GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

I'm glad she's on the road Alberto, I think you'll love the new setup! Keep us updated. Also, Ihor emailed you the engine breakin schedule correct?

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Yep. Last time it only took me a week to break-in a motor. Lets see how quick I get it done this time. Start the timer.

Still trying to decide on which oil to use after break-in: Idemetsu, Royal Purple, Mobil 1, Valvoline or...


Engine Engine Break-In Schedule

• First 500 miles, RPMs less than 4000, minimal boost pressure (as close to 0 as possible)

• Change oil and filter with mineral oil

• Next 1000 miles, RPMs less than 6000, boost pressure less than 5 psi

• Change oil and filter with mineral or synthetic oil, break-in complete

During break in, use mineral oil in 10w30 (cooler weather) or 20w50 (warmer weather) weights. After break in, it is your choice between mineral and synthetic oil. We strongly recommend use of 20w50 weight oil during the summer months and 10w30 during the winter months after break in.

IRPerformance

iTrader: (41)

Congrats Alberto. It doesn't really matter what synthetic you use as long as it is a quality name brand.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Idemitsu fo shizzle:

http://www.rx7.com/store/rx7/fdengine_maintenance.html

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

515 miles in 2 days of driving
running up and down the revs 2,000 - 4,000 RPM and checking out the beautiful California scenery.
No boost
Driving slow


The engine runs like a ******* Rolex.


The rebuilt trans was extremely tight but is loosening up and shifting nicely. Loving the clutch.


Its such a tease driving this car like this. This car usually likes to be driven hard and fast.


I'm really liking the IRP poly urethane motor mounts. I got the medium stiffness. It really tightens up the drivetrain and makes shifting easier.


More later.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Almost done breaking it in. A couple of impressions.

IRP Poly Motor Mounts

I've read tons of posts about poly motor mounts and was a bit skeptical about claims of no engine vibrations. I decided to try them after I had experienced the poly motor mounts in Goodfella's car and didn't notice any vibrations.

In summary - I'm really liking the IRP poly Motor Mounts.

At idle, I don't notice any increased vibrations or noise. Nor do I notice any vibrations or different noises when I'm going through the gears.

What I DO notice is a much tighter feeling drivetrain w/o that feeling of the tranny twisting side to side as I accelerate/decelerate. My old stock motor mounts were in excellent shape so I didn't expect to see that much of a change with regards to driveline movement so I am very pleasantly impressed.

Transmission rebuild

I am also very happy with the way my transmission rebuild turned out. Tranny is very tight and shifts better than new. More impressions on it here:
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/transmission-rebuild-time-604671/


Can't wait till break in is all done so I can start driving this car the way it was meant to!

IRPerformance

iTrader: (41)

Thanks for the feedback on the mounts. My goal was to make something that would hold the engine much better than stock, yet not make the car feel like a piece of garbage by transmitting all sorts of vibration. I have tried many mounts on the market and have not been very happy with most of them. That is why I made my own.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Nothing new to report. Car is running well. Very well.


I need to adjust the idle areas of the map as the new motor has some air flow changes that are noticeable at low RPMs. I recently installed an Innovate WB02 that was collecting dust for a year. Nice unit but I hate wiring up stuff like this. AFRs on Steve Kan's map seem good overall.


I also did a bunch of maintenance on the car:
- Cleaned and re-oiled the K&N Air Filters
- Drained the 50/50 coolant that the mechanic used and replaced with 70% Distilled Water / 30% Prestone green coolant
- Drained and refilled the Tranny oil on the rebuilt trans. I'm using Valvoline dino for now in the trans. Will probably switch to NEO after a few more thousand miles.

I've also been degreasing the undercarriage of past fluid leaks.

I'm really glad the previous owner had replaced the wiring harness and all the solenoids before I bought the car. That saved me a ton of money. On a sequential twins car, you really need good solenoids and a clean wiring harness for the car to be reliable.

At this point, the only original drivetrain/underhood parts on this car are ABS pump, fuse boxes, hard lines, brake booster, driveshaft, rear diff, rear axles and steering rack.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Long time no update.

I've been fighting a secondary boost problem for a while - basically since break-in. After checking everything twice, I think its the o-ring for the Y pipe. I have a new one sitting in the garage waiting on time to install. One of the few parts I didn't replace during the install....


Even with the boost transition problem, I still managed to do a track event with HookedOnDriving.com at Laguna Seca. I used a pic from the day in my avatar. Pretty cool pic. Amazing track. Gotta get there again. I got black flagged b/c of sound. My car was putting out 96 decibles going up the uphill toward the corkscrew. If I go back, I need to do something about sound.


I also just install the aftermarket Intake Air Temp sensor that I got from Brent aka Dudemaaanownsanrx7. It responds so much quicker than the stock sensor. Frickin amazing. Eventually I may try it in the intake elbow but for now its staying in the stock location.

I also added some OEM '99 tail lights that I got from Goodfella. Pretty cool looking.

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

FWIW, I also had the Y-pipe O-ring go bad during secondary boost. I used some Parker's O-Ring lube during installation of the 2nd one, and no problems for the last 3-years.

I also have the improved IAT in the stock location and it's fine, especially since I'm spraying water right after the intercooler.

Track-temps at Roebling Road was 210F-oil, 212F-water, weather was 73F, and 70% humidity.

:-) neil

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Well, turns out the Y-pipe O-ring was OK. What a waste of freaking time... Just ordered up a set of the Viton Check Valves to see if that might fix it.

I tested the sequential system 3 times. Most recently with MOconnor yesterday (thanks Martin!). Everything checks out. Including the vac/pressure chambers and check valves. Solenoids are new and seem to be routed correctly, vac lines are in good condition and I replaced a bunch of them just in case. Running out of options and ideas...

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

Can you describe in more detail the conditions of your secondary boost problem ?

:-) neil

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Sure. Why not.

When accelerating from low RPM, I get full boost on the primary. At 4000 or 4500 (I forget where the transition point is at the moment) when transition is supposed to happen, boost drops to about 4 PSI and I hear what sounds like boost venting. I continue to get 2-4 PSI of boost to redline. The secondary turbo never comes on.

If I let off throttle after boosting through transition and get back on it, secondary boost comes back.

Primary boost is rock solid. Makes whatever boost level I set w/o any sounds indicating that boost is venting.
Turbo Control and Turbo/Pre Control solenoid pair were replaced when the motor was out.
Vac lines are properly routed.
New 1" hoses to the 2 BOV things.
Vac and Pressure chambers check out.
None of the 3 silicon couplers leak.
All the boost tests check out. T'ed into various locations with moconnor yesterday and it all seemed to check out.
Tried with and w/o the EBC w/ same results.


I read a couple of threads and on Robinette that a leaky check valve can possibly cause this. Seems unlikely since I tested them with a mityvac but I'm out of options so that is the next thing to check.

If you have any ideas, do share!

Thanks.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

AG, what about the boost solenoid bolted to the ACV (top driver's side of LIM)? Is that sucker original?

M104-AMG

iTrader: (8)

I agree Rich.

I believe I posted how that solenoid had a pinched vacuum line due to improper routing, and I was having similar issues . . .

:-) neil

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

If you guys are referring to this Turbo Control solenoid:
https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...6&postcount=17

then yes it is new. So are the 2 at the front of the UIM - I believe they are called wastegate and pre-control.

I'll go take a look at the vac line routing but I didn't notice any kinking previously.

Uwan

iTrader: (4)

Did you ever get the car dynoed. How much did it put on down.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Not yet. Travelling and working too much and lots of family health stuff going on.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Damn!

The check valves didn't help the issue.

I shoulda gone NA 3 rotor...

Going to pull the UIM off again and check the Turbo Control Solenoid and vac routing on that again.

Also going to check the info on this post:
https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...8&postcount=18

I'm running out of options...

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

I'm going to be testing/installing a new/used/hopefully working condition Charge Relief Solenoid to see if that fixes my secondary boost/transition issue. Holidays and work have interfered with that.

In the meantime, I ordered some Piaa 400/500 115db electric horns from Amazon.com. They were $40 w/ free shipping.

I liked the sound better than the Hellas for which I saw/heard videos for on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXraz...eature=related

Ran across a video from Rich there as well with his Hella horns:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBInyVQGz9Q

Will install those horns along with a better condition front bumper I've had sitting in the garage taking up space for the last 2 years. I'm missing one of the stock horns so my car's horns sound pathetically wimpy right now.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

You know, I've never found horns particularly useful even in my cars which you can actually hear them. People still ignore them.

Supernaut

iTrader: (83)

Alot of great quotes here...

hahahaha if you want NA 3-rotor reliability, I think it might actually be cheaper to go that route rather than modding the 2-rotor to that point.

Aint that the truth

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Alberto, comparing the sound of a horn at 80 mph on the highway to a horn on stationary car in an enclosed area with good acoustics isn't going to yield very fair-balanced results

FWIW, the Hellas are rated at 118 db. I do agree the PIAAs sound pretty good

Kyle and Andy--- here in NJ you want the loudest horn you can get trust me.... I drove a few times w/out my Hellas and I had some retard come into my lane at least once on each trip. Pretty scary really.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

Wow. It's been ages since I've posted anything about my car. Fact is that I've barely had to turn a wrench to fix anything so not much to update.

A few items of interest though...

I built a Spec Miata back in 2010 and got my SCCA racing license in 2011. Been racing out here in CA ever since. As a result, the FD hasn't been on track since 2010. I was also using the car as a daily driver for a good few years. Been getting older too....

As a result of all that, I've slowly been un-modding the car over the last few years.

- I removed the poly bushings and installed Mazda Competition 40% rubber bushings throughout ALL of the control arms. I replaced the bushings that didn't have a Competition replacement with stock. The bushings on the rear lower control arms were well and truly knackered. Guess that was to be expected with 167k miles. I cleaned up the control arms with a wire brush and they looked new-ish on re-install. Lost the pics so... End result = The car was quieter and transmitted less NVH w/o the poly bushings.

- I got rid of my custom valved Konis and Ground Control coilover kit in favor of a set of Konis and Tein H-Tech springs. Softer and does well for daily driving and rough roads.

That was enough to transform the character of the car to a better street driven machine and DD. It's amazing how adaptable this car is simply by switching up the suspension setup and alignment.



This weekend, I finally installed the PIAA horns that I bought back in 2009. Yes, I'm slow... My stock horns had stopped working 1.5 years ago. Mounted them behind the bumper attached to the fiberglass reinforcement. I thought that was pretty slick. I had to re-route the wire for the driver side horn but it was pretty easy to unwrap that length of wire, rewrap and re-route.


I also finally installed a replacement, better condition front bumper that I had bought from Gene 8-9 years ago... Having never used a rivet gun before, that was an interesting experience. Got 'er done though.



Next stage of mods:
- re-install the stock airbox instead of an open intake. I want to do this as I'm tired of the listening to the stock BOVs and so that I don't have to re-install for smog.
- do a smaller, custom v-mount intercooler that fits with the stock airbox. The battery is relocated so I still have plenty of room for an IC that can support ~300 rwhp. I don't need an IC as large as the M2 Large that Speed of Light and I modified for use in a V-Mount configuration.

It's still more fun driving this car than working on it.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Agree, it is funny you mention this. I'd like to soften things up too. Intended to keep the Bilsteins and just try softer Eibachs on the GC hardware...no? Thoughts?