Gotcha thanks for the update sir. Have a good one.

badass.

So I'm curious -- what's the experience like just driving it around town? Do you wear sunglasses, goggles, a helmet? Have you taken it on the interstate? Is it terrifying sitting with your head at roughly the same height as the ding strip on an Expedition?

I were a helmet and insist on glasses, goggles or a full face for passengers for anything other than a buzz around the block.

The experience is like a go kart.

I have been on the interstate, but When possible/practical I avoid it. It gets pretty intense.

The sitting ride height is not much lower than my miata was, so it doesn't freak me out that much.

-Brad

oh my god.... do want.

i was browsing their site and the Matrix XOB looks bad ass... seems to be a similar frame but uses the Hayabusa engine? Easy to boost!!

Yea, but the transmission in a busa does not hold up well in a car. The other frames are using suburu engines. I personally would like to see a Goldwing enigne in one.

But the type 4 has its attrubutes. Sky is the limit for upgrades, simple to get running. TRUST ME.... this is a big deal having done the kit car thing before..... It also keeps all the heat behind the passenger compartment. Flat 4 keeps the CG low as well.

Copywrite infringement! I've been talking about using Goldwing motors in kit cars for YEARS...

ah that makes sense, i had no idea.

I bet that thing sounds pretty cool though with a flat 4 in it. im in love.

It makes alot of sense. They are just so damn expensive.....

Yea it does sound pretty good.

Congrats on the car, I was looking at one, but decided to keep the Seven as a toy.

broke a cv today. motor has deep, expensive to fix issues. I'm thinking 13b swap is in order.

A N/A 13b with a street port is a really good match for a very lightweight vehicle like yours. And the lack of torque makes it easy to modulate mid-corner without losing it. There are a few things I still miss about my FC.

Eff a street port. This thing doesn't need any torque. 300whp peripheral port or keep it in the garage.

Your logic is sound.

Plan is to yank the type 4 and see if I can fix it.

Attachment 186178

Here we can see the wild cheery picker in its natural environment preparing to pounce on its next victim. It's spotted mostly around cars that are low on power, have windows where they should not, or have been rendered immobile.

Oddly enough, it usually leaves then better off than when they were when initially spotted, right before it retreats back into storage.

Lol. That's the best caption for a pic I've seen lately. Type 4's don't like to be revved super-awesome-high do they? Time to call in Pauter Machine.

http://www.pauter.com/super_pro.htm

Dude, it's only 16 grand! lol

Dude, the Super Pro Big Block stuff is most ballin, but there is no replacement for peripheral port...

Except a full bridge Renesis, that is.

Yea... and that why VW engines will die. I love the simplicity, but if you want to make more than 100 hp its time to look else where.

Like this guy Jake Raby in Atl. He makes the best type 4 , hands down. And its good, real good. But I am not paying ten thousand dollars for an old vw engine that MIGHT make 200 hp.

Used ej20t off ebay, with trans and ecu? 2k. used rx-x rotarties? ~2k. Liter bike engine that is a couple of years old, revs to the sky, and makes 200 hp with a tune? ~2k.


And no, they dont like to rev, aparently the fan will let go if you keep the revs above 7k for awhile. Iv;e benn told this motor should be good for 6k :/

A boy can dream.

For the record:

I hate this engine. nothing but a huge headache.

Why? Because it's a 160hp wet noodle?

100hp wet noodle.

70hp.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1327644109
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1327644109
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1327644109

compression is low, dont know why. My latest theory is bad cam timing, but there is no way to check it without splitting the case it seems.

Replace it with a VTEC motor?

If you want gobs of torque get an EJ in there.
If you want a decent n/a screamer get the k20 in there.

I'd go with a liter bike motor. All around win

Ohhhh, DO WANT (subie model)! Its like an affordable atom.

Sucks about your engine woes. Crazy that it was that fast and that much fun with only pushing out 70hp.

wont fit.

The future...I see it.... Seriously in a few years this is happening, or another BEC.

Yes. Still stumped, going to get an inspection mirror to see if i cant scope the timing marks. If they are lined up at at a loss. Might just get a turn-key and run around with 100 hp.

I don't have any first-hand experience with the T4, but it seems like removing the oil pump should at least give you "some" visibility into the area of interest.


Just as an FYI, if you're serious about wanting to get rid of the VW engine, Danny has a Subaru engine sitting at his shop which already has the bellhousing adapter, flywheel and clutch needed to mate it with the Porsche transaxle. It's technically mine (I bought a Forester turbo, stripped it, and sent him the motor) although I sort of lost interest in the project after that. I have no real use for the engine, and Danny wants it out of his shop, so let me know if you're interested.

Get the thubaru motor. Seriously. Do it. That EJ257 will have so much grunt you'll be replacing the rear tires every weekend.
I can even tune it for you :D

I talked to him about it, didn't know it was yours. If I did do a subbie swap i'd dump the 901 trans-axle; it would last about a day with all that torque. Plus I'd have to add cooling and all that.... not right now. Thanks for the heads up though.

As stated above, more worried about transmissions, especially if not using the Subaru unit.

Hmm. I've heard of others running this engine / tranny combo with no problems, but whatever.

I have the transmission from the Forester still sitting in my garage, if you want that as well.

In the future that may be an option.

I think the reason most people dont have problems is there are aircooled vw whenies. They get on it like once and go "oh its fast" then putt around on the weekends bragging about gas mileage.

I RACE and drive the crap out my cars. The golf tdi of my name sake has lost an transmission and more than one wheel bearing from autocross. My 87 cabriolet? Exploded a transmission racing.

Porsche rated that gearbox for like 150 ftlbs of torque, and people that race them in 914's with less torque than that still have issues.


Clifs: If I swap engines all vw foolishness will be removed. :rofl: (except cv's...maybe)

How much does the car weigh? 1700?

It better weigh way less than that. I'd guess just a bit over 1k

My point about the weight is, the less it weighs the less stress the drive train has. But I get the idea that OP doesn't want the subi stuff right now anyway.

1500 when i got it. almost on the nose; it was like 1498 one time and 1480ish another

It has lot of stuff that is coming out.... a stereo with amp and sub. Never start battery. Once I get it back together I'll weight it again.. get a light (and more importantly, sealed) battery. Goal is under 1400 wet.

Buy a Ballistic 16 cell. It will start a 120+ cubic inch Harley big twin. That Type 4 will be a breeze for it. They're not cheap, but they weigh <3.5 lbs. As a bonus, they lose only a minuscule amount of charge over a year of sitting, so sitting for a month between opportunities to drive this thing won't hurt it at all as long as you don't have a drain in the system.

On their website they offer subbie engine also next to the one u got. They make it seem like its the same chassis just different mounts.

thanks for the tip

Trust me, it would involve a cutoff wheel and welding. If I go that route I'd rather a high revving engine.

So, update time. Turns out that the deck is supossed to be less than .060". Even with the large deck, static CR was 7.6:1. A good fellow over on shoptalkfourms measured is stock jugs, and what ya know, mine were 2.2mm longer. This also may have been throwing off something called valve geometry, and while I'm sure there is something to it its not where the power was, the power was missing from the big cam and high deck.

SO, the plan is to shave 0.105" off the bottom of the jugs, brinigng deck to about .055". Static cr of 9.8:1. dynamic will be 7.8:1. The stock 2.0l was 7.4:1. I will run premium fuel. If it becomes an issue, electronic timing. If it cooks, so be it. I'll either get new heads at that point (the likely failure point) or do a different engine.

So, while its all apart I've been doing some other work.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1328229855

30+ pounds of not useful things gone....

Now.... I need a 'glovebox'. I have the old DIN blank from my golf....so this car will always have a lil dub in it.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1328229855
trimmed up, not to seal those holes...

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1328229855

used some 3m spray glue, and its laminated. Light and locost. Little message there too :D

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1328229855

Big enough for a fish.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1328229855

With that amp out the way I can properly mount the MSD box.
[commercial voice]MSD stands for MULTIPLE SPARK DISCHARGE[\commercial voice]


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1328229855


poking around the rear.... look what I find.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1328229855

would anyone care to venture what type of fluid that carries?


The parking brake has me stumped. Once its back on the road I'll figure something out.

With some luck, motor goes back together Saturday. Maybe in Sunday.

-Brad

What do you mean, the parking brake has you stumped? It doesn't have one, or the one on it sucks?

The one on it does not work, and therefore sucks. Notice I called it a parking brake, because thats all it is. With two fully independent systems, there is not need for an e-brake.

This is your Huckleberry.

http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/...oducts_id=2113

Thats what i was gonna do on the other kit car. Brake line routing on this does not lent to it easily. But in the future.... bigger fish to fry and all that right now.

Been away a lot for work, so progress has been sporadic. I got the juts cut at the base to bump the compression and reduce deck height. was aiming for 0.050" and 9.5:1, got about 0.038" and 10.2:1. Decision was made to roll with it.
The engine went together pretty smoothly, but at one point i forgot a piston circlip, whoops. I had to pull that jug to fix it, but the sealant was still tacky so I put some more and rolled out. The tins fit the more stock width engine way better, but I did have to trim one just a little.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1332013987

Complete engine ready to be stabbed!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1332013987

My god dont forget this!

So being a real smart guy, when pulling it the bolts for the mounts were a royal PITA to back up with a wrench, so I tack welded them in. The engine mount has to be clearanced to fit the now fixed in space bolts.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1332013987

Nothing an cutoff wheel and a dremel cant do.

I got it all back together and started it. The power connections have always been crap, and it was having trouble spinning it over. Yesterday on the way home I also had an epiphany; i never kicked the clutch to center things up. So I loosened all the bolts, kicked the clutch and now it has plenty of ommph. At some point I stripped the hole in the block for the starter too so I had to back it up with a thin nut and through bolt.

Today I got it running better, starting by itself, and the timing set. The carbs need to be rebalanced and the idle tuned, but it runs, revs free, and sounds MEAN. No pinging yet either free revving it hard.

I was hoping to be driving today, but the axles are still giving me hell. the 100mm cv's I got are too thick for the 914 axle. They are EMPI high strength high flex units. (E98-5084-B) They are too thick to put the circlip on. So I need regular units if they are thinner, or maybe a different axle shaft? Suggestions welcome. Good news is the aero CV boots clears the shock even at full droop, something even the 914 setup did not do.

So, I'm very close. Just need to get the axle problem solved for good and I'll be driving again. I could put the old setup in, but seems kinda pointless to undo what I've done so far.

-Brad

Axles found to correct the issue, ordered.

Soon...very soon.

So I got my new axles.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1332721572

shinny. I went to put them together and the place sent me load washers for freaking 90mm cv's. In the pounding i messed up some hardware. and they didnt send me enough hardware. I am miffed. I used standard lock washers for now and thank god driving vw's for years yielded just enough bolts to make this happen. Even if they were the newer torque to yield kind.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1332721572

Took way too long and lots of cursing and hammering later but they are in. I should have run a tap through the holes first.

So.... first drive. Fired right up, shifter was aligned, time to do this. It still needs tuning/balancing but it is WAY stronger. Face melting stronger. After a few spins around the block I parked it to check for bolts/leaks/etc. And to set up the display to read the head temp sensor.

I then refired it and it started pinging on one cylinder REALLY bad, like i could not even touch the throttle.

Today i took it for a spin to see if it still did it, and it seems better, but still a light ping at high rpm. I'll back the timing off a bit. Its really quick now!

Went to the Ludachris concert last night, fo free. Worked hard and played hard.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1332721572

sale
http://www.directharleyparts.com/ele..._133_1485.html

got it, with the fancy charger. under 300 shipped.

Better go ahead and do it!

I did :D Just need some colder plugs and to balance the carbs and tune to get her closer to 100%. And to see if I need to start mixing my own fuel....

ordering the jet kit and colder plugs tomorrow....

Haha....1:17 spooked me for a second.

Guys i need some help, I'm drawing a blank on how to make a throttle stop. I have significant manufacturing capability, and would like a no welding on frame solution. Any ideas would help.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1334630001
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1334630001

Thanks,
-Brad

A simple flat bracket behind it? I dont know how much travel you want but a piece of metal behind on the other side of the green bar? Nice and simple?

That aluminum plate is kinda flimsy. BUT the guy that built it is using ti on the newer cars for a throttle stop... I'm gonna try that.

Can you pull the pedal off and either make a little bracket to sandwich between the pedal and the hanger or drill two holes in the hanger horizontal to the long axis of the car to bolt a bracket to? You just need a simple plate with a threaded hole to thread an adjustable stop/ a bolt with a lock nut into.

I like that idea.

Angle iron under the throttle pedal bracket? Or if you're not worried about the strength of that green bar, bolt a piece of L bracket to the side of it, and use a bolt in the other leg of the L to adjust your stop.

over the several MB's I posted on, this seems to be the winning consensus.

Got alot done today. First up, the koso temp sensor died from what i expect were out of its range. So i found another thermistor that had the same curve (i measured using the one I still had) that had a higher max temp. I took this guy (0.80 each at digikey, 6141019-nd) and stuck in in a drilled out Porsche head temp sensor and jb welded it in there. FYI, jb weld is a electrical insulator, and reasonably good thermal conductor.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1335055090

Result is that this thing is near impossible to install. I managed by modding a 1/2 wrench.

Next was the throttle stop solution and new, hopefully stiffer, throttle pedal.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1335055090
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1335055090

Also readjusted the action and stuff.

Put in my NGK's that are a few ranges colder than the ones that were in there.

Next I changed jets and air jets. went to 145 and 190 from 135 and 175.

Drove the car, still seems a little lean in the midrange, (lots of poping and what not off throttle, BUT less of it than before) but it seems WAY happier, and more power from the but dyno. Now its very cool out today (70) but no pinging, head temps were lower (never saw past 300) so these are all good things. I know that I'll have to stay on top of the tuning with this thing.

About ready to put the nose back on and declare it 'done'. For now at least.

-Brad

pretty sure I need one of those...