MrT's mod log

Started by MrT, February 17, 2018, 22:06

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MrT

Hi folks
Since I can't leave well alone, figured I'd start recording what I've done/am doing to my car. I'll add to the list here and keep a bit of a log of the titivating and steady 'improvements' I make.

So here goes, I have a Red edition 05 facelift Sable grey Roadster without AC. Foolishly trekked down to Birmingham after being drawn in by a well presented advert and low price to find a somewhat battered but mechanically and structurally sound Red edition facelift and was immediately taken by the potential of the car. I haggled a bit and got a good deal but inherited a decent list of small jobs. I later found out the car had outstanding finance and was a cat d write-off but it didn't worry me. Stripped the front and rear ends to find the offending damage, only cosmetic and tidied it up, repaired a few bits etc. She isn't the cleanest car but she's a looker and a hard worker and I always enjoy coming out to see her so I'm chuffed.

Had the car nearly 7 months now and also have a JDM PFL 5 speed LSD ex track car that needs an engine refresh and has become a parts/project car. It's how I found my FL while looking for a replacement engine or parts car and ended up swapping their roles. I have other plans for the project car so will keep that out of this thread.

"Red" has the following mods:

- front and side TTE spats/skirts.
- TTE silencer
- modified PPE headers, shortened collector and larger fixed flange outlet plus twin lambda bungs in cyl 2&4.
- custom fabricated link pipe.
- shortened AEM intake into near side scoop with dry AEM filter.
- new PCV valve.
- apparently TTE springs on stock dampers, hopefully correcting soon with the right stuff.
- gear linkage bearing kit, wonderful!
- MSW multi-spoke diamond cut black alloys, 16x7j et38. Perfect fit in the arches and no rubbing except the damper that has destroyed its bump stop...
- Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance tyres, 205/50R16. Stick like proverbial on a shovel, lighter and comfier than those blasted Toyos everyone seems to fit...
Corolla TSport 16" rims with 195/55r16 winter tyres. My 2 goes anywhere, rain, sleet or snow!
- Sony double din head unit, Pioneer app radio waiting or possibly a tablet.
- Vibe slick 6.5" components in doors.
- pioneer 10" slim sub waiting to move under dash. Under dash sub ybox trialled and template made for larger enclosure to house the 10" sub.
- Kenwood 4-3-2 amp to drive components and bridged to sub.
- tecsound 50 damping to go in doors and anywhere else that can't handle the vibes...
- PFL red leather seats - looking for a facelift red leather interior...
- red soft top removed due to damage and wind noise on long motorway commutes.
- soft top frame disassembled to retain bin & seatbelt bar and bracing function, easily reassembled.
- hard top fitted, now with Rogue brackets (which don't suit stock road car) but I want to design simpler brackets that replace the latches without cutting trim panels and ideally with adjustment to secure the hard top better.
- parcel shelf fabricated with black carpet covering and tecsound insulation from engine noise.
- Thinkware 550 dual safety cameras with added safety features such as collision warning, lane departure, vehicle drive off, parking security etc. Fantastic bit of kit with amazing picture performance!
- Osram led interior light.
- dual USB charging port in dash switch location besides center console.
- black pfl dash panel.
- grey side repeater lenses with LED bulbs.
- LED front park bulbs.
- LED front main/full beam bulbs.
- LED h7 driving/dipped beam bulbs.
- LED front fog bulbs.
-

And more to come. Few things waiting in the wings or on the to do list:

- Eaton M62 supercharger (Merc CLC 180 kompressor)
- ECU master DET2 piggyback, EGT, wideband, MAP, dual maps. Looking at ECUMaster Black ECU deal...
- water injection system, undecided yet.
- contemplating fitting my HHO cell prior to supercharging.
- want to fab rear diffuser that surrounds exhaust tips and closes entire underside from bumper to subframe with fins etc for better down force.
- duck tail spoiler with custom LED center brake light.
- Navpod waiting modification for either tablet or double din headunit on top of dash.

I'll add to this list as it evolves and try document the mods in this thread.

Please keep chit chat , personal comments and discussion to a minimum but discussion about my car and mods are welcome.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

So I fitted h7 LED bulbs this afternoon. Rather than try to use the plastic bulb holder which won't fit over the LED bulb body, I modified the retaining clip. Light output is fantastic with an excellent beam pattern. I had hid bulbs in before and these are surprisingly better. See below.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Also fitted fan pattern washer jets. Simple job. They don't perform at all, just cheap eBay jobs. Will try others.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

LED beam pattern, dipped and full beams... And the cut-off on the fence.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Quote from: MrT on February 17, 2018, 22:46
LED beam pattern, dipped and full beams... And the cut-off on the fence.
Does anybody else think the beam pattern, especially main beam, puts more light to the left of center? Bit tricky in the photos but I think I need to correct the light alignment over to the right horizontally to put the full concentration of light down the centre of the road.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Bit dark, but here is the dual USB charger. I ordered red display but blue came and when I complained they said they couldn't get any red for a while... But it works great. Fits almost perfectly into the switch hole, slight trimming of the dash required but switches still fit as I've moved it from right to left side already.

Oh, it displays voltage when the ignition is on (acc or on) and when a power draw is plugged in it reads the output current. Very handy seeing the state of the battery on cold mornings and seeing how much power different devices use. It is just wired piggyback off the cigarette lighter which I no longer use with this installed now.


Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

My Thinkware 550 dashcam. Bit dark, bit it is nestled behind the rear view mirror so I don't even see it when driving and it talks to me anyway to great and warn etc. Rear.cam is left cable out top running behind the head liner of hard top and looking rearward...

3rd pic is of the camera 'watching' in park mode, with an active light circling the lense. Bit KITT Knight rider type deal, pretty cool. Mrs says it looks stupid...
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Before v3 of the parcel shelf I had my amp and sub mounted on the parcel shelf with a custom sub box. Performed on but the location wasn't great next to my ear and opposite direction to the door speakers (behind rather than in front) so it got axed. But here's some pics for reference or inspiration. No mod is a bad one, just a lesson how to do it even better...

For some reason I can't find a finished picture. Will look again...
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

So the v3 parcel shelf is simply flat and carpeted with tecsound insulation beneath.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

My MSW wheels. Not a great pic but I'm going with a black on grey theme that looks awesome to me. Ride is a bit high but necessary for these rubbish roads and the amount of miles I do on them...
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Then modifying the PPE headers and fabricating the link pipe... I used a cats2u center/link pipe between the stock/TTE silencer and what would be modified PPE header, plus a flexi joint and pair of 2.25" stainless flanges between the header and Flexi.

This was a fit, measure, trim, fit, measure, trim, fit, measure, trim, fit, trim, fit, trim, trim, fit, tack, trim, tack, bash, tack, tack, weld, weld job. But it turned out excellent given my equipment and guestimates that I could even pull it off using stock bits. I think the pictures speak for themselves.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

I'll add more completed mods when I have chance and find the pics.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Quick pic of Red's winter dress.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Did a few bits yesterday. Mainly swopped my black pfl control facia with the silver facelift one. Only had to drill the alarm light hole and transfer the lens as below. Easy win and I'm pleased. Couldn't get the silver trims off easily so stopped trying but I'd like another set, maybe for the gauges also.

I relocated the head unit mic to a permanent position on the screen surround near my head.

Fitted hard top brackets from Rogue which cured my hard top shudder and noise but I'm not pleased with their fit. Had to chop plastics to fit them but I appreciate they're intended for track cars that are stripped. I'd like to develop my own some day to replace the stock latches and be adjustable.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

I also tried the under dash sub enclosure I bought but I'm shocked by how small it is and don't feel it maximises use of the space so made a simple cardboard template of a larger box to try later this week.

Biggest problem is how large my feet are, I tend to have my toes high up under there... I'm also going to fire the sub down to get more box volume for 2 reasons, I have a powerful slim 10" sub already and I've got the hard top permanently fitted so won't lose much power this way. Plus the foot well should transmit the sound to me on driver's side effectively anyway.

I'll post my design and fitment once I've finalised it but here's a few reference pics:
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

#15
Well, I said I'd post a bit of my thoughts and consideration for getting an aftermarket ECU and some other mods to go with it. This is to remind me...
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

My plan is based on the following:

Burning fuel in a lean condition creates a hotter burn. This is because the fuel burns more completely and faster compared to a rich mixture in which a small portion (relative to richness) of fuel is cooling the burn by vapourising during the burn rather than combusting. This is verified simply by the smell of a cold engine in the morning smelling of fuel and the notorious emissions test failure when not given a  good hot run first. Now a richer fuel ratio (uptown a certain point) will make more power thanks ironically to the excess fuel that isn't burning being super-heated and vapourising causing it to expand in volume significantly and rapidly.

But why waste that fuel and how can we avoid it?

So anyone with a high performance forced induction engine knows that they perform better in wet weather, a cold fog being ideal. This is because the air is over saturated with water vapour which enters the combustion chamber and has the same cooling effect as a rich fuel mixture but because it adds to the already present fuel ratio and the engine is running an optimised fuel ratio we maintain good fuel burn but increase the expansion force of the vapourising water. Plus we get the benefit that water expands by volume ~10x that of fuel (petrol) when changing to a gas, so you get more bang for your buck and turn more of the wasted heat that would have rushed out the exhaust to expand the water for a bigger bang.

Essentially this is like a flash steam engine except we are combining our fuel ignition and water heating in the same chamber and generating both simultaneously.

So I hope to control the fuelling and run water injection also to achieve better power delivery and increased fuel efficiency this way.

That's the plan anyway, I will post up my progress as I go.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

Carolyn

May I suggest that you Google 'water injection' and have a good read.  This is a very old and well-worn subject.

Turbos (and 2 stroke) just like cold dense air.  My turbo-diesel bus goes like a train on a cold morning...
Perry Byrnes Memorial Award 2016, 2018.  Love this club. 
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63866.0

MrT

Thanks Carolynne

I've googled and googled and done my research. It is an experiment and a common practice in large energy stations to use water injection for efficiency/performance improvement. I want to scale this down.

As I'm sure you are aware, there is a lot going on in the combustion process of an ICE so it's definitely not as simple as I make it out and that's the experimental learning process.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

shnazzle

Worth mentioning that in your endeavours of a couple mpg, you will be adversely affecting emissions and catalytic converter function...and thus emissions again.

Also note the difference between efficiency and fuel economy. The one has little to do with the other in cruise.
For cruise/light throttle enhancement, you cannot carry enough water on board to keep that going.
...neutiquam erro.

1979scotte

The weight of any water carried will also have a detrimental effect.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Free Ukraine 🇺🇦

MrT

Thanks folks, all already under consideration. As I said, it's experimental. I'm not sure what amount of water I will need yet. But the next stage will be considering recovering the water through a condenser in the exhaust path as the water is not consumed.

Shnazzle
Why would I adversely affect the emmisions? As I briefly said, running lean creates excess heat which is what leads to increased emissions however the water will absorb the heat so lower the temperature of the combustion and produce different emissions as well as convert the heat to greater expansive force in the combustion chamber so provide more power output from less fuel because the energy is not leaving in the exhaust but propelling the pistons.

But again, alot happens in the combustion chamber so it will be a balancing act to control the emissions also.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

On the subject of emissions, leaner is cleaner for emissions in everything except NOx emissions. The NOx requires an oxidant which the catalytic converter releases during oxidation of HO and CO gasses. This combination of reactions is only possible at lambda 1.0 or fuel ratio 14.7:1. The ratios at which HO-CO reactions and NOx happen are divergent, the NOx reduces in a rich condition and the other in a lean condition.

Now diesels are lean burn engines. They are throttled and power controlled by the ratio of fuel supplied so they operate significantly higher than lambda 1.0. Any keen eye will have spotted that this has been all the scandal in the news about diesel NOx emissions and so the solution introduced has been adBlue, or chemically engineered urea solution injected into hot exhaust gases to oxidise with the NOx gasses. However the process includes the use of a second catalytic converter.

But NOx is only produced at higher temperatures so my hope and ultimate test of this process is that the water vapour will significantly lower the temperature of combustion by absorbing the heat energy and gasifying into high pressure steam but at a resultant relatively lower temperature.

This is also why the EGT is important, to monitor this. I was focusing on using a wideband lambda sensor in the ECU thread to control fuel ratio and the EGT to control the water injection. This is my ultimate solution I believe I need.

We will see what happens when I start the experiment.

Thanks for the constructive input folks, it all helps add to the process.
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

MrT

Bit of interesting reading, but it's late so bye for now...

https://www.dieselnet.com/tech/engine_water.php
Cheers
Tyler

RIPieces: Sable \'05 Roadster \'Red\' edition.
Project: MR-S import (JDM) now my toy and mule for:
SC build OR a 2AR-FXE swap (ref: Frankenstein Motorworks) OR Electric conversion
AND rebody with a fibreglass replica of Porsche 550 Spyder.

lamcote

#24
I think Shnazzle's point about increased emissions is that if you run leaner than lambda 1, this will mean the cat won't work effectively and will break prematurely. This is a valid point and would indeed lead to greater emissions. Leaner does not mean cleaner when a cat is involved.

It is the amount of oxygen in the exhaust (not only exhaust temperature) that affects the performance of the cat, and this is directly proportional to AFR. Running lean will increase emissions and over time will fail the MOT and kill the cat, regardless of the EGT.

NOx is a separate issue altogether.
Silver 2004 MR2 -  Unmodified but very shiny.

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