Rich, I love ya buddy, but those blue vacuum hoses and the red "grilles" on the horns have got to go! Black both of those out and you'll be all set :) haha

Everything looks great though man. Vegas is treating me excellent, thanks for asking. When are you & Dan coming to visit? You guys should coordinate a trip. SEMA maybe?

Thats some nasty tweaked door gap what kidna power u hoping to put out with pumpgas and with meth?

Hey Rich the passenger side Kumho is on backwards, and the cars looking amazing, the engine makes me quite envious since my battery cracked on track ruining my clean motor.

With the large FMIC, it's not a big deal to locate the filter there. I had my old FD setup this way in '03 and found on the datalogs that my intake temps would drop to ambient at full boost/WOT.

Aside from cutting a hole in the hood, there's no clean way to get a large enough filter on there with the turbo mounted forwards.

excellent build man, its lookin great! i noticed on your first post you mentioned about the idea of trying out a billet turbo. mine finally kicked the bucket recently so ive decided to see what all the fuss is about and im going to order one some time in september. after break-in period ill be sure to drop you a PM with my experiences on it. anyway, congratulations on your new build i hope it goes the distance!

My FD has never been hit nor had any body work, so not sure what you're referring to. Maybe on my full repaint they didnt mount the fender quite right?

The car should make upper 400s at 20ish psi on pump and water inj.

Hey Ryan,

I hope that motor is working out for ya, aside from explosions in the engine bay :lol:.
I was wondering who was going to notice that on the Kumho.....gotta love it. Pay mucho bucks for brand new wheels and tires and they freaking mount one backwards. These were shipped to me mounted from Maryland.

Charles, we'll have to agree to disagree on the blue vacuum hoses, because I like them :). Black is boring, at least I have my IC and intake couplers that color ;).

The horns are semi-temporary. I had them mounted behind the rebar and you couldn't hear them at all, they sounded like a dying duck. When the car was on the lift I found that I could remove them from underneath with the bumper/rebar still on so moved them to that spot b/c the power wires reached there. Ihor thinks I should spray them black too. I'll probably do that and move them both outwards towards the end of the opening. The good news is, they sound good now and are LOUD :icon_tup:

With my current setup (ie fmic, radiator placement, and pop up headlights) this is my only option. Believe me, I've examined all others. I plan to source (or make) a nice heat shield to mount on that side. The FMIC should cool intake temps, and I have the fast-acting intake temp sensor to monitor everything.

You are correct John :)

Thanks, please keep us updated :icon_tup:

Just using what I've learned over the years, we've had numerous customer builds just as nice :)

Nice setup Rich, what type of grill u have on the middle of the front bumper and oil cooler section? Custom built or from another car? Also I notice you got the Hella horns I got the same horn they sound better than oem.
Khris

Rich, your engine bay is an aspiration to me. Simply beautiful!

amazing work, Rich. Looks great.

Some really nice work on the motor and all but the yellowed brake reservoir just ruins the whole build for me. :rofl:


Really came together nicely Rich, you may have just out done yourself.

Dan

Totally epic build, doesn't get much better.

I concur with Gordon. Rich and I have had many lengthy discussions on wheel and tire setups and it's quite apparent that same attention to research and detail goes into the rest of the car. Not one area of performance has been sacrificed for the other. The car is very balanced in terms of looks, cleanliness, power, handling, braking and reliability.

Thanks for all the props guys :). Although I need to stop shooting pics with my digital camera, as it makes my car looks pink :squint: I need to recruit big Tommy Theorie for a photoshoot with his uber rockin' Nikon.

Gordon and Don, your FDs are equally awesome, can't wait to see them in person at the Carlisi event coming up :icon_tup:


Hi Khris, it's a mesh I picked up while at Gotham years ago. I can look up the part # if you'd like. The stuff works well----when moving the horns I must have picked ten bugs out of grille :D

Hey hey, I even snapped an engine bay shot to show your special little idler pulley, be nice :lol:

I've considered replacing the slave and master cylinder actually. Would be messy and a pita, but for the future it's something to think about it. In this case if it ain't broke.....

Now I just need to go and DRIVE the car :)

Rich, you tell me I need to move my tiny little stock horn cause you can just see the edge of it. Then you put the two red subwoofers right smack dab in the front of your grill....... WTF lol

:lol::lol::lol:

but these are HELLA man, they're meant to be seen and feared :lol2:

Rich,
Looks awesome! Now put it on the dyno and lets see what it's really made of lest we call you all show and no go! LOL ;)

Regards,
crispy

Latest round of pics, this one is hot off the presses.....the new Turblown Engineering LIM heat blanket. Fits like a charm, no driving impressions just yet. Thanks Elliott :icon_tup:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...9&d=1249257358
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...0&d=1249257358
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1249257358
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...2&d=1249257358
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...3&d=1249257358
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...4&d=1249257358

My new air filter.....a little bit bigger than the previous one :D

I also removed the positive battery terminal from my new harness as well.

Yes, yes, there are plans for a heat shield to seperate the rad air from the filter :)

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...5&d=1249257663
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...6&d=1249257663
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...7&d=1249257663

Good progress Rich, love the love the Hella Superhorns, have them on my STI would put some on the 7 but I dont have the connection since I changed my steering wheel

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...FD3S/hella.jpg

That blanket is awesome! I'm going to have to get more info about that.

Also, don't overlook my questions a few pages back. Unless of course I missed your responses...

Your car is really coming together.

wow rich that filter is effing huge. (that's what she said...)

i need one of those heatshield blankets!!!

Looking great Rich : )

Rich,

I'm glad you are happy with the heat-shield. Would you mind if I used your beautiful engine bay photo on our website?

I thought my 7" diameter x 6" long x 4" inlet KN was large, my word.

Cannot wait to hear it!!

Are you still running your magnaflow 4"?

=Ben

Rich,
Your project build looks great! Looks like a beast! I hope to be able to meet you (and the FD) when I meet Ihor to pick up my car.

Theorie,
Hey man, off subject a bit. Do you happen to have more photos of all the FDs grouped up like the ones you posted already...more specifically the CYM? That one is mine and ready to be picked up. If you happen to already take pics of it but haven't posted them yet, can you PM me please? I got pics of the car but only during the rebuild process. Thank you in advance. P.S. You will have to excuse my temp. black stock wheels. LoL! - Tam

Nice work, Rich. Glad to see you're keeping the market alive for the FM5s.

BTW, the " 'phenolic' thick white LIM/UIM gaskets 'phenolic' thick white LIM/UIM gaskets"
melt. Keep an eye on them. they get goey between the LIM/block and leak. Hopefully be better for you.

Tony

is that blanket designed to work only with the xcessive LIM or stock also?

theorie, PM sent about the photos!

both

Agree. I looked at the temp specs and the expected block temps exceed the rating for that material. I only used the phenolic gasket between LIM and UIM and stuck with the OEM metal at the LIM to block.
FWIW
Crispy

Tony and Chris,

good to know about the LIM gasket...... there are a few of these products floating around. Were the ones in question a white plastic kind of polymer or a brownish glass/paper/resin impregnated material?

I love the LIM. I really need to pick one up while I'm waiting. Plus the rotor shaped alt pulley.. classic. How is that rack going to work for you? I did that mod on my daily driver but I really didn't like it. Can I ask where you picked up the silver insulation on your coolant lines?

It all looks really great and motivating, please get some new videos at 30psi! :icon_tup:

I was referring to the white plastic kind and the kind I used on my car.
FYI
Crispy

Could that LIM heat sheild/blanket be used with Factory TT's, without removing them to install?

yes i might have some. ill check tonight when i'm at home and i'll PM you if i find some...

i would love to know this answer as well. what do you think rich?

+1^ and would you have to take the turbos off or something to put it on?

I'd have to take a peak in my dad's engine bay or a customer's engine bay to see if it's an easy install with stock twins, my gut reaction is 'hell no' :D

The motor has around 175 miles on it right now and the vacuum continues to improve.

With 60 miles on the engine I checked compression for the hell of it......let the car get nice and hot first, cranking rpm normalized to 250:

Front rotor: 107/111/115
Rear rotor: 118/118/119

So not bad at all given new rotor housings, and supposedly these RA seals take a while to break in. I do know I've gained about 3 inches of vacuum at idle from the first start up til now.

Edit: this is the response I received from the company I bought my intake gaskets from----

"Hi Rich,

The sustained temp for our gasket is 500 degrees F. They are made from virgin grade PTFE.

Thanks,
Debbie"

virgin grade...that's my kinda gasket. :biggrin:

anyway i just checked some photos from my rebuild.

(see attached photos)

even with the Y pipe removed, it looks like you can't get down far enough without removing the turbos due to the water/oil lines. i think you might have to remove the turbos to get the blanket all the way down there. :(

i guess it will have to wait until the next time i take my turbos off...

Tom Tom Tom don't tell me you're running around with no heat shield on the twins...

dude the stock one crumbled to bits when i took it off!!!

lol yeah i know, i REALLY need one...i'm hoping the vented hood helps out until i can get one in there...

That sucks for us twin turbos

I will find out and let you guys know...

I took a bunch of pics tonight at the shop, will upload them tomorrow.

Another compression test, this time with about 240 miles on the engine (250 cranking rpm):

front rotor: 120/116/112
rear rotor: 121/120/120

I'm hoping the front will get a bit better by 500 miles but am pretty happy with the results so far all things considered :)

Holy crap, the best 30 minutes I spent in awhile. Reading this was like a good cable documentary, pictures included. Man you should have called the HD peeps and had them send someone over!

Do you have any pics of your grounding setup?

This is nearly the exact same setup me and my dad want to do on his FD when he returns from a business trip.

Some pics from last night.......my newly coated Racing Beat front sway bar reinforcement brace, a gift from my buddy G's third gen after I smoked him at Deal's Gap this past year :lol:.

Also a few shots of my new and improved 'B-2 Bomber---Stealth Horn Edition' :icon_tup:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1249561189
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...2&d=1249561189
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...3&d=1249561189
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...4&d=1249561189

Drove the FD out to Monsen's place with Don Francis/DJF(NJ) riding shotgun to have a brainstorming session for the upcoming Carlisi memorial event.

Motor now has almost 400 miles on it, and the vacuum continues to improve. It's around -360 to -370 at 900 rpm.

Boost response with my new setup is *much* improved, with the same A-Spec 500R turbo kit.
Changes that may be helping:
*better quality ceramic coating on the manifold and downpipe
*zero exhaust leaks, before I had a pretty bad one off the block due to a stripping rotor housing stud
*different portwork and stronger/fresher engine

In 5th gear when I roll into the throttle at 3000 rpm I have 10 psi before 3200 rpm, this with the boost controller off and running off the wg spring.

I really recommend the Apexi' ATS to anyone looking to lessen exhaust noise but keep most of their power, it's amazing how quite the car is cruising on the highway despite the full 4 inch exhaust :)

Spent some time tonight knocking out all the small things to get the car ready for the upcoming Carlisi event this Saturday:

** 'installed' my new rotor shaped valve stem caps (courtesy of www.Rotary13B1.com)
** checked/topped off all fluids
** Fixed (for now) my funky idle problem. My Air Bleed Screw was completely closed, backing it off (opening it) 1/2 a turn worked wonders, I also richened it up a bit in the idle cells
** Completely charged the Optima battery with an optima-specific charger, volts at idle climbed from 13.2 to 13.8ish.
** Installed a different spring (white one) in my TiAL Q BOV, it was needed due to new engine pulling more vacuum than the old one. It was 'whistling' a bit at idle.
**The big project, I fabbed up a 'custom' Home Depot special intake heat shield. It's semi-temporary at this point, I'll see how it works out. I may send it out for ceramic coating as well. I'm pretty satisfied with it, it should prove to be functional and I was able to mount it with a pair of out-of-sight brackets.

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...8&d=1250135046
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...9&d=1250135046

Don't think I've ever seen an intake set-up quite like that on an FD. Nice work, Rich, how are your charge temps compared to before?

Also, what was the compression on your old motor prior to tear-down?