So it begins 94
 

A couple decades and 2 FC I am back with an FD.
1994 touring with bad paint and an auto. Other than that the car is a very good example of how one should be after 20+ years. I will post some pics up while things progress. In the mean time I wanted to say hello, thank everyone for all the useful knowledge I have read over the past few years. Long time lurker and never registered.

Goals,

above all I want this to be a solid and reliable fun street vehicle. I live in SE FL so she will be trailerd up north from time to time for back roads I use to blast with my FCs and will most likely see a track from time to time.
I would like to see 310-325 whp to begin with.

current mods
DP wrapped
Hiflow cat
RB dual tip
cold air intake
aluminum rad and ast
boost gauge
Brake upgrades
pettit built engine about 3k ish
pettit rebuilt turbos about 3k ish
no more rats nest
silicone hoses
Boost at around 6 4 6 currently and she pulls strong.
all I can think of now

so currently
5 speed swap commencing
99 spec lip
fluid changes
battery relocation

future
many things
to be added shortly. Shortly on the list anyway.

Very near future mods
Pettit IC
apexi or ???
Tune and boost back to stock
not sure what she will be sitting at HP in that config, but I am sure she will be fun

sound system will be worked on somewhere in here. Nothing extravagant or too heavy. Components up front components in rear and a single or possibly dual 10

December
Vented hood
spoiler
paint
wheels and tires

then we start suspension.

all subject to change of course, but this is the plan.

You need to answer yourself a couple of questions. 1) Are you ok with 300ish max HP and 2) Do you like sequential turbo response? If the answer is yes, then keep it stock. If you want more HP (reliably), you need to go single turbo, and then you need to know how deep your pockets are. Regardless which course you take, cooling is paramount (esp in FL) and should be your first priority. V-mount is optimal, but a good SMIC and N-flo radiator will get you by if you conservatively tune it. If you keep the twins, look into a '99 spec Y-pipe.

Thanks for the reply!! Well, I will never be able to leave her stock, but I do like the sequential delivery. Radiator is completed and IC is next. Hi flow y will be added with IC. I will be happy for quite some time with 300ish whp. I am not sure how long that will suffice, but I have plenty more to focus on before more HP.
Biggest concern for me is to get an FC or leave stock ECU. Boost is at 6 so once I start turning her up I just want to make sure I have enough fuel. I have read so much yet am still confused on the matter. Seems to be so much conflicting info. That is probably just how I am interpreting the info though.
Really I would like to see what kind of power she will produce with leaving the stock boost at 10 8 10. I guess I will just take it from there.

You wont get to 300 with the stock ECU, but it sounds like you have a boost issue to deal with first :gwink:

No boost issue now. She is turned down on purpose ;)

Just trying to get some before pics in. Besides the left bolster on the driver's seat the interior is in really shape. The seats will be redone in black probably from RX7.com. The Bose must come out!

Have to make a correction. There is no hiflow cat on her. I thought she seemed pretty quiet. So that will have to be taken care of pretty quickly!

Rebuilt blueprinted tranny installed. She is officially a 5spd. New OEM DS, Rally clutch, and everything smooth and tight. Very nice work by Pettit. Waiting on my custom shiftboot from redline and trying to figure out what shifter I will stick with.
battery is relocated to bin behind passenger seat. Fluids and plugs changed. A few little odds and ends taken care of.

Speaking of cooling mods being paramount, why in the hell does everyone not have their battery relocated? I am new to the fd and am amazed at how much is opened with the battery out of there. Talk about radiator blockage. I wish I would have did the mod later to get some temp readings before and after. I would be surprised if it didnt help a little bit. Look at the difference!!

Now you have room for a large SMIC :icon_tup:

Coincidently...

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...-smic-1127063/

Thx for the heads up TomU. Although I wouldn't mind saving 700+ I am going with Pettit. I am very pleased with them so far. They helped me build my FCs 20 years ago so I have a bit of loyalty going on.

Shift boot installed.
Driverside pwr window switch took a cr@p so it is time to remove both panels swap the switch, fix the molding that is catching the window before it causes any future issues. Clean and lube up the track, and fix anything else that looks odd. Then pull the Bose out and fit some nice Infinity or Focal 6.5s and run the wires in preparation for future audio upgrade.
Window tint when finished.https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...eebc664110.jpg

Pettit IC installed. Very impressed, 3rd gear pulls have a noticeable difference. Cam at Pettit did an incredible job. Real straight forward and honest guy. We may need to make a small modification on the left pipe if I get a new bonnet.

Time to let the bank take a breather, start cleaning/detailing and add some more thermal management. Decide what I will do next. Power wise I need an apexi and maybe a fuel pump and tube. That will complete the power mods. I may Start on suspension or something easy like stereo and finish up the interior. She definitely needs wheels and needs to be dropped an inch, but damn these tires are in good shape.... for now.https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...aeba0041c7.jpg

curious on the Pettit intercooler, what does he have the fan wired to? Come on with the radiator fans? Just on a switch for you to control? Or somehow monitoring AIT to control? Or just on all the time?

It is wired in with the radiator fans. On when they are on. I have thought about adding a switch, but I am sure it will be ok the way it is.
You can feel it suck air through the vent in the nose. Works pretty good.

I hate when I write a lengthy reply and don't hit submit....here it goes again
So PFC installed and working wonderfully. I am very pleased. The boost restriction to 7 was left alone and she creeps to 8. Maybe with the hiflow cat she will creep a little more?? Anyway, I am not upset with the performance.
Next is sending my cluster to rx7.com to have all the caps replaced. While waiting for that I have a dual air temp gauge from glowshift, AEM oil temp, press, and boost that will be installed. I will start monitoring temps, intake, intake at the actual cones, under hood temp, oils and water to see if any of the up coming "thermal management" actually does anything. This will include the vented hood. After $ recovery of the hood (I am married lol), I will have to decide wether or not to start on paint or suspension. I am leaning towards suspension as power is nothing without control. It would however be nice to open the garage and see her freshly painted. What would you guys do?

Can't argue with that. Looking more and more like suspension. She will be a rat rod lol.

I also am not gauging this thing out. I will add an oil temp, wideband, new boost (all aem). I will put the dual temp in a non permanent location as I still want to see how the temps will work out.

1st finish gauges which includes rebuild of cluster, then hiflow cat. If boost isnt up to 10 we will put her back up. The map in the PFC is awesome so I am not worried about a hard core dyno tune at the moment. Finish up the thermal stuff. If oil temps are ok we will move onto suspension. If not upgraded oil cooler with possibly adding a second. I am going to try and fabricate a rear enclosure behind the k&no and possibly a heat shield over/in front of the turbos. Pettit will be the answer for the coilovers, and probably RB for the front sway. I will leave the rear stock. Maybe pull it for the bushings and refinish it. Not sure who to go to for bushings yet. Trailing and toe links will probably be from rx7.com
I guess after suspension we will she how she runs the 1/8 and 1/4. I will address the rear end of needed as she is still on the 390.

Thx TomU. All is noted.
my FC as I recalled had to tokico illum, springs, ST away bars and all poly bushings. It was a phenomenal handling vehicle. I don't mind a little harshness if the results are good. Again thanks. Your intel is very much appreciated.

I'm a big fan or Super Pro bushings. They dont bind like other brands due to the design. Also the honey comb on the inner part of the bushings where the metal sleeve goes in helps keep lube where it should be so they dont squeak after a while like other bushings do.

just my .02

AEM installed. She is permanently wired, but not locked in. I have to remove the cluster to send it away for tach.
Ordering a 3 gauge pod for center speaker and once it arrives oil temp, dual air, and a/f will be installed. Getting there slowly but surely.
Supra TT pump on the way also. Once all these are I stalled... a bit of logging on temps before and after thermal management work, then hiflow cat and dual coolers of needed.https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...83a2f3a762.jpg

That was peak boost of the run. I am a little confused as the ecu is bypassed and she should basically limited by the waste gate spring.

TT Supra pump installed today. Couple runs with her and my boost seemed to spike around 12 ish. I called BS because my commander was showing the usual. I hooked back up my autometer analog did some pulls and she was no more than 9psi. Hooked the AEM back up and it was back in agreement. No idea wth was going on. Rather frustrating and I hope this AEM isnt going to give me any issues.

Wires are through the firewall for the AEM oil temp, afr, and the glowshift dual temps. Pod should be here in a couple days. I will change the oil again and go with 20w50. It is just too damn hot in miami to run 10w40 dino. Running castrol. I thought to change to Idemitsu, but I think I will be changing the oil so often that it would be a waste of $$. Like every 700-1000 miles.

Next after gauges is still hiflow cat and add one oil cooler if temps are too high which I can imagine they will be. (I am still going to log temps while adding additional "thermal management items". I think I will keep stock on left and just add one on the right.
I will probably aggravate Cam at Pettit to perform a street tune if my afr seems off or maybe try and snag a dyno. Hopefully with the addition of the hiflow I will be right at 10-11psi without any pills or controllers. That will have to suffice on the power until I finish everything else up. I am still hoping for 300+. I will be happy.https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...2a9100b9f3.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...eac1c1a9c1.jpg

Sakebomb's oil filter pedestal installed. The old o-ring appeared to be pretty worn out. What a pita that rearward m6 bolt is. I am pretty darn sure I have the rearward m6 right, but we shall see soon enough. I used locktite 592 on one of the threads so I will wait a day or 2 to start and check for leaks. Want to make sure it is bonded all the way.
I am quite amazed at how diluted the 10w40 is so as stated earlier I will change it out for 20w50. The warm up for oil change will be the initial leak check.

Highflow cat will be installed once I know there are no leaks. She is sitting here waiting for me.

Still waiting for my flyrx7 pod to show up and finish gauge installs.https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9da6da7bf1.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...d6d8da4358.jpg

50HP PLUG AND PLAY MOD!!!!

This has to add at least 50rwhp

All jokes aside, I haven't installed to see fit yet, but very impressed with the quality. There is an a awesome review of this on this forum. Apologies for not remembering who it was, but the review seems spot on so far.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...655dc58c97.jpg

Bose system in rear removed along with the spare tire and accessories. I have some carpet I will fab and will figure out something for the spare tire cover. That's probably 40-50lbs. Should more than offset a 5 channel amp and small sub.

Incredible Flyrx7https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f1955c907f.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...7a6b5f1bb7.jpg

Hopefully tomorrow I will start her up and check for leaks on the oil pedestal. I may need to bend the return line slightly and maybe get the wideband sensor installed.

The temp sensors are placed. One by the intake and the other by the uim. This is temporary just to screw around with a few ideas I have and log some temps for under the hood.

So I definitely have hotter oil temps that I would like. It hit 230 at one point, but came back down pretty quick. I was on and off the throttle with a few wot. I would say average is around 210-220.
So I know what my next mod will be!! Time for a 2nd oil cooler. Not sure if I will just add one yet, or if I will buy 2 . At these temps 2 may be in order.
Coolant temps are still around 90-95c when getting on it or sitting in traffic. Was around 88f when I was out playing around. I did do an oil change and switched to 20w50. I see plus and minus to this. May take longer to cool, but I also feel like she has a little more protection at these temps. Of course it is all just my opinion.
Boost gauge was acting up again a little. 11.9 recorded max. I still find that hard to believe. I repositioned the wire and boost tube so maybe I just kinked it again or something. I will look into it later. Also showed vacuum around -8,-10 which she is around -14 to -18 normally.

Oil type and thermal management. I guess this will be part of my thermal management "experiment". It is very frustrating that there is still so much conflict on what oil to use. I was a little scared with synthetic, but then I started thinking.... geeeee the premix I use is protek. Protek is synthetic. Most premix are. Why the hell would there be any issue with motor oil being synthetic (given it is a brand mean and/or meant to burn). Most people skgiving the excuse of Mazda says no synthetic are running a 20w50 weight and Mazda doesn't recommend that weight. Anyway, I have the gtx 20w50 in now and will be logging some temps and will switch to RP 10w40 probably and maybe 20w50 after that. I think whatever gives me the lowest oil temps and adequate pressure is what I will stick with. Cost for me with oil is not an issue. I will still probably change the oil every 700-1000 miles as she won't driven that much to begin with. People claim 10° avg reduction in temps on synthetic. That alone is a big deal to me especially running on one cooler still. 220 sounds hell of a lot better than 230. As does 200-210 when 210-220 has been my avg. If it is 20° as some people claim then damn that has to lower temps all together which I should see in my coolant temps and possibly even intake and underhood temps. Sounds very trivial to most people probably, but sometimes you have to figure stuff out for yourself I guess. Here are what a few "extreme" pros have told me. Will not give their names, but I can assure you they all know what the hell they are talking about.
1. 15w40 diesel (Rotella) lives in very hot climate
2. 10w30 Idemitsu (he changes it often and lives in a Very hot climate)
3. 20w50 Idemitsu (lives in very hot climate)
4. 20w50 GTX lives in moderate climate cold in winter and can get very hot in summer

I obviously would never bring this up in the forums as it has been beat to death. I need a damn answer, so I guess I will see what my car likes :)

Highflow cat installed today along with afr sensor. Wow, what a difference!! This thing has to be at least 300 to the wheels. She feels awesome. Unfortunately it was a little damp still after some rain earlier and I couldn't get on it as once the secondary comes on in 2nd she spins. (Starting from a bogged 2nd gear pull). Anyway, with my very minimal knowledge of afr everything looks good from idle to wot. Of course I have much more observation to do.
The temps I am logging are surprising for under the hood and intake. I am not sure if many are actually aware.
I am amazed at the size and weight of the factory main.

Nothing like a good oil conversation. I found this an interesting read https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/201...-test-ranking/

I personally would not be too concerned about using synthetic with an OMP. That said, i have a dedicated tank which injects clean pre-mix.

Idemitsu was designed for rotaries, so that's saying a lot. I'm currently using Motorcraft 5-50 synthetic so i get good initial start protection. Only problem with such a wide range is it breaks down quickly so i need to to change it more often (and that oil is not cheap).

Awesome Tom, thanks for the link. That will take awhile to read, but I like the research.
The owner or "main guy" at Royal Purple use to race rotary and well, you guessed it. He supposedly ran royal purple. I am trying to figure out what I want to do when I install the oil coolers. I may just stick with gtx 20w50 for now and finish my temp logging. Trying to get some accurate data. Oil coolers will be installed this Saturday and I am excited and curious for the temps. Not only the oil, but what affect it will have on intake temps if any. My coolant temp is optimal imo, but I am curious to see if the fans will work as hard. I assume there should be a difference.
Now I am also into the spark plug debate lol. I am researching what temps etc. What temp plugs are you running?
I can almost feel a water/meth injection in the future.... WTH am I getting myself into lol

Added one oil cooler today. Unfortunately had an issue with a fitting and left the car at the shop. I only had a chance to give it one good test drive. So there are some positive and negative things to this. One positive is the temp drop was unbelievable. We are talking 35-40°f for a quick avg. I was expecting 25°-30° On the boost with some 95-100mph some moderate traffic and a few back road squirts at full boost. Way better than expected. Bad news is had a fitting fail. Good news is, since she has to come back apart we will just go ahead and replace the stock cooler also. I dont expect another insane drop in temp, but another 10° for sure and maybe 15° is possible. Quite obvious the the factory cooler isnt flowing air to well. The fitting failure resulted in just about a total oil loss. I am 99% sure she was shut down in time and will have no issues engine wise. This probably should have been one of the 1st mods I did. I am curious to see how the temps will play out.

Nice!!! I feel like I am almost in the big boy club.https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...2d27e7f243.jpg

So quick update on new coolers. At 90-95 mph the temps really didnt get over 165°f. Getting on the boost a bit she went up to 170 at slower speeds (55-75mph). This is a different oil. 15w40 dino. So I cant compare it to the 20w50 yet, but coolers are definitely working. In traffic after off i95 stop and go she got up to 200 once and would go into the 180s once moving even like 10- 15mph. Temp was 78 out so cant compare it to our 90°days yet. I still need to make a couple mods on the brackets.
My thermal management tests may be skipping a couple steps. I will be pulling the nose off for the cooler brackets and will be filling gaps in for the rad. I was initially going to see if the intake temps were affecting by the coolers alone. I still might have time for this depending on when I get brackets for the oil coolers get here or I make them.https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...82244244d9.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9ff3c63288.jpg

Yes she is dirty!

I don't understand. Oil temps of 200 are no big deal. What are you trying to achieve?