Mechanical updates:
I'm driving the car daily and it has just about 300 miles on it. It never misses when turning over, though it will stall some until it's warmed up. Hopefully that falls away during break in and warmer weather coming. My understanding is that stalling and flooding are normal during break in. I've got the MBC set to zero boost.
I can't figure out the pooty exhaust and it's really bothering me. I took it to the shop so they could put it on the lift and check for leaks and they found none. I also had them bleed the breaks, hoping they could get some air out that I wasn't able to. They gave it back to me with no charge and the owner called me a few days later to ask if the brakes were any better. He said they got some air out of the rear brakes but not a lot. They are still softer than they used to be. I drove my fathers n/a vert the other day as a comparison and his are noticeably stronger. I"m thinking maybe the brake booster?
The OEM volt meter has been showing overcharging by a little bit. The n/a engine was doing the same thing before the swap and I was hoping new drivetrain would fix the problem. It did not. I replaced the alternator with a modded 140amp S5 alternator. It's been on for about a week now. It helps greatly with the Taurus fan.
BUT I have a whole assortment of electrical problems:
- OEM gauge is still showing some overcharging
- lights are dimming and brightening with RPMs
- My rear defroster is working sporadically. Most times the button indicator does not illuminate and it never comes on. BUT sometimes it will come on just fine.
- Greddy boost gauge mysteriously stopped reading. It illuminates fine, but never reads anythign but zero. Just to be clear, it's not showing vacuum either...doesn't even go through opening ceremony. I checked the wiring. I tried ground directly to the battery and no change.
- My Prosport pressure gauge has never worked and acts identically to how the Greddy is now. It will illuminate but never shows any reading other than zero. The Prosport will go through opening ceremony but stays pegged at zero afterwards.
- Previous to the swap the dome light was most often not working... that is still the case.
- One very strange thing happened. I plugged my phone car charger in..just the USB adapter with nothing plugged in. Engine wasn't running, I don't think the keys were even in the ignition. When I plug it in my car gave an electrical beep. I take it out and plug it back in and it beeps again. I'm watching the idiot cluster and my alarm indicator starts blinking and my OEM alarm goes off. I have a new CPU from Mazdatrix so I doubt it's that.
I haven't decided what to do about the electrical problems yet. I'm thinking I'm going to replace all the battery wiring with new. In my previous turbo swap I had a decent sized stereo and associated upgraded wiring that was run parallel to OEM wiring. In this case I'm very tempted to simply remove the battery ground through to the starter/engine and replace with great big ground. Also I'd like to replace the + battery to B terminal on the alternator and the + battery terminal to main fuse box in engine compartment. Essentially replace the OEM wiring with Big 3 upgraded wiring.
That won't solve most of the electrical problems I listed, but it's a starting point and something I'd like to do in prep for putting more stereo equipment. I assume the electrical problems is simply going to be checking grounds and looking for shorts....which I know NOTHING about.
Other than the electrical list and the pooty exhaust I have no complaints. My fears of coolant seal leak I think are simple paranoia. I'm not loosing any coolant...so far.
I'll post some about the body panels being painted a little later or tomorrow....gotta leave to meet the paint guy and get an estimate.