I'm still having issues getting the ECU and laptop to communicate, which I suspect is down to the laptop. I'm going to get my old desktop PC out of retirement tomorrow and try that. If it works, I'll buy another laptop (maybe). The alternative is to send the ECU back and have them check it out. Might even send them the laptop too!
Going to the Detling kitcar show tomorrow, so may try and buy a few things - I particularly want/need and Innovate LC1 wideband sensor so when I do get comms between ECU/laptop, I can start getting Air/Fuel mixtures a bit more accurate.
Tomorrow, I have decided will be the day that I start redoing the bonnet. The intention was to include glassfibre scoops on the bonnet for the intercoolers, but to spped things up. I'm going to make them from ally, and rivet them to the i/c's and they'll just have to stick through the bonnet. I did have the mad idea of attaching a small pressure vessel (with slow pressure release) in the wastegate actuator lines to power pressurised intercooler sccops. The idea being the when boost went up, scoops would go up, and as boost went down, the scoops would come down slowly, venting from the pressurised vessel. But I haven't got time for that at the mo.
I've still got the oil leak, but have found this is coming from the oil union on the turbo, so really needs to be fixed asap and before engine is run in anger. Fortunately, should be just a case of tightening a bolt.
Anyway, I'm off for a nice cup'o tea. Keep your fingers crossed, there may be a vid soon!
Till the next time
Simon
Saturday 12 April 2008
Sunday 6 April 2008
Big Smug Grin, but more later
Right, yet again, it's been a while, but that's what happens in research and development:)
Anyway, ah yes, just had to have a look at the last post to see where we were up to.
I think this may be a long post, quite a lot of progress has been made and I reckon we could well be on the road within two or three weeks. If all goes according to plan.
And we know what happens to people who say that sort of thing.
To start with, some pics.
This is a picture of the engine as it was about a week ago, before I rehashed the wiring to the coil packs (which I don't think you've seen yet - they're mounted on a bracket to the left (as you look at pic) of the water pump). I'd decided that the wires I was using for the coil packs where far too large, so ripped them out and used smaller ones! You'll also notice the lack of HT leads. This proved to be a bit of a headache as a direct result of a lack of knowledge. You see, the Rover V8 had a coil and spark plugs. Go into any spares shop and ask for a set of leads for a Rover V8 and that's what you'll get. Ask for some leads for a Rover V8 that go into a Ford coil pack, and you'll get a blank look. Anyway, I found out, after much toing and froing that you buy ordinary HT leads, pull the coil end rubbers off and stick on an adaptor. Easy. So yes, I have HT leads.
I'd decided that I wanted a more direct route for the top water hose, so had been making a new thermostat housing out of stainless. Well that turned into a right pita, so looked at the Rover item, looked at some scrap ally tube I had, and an idea formed in my head!
Tried the tube on the engine side of housing, perfect fit. Chop down housing so it becomes a flange and insert ally tube. Next I need a fitting therein for rubber hose to connect to, so chop up the remaining outlet for the same, and lo and behold it fits in ally tube (with a bit of turning down). Solder all together, and hey presto. If it fails, I'm going to mould and cast in ally as a single piece. In my hurry, I forgot to put the thermostat in, but that should only take 5 minutes:)
I welded up a couple of stainless ally bends together to give me the rest of the hose.
Gotta apologise for the quality of the next pic, it's a bit blury, but it shows the new alternator mounting bracket that I knocked up. It looks a bit Heath Robinson, but hey, it does it's job. I may even cast one of them in ally at some point.
Anyway, ah yes, just had to have a look at the last post to see where we were up to.
I think this may be a long post, quite a lot of progress has been made and I reckon we could well be on the road within two or three weeks. If all goes according to plan.
And we know what happens to people who say that sort of thing.
To start with, some pics.
This is a picture of the engine as it was about a week ago, before I rehashed the wiring to the coil packs (which I don't think you've seen yet - they're mounted on a bracket to the left (as you look at pic) of the water pump). I'd decided that the wires I was using for the coil packs where far too large, so ripped them out and used smaller ones! You'll also notice the lack of HT leads. This proved to be a bit of a headache as a direct result of a lack of knowledge. You see, the Rover V8 had a coil and spark plugs. Go into any spares shop and ask for a set of leads for a Rover V8 and that's what you'll get. Ask for some leads for a Rover V8 that go into a Ford coil pack, and you'll get a blank look. Anyway, I found out, after much toing and froing that you buy ordinary HT leads, pull the coil end rubbers off and stick on an adaptor. Easy. So yes, I have HT leads.
I'd decided that I wanted a more direct route for the top water hose, so had been making a new thermostat housing out of stainless. Well that turned into a right pita, so looked at the Rover item, looked at some scrap ally tube I had, and an idea formed in my head!
Tried the tube on the engine side of housing, perfect fit. Chop down housing so it becomes a flange and insert ally tube. Next I need a fitting therein for rubber hose to connect to, so chop up the remaining outlet for the same, and lo and behold it fits in ally tube (with a bit of turning down). Solder all together, and hey presto. If it fails, I'm going to mould and cast in ally as a single piece. In my hurry, I forgot to put the thermostat in, but that should only take 5 minutes:)
I welded up a couple of stainless ally bends together to give me the rest of the hose.
Gotta apologise for the quality of the next pic, it's a bit blury, but it shows the new alternator mounting bracket that I knocked up. It looks a bit Heath Robinson, but hey, it does it's job. I may even cast one of them in ally at some point.
It should mean that by bonnet profile will be a bit more flexible - ie, I'll have more space under the bonnet.
I finally got round to wiring in the fuel pressure regulator. This is a job I really hadn't been looking forward to doing as it meant I'd have to test the fuel lines. Petrol at 30 - 40 psi I find a scary prospect. Especially when there's what may eventually be two red hot exhausts and glowing turbos no more than two feet either side of the pipe!
Once wired in, I took the plunge and turned on the fuel pump.
Nothing, just lots of whirring. Strange I thought! Anyway, check that fuel was coming from tank to filter, fine, but nothing getting to fuel rail. Hmmm. Check wiring on pump. Ahhhh. Put feed to +. Rewired and tried again.
Don't know why I was worried about fuel lines. Check fuel pressure, and it was about 120psi and pump was starting to struggle. Tried several times and finally got it down to more reasonable 40psi. Still, now I know I have a saftey factor of three reducing to about 2.5 at 1 bar boost pressure. I'm happy with that, though will of course check security of fittings regularly.
The next pic is for all of you who are wondering what I'm doing about air filters. Well, this is my brainwave. I know a cold air supply is desirable, so how about this. The air filters are mounted in the side panels, with a scoop over them. Yes, I have thought they may get flooeded, and I'm thinking about that at the moment. Scoops are vented at the rear, so that may be sufficient. I may just bolt a deflector to the wishbones. There is an ally sheet "box" on the other side if the panel with ally tube ducting to the turbo inlet - can just be seen between panel and coilpack mounting. I might work, though I suspect I may need to get something a little more flexible to go between the two. If you're wondering what the filters are, they're Scooby Impreza jobbies. Replacement filters from Halfords for about a tenner each. If one is good enough for a 200bhp Impreza, two should be plenty for my hoped for 300bhp.Next job on the list was bascially connect the ECU to the loom and the laptop to the ECU and try and start the car.
Connected everything together, and got no signal from the ECU to the laptop. Contacted Emerald who recommed I try a couple of things (check wiring to ECU and that crank sensor was close to trigger wheel (TW)). Well, I didn't have power to one of the pins, and I sorted out the bracket for TW sensor. Again, I still can't connect to the PC, but I turned the engine over and I started firing. Hell, I'm going to keep going, and see what happens.
IT RUNS.
Badly I'll admit, but I really don't care at the moment. Once started, it ticks over. Starting takes a good few turns as I think cold start enrichment needs looking into, but I think prime need is to set the ignition as it's not been set yet. Getting a bit of turbo whine, which is nice. Also got a couple of leaks that need sorting.
I'm going to order a Boost Tee from Turbosmart today and set that to about 12 - 14 psi, and an Innovate LC1 wideband Lambda sensor/controller.
Got to add how thoroughly impressed I am with the service from Emerald.
Anyway, as you can guess, I'm as happy as a happy person.
Hopefully, next post will have some pics of the progress on the new bonnet, which I have yet to start, and which WILL be done very quickly. By end of April at latest.
I'm also starting to think about my next project, which will be done for a grand:)
For those interested, the Detling Kitcar show is 12/13 April, and I hope to be there for at least an hour or two.
Speak soonish
Simon
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