Kilo Racing 3 Rotor FD Conversion
#3303
The seats were redone by Salva (Noel) on this forum and came out absolutely fantastic. Noel's in-laws run a leather shop oversees and we sent the pattern to him. Here is a thread on it:
https://www.rx7club.com/interior-exterior-audio-26/interior-seat-covers-884942/
If you are thinking of recovering your seats, contact Salva as the work is of very high quality and the price very reasonable.
https://www.rx7club.com/interior-exterior-audio-26/interior-seat-covers-884942/
If you are thinking of recovering your seats, contact Salva as the work is of very high quality and the price very reasonable.
#3306
I am going to post up a recap soon of the car and the conversion process. I would say everything is great but the AC guys have screwed me trying to fix the AC system. No AC after two weeks in the shop and them telling me it was fixed. Drove about 20 minutes yesterday on the way to Kilo Racing and it went out. Kilo traced it to a faulty ground to the relay which the AC guys say they fixed. I also had the AC guys (they are actually master techs) change the coolant out and change the oil. No my temps are skyrocketing and my oil, which usually runs about 10 degrees celsius cooler is the same or higher and both are too high, reaching about 97 celsius and we're not in the heat of the summer. Granted it was 93 yesterday and humid but I drove all last summer with no issues. Not sure why this is - I did have them replace the inline oil filter (I have a regular filter and an extra in-line one) but this is a unidirectional filter that I don't think can be placed in backwards.
They did not properly fill the coolant system so I burped it the right way. They also broke the turbo oil return line spewing oil over everything and the broke my tach signal converter device. Finally, they put the spacer on my tensioner on the wrong side causing it to rub but other than that it was great!
I'm taking the car back to them first thing tomorrow and giving them to the end of the week to fix the mess. I've known them for 20 years and this is the first issue I have had, albeit these are significant.
On the brighter side, we did run over to the dyno to do a quick pull. Made 590 WHP at 18 PSI AT 6,500 RPMs. Given the high humidity and heat in Orlando, Kilo didn't want to make a full pull so I am left with wondering what this would translate to if we went all the way to 8,000 RPMs. The HP curve was a straight line up which is pretty cool. The dyno shop was in the process of moving so they didn't have an RPM signal nor was torque working properly (unless you think I made 1,500 ft lbs.) so we called it a day.
I'll go back once they have moved and have everything operational. I want to post up a dyno sheet that measure WHP, torque, and AFRs (which did not go above 10.5 under WOT btw) mapped over RPM.
I'm also having a few tweaks done over at a body shop that I think will be pretty cool.
#3307
So a few updates since my last posts. My AC is now fixed - had a bad evaporator thermostat. That's the good news (it's okay, the bad news is not really too bad so don't panic). The bad news is that I decided to improve my coolant temps by having a radiator shroud built and a single unit 3,000 CFM fan installed. Don't know if this has helped or not as the units (3 is the number) have kept blowing up until I towed the car to a body/electrical shop in Orlando. Turns out the guy here in Jax didn't properly wire up the new unit for the increased amp draw and it fried the wires and took out the relay. We now have proper wire installed as well as a 60 amp relay with a breaker on it so the problem should be solved.
Haven't tested it yet as I am having some "bling" tweaking done on the car so it is a bit pulled apart. We're building a customer turbo air intake system to allow the turbo to suck in clean air versus what it is currently getting from the backside of the radiator fan. This will be a two-part "ram air" unit with a top and a bottom that will be driven by vents coming thru the underside of my 99 spec bumper. We didn't want to add any noticeable cuts or holes to the bumper so we used the inside horizontal surface of the intercooler bumper opening for the new vent. While they were doing this, the went ahead an added a second vent that will be use to draw in cool air into the engine bay. A few pics of the progress:
From the top of the bumper looking down.
Note the two vents in the middle of the bumper. These are located right in front of the hood latch mechanism. We're making a piece that will fit into these two vents, with one side that will vent to the turbo and the other side to the engine bay. These vents will not be noticeable when you pop the hood as they will be covered by a top plate that will look similar to my current "Kilo Racing" plate. The top turbo vent will then attach to another piece that will surround the K&N filer that is attached to the turbo, allowing it to suck in air from the outside instead of the engine bay. As an alternative, we may ditch the K&N filter for wire mesh screening on the turbo intake but I am leaving this up to the body shop guys.
Another view looking from the top down:
View from the inside of the bumper looking out:
Note the two horizontal openings in the bumper. These will e covered by mesh for added protection.
Final view of the outside new vents:
Haven't tested it yet as I am having some "bling" tweaking done on the car so it is a bit pulled apart. We're building a customer turbo air intake system to allow the turbo to suck in clean air versus what it is currently getting from the backside of the radiator fan. This will be a two-part "ram air" unit with a top and a bottom that will be driven by vents coming thru the underside of my 99 spec bumper. We didn't want to add any noticeable cuts or holes to the bumper so we used the inside horizontal surface of the intercooler bumper opening for the new vent. While they were doing this, the went ahead an added a second vent that will be use to draw in cool air into the engine bay. A few pics of the progress:
From the top of the bumper looking down.
Note the two vents in the middle of the bumper. These are located right in front of the hood latch mechanism. We're making a piece that will fit into these two vents, with one side that will vent to the turbo and the other side to the engine bay. These vents will not be noticeable when you pop the hood as they will be covered by a top plate that will look similar to my current "Kilo Racing" plate. The top turbo vent will then attach to another piece that will surround the K&N filer that is attached to the turbo, allowing it to suck in air from the outside instead of the engine bay. As an alternative, we may ditch the K&N filter for wire mesh screening on the turbo intake but I am leaving this up to the body shop guys.
Another view looking from the top down:
View from the inside of the bumper looking out:
Note the two horizontal openings in the bumper. These will e covered by mesh for added protection.
Final view of the outside new vents:
#3308
Current state of the car:
So why are the wheels off? For two reasons. One to fix the "rub" I had from DGRRX. Every time I took a right hand hard turn, the car rubbed pretty bad. Reset the Tiens once I got home but I had rubbed off the undercoating and it is starting to rust so that is being fixed:
Also note when I had the Pettit flares attached to the car, Pettit didn't do the best job cutting and rolling the leftover fender material. This bit me in the butt on the way home from DGRRX as a piece of the metal bent down and was jabbing the tire so the body shop is fixing this and respraying on the undercoating here as well:
Final shot with the bumper off:
I have decided to take off the 99 spec fog lights as it has been pointed out to me that my car looks like it belongs on a baha run. So off with the fog lights and we're replacing these with a high quality black mesh in front of the oil coolers as well as the intercooler. Also doing something else pretty trick I think with the intercooler but I'll wait until this is done to discuss/post pics.
So why are the wheels off? For two reasons. One to fix the "rub" I had from DGRRX. Every time I took a right hand hard turn, the car rubbed pretty bad. Reset the Tiens once I got home but I had rubbed off the undercoating and it is starting to rust so that is being fixed:
Also note when I had the Pettit flares attached to the car, Pettit didn't do the best job cutting and rolling the leftover fender material. This bit me in the butt on the way home from DGRRX as a piece of the metal bent down and was jabbing the tire so the body shop is fixing this and respraying on the undercoating here as well:
Final shot with the bumper off:
I have decided to take off the 99 spec fog lights as it has been pointed out to me that my car looks like it belongs on a baha run. So off with the fog lights and we're replacing these with a high quality black mesh in front of the oil coolers as well as the intercooler. Also doing something else pretty trick I think with the intercooler but I'll wait until this is done to discuss/post pics.
#3309
Second reason the wheels are off:
I am having the inside section of my wheels redone in powder coated glossy black. They are currently silver and I just think the black will look more stealthy evil. As you can see, while this is being done, they body guys are repolishing the wheels for me and they are turning out great. Will be like having a new set of wheels.
While they're at it, I had them take the two piece 99 spec front lip and mold it together into one unit so I have lost that ugly "gap" that was always present in the center of my lip. I am having this painted glossy black as well:
A shot of the new 3,000 CFM fan and the aluminum plate that attaches to the rest of the new radiator shroud:
A few final things being done on the car. The body shop is repairing my plastic interior AC/radio panel. Over time a few of the tabs have broken off the panel and the new replacement units don't have the same 94 texture to them so the body shop guys are going to fix the tabs so it fits properly. While they are doing this, they're going to install a double din Pioneer touch screen head unit for me.
Finally, I am most excited about another "stealth" project being completed on the car with my 99 spec turn signals. A hint, the LED tape strips I had mounted on the car are now available!
I am having the inside section of my wheels redone in powder coated glossy black. They are currently silver and I just think the black will look more stealthy evil. As you can see, while this is being done, they body guys are repolishing the wheels for me and they are turning out great. Will be like having a new set of wheels.
While they're at it, I had them take the two piece 99 spec front lip and mold it together into one unit so I have lost that ugly "gap" that was always present in the center of my lip. I am having this painted glossy black as well:
A shot of the new 3,000 CFM fan and the aluminum plate that attaches to the rest of the new radiator shroud:
A few final things being done on the car. The body shop is repairing my plastic interior AC/radio panel. Over time a few of the tabs have broken off the panel and the new replacement units don't have the same 94 texture to them so the body shop guys are going to fix the tabs so it fits properly. While they are doing this, they're going to install a double din Pioneer touch screen head unit for me.
Finally, I am most excited about another "stealth" project being completed on the car with my 99 spec turn signals. A hint, the LED tape strips I had mounted on the car are now available!
#3311
Speed Mach Go Go Go
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I wanted to use Porsche turn signal LED's/
How is the single fan going to work, is it a multi' stage? Isn't the oem setup one fan for the radiator and the second for the A/C? Will it kick in at different speeds and what about when the A/C is on?
You're car looks so subtle, like a factory sleeper. No body kit, very clean and the engine bay looks somewhat stock (no colors or shiny bling for a trooper to spot). Seeing as you don't run a rear wing, do you have anything underneath? How to you keep it on the ground? ...are the 335's enough? I remember watching a police chase and a Corvette doing 120+ wanted to pass a Semi truck and the rear end lifted up like a tornado smacked it was flying.
How is the single fan going to work, is it a multi' stage? Isn't the oem setup one fan for the radiator and the second for the A/C? Will it kick in at different speeds and what about when the A/C is on?
You're car looks so subtle, like a factory sleeper. No body kit, very clean and the engine bay looks somewhat stock (no colors or shiny bling for a trooper to spot). Seeing as you don't run a rear wing, do you have anything underneath? How to you keep it on the ground? ...are the 335's enough? I remember watching a police chase and a Corvette doing 120+ wanted to pass a Semi truck and the rear end lifted up like a tornado smacked it was flying.
#3312
Repost:
Current state of the car:
So why are the wheels off? For two reasons. One to fix the "rub" I had from DGRRX. Every time I took a right hand hard turn, the car rubbed pretty bad. Reset the Tiens once I got home but I had rubbed off the undercoating and it is starting to rust so that is being fixed:
Also note when I had the Pettit flares attached to the car, Pettit didn't do the best job cutting and rolling the leftover fender material. This bit me in the butt on the way home from DGRRX as a piece of the metal bent down and was jabbing the tire so the body shop is fixing this and respraying on the undercoating here as well:
Final shot with the bumper off:
I have decided to take off the 99 spec fog lights as it has been pointed out to me that my car looks like it belongs on a baha run. So off with the fog lights and we're replacing these with a high quality black mesh in front of the oil coolers as well as the intercooler. Also doing something else pretty trick I think with the intercooler but I'll wait until this is done to discuss/post pics.[/QUOTE]
Current state of the car:
So why are the wheels off? For two reasons. One to fix the "rub" I had from DGRRX. Every time I took a right hand hard turn, the car rubbed pretty bad. Reset the Tiens once I got home but I had rubbed off the undercoating and it is starting to rust so that is being fixed:
Also note when I had the Pettit flares attached to the car, Pettit didn't do the best job cutting and rolling the leftover fender material. This bit me in the butt on the way home from DGRRX as a piece of the metal bent down and was jabbing the tire so the body shop is fixing this and respraying on the undercoating here as well:
Final shot with the bumper off:
I have decided to take off the 99 spec fog lights as it has been pointed out to me that my car looks like it belongs on a baha run. So off with the fog lights and we're replacing these with a high quality black mesh in front of the oil coolers as well as the intercooler. Also doing something else pretty trick I think with the intercooler but I'll wait until this is done to discuss/post pics.[/QUOTE]
#3314
I wanted to use Porsche turn signal LED's/
How is the single fan going to work, is it a multi' stage? Isn't the oem setup one fan for the radiator and the second for the A/C? Will it kick in at different speeds and what about when the A/C is on?
You're car looks so subtle, like a factory sleeper. No body kit, very clean and the engine bay looks somewhat stock (no colors or shiny bling for a trooper to spot). Seeing as you don't run a rear wing, do you have anything underneath? How to you keep it on the ground? ...are the 335's enough? I remember watching a police chase and a Corvette doing 120+ wanted to pass a Semi truck and the rear end lifted up like a tornado smacked it was flying.
How is the single fan going to work, is it a multi' stage? Isn't the oem setup one fan for the radiator and the second for the A/C? Will it kick in at different speeds and what about when the A/C is on?
You're car looks so subtle, like a factory sleeper. No body kit, very clean and the engine bay looks somewhat stock (no colors or shiny bling for a trooper to spot). Seeing as you don't run a rear wing, do you have anything underneath? How to you keep it on the ground? ...are the 335's enough? I remember watching a police chase and a Corvette doing 120+ wanted to pass a Semi truck and the rear end lifted up like a tornado smacked it was flying.
Regarding the fans, I had two 1,150 CFM aftermarket fans on the car and have replaced these with one 3,000 CFM fan installed on a radiator shroud so the new fan is able to draw air through the entire radiator. When we looked at the previous two fans, they were drawing air through only about 65% of the radiator surface which means they lost a lot of cooling capability.
I think the new fan only comes on at high speed and is not stepped like the OEM ones but I am going to talk to Kilo about this to see if there would be an advantage to trying to step the new fan. I think the way this is accomplished on the OEM fans is thru 3 separate inputs that then somehow drive additional brushes in the fans so I am not sure this is possible with the aftermarket setup.
I do have two additional fans for the AC that come on when the AC is turned on so the new fan is only for the radiator.
I have the Shine 3 piece undertray on the front end and to date haven't had a problem with the car lifting off the ground or even feeling like it wasn't planted. I do have all of the Pettit traction bar stuff on the car and the big rollers in the back but not sure this helps at high speeds. Cam Worth, the owner of Pettit, took his wingless 3 rotor to over 200 MPH and didn't take off so I will be safe I would think at much lower speeds. I did think of putting on a diffuser on the back but I have heard these really are more for show than go.
#3316
Speed Mach Go Go Go
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I thought formula cars have a diffuser across the entire under body which sucks it downwards. I'm not sure what effect just doing the rear will have. It's possible what happened in the video chase saw was, I'm not sure if draft is the right word there would have been air pushing the rear of the car and none at the front as it turned behind the trailer especially if it got loose similar to the Nascar cars which have those flap brakes to prevent lift off. You could always do the small Shine rear wing that rests flush and does not stick out far. Although I do like it the way it is now, very subtle and factory looking even without the flares blended in.
I like the 99+ fog lights and you probably don't loose half the light with the older lenses. Anyhow, you could do a set of Hella Micro DE. I've had a new set in my room for like 5 years.
I like the 99+ fog lights and you probably don't loose half the light with the older lenses. Anyhow, you could do a set of Hella Micro DE. I've had a new set in my room for like 5 years.
#3325
Bad interior pic of the new Pioneer headunit: