Hillclimb and Turbo car (s)

[tets]

Looks like good progress.

Fuel reg/pump wise what are your plan for engine management and injectors etc ?  these will determine what you need to do, ideally you want a proper ecu or at least a good piggyback, stock injectors will not make a lot of power unless you up the fuel pressure and make a return fuel rail system to do so, stock fuel rail is a returnless system so as you add boost fuel pressure doesnt rise like you get with a return setup and regulator, reading again sounds like maybe you have a return fuel rail ?

Ive messed about with unknown fuel regulators before on other cars and never again, nearly cost me an engine!  best to use a proper setup as fueling is one of the most critical things!

The original PE Kit came with a rising rate pressure regulator from new which replaced the one in the tank. Obviously mine has the external one and yes, I have a return on the rail.

The original kit came with very little to be honest and used stock ECU, fuel rail, injectors etc - MWR reckoned about 50 WHP over stock which is the 1st pic

Over the original kit this one has an aftermarket wastegate with a 0.3 spring in (again I think from reading back), obviously the fuel regulator, oil cooler and straight through exhaust.
I do have a unichip with boost controller ready to fit and there's a Dastek tuner who is very reputable down the road which albeit not the best available would do until I decide to upgrade bits.

I won't run it until i've got a wideband and i've found a boost gauge with a digital display that you can set an alarm at a certain level which I like the sound of.

The thing I do like about this set up (albeit old tech) is that it boosts virtually straight away and and is producing full boost at just over 3ooo rpm.

I'm not aiming for bhp figures here but low down laggless grunt. I really need an intercooler and I need really short pipes again to avoid lag but there's loads of room where the exhaust would normally be so no problem fitting that and the oil cooler there. Simple heat shield between the turbo and intercooler should be easy.

[thetyrant]

Ok sounds like it might be ok then and its just wether to run that unknown regulator i guess, as long as you have a wideband and can watch the fueling accurately it should be ok to at least try it.

Ive no experience of Unichip but if the mapper is confident he can work with it on a boosted setup that could be a cheap option, in my experience of other piggybacks you need to be cautious and always a bit of a compromise.

Boost wise the saab t25 on my sp240 kit is very responsive even with the small intercooler setup, easily at full boost by 3k as well, not having an intercooler you will struggle with intake temps massively especially on warm days, ive found mine works ok for road and short bursts on track 1-2 laps @ 5psi and think it would of been ok for sprints if i had chance to try it!  Im now removing my kit due to engine health issues 

[tets]

Yeah, thats the only do i / don't i bit of it! With the wideband as you say, I can check it easily. The mapper is a race engineer called Ric Wood that comes highly recommended so i'd like to think he'll be fine.

I re read the figures and it comes on boost at 1300 rpm and hit's full at 2700 rpm so just under 3k which is perfect for getting it out of the hairpins.

I think an intercooler will be fine with a heat shield and the rear lid guard thingy removed for 1 or 2 lap sprints and a mile up a hill!

Just waiting for my compression tester to turn up and i'll check the current car. I do still have the option to drop the whole lot and swap everything if I need to. I'm not doing the clutch just yet as I have a Jap box to open up and check over so will do this at the same time.

Bits are ordered so as soon as I can get out and they arrive we'll crack on!

[tets]

A quick question for the turbo guys - I currently use Shell Helix Ultra Pro 5W-30 and although I only did an change a few hundred miles ago i'll be changing it again along with the filter - Is there a better oil for turbo's and also with a turbo and oil cooler what is the rough extra needed?

cheers
Steve

[tets]

well after a crap summer (apart from 3 weeks in Provence), redundancy from the day job and taking the part time business full time I finally managed half a day at the unit yesterday.


Started stripping and test fitting some of the turbo bits.



The subframe is coming off so I can strengthen it in the middle (centre exhaust runs inbetween the bottom arm mounts). I have whiteline anti roll bars on the way, polybushes are here as are camber bolts. I met up with Steve Norris on the way back from France and picked up a centre brace aswell. Got a new oil filter from Toyota and 5 litres of the Shell Helix (already have a litre) so should be plenty.


Got a slight dilema as i'm not sure whether to swap the JDM gearbox and kevlar clutch in now or hang on as there's a guy in Birmingham that will do a clutch change for 100 and odd quid labour.
I'm on my own, on the floor and I sort of don't fancy it if i'm honest!!


I'm going to make a new rear crash bar that doubles as a mount for the oil cooler and anything else i might need to mount in future.
I'm also thinking about moving the battery to give better airflow into the engine bay but i'll have a better look at that next time.

[AdamR28]

Sounds like you've had a tough few months... glad to see you've been able to get some time on the car, always good medicine!

[tets]

Sounds like you've had a tough few months... glad to see you've been able to get some time on the car, always good medicine!

Yeah, it's always good to get some me time in! Hopefully get a day on it over the weekend which should see more progress.
Next plan is to get the subframe strengthened and painted and set about polybushing and painting the arms.

Never done my own polybushing before but ive got a big vice and an plethora of swear words saved up!

[AdamR28]

Haha, sounds like you have the main 'tool'...

If you have a blowtorch, you can burn the old rubber bushes and centre sleeve out quite successfully like that, then give the outer sleeve a lick with the die grinder to release it from the arm / knuckle.

[tets]

i'd actually thought about making a "press" for the vice - easy enough for getting the new ones in.

Do you know if the old outer sleeve is steel or alloy? If it's steel I was thinking of pressing the old rubber out and just welding a bit of bar inside and press that out.
If not, die grinder / hacksaw it is!

[AdamR28]

Normally steel, I've never done an alloy one that's for sure.

Some welding / heating / giving yourself something meatier / easier to press on would work well I reckon!

Getting polybushes in is dead easy yeah, a light squeeze with vice is plenty.

[tets]

They were my thoughts - getting the press set before the welds cool down should be a billy bonus!

I also thought about using my gear puller but i'll suss it out at weekend!

I watched a vid on getting them in and that looks dead easy

[tets]

had what I thought was a free day yesterday so to the unit - i'd soaked all of the nuts and bolts last weekend.
Buzz gun out and lower and toe arm bolts buzzed off, subframe bolts also moved fine.

Front trailing arm wouldn't budge on either side, either bolt!! started on the drivers side and removed disc, caliper and dust shield - couldn't get enough leverage on the bolt end so ended up having to try and shift the nut - Teng strongbar with a meter long scaffold bar and it went - same on the front nut so eventually off!

Back to the toe arm and I couldn't split the ball joint - 1st one that's ever beaten me. I have always used a bar to put pressure on the nut and a big hammer but this isn't moving. The father in law has a splitter so onto the next job.

Front trailing arm in the pillar drill, small drill and perforate the rubber in the bush - In the vice with a massive socket on one side and 13mm on the other and wind the vice in - split 1st go. Outer sleeve I thought i'd weld it but i've got a electric saw with metal blade so cut through top and bottom and it knocked out easily! cleaned arm up ready for paint. Didn't know what to expect but it was a really easy job.

Was about to start the other side and got a text. I'd forgotten, I was supposed to pick something up for my sister in the van so had to call it a day!!

[tets]

Today was more about stripping the turbo car to get to the fuel pump assembly and find out where the return feeds in. Plus a couple of people are wanting parts so got the seats out and ashtray bit!

I'd borrowed the splitter so hammered that on (it was a really tight fit), ratchet on and off we go - god it took some splitting but eventually went!
I'd nipped into the unit a couple of times to pick things up so each time i'd done a coat of primer, then paint so i thought i'd get the first polybush in ( I had some rattle cans left over from touching up the campers bumper so white it went)


Top tip - if you're cleaning up old suspension parts you'll notice the weapon of choice at the top of the pic - yep, a BBQ cleaner - scraper, wire brush and other thing on t'other side that does not a lot all in one!!

Back home now as i've a meeting tomorrow which could shape the next few months / years so need to prepare!!

[AdamR28]

Shiny! Good work.

Hope the meeting today goes as you hope.

[tets]

meeting was great so it's the big wait now!
Looking forward to getting the rest of them done - quite like the white, might even do the subframe white as well seeing as my cage is white! Bit of a theme and all that!

[justinread72]

Today was more about stripping the turbo car to get to the fuel pump assembly and find out where the return feeds in. Plus a couple of people are wanting parts so got the seats out and ashtray bit!

I'd borrowed the splitter so hammered that on (it was a really tight fit), ratchet on and off we go - god it took some splitting but eventually went!
I'd nipped into the unit a couple of times to pick things up so each time i'd done a coat of primer, then paint so i thought i'd get the first polybush in ( I had some rattle cans left over from touching up the campers bumper so white it went)


Top tip - if you're cleaning up old suspension parts you'll notice the weapon of choice at the top of the pic - yep, a BBQ cleaner - scraper, wire brush and other thing on t'other side that does not a lot all in one!!

Back home now as i've a meeting tomorrow which could shape the next few months / years so need to prepare!!

super pro there is nothing better epic work

[tets]

Well the meeting in October went well and i'm doing a consultancy until the end of Feb - could go longer and could even end up permanent so all good on that point. Big problem is 12 hours a day out of the house and not much weekend time.
Anyway got a few hours in today

Below is a sort of pictured how to of removing bushes from the old arms ready for paint and polybush if you don't have a press. 10 minutes start to finish for removal - the superpro's also take about 5 minutes to fit. Worst job is getting the arms off - 4 went well - 2 really didn't!








The vice is actually quite easy and not once did it look like jumping out - I'm not recommending this method for obvious reasons but it worked really well for me

Got the subframe off knowing it had a small hole - apart from that is really solid and was going to plate it anyway as the exhaust runs right next to the gearbox mount about 2cm from the subframe - It's getting repaired!



Wasn't going to put the JDM box and new clutch in yet but it's virtually stripped so I might as well have a go - Might try and enlist some help that particular weekend.

Got new discs and Yellow stuff ordered and the Whiteline's turned up so getting there - Not sure when i'll have more free time but today was really encouraging!

[Joesson]

@tets
I'm pleased for you that your meeting and subsequently went well.
iirc I remember seeing  a picture of your BBQ cleaning brush in post #37 but it's disappeared now, so have any pictures you may have posted, with your most recent#41!

[tets]

@tets
I'm pleased for you that your meeting and subsequently went well.
iirc I remember seeing  a picture of your BBQ cleaning brush in post #37 but it's disappeared now, so have any pictures you may have posted, with your most recent#41!

thankyou and thats weird as they are still showing for me - unless IMGUR has gone the same way as the others recently!

[Joesson]

@tets
I'm pleased for you that your meeting and subsequently went well.
iirc I remember seeing  a picture of your BBQ cleaning brush in post #37 but it's disappeared now, so have any pictures you may have posted, with your most recent#41!

thankyou and thats weird as they are still showing for me - unless IMGUR has gone the same way as the others recently!

Very strange. I now " can see" that your earlier posts are also missing the photos.
But I can see photos posted today by @Ardent of his thoroughly washed 2!
Some technological problem that I am less than qualified to overcome.

[Ardent]

I used the attachments option here. So images are "here" rather than linked to externally.

[tets]

quick update even though bugger all has happened at the unit due to working all the hours god sends!

Consultancy has been extended so thought i'd invest in some bits.

Paddle clutch kit to go with the JDM box and the offer of labour from Lewis (Roadster Sport) in exchange for the box and diff thats on the car - I have another spare so a no brainer.

New standard discs and yellow stuff pads will be here this week with the clutch.

New subframe courtesy of Dave on here. I was going to repair mine but one toe arm has welded itself to the bush sleeve and needs cutting out. Still pondering whether to paint it white!

Pair of 16" rear wheels so I can try the Extreme VR2 tyres that seem to be winning everything on the hills in the dry, got standard PFL 15's with rainsports for the wet. I do need to pick up another FL rear for the spare. Not sure if i'll need to go 205 front / 225 rear but we'll see later in the year.
Also got a set of 17's which I want to test at some point - many say they ruin the handling but on track bigger wheels must be workable otherwise they wouldn't be used. I'll have have plenty of adjustment to try!

If this work is extended i really think i'm going to try the BC ER's as i'm on standard struts with TTE springs at the minute. I'm still intent on trying the current set up and using the anti roll bars adjustment but don't think it will be stiff enough!

Sure i've missed something but next update will hopefully be more practical

[tets]

So the clutch and JDM box went on today! Was a bit of a tw@
You cannot view this attachment.

[tets]

was on the BC website earlier and the ER'S have gone from the listings - It's just BR, RM or DS now.
Pondering on the RM or K-Sports if anybody has any user ratings?

Started getting the back end together today plus stripped most of the turbo bits from the other car. Ordered new gaskets so should have a lot of it on in the next couple of weeks.

[tets]

Got another couple of hours in today - rechecked all rear suspension and subframe nuts / bolts.

Gaskets arrived so the turbo was checked (a couple of loose bolts) tightened and fitted along with jacket - still unsure about the jacket

Oil drained ready for the new sump and everything sprayed with penetrating fluid!

Until next week....