While my engine is out for...well cleaning, I'd like to clean up the engine bay a bit...aka remove any un needed wires. I plan on re-locating the battery to the passenger bin and I'd like to re-locate the fuse box it attaches to. Has anyone attempted this?

Has anyone felt the cooling fans are huge also? I was thinking of getting an upgraded fan maybe from flex-a-lite, does ayone have experiance with them? I really want to get rid of the wiring from the stock fans and the relays that go with them. Maybe I'm going overboard, but I like the engine bay as simple as possible when I'm trying to work on the 7.

I'll be pulling the ABS while the engine is out as well. I'll be taking pictures of my progress and documenting things most likely to keep everyone updated.

 

I think the stock fd fans are pretty good, the flex-a-light fans ive used ive not been impressed with.

 

Do a search on battery relocation, there are many people that have write-ups about their passenger/driver storage bin relocation.

Jeremy

 

I know how to do the battery relocation, it's pretty staright forward, just need to add a 200 amp circuit breaker into the mix and your all set

 

If you want to go all out, you can remove the cruise control, PS, and AC. Also, if your not worried about smog, you can remove the air pump. If you do have to worry about it you can always get an electric air pump from a vette, or BMW. Thats about all I can think of for right now...

-Alex

 

I think jimlab relocated that fuse box up front. search for a thread by him.

 

I was thinking about the ABS removal as well, but that wouldn't be until next year. Hyperite has some aftermarket fans. A lot slimmer profile, and they spin fast, but I think they push as much air and I don't know how much they draw. Definitely cleans up the bay too.

 

As for taking out PS, AC, the smog equipment and cruise....I've already done that a while ago...except I like having power steering, sometimes it's nice.

The aftermarket fans push about 2,800 CFMs i believe....the stock fans push about 3,500 if im not mistaken.

 

to comment on the stock fans, they are more than adequate, any aftermarket fan is a waste of money and time really. I believe the stock fans have low, middle, and high settings. The only modification to the fans I would do is use a manual switch or make certain the fans turn on to the high mode sooner then later.

 

I agree... regarding the fans, I did a good bit of research on this a few months ago. There's simply no aftermarket fan that can provide the same airflow with the same current draw in the same form factor. Also, almost all aftermarket fans are single speed on/off.

 

I'm not sure where the fan wires would lie with a v-mount but I have my radiator turned on its side with the front mount and I rerouted the wires because I thought they were ugly, just sitting on top of my IC. I'll see if I can post a pic.

 

Scrub,

I think you should keep your ABS..
Far as fans go.. I'm going with all 4 blade fans..

 

On using an electric air pump - do NOT try and substitute an electric air pump for the stocker. It will burn out VERY quickly - they're only designed to be run very briefly at beginning cold start for a few seconds, that's it.

Matter of fact, the RX-8 electric air pump states in the shop manual that it only runs for 30 seconds when cold. If you're working on the car or seeing if the air pump has trouble, the shop manual tells you to let it cool down after running for 30 seconds or you'll kill it!

Just wanted to clear that one up .

Dale

 

Phil, Why do you recommend not taking the ABS out?

As for an electronic air pump...I wasn't thinking of using one but the reason the corvette air pumps burn up so quick is because they are made to be run at 9 volts instead of 12.

Thanks for the replies and widebody 2 your engine bay looks clean The way my wires are you can't even see them.

 

I think a lot of people, particularly the more experienced drivers shun taking it out as it may help more with than without in those situations where needed. IE afraid that there are more of us that will end up losing control because of one's inability to properly modulate the brakes. And undersatandably so. There are arguments for removing it I'm sure. There are a few threads on here that discuss that. Personally, All cars I've owned haven't had ABS and I've been in a few situations where it would have been nice, but not absolutely necessary. That, and the fact that this car will only see rain once in a blue moon are good enough motivators to continue to clean up the bay. But, to each their own.

 

All of my engines vacuum hoses are out of sight, even the big ones to the brake booster .That cleaned things up a lot . Ask Herblenny for pictures .

 

Vosko had a set of thin aftermarket fans on his old FD. Even with the T78 and the huge Greddy 3 row blocking the opening - he never had any issues; and he beat the living hell out of his car - drifting, dragging.. you name it.

Isn't it just the relay that gives the fan different speeds? Could you not apply the same circuitry to aftermarket fans?

 

Well, it would be a relay with inline resistors on a particular circuit to cut the voltage, right? Same thing as the heat/ac blower. So yeah, you can do the same thing.

The guy I mentioned has a MS hood, and where that vent sits, it really makes the removal of heat pretty efficient. Far as I know, he's never had any issues in that respect as well.

 

I remember him saying that it keeps things nice and cool. I don't really see a need for low and high speed fans. Hell having the fans on one set speed(high) will probably cool the radiator down faster. I've just never heard anyone besides vosko really talk about the flex-a-lite fans.

I've read quite a few threads about ABS, so I know the pros and cons of taking it out. I even used to drive a car tha didn't have it....but that was before I had any real driving experiance. Like railgun said before, my car will not see much rain. Eventually I plan on taking the 7 to track events, so that is another thing to take into consideration. A lot of people favor having ABS on the track.