Build Threads Building a motor? Post the progress here.

RedCarmel's copycat build

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-24-2013, 09:59 PM
  #21  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
RedCarmel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Horse and Buggy, PA
Posts: 704
Total Cats: 21
Default pretty much done

Well it was a pretty good weekend, got the used FM 2.5" exhaust hung, RX-7 550cc injectors installed, electronic boost control solenoid installed, and the misc gauges and sensors wired up.

I know not many people are familiar with the FM link, but I went through the steps to reset the turbo basemap, verify the IAT and MAP sensor was working, set the TPS, and then started the car.

It fired up relatively well considering it's been sitting on jackstands since December. However, it pretty much idled like crap at around 1100, and the readings from the wideband gauge were through the roof.

The next steps after this were to adjust the idle and then set the ignition timing. I don't know if these steps will help me or not. I didn't do much with that because I was concerned about what I was seeing for AFRs. Is is safe to keep it idling with really high AFRs since there's no load on the engine?

Also, the two times I started it up there was a cyclical metallic screeching sound for a few seconds that would then go away. I hope to everything holy that's there's not something making contact in the turbo. Since it goes away, I would assume not but I don't know what it yet (didn't have a helper so I was just sitting in the driver's seat). I did prime the turbo before starting the engine.

Attached Thumbnails RedCarmel's copycat build-img_5530.jpg  
RedCarmel is offline  
Old 03-24-2013, 10:04 PM
  #22  
Slowest Progress Ever
iTrader: (26)
 
thirdgen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The coal ridden hills of Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,025
Total Cats: 304
Default

I think the Ill sound you're hearing is the sound of horsepower...just like all the oil on my garage floor....it's simply sweat from all the horse power my stock engine makes.
thirdgen is offline  
Old 03-24-2013, 10:10 PM
  #23  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
gorillazfan1023's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Harrisburg, Pa
Posts: 581
Total Cats: 8
Default

Could be your alternator. Mine does this occasionally
gorillazfan1023 is offline  
Old 03-24-2013, 11:01 PM
  #24  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
RedCarmel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Horse and Buggy, PA
Posts: 704
Total Cats: 21
Default

Originally Posted by thirdgen
I think the Ill sound you're hearing is the sound of horsepower...just like all the oil on my garage floor....it's simply sweat from all the horse power my stock engine makes.
Lol, pretty sure that's not it. I don't think I was making a lot of hp with that idle

Originally Posted by gorillazfan1023
Could be your alternator. Mine does this occasionally
It never did it before, but I guess I've never let it sit for months on end without running it...so, maybe? That would be nice if it was something relatively simple.
RedCarmel is offline  
Old 03-25-2013, 08:11 AM
  #25  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
gorillazfan1023's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Harrisburg, Pa
Posts: 581
Total Cats: 8
Default

I'm not familiar with how the Link system hooks into the car, but I do believe my belt squeals because the MS is making the alternator work extra hard on start ups.
gorillazfan1023 is offline  
Old 03-25-2013, 09:57 AM
  #26  
Elite Member
iTrader: (11)
 
elesjuan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 5,360
Total Cats: 43
Default

Man I love how bronze 6uls look on Red NA miata's...
elesjuan is offline  
Old 03-25-2013, 10:12 AM
  #27  
Boost Czar
iTrader: (62)
 
Braineack's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 79,501
Total Cats: 4,080
Default

Originally Posted by gorillazfan1023
I'm not familiar with how the Link system hooks into the car, but I do believe my belt squeals because the MS is making the alternator work extra hard on start ups.
he has a 95.
Braineack is offline  
Old 03-25-2013, 11:08 AM
  #28  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
gorillazfan1023's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Harrisburg, Pa
Posts: 581
Total Cats: 8
Default

Originally Posted by Braineack
he has a 95.
I know...Though I'm sure what your point is?
gorillazfan1023 is offline  
Old 03-25-2013, 11:10 AM
  #29  
Boost Czar
iTrader: (62)
 
Braineack's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 79,501
Total Cats: 4,080
Default

Originally Posted by gorillazfan1023
I know...Though I'm sure what your point is?
exactly.
Braineack is offline  
Old 03-25-2013, 11:16 AM
  #30  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
gorillazfan1023's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Harrisburg, Pa
Posts: 581
Total Cats: 8
Default

Originally Posted by Braineack
exactly.
I aspire to be as wise as you
gorillazfan1023 is offline  
Old 03-25-2013, 11:20 AM
  #31  
Boost Czar
iTrader: (62)
 
Braineack's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 79,501
Total Cats: 4,080
Default

dont you all...
Braineack is offline  
Old 03-26-2013, 10:25 AM
  #32  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
RedCarmel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Horse and Buggy, PA
Posts: 704
Total Cats: 21
Default

I called FM about the crappy, and way lean, idle and they said to adjust the injector offset to account for the fact I'm running RX-7 injectors and to move the master fuel map up to get the AFRs more normal at idle. Those things helped but I still have a rough idle that stumbles quite a bit. I'm showing an average of 18 for vacuum at idle so now I will be on the hunt for a vacuum leak. Thirdgen pointed out that people that use RX-7 injectors tend to get leaks around the isolators so I will be checking that first.
RedCarmel is offline  
Old 04-09-2013, 12:08 AM
  #33  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
RedCarmel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Horse and Buggy, PA
Posts: 704
Total Cats: 21
Default

I think my idle issues are all taken care of now.

Details here https://www.miataturbo.net/link-93/l...-issues-71890/

I still need to take the ECU back out and fix up some potentially cracked solder and continue with the autotuning process. Most of the interior is back together, I need to finish hooking up the oil temp gauge and I want to go over my IC piping really well one last time to make sure it won't blow apart.

Generally speaking, things seem to be going pretty well. I haven't found any water or oil leaks yet, the car is running pretty great now, and the FM exhaust sounds amazing.

After I get everything buttoned up and road tuned, the plan is to run about 8psi for a while and then take the car out of commission, again, long enough to install the FM stage 1 clutch. Then I will take it to Ken Hill for dyno tuning and my goal will be about 210whp. Ken was a big help to me getting my idle issue ironed out and I really look forward to working with him on that final tune.
RedCarmel is offline  
Old 04-09-2013, 12:49 AM
  #34  
Slowest Progress Ever
iTrader: (26)
 
thirdgen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The coal ridden hills of Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,025
Total Cats: 304
Default

Originally Posted by RedCarmel
my goal will be about 210whp.
With that turbo, and those injectors...I believe 210whp would easily be achieved. My guess is between 10 and 12psi. Did you end up using an oil restrictor for your turbo? I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I used a pop rivet on mine from the get go.
thirdgen is offline  
Old 04-09-2013, 12:58 PM
  #35  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
RedCarmel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Horse and Buggy, PA
Posts: 704
Total Cats: 21
Default

Originally Posted by thirdgen
oil restrictor.
I did not…I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the FM oil feed line fittings had the proper size ID to deal with that.
RedCarmel is offline  
Old 04-09-2013, 04:13 PM
  #36  
Junior Member
 
Ken Hill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Reading PA
Posts: 165
Total Cats: 56
Default

The oil feed components are properly sized from FM. Some installations experience minor oil consumption that can be rectified with a restrictor on the inlet of the turbo. Restrictors are about $7 from AP Turbo.
Ken Hill is offline  
Old 04-09-2013, 07:02 PM
  #37  
Slowest Progress Ever
iTrader: (26)
 
thirdgen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The coal ridden hills of Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,025
Total Cats: 304
Default

Or $.03 for a pop rivet.
thirdgen is offline  
Old 04-09-2013, 07:09 PM
  #38  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
gorillazfan1023's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Harrisburg, Pa
Posts: 581
Total Cats: 8
Default

Or no restrictor. I have been running without one for awhile because its a journal bearing and I broke my restrictor. Though I'll eventually get one when I find one I'm happy with.
gorillazfan1023 is offline  
Old 05-05-2013, 11:28 PM
  #39  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
 
RedCarmel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Horse and Buggy, PA
Posts: 704
Total Cats: 21
Default

It's been a long time since I've updated this thread, but I've been pretty busy over the last several weeks and haven't time much time to work on the car.

A few weeks ago I sent the Link ECU to Ken Hill for some repairs and he also made up a brace so the heatsink should never vibrate and break solder joints on me again. So I reinstalled the Link, swapped out the factory catalytic for a new used Magnaflow, made some adjustments on my IC piping and IC mount, and wrapped some hoses and lines under the hood with adhesive backed heat wrap.

Another task that I've been putting off is wrapping the hotside silicone IC pipe and water lines with some strategically placed rubber hose to act as a buffer against rubbing. It's not pretty but I'll keep my eye on it and see if helps and stays put.

Tomorrow I think I'll reinstall some of the chassis bracing, slap on the 6ULs and get back to road tuning


Attached Thumbnails RedCarmel's copycat build-water-line-buffer.jpg   RedCarmel's copycat build-hotside-buffer.jpg  
RedCarmel is offline  
Old 05-08-2013, 07:35 PM
  #40  
Newb
 
SortaSlammed's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 32
Total Cats: 0
Default

even though you call it a copy cat, its a good build. giving me lots of ideas for how i will go about boosting.
SortaSlammed is offline  


Quick Reply: RedCarmel's copycat build



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:29 PM.