Build thread

VRx8 · Postby **VRx8** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:14

Im getting it from here http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/ac/condenser-with-drier-mounted-111.php

Yeah just saw your thread on RRC and yes I will be going this route.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:14

Hmmmm, I might have to end up going that route myself. I was just laying out the stock lines and they actually go past the turbo OK, but I'm not sure how the rest will be with the VMIC.

I got the dash ready to pull out aside from disconnecting the harness connections, which I really don't want to do lol. I actually started pulling the dash out already.

I'm trying to figure out what kind of connectors these are, are they R134a? Anyone know?

And this is kinda what my gauges should look like, aside from the SPA gauges will be on the most left and the one just to the above/right of it.

Brigdh · Postby **Brigdh** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:14

The AC connectors look to be R12. R134a is usually a quick disconnect type, not screw on

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:14

Yeah after thinking about it I finally remembered what R134a connectors look like as QDs. Thanks!

Zico came over yesterday and we got the dash out, and I started cleaning up the wiring for all the stuff I added over the years. Tonight I'm going to finish that and pull the heater core and AC out, and tomorrow I'll drop off the heater core at a radiator shop so they can fix it. And I'll clean and refurbish the AC parts and put them back in. I'm still waiting to hear from Speedhut about the gauges, I'm hoping it won't be much longer and they can ship them. I have a lot of repairs to make to the gauge cluster and hood, and also the HVAC controls box. When I get a chance I'll post up pics of the current state.

I'm also going to make some changes to the HVAC controls, using LED lights and modifying the faces of the controls. A year or so ago I bought some stickers from a guy in Germany that has little rotors for the temp selection, and on the selector for where you want the air to go it has air blowing on a little rotor instead of a human, and there are little rotors next to the numbers for the fan speed but those won't be shown because there is only room for the numbers, so I'll just leave those stock I guess. The only problem is for the temp selection, the red and blue is an opaque sticker and I want it to be visible at night, so I'm looking for red and blue transparent film that I can lay the stickers on top of and I haven't found any yet. If anyone has any leads I'd like to know.

I'm also thinking about relocating the battery AGAIN and putting the Optima Yellow Top in the rear bin behind the passenger seat this time. It's so nice having a full size battery that's strong and not having to worry about whether the car is going to start or if the battery is going to die while trying to start the car.

I still have to install everything in the engine bay for AC too. Not really looking foward to that lol.

And yesterday when I was cleaning up the wiring I also removed an old Viper alarm. That took a while.

Postby **RX-7 Chris** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:14

Talk to Al about what battery he runs. It is a half size battery that is stronger than the optima.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:14

Oooh that would be awesome. I've talked to him about it before but now I can't remember.

Turns out I got an email from Speedhut last Friday already. They sent me a proof of the gauges but I think the rotor logo is a little too big. I asked them to reduce it to 2/3 it's current size and send me another proof, they said I should have it by Wednesday.

I love the RX-7 lettering on the speedo. I almost thought about ditching the turbo rotor and going with RX-7 on the tach too. But I think if the rotor was a little smaller it would look great. I wanted to get the Mazda "flying M", but there are legality issues. I know they used to do that logo, but they don't anymore.

Made some more progress tonight so far too. I got most of the wiring cleaned up and removed the AC box and heater core, and I'm going to clean up the wires a bit more now that those are pulled out of the way. After that I'm ready to get the heater core ready to take to get fixed and clean up the evaporator.

Here is what it looked like last night with the AC box and heater core still installed and the wiring pretty nasty.

Here is what it looks like tonight so far.

I also found this today for the HVAC controls mod. This is kinda what I'm looking for I think. I'm just not sure if the blue is dark enough.

http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Vin...VINTRBLUPP-010

http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Vin...VINTRREDPP-010

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:14

So I'm an idiot. Here I was thinking I needed red and blue film to modify these gauges, so last night I ordered headlight tint from a place that, according to shipping, looks like it's on Jupiter. The film costs $3.50 for each sheet...shipping was $6 for each. So it came out to about $19 total. This morning I figured I'd shine a light through the blue and red and sure enough, light shines through -.-

I emailed them to try to cancel the order but we'll see what happens.

I'm also expecting some money back from the roofing company and I was thinking it would be about $1000. No, $369 -.- I was really hoping to buy the ECU with that money.

I'm also trying to get some money back from the ridiculously priced water heater replacement, so we'll see how that goes. Blue Ribbon said they only cover up to $700 for water heater replacement, but they did up to $1600 this time because someone was confused and thought it was a boiler replacement and they cover up to $1600 for that. Either way, it shouldn't cost $2810 to replace a water heater, $1228 of which I paid out of my pocket.

EDIT: Turns out the plumbing company actually charges $2810 to replace my water heater. I LOVE getting ripped off, it's so awesome! If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have told them to shove it up their ###.

Website · Postby **Shadowden** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:14

Merit?
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3pCLjHZmhM"]Rotary Engine Breakthrough? - YouTube[/ame]

Brigdh · Postby **Brigdh** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:14

Shadowden wrote:Merit?
Rotary Engine Breakthrough? - YouTube

Eh, its been discussed elsewhere. Basically no. Either hes proposing things that Mazda already experimented with and rejected, or doesn't understand the actual principals behind how an engine or the rotary in particular works. Its thought that his prototype confirms his claims because it doesn't actually run right and wasn't properly tested.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:14

I took the AC and heater core boxes to work this afternoon and took the heater core out and we filled it with water to see if it was leaking. I know it has to be leaking because it leaked back in 2008 and I had coolant on the passenger floorboard. It did leak a little but we couldn't tell exactly where so I dropped it off after work at Matt's Radiator right outside Peterson. He said he'd pressure test it and round one of the pipes I made out-of-round back in 2008. He said it would be $25 and ready tomorrow most likely. WOOHOO!! If that core is bad I believe I still have Simon's so I'll grab that one and get it tested. I also went to Manley Radiator to pick up the condenser and he had it finished but hadn't called me. He fixed a couple leaks for $10 but I have the other one coming so I'll probably use that as long as it works. The dryer I ordered through Ray Crowe got cancelled because we discovered it wasn't the right one for my system.

I ALMOST pulled the trigger on an Adaptronic ECU today, but I'm trying to make sure I'm going to have enough money the rest of the month and make sure I have everything in order before I buy it. As far as I know I just have to get one or two things from Innovate so I can hook the wideband and EGT sensors to the ECU.

I have to order some stuff to refurbish the AC, heater, and blower boxes. I might start tearing them down tonight still and clean them up. I also need to order the LEDs to go behind this...

VRx8 · Postby **VRx8** » Wed Jul 17, 2013 9:14

Go Haltech!! lol

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Wed Jul 17, 2013 9:14

Just bought the Adaptronic today lol. They already shipped it too and are emailing me a base map for it.

I got the new condenser in the mail. I think it might be too long to put in there and I can't find a dryer for my system so I might just go ahead and get one of those condensers with the dryer built in like you're going to use.

I did some more work on the HVAC controls tonight because the indicators for where the air goes were wavy in some places so I got some clear plastic to put behind it and I ended up messing up the sticker a little lol. I should have put the plastic on first and then put the sticker on the plastic but I didn't do it that way. Oh well, it looks KINDA better lol. Maybe I'll see if I can get ahold of the guy in Germany and get another sticker.

I also started taking the creamy white backing color off the numbers going off a write-up on 7club saying to use Acetone. Well it works, a little too well. It took the white color off pretty well, but it started taking the black part off too. I think I'm going to get some black model paint and use a toothpick to apply it. That should finish the HVAC controls. You can kinda see in this pic where the black started coming off.

I started measuring the foam on the AC evaporator box, heater core box and blower box so I can get on McMaster-Carr and order what I need, but I'd really prefer if there was a place locally where I could get it, because McMaster sells the stuff in larger bulk and it's gonna be expensive to get everything. Does anyone know of anywhere local?

Also, I got the heater core back from Matt's Radiator today at lunch. He leak tested it in front of me and there were no bubbles, so I'm not sure how I had coolant on my floorboard back in 2008. This thing better be good.

Postby **RX-7 Chris** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:14

On my black car, it was the heater control valve that leaked and caused the problem.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:14

Well the heater core is the only part on mine that has coolant in it.

And I just realized I haven't posted a pic of the new rendering SpeedHut sent me. They're making the gauges now.

erod550 · Postby **erod550** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:14

Nothing like car parts in the kitchen, lol.

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