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Very cool.. but looks like the Plex gets a lot of it's function from OBD II interface. How are you getting it to work with the PFC?
P
the Plex has the capability to get the features from the OBD 2 but i wont use it like that obviously
i got the version that has 2 the egt inputs + all pbc pro versions have 2 analog inputs, one that the NGK AFX will be hook up with and the other will be a fuel pressure sensor for boost cut during fuel starvation . there is also the water/meth injection failsafe system that can connect to it
so in the end, I wont be seeing coolant temp and oil but for those i have the Defi ZD right on the steering column so essentially this simplifies the 3 gauges (one being the turbosmart boost control) and the NGK that is in the din pocket( not visible from the first picture).
I want to use the boost by gear properly. the 2 analog switches on the existing boost control is a good but poorly executed idea
I haven't been very active lately but I figured it was a good time to update this thread with some major updates.
The clutch has always been a headache as no clutch seems to last in my hands.
I got an OS giken R2CD dual plate clutch to replace Single plate Carbonetics Carbon clutch. right before the installation a friend had sold his car and he had a Carbonetics Dual Carbon Clutch that it was missing the push to pull converter. Since i had that i figured it was a good time to try it. So now i have 2 clutch systems on stand-by just in case haha
I have been wanting to simplify the interior of my car with all the dash/gauges setup and also upgrade the ecu to something a little more modern so it can support the can-bus communication between the ecu and the dash. I still love the power fc, it has never let me down but with the direction of the build, the haltech switch seemed inevitable. Since i was getting the haltech system, I was ready to buy a dash logger. I didnt want to get the haltech IC7. The AIM or Plex (Syvecs) stuff seemed to be of a higher level.
Right when i was ready to order the AIM MXG dash, they had released the AIM PDM series of power distribution modules with a "coming soon" date. So i was playing the waiting game until the pdm was officially released. I got a very early release of the PDM32 with the 10inch dash.
My car is still a street driven car so i wanted to maintain the ABS- A/C (Cyprus is HOT) along with some of the daily comforts and this is where the major wiring headache comes in. I have consulted with C.Ludwig and an ex-colleague from Cyprus who is a master auto electrician and Matt Romanowski from trailbrake.com .
Studying all the wiring Diagrams in Japanese (as it is a late model FD) to figure how to make everything to work harmoniously with each other was not easy but we got it done.
I have ran out of inputs and i therefore had to use the RIO12 which is the input expansion module for the AIM stuff.
I am using Tefzel wire for each channel appropriate thickness along with the different colors. When I started building this harness no harnesses were available but even the handful of the ones that are now available all use the same color wires and i wanted to avoid that.
My Egts have always been high and i think the root cause of the issue was my "restrictive" manifold. my car spends most of its time at the track and i am very often at WOT.
Since we were wiring the pdm, i had a carpet in pristine condition that i thought it was a good opportunity to replace since my bolt on roll cage is now gone.
I did not expect what I came across. I had managed to melt the seals of the master cylinder and the primary cylinder in the past but i did not think that the heat would or could melt the carpet on the inside. Thankfully the damage is small but i am planning to strip the car to a bare shell next year and have it repainted inside and out
Well since i lost my other car due to a fire in the same location i wanted to make sure that everything is insulated properly to avoid a similar outcome, and the manifold replaced (if indeed that is the source of my "problem")
but it didn't stop there. along with the new BIG-R GleaseMan Manifold (which was already inconel shielded, Thanks @Neutron ) i figured let me do the same to the turbine housing and downpipe, intake manifold.
Since i had to make a new downpipe (Now a 4inch) and I wanted to make more power than previously with the 8374, i decided to switch my turbo to a 9280.
Since each post is limited to 12 pictures i am gonna split it up to multiple posts.
EFR-9280 EWG
Radium primary and secondary fuel rails, Radium FPR and FPD
Marine Ign Coils mounted under the upper intake manifold
Heater pipe had to be rerouted as it wont clear the turbo (clears but its very close)
4 inch downpipe with both wastegates plumbed back in the exhaust
I have 3d Scanned and modeled all related components.
It came out nice but if i was going to do it over i would have done things a little differently
Thermoplastic Vibration damper (TPU)
Test Fitment. Gotta love having the RHD dashboard here in the states to be doing test-fits
In case I need to charge a laptop at the track
PA11 Is a bitch to paint but loctite came up with an adhesive promoter that supposedly it is made for the PA11. It seems that the paint sticks a lot better with this promoter but i am not convinced that its as durable. I figured the next step is to dye it with clothes dye and then paint match it but even then i am not sure how it will work out.
I
have chewed up enough fender liners to know not to install but i came across these. This guy from Canada made a small batch of these. covers the hole in the engine bay. It doesn't really work as a fender liner but Im pretty happy with the fitment
Sneak peak of the new coilovers. Switched from Ohlins PCV to Ohlins PCV . They new coilovers have been revalved and rebuilt for the swift 18k and 16k rear springs. i have maintained the helper springs as they are superb for the street
Nice work!
fwiw, I used some DEI floor and tunnel shield under the car in the tranny tunnel and firewall to decrease the amount of heat coming into the cabin. Works well.
Nice work!
fwiw, I used some DEI floor and tunnel shield under the car in the tranny tunnel and firewall to decrease the amount of heat coming into the cabin. Works well.
Thank you!!
i actually got the thicker version that i am planning to install on the firewall after the paint job. seeing 1100C EGT (even on both runners) at the track the poor car is crying for help haha
Costas, an update like this is like dropping a Nuke
Loving that 4 inch dual gate reroute Bad Boy. You do not see those often, and for a reason. Kudos!
Why the crushed coolant pipe in the last pic? for clearance I'm sure but what's in the way?
Loving the pics buddy
Thanks dude. But there are A LOT of other updates coming in the tomorrow's post lol
The crushed tube that feels like an afterthought on the hks vmount but actually this is how the kit comes. .. it seems that its the only way to use a stock sized radiator (which i greatly appreciate) with the radiator inlet/outlet as they are from the factory. I might end up making a different tube to eliminate this but it works well as a kit.
The intercooler is actually in the way. So it basically rests right on top of that
Back to the HKS vmount story; !The radiator fans! a story that makes every hks v-mount owner dreads as these damn fans hang so low with the setup. I do appreciate the fact that i can use the oem sized radiator but its a poor solution .
I had posted this on DaleClark's thread about the HKS Vmount but i have never posted it here.
Well here's how it goes with a short recap.
with the fans hanging so low i ended up getting aftermarket SPAL fans 11inch, 844 CFM each, low profile. I bolted the fans on through the fins. the Car worked fine, the A/C sucked
So i switched to a different 11inch SPAL fan, 1370 CFM but it was not low profile as before.
My cooling system performed significantly better with the 1370CFM fans but it wasn't really up to par with OEM A/C performance even though my coolant temps were fine except when the A/C would come on i wasn't going fast enough to cool the condenser. It was recommended several times to ditch the A/C system by a few of my close friends. As long as the car is on the street, the A/C and the ABS stays.
While I gained a couple of inches in floor clearance from the OEM Fans to the 1370CFM fans, I felt that more clearance was needed. I didn't have any issues going over speed-bumps or had an issue when I locked up and got off the track a couple of times.
The fan installation bothered me for a while so i decided to design a shroud that would work with the HKS V-Mount. So i came up with this
(Note, this is NOT remotely similar to some other options out there. The shroud bolts on to the radiator on the reverse side and it's not welded on like some other options i have seen. The Koyo Radiator is clear anodized and i am sure a lot of other radiators are. why would i want to mess the anodizing to weld on a shroud like? And when the radiator needs replacing would i have to repeat the process again? that's stupid but someone mentioned this before so i am clarifying it)
The A/C performance is so good right now, i am freezing when i turn it on. The engine coolant temperature dropped significantly . I had previously replaced my thermostat to a 68 C and the car runs at that temperature even when the ambient temperature is 40+ C. Whereas before I would often see 105+ C coolant temp at the track . I need to replace the thermostat back to an OEM temp thermostat (something around 80-85 C). So the cooling system now is too efficient , something you don't hear often with these cars haha
Well with the shroud now, some height is added (1/2" if i recall) so now i have gained about 1-1/2" from the OEM FANS. While still higher than the OEM system; i am feeling a little uncomfortable that eventually I will smack the fans and mess everything up. So i went back to the drawing board and i designed this adaptor.
The bolt pattern for the 1370CFM vs the 844CFM are close, but not close enough to make it work. I ended up getting the mounting tabs that clock them at a different angle to get some extra clearance on this adaptor
These are the fans i had used previously (844CFM) and this adaptor will allow me to gain 2 additional inches in height (approximately 3.5inches higher than the OEM Fans)
I hope that the 844CFM fans will work well this time using this shroud as they didn't perform well previously. Extrapolating some old data I had in hand, I think they will work well. If not, the 1370 CFM ones can go back
Amazing work Costas. The improvent in cooling efficiency from the custom made shroud is also impressive!
Let us know impressions on the new settings on the PCV in due course mate.
The Pdm Saga continues. Still a major mess but everything is wired in. We have to clean up the installation now. Well at this point i left Cyprus to return to the US but there's still some work getting done on the car in my absence as i left the car with my ex-colleague
The PDM location is by the passenger airbag cavity. The Airbag mounts on the bar that is inside the dash. I wanted to design a nice mount for the pdm to go on. The problem with that is that the dashboard i have at home is only the skin and not the complete dash (sneak peak of the Haltech RHD bracket from @IRPerformance )
Luckily for me, a guy had posted a complete S8 dash for sale and he was only 15 minutes away from me . it includes everything. vents, harness , even the din pocket so i decided to start designing a mount but i didnt have the pdm since it is in cyprus so i modelled and 3d printed one in low quality for a test fit purpose.
I have decided to upgrade my system even further and get this IZZE Racing system for my AIM pdm
the size of a quarter per sensor
While this only measures the external temperature of the tire; It is only half the equation. I also needed the pressure and preferably to be measured in the same system so you would tire pressure and internal temperature
I ended up getting this TPMS from trailbrake.com . Matt was nice enough to help me set up a Can protocol for these 2 systems to work together
pictures from trailbrake.com pictures from trailbrake.com
I was planning to upgrade to one of these systems instead but since i am running a square setup and i do tire rotation very often (every track day ) but i have decided against them because it is not easy to set them up every time you are rotating. its doable but its messy. i figured with the valve cap sensors i will be better off for what i need and work just as well for the amateur level track day enthusiast that i am
I have made this sample mount. straight from the back bracket but mounting the prototype looks a little crooked because the back bracket is not actually parallel to the dash
2nd version mounted ( 6 degree angle) vs the original concept
This is the second version of the mount, with a 6 degree angle with the intention to have it parallel with the dash.
This will be a made in TPU thermoplastic to absorb vibrations
I think it came out alright for now. Final piece will be laser cut in 5052 aluminum and possibly press in some FHS-M6 studs for an easy installation.
and to a little more interesting stuff.
I developed some end play on my driveshaft (by the differential side). diff clunks a lot. i figured my OS giken after 14 years of service is finally toast. its to be determined but i at this point i am prepared for the worst
I decided to try the Carbonetics Carbon 1.5way diff and compare it with the os giken. I really like the carbonetics Clutch. I loved the triple carbon clutch when i first drove it on David Hayes 20B beast. I was very impressed with how oem feel-like it was and how it handled power and this is one of the main reasons why i went with the dual carbon pro series from carbonetics. At this point, I am hoping that their diffs is as good as their clutches.
I had been looking for a 4.77 ring and pinion from the R3 Rx8 for a while as i could really benefit from a 4.77 at my local track, The 4.44 is a great option and it has helped me a lot at the track but there's a couple of spots that i could benefit from a 4.77.
As for the 4.77 availability, you can order it from any website but then they will cancel the order saying that the part is NLA. So anyhow I gave up my search for a 4.77. I I didn't want to get a knightsports or whatever other jdm option is out there as it is not as beefy as the OEM RX8.I saw the other R&P on ebay AUS with 5.1, 5.3 and 5.8 ratios that a friend ended up buying with great success (on a track only rx8) but it was too short for me. I have the short 5th gear as my transmission is using the JDM 5th gear
So I ended up picking a pumpkin from a low mileage rx8 pretty cheap so i can use the 4.44 in the event that my 4.44 ring and pinion is messed up.
They are pretty cheap, and at this point its unknown whether my ring and pinion is fine or messed up and i don't want to delay my pumpkin rebuild. My visits to Cyprus are more and more scarce every year so i don't want to open it up find that its all messed up and can't rebuild it. Inevitably I buy parts I don't necessarily need but i am in peace of mind that in a worst case scenario i wont be stranded because I don't have something that barely costs 150$
I found an R3 pumpkin (with the 4.77 R&P) shortly after though with 19k miles if i recall. Took it apart, the R&P is super clean but since it wasnt going to go in the car for a while, ship it half way around the globe, i decided to use that dry lube graphite spray for the sake of preservation.
I do have 2 pumpkins there. i might end up grabbing another Carbonetics (if its as good as i expect) and 2 build identical pumpkins one with 4.44 and one with the 4.77.
If the 4.77 will work fine on the street/highway; I thinking to perhaps get a shorter ratio (5.1 5.3 maybe) and use that purely on the track in the event that the 4.77 doesn't work very well at the track
My RPF1 were 17x10 and the tires i brought over were 275 40 17 Nitto NT01. these are only available in the states.
The tire availability in europe is very limited in models/sizes I didnt have any options really to use the same size. I opted for 255 40 17 R888R (275 40 17 is available for the R888R, not in europe)
Bringing tires as luggage is a big pain in the *****, i have done it 3-4 times but i don't want to do it again. Due to this limited tire availability, i have decided to switch to 18inch rims as there are far more options for the 18inch rims.
Since I was shipping rims and a whole bunch of other crap i have decided to grab a set of rims/tires instead of just rims and ship everything together. I switched to the Enkei Rs05RR 18x9.5. I had found them as a good deal and i figured the 9.5 was probably enough for the 275. I hope i wont regret the 9.5" width but i will find out at the first outing to the track.
As for this time, i have decided to try the GoodYear SuperCar 3R 275 35 18 tires. a good friend recommended them so i figured it was a good chance to try them as i absolutely HATED the R888R (At 255 40 17). a major disappointment over the NT01 that it is supposed to be in the same category (same brand and supposedly same tire material?)
Great stuff Costas - glad to see you out of hibernation and your series 8 continually evolving to a whole new level
Like Mr. Hahn said, your solutions on some of these comparable things are making me consider going back to the drawing board on my build
Raising the bar for us all - keep up the great work
Thank you!
This kind positive reinforcement is the reason why i am posting some new stuff and it means a lot coming from you guys!
I never really stopped making parts (except during a major surgery recovery) but i didn't post them here. not everyone appreciated my design/manufacturing approach but each to their own
I will be posting more stuff soon as I am going back home again soon.
I have asked my ex-colleague to assemble the car as i am going there for only a short while. he sent me this today.
I might have to adjust the hood just a little. According to my friend you cant see this in person.
And the IR performance ECU mount for the RHD
The later JDM models did not come with a trunk light and its a pain in the *** trying to get stuff from the trunk at night.
installed a door jam switch there.
the pdm program is halfway done but i should finish it when i go back
Now with the boring manufacturing stuff again.
i went with the signal conditioner from C.Ludwig for the traction control.
and i had to find a mounting solution.
This is not my car but i had to do a test fit
i figured i could make it a little shorter as it doesnt interfere with anything. when i printed the sample i didn't like how it looked. I will have the aluminum piece cut in the morning
07-19-18, 12:38 PM
. They new coilovers have been revalved and rebuilt for the swift 18k and 16k rear springs. i have maintained the helper springs as they are superb for the street
