Lighter = Faster (N/A build thread #2)

[JDriftM]

If you use SEM interior paint with a stiff bristle brush. Spray your first coat heavy, work it in while wet with the brush, then let it dry, then apply your second coat heavy(will allow you to hit the spots missed) and work it in with the brush, then let it dry completely.

By working it in with the brush, you won't have the crunchy carpet.

My old detailer did this to restore carpet, worked like a charm.

-Tim

[infernosg]

Black paint works alright.







The last picture was taken at ~8 PM, which is why it has a yellow/brown tint. Everything turned out pretty good. I think I did three coats on everything. I laid down heavy coats and used a nylon scrubbing brush to even everything out. The backing didn't really take the color so you can still see gray through the fibers if you look hard enough. It's a little stiffer overall but wouldn't be noticeable to someone not familiar with the original texture.

[infernosg]

I've got most of the interior back together now.



I managed to break the warning cluster surround. Considering it's the original one from my 89 I think it's managed to last quite a while. Hopefully I can repair it versus looking for a new one. The only thing not installed are the storage bins. The roll bar interferes with their operation so I need to come up with something. I'm thinking about cutting the covers in half and adding a second hinge kind of like bi-fold door.

Can someone remind me how the warning cluster functions during startup? As in, what lights come on/off and when. It's been so long since I've had this thing running I can't remember and I've hacked up the wiring harness so much I don't know if I've messed anything up.

[infernosg]

Testing my photo-sharing capability..

[speedjunkie]

Damn, looks good man!

[dakar318]

Apparently i have missed this build thread for the past couple of years.

Great work, I hope it makes over 230 with it being a big 4 port. SCCA Eprod motors make ~230hp with a 6port street port and a Webber IDA with 42mm chokes.

[infernosg]

Originally Posted by dakar318

Apparently i have missed this build thread for the past couple of years.

Great work, I hope it makes over 230 with it being a big 4 port. SCCA Eprod motors make ~230hp with a 6port street port and a Webber IDA with 42mm chokes.

Is that to the wheels? If so, that's reassuring since I'm effectively running a 55 mm IDA setup.

There's really not much left to do. I need to mount the radiator shroud and fan, wire in the reverse lights and oxygen sensors, and get some spark plug wires. After that it's a matter of setting up the ECU and display and getting a baseline tune. I've been poking around Haltech ECU Manager and RacePak DataLink programs and I think I understand the setup process. It's setting up an initial tune that has me stuck. If anyone is in, or knows someone in the Richmond, VA area familiar with tuning rotaries let me know!

[project86]

what door panels are those?

[infernosg]

Originally Posted by project86

what door panels are those?

I made them myself out of the original vinyl top halves and ABS plastic. Since the car is a base model it was easy to separate the halves of the door panels. I used the original cardboard bottom pieces as templates for the ABS plastic. I painted the vinyl black and covered the ABS in knock-off Recaro fabric from eBay. The door pulls are just red nylon straps secured using two of the holes for the original handle.

[infernosg]

I think I've often complained how much I didn't like my original ignition coil mounting location (behind the driver's headlight). I'd been toying with the idea of moving the coils to the top of the engine, and even went as far as making a temporary mount out of ABS to see if it would work. I finally decided to transfer the concept over to .060" aluminum:





My intake really has made life difficult. If it weren't for this thing I'd still have a top-mounted alternator and I've have more room for the coils. They're about 1/8" from the bottom of the filters.



Add some custom Magnecor wires and that's all:



I'm nearly done with the sub-harness for the reverse lights and oxygen sensors. After that I'll mount the radiator shroud and fan. Then, it's done, I guess. My engine harness isn't ideal, but that's getting resolved later in the Summer. But really, the only thing preventing me from getting it started is my lack of knowledge/confidence to set up a base tune.

[Pete_89T2]

I have the same set of coils on my FC. I managed to mount all 4 of them in the space vacated by the stock trailing coils, and even repurposed the lower stock coil mounting bracket & upper stud mount in my design. I'll post up pictures later (don't have them on my work computer).

Anyway, I fabricated up some simple AL brackets, and using a combo of long bolts, AL spacers and strategic stacking of the coils in a 2X2 configuration, and a bend on the top bracket (to line up with the top stud), it all in fits neatly there.

[infernosg]

It's been a while since I've updated this. I had to pull the engine a couple weeks ago because it started leaking coolant when tried to fill it up. Apparently I forgot to add sealant around the threads of the engine studs, which isn't required if using tension bolts. I got that sorted out and put the engine back in last weekend.

I'm now getting very close to firing this thing up. The engine is back in the car and it's holding oil and coolant. I powered up the ECU and display and everything works. I calibrated everything except the fuel level input. I attempted to synchronize the engine and ECU but by then I think I drained the battery too much and wasn't getting any spark. I got one or two flashes from the timing light and then nothing. The steady-state battery voltage was 12.0-12.2V but I failed to note what it was while cranking. The cranking amperage must have been low because my display was resetting every time I hit the starter. I'm getting a good, steady engine speed signal so I don't think it's a trigger problem. I checked the IGN fuse and it was intact as well. I suppose I could have fried the relay but I put the battery back on a trickle charger and I'll try again tonight. If it turns out to be a battery issue I'll pull the larger battery out of the yellow RX-7 and try that next.

[infernosg]

Not sure if this is going to work but here's a picture of the completed engine bay:

[project86]

geez dude.... can you come help me with mine.... I want mine to look like that haha

[infernosg]

I got the engine and ECU synchronized and calibrated the fuel level sensor on Saturday. Sunday morning I primed the fuel pump for the first time to make sure there weren't any leaks. Fortunately there were none so everything was looking good for a Sunday afternoon start up. I pushed the car out of the garage, enabled the injectors, primed the fuel pump, hit the starter, and... nothing. Maybe one or two little bumps of ignition but no start.

Time to pull the plugs to look for signs of fuel. I pull the L1 plug and it's bone-dry; not a whiff of gasoline. I pull the L2 plug and immediately there's a strong fuel odor, so the front rotor isn't getting any fuel but the rear is. I've already verified the injectors are good by hooking them up to a 12V power source so I broke out the multimeter and started testing for continuity:

Injector to sub-harness break-out connector: "Beep"
Injector to engine-side bulkhead connector: "Beep"
Injector to ECU: "Silence"

It turns out 3/4 wires in the sub-harness connector were wired incorrectly. After de-pinning and correctly re-pinning that connector there's continuity from the ECU to the injector. Just to be sure I also went back and checked the ignition wires. Fortunately those are all good.