Braineack

iTrader: (62)

I started the 18x12x3 CXRacing trend. A few members followed suit and then Stripes built his kits around them. It was only after I saw logs from members like Paul and brgracer and blurbs from Corky that I wanted a slightly longer IC. While this IC is fairly over sized...it does one hell of a job comparability. 5-7*F delta in a 3rd gear pull vs 20-30*F delta.

here's how i did mine...

comparing the two:

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

I was actually reading that thread today while I was trying to decide on the size. I wasn't sure if the 18" core was overboard or not. I was happy to see it had already been discussed and I had my answer. I think I'm going to run the pipes on the sides of the radiator. I have to wait until I have everything in hand I guess.

I really feel like for $100, there is no better IC.

Vash-

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

I got a late start today and didn't do jack **** till 5pm.

I figure, if I'm going to think about a MS, I want to **** with wires before its the actual cars computer. I started with the interior and took all the radio **** apart, took out the boost gauge, and the turbo timer. Since I had the carpet set put in the gauge and turbo time both have not worked. So that's on the list of fix with everything else...

The radio harness is a disaster!! Electronics is my weakest area on cars/trucks but even I know how ******* hacked this thing was. So now I need to figure out whats what and put in a new radio harness.

While I was at it I took out the airbag and most of the interior pieces. Now that I don't smoke anymore it'll be nice to clean all the old cigarette ash out from behind everything. After the interior was done I hit the engine bay. I started on both the left and right harness. I separated everything how I wanted, and cut off all the plastic clips. I'm going to re-tape and re-loom them both.

Behind the radio:


What to sell and what to keep...?


Cant really see it, but I took alot of **** off the harness:


The project for tomorrow is to get these fans mounted and ready to wire right up. I'm going to run to the hardware store and find something to use as mounts. The radiator was a little tarnished after years and years on the car, so I did it up. I wanted something different than just polished aluminum, but not flat black...lol. I used my buffing wheel and swirled it clean. I like the pattern it gave the aluminum, like a brushed aluminum but swirled. After I went over it with neverdull to shine it up. Looks better than before for just a little bit of work.

Before:


After:


Brushed:


Fans in place:


Vash-

Leebo

iTrader: (2)

Vash- The install is looking great! Glad to hear you're making good progress. Just gimme a shout if you have questions and I'll feed you my experiences with that kit. About the only thing I would suggest is that when you install the turbo oil drain line, make sure the line always goes "downhill" from the turbo. If it goes down then up like a trap under a sink, the oil might pool up (and back up to the bearing in the turbo) and promote some seepage. I tapped my pan lower than you did, but that was mainly because I have (had) AC and the compressor location forced it to be low. Since you don't have AC, it should be easier.

The downpipe looks great! Good work with the wrap, clamps and paint. It looks a lot nicer than the old ceramic coating that had been flaking off. ...Later

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

10" fans?

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Yea, 10" fans. Got them from BRGracer on here.

Well, my nieces and nephews are here, so I am between family and my car time, but I had enough time to at least get one side mounted and see what it looks like.

I went to the hardware store today and got what I needed to make the brackets for like $15. And I used these trick *** allen head bolts with these anodized collars from ebay. I had them and figured why not use them somewhere.

They are nice and secure and when both are on the will be equally spaced.



I got the fans to sit flush on the radiator which is what I was aiming for.




I hope to have both fans mounted and the wires ready to plug and play tonight. Then I can get ready to put the IC in this weeks once I get it.

Vash-

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Finally got to sit down and get this **** done! I lost one of the plastic clips so I only had 3 mounting points on the second fan. No matter, even with 3 that bitch is on tight and not going anywhere!









I got them lined up pretty well for the most part (OCD). Both fans sit flush, both feel super secure, and I think they came out ok for DIY. Now comes the wires, I'm guessing the stocker yellow wire goes to the blue on the fans, and that black goes to black. I don't know if I'm supposed to do anything special to make them work. IIRC I think I just wire them up and that's it....

Now on to something else! I might leave the car be and go to my buddies bbq, but when I get going on the car its hard to want to stop.

Vash-

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

should get some sheet metal and shroud dem bitches while you are at it.

kotomile

iTrader: (24)

Are those speaker tubs in the pic? hmm..

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Well I went one step forward with the fans, and just went a step back. I was determined to get the front bumper off even though it was pretty dark out. Now I can clean up that mess behind it and take some of the metal out.

I'm gonna fiberglass the front bumper like I did my back and see if maybe I can do the lights now as well. Now the front is off I might hit the fenders with a rubber mallet and see if I can get that 1/2 in. I need on each side.

I really feel like I am doing 100 things at once right now. Soon I'm gonna run out of money and be stuck at the not finished half torn apart stage! lol

Vash-

mike_671

iTrader: (4)

You are getting a lot of things done tho. So keep it up.
When i mounted my fan, I just Zipped tie that bitch the radiator . Its stock radiator so i didnt give a **** about two fins bending in.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Well today OCD kicked in and I had to clean up the front end. I figure now that the radiator is ready to roll, and the IC is on its way, I better clean up the front before I put either of them in.

I used my angle grinder to cut off some of the metal that showed through the side holes on the Bomex bumper. It never really bothered me, but with the bumper off it be stupid not to fix it.

******* rust of course, and all together just a shitty looking front. I took some time to sand it and spray it down. I think it cleaned up the front alot, even though you'll never see it, I'll feel that much better knowing.

I also took out the FM IC, seeing I wont be using it, I didn't want to **** it up with paint.

Before:





After:




I started on fiberglassing the front bumper but I ran out of hardener, so I'll have to finish it up tomorrow. I hope I can get my bodyshop guy to let me use his paint booth to do all the painting myself.

To think all of this started with a brake job...... Taking a break to go and see Iron man with some friends.

Vash-

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Well I made it! Last minute I decided **** it, let me try and get this thing running already.

I spent 3 hours on the front bumper between fiberglassing it and sanding it. Then UPS came and my package from Summit was here. So I got the downpipe in, turbo mounted, everything wrapped, intercooler pipes on, plugs and wires all hooked up, radiator back in, etc. I was flyin through everything but it was already getting late, so it was pretty dark throughout the last half.

To note; the washers FM has (the locking anti-vibe washers) are ******* awesome! But I tightened the top 2 nuts and the bottom left nut before I messed with the bottom right one at all. Then I realized the turbo needed some wiggle room to get the nut on, so I had to loosen the others. It really took some force to loosen them, those washers really mean business.

I work alot better without directions and just doing things from memory and just kinda doing it, so I'm not 100% sure everything is right, but I'd like to think so. I have no clue mainly if the water lines to and from the turbo are correct or reversed, and if I connected all of the vacuum lines to their correct places. I never put back in the charcoal canister so I just connected the fuel lines and capped the vacuum line on some plastic module by the passenger side firewall. I didn't even have any clamps left over for my top radiator hose!

The car started right up and was LOUD AS ****! Without the exhaust it really sounds like a big block chevy. It had a "blug blug blug blug blug" idle to it. This is still with the emanage setup (nothing changed), and the AFM. I think this last chunk of money might go to Megasquirt and the AFM delete.

Ohh yea, and I wired up the headlights yesterday, those work. And I finally routed all my wires!!! I re-wrapped everything and hid everything I could with black zip ties. The fans are wired to run parallel, but I used the same color wire when I spliced them, so i lost whats pos/neg. I'm assuming if I guess and its wrong I only pop a fuse? Otherwise I need to unwrap about 3ft of electric tape.

Tomorrow I'm going to take some pictures of everything together and a video of the car at idle. I stopped taking pictures today and just kept on working non-stop. I'm running out of things to do!

Vash-

jtpaintballwdp

iTrader: (14)

Lookin awesome!

MX54PLA

iTrader: (2)

Looks good.....kinda makes me want to start another build. Isn't it amazing how slow time goes by at work....but when working on the car..*POOF* it nightfall

underdog

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for sharing all of the progress, definitely fun to read. Good luck and it looks great!

-Tom

Leebo

iTrader: (2)

Looking great! Oh, and don't worry about the coolant flow direction in the water lines going to the turbo. It doesn't matter which direction the flow goes through the turbo; it just NEEDS to flow to help cool the bearing housing.

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

About your fan polarity. If you hook them up backwards they will spin backwards. Reverse polarity will reverse the rotation of the fan.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for all the kind words guys. This was surely nail biting experience for me. The first time I turbo'd the miata, the guy I learned everything from was right there with me the whole time. This time I turned every nut/bolt myself, using this forum as a mental guidance during the process.

Everything is back together (half assed intake), but I don't think its right. The car has been sitting since before I had surgery, so around Feb. However old the gas, it is 93oct. Oil flow seems to be fine (didn't hit my pickup) and all my electrical connectors are plugged in. It's definitely something with the fuel or air....lol. I have to recheck my vacuum lines and reference them to something. But I just think my tune for the old TD04 isn't working well for this setup. I dont really know what "knock" sounds like, but I am guessing what I hear when I give it some throttle is indeed knock.

I know the rough nature of the idle is not having the exhaust on, but I don't think that will help anything else much. I feel that I might have to try and scavenge up some money to get MS sooner than later. I highly doubt the car will drive as is.

I almost feel at a standstill now.



Vash-

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

its idling like ***....its a timing/fuel issue.