My 93 Black RX7 Base restoration.
11-07-16, 04:31 PM
#51
i appreciate your research and response!
well, regardless of how you do it, don't solder and THEN fold the wire over 180*. that will absolutely make it worse.
OK i'll agree to stop harping on this
in for the video updates.
well, regardless of how you do it, don't solder and THEN fold the wire over 180*. that will absolutely make it worse.
OK i'll agree to stop harping on this
in for the video updates.Ever heard the expression, "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" before? I can appreciate your passion, but your tone and choice of wording is a bit harsh. I'm used to solder from modifying electronics equipment like motherboards and game consoles where something like a crimp isn't an option since you have to solder directly to a pin for example. I've also had plenty of cars in the past that were crimped incorrectly and proved to be horribly unreliable. That is why I'm not a "fan" of them and why I have never used them in an automotive application before. Also, I usually don't need to solder too many things on a vehicle.
However, this line of discussion prompted me to go and research the issue a bit more to see what the general consensus was. What I found out is it is a hotly debated topic but the overall general consensus is:
1. When done right (emphasis on right), crimping is slightly better overall resistance wise and durability wise.
2. Using the proper type of connectors for a crimp is crucial and so is having a proper crimper like a pistol-type (i.e. not a pair of pliers obviously).
3. There are even a noticeable (albeit smaller) segment of people that suggested crimping AND soldering the exposed end as well.
4. Ultimately, soldering or crimping are extremely close to each other resistance and durability wise so a lot of it is a matter of preference. With that said, I could see there was more of a margin in favor of crimping, but it wasn't a huge margin.
Random sources for my research:
Will crimped wire or soldered wire carry a current better? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
What do the experts say about wiring: crimp, solder, then heat shrink, or ?!?!? | The H.A.M.B.
https://www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena...older-vs-crimp
Now, with all that said, I've got to say this is mostly a moot point in my case. I installed the charge harness again over the weekend and man... it is just too damn crispy for my liking. It needs to be completely replaced at some point relatively soon. I'll get the car running and driving with it, but ultimately it needs a replacement to be up to my standards. Hopefully we can put this particular issue to bed now lol and move on to the way more difficult tasks ahead. I'll tell you what though, I'll give crimping a shot again in vehicle applications the next time I need to do something like this again.
PS: I've decided to split my updates up into both a text based post format and also a set of video updates since sometimes it is simply much easier to snap a quick video and show/describe what I'm tying to do than it is to make just a single post. I shot a handful of small video updates over this past weekend I'll be uploading soon.
However, this line of discussion prompted me to go and research the issue a bit more to see what the general consensus was. What I found out is it is a hotly debated topic but the overall general consensus is:
1. When done right (emphasis on right), crimping is slightly better overall resistance wise and durability wise.
2. Using the proper type of connectors for a crimp is crucial and so is having a proper crimper like a pistol-type (i.e. not a pair of pliers obviously).
3. There are even a noticeable (albeit smaller) segment of people that suggested crimping AND soldering the exposed end as well.
4. Ultimately, soldering or crimping are extremely close to each other resistance and durability wise so a lot of it is a matter of preference. With that said, I could see there was more of a margin in favor of crimping, but it wasn't a huge margin.
Random sources for my research:
Will crimped wire or soldered wire carry a current better? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
What do the experts say about wiring: crimp, solder, then heat shrink, or ?!?!? | The H.A.M.B.
https://www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena...older-vs-crimp
Now, with all that said, I've got to say this is mostly a moot point in my case. I installed the charge harness again over the weekend and man... it is just too damn crispy for my liking. It needs to be completely replaced at some point relatively soon. I'll get the car running and driving with it, but ultimately it needs a replacement to be up to my standards. Hopefully we can put this particular issue to bed now lol and move on to the way more difficult tasks ahead. I'll tell you what though, I'll give crimping a shot again in vehicle applications the next time I need to do something like this again.
PS: I've decided to split my updates up into both a text based post format and also a set of video updates since sometimes it is simply much easier to snap a quick video and show/describe what I'm tying to do than it is to make just a single post. I shot a handful of small video updates over this past weekend I'll be uploading soon.
11-09-16, 12:22 PM
#52
Ever heard the expression, "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" before? I can appreciate your passion, but your tone and choice of wording is a bit harsh. I'm used to solder from modifying electronics equipment like motherboards and game consoles where something like a crimp isn't an option since you have to solder directly to a pin for example. I've also had plenty of cars in the past that were crimped incorrectly and proved to be horribly unreliable. That is why I'm not a "fan" of them and why I have never used them in an automotive application before. Also, I usually don't need to solder too many things on a vehicle.
However, this line of discussion prompted me to go and research the issue a bit more to see what the general consensus was. What I found out is it is a hotly debated topic but the overall general consensus is:
1. When done right (emphasis on right), crimping is slightly better overall resistance wise and durability wise.
2. Using the proper type of connectors for a crimp is crucial and so is having a proper crimper like a pistol-type (i.e. not a pair of pliers obviously).
3. There are even a noticeable (albeit smaller) segment of people that suggested crimping AND soldering the exposed end as well.
4. Ultimately, soldering or crimping are extremely close to each other resistance and durability wise so a lot of it is a matter of preference. With that said, I could see there was more of a margin in favor of crimping, but it wasn't a huge margin.
Random sources for my research:
Will crimped wire or soldered wire carry a current better? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
What do the experts say about wiring: crimp, solder, then heat shrink, or ?!?!? | The H.A.M.B.
https://www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena...older-vs-crimp
Now, with all that said, I've got to say this is mostly a moot point in my case. I installed the charge harness again over the weekend and man... it is just too damn crispy for my liking. It needs to be completely replaced at some point relatively soon. I'll get the car running and driving with it, but ultimately it needs a replacement to be up to my standards. Hopefully we can put this particular issue to bed now lol and move on to the way more difficult tasks ahead. I'll tell you what though, I'll give crimping a shot again in vehicle applications the next time I need to do something like this again.
PS: I've decided to split my updates up into both a text based post format and also a set of video updates since sometimes it is simply much easier to snap a quick video and show/describe what I'm tying to do than it is to make just a single post. I shot a handful of small video updates over this past weekend I'll be uploading soon.
However, this line of discussion prompted me to go and research the issue a bit more to see what the general consensus was. What I found out is it is a hotly debated topic but the overall general consensus is:
1. When done right (emphasis on right), crimping is slightly better overall resistance wise and durability wise.
2. Using the proper type of connectors for a crimp is crucial and so is having a proper crimper like a pistol-type (i.e. not a pair of pliers obviously).
3. There are even a noticeable (albeit smaller) segment of people that suggested crimping AND soldering the exposed end as well.
4. Ultimately, soldering or crimping are extremely close to each other resistance and durability wise so a lot of it is a matter of preference. With that said, I could see there was more of a margin in favor of crimping, but it wasn't a huge margin.
Random sources for my research:
Will crimped wire or soldered wire carry a current better? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
What do the experts say about wiring: crimp, solder, then heat shrink, or ?!?!? | The H.A.M.B.
https://www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena...older-vs-crimp
Now, with all that said, I've got to say this is mostly a moot point in my case. I installed the charge harness again over the weekend and man... it is just too damn crispy for my liking. It needs to be completely replaced at some point relatively soon. I'll get the car running and driving with it, but ultimately it needs a replacement to be up to my standards. Hopefully we can put this particular issue to bed now lol and move on to the way more difficult tasks ahead. I'll tell you what though, I'll give crimping a shot again in vehicle applications the next time I need to do something like this again.
PS: I've decided to split my updates up into both a text based post format and also a set of video updates since sometimes it is simply much easier to snap a quick video and show/describe what I'm tying to do than it is to make just a single post. I shot a handful of small video updates over this past weekend I'll be uploading soon.
Word. Most of my wiring these days are on clients race cars (E-prod and GT for context, not drag) and on the off chance that I do a solder repair by customer request I've seen far too many of them fail/go intermittent via harmonics and vibration. To the point where I really don't do them anymore. This is all done with a Metcal soldering station with properly paired heat range in tips so its not a cold solder join issue in case you were wondering.
Project looks great, also if you didn't see it before who did you get your engine imported from?
02-25-17, 09:29 PM
#53
Full Member
Thread Starter
Oh man... I really need to keep this thread updated better. Life has, as always it seems, been rather interesting for me. But who cares about all that.. here's a quick teaser video from around Thanksgiving : ) a LOT more info and updates will be following..
02-25-17, 09:39 PM
#55
Full Member
Thread Starter
Now that the teaser video is out of the way, I'm going to start posting more of the progress videos and edit a few others leading up to where we are now. There is a LOT that has happened before and after that teaser video and the car is finally close to being road worthy. More videos incoming...
02-26-17, 12:21 AM
#61
Full Member
Thread Starter
By the way, I didn't indicate this in a video yet, but I ended up buying an HKS downpipe, Megan catless midpipe, and an Invidia full catback which is why the car sounds so loud/nice : D
02-26-17, 10:21 AM
#63
Full Member
Thread Starter
Well, I'm not actually 100% sure it is working the way it needs to just yet since I haven't properly driven the car for more then a mile. But basically, you need the S7/8 "base plate" that mounts to the motor, the vacuum box, either S7/8 vacuum lines or custom made ones, and then you need to either solder wires from your 93 engine harness to the vacuum box itself or cut the new style connectors off an S7/8 engine harness and swap them onto your existing S6 engine harness. Certainly not an easy mod and definitely not "worth it" in my opinion unless your engine was an S7/8 to begin with like in my scenario.
I'll need to do a bunch more testing with it though once I finish a couple other things off and can go up and down the street with the car safely.
I'll need to do a bunch more testing with it though once I finish a couple other things off and can go up and down the street with the car safely.
02-26-17, 06:25 PM
#64
Full Member
Thread Starter
Three more from today:
It has been a very productive few days here and the car is in great shape compared to where it was a week ago. It no longer smokes, gets up to operating temperature just fine, and the oil pressure gauge is working. I still have a TON of things left to do, mostly a lot of tidying up, and the last big project is going to be figuring out the vacuum box/lines. Right n ow I have it all temporarily connected but I won't be sure if it is working or not until I can go down the street and test things out. Here's a quick list of things that still need to be done off the top of my head:
1. Install the custom battery tray and buy a new Odyssey PC680 battery for it.
2. Install the brake pedal, brake switch, and stopper.
3. Check why the turn signals and hazard lights are not working (think the flasher was removed a while ago).
4. Properly mount the Power FC in the kick panel.
5. Install the Power FC Commander holder.
6. THOROUGHLY clean the interior which includes the carpet and removing the driver's side seat to clean under it.
7. Reinstall all interior trim pieces and attempt to fix any broken ones.
8. Replace the short oil cooler line that goes from the cooler directly to the block around the crank pulley (noticed it had a very tiny pin hole that is causing a slow leak when running).
9. Replace the broken coolant overflow bottle and address the "add coolant" buzzer on the cluster.
10. Go for a drive and see how the car feels overall.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now : )
It has been a very productive few days here and the car is in great shape compared to where it was a week ago. It no longer smokes, gets up to operating temperature just fine, and the oil pressure gauge is working. I still have a TON of things left to do, mostly a lot of tidying up, and the last big project is going to be figuring out the vacuum box/lines. Right n ow I have it all temporarily connected but I won't be sure if it is working or not until I can go down the street and test things out. Here's a quick list of things that still need to be done off the top of my head:
1. Install the custom battery tray and buy a new Odyssey PC680 battery for it.
2. Install the brake pedal, brake switch, and stopper.
3. Check why the turn signals and hazard lights are not working (think the flasher was removed a while ago).
4. Properly mount the Power FC in the kick panel.
5. Install the Power FC Commander holder.
6. THOROUGHLY clean the interior which includes the carpet and removing the driver's side seat to clean under it.
7. Reinstall all interior trim pieces and attempt to fix any broken ones.
8. Replace the short oil cooler line that goes from the cooler directly to the block around the crank pulley (noticed it had a very tiny pin hole that is causing a slow leak when running).
9. Replace the broken coolant overflow bottle and address the "add coolant" buzzer on the cluster.
10. Go for a drive and see how the car feels overall.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now : )
03-04-17, 10:19 PM
#65
Full Member
Thread Starter
Had the flu since Monday and have felt terrible all week. Finally felt a bit better today so I got a few odds and ends done. Mostly I got a new Odyssey PC680 battery installed in a custom mount in the engine bay and began tidying a lot of things up engine wise. I also looked into a couple oddball issues like why my turn signals didn't work...
Here's two quick shots of the battery installed as well:
The fuse panel looks a little better already so I'll try to grab some nicer shots in my next video update. More to come soon.
Here's two quick shots of the battery installed as well:
The fuse panel looks a little better already so I'll try to grab some nicer shots in my next video update. More to come soon.
Last edited by NightWalker86; 03-04-17 at 10:41 PM.
05-13-17, 09:11 PM
#66
Great thread man, good work on everything. So funny thing I'm kind of on the same boat as you, just got a S8 motor engine ecu all in one piece, trying to fit it in my 93.
so I do have a USDM wiring harness already, I guess all I'm missing is the PFC? And re wire the black box to fit the USDM harness?
im swapping all the parts off that motor into a brand new 0 mile engine I bought off Ray Crowe. Was hoping to keep everything off the JDM motor and just have to switch out the wiring harness for the US one.
would it be easier to get a dash harness? I have removed the dash more times than I'd like to admit, so I can have it done in 15 minutes, just a matter of finding that harness. Let me know what you think.
so I do have a USDM wiring harness already, I guess all I'm missing is the PFC? And re wire the black box to fit the USDM harness?
im swapping all the parts off that motor into a brand new 0 mile engine I bought off Ray Crowe. Was hoping to keep everything off the JDM motor and just have to switch out the wiring harness for the US one.
would it be easier to get a dash harness? I have removed the dash more times than I'd like to admit, so I can have it done in 15 minutes, just a matter of finding that harness. Let me know what you think.
08-14-18, 01:06 PM
#68
Full Member
Thread Starter
WARNING: Long, rambling, slightly non-sensical post ahead!
Well it's been FOREVER since I've posted any updates. In all honesty, life has really gotten in the way of this project lately though. For a while all the work I could do on the car was to start it every now and then and let it warm up to make sure the engine was lubricated and didn't rust out on me.
At the beginning of the year my water heater decided to finally call it quits and had a slow leak. I ended up replacing it with a really nice tankless water heater. Me and a buddy did all the work but it was a HUGE project. I replaced my pressure regulator at the same time and also installed a whole home water filtration system. In total, I ran about 30 feet of new copper line between all the cuts/connections/etc. Had to drill a hole in the roof for the concentric vent that the new system required etc. Was a big PITA, and fairly costly as well. Overall though, turned out great and really happy I didn't replace it with just another cheap storage tank unit.
Unfortunately, literally the very next weekend that I got done installing the water heater/filtration system/new regulator the coil for my central air system developed a hole in the pan and began leaking like crazy into the air handler itself. I have a combination air handler/furnace (AFUE) that is original to the house circa '88 and was only a 60% efficient unit. That, and the whole system was R22 for cooling. Sooo.... there goes another 5 grand in parts. I ordered an entirely new 16 SEER Goodman R410a condenser, new 96% efficient AFUE, new Goodman 410a matched coil, Goodman Media air filter, TXV valve, new line set (mine had been cut out in the middle and welded back up with incorrect pipe sizes by a previous HVAC person), etc. Over the course of about a month and a half I acquired all the tools to do the job (even the nitrogen for my brazes) and got it all installed. Running like a champ and somehow I manged to get all the brazes done correctly the first time with no leaks (knock on wood).
Oh yeah... and a gas regulator on my 4 year old natural gas stove also quit on me so I had to replace that too. 2018 has been a ROUGH year for my wallet and full of entirely too many projects. Luckily though, I was able to learn what I needed to and get these jobs done myself so even though it was not cheap, it was WAY cheaper then paying someone else to do the work. Hopefully everything continues functioning as it should for years to come! If anyone is interested, I can show some before and after pics of the ancient water heater/HVAC system compared to the new equipment. It is pretty crazy.
So why the heck am I talking about house repairs in an RX7 build thread? Well, because it's kool and it explains where I've been all this time : ) Anyway, I got a LOT of work done on the RX7 over the past 2 weekends and also registered the car (it officially is no longer required to be emissions inspected in the Atlanta metro area since it is at least 25 years old). I've taken a whole bunch of video of the work I completed but for now I will start by saying the following:
1. I'm too damn stubborn and should have given up on ALL aspects of the 99 vacuum/wiring setup a long long time ago. Let me be clear, it can be done (there is a long discontinued KnightSports wiring adapter for adapting a 16 bit ECU to the 8 bit dash harness) but it should not be attempted. There is really no point if you already have a decently running (or previously known running) car. In my case, I tried to make it work originally because the 99 engine harness was mint and mine was a crispy mess. I also didn't want to buy an aftermarket ECU immediately. Those issues have both long been resolved with a new 93 engine harness from Atkins, PFC, and even an entire turbo back exhaust. So the only thing left I was attempting to use was the 99 vacuum box. Just... just don't. Take it from my stubborn ***. Watch all the videos where I go over the differences between the wiring, the vacuum setups, etc. and just don't. Unless you find a KnightSports ECU adapter at which point go for it! : D
2. I have been fighting an uphill battle with this project simply because I have had so many variables working against me. For starters, I don't actually know why the car was ever parked. It could have been a number of different reasons that I'm not aware of and may still be causing me headaches in my restoration project here. I also had to do an entire Automatic to Manual transmission swap which I wasn't 100% sure was working correctly or also potentially causing me issues. Lastly, I was working with a full 99 spec Efini motor and trying to retrofit it into my 93. It was time to simplify things and focus on what matters... Getting the car running in a baseline, known good format, and then building upon that rather than trying to do so many different things with a car that has never even run correctly to begin with. Sooooo.....
Bearing the above in mind, I thought about how I wanted to proceed, what would be the simplest way for me to get the car to a good running baseline without so many variables/potentially hidden issues from this swap/age, etc. After a lot of contemplation, I knew exactly what I had to do.. Before we get quite to that though, let's review the parts i currently have:
* All engine accessories from my 93 motor including the upper & lower intake manifolds.
* Turbos.
* Turbo manifolds.
* Rats nest (minus a few busted solenoids).
* Just about all the other engine accessories, brackets, housings, etc. from the motor.
So between my 93 parts and the current 99 parts, I had 2 of just about everything. So, to simplify things as much as possibly and get the car to a good running baseline with the least amount of unknown variables I decided.. To LS swap it.
NAAAAAAAH, I'm just being a tool!! I would never do that, especially after all the blood, sweat, and tears I've got rolled into this project. i did have to make an exception to my original
plan for this car. The original goal was to have a sequential twin turbo RX7 that made (at most) 350RWHP. To me, that preserves the very essence of what this car was supposed to be. Well,
that is on hold for the time being. To simplify things, I decided to rip the 99 turbos off (along with the 99 vacuum box setup), and go full "Rich man's non sequential" using my 93 turbos. Since I basically have 2 of everything turbo setup wise, I am in a unique situation wherein I can do a proper, FULL non-sequential conversion to test out the 99 motor itself and dial in any other issues that still may be present since the car sat for so long. Once I fix any other issues and verify everything is good to go, I can then swap all the 99 turbo parts back and go to simplified sequential using the rats nest (forget the 99 vacuum box). This, to me, makes the most sense and will let me get to a point where I can actually have a properly running RX7 upon which to further improve from an actual stock baseline. It also removes as many other variables with solenoids, vacuum hoses, etc. from the equation.
So, with all that said, I am 90% complete with the rich man's non-sequential conversion on the 93 turbos. The flapper was cut out of the exhaust manifold, hole welded shut, ground smooth, broken stud was extracted from the turbo exhaust housing (it broke during removal from the old engine), wastegate was ported, flapper on the turbo housing removed, hole welded shut, ground smooth, Y pipe modified, etc. Doing this the "proper" way is actually very time consuming. It can really take as long as you want depending on the amount of work you want to do and how much the finished result matters to you. I perhaps went a bit overboard but I wanted as close to NO exhaust restrictions as possible in my conversion.
The modified 93 turbos/manifold are now bolted back onto the car. I am waiting on a few gaskets/coolant hoses from Atkins I will need to finish the reinstall right now. Should hopefully have those by Friday. I need to reinstall the downpipe, route some vacuum lines/fuel lines, install the upper intake manifold, install an oil gasket, install 2 coolant hoses, weld one of the nipples on my FC thermostat housing shut, and then bleed the cooling system and it should be good to go. In between all of this I installed my manual brake pedal as well (clutch pedal was installed over a year ago) which is the last of the auto to manual parts I needed to swap. So overall, I am extremely excited at how close the car is from hopefully running correctly.
So, that's where the project currently stands. I should have everything back on the car and finished by Friday/Saturday at which point (with any luck) I will be able to go for the first REAL drive and see where everything stands. I also took video of a lot of the work I completed (not just "talking head" video but wrench time) which I plan to edit down and post as well. I recorded the entire process of cutting the flapper out of the exhaust manifold, welding shut, & grinding it down. I also talk a lot about the NS conversion so hopefully it would be useful to anyone interested in doing a full NS conversion. I'll post those soon along with more updates once I complete the conversion and get her running again.
Well it's been FOREVER since I've posted any updates. In all honesty, life has really gotten in the way of this project lately though. For a while all the work I could do on the car was to start it every now and then and let it warm up to make sure the engine was lubricated and didn't rust out on me.
At the beginning of the year my water heater decided to finally call it quits and had a slow leak. I ended up replacing it with a really nice tankless water heater. Me and a buddy did all the work but it was a HUGE project. I replaced my pressure regulator at the same time and also installed a whole home water filtration system. In total, I ran about 30 feet of new copper line between all the cuts/connections/etc. Had to drill a hole in the roof for the concentric vent that the new system required etc. Was a big PITA, and fairly costly as well. Overall though, turned out great and really happy I didn't replace it with just another cheap storage tank unit.
Unfortunately, literally the very next weekend that I got done installing the water heater/filtration system/new regulator the coil for my central air system developed a hole in the pan and began leaking like crazy into the air handler itself. I have a combination air handler/furnace (AFUE) that is original to the house circa '88 and was only a 60% efficient unit. That, and the whole system was R22 for cooling. Sooo.... there goes another 5 grand in parts. I ordered an entirely new 16 SEER Goodman R410a condenser, new 96% efficient AFUE, new Goodman 410a matched coil, Goodman Media air filter, TXV valve, new line set (mine had been cut out in the middle and welded back up with incorrect pipe sizes by a previous HVAC person), etc. Over the course of about a month and a half I acquired all the tools to do the job (even the nitrogen for my brazes) and got it all installed. Running like a champ and somehow I manged to get all the brazes done correctly the first time with no leaks (knock on wood).
Oh yeah... and a gas regulator on my 4 year old natural gas stove also quit on me so I had to replace that too. 2018 has been a ROUGH year for my wallet and full of entirely too many projects. Luckily though, I was able to learn what I needed to and get these jobs done myself so even though it was not cheap, it was WAY cheaper then paying someone else to do the work. Hopefully everything continues functioning as it should for years to come! If anyone is interested, I can show some before and after pics of the ancient water heater/HVAC system compared to the new equipment. It is pretty crazy.
So why the heck am I talking about house repairs in an RX7 build thread? Well, because it's kool and it explains where I've been all this time : ) Anyway, I got a LOT of work done on the RX7 over the past 2 weekends and also registered the car (it officially is no longer required to be emissions inspected in the Atlanta metro area since it is at least 25 years old). I've taken a whole bunch of video of the work I completed but for now I will start by saying the following:
1. I'm too damn stubborn and should have given up on ALL aspects of the 99 vacuum/wiring setup a long long time ago. Let me be clear, it can be done (there is a long discontinued KnightSports wiring adapter for adapting a 16 bit ECU to the 8 bit dash harness) but it should not be attempted. There is really no point if you already have a decently running (or previously known running) car. In my case, I tried to make it work originally because the 99 engine harness was mint and mine was a crispy mess. I also didn't want to buy an aftermarket ECU immediately. Those issues have both long been resolved with a new 93 engine harness from Atkins, PFC, and even an entire turbo back exhaust. So the only thing left I was attempting to use was the 99 vacuum box. Just... just don't. Take it from my stubborn ***. Watch all the videos where I go over the differences between the wiring, the vacuum setups, etc. and just don't. Unless you find a KnightSports ECU adapter at which point go for it! : D
2. I have been fighting an uphill battle with this project simply because I have had so many variables working against me. For starters, I don't actually know why the car was ever parked. It could have been a number of different reasons that I'm not aware of and may still be causing me headaches in my restoration project here. I also had to do an entire Automatic to Manual transmission swap which I wasn't 100% sure was working correctly or also potentially causing me issues. Lastly, I was working with a full 99 spec Efini motor and trying to retrofit it into my 93. It was time to simplify things and focus on what matters... Getting the car running in a baseline, known good format, and then building upon that rather than trying to do so many different things with a car that has never even run correctly to begin with. Sooooo.....
Bearing the above in mind, I thought about how I wanted to proceed, what would be the simplest way for me to get the car to a good running baseline without so many variables/potentially hidden issues from this swap/age, etc. After a lot of contemplation, I knew exactly what I had to do.. Before we get quite to that though, let's review the parts i currently have:
* All engine accessories from my 93 motor including the upper & lower intake manifolds.
* Turbos.
* Turbo manifolds.
* Rats nest (minus a few busted solenoids).
* Just about all the other engine accessories, brackets, housings, etc. from the motor.
So between my 93 parts and the current 99 parts, I had 2 of just about everything. So, to simplify things as much as possibly and get the car to a good running baseline with the least amount of unknown variables I decided.. To LS swap it.
NAAAAAAAH, I'm just being a tool!! I would never do that, especially after all the blood, sweat, and tears I've got rolled into this project. i did have to make an exception to my original
plan for this car. The original goal was to have a sequential twin turbo RX7 that made (at most) 350RWHP. To me, that preserves the very essence of what this car was supposed to be. Well,
that is on hold for the time being. To simplify things, I decided to rip the 99 turbos off (along with the 99 vacuum box setup), and go full "Rich man's non sequential" using my 93 turbos. Since I basically have 2 of everything turbo setup wise, I am in a unique situation wherein I can do a proper, FULL non-sequential conversion to test out the 99 motor itself and dial in any other issues that still may be present since the car sat for so long. Once I fix any other issues and verify everything is good to go, I can then swap all the 99 turbo parts back and go to simplified sequential using the rats nest (forget the 99 vacuum box). This, to me, makes the most sense and will let me get to a point where I can actually have a properly running RX7 upon which to further improve from an actual stock baseline. It also removes as many other variables with solenoids, vacuum hoses, etc. from the equation.
So, with all that said, I am 90% complete with the rich man's non-sequential conversion on the 93 turbos. The flapper was cut out of the exhaust manifold, hole welded shut, ground smooth, broken stud was extracted from the turbo exhaust housing (it broke during removal from the old engine), wastegate was ported, flapper on the turbo housing removed, hole welded shut, ground smooth, Y pipe modified, etc. Doing this the "proper" way is actually very time consuming. It can really take as long as you want depending on the amount of work you want to do and how much the finished result matters to you. I perhaps went a bit overboard but I wanted as close to NO exhaust restrictions as possible in my conversion.
The modified 93 turbos/manifold are now bolted back onto the car. I am waiting on a few gaskets/coolant hoses from Atkins I will need to finish the reinstall right now. Should hopefully have those by Friday. I need to reinstall the downpipe, route some vacuum lines/fuel lines, install the upper intake manifold, install an oil gasket, install 2 coolant hoses, weld one of the nipples on my FC thermostat housing shut, and then bleed the cooling system and it should be good to go. In between all of this I installed my manual brake pedal as well (clutch pedal was installed over a year ago) which is the last of the auto to manual parts I needed to swap. So overall, I am extremely excited at how close the car is from hopefully running correctly.
So, that's where the project currently stands. I should have everything back on the car and finished by Friday/Saturday at which point (with any luck) I will be able to go for the first REAL drive and see where everything stands. I also took video of a lot of the work I completed (not just "talking head" video but wrench time) which I plan to edit down and post as well. I recorded the entire process of cutting the flapper out of the exhaust manifold, welding shut, & grinding it down. I also talk a lot about the NS conversion so hopefully it would be useful to anyone interested in doing a full NS conversion. I'll post those soon along with more updates once I complete the conversion and get her running again.
08-14-18, 02:04 PM
#69
Full Member
Thread Starter
With all that rambling I totally forgot I had a few questions for you all. Here's a list of the current mods the car has:
* Full turbo back exhaust consisting of an HKS downpipe, no cat, & Invidia catback.
* Apexi PowerFC ECU (untuned/on base map as delivered from Apexi/Banzai).
* Stock fuel pump (not hot-wired yet).
* Apexi intakes.
With the NS conversion, I removed the restrictor pill from the wastegate vacuum line and i will not be using the stock wastegate solenoid for now. From what Rotary Resurrection's website indicates, that should put me fairly close to a baseline wastegate pressure of 7PSI. I have a very free flowing exhaust, but hopefully the wastegate porting keeps any spikes/creep at bay. I'll be doing that just to test how the car runs and determine if there are any other major issues. Once I have all that squared away, the 99 turbos will be going back on along with a simplified sequential setup and boost control through the PFC/wastegate solenoid. Not looking to run any more than 14 PSI at that point. But before I do any of that with the 99s, I want to make sure any and all supporting mods are in place. Now for the questions:
1. Considering my ultimate goal of 350RWHP in sequential mode, what injector sizes would you all recommend for primary/secondary? I really don't want to push the car much past 350 so I am not trying to oversize my injectors, just keep adequate fueling for pump 93 at 350RWHP.
2. What do you recommend fuel pump wise? From my research there seems to be a lot of back and forth on whether a Supra pump is worth it or a stock pump (in my case I'd buy a new one anyway since mine is old) that is hot-wired is sufficient. The main points of contention were the voltage differences at different points between the two pumps. Again, for my power goals, what do you all think?
3. Clutch. Recommendations? Would a fresh stocker hold for a while or am I dreaming? I just really don't want to upgrade to something super stiff so if aftermarket what would you all recommend that is "stock like" pedal feel?
Keep in mind, my goal was never to push power levels before the car was running smoothly for a while, still isn't in fact. But the parts I had to buy necessitated the increase in power I will have. Once I know the car is good to go NS on wastegate pressure, my current plan is to do any of the needed supporting mods for the 99s and then have it dyno tuned by a pro. Then... just enjoy what I have and not push things too far!
EDIT: Old thread, but this: https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...350whp-630707/ seems to indicate 4x 850cc injectors are a great option for 350WHP and smooth stock-like idle. That was 11 years ago though, anything change or that is still a good idea? If so, as mentioned, I already have a spare set of 550ss and 850s from the original motor so I wouldn't need to purchase 2 additional 850s for this upgrade. Looks like I'd just need to modify the fuel rail to accept them. Thoughts?
Looks like this calculator backs up the 4x 850 being ideal for 350HP as well. http://www.maxcooper.com/rx7/how-to/...tem/calcs.html
* Full turbo back exhaust consisting of an HKS downpipe, no cat, & Invidia catback.
* Apexi PowerFC ECU (untuned/on base map as delivered from Apexi/Banzai).
* Stock fuel pump (not hot-wired yet).
* Apexi intakes.
With the NS conversion, I removed the restrictor pill from the wastegate vacuum line and i will not be using the stock wastegate solenoid for now. From what Rotary Resurrection's website indicates, that should put me fairly close to a baseline wastegate pressure of 7PSI. I have a very free flowing exhaust, but hopefully the wastegate porting keeps any spikes/creep at bay. I'll be doing that just to test how the car runs and determine if there are any other major issues. Once I have all that squared away, the 99 turbos will be going back on along with a simplified sequential setup and boost control through the PFC/wastegate solenoid. Not looking to run any more than 14 PSI at that point. But before I do any of that with the 99s, I want to make sure any and all supporting mods are in place. Now for the questions:
1. Considering my ultimate goal of 350RWHP in sequential mode, what injector sizes would you all recommend for primary/secondary? I really don't want to push the car much past 350 so I am not trying to oversize my injectors, just keep adequate fueling for pump 93 at 350RWHP.
2. What do you recommend fuel pump wise? From my research there seems to be a lot of back and forth on whether a Supra pump is worth it or a stock pump (in my case I'd buy a new one anyway since mine is old) that is hot-wired is sufficient. The main points of contention were the voltage differences at different points between the two pumps. Again, for my power goals, what do you all think?
3. Clutch. Recommendations? Would a fresh stocker hold for a while or am I dreaming? I just really don't want to upgrade to something super stiff so if aftermarket what would you all recommend that is "stock like" pedal feel?
Keep in mind, my goal was never to push power levels before the car was running smoothly for a while, still isn't in fact. But the parts I had to buy necessitated the increase in power I will have. Once I know the car is good to go NS on wastegate pressure, my current plan is to do any of the needed supporting mods for the 99s and then have it dyno tuned by a pro. Then... just enjoy what I have and not push things too far!
EDIT: Old thread, but this: https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...350whp-630707/ seems to indicate 4x 850cc injectors are a great option for 350WHP and smooth stock-like idle. That was 11 years ago though, anything change or that is still a good idea? If so, as mentioned, I already have a spare set of 550ss and 850s from the original motor so I wouldn't need to purchase 2 additional 850s for this upgrade. Looks like I'd just need to modify the fuel rail to accept them. Thoughts?
Looks like this calculator backs up the 4x 850 being ideal for 350HP as well. http://www.maxcooper.com/rx7/how-to/...tem/calcs.html
Last edited by NightWalker86; 08-14-18 at 02:35 PM.
08-17-18, 08:22 AM
#70
Rotary Enthusiast
My Dad's FD that he recently sold had the 550/1300 combo with the 99 Twins, it was a sweet ride and a true testament to how fun a FD on stockish twins can be. Previous owner dynod around 325 to the wheels on a mustang dyno.
I believe it had an updgraded ACT pressure plate, but still a full face clutch as the PO used to track it alot, that is probably the route that i would take.
I think i still have the Power FC tune for that setup from texas shop that did the tune.
I believe it had an updgraded ACT pressure plate, but still a full face clutch as the PO used to track it alot, that is probably the route that i would take.
I think i still have the Power FC tune for that setup from texas shop that did the tune.
08-17-18, 08:26 AM
#71
Full Member
Thread Starter
My Dad's FD that he recently sold had the 550/1300 combo with the 99 Twins, it was a sweet ride and a true testament to how fun a FD on stockish twins can be. Previous owner dynod around 325 to the wheels on a mustang dyno.
I believe it had an updgraded ACT pressure plate, but still a full face clutch as the PO used to track it alot, that is probably the route that i would take.
I think i still have the Power FC tune for that setup from texas shop that did the tune.
I believe it had an updgraded ACT pressure plate, but still a full face clutch as the PO used to track it alot, that is probably the route that i would take.
I think i still have the Power FC tune for that setup from texas shop that did the tune.
08-21-18, 04:31 PM
#72
Full Member
Thread Starter
Part 1:
Alright gang, buckle in, this is going to be a long post full of pictures. You will have to forgive the quality of the pictures, they are still grabs from the video files I recorded of all of this. At some point, I'll edit all that down and post a nice video of the project as well. This post will show the bulk of the work done to convert the car over to non-sequential via the "Rich man's method" as they call it. As you will see soon enough, a LOT of time was spent cutting, grinding, and welding to get this to as close as factory style as I could. This can, and has, been done much quicker if you don't want to bother with all the nit-pickiness like I did. I must give a HUGE thanks to RotaryResurrection's guide on his site. It was immensely helpful and I followed the majority of those steps in getting this done. At any rate, let's get started!
If you are planning to do a non-sequential conversion (or a simplified sequential conversion for that matter) I am going to assume you have already ripped most of the emissions equipment off. Since my 99 engine was a JDM engine, a lot of the intake ports were already absent to begin with. I had deleted the majority of the rest of it already but I still was trying to figure out how to block the giant port on the compression tube off. Turns out Dorman makes a kit with some really large vacuum caps that I was able to find at the local Advance Auto. Here's a picture of the kit including the part number:
You will need to chop the very end of the compression tube off (the flared end) and then the vacuum cap fits over perfectly:
Obviously if you have a Greddy or other aftermarket compression tube you don't need to worry about this.
Start by taking all the old parts off the engine. Compression tube, upper intake, intercooler, y pipe, etc. etc. Once all that is off you can begin removing the downpipe, all the vacuum lines, disconnect a few coolant & oil lines, and then finally get the turbos off. If only it were as quick to actually do all that as it is to type it.
After removing a few coolant hoses connected to the turbos and jacking the car up... It started leaking coolant everywhere. Guess I didn't empty it as well as I had thought:
Nothing part of a carpet from that salvaged white 3000GT in the background cant fix : D
Got the 99 turbos off (top) but unfortunately not before one of the bolts snapped off in the manifold:
Luckily I still had my 93 exhaust housing and that is the one I planned on modifying anyway. I'll need to deal with removing that busted bolt from the 99 manifold at some point, but for now I can use this guy:
Now it's time to get to work on modifying the exhaust housing. You are going to need a Dremel, multiple cutoff wheels, grinding bits, and a whole hell of a lot of patience to get this done the same way. I ended up using a combination of a Dremel AND a big 4 1/2 cutoff wheel to speed things up. Here we go...
Alright gang, buckle in, this is going to be a long post full of pictures. You will have to forgive the quality of the pictures, they are still grabs from the video files I recorded of all of this. At some point, I'll edit all that down and post a nice video of the project as well. This post will show the bulk of the work done to convert the car over to non-sequential via the "Rich man's method" as they call it. As you will see soon enough, a LOT of time was spent cutting, grinding, and welding to get this to as close as factory style as I could. This can, and has, been done much quicker if you don't want to bother with all the nit-pickiness like I did. I must give a HUGE thanks to RotaryResurrection's guide on his site. It was immensely helpful and I followed the majority of those steps in getting this done. At any rate, let's get started!
If you are planning to do a non-sequential conversion (or a simplified sequential conversion for that matter) I am going to assume you have already ripped most of the emissions equipment off. Since my 99 engine was a JDM engine, a lot of the intake ports were already absent to begin with. I had deleted the majority of the rest of it already but I still was trying to figure out how to block the giant port on the compression tube off. Turns out Dorman makes a kit with some really large vacuum caps that I was able to find at the local Advance Auto. Here's a picture of the kit including the part number:
You will need to chop the very end of the compression tube off (the flared end) and then the vacuum cap fits over perfectly:
Obviously if you have a Greddy or other aftermarket compression tube you don't need to worry about this.
Start by taking all the old parts off the engine. Compression tube, upper intake, intercooler, y pipe, etc. etc. Once all that is off you can begin removing the downpipe, all the vacuum lines, disconnect a few coolant & oil lines, and then finally get the turbos off. If only it were as quick to actually do all that as it is to type it.
After removing a few coolant hoses connected to the turbos and jacking the car up... It started leaking coolant everywhere. Guess I didn't empty it as well as I had thought:
Nothing part of a carpet from that salvaged white 3000GT in the background cant fix : D
Got the 99 turbos off (top) but unfortunately not before one of the bolts snapped off in the manifold:
Luckily I still had my 93 exhaust housing and that is the one I planned on modifying anyway. I'll need to deal with removing that busted bolt from the 99 manifold at some point, but for now I can use this guy:
Now it's time to get to work on modifying the exhaust housing. You are going to need a Dremel, multiple cutoff wheels, grinding bits, and a whole hell of a lot of patience to get this done the same way. I ended up using a combination of a Dremel AND a big 4 1/2 cutoff wheel to speed things up. Here we go...
08-21-18, 04:32 PM
#73
Full Member
Thread Starter
Part 2:
As you can see, you will need to cut the bottom and top pieces off and then you will be able to slide the flapper out (with a little help from a hammer if needed). With that done, it will leave you a piece in the middle of the exposed shaft that we can use to weld the hole shut. This is the hole in question left after the flapper is removed:
We are going to be grinding the "ridges" down completely, welding the leftover piece of metal in the shaft, and then grinding it all smooth again. Let's get to work.
As you can see, you will need to cut the bottom and top pieces off and then you will be able to slide the flapper out (with a little help from a hammer if needed). With that done, it will leave you a piece in the middle of the exposed shaft that we can use to weld the hole shut. This is the hole in question left after the flapper is removed:
We are going to be grinding the "ridges" down completely, welding the leftover piece of metal in the shaft, and then grinding it all smooth again. Let's get to work.
08-21-18, 04:33 PM
#74
Full Member
Thread Starter
Part 3:
The idea here is to get the left over rod from the flapper to be sitting just UNDER the surface of the hole. That way when you start welding over the top of it, you can come back after and grind the whole thing smooth leaving no raised surface to obstruct flow.
After a lot of welding and grinding you should end up with something like this:
I also smoothed out the bottom as well:
Now it's time to move on to the turbos (93 turbos getting the non-sequential mod pictured above):
Check out that cracking : /
The idea here is to get the left over rod from the flapper to be sitting just UNDER the surface of the hole. That way when you start welding over the top of it, you can come back after and grind the whole thing smooth leaving no raised surface to obstruct flow.
After a lot of welding and grinding you should end up with something like this:
I also smoothed out the bottom as well:
Now it's time to move on to the turbos (93 turbos getting the non-sequential mod pictured above):
Check out that cracking : /
08-21-18, 04:33 PM
#75
Full Member
Thread Starter
Part 4:
Oh well, not much that can be done about that. I'm going to start by porting the wastegate. I didn't need to mark how far to port because these turbos had been sitting for so long with the flapper shut it made a fairly clear outline already. Let's begin:
With the porting done, it's now time to remove the flapper and arm from the turbos themselves. Get ready for more cutting, grinding, & welding.
We are essentially going to do the same thing here with the left over rod inside this shaft that we did on the exhaust manifolds:
Oh well, not much that can be done about that. I'm going to start by porting the wastegate. I didn't need to mark how far to port because these turbos had been sitting for so long with the flapper shut it made a fairly clear outline already. Let's begin:
With the porting done, it's now time to remove the flapper and arm from the turbos themselves. Get ready for more cutting, grinding, & welding.
We are essentially going to do the same thing here with the left over rod inside this shaft that we did on the exhaust manifolds: