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Last weekend we got the engine dropped in the car. That all went relatively well so huzzah!
Things accomplished to get it running -
- Get radiator re-installed. Since I have a Blitz front mount, this is harder than one would think. After dorking around with it I realized it really would have been way easier to unbolt the AC condenser, let that hang down, then way more room for the radiator install.
- Touched up some of the wiring to the fuse block/positive terminal. One thing I was originally planning on doing was making an aftermarket fuse block for some of the extras that are on the car (hard wired fuel pump, HID's, water injection pump, etc.) but I decided to scrap that project for now in the interest of time.
- Got the upper radiator hose figured out. The way it was run with the twins it was going RIGHT by the turbo's intake. I got a 90 degree 38mm pipe -
That gave me some more room. I then hacked up a Mishimoto silicone radiator hose to connect it all up.
Fired up nicely, it's running VERY rich and needs a re-tune, most likely due to the street port and new turbo. But, the important things are there -
- Perfect oil pressure
- Coolant seals seem to be happy, no pressurizing of the coolant system
- No fuel leaks
- No leaks in general
- Seems to be good compression, motor sounds tight and strong.
Now of course I couldn't not screw something up . Boogered up the install of the clutch slave, ejected its guts into the bell housing and tore the boot on the end of the slave. I have a new one coming, should be here tomorrow, but I'll then be out of pocket next week so there ya go.
I also last weekend mocked up the turbo to intercooler pipe, I'm pleased with how that all turned out. It's at the welders now, hope to have it back by end of week.
Picture time!
Existing radiator hose. Very hard to get a picture of the interference issue but it was in the way. Mocked up new IC pipe. Made out of the old pipe, a 2.75" straight and a 2.75" 45 deg. Pipe marked up for the welder Aluminum hard pipe with Mishimoto radiator hose pieces. I have a piece of the old rubber hose on the pipe to hopefully prevent rubbing a hole through it. Fired up. Had to get a new Lisle funnel, the one I've had for ages has the metal adapter thing bent
- Get the intercooler pipe in, figure out some sort of an intake, and get the slave cylinder fixed so I can actually drive around the block.
- Get the bottom of the car buttoned up - belly pans and what not.
- Get some MILEAGE on it.
- Get it tuned in with FC-Tweak, it is SO eye watering rich right now. Need to sort that out and get a solid idle.
- Once I can get it running and driving OK it needs tires. Current set is from 2015 and I don't trust another Dragon trip on them
I also have a big list of stuff that I originally was gonna do but have to hold back on due to time before the Dragon trip. My goal is to get it solid, running on spring boost, and get it safely up to DGRR and back. If I can pull that off I will be pleased.
Post-DGRR stuff to do -
- Upgrade to 99 spec fan motors/electrical connectors
- Powdercoat UIM, TB elbow, IC pipes
- Fix up the wiring around the battery/fuse block so it's less janky
- Replace the too-long radiator hose clamps that are currently on there
- Once it's solid mechanically, PAINT THE DAMN THING
Last weekend we got the engine dropped in the car. That all went relatively well so huzzah!
Things accomplished to get it running -
- Get radiator re-installed. Since I have a Blitz front mount, this is harder than one would think. After dorking around with it I realized it really would have been way easier to unbolt the AC condenser, let that hang down, then way more room for the radiator install.
- Touched up some of the wiring to the fuse block/positive terminal. One thing I was originally planning on doing was making an aftermarket fuse block for some of the extras that are on the car (hard wired fuel pump, HID's, water injection pump, etc.) but I decided to scrap that project for now in the interest of time.
- Got the upper radiator hose figured out. The way it was run with the twins it was going RIGHT by the turbo's intake. I got a 90 degree 38mm pipe -
That gave me some more room. I then hacked up a Mishimoto silicone radiator hose to connect it all up.
Fired up nicely, it's running VERY rich and needs a re-tune, most likely due to the street port and new turbo. But, the important things are there -
- Perfect oil pressure
- Coolant seals seem to be happy, no pressurizing of the coolant system
- No fuel leaks
- No leaks in general
- Seems to be good compression, motor sounds tight and strong.
Now of course I couldn't not screw something up . Boogered up the install of the clutch slave, ejected its guts into the bell housing and tore the boot on the end of the slave. I have a new one coming, should be here tomorrow, but I'll then be out of pocket next week so there ya go.
I also last weekend mocked up the turbo to intercooler pipe, I'm pleased with how that all turned out. It's at the welders now, hope to have it back by end of week.
Picture time!
Existing radiator hose. Very hard to get a picture of the interference issue but it was in the way.
Mocked up new IC pipe. Made out of the old pipe, a 2.75" straight and a 2.75" 45 deg.
Pipe marked up for the welder
Aluminum hard pipe with Mishimoto radiator hose pieces. I have a piece of the old rubber hose on the pipe to hopefully prevent rubbing a hole through it. Fired up. Had to get a new Lisle funnel, the one I've had for ages has the metal adapter thing bent
HELL YEAH!!!!
I know you popped a root BEER when she fired up!
Congrats Dale... glad to see she's alive.
Last edited by estevan62274; Mar 13, 2025 at 06:56 AM.
I was slowed down last week due to us being in Europe Had a great trip to Stockholm and Copenhagen!
So, what all is new?
- Got the hot side IC pipe back from the welder. They did a great job, everything is lined up and money. It doesn't look that pretty right now, long term it's getting painted or powder coated. I also got a weld on aluminum nipple for just after the turbo on the IC pipe for the primary injector air bleed to hook up.
- FINALLY figured out how to make an intake for the car. Got a 45" 4" silicone coupler, cut it down a little, going to a cut down 90 degree 4" aluminum pipe then to the cone that came with the turbo. Long term it will need some heat shielding and what not but it's solid, not rubbing anything, and filtering air . It was a challenge to design - 4" is BIG and there are AC lines and the upper radiator pipe in the way. Long term I think I can drop that radiator pipe down some more but it's good to go.
- For whatever reason with the changes in everything, maybe due to the porting? - the car was idling SUPER rich, like down in the 10's. Had to use FC-Edit to lean out the idle area to get it decent. First few runs I was REEKING of exhaust stank.
- Got the new DL-340XB PowerFC interface hooked up. Man that thing is SLICK. Hooked the laptop up, drove around the neighborhood for 10-15 minutes logging, saved the log, brought into FC-Tweak, let it auto tune, loaded it back in, and SO much better. I need to do a few more iterations of that but the car is driving good which is awesome. The autotune makes this SO easy.
- Motor is cooperating, boy it starts on a DIME, compression sounds great. Maybe this weekend I'll do a compression test to get a "early" number and see how it improves (or doesn't) over time.
Since the car is being good and cooperating just ordered a new set of tires from Tire Rack, they should be here Monday. The tires on there are probably 10 years old and I don't trust another Deals Gap trip on them!
Supposed to be a rainy weekend coming up, going to try and get the car on jack stands and do a few things -
- Flush the brake fluid. It's probably 3-4 years old at least.
- Get the belly pans back on
- check over brakes and suspension
Also the poor thing needs to be WASHED something fierce!
Overall shot of the engine bay. IC pipe clamped in and good. Still waiting to put the strut tower brace back on. Close up of the intake. I ordered a PILE of parts trying to find what would work.
I have the mega old school Racing Beat wheels on my car, 17x8 front 17x9 rear so it's a staggered setup.
Just over $700 to my door so not too bad. They actually will be here TODAY but they will be hopefully installed next week, want to get some more odds and ends ironed out before driving to the tire shop.
Yeah I gave it a once over with Scotchbrite to get the dirt from the welders off and got the Sharpie marks off of it. Not going any further than that . But very good point!
Drove around some more today and even went on a parts store and lunch run. Cold idle is a little meh at this point but hot is good, it's not stalling, and it starts up AWESOME.
FINALLY got a wash today, it's been a while. It was SUPER dusty. Foam cannon = the best thing Tires are ALREADY here. Tire Rack doesn't play around! Hopefully get them installed Monday
Yeah I gave it a once over with Scotchbrite to get the dirt from the welders off and got the Sharpie marks off of it. Not going any further than that . But very good point!
Drove around some more today and even went on a parts store and lunch run. Cold idle is a little meh at this point but hot is good, it's not stalling, and it starts up AWESOME.
Dale
Sweet Dale!
Glad to see her moving good…. How much boost do you wanna run?
Careful with overboost on these EFR 8374iwg turbos.
I'm hoping to be around 14psi all said and done. Right now I have it just straight vacuum hose from the nipple on the turbo to the wastegate can. I want to get everything sorted out on the spring first then bring the boost controller in.
I did some waste gate porting, only one way though to know if it was enough
- Get the intercooler pipe in, figure out some sort of an intake, and get the slave cylinder fixed so I can actually drive around the block.
- Get the bottom of the car buttoned up - belly pans and what not.
- Get some MILEAGE on it.
- Get it tuned in with FC-Tweak, it is SO eye watering rich right now. Need to sort that out and get a solid idle.
- Once I can get it running and driving OK it needs tires. Current set is from 2015 and I don't trust another Dragon trip on them
I also have a big list of stuff that I originally was gonna do but have to hold back on due to time before the Dragon trip. My goal is to get it solid, running on spring boost, and get it safely up to DGRR and back. If I can pull that off I will be pleased.
Post-DGRR stuff to do -
- Upgrade to 99 spec fan motors/electrical connectors
- Powdercoat UIM, TB elbow, IC pipes
- Fix up the wiring around the battery/fuse block so it's less janky
- Replace the too-long radiator hose clamps that are currently on there
- Once it's solid mechanically, PAINT THE DAMN THING
Dale
I strongly recommend the Feed slave cylinder from RHD Japan. I was very impressed with the performance of my Flaken 660 RT at the dragon last year.
Semi-fancy . Got a Ryobi pressure washer with a good hose reel, good no-kink hose, foam cannon, etc. Super easy to setup and get washing then put back up and it gives great results.
Looked into some of the higher end detailing pressure washers but I felt that for the money the $99 Ryobi is a winner. Upgraded the components around it and I'm very pleased.
Car is doing well so far. Need to drive around/log/autotune with FC Tweak some more before DGRR but it's driving good.
Updates:
- About 100 miles on the engine so far. And doesn't seem to be leaking! (knocks on wood)
- The windshield washer tank is leaking out - I have it plumbed in to my water injection and it's probably leaking out through that system. Just got to take some time and sort that out.
- Got the new tires installed and alignment checked yesterday, I can already tell the new tires are WAY stickier than the 2015 tires
- AC is doing great with a can of Dust-Off in there. Long term would like the JP3 kit but this will get me down the road.
- I MAY have a small clutch hydraulic leak. I noticed a hose clamp had rubbed into the stainless braided hose, I went ahead and ordered a new one from Sakebomb Garage and also got their upgraded hatch struts.
All said I'm feeling good about making the trip to DGRR!
Dale, this is what I put together with both of those pieces. I had a moderately sized K&N cone before and I saw a noticeable boost response going to this. I have an EFR 8374 as well.
Been slowly easing into the tune - drive around up to 4000 RPM, little to no boost, data log, then auto tune with FC-Tweak. Every pass the car has driven smoother and better. It's incredible how well that software works.
Today I just went and added more boost a little at a time and more RPM, making sure the map was safe before really getting deep into it. Again, auto tune is doing a great job.
I finally went full throttle today in 2nd gear.
I'm running a hose straight from the boost nipple of the 8374 to the waste gate can, no boost controller until I get the spring pressure dialed in and I'm comfortable with the tune and it's not over boosting.
I hit .7 kg/cm2 (about 10psi) of boost which is right where I want to be on the spring.
AND HOLY LORD WAS IT FAST. I'm seriously thinking it's faster now than 1.0 (14psi) on the 99 twins.
Down low is still OK, it definitely doesn't feel slow but it doesn't have that initial hit of the twins. But, that's the job of the boost controller to spin the turbo up fast.
