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-   -   Johnny's 87 coupe: The drift build (https://www.rx7club.com/build-threads-294/johnnys-87-coupe-drift-build-1086465/)

Johnny Kuro 07-12-15 04:03 PM

Johnny's 87 coupe: The drift build
 
Hey everyone! Finally got around to making some progress on my car so I decided now was the best time to start up a build thread. After coming into a financial tight spot I was forced to sell my 2008 WRX. I can't imagine living without a toy, so in only 3 days I managed to find a vehicle to replace it. Found a great local car that had been well maintained and garaged during winters. And as it turned out, I ended up know the seller. So for the great price of $2000, I picked up this gem. Odometer reading just over 150k, no rust whatsoever, paint in good shape for its age, a few dings here and there, and very few minor issues (wipers, clock, broken vent diverters). Car already had KYB GR struts, Enkie 92 Mesh wheels, Momo Corse Steering wheel, and some random chrome shift knob (possibly short shifter but not sure).


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...13c7b99371.jpg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0d8c76ee4f.jpg


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...c2af47b6d7.jpg


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...a8f14473eb.jpg


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...668e84a3c5.jpg


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...2b912d6477.jpg


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...a292e2b385.jpg


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...84fd85f775.jpg


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...21600f73f3.jpg


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...abe6095991.jpg


SO being on a tight budget at the moment, I'm not able to get the parts I want just yet. Instead I'm going with the freebies and low cost stuff. The first thing I did was pull the headlight fuse and do a sleepy eye mod. Nothing more than esthetics, but I like it. The next thing, was to gut the cats. Actually noticed a small power increase from this.

Yesterday, I finally got into some serious stuff. Being low on power, I figured going light weight was my best option. Decided to strip everything from the seats back, sans the speakers. Also made a small, but noticeable difference


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...7e42c85a83.jpg


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...8d42d63c86.jpg

Still have more to do, but this is how it will sit for a little while. Also decided this morning to buy the block off plate kit from Banzai Racing, and will be doing the air pump and ACV removal as well as the EGR and BAC once that comes in.

Johnny Kuro 07-20-15 09:07 PM

So after waiting an extra 3 days for my block off pates to arrive thanks to snail mail delaying delivery, i now am ready to jump into the engine bay. Decided that the silver plates weren't to my taste and had some high temp paint lying around so decided to give them a quick spray. looks much nicer

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...bf959efad7.jpg

here is the payoff of my hard work. a few pounds lighter and a little cleaner bay

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9f63cca9f0.jpg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...c571ae7b3c.jpg

Johnny Kuro 07-25-15 09:00 AM

decided to tackle the rest of my emissions removal the other day. probably the most involved thing i've done on my own but everything went smoothly, for the most part. engine bay looks a good bit cleaner and yet another few pounds gone. still have a bit more to do to tidy things up in there. plan on cutting off the unused connectors and wrapping the wires into the harness so they aren't just hanging around in there.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...ce9bc59304.jpg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5edc6e5391.jpg

Johnny Kuro 08-28-15 03:00 PM

Ok. So its been a bit since i've updated this and i have a bunch more done now. First I got myself a full exhaust system. I got the Pacesetter Headers and a 3" Manzo catback. As of now i'm running a straight pipe cat delete, and the car is insanely loud. I love and hate it all at the same time. I had a muffler shop weld the 6-port backpressure tube into the header collector and everything seems to be working well. Did some weight comparisons and as it sits, the entire exhaust weighs just under 35lbs, as compared to the 90lbs of the stock system. Huge weight savings there!


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...d5c19ffd78.jpg

Next, i found a guy near me selling some parts and picked up front and rear strut tower braces, intake adapter, as well as a urethane bushing kit which i have yet to install

Megan Racing front strut bar, and intake
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...671313693f.jpg

nameless rear strut bar, but seems to be nice quality
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0955220b2d.jpg

And lastly, while i was in the bay i gave everything a nice wipe down since it was horribly dirty and relocated a few things to free up as much space around the air filter as possible. DIY airbox soon to come to try to mitigate intake temps


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...a186703ad4.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...95793203aa.jpg

And just for fun, here is a pic i snapped while out the other day


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5b17da87b9.jpg

clokker 08-28-15 05:40 PM


Originally Posted by Johnny Kuro (Post 11961239)
DIY airbox soon to come to try to mitigate intake temps

I don't get it.
You had a perfectly fine airbox already in place and now you're making a home version of the same thing?
What is the point?

sharingan 19 08-30-15 09:48 PM

^^^this.

Looks like a clean car, probably better off keeping it that way. Because nothing short of adding a turbo or rebuild with a radical port job is going to make it fast. So you might as well enjoy stock like reliability.

Johnny Kuro 08-31-15 12:41 PM

it is a drift build/ show car. i want it to look better. yes my stock air box worked well and had a k&n drop in, but it cluttered the bay with its size and was heavier, albeit marginally. and the car HAS become faster since i bought it with the mods i've done so far. a rebuild and port is in the near future as well as possible turbo. i'm not out to try and make a 12 second car or anything crazy (already had that with my wrx). just something fun to put sideways and show off a bit at some local shows. i appreciate your input though. i know most guys don't like seeing this kind of build but that's why i got the car

clokker 08-31-15 04:25 PM

A "drift/show" car , eh?
About as likely as a "stripper/nun"; every drift car I've ever seen is beat to hell and held together with spit and wishes.

Your car was worth twice what you paid, had you left it untouched.
A non-sunroof, aero spatted w/ duckbill, full interior black car is a pretty desirable unit and yours was in (apparently) good shape.
But now it's going to be a drift widget.

I guess my grandpa sensibilities are showing.

Those sensibilities force me to point out the incongruity of bragging about weight savings from emissions removal while retaining the AC and power steering though.

Now you'll have to excuse me as I go defend my lawn.

sharingan 19 09-02-15 01:51 AM

^^^Lol.

It's hard to fight the urge to "do things". Even if they are things that are contradictory, hinder performance, or reduce value. It get's easier with age.

Drift/show isn't likely to happen though. It will do one well, and the other poorly (unless the "show's" are all drift missiles ,lol) From where you're at now, show would certainly be easier to build a show car, but if you a make the investment in time and research you could pull off either. Just don't give up.

Johnny Kuro 09-04-15 04:20 PM

well the show is on the theory that "every racecar is a show car" not "i have the cleanest car in town". not looking to win awards, just invoke some attraction. a/c will be coming out, i just haven't made it there yet. and as far as p/s, that will stay because i want the response rather than more feel. i already feel the road well enough while cornering (for me anyways). so far every mod i have done has in my eyes been an improvement. and i didn't buy this with intentions of restoring to profit. i bought it to drive, and drive hard, and my build will show that as it progresses

clokker 09-04-15 05:46 PM

Okay then, we'll see how it goes.

wankle1 09-04-15 06:59 PM

I like what you're doing.

Johnny Kuro 09-06-15 12:04 PM

thanks! i know there are going to be people on both sides. could be worse....i could be LS swapping it (part of the Vh8 movement. tired of seeing it in everything under the sun) i always get good reactions when i tell people what my plans for the car are though

SweetTasteBuds 09-06-15 04:06 PM

Nice build. I'm digging the rims and the panda. I removed the carpet on my vert also, but I'm gonna buy some red carpet and add it back in. I'm not liking the look of the metal. The black metal on your car is very clean and has a nice look though. How are you liking that Manzo exhaust? How does it sound? deep or raspy?

Cuzzynz 09-09-15 02:23 PM

where did all the emission delete plates go? in the middle of doing this myself and curious of all the location.

Johnny Kuro 09-19-15 01:40 PM


Originally Posted by SweetTasteBuds (Post 11964999)
Nice build. I'm digging the rims and the panda. I removed the carpet on my vert also, but I'm gonna buy some red carpet and add it back in. I'm not liking the look of the metal. The black metal on your car is very clean and has a nice look though. How are you liking that Manzo exhaust? How does it sound? deep or raspy?

I have a friend with a red interior. if you are interested i could probably facilitate a deal. and the exhaust is....well i'm not sure yet haha. it's a full straight through so its insanely loud. way up high its like a chainsaw. i'm half in love and half thinking about adding a resonator. but for a full header-back system under $500 it can't be beat. hell a catback alone by bigger name brands is more. overall i'm very happy with it though

Johnny Kuro 09-19-15 01:44 PM


Originally Posted by Cuzzynz (Post 11966232)
where did all the emission delete plates go? in the middle of doing this myself and curious of all the location.

buy these: FC3s Block Off Plates (86-91)

follow this: Rotary Resurrection home of the budget rebuild.

SweetTasteBuds 09-19-15 08:16 PM


Originally Posted by Johnny Kuro (Post 11970026)
I have a friend with a red interior. if you are interested i could probably facilitate a deal. and the exhaust is....well i'm not sure yet haha. it's a full straight through so its insanely loud. way up high its like a chainsaw. i'm half in love and half thinking about adding a resonator. but for a full header-back system under $500 it can't be beat. hell a catback alone by bigger name brands is more. overall i'm very happy with it though

Is the carpet for an S5 vert also or S5 coupe?

Johnny Kuro 09-21-15 03:10 PM


Originally Posted by SweetTasteBuds (Post 11970139)
Is the carpet for an S5 vert also or S5 coupe?

no, its S4 coupe. not sure if they are the same...

SpikeDerailed 09-28-15 02:47 PM

Not totally the same from what I remember.

SupaDoopa 10-17-15 08:07 AM

Maybe I'm dumb but you're building a drift car on a budget? That doesn't really make any sense. If anything, short of building a drag car, you picked the second most expensive thing to build. I get the removing the interior like a Honda kid and doing all the silly things you're doing now but you haven't really told us a single goal on what you plan to accomplish as far as parts/direction when it comes to your desired drift setup. We can probably point you in the direction with suggestions and such. If you want a 'race show car,' that is all fine and dandy but if you're prepping for boost and porting, it seems like your financial focus should be in that realm versus janky PepBoys air filters and minimal weight savings.

If this were a straight-up, no-bull drift build, your first mod would have been welding the diff and maybe a hydraulic e-brake. Possibly even a dual caliper setup. It seems like you're attacking this in the wrong fashion. Seems more like you want it to LOOK like a drift car at local car meets but in reality, the only time it gets sideways is when you have to go up your driveway sideways so you don't scuff up the replica body kit.

Johnny Kuro 10-29-15 12:09 PM

yeah you have the wrong idea. as far as it being a "show car" i just want people at my local meets to say "wow thats cool" not looking for people to get on their knees before it. and i did take home a little trophy from a small show held by a local college car club. budget means i don't have unlimited funds so i'm buying mid rate/used parts that will perform but aren't what the pros use. there are local drift events near me that i plan on going to. turbo is up in the air, porting can be done at home. weight savings in any form is beneficial. car already has lsd. hydro e brake is not needed to drift. that would be going against a budget build. spending money to replace a functional part. i know what i need to build a car that can slide. hell after a much needed rebuild, it will do just fine as is. it has no trouble breaking the tires loose and getting sideways. i don't know where you get the idea i'm some stance fag and plan on dragging my frame around, but you should check your attitude until you know what you are talking about. and as for the shot about my "janky pep boys air filter", the only aftermarket i could find was the outrageously priced K&N, which i now have anyway thanks to a friend who is selling his car. but the one i had would have been fine after a heat shield, which i STILL plan to do for the K&N.

you want direction, here it is:

rebuild/port engine. top priority thanks to bad oil seals.
would like to go e fan and bigger radiator to keep temps in check
have a modded throttle body lined up when i get spare cash. just for better response
a/c will be coming out once it loses its charge. i'll enjoy it till then since its still street driven
the rest of the interior will eventually come out
some racing seats would be nice
coilvers for small drop and a little better adjustability than my current setup
spare set of wheels so i don't ruin the nice ones on there now
turbo if i have money when the time comes and i'm still searching for more power

the goal is somewhere around 200whp N/A. not that high of a goal and more than enough to go out and drive the piss out of it.

sorry if i sound like a dick after this, but i'm not some idiot building a car with money from mommy and daddy. and i'm no honda douche. i know what i'm doing and know when its ok to spend less or pay up for the right parts.

rotorhead_izzy 10-29-15 03:46 PM

Fyi, going to a modded throttle boxy while you're n/a is gonna hurt your low end. If you want the most bang for your buck, keep the mechanical fan and fan shroud. It moves more air than most electric fans out there. 200 whp on a n/a wont be cheap, you're gonna wanna look into a standalone

Johnny Kuro 11-06-15 03:58 PM

thanks for the input. i'll keep that in mind. as it stands i'm keeping everything that comes off/gets replaced so if i didn't like the change i can go back. but i love how clean the bay looks with that nasty shroud gone

Sudowoodo 11-07-15 02:29 AM

You found an extremely clean and well taken care of S4. It hurts my soul that you started stripping the interior since it was perfect, but it's your car. As izzy said, 200whp na isn't easy. For what you would spend going that route, you can turbo the car. Just pick up an S5 turbo and install a megasquirt ECU, plus a few other pieces. And since you need to rebuild anyway, you can build the engine for a turbo with the proper seals and a good mild port job for a turbo. After all of that is done you can piece together a TurboII drivetrain to swap in for reliability.

Johnny Kuro 11-28-15 08:40 AM

i haven't damaged any of the interior. may possibly sell once it all comes out. as for the engine, i was already planning on a rebuild using turbo-ready parts, since its a very real option for power down the road. basically my immediate intentions are to rebuild and port, and look into upgraded fueling. if i don't hit 200hp before turbo, oh well. the car is already fun as hell

NCross 11-29-15 08:23 AM

It's his car. He can keep hacking it up however he likes. It will only make my cars worth more :D

lastphaseofthis 11-29-15 08:58 AM

so you used banzai block of plates for your first mod on your "build" why wouldn't you make them yourself? you didn't build shit, banzai built your shit for you. you just installed.

Johnny Kuro 12-07-15 11:00 AM

sorry not everyone has the skills and/or tools to weld, cut metals in odd shapes with precision or completely fabricate their own parts (which i have done before even without use of fancy tools). i AM doing every ounce of work myself. the longer i'm around here, the more i find this group being full of douchebags. i wonder....if i had labeled this a track/strip/street build if i'd get the same comments. is it just that you don't like hearing about people drifting these? guess what. they did it in japan where the car and sport come from. whats the big issue. i bet they modified the cars in similar ways there too. and on the note, what im doing so far is really no different than if i were setting the car up for auto-x or track days, if you don't like what i'm doing fine, but don't go out of your way to tell me you think my "build" is shit.

SweetTasteBuds 12-07-15 12:19 PM

How's the Manzo catback holding up? Does it sound decent cause I need a new catback soon, and that looks to be my only affordable option atm.

clokker 12-07-15 01:30 PM


Originally Posted by Johnny Kuro (Post 12000238)
sorry not everyone has the skills and/or tools to weld, cut metals in odd shapes with precision or completely fabricate their own parts (which i have done before even without use of fancy tools). i AM doing every ounce of work myself.

I can appreciate that and have no objection to buying in parts. I have the skills but longer have access to the equipment the skills require. It pains me to try to handcraft stuff that machines can do better.
That, and I'm basically lazy.

Originally Posted by Johnny Kuro (Post 12000238)
the longer i'm around here, the more i find this group being full of douchebags. i wonder....if i had labeled this a track/strip/street build if i'd get the same comments.

I suspect that for the most part, you would.
Certainly, I would still object because you started with the wrong damn car.
You could have saved money and spared an (apparently) excellent car by starting with a worse example.

Originally Posted by Johnny Kuro (Post 12000238)
is it just that you don't like hearing about people drifting these? guess what. they did it in japan where the car and sport come from. whats the big issue. i bet they modified the cars in similar ways there too. and on the note, what im doing so far is really no different than if i were setting the car up for auto-x or track days, if you don't like what i'm doing fine, but don't go out of your way to tell me you think my "build" is shit.

Oh please, reholster your Special Snowflake card.
This is the internet, so of course there will be contrarians...just don't engage with them.
No one has accused this of being backed by ISIS yet, so you've gotten off pretty lightly.

Johnny Kuro 12-13-15 09:04 PM

1 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by SweetTasteBuds (Post 12000266)
How's the Manzo catback holding up? Does it sound decent cause I need a new catback soon, and that looks to be my only affordable option atm.

considering i've only had it on for a few months its good. fitment was awesome surprisingly enough. its really loud but the car goes straight from the motor to the muffler with zero restrictions. i've thought about getting a resonator to replace my test pipe to tone it down a bit but it's growing on me and haven't had any unwanted police attention yet. don't mind the smoke show...this is why i need to rebuild

roadtripRX7 12-17-15 05:18 PM

Good build
 
Johnny,
Good progress. I will be doing similar with the intake and interior. Keep posting, and don't mind negative comments.

Budget has a different meaning from person to person and build to build. I am into budget builds because anyone can throw money and slap parts to make stuff work. The challenge is if you can do it with a fixed small budget, like a 2k budget for drift car.

Check out 24 hours of lemons to get some ideas on budget builds. Fun stuff.

SweetTasteBuds 12-19-15 12:15 PM


Originally Posted by Johnny Kuro (Post 12002818)
considering i've only had it on for a few months its good. fitment was awesome surprisingly enough. its really loud but the car goes straight from the motor to the muffler with zero restrictions. i've thought about getting a resonator to replace my test pipe to tone it down a bit but it's growing on me and haven't had any unwanted police attention yet. don't mind the smoke show...this is why i need to rebuild

It doesn't sound too bad at all. I like the sound and I'll likely get the same exhaust for my 7 soon. Your build is lookin good. Keep it up man.

13.bREW 12-22-15 02:01 PM

I like it. An ECU is a must if you are shooting for 200 HP I have found out while planning and budgeting for my NA build.

Johnny Kuro 12-23-15 12:30 PM

looking into half bridge ports right now. been doing tons of reading, and am basically going to follow TougeMonster's lead. will be stuck using the stock ecu until funds come around for standalone, after which i'll be looking at megasquirt or haltec. i have no clue about electrical so its going to a be a hard learning process. i'm not overly concerned with negative effects on normal street driveability as its not a DD and i can tolerate some harshness for what i'm trying to accomplish. if i don't hit 200whp thats fine. i already love the car...it can only get better from here

Johnny Kuro 02-25-16 08:22 PM

Time for an update! After all the talk of rebuilds and this and that, the moment has arrived. I had been doing some work here and there to get ready to pull the engine. It seemed to drag on thanks to having a garage with no door or lights and the cold, but I got it done. I couldn't for the life of me get the oil cooler lines off so it came out too. Proved to be a pain even out of the car. A/C and all lines were removed never to return.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...968c34dd81.jpg

Had a buddy help me carry it down into the basement where the disassembly will take place. This thing was a lot heavier than I expected. Here is how it sits as of now to take a few more things off and wait for help getting it on the stand (didn't have it at the time of removal). Also saw the trick to hold the rotating assembly which worked wonders and got the front main bolt and flywheel nut broke free. I don't know why people fuss over these. They were pretty easy for me with nothing more than a standard breaker bar
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...b3ce6eced2.jpg

Over the last couple days I have been cleaning some parts I've removed

LIM before and after with some light porting
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...a408fa8295.jpg

another view of the LIM with the 5/6 port actuators cleaned up. they might get some paint but undecided right now
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...6b87205e11.jpg


again before and after for UIM. was going to do the throttle body mod to get rid of some more unsightly stuff but all the screws were stripping so i left it
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...ce2401dce6.jpg

More to come very soon!

minusdarkslide 02-28-16 08:23 PM

I like where you're headed, as I am building a drift FC also. It does seem that a lot of the dudes here have some misconceptions about drift cars.

That being said, for a rotary engine, you should really be concentrating more on torque numbers. There is quite a large disparity between horsepower and torque numbers on these engines. This will be my 5th drift car and BY FAR the most expensive to get sideways. TURBO TURBO TURBO if you want to have fun sliding your car.

Budget drift builds are definitely possible (I built my first drift car for under $2K, including the car). It is going to be a lot more difficult with a rotary anything.

Keep on keepin on.

Johnny Kuro 03-05-16 04:59 PM

well its game over for my initial plans
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...1ce09f028a.jpg

there was a bunch of coolant sludge once i got to the front iron, incidentally NOT where the failure was.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0b0b2ca81b.jpg

at this point i think i'm taking the advice given earlier and going 4 port! a few questions about this...

is it ok to use the n/a center and t2 ends? i'll be keeping it all s4. also do i have to use the t2 LIM or is it just better to use it rather than modify the n/a? what does this change as far and needed gaskets and seals? i already got my s4 n/a rebuild kit from Atkin's but now it looks like i'll be returning it along with my 6 port half-bridge template

ACR_RX-7 03-05-16 08:51 PM

It's fine to use the S4 NA center iron, but it's not ideal. The center iron ports are smaller than the turbo counterparts. You "can" use the 6-port manifold, but you will have to remove all of the 6-port actuators and grind out the manifold dividers and fill the upper portion.

Fidelity101 did a 4-port block with a 6-port intake setup. Here is a link to the page that shows how he did it.

https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...-925525/page9/

If you are going to go that route, you are probably going to be better off finding a JDM block and just swapping to turbo. If you want the power, that is the way to go. Out of the gate you will get about 200 hp. Tough to do that with a NA setup.

Johnny Kuro 03-06-16 07:09 PM

well if i'm porting, the size won't matter as they will all be opened up anyway. from what i've read it just means i'm taking out more material, assuming i understood that correctly. i'm not into doing all that so i'll get the 4 port manifold with the irons. if the price is right maybe i'll take the center iron too

ACR_RX-7 03-07-16 09:06 PM

The NA center iron doesn't have a ton of room to port. Be aware of that, else you will find a coolant passage pretty quickly. There is a porting FAQ on the forum about porting the NA center.

Projectfeint 03-08-16 04:50 AM

Love this build, love the hurt feelings. Keep it up. :)

Johnny Kuro 03-09-16 07:51 AM

haha thanks! i've been following your build as well and i like what i see

Johnny Kuro 03-19-16 10:57 AM

update time! i've been going crazy trying to make progress to get my car back together as soon as possible.

First i want to give a huge thanks to TheRX7ist. he had a set of streetported t2 irons and LIM that i got for a great price so i can continue my build. without those i would have been in serious trouble. knowing that those parts were on their way to me put a fire under my ass, so i got to work.

the first hurdle was getting those damned exhaust sleeves out. i tried the screw method which resulted in it breaking off inside the roll pin. nightmare! after burning up a few drill bits and going out to buy a carbide burr and drill bit i finally was able to just grind them out. then came the task of taking out the diffuser. first one took some time but second one went quickly and smoothly. i found that inconel work hardens VERY quickly so i only had to cut about 1/4 way through then grab with pliers and break off the wings
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...ea4349668d.jpg

next i got to work porting my exhaust using the pineapple racing EP2a. i'd say it turned out pretty nicely for my first time. first one vs stock and the finished product
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9bd9730fcb.jpg

during my interwebz exploration i saw the End all, be all E-fan thread and checked my local pick-n-pull. surely enough i found a donor. the thread had mentioned using the fan from a 92-98 mercury villager and the only years in my local yard was 2002. i did some comparisons and the part numbers were different, BUT after being there and measuring and inspecting, i found that it is the same fan (i believe) in a different shroud, so for $40 i figured i'd give it a try. well after some small modification,i couldn't be happier with the fitment! i'll probably make a thread about this explaining further.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...751e169b5e.jpg

other than that it's just been more parts cleaning. i've also decided on a color combo for the block, but thats classified until the reveal ;)

ACR_RX-7 03-20-16 09:23 PM

Good that you got the diffusers removed, but why on earth dit you fight to remove the sleeves? I just cut the diffusers out while they were still in the housing.

Johnny Kuro 03-21-16 11:05 AM

everything i read said take them out and modify them and that porting with them in was a pain. and i think it would have been much harder with them in the way

ACR_RX-7 03-22-16 08:20 PM

Yeah, no. Its rather easy with a 90 degree die grinder and a sharp carbide bit. The housings held the sleeves in place to keep them from moving around. My thing is, you run the risk of damaging the housing by removing them in the first place. Then again, there is always margin for error.

Johnny Kuro 07-02-16 07:19 PM

Long overdue update!
 
alright people, it's been a while and there have been many happenings with my project. first let me continue where i left off with my porting and build.

decided to go half bridge using t2 f/r irons and n/a center iron.

here are the primary ports. i modified the template a bit due to the worry of hitting a coolant passage. it's probably close to a stock t2 primary, maybe a bit larger. i'm hoping this will help me a bit in the low end but its just speculation.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...4927761a6b.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5a7edc2346.jpg

secondary ports w/ bridge (not the cleanest looking but everything is nice and smooth with good tapers at the ends)
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...8ed6201ccc.jpg

so after all porting was done it was assembly time! here is where i had a small hiccup...
as i was clearancing my side seals, i got a little rough and broke one! :scared: well i didn't think to search for single seals and thought "great now i have to use an old one". so i searched through all my old ones for the best looking candidate, and it fit well. dodged a bullet...or so i thought. continued on with the assembly and got it all back together. finally after all this time it was ready to meet the car again!

did i mention i got a lightweight flywheel? decided on the RB aluminium. i liked the fact it has a replaceable friction surface. had my eye on a fidanza but the price went up by the time i made my decision, thought after shipping and all i think the RB was just as much.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0d8745ad0d.jpg

here it is! the fruits of my hard labor!
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...b50591208a.jpg

all right, back into the garage. went fairly smooth. had some issues lining up both motor mounts thanks to having the engine balancer in a different spot than removal so it wasn't really level. loosened the mount a bit to move it around and it dropped right in. also had a tough time mating to the bellhousing since i didn't clean the guide posts. drew it in evenly with the bolts and we were all good. hopped in to check the clutch and it dropped to the floor!turns out my slave was leaking so got myself a new exedy one for $20 from rockauto (man i love that site!) from there everything was a breeze...until my friend was dicking around and dropped a stupid useless sensor down the CAS opening!:cursing: well we tried fishing it out with some little grabbers and magnet stick but he ended up going under the car and dropping the oil pan off. i was not happy to say the least!

ok all settled. no real harm done so fluids went in and it was time for the first start! well she had other plans. didn't happen that night. so next day another friend came over and we kept trying. decided to try the oil in spark hole trick and bam! its alive! but i had to hold the throttle or it would die. great no idle... lots of messing with the throttle body got it to hold an idle...at 2500rpm. i didn't like that and managed to get it down to 1500 at one point. but it would randomly stall out on me, and was extremely difficult to start afterwards. constantly deflooding it and using the oil trick.

the morning of a local show, (i had already missed the first one which was my goal) i got it running fairly easily and decided to try and drive it. made a 10 mile trip to my buddy's house, which was the most nerve-racking drive of my life (i was literally shaking when i got there) and it stalls turning into his driveway! well that was it. i tried maybe 3 more times and called it quits.

at this point i figured something was wrong, so i did a compression test. rotor 1 was showing decent and even numbers for having new seals and old housings. rotor 2, not so much. showed ~30psi on 2 faces and 0 on the 3rd! FAWWWK ME! so with the car stuck at my friend's place, it was time to pull the engine again, and this time i had zero motivation and was totally disheartened. plus having to drive there after work just to do anything didn't help any.

after a lot of procrastination and unproductive garage sessions, i was ready to pull the rear iron to find what the problem was. remember that used side seal? yep, you guessed it! that was culprit number 1. but why were my other faces so low on compression? well i'll show you why!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...25ab4d132f.jpg
yep....those are broken apex seal main springs. how that happened i really have no idea.

so that's where things stand right now. i got my new seals (took no chances and got 6) and springs and am hoping to get everything ready to go back together again this week. sorry for the massive post and thanks to anyone who is actually following along!

ACR_RX-7 07-03-16 11:43 AM

Well at least it was just the springs that broke. Hopefully it goes back together.


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