matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Wheels are '96 M Edition. Will snap/post more pics.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Wheel are actually the same color as the hood, as in the second shot. They are blown out in the direct sunlight in the first shot.




Also, I'm working on a bikini top. Using the spare top I cut off my donor car last year to make a pattern, will sew up a final version once I'm happy with it.
Maybe in a blue/black tiger stripe

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

I like the bikini top! That is especially tempting since I've ripped out my soft top. I had an idea to do basically the same thing with my old softtop.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

New things.

More cooling. Dual core, all metal, aftermarket auto trans unit.


Finally overran my injectors (550's). Picked up these 880's, and fpr/gauge for ultimately switching to E85. Gonna install them and retune on gas, then ethanol after I pick up a pump.


Tires


Wheels, Team Dynamics Pro 1.2's. May strip and powder another color, not sure at this point. Not terrible in black I guess.


Another Miata, '92, A-pkg. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. I like the idea of a straight-6 swap, maybe even a carbed L24. Or strip it and track it n/a. Or trade it for a Jeep. Or whatever I think of next week. Paid so little for it it can sit in the driveway until I figure out what to do.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

880's installed today, retuning tonight on pumpgas. Picked up an RS to replace the leaky, squeaky 1g DSM valve I've been using. Also, moved my knock sensor up the "stock" location just under the head, between 2 and 3. Hopefully won't reveal that it's blindly been knocking it's *** off for the last 2 years.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

DUDE missed your updates! I actually just thought about you (i know, <3) and had to search for your thread to see if you were still going strong with the car. Glad to see it! How do you like the 595's ? I LOVE mine, but on cold roads they aren't so good. I guess I might need to wait until spring to hear what you really think about em.

Love the wheels too man, huge upgrade in aesthetics dept. Hows your little 1.6 doing with all that boost?

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

So far the motor has not popped and does not make any weird noises, but the trans sounds pissed off in odd numbered gears. If it grenades the 6 speed is in the garage so I'm not stressing. Tires are good, but it's still too cold to go up in the mountains and push them to see how they'll do.

As for the Greddy setup, I'm taxing that ****. I've been playing with boost vs timing over the last couple of months so that I can find out where the edge of efficiency is. I've got the WG arm adjusted all the way down, and I shimmed it out another couple of millimeters (to about 1/4"), so now it's holding pressure pretty well. I've peaked at 19psi, tapering to 14 at redline, but I have to pull 4-5* of timing out from 4Krpm to redline (vs my 12psi map) to run it. At this point I've turned it back down to 15psi peak for only a minimal loss of airflow and maybe a little more life out of the poor bastard.

The graph below shows 12psi/high timing (green) vs 18psi/low timing (orange) pulls. Once I've got E85 in the tank I figure I'll be able to dial all the timing back into it and then some, so I ought to be able to get back that low end TQ that's missing from the high boost table, and keep adding to it up top. I just killed a tank of gas tonight logging more runs, so I may try dumping some corn in there tomorrow and see how it does.

It feels great either way, you know, for a shitty ole Greddy kit

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Dat cornhole. No time for tuning tonight, just switched it over and made sure it was driveable. Still on the stock pump so we'll see how much I can actually get out of it. I'd be happy with 13-14psi and a shitload of timing.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Currently at 13-14psi and a lot more timing, like 8* more in some places. IDCs are around 85% so I'm going to leave the boost pressure where it is. I ordered a Deatschwerks DW200 kit and have an Aeromotive fpr in the garage, so I can run more fuel through it soon.

Also, Hella/Flosser. Big improvement for $95.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Dat flexfuel tho

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

MSM Bilsteins and NB tophats going in, Racelands going out.




Edit: Well I finally got these Bilsteins mostly sorted. They were bottoming out pretty hard, and the back end was a touch stiff. I thought taller tophats were the answer, but after totally hijacking this thread for tophat info, I decided not to purchase extended hats. I picked up some taller, softer springs for the back (7"/250# Eibachs vs 6"/325# eBay specials), raised the car up about 3/4", and it feels pretty good at this point. I lost some turn-in "crispness" but will see if playing with tire pressure and/or sway bar adjustments helps that. The trade off for more control over med/large bumps mid-corner is worth it. I may end up with some ISCs but for now it's fine.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Just in case you are late to the thread, I'm running an ECU and engine harness out of a '92 Galant VR4 with tuning software called ECMLink. ECMLink offers full standalone operation of the timing and fuel, external device triggers, modular inputs for non-standard devices, etc, with a great datalogger built in. And now fully integrated GM flexfuel sensor support.

After being preoccupied with the coilover install and setup over the last couple of weekends, I finally took some time got my flexfuel sensor wired in and all the parameters set up (see two posts up for hardware install). It's pretty damn nice to not have to drag a laptop around with me on road trips anymore in case I can't find any e85 and have to switch maps. Most of the populated areas in CO have e85 readily available, but up in the mountains it's hit and miss.

The car has to be running speed density to make use of the flexfuel sensor, as the original ECU input for the MAF variable signal is used for the flexfuel input. Wiring it up was as easy as finding the unused MAF wire in the harness, and adding a +12V source and chassis ground for the sensor. The ECMLink software will automatically interpolate between two timing tables (min and max octane) as well as adjust the global injector scaling based on the ethanol content of the fuel. I have control over the low and high crossover points for the timing tables, as well as the compensation percentage between pumpgas and E100. There is no external boost control tied into the sensor readings, but that does not bother me as I'm running the same amount of pressure on pumpgas and ethanol. I can use a dual stage boost controller in the future if I need to.

Here are some screenshots showing the settings, timing tables, and a datalog. First one is the settings tab, where I can make the timing and fuel adjustments. The upper third of this tab contains all the fields for adjustment.



This is a datalog showing the weight given the max octane map (100%), the raw signal from the sensor, the global compensation, and real-time analysis of the ethanol content. We are currently on the E70 winter blend in CO, and apparently it's not even that good, as shown in the log (FlexEthMix). Since I did all my ethanol tuning on this blend, I've got my crossover point for the max octane timing map set to 65% (in the pic above).



Here are the min (pump91) and max (e65+) octane maps I'm currently using. I've capped the total timing at the same place for both maps because VirtualDyno says I'm right around 250hp/tq (regardless of fuel). Once I get on the local DynoDynamics and get some numbers I may feel like I can add some timing to the maxoct map.

Min octane


Max octane


Anywhoo, I know MS can handle this as well but I don't think many of you guys have taken advantage of it. It's totally worth the effort if you have ethanol availability.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Wow man, speechless about your recent upgrades. Glad to see you hopped on the NB billie bandwagon, i'd like to know how they work out for you in the end. I feel like the "crispness" you lost is just a side effect of ride height, as I had the same situation when I raised my car over an inch.

The flex sensor setup is just awesome, and makes me want to look into that myself. Where did you pickup the flexfuel sensor? A quick google search shows they are expensive new, but probably could find a junkyard sensor for much cheaper, or ebay used.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Thanks man, feels good to make some solid progress with the car. I'm really liking where it is.

I grabbed the sensor and harness off an eBay vendor, brand new, for $80 shipped. The sensors can be found for as little as about $65+shipping elsewhere, but you'll have to wire directly to it or find a harness separately or at a junkyard.

The new shocks are great so far. The ride is still pretty firm, but the small bumps and irregularities in the roads here are not a sharp feeling, and the way the car feels more "together" across extended rough areas is greatly improved. Definitely worth the work to get them even dialed in to where they are now.

Now I need to do some maintenance (timing belt) and get that trans swapped in before I get stranded somewhere lol.

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Went to the last Friday night drags for the season to give the Greddy kit one more hurrah before I swap it out. Better ET and trap than I was expecting, I was thinking high 13's at 102ish. Still can't 60 the thing for ****. E85, 16psi tapering to 13, conservative timing because stock bottom end.

I'm on the left, car on the right was a ~425whp BRZ. Elevation at the track is 4800', DA was around 5500'. Backed up the trap with another 110mph pass (13.8 ET on that one).

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Dude, that's super impressive for a 1.6 greddy at high altitude. Probably close to a 12 at sea level..

Also.. you mentioned "before I swap out the kit". WHAT are you doing? 1.8 time?

18psi

iTrader: (76)

It really is. Good job

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Thanks guys. I frankly didn't think it was going to go better than low 14s and 100ish. Backed up the trap with another 110 pass (at 13.8). New bits going in are a GT2560R and FM mani/dp. Hoping to make the same power 1Krpm earlier. This was also with my timing flat at 15* after peak boost so I don't bend **** on the bottom end.

I did also start buying parts to do a 1.8 swap, including an FM 1.8 manifold and FM 1.8 swap kit. I have another Miata to flip (broken short nose) so I figure I'll kill two birds and just pick up a 1.8 for mine and dump my 1.6 into that car. But I got impatient and grabbed the 1.6 mani for the meantime lol.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Nice man, I'm sure you will make more bottom and topend power with the 2560. Should be pretty awesome for your 1.6

Glad that my old setup treated you well during the time you had it. Now pop that bad boy up for sale and get your $$ back out of it

matthewdesigns

iTrader: (8)

Out with the GReddy, in with the Garrett. FM manifold/turbo outlet/downpipe and GT2560R. Worked on the tune and it's not 100% yet, but it's as much fun at 12psi as the GReddy was at 16psi.