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speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:14

I forgot but I also installed the new compression fittings for the EGT sensors last night. They didn't want to go in at first but I sanded the soot off the sensors and they went in a lot easier.

Depending on if I get parts today, I may be able to do a lot of work and make some good strides tonight in getting it back on the road, since I'm giving up on running water to the wastegates for now.

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:14

So are you running a hose to connect the two water ports you were going to use for the cooling of the w/gs? I thought about doing that, but I was worried it would allow coolant to bypass the radiator or something to that effect, so I plugged them with some RTV-filled rubber caps and hose clamps.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:14

Yeah for now I'm just going to use a rubber hose like I had before, but this time I'm going to put heat shielding on it and use some of the hose clamps that look like AN fittings to dress it up a bit.

Last night I got my 4AN nylon braided hose, the banjo fittings and the oil drain pieces for the turbo, so I should be able to put it all back together now. I also picked up my piping to complete my IC routing, and last night after I got back from Frank's I cut up one of those pieces to use on the driver's side and I dropped it and the water injection bung at IAT today to get welded. Now I just have to put everything back together, work on the power steering cooler, make the rear brackets for the IC, and probably a couple other little things I'm forgetting haha. I might get pretty close to getting it running again by tonight. After I drive it for the first time and see if it's still burning oil and/or just make sure everything is alright, I think I'm going to take the IC and IC piping to get powder coated black, and take the bumper off to get it painted.

Oh yes, I also have been talking to the guys at Full Race again (where I got the turbo). The issue I had before with the turbo leaning forward by 5 degrees...well I found it in the manual, it says that the turbo should be installed without being nose up or nose down, and that it was validated flat, even with the ground. When I spoke with them about this before they kept telling me it would be ok because the turbo and housing are mounted together, whatever that's supposed to mean. I copied and pasted what I found in the manual in an email to them. Now they're saying I should do what I can to make it level. I could have addressed this weeks ago already, but now I've spent all my time getting other parts to work with the angle of this turbo. I don't know what was so hard to understand about it before. I even sent pics.

Today I got some caps for the 4AN fittings on the wastegates and I got some 5/8" high temp hose to use for the oil drain.

Last night before I went to Frank's, I was working on my crappy fence, trying to get the gate to stay closed, and I took a splinter under my fingernail on my right index finger. This is NOT cool.

I'm going to Denver on Saturday to help Brett finish putting his FD together so he can finally start driving it lol. Dave, do you want to come down and get some of the heat shielding then or wait til next month?

And then Sunday I'm helping Tyler swap out his turbo. FUN! lol

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:14

I finally got to work on the car last night around 930 and worked until 130am lol. I'm BEAT today. I'm also disappointed I didn't get more done.

Anyway, I discovered that my oil drain tube off the turbo still won't work the way it is now. It either needs to be shorter or it needs to be angled a little differently. I think I'll probably just cut it shorter and then take it down to Tom's to see if he can put the flare in the end for me.

I also discovered that I needed more 4AN nylon braided hose...son of a...so I just ordered some more from Summit. I was going to look locally but I figured if I didn't find any I would be screwed and I could have just ordered it and got it on it's way here.

I remade the vacuum lines for the wastegates with the nylon braided hose last night. I realized that the 5/16" rubber hose I was using wasn't really suitable considering the part of the fitting that screws over the hose was barely contacting it, although it seemed pretty solid when it was all together. I put the fire sleeve on the hoses and put the fire tape around the ends to seal them up.

I made the coolant hose to go from the rear of the engine to the water pump housing and covered it in heat shielding. I covered the catch can hose (that crosses over the engine) in heat shielding. I used the fire sleeve (that's too small for hoses) to cover the wires for the fuel pressure gauge and coolant temp gauge, and I even used it to cover the vacuum lines for the OMP injectors. Hey, might as well use it, right? lol I have pics of all that but not with me at work. I also installed caps on the wastegate coolant ports for now, to keep debris out until I'm ready to use them.

I removed the power steering assembly so I can make the modifications to that, and I test fit the oil catch can with the new bracket to make sure it would work, and so far it looks good.

I installed the OMP. I want to shoot the engineer that didn't line up the bolt holes properly between the OMP and where it mounts. The bottom bolt (that's also hardest to get to) is ridiculous to line up with the top two bolts in. It's really aggravating.

I guess tonight I'll start jamming on it again, after John and I adjust his TPS since he put the new TB on.

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:14

Sounds legit man, this is a bigger project than I thought it would be haha

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:14

Thanks! Yeah it's taking a lot longer than I thought it would too.

Here are some pics from the last few nights...

I thought this oil drain would work, but it's still not quite right. So it's getting cut in half and a ring will be welded around the end so it still grabs the hose. Dropping it off at IAT tomorrow, along with the new power steering cooler (to get some sides welded on to protect the fins).

The other oil drain fitting is great though...

Made up the vacuum lines, wrapped most of them in fire sleeve and fire tape, and mounted them. I'll make the last line once it and the fittings come in, but for now I'll just use some 5/16" hose.

Here are the couple vacuum lines for the OMP injectors I wrapped in the fire sleeve lol...

And I actually got a lot done tonight. This is what it looks like now...

I decided to wait on the power steering fluid cooler for now. I'll have to get a different size hose and have one side of the cooler modified for that, and I just have come to the point that I feel the car needs to be tested for this trip and the PS cooler project can wait. At this point, I don't care so much about what the car looks like for this trip, I just wanna take it and have fun. I'm planning on trying to finish it tomorrow night after the meet. I MIGHT drive to Denver Saturday but I doubt it. I'd rather take it on some short runs around here first rather than take it that far and possibly need a tow back.

And here is a little gift I got Tuesday night...

Might not be able to tell, but it's a nifty splinter under the fingernail. It's still there lol. It always made my skin crawl thinking about things being shoved under my fingernails, but it's really not as bad as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it still sucks, but it's just not QUITE as bad lol.

Website · Postby **Shadowden** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:14

Power steering fluid cooler? I don't know that I have ever had to turn my car that much to heat up the fluid...so what othe purpose does the power sterring fluid serve in your vehicle?

Next time you have an hour or three to spend answering somewhat silly questions, let me know as I would like to see your car.

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:14

Looks fantastic man, it's coming together!

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 9:14

Shadowden wrote:Power steering fluid cooler? I don't know that I have ever had to turn my car that much to heat up the fluid...so what othe purpose does the power sterring fluid serve in your vehicle?

Next time you have an hour or three to spend answering somewhat silly questions, let me know as I would like to see your car.

LOL, yeah. This car comes with a PS cooling line stock, but when I put the VMIC in I had to modify the line and it looks like crap. This will be a cleaner solution. I'll just have to wait to do it though. I had the new cooler modified today, I had the welder weld some sides on it to protect the fins more. It feels pretty sturdy now. From what I hear, the 240s have a hard time keeping their PS fluid cool. I haven't really heard of any RX-7 guys having that problem but I don't want to be the first haha. It serves no other purpose than cooling the fluid.

chickenwafer wrote:Looks fantastic man, it's coming together!

Thanks! We had a meet tonight but only a few of us showed up. After the meet we met at my place and then went for a cruise. Ended up over at Sam's Club on South Academy and holy balls there were a lot of cars there! It's feeling like 2008 all over again. I can't wait for this summer! WOOHOO!!!

I got home about half an hour ago and was half tempted to try to finish the car haha. I'm going to bed here in a minute though and I'll get up early to try to finish it before I take off for Denver tomorrow morning. Or THIS morning rather haha.

JTurton7 · Postby **JTurton7** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 9:14

Im pissed I missed the meet. I was out camping yesterday.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:14

You didn't miss a whole lot of people LOL. It was only me, Kyle and his wife at first, then Morris and Bobby showed up. Then we all ended up going to Sam's Club later anyway. It was PACKED there.

I got pretty close to finishing up last night, and pretty much finished it today. I ordered two more 2" clamps that I needed, I'll pick those up tomorrow. And I have to get Tom to modify my oil drain to that can work. After that, I'll put the drain and clamps on, fill it with fluids and fire it up.

I'm planning on getting the IC and piping powder coated. I may even make some ducting for the VMIC before the trip as well.

Here is a pic from today after I was finished...

PXRdriFT · Postby **PXRdriFT** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:14

Looks good man! We're both getting it done at the same time.

JTurton7 · Postby **JTurton7** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:14

So whens this bad boy getting tuned?

VRx8 · Postby **VRx8** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:14

Got Intercooler?? lol looks really good. Why is the turbo IC pipe so small compared to the cold side IC pipe?

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:14

I think you should powdercoat your intercooler and charge pipes black....because our engine bays look too similar haha.

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