Update time:

Still waiting on the car to come back, bought a hydraulic release bearing to do away with the slave and fork meaning less clearance needed for the gearbox so hopefully it comes home quicker. Also waiting on a starter motor since I got sent the wrong one

 

Update time:

Still waiting on starter but the car should be ready tomorrow, with a new bearing for the release set up and and a new pressure plate since the old one was damaged. Once the car is back I will invest in a new 52mm aluminum radiator and start the car up. Working on getting it running to see if I need a larger oil cooler, the one at the moment is around a 6-8 core size so may need a larger one.

 

Update time:

Well the car arrived home today. It has a machined brand new pressure plate and a machined stock flywheel to give a extra 5mm of clearance that the hydraulic release bearing needed. I didnt end up having the tunnel cut but the machining cost me a fair bit.

So far I have a new custom pressure plate, machined flywheel and hydraulic release bearing, custom engine mounts and a custom sump with pick up. I will have to wait a few days till pay day since I am short on cash to get a new thick radiator and redo the wiring with the nice stuff I listed a few posts above. Starter arrived too just need to do a test fit to see if its the correct one and its all done Finally

 

Oooooh! I don't think I've seen many hydraulic release bearings done before. Could you post a few pictures and show what was done to make it work? Pressure plate machining sounds like a painful job. And what part number did you use for the release bearing? I just want to know before it is sealed up inside your drivetrain. Thanks and keep up the good work!

 

Update time:

Sorry RXSpeed16 I dont have a part number for the release bearing as I was at work when it was getting done. The remote bleed for the hydraulic clutch is pretty nice and tidy and the braided lines sure look the part, I will be re doing the P clamps using individual rubberized clamps for each line to ensure no wear from any rubbing and trying to tuck them a bit better. I tried looking inside but cant see much, however it is a Howe hydraulic release bearing in the link:

Howe Racing Enterprises - Hydraulic For Racing Clutches

I have put the drive shaft in and connected the coil packs and alternator up. I have extended the starter cable by reusing the starter cable from the RX7 loom I have and will solder is onto the existing MX5 cable and then sleeve it. I just need to do the hoses, coolant, radiator, oil and extend the oil pressure and water temperature sender wires to work with the stock MX5 cluster and I can start the car up

 

Update time:

Got a little bit more done today. Everything is wired up bar the starter and coolant sensor since I ran out of wire for the coolant sensor and I am unsure if I can cut and solder the start cable or would there be too much current going through it to cause a failure so I need to double check that before cutting.

The dash loom is cable tied to the heater matrix currently while I wait for pay day to wrap it in nylon braid sleeving along with the engine bay wiring but everything is in as a test fit just to make sure the motor starts then everything will be pulled and wrapped in braid and routed securely. Finally wired up the oil pressure and coolant temperature sensors and got the CAS wiring in and wired up:

 

Update time:

Starter is wired up awaiting test run. I soldered the solenoid cable and just bolted the lug ends of the thick power cable that runs from the battery to the starter so I am hoping that will hold up. Coolant sensor is done as that was the last one left so all I am waiting for now is pay day so I can get 8L of oil, 5L or more of green type A coolant, a 52mm aluminum radiator, radiator/heater hoses and one power steering hose.

Looking to have a test fire Friday or Saturday as I want to triple check all my wiring one last time before turning the key.

 

Update time:

Intake manifold/carb back on and bolted, exhaust and starter in but found that the throttle return spring is too weak and does not return the throttle cable once stretched so I need to hunt down a throttle return spring tomorrow and a 90 degree M18x1.5 fitting to allow me to use my AN hose adaptor.

 

that'd be interesting: throttle stuck open on your first start.

 

Update time:

Fixed the sticking throttle cable and everything works as it should. Car gets started tomorrow afternoon after work. I did a quick test of the miscellaneous items such as lights, the retractor motor, indicators and horn and those work so I am glad that wiring was not affected. Now it is just a quick install of hoses and fill her up with all the needed fluids and hope it starts

 

Update time:

Started priming the oil system and filled the oil cooler before having to stop since the return line is too big and leaks . Fuel is primed but not showing any pressure on the fuel pressure gauge so I am hoping it will star and then build pressure but there is fuel in the delivery feeds. Have not started it yet since I am getting no fuel through the carburetor jets so I have to fix that and my return oil line tomorrow morning then its try to start.

Currently waiting for my custom radiator hard pipes since the guy that did them today used 35mm piping when I asked for 38mm piping with one end fitted with a 32mm reducer to fit the MX5 radiator outlet/inlet so that is getting done tomorrow as well. Currently semi happy it actually cranked over which amazed me and the fuel pump worked as usual so I think I did the wiring correctly Just hoping it will fire tomorrow and live so I can say I did it.

 

Update time:

Changed the oil cooler pipe and eliminated the leak. Now I dropped a few drops of fuel into the engine, set the choke to around half way and tried to start and it just turns over. I tested the coil packs while cranking and there is a slight voltage drop but still has power. Would the reduced voltage cause a no start?

 

Pull the plugs and check for both fuel in the chambers and to make sure your getting spark from the plugs.

 

Update time:

NO SPARK!!! Fuu that sucks. Any ideas? I pulled the leads and there is no spark, tested lead with plug and no spark, checked power to coil pack and there is power there. New 650cc battery so thats good to go. Just wondering if the CAS signals would not allow a spark? I have one wire from each plug (G and Ne) going to the ECU and I have grounded the common wire between them does that sound right or is the common wire supposed to get power instead?

 

I'd double check the ignitor and associated wiring.

ignitor wiring:
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...iagram-964089/

Sounds like the coils aren't getting the signal to spark.

 

Thank you Wildman923, I followed that diagram when connecting the igniter however I have it bolted to the chassis with one bolt and I have the other bolt connected with a ring terminal that goes to ground. Maybe my problem is that the earth isnt good enough?

 

figured out the crank angle sensors are getting no power. I checked the wiring against the stock wiring and its done as stock. So I have the + wire from each sensor going into the Meqasquirt wiring and then the two - wires joined and grounded. How do the sensors get power? Since I have no power coming to the sensors from the ECU? I do have a 5V wire in the Megasquirt harness that is unconnected, does that have any relation to powering the CAS sensors?

 

Screw you CAS sensors, cant figure out why they dont give a signal to the ECU, screw you Megasquirt :p

 

Nice build mate , looking forward to the end result. Where abouts in NZ are you? South Island?

 

North Island, Auckland. And your self?

 

What version megasquirt are you using. They have trim pot resistors on the board you need to adjust to get the CAS signal. There is lots of info in mega manual for this. And you need to make 100% sure you have polarity correct.

 

The polarity I went off the stock ECU wiring. I took one wire from each sensor and ran them to the Megasquirt since from the stock harness on the RX7 they were individually connected to the ECU and then the other two wires that joined into one on the stock harness I joined them and grounded them for my Megasquirt install.

I didnt build this ECU so I may have to check the trim pots? The person set it up for a 24/2 teeth count but he said the 12/1 should work just fine, so maybe something is wrong there?

Megasquirt is a MS-1 Extra 029y4

 

Does anyone know how to test the crank angle sensors to check if they are working? Turning the motor over both by hand and starter produce no voltage signal through the wires or from the sensors them selves but I dont know if I am missing anything, could be the ECU not letting the sensors send a signal? I double checked polarity according to the RX7 factory loom wiring.

 

maybe try posting in the tech section? someone's gotta have had this issue before.

 

Update time:

Car is sitting at the auto electricians. He builds and tunes Megasquirt and has completed a few installs on some RX7's so I will let him work his magic. So far the word is the sensors are fine and the base tune on the ECU was off so he will reset that and then tune it for me.