pics Part 5 - HKS Intakes Finished Up

 

pics Part 6 - Intercooler Ready For Piping

 

pic Part 7 - BBQ time

 

Day 83



Umm, so yeah – I finished the car. Now I need to take the VM and oil cooler kits apart to paint everything – ugghh. The engine bay is packed with so much stuff it’s over whelming to look at. I don’t think there is any more space left to do anything. I had a total of 169 pictures, but I was able to get it down to 78 picture to meet FB’s 80 Max pics per upload. Enjoy the show.



Part 1 – Intercooler Outlet To Greddy Elbow Piping

Part 2 – Primary Turbo To Intercooler

Part 3 – Secondary Turbo To Intercooler

Part 4 – Air Separation Tank (AST)

Part 5 – V-Mount Paper Side Panels

Part 6 – V-Mount Aluminum Side Panels

Part 7 – V-Mount Aluminum Side Panels Secured

Part 8 – LRB Front Vanity Panel

Part 9 – Charge Relief Valve (CRV)

Part 10 – Air Bypass Valve



Part 1 – Intercooler Outlet To Greddy Elbow Piping



For all my VM kits I made a solid hard pipe going from the IC outlet side to the Greddy elbow. It was a signature for my VM kits. After tearing my car apart and putting it back together I understand now why some customers reported the hard pipe being off ¼ inch or so to the side, it was because my car was tweaked at the upper bar where the hood latch is. I did make the kit with some side to side adjustability in the IC brackets to accommodate for any alignment issues. But there is only so much you can do to compensate for modified motor mounts, different engine configs and so on. So now I will make it a 2 piece – like everyone else – booo.. lol. The Greddy elbow has a little play in the holes so you want to angle it down to clear the shock tower strut bar. I cut a 45 degree pipe to go from the Greddy elbow to the IC. Now that I have the angle it is a straight shot to the IC core. From experience I did not want to weld a 90 degree pipe on the IC side because I’m not a professional welder and it’s a real PITA to get the torch under the bend unless you have a sweet set-up, which I do not. I also left about 1 inch gap on both sides of the 45 degree pipe to absorb movement and vibration. I used my Vibrant bead roller for the pipes and don’t forget to use your de-bur tool to clean the inside edge of the pipe. Last I cut the silicone so that I had about 1 inch past the bead on both sides.



Part 2 – Primary Turbo To Intercooler



For my kit it was more difficult since I am keeping my HKS intakes. My primary turbo goes to the bottom half of the core since I needed the space above it for the secondary turbo to IC piping. On my other twin turbo track kits, I had different intakes which gave me more room and I naturally routed the primary turbo IC piping to the top half of the core. There really is no difference between the top and bottom holes, the pipe routing is just determined by the space with the current configuration. The primary turbo piping consists of an off the shelf ATP turbo 2-inch adapter for the outlet and 2-inch aluminum piping. I tap the adaptor for the silicone line that will go to the secondary turbo outlet adaptor and then to the pressure chamber. On my other twin turbo track kits I had different intakes which gave me more room and I naturally routed the turbo IC piping to what looked best. For my kit it was more difficult since I am keeping my HKS intakes. My primary turbo goes to the bottom half of the core since I needed the space above it for the secondary turbo to IC piping.



I tac’d the pri turbo elbow in place and verified the angle by test fitting it. I did have to tweak it a bit and then I welded it in place. Next I cut a small straight for the IC side that the pri turbo piping will go, then I cut another 90-degree aluminum elbow to go between the pri turbo and the pipe on the IC. I am using a small 90-degree silicone elbow to tie the turbo piping to the IC. I put all 3 pieces together loosely to get the angle I will need to weld the straight section onto the IC. I drew a line around the small straight to get the angle while it was together, took the 3 pieces apart and had to use some misc metal pieces to set the angle since the hole on the IC was larger and tac’d it in place. Once again I put the pieces together and made my marks and tac’d the other 90 degree aluminum piece in place on the pri turbo side. I took off the IC and the pri turbo piping and welded it all up and then put it all back together to verify it all fits.



Part 3 – Secondary Turbo To Intercooler



The secondary (sec) turbo piping was a little trickier because I had to get it above the primary (pri) turbo piping at a slight upward angle while still fitting under the sec turbo HKS intake. The main part for the sec turbo is the cnc'd piece that fits into the sec turbo CRV has a slight taper on the inside so the CRV butterflies will not rub against it. After a few aluminum cuts I found the right angle, tac'd it together and test fit it. Now that I had the pipe making it out towards the IC I needed to secure it from accidentally getting pushed out due to boosting. I made a brace that goes from the sec turbo outlet pipe that bolts to the UIM. This will hold it in place and lock in the position so I can make the 90 degree aluminum section that will bend towards the IC inlet for the sec turbo. From here it is the same process as the pri turbo, I cut a small aluminum straight for the IC side, cut the size for the 90 degree aluminum and silicone elbows and put all 3 pieces together loosely to get the angle. I drew a line around the small straight to get the angle while it was together, took the 3 pieces apart and played that old game of operation with some misc metal pieces to set the angle since the hole on the IC was larger and tac’d it in place. I took off the IC and the sec turbo piping and welded it all up and then put it all back together to verify it all fits. Finally I have the piping on the IC and it looks somewhat decent. I honestly like the look on another customers car with the twin turbo piping routed a little bit different but it was just not possible with my HKS intakes. It was late and I called it a night, I still have to deal with the AST, twin HKS BOV's, vm kit duct panels and the front LRB vanity panel.



Part 4 – Air Separation Tank (AST)



This days starts at 8 AM Saturday morning. Ahhh, the AST. Yes I read all the threads for the cons and pros, but Mazda included it in the FD cooling system so I still want to keep it. I have 2 AST tanks, one feels light like stainless steel and the other is the Pettit Racing AST. I choose the Pettit because it has a better finish and it is shorter and I can make it match the same height as the filler neck. I made a bracket to fit behind the PS cooler and it supports the bottom of the AST and bolts to the top bracket. I need to add one more brace that goes from the bar that the AST sits on to the lower support part of the bracket to prevent small vibrations. I do have all the new AST coolant lines from Ray Crowe but I did not have the heart to cut them to fit my application. For the hose that goes to the over flow tank, I cut about 6 inches off (like Bobbitt) and it fit fine. The next cuts were made from the factory hoses using their pre-formed bends. Second I cut a section out of the hose that originally goes from the filler neck to the AST and used it to go from the AST to the nipple on the radiator. Last I cut a section out of the original AST to radiator hose and used it to loop from the AST to the filler neck. Everything fit fine with no kinks and no risks of rubbing on pulleys or anything else.



Part 5 – V-Mount Paper Side Panels



Well, I have some basic panels that essentially guide the air directly to the IC core. It is simple and effective. The left side was easy since there are less obstructions, I pieced together several cuts and finally had the shape I wanted. I drew an outline of that panel for the other side so I had a good starting point. The right side needed to clear the VM kit brace which angles inward and also the front air guide which extends further inward on that side from which the fan harness connectors nicely sit on. After the shapes were done I test fit it on the VM kit frame and also onto the IC support brackets to make sure everything cleared.



Part 6 – V-Mount Aluminum Side Panels



It was time to make the paper panels (MIA comes to mind) turn into aluminum panels. I use door seal weather stripping for the bottom of the panels where it touches the a/c condenser or radiator for whatever the configuration might be. They are well made and come with VHB double sided tape on the back. I trace out the paper ducts on the metal but you have to remember to cut the bottom a little shorter since the weather stripping will fill that gap. After I have the weather stripping in place I drill some holes and install some rivets to make sure it does not come loose. I test fit the on the IC support frame and then on the IC brackets to make sure everything fits fine.



Part 7 – V-Mount Aluminum Side Panels Secured



Anytime you install ducting you need to make sure it is secure and will not shake, rattle and roll. The top of the ducts panels are secured fine and do not move but there is some flex at the front area. I have an L-shaped aluminum piece that was the perfect size and I cut them to fit. I wanted to put them up a little higher so they were not to noticeable. I welded the L-brackets to the flat bars holding down the a/c condenser to the radiator on each side. I drilled the holes on the L-brackets so I could put some 6mm rivnuts in them. I was unable to get a pen in the small area to transfer the holes to the panels so I used the tape transfer method. I taped some tape to the L-bracket and drew the circle to drill out. I put the brackets in place and then pressed the tape against the duct. I drilled out the holes on the ducts, put some rivnuts in the L-brackets and put it all together.



Part 8 – LRB Front Vanity Panel



The hidden damage on my car is really starting to get annoying. Thankfully I have developed a skill for lining things up. The LRB front vanity panel looks nice and will hide a lot of the damage on my upper radiator support. I had to cut a large section out to clear the intercooler, I think I still need to shave it down a little bit more on the turbo side of the IC since it barely touches there. I also had to massage a bolt hole to get the hood bumper to line up in the rotary holes on each side evenly. Last I added some rubber bump stops at the top edges to prevent the metal from vibrating against the frame.



Part 9 – Charge Relief Valve (CRV)



By this time is was getting late in the day and I was tired, but I made some more coffee and pushed on because I was in the home stretch to finish the car. It was time to figure out how and where in the heck am I going to install the HKS BOV that replaces the factory charge relief valve (CRV) that bleeds air from the sec turbo during prespool when the charge control actuator closes the outlet for the sec turbo.



Once again I am amazed at how much random material I have in stock, but then again I have made this kit before so I should have all this left over material. So, knowing that my twins do not have a cross over pipe between them meant that the HKS BOV will have to go on the IC outlet pipe to the greddy elbow. This meant that I have the whole turbo side of the IC to figure out where to place the CRV. I finally found a place in front of the oil catch can where the HKS FD3S specific CRV would fit. I was able to use one of the stainless steel brackets that came with the kit and another homemade bracket to bolt the CRV in place just above the back of the IC. I used a rubber bumper to prevent the HKS BOV holder from hitting the IC. This is where my left over stock comes into play. From the kit I placed the 90 degree hose on the original CRV outlet pipe and the short straight onto the HKS holder for the BOV used for the CRV. I cut a small aluminum joiner and then used a silicon straight to get it past the turbo piping to the sec turbo CRV outlet location. The silicone hose from the CRV was actually offset a little bit so I needed to make a little pipe to sidestep between the hoses. I cut the pipe to fit and used my welding magnets to hold it in place to tac it up. I made one side to angle down so both hose's are in their natural position and will not be stressed. I put everything back together and said to myself - that'll do pig. Onto the HKS BOV that will act as the air bypass valve for both turbos.



Part 10 – Air Bypass Valve



It took me a while to figure out where I wanted to place the HKS BOV for the outlet side but I ended up keeping it on the inside of the piping to flow with the CRV. I used a hole saw to cut the hole and then welded the BOV holder in place. Now the nightmare begins. I fought with the C-clip for about 3 hours to get it to seat in the channel to hold the BOV in place. I have the newer HKS BOV's but my holder I had was one I had in stock for over 10 years. I think the thickness and design of the base between the BOV's has changed, there was no way in hell it would fit. To get more room for the c-clip pliers I took off the front of the BOV that allows you to change the center piece to whatever configuration you want including changing it to operate as a recirculation valve.



In the end I had to shave the inside circle on the holder to allow the base of the BOV to sit deeper inside and install a slightly skinnier o'ring (thank goodness I had one). The c-clip looks like it was punched out but a cutting tool and it has a sharp edge, I filed the sharp edge down so it would not catch on the top section of the channel. AND... for the next 2 hours I took a small file and slowly enlarged the channel to fit the c-clip. I probably took the c-clip out at least 20 times during test fitting it to make sure the channel was large enough for the full height of the clip to sit inside. When I knew I had it I put some grease on the o'ring and secured the BOV in place. It felt solid with no play and it was hard to turn which meant the clip is fully secured. I was finally done at 4 AM SUNDAY MORNING !!!!!! The last push was a 20 hour day and I nearly collapsed with relief because I finally finished putting the car together to get it running. I took a bunch of pictures at different angles and I'm happy with how it came out.



If your still reading this - Thank you for hanging in there with me on this journey.



Enjoy the pics.

pics - Part 1 – Intercooler Outlet To Greddy Elbow Piping

 

pics - Part 2 – Primary Turbo To Intercooler

 

pics - Part 3 – Secondary Turbo To Intercooler

 

pics - Part 4 – Air Separation Tank (AST)

 

pics - Part 5 – V-Mount Paper Side Panels

 

pics - Part 6 – V-Mount Aluminum Side Panels

 

pics - Part 7 – V-Mount Aluminum Side Panels Secured

 

pics - Part 8 – LRB Front Vanity Panel

 

pics - Part 9 – Charge Relief Valve (CRV)

 

pics - Part 10 – Air Bypass Valve

 

Beautiful engine bay!

 

Thanks bro !

There is alot going on in there.

I saw your build thread too and sub'd. Looking forward to seeing your car. Mo at Palm Tree Rotary is the man, he will make sure your car is done right.

 

Nice v mount..

 

Thank you sir !!

 

Heard he got it from rotary extreme .

 

I’m going with Julio he used to work under Mo at Palm Tree now works under his own business at the same shop I think. just waiting on my VMount and Prolite flywheel right now. Met him a month and half ago, he’s a boss! Real nice dude and good to hear your vouch for them!

Def can tell all the work you’ve put into your car, pics speak for themself!

 

Thank you Jatt.

The biggest thing I learned personally from running the small business was how to fabricate and repurpose stuff.

When I make stuff for customers I will have certain things welded by a professional welder (Eduardo at ToroFab), when you buy something the last thing you want to see is an ugly weld staring you in the face...lol

I honestly feel I could not have pulled alot of stuff off without all the information here on the RX7club.

Also..

I know its more money, but quality products and work from legit shops will make the difference on the value of your car and how long it will last.

Yes, I remember Julio, hes the man supper nice and smart guy. Mo is chillin but still a beast in the game. Palm Tree Rotary is super legit, they just lay low on the forum stuff.

I still miss my silver S4 T2 I sold them.

 

Definitely agreed. Ordered all the parts I needed without really thinking about cheaping out because I want this FD done right, and the only way to do justice to the car is to get the work done by a professional. I could probably learn a bit, spend some time but overall he quality of work won't compare and on my first FD definitely want to enjoy it as soon as possible.

When he drove over to my house with his assistant, at the time I had no idea what RX3's/RX2' were, but if my memory serves me correctly he had one of the two. Legendary.

 

Yes "as soon as possible"

Time = Money

That's why my car sat for 8 years.. hahahaha

 

Should be a good update this weekend IF everything goes well.
As everyone who has been reading my thread knows my car has been hacked together with a lot of electro-mechanical thingamabobs.

My concern now is starting an almost completely dry motor.

These are the steps I'm going to take and I would appreciate it if any of you guys have some helpful inputs - let me know so I don't fry this thing on the first start up.

1. Make sure all the hose clamps and drain plugs are tight.
2. A/C will not be turned on so I will not try to fill the A/C with anything and wait to have it professionally charged.
3. Fill P/S fluid and turn the steering wheel lock to lock a few times.
4. Mix my ethylene glycol-based Motorcraft specialty green coolant with distilled water and fill the coolant system.
5. Top off the oil coolers through the cross over hose port and secure the hose on each side and then fill the motor to the full line. Castrol GTX 20/50 dino
6. Add 10gal 91 with 1.5oz per gal, I have lucas marine 2 stroke TCW3 (my used motor has no omp with internal oil mods I'm told).
7. Pull plugs
8.Turn key to ACC/ON to check fuel pressure 38 PSI and adjust (verify vacuum line off of FPR and vacuum line plugged for no leak).
9. Crank motor for lubrication build up - I will not pull the fuel pump fuse yet because I would like to use the injectors to inject premix for lubrication. Verify OIL / Fuel pressure telemetry.
10. Pull FP fuse and continue to crank a few more times letting oil lubricate stuff and letting fuel evaporate and stuff get blown out the spark plug holes.
11. Put plugs and FP fuse back in and try to start the car.
12. Monitor all gauge telemetry and fill fluids as necessary as oil thermo and coolant thermo open up.

Thoughts?

 

Well as expected the car did not start.
i’m able to prime the fuel pump 38 to 40 psi.
pretty much sounds like an air compressor it spins kind of quick but it’s just not starting.
I don’t know if I have spark.
the afr is pegged at 10 so I think I have fuel.
I’ll check the ign-1a and spark tomorrow.

 

May need to get a little oil into the combustion chamber of the engine if it's really flooded or has no oil film. Also it's probably a good idea to get some oil in there since you don't have an OMP.

You can either go through the leading plug holes or pull the UIM enough to get a tube down the intake manifold runners. Get some oil in, turn the motor over by hand, repeat.

Once you get it where you're ready to try and start I would crank to build oil pressure again. That way you should also hear compression pulses when the motor turns over - chug-chug-chug. If it spins over and sounds "smooth" you don't have enough oil to build compression or something is really weird with the engine.

The crank to build oil pressure is also a good opportunity to look for major oil leaks. Loose oil cooler line, oil feed to turbos, etc.

I usually recommend to get the engine started after you build oil pressure and KEEP IT RUNNING, try to let it run 15-20 minutes. If it seems like it won't idle, just hold the throttle open manually - solve the idle later. It's worth getting the engine up to temp and everything moving like it should. Trying to start a fresh engine then immediately shut down is how you foul plugs and flood the engine. But, don't be afraid to shut it down if you have a major problem - gushing oil, coolant leak, etc. It's also worth having some one on hand to help so one person can be in the car starting/keeping it running and the other can look for leaks or problems.

Also remember the engine will SMOKE LIKE CRAZY. That's normal. You have a ton of greasy hand prints, oil, and of course lots of custom paint that will burn in and smoke.

Once you have it run for 15-20 minutes and everything is nice and up to temp, go ahead and shut it down and let it cool off. When it's cooled down, change oil and filter - that will get a lot of crap that's in the system flushed out from it being open so long and, for new engines, will get assembly lube and other junk out.

Dale