rwyatt365

OK, I'll chime in...my first year of Miata ownership ('00) I spent ALL of my time on m.net. That was my go-to place for everything "Miata".

Then I saw the light [cue angelic choir] and was saved from my ignorance and heresy. Now I know where all the knowledge (and cool kids) lives!

cyotani

iTrader: (8)

I've found that site to be extremely useful for diagnosing issues. Or at least it contains a lot of helpful members willing to post up suggestions for fixing the issue. That's about all I've used it for. And you occasionally find gems in the sell section since it's not too active.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

I just watched TopGear Series 7 Episode 6 with my morning coffee. At the end of the ep Jeremy Clarkson tries to see if he can beat his PlayStation lap time in real life. Same car, same track. He chose the 05 NSX and Laguna Seca. He managed 1:57:xx in the end.

For whatever reason, that makes me feel better about myself

The time is just a mental data point but it surprised me that they let him do it without a helmet. What really gets me is his description of the track and his description of all the "other things" that you worry about as an amateur driver. I'll let you watch and see what I'm talking about.

For those without Netflix, the video is here -> Laguna Seca vs. Playstation | Videos | Top Gear | BBC America

I'm curious as to what those of you who have actually driven Laguna Seca think about the description.

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

I just absolutely LOVED Laguna. I felt like it had such a flow and smoothness to it. Course I've only been on it and PIR, and only one day each, but PIR just doesn't have the flow. Can't wait to be back at Laguna in 2016.

good2go

iTrader: (2)

Honestly, given that's he's built his life on being such an enthusiast, I'm rather disappointed with his actual driving. The car was certainly capable of far better times. As for his descriptions, I'd say they were clearly overly dramatized, especially for lapping at anything near his speeds. Sure, at F1 speeds, the corkscrew becomes as ominous as he portrayed, but I've seen it done in a 12 passenger tour van with less drama. As for worrying about all the what-ifs, I've not been plagued by any other than the financial liability one (in the case of an accident). Usually, after a few laps there, my focus becomes clear enough that it's just all about dialing in smoother lines. Besides, why wait until you're on the track to worry about parts falling off and meteors hitting you; heck, that could happen on the freeway just getting there.

codrus

While the most famous, Laguna is actually the least interesting of the three bay area tracks, IMHO. The corners are all separated by straights of at least moderate length, so they don't link very well except for 8/9/sort-of-10. I find Thunderhill and Sears Point a lot more interesting.

--Ian

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

Perhaps that's one reason I loved it so much. While the nuances can keep an expert occupied for years, its layout and flow are easy for a novice to feel absolutely heroic.

Wonderful.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

Update, of sorts.

1. Manifold isn't going to be finished by Swain until the 21st at the earliest.
2. I can't sort out my oil and coolant lines until I have my manifold back so I can't order parts for that yet.
3. Machine shop is still chewing on my block. No ETA at this point but it was supposed to be "like a week" on Monday of last week.
4. Head has been ordered, but I probably have another week to wait. I made a mistake when I placed the order so that will probably delay things slightly. Completely self inflicted.

So in the absence of things to do, I'm making things complicated. My Turbosmart wastegate actuator project is a bust (its FS in the classifieds if anyone is interested) so I need to rethink my plans.

I'm starting to realize I'm in the process of creating a monster. I very probably could run ALLOFIT on the 6258 as I've got all the hardware to support it. Unfortunately ALLOFIT is going to make the car a handful, and a maintenance nightmare. I'll also be quite traction limited. I'm trying to figure out how best to run very minimal boost so the car will be driveable and predictable for the uninitiated. The only way I can do this is with an ultra light wastegate. I'm not convinced the "Low Boost" actuator from BW is actually low enough. The original plan was to use a 5 psi weenee spring in my Turbosmart IWG-75 and set it up with an EBC and have selectable boost via dash switch. That plan fell through because I don't have enough stroke (lol) with the IWG-75 to get the WG open far enough to not make stupid boost with the WGA bottomed out (as far as I can tell anyway.) Its a good plan but the WGA just won't work for the EFR. (It was not designed for the EFR, I was adapting one intended for a Protege.)

It's not a fabulous plan I admit. I've always been worried because even if you disconnect the signal line to the WGA (or close it with an EBC) that 5psi spring is never going to keep the WGA closed with the almighty fury of a 1.8 BP pushing against it when trying to make man-boost. Like 10psi or something. I'm not Soviet after all.

Time for a new plan.

In the broad strokes, I think I can solve this with a dual port WGA and a 4 port EBC solenoid.


Boost Solenoid BCS 4 Port | eBay
That is a MAC 46A-AA1-JDBA-1BA 4 port EBC


Forge EFR Internal Wastegate Actuator - Full-Race.com
And that is a Forge Billet WGA designed for the EFR. Notice the second port?

This is nothing new. In fact, the boosted Honda guys have been doing this for years. When you launch a big boost FWD Honda and the weight shifts to the rear, your front tires spin and you look like a douche. Some of them have figured out how to run boost by gear and thus manage 20psi+ on the top end once the car actually gets moving out of a 3psi spring, and can hit all points in between.

This got my attention.

I'm not going to bore you with the particulars but I starting to see the benefit of a super light spring for wife/valet/dad mode and at a flip of a switch do silly things. The most recent incident with turbofan's Dad got me thinking about the realities of a 300+hp Miata. This will also be important when I implement my MS3s boost by gear and/or traction control, that's why I bought teh ABS parts from Ed's MSM. But that will be the subject of a future post/project.

As far as I can tell no one is doing this on a Miata and the only person who has mentioned it in the past is Leafy, and of course this makes the whole concept suspect

I think I'm going to try it anyway. I have an email in to Reverant to make sure that particular EBC is electrically compatible with my MS3 Basic. As soon as he confirms, I'm going to start ordering parts.

Will the lunacy never cease?

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

I found this piece of candy in the garage today:



Oo, dirty girl.



The part number has long ago disappeared but his is I believe a Setrab 634. ∆P for this core is listed at 1.7/2.2psi and I believe they are -10 fittings. That's 34 cores of heat dispersing madness able to reject not only you at the bar, but also 43,000-59,000 btu/hr. Awww yisss. Who needs a radiator?

I filled it 1/2 full of acetone, capped it and let it sit in the sun for an hour, shaking it or changing its orientation every time I walked by (every 6-10 minutes.) Thankfully, no leaks. After that I drained it into a coffee filter and other than some slight discoloration, its clean as a whistle. The outside is soaking in some Purple Power right now so maybe I can get the grime off it, but I think she'll be good to go shortly.

Jeffbucc

34 row Setrab? Holy **** that is huge.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

I "acquired" it at a Speedvision World Challenge race at Laguna Seca around 1999/2000. Its from one of the earlier Integra Type Rs (94/95 chassis) that RealTime Racing was running at the time.



The car got bumped, went off and assed up the front end. They ripped off the nose tossed the whole thing in the dumpster, including the oil cooler. So I liberated it. Its been in a box of books I haven't looked in since I moved in 2002. I honestly never expected to see it again.

Only about 1/4-1/3 of the core was exposed to track conditions and its a little sandblasted and dirty, but completely usable. I'm going to pick up some more acetone and let it soak a while longer just to be safe. RealTime sawed off one of the mounting ears so I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to secure it quite yet. I wanted to do something similar to what you and Hornet did, but I'll have to get creative with a mount.

And yeah, its ******' huge but I can't pass up a free $400 oil cooler.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

Man, I'm such a wiener. That's what a 6258 looks like @ 10psi form 3k to 7k on a 1.8L. It claims 275hp @ 7k. Yowzers



Same thing, but 17psi from 5k to 7k. Tops out at 348hp

BorgWarner MatchBot <- knock yourself out.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

So this happened today:

hornetball

iTrader: (4)

Ohhhh nice. Cow's blood or assembly lube?

Mobius

iTrader: (2)

G has gone Dexter on us. He has finally cracked from the Sisyphaen task of boosting his car.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

Lets hope its assembly lube. I seem to remember it being lot thinner, but only when its still warm and in volume. Of course once it sits and gets cold it tends to get thick and sticky. Blood, not assembly lube.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

Today's task is to get the shortblock out of the back of the Subaru and onto the engine stand with this screwdriver sticking out of my back.

It's false progress as I can't actually DO anything for at least another week minimum.

• Swain pushed my manifold back until Friday of NEXT week so I won't see it till February.
• Rosenthal decided to send my package via anemic carrier pigeon so "expected" delivery date will be Jan 30 if UPS does not **** something up. So again, February.
• I'm not worried about the head. I still have another week before we hit the end week 6 in the 4 to 6 week lead time I was quoted. So again, February.
• I still need to order a fancy water pump and timing belt.

I did the timing belt and water pump service on this block less than 15k/mi ago. The pump is a Japanese made GMB but it has the stamped steel spot welded impeller. Now that I know something nicer exists, I'm want it. Is there anything wrong with it? No, absolutely not. But its a $52 part and water pump gaskets from Rosenthal came out to like $25, so I said fuckit and I'm ordering the pump because it COMES with new gaskets. The pulley and tensioner for the timing set are Mazda OEM parts from Rosenthal so I'll reuse those, but the fancy blue timing belt is getting replaced.

I should probably go work on my truck this weekend. My brother has filled it with a metric **** ton of stuff to take to the dump and now claims it won't idle. I need the truck and I need it empty so I can clean up my own mess, so that should probably take priority.

good2go

iTrader: (2)

Hmm, I guess until you open up the bag we can't be sure it wasn't some unfortunate industrial accident at the machine shop.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

I can't find the stupid metric nuts and bolts I just bought to bolt my engine to the stand. Sumbitch!

codrus

Buy some plastic storage bins with small dividers in them, like the ones under my shims in this photo:



If you're really ---- you can scribble on the top of the box with a sharpie to label the bolts (comes off with rubbing alcohol), but even if you're not it's a great way to keep all the bolts in one place. I wound up using like 4 of them, which are mostly empty at this point, except for the one with all of the 2560 fasteners in it.

I really need to go exchange that CHRA at ATP and put the 2560 back together.

--Ian