into place:
From left to right:
-grey square box is the TS/hazard flasher (Mazda)
-Volvo 2-speed fan relay, used here as the starter cut relay
-Volvo 40a relay for starter
-small 20a relay (Toyota) for wipers
-VW/Audi power distribution block. This is the main fuse panel for the cabin.
Seems like a terrible spot for a fusebox, doesn't it?
Well:
I figure maybe 15-20 hours left on the chassis harness.
07-06-14, 11:13 PM
#1225
We're having a bit of difficulty finding just the cover, we don't want to pay for an airbag we can't use.
Spec Miata guys sell off their bags/covers and buy these aftermarket anodized aluminum plates that screw in but that's definitely not the look we're after.
The gaping hole for the bag is probably going to be joined by a gaping hole where the gauge cluster/hood used to be...at least temporarily.
The original speedo is so unbelievably gigantic that it cannot be fit into the defined space without significant trimmage and we are NOT going to do that.
Until a solution presents itself, we'll just zip tie it in and suffer the unfinished look.
Probably not one of our greater concerns, he says presciently.
Spec Miata guys sell off their bags/covers and buy these aftermarket anodized aluminum plates that screw in but that's definitely not the look we're after.
The gaping hole for the bag is probably going to be joined by a gaping hole where the gauge cluster/hood used to be...at least temporarily.
The original speedo is so unbelievably gigantic that it cannot be fit into the defined space without significant trimmage and we are NOT going to do that.
Until a solution presents itself, we'll just zip tie it in and suffer the unfinished look.
Probably not one of our greater concerns, he says presciently.