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If only the guy you praised at the beginning of your post was also good with a link 😜
I promise you’ll grow to appreciate the link, just a steeper learning curve.
also, fill 6-speed with 2 quarts from the shifter hole, much easier than removing exhaust.
Oh, you know you'll be getting another PM sooner or later...
The trans wasn't a fill from empty, so I need access to the fill hole anyway to get the level right. Mid pipe is just two V bands and a hanger bolt, so it's actually easier than pulling the shifter.
No start was the result of the pin for the power output for the coils not being fully seated in the PDM connector. I had a fair number of issues with the AiM connectors and the way they snap together... I thought I had it sorted, but one of the pins got pushed back.
The lack of crank and cam signals was just me being an idiot and not being familar with the LINK software.
Back to the shop to get it off the lift so I can burp the coolant...
After almost 6 months, it's nice to be at this point.
Moved the car under its own power out of the shop and turned it around so I can point the exhaust out the door while burping the coolant tomorrow.
Took a look underneath, and man is that exhaust low!!
Tested the electric power steering on the driveway, and it works as advertised. Got a number of little things to sort... the clutch needs an adjustment, coolant burping, wire looming, etc. Also need to build a new splitter. Have a dyno appointment next week.
Awesome work so far! Glad it’s already running and idling, that’s great news. I hope you grow to understand the Link more. I find the software and docs very intuitive, but there was definitely a learning curve at first.
I saw your post on the forums and glad you got quick help on all of that. Definitely consider setting your fuel system to “FP sensor” if you haven’t yet, that’s one of the best parts of the Link ECU.
Man that exhaust is very low. I hadn’t seen a picture like that yet! Looking forward to dyno videos and numbers!
Got a lot accomplished today. I was having some issues with the wideband controller, and after talking with AEM, it turns out the circuit I was using off the PDM (a non-programmable +12V output) wasn't providing enough current for the heater element preventing it from going into ready status. I ended up moving the power supply to another output on the PDM, and that solved it. Also set up the alternator control on the PDM. Finished up the wire looming in engine compartment, and installed catch cans for the PCV/Valve cover.
Next up is getting the coolant filled. Ran it all the way up to operating temps with the nose in the air, and it's still only taken about 1/2 capacity. I thought the Miata engine was a PITA to fill... the K acts like its not circulating any water. Leaving it overnight with a full bucket and we'll see if it sucks any in. There's a port at the top rear of the engine I'll open tomorrow if I can't get it to take water.
Apparently I didn't have the upper coolant hose snugged down at the back of the block...
And I went to drive it around the block today and now the clutch won't disengage. Tried adjusting and bleeding, but it looks like there's just not enough throw at the slave cylinder. New hydraulics inbound. Hope it works... I'll be pissed if I have to cancel my dyno appointment.
Next up is getting the coolant filled. Ran it all the way up to operating temps with the nose in the air, and it's still only taken about 1/2 capacity. I thought the Miata engine was a PITA to fill... the K acts like its not circulating any water. Leaving it overnight with a full bucket and we'll see if it sucks any in. There's a port at the top rear of the engine I'll open tomorrow if I can't get it to take water.
Welding a fill neck onto the rear water neck is a game changer. Since doing that, I've been able to just fill the system while idling the car sitting level on the ground. No games, no tricks, no odd jacking angles... it just, works.
Welding a fill neck onto the rear water neck is a game changer. Since doing that, I've been able to just fill the system while idling the car sitting level on the ground. No games, no tricks, no odd jacking angles... it just, works.
+1 for this. Turns bleeding the K from an hour long nightmare to "install funnel, fill with coolant, start engine, come back in 15min to rev it a few times and call good"(or pretty dam close to that).
Tractuff sells a rear fill neck for the A2, but it's also not a hard part to DIY using the Kpower part as your base.
I've done it, disconnect the PPF and tilt the engine forward and it's not terrible.
I've also taken that part off, drilled/tapped for 1/8NPT, and ran a -3 or -4 brake line up with a bleeder on the end. Might be an easier short term solution.
The current KPower part has an 'extra' 1/8NPT port on top if you're just using the Honda ECT sensor. I was going to use that to bleed if necessary... great idea to use a tube to extend it.
Pulling off the water neck is really easy in the car without having to remove anything else. Plenty of clearance in my experience without removing anything else.
There's a couple ways to attack this, but I had Tractuff modify my kmiata rear neck for me (I was the first to do this with the Kmiata intake manifold for him). He does really nice work and now has a few off-the-shelf RWD kseries water necks available now. You could easily do this yourself too with the right materials.
Keep in mind that once you have a rear fill location, you don't need two pressure caps so this opens the door for other custom radiator options (radiators that don't have fill port provisions on them). You can block off the port on your existing radiator by a variety of means if you care enough. I am running a 2-pass radiator to clean up line routings (as example below)
Did some more investigation today and the current clutch hydraulics are maxxing out the physical travel available to the clutch arm, so the problem is in the flywheel/clutch/pp stack. Trans is coming out tomorrow... ugh.
I guess the good news is I have the FM clutch that came out of the car, and a second, new FM clutch on the shelf so at least I have some options in stock if the Supermiata clutch I installed for the swap isn't going to work.
Did probably the quickest Miata transmission R&R I've ever done...
Most of the credit goes to the lift... with the help of my hillbilly fab table/transmission jack combo.
I still had to lower the lift to an uncomfortable height for the low trans jack to reach, so a real shop height transmission jack is definitely in my future.
Anyway... couldn't see anything wrong with the new Supermiata clutch I installed for the swap. I swapped in the FM clutch/pp/throwout bearing that were in the car before the swap, bolted everything back up and it's working. Took the car for a test drive and everything seems to be good.
I started thinking about dimension stacking, and unless the SPM pressure plate is bottoming out before the release point, I think that had to be the problem.
Honestly the FM clutch that went back in looked great, and should be plenty for the stock K24 power level. The only reason I had bought a new clutch is that this one had six years on it and it was one of those 'while you're in there' things. I'll be doing some more investigation, but will likely end up sending the SPM clutch back to have them take a look at it.
Beautiful work as always and good luck at the dyno! I'll be interested to hear your impressions of the K swap compared to a turbo setup. I can't remember if this is your first K swap miata or not. Some people seem to complain about the added NVH of the K. Of course it's a racecar so NVH isn't high on the list of importance but still interested to get your 2 cents overall.
This is my first experience with a K swapped Miata (at least working on or driving), so I don't really have a reference for comparison. With the BP, I was using BBFW race engine mounts, and the exhaust was basically solid mounted, so plenty of NVH. It does seem a little worse at idle/low rpms with the K24, but it's not tuned yet, so...?
Assuming all goes well this week, I'll have a full track day report next weekend...
Beautiful work as always and good luck at the dyno! I'll be interested to hear your impressions of the K swap compared to a turbo setup. I can't remember if this is your first K swap miata or not. Some people seem to complain about the added NVH of the K. Of course it's a racecar so NVH isn't high on the list of importance but still interested to get your 2 cents overall.
I've driven quite a variety of powertrains in the miata chassis (including turbo BP's with various engine mounts) and I have to admit that the poly mounted K24 (like mine) is up there near the top of the list the most vibration prone setups. It's a relatively large displacement 4 cylinder without balance shafts, so it's pretty unsurprising to me that NVH is a reported issue to some. That said, there are some subtle tricks to combat vibrations (if you care)... Most of my complaints were interior/exterior rattles around idle, but something as simple as increasing idle rpm by 100 has smoothed out things a bit. Small bits of foam tape in key areas helped a lot. While cruising at most street speeds, I don't find NVH bad at all. Start screaming up into the higher RPM's and you notice some vibrations coming on, but its part of the feel/experience of the car which I don't mind.
04-28-2024, 09:03 AM
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