looks great!

Well the car is on the edge of starting. BUTTTTT the fuel pump is sucking air. I thought i had fixed the issue with the gas tank. Now im not sure what route to take since im short on money (else i would say hell with it and run a fuel cell) and sort on time (i leave for Air Force basic in 12 days).

poop

USB to serial adapter has arrived so i can finally flash the MS unit. Sadly, my battery for my laptop is kaput, so the laptop isnt exactly mobile. Ill probably obtain something from ZGN while im at Tech School to cure this issue. But for now, i just want it to run a bit.

Tomorrow im going to solve the fueling issue. If all goes well, the car should start. Maybe.

so where to begin.

First, many thanks to Rymon and Pete on the megasquirt. Wouldn't have been able to do it without pestering them.

As for the progress. Well it starts and holds an idle more or less. First start was open header. (dang) Started up very easily though. Still wants to stall on occasion but i have had no chance to tune anything as of yet. I reflashed the MS2 to use the MS2 extra firmware. Which has some pretty good controls.

Also had to replace the alternator. The S5 i had gotten wasn't charging. Took it to autozone, tested bad. Had a spare s4 one laying around so i adapted that. Issues resolved.

With the day coming to a close, i decided to tackle the final big step. The exhaust. A friend of mine lent a huge hand and didnt the welding since i haven't for almost a year now and we didn't have time for me to get back into it. Generally went well. Used the Racing Beat 3" universal muffler and pre silencer. Still need to decided on a tip for the muffler.

As far as media with the car running, well tomorrow or the next day i will have a video of it running any maybe even driving. we shall see. There are plenty of issues i need to address including the fact i *can't* get the car in reverse. The clutch also engages pretty low.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...B/DSC01184.jpg
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Nice :icon_tup: . Can't wait to see a vid of it running, I bet it sounds beastly.

the sound of the intake is actually VERY loud. I can hear it over the exhaust with the hood closed.

are you going to run the muffler with no tip?

trying to decide on what i want to have off of it still.

video of the first start and drive. Needs more tuning, very lean..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h52Q6icqGo

Sounds very nice. I know what you mean about the intake. Adrian's 48 IDA is almost louder than his (very loud) exhaust. What's the overall sound level like on yours? Tolerable?

i found it tolerable. The people who rent the apt above the marathon don't (they live above a service station for christ sakes!!!).

Having some issues i am having a hard time addressing so i have not done more than stumble the car around.

well i am having some issues with the megasquirt that i am trying to resolve. Most important of which is the fact that once the 02 sensor starts functioning, it will go inactive and stick at 12.10 afr. While at the same time the Manifold Air Temp will go from reading normal to telling me its seeing 15F. Something is askew

That and the tuning is still way off with the accel enrichment and the VE

Probably wont be able to get the car up to shape before i leave monday. But i need to solve the issue with the 02 and the IAT and start getting the accel enrichment sorted out.

well the car is chilling at my Grandmothers til i get posted at my active duty station. It does start right up now though! I have video to prove this fact!

But still needs plenty of tuning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h52Q6icqGo

insignificant update:

Car now has plates! Historical to be specific.

So my wife has taken the initiative to get the rx7 functioning. Peejay came out and fix some problems that have been plaguing me. For starters the solved the mystery of the burning out taches which was a switched up wire i mislabeled. Two, the distributor has some loose internal wiring so he dealt with that. Immediately running better.

That said he has not had time to get the tuning and hopefully he will soon. BUT my wife has spent the last week power learning Megasquirt, rotaries and tuning as best as she can and is actually trying to road tune the car as we speak. Which is pretty much awesome.

Yes i have a lot of trust in my wife lol

That is the definition of a keeper wife;) Kudos to you guys. should be nice to have it all worked out soon enough

even got pulled over for the first time, ha!

Reverse lights were wigging out its seemed. eh, something else to deal with.

but the car is running increasingly better. still breaking up a bit at high rpms though

so Pete worked miracles. But the idler arms is FUBAR to the point it warranted a video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phqeshQN0l0

:rofl:

Soo word is in the car is running well enough that i know could stand a good wideband tune and actually see what power i can get out of it.

Car is running good!!!

even managed to get itself in and back out of the Cleveland impound lot....lol.

Im hoping to get some new media soon. The idler arm is getting replaced today and hopefully the fenders will be rolled soon. Other than that its ready to enjoy and refine. Im sure the next step is some wideband tuning.

I always loved the stance and the FI setup on this car. Glad to see she's cooperating a little now. Beautiful ride :icon_tup:

thank you, sir

Idler fiasco has been resolved!!!

Just need to roll the fenders (temp fix til i get the fender flares put on). Probably could stand an alignment....

Got the video up of its first legitamite drive. Still could stand quite a bit of tuning buts its a nice start. Lots of work to do still. Probably going to step the exhaust down from 3" to 2.5" for better clearance when i lower it a bit. Still need to finish the fender flares too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDUVjjoRZTQ

bought one of those netbook things so i can be able to do all of my tuning. the old laptop was no longer portable thanks to a cook battery, among other things. Plus i like the small size of this lap top. Already got the MS software downloaded. Hoping to figure out how to work the datalogging software.

Additionally, i have some plans once the car is out in Idaho with me. For starters the fender flares are getting done because the tires like to contact the wheels. Once that is completed i can go further with the suspension and remake the exhaust to a 2.5" instead of the 3" it has currently

Engine wise, the alternator is going back to its oem location. The side mount thing just isnt working out since i cant use the dual belts. May also start the process of running the CAS so i have ignition control. Since the alt movement may require some re-routing of wiring, ill probably run the CAS wires will im doing it.

So you are home for a little while?

If you have a wideband on the car, peak power should be easy 13.0:1 - 13.4:1 AFR and 30-38 BTDC ignition (depending on CR). It would be awesome if you could find a dyno and get some power numbers.

i still have to get a wideband so it can be tuned properly as well (yet another thing to buy). Currently its being worked of a regular single wire o2.

i really do think having the ignition control would go a long way since i really have none at the moment. Would surely help the idle and get rid of any remaining breakup the car likes to have.

and in other news ill be needing a replacement clutch sooner than i thought. Wife reported it slipping mid jackassery. Was just an oem-ish replacement from exedy so im not surprised it didnt take well to what they were trying to do. Kinda salty they did becuase i dont want to have to do replacing shit i just got but since the transmission needs replaced anyway (bad reverse) might as well do it all in one sitting.

probably just get what i wanted to get in the first place. Get myself an aftermarket flywheel and a counterweight as well. What i have ALSO thought about doing was the T5 adapter stuff so i get a better gear ratio selection and a loose the weakness of the type M transmission.,

alright, here is the currently planning pending on the reply from Kennedy Engineering:


Use the Kennedy engineering T5 adapter kit. This will allow me to run the 74+ 6" long removable bell housings. ill have to verify if any of the later turbo transmissions bell housings will work or if i have to find myself an older rx4 bell housings or similar and rock a top mount starter.

This will couple a Borg Warner T5 which is common as dirt and allows me to find whatever gear ratios i want really.

Now for the engine end of things, a mazda flywheel and pressure plate are used but the clutch must be a ford spline. Now, what i am going to try and find is a vendor for the Guru flywheel that uses the 5.5" clutches. Would be an easy adaption since those clutchs can come in a ford spline. The only concern is the wear rate on them. otherwise, the OS Giken twin disk, flywheel setup can be found with the ford spline as well if i recall correctly ( 1/16" 10 spline).

but that should pretty much be a permanent solution and give me quite a bit of adjustably.

You know, I had trouble with an OEMish (actually called a stage 2) F1 Racing clutch.

I am only making 200 Lb-Ft of torque (although with cold ignition coils, I think I make closer to 220 lb-ft) and it was rated to 230 lb-ft. I think that some of the clutches are just cheap or the manufacturers has poor quality control.

EDIT: I have a SPEC clutch (stage 3+) that I really like. I would recommend them highly.

i guess it means the engine is making SOME power at least. I tried to keep the overall diameter of the tire/wheel the same as a GSLSE. Its only slightly taller, like maybe 1/4" so i dont think its due to resistance. Probably as you said, low quality. Wasnt meant to take abuse.

but if i get this driveline setup how i want, ill really need to start building an engine deserving of such amenities.

i also think i have settled on the engine to get built.... enjoyment to come

i really like your setup... similar to what i had in mind with my car.

Do tell....

well for starters, i love my na engines. Not sure why. They wont usually be the fastest, but i still love em.

secondly, i have enough rotor housings that i can experiment with homemade peripheral ports. Im pretty sure i can use my itbs without issue. i will just size the ports accordingly (400cfm flow per port)

I helped Peejay with his PP before and i love em. So that is the route i want to go. Ill end up building a more better version of my PP for the rally build as well.

thank you, sir! Should get better over the coming months as well.

i think i found my bell housing and my initial T5. The stock ford T5 gear ratios aren't the best but i am just going to using it "for now". I hope to figure out what can be done with the stock ratios (mixing and matching) or worse case, ill save and spring for a Richmond Gear Road Race 5speed in the gear ratios i want. I wouldnt have an overdrive (5th is 1.00) but that isnt that big a deal to me.