The Rebirth

[BigMike]

After my statistics test this morning, I stopped off at Big-K's work on my way to Little Leaf Tea to study for my 2pm Physics test.

Kevin and I did a bit of chit and a bit of chat, and when I got back into my car and drove away here is what I found:

Mercedes of Fresno damaged my charging system LOL

[Sirdeuce]

Rhurho Raggy! You got a spare alternator?

[BigMike]

Just got home from my 2nd exam (I've got a short break until my night class)

You are spot on, I've read numerous sites that claim these three lamps indicate a bad voltage regulator.

It's gonna take me a good week to get it replaced...


EDIT: Actually, looks like I can get a used one for $35-$45 on car-parts.com

[BigMike]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH I just fixed it


You know, I fixed it because I am a Freak'n GENIUS


But I'm sure it's due to be replaced so I'll look into getting another one, and then hang on to this one as a back up :)

[BigMike]

I also forgot to post these pictures...

When I went up to Bevin's house to clean up his MGB, I took some pics of HIPSI Stage 2.5

Without further ado:

[Sirdeuce]

I have spares here Mikey. If you are a little more adventureous you could rebuild it yourself! See if STARR Rebuilders is still alive, they usually have the parts necesary to get the job done.

[BigMike]

I think the SC alternator puts out more (like your mother) so I'd like to replace apples with apples

Yup, Starr Rebuilders is still there, North-East of Maple and Belmont Aves. They want to charge me like $240 to up the amperage on my stock 3RZ-FE alternator on my Hilux by about 40 amps. DANG.

[BryanH]

IIRC the GZE has an external voltage regulator where the GE has it inside the alternator.  Or is it vice versa?

Sow how did you fix your charging issue Mike?

[BigMike]

IIRC the GZE has an external voltage regulator where the GE has it inside the alternator.  Or is it vice versa?

Hmmmmmm Interesting.

Well, if it's external then there is nothing wrong with the regulator because...

Sow how did you fix your charging issue Mike?

I figured either the regulator is bad or the brushes are wore out. A quick way to check if it's the brushes is to lightly smack the alternator with a hammer while the engine is idling, which I did, and after about the 50th smack (it did take a while), the engine suddenly took a huge load and the alternator began whirling. All is good for now, but it's only a matter of time until this happens again. I need to replace the Alternator for sure, and will hold onto this one as a spare.

Mike

[BryanH]

Well I'll be a son of a gun.  If I had known that little trick, I might have made it home from Oregon on my original alternator instead of having to jerry-rig some Camry alternator to fit.

[BigMike]

Ok guys,

I discovered today that my 4A-GZE has a rev-limiter set at 8,300 RPM. Seriously. I don't understand it any more than you do.

I first noticed that something was different when I got on the freeway this morning. I accidentally shifted late into 3rd at what I thought was a 8,000 RPM shift. Then, once up to speed on the freeway, I engaged the clutch and revved the engine straight to 8,000 RPM and I couldn't believe it!

If you tap the throttle in neutral, it will rev to 8,500 RPM.
If you hold the pedal down in neutral, it's hard to see where it bounces, but it's somewhere around 8,500 RPM.

So just now, on my lunch break, I got on the freeway and took 2nd gear all the way full throttle, and it hits the rev limiter at 8,300 RPM. It hits pretty hard, so it is not the valves floating. It is definitely an electronic limiter.

I don't understand this engine. It makes very little power below about 3,500 RPM and then it comes alive like a rocket right at 4k and pulls extremely hard all the way to 8,300 RPM. Even at the top end, it does NOT feel like it's running out of lungs; it pulls hard all the way to 8,300 RPM. I had Chee riding along with me and he couldn't believe it either.

So Bill, what do you think, have you heard of some GZE computer mod for this? The computer looks completely stock but I've not opened it up yet.

Also, it is possible that my tachometer is off. It does idle at a perfect 800 RPM. I didn't check my MPH speed at 8,300 RPM in 2nd gear, but I will the next time I try it. If I am doing like 60+ in 2nd gear, then I know for sure I am revving well over 7,500 RPM.

BigMike

[BigMike]

Ok, I took a video of it on my way home from work. Nevermind the alternator issue, which came back after going up to Bill's house yesterday. I am going to get a used one tomorrow and hopefully get it replaced this weekend or early next week.

So you'll notice that I shifted out of 2nd gear before 60 MPH, which clearly indicates that perhaps my tach IS off, BUT, when I throw the numbers into my calculator, it says I should be doing 63.9 MPH in 2nd gear at 7,600 RPM, and also my old CarTest program says I should top off 65.1 MPH but clearly I am no where NEAR that...

...soooo Perhaps the Tach IS correct and it's just that I've got some WEIRD final drive ratio in the Corolla transaxle I am using.

The next step is to hook up a timing gun and see if 4,000 tachometer RPM is 4,000 timing gun RPM. That will be the definitive answer.

For now, check out the video:

<a href="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/rakudasama/MR2/MVI_4012_transcoded.mp4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/rakudasama/MR2/MVI_4012_transcoded.mp4</a>

[BryanH]

That's crazysauce.  Are you running a C52 of some sort?  IIRC the E51 has longer gearing so it should give >60mph in 2nd gear with stock-diameter rear tires.  The C52 tops out right at 60mph at the normal 7600rpm limiter.

[BigMike]

I'm running a modified C56 from a AE89 (closer 3rd & 4th gears, everything else the same)

Also, I've researched all possible C-series final drive ratios. They are:
3.526   3.722   3.941   4.058   4.312   4.529

Only the 3.722 and the 4.31 were offered in the US, for the 93-97 7A-FE Corolla and AW11/AE89 respectively.

It's as if my trans has the 4.529 ratio, which came in the C160 from the AE111 (I've read it is interchangeable but seriously what are the odds I have that LOL)

[BigMike]

I drove home tonight, first time in the dark with the bad alternator. I ran my small driving lights (H3 bulb) and turned them off at red lights to save power. MAN how stupid this is. What else could I do, I didn't get out of my exam until 9pm.

It got so bad that when I got off the freeway at Fowler and 180 when I induced the Supercharger clutch, the entire car began surging. I was trying to get home as fast as possible... So the last 2 miles or so I drove closely behind some white suv with only my parking lights on. Yes I know this is completely illegal and dangerous but I made it home safely. I didn't want to have to push the car all the way home 0_o

Pic 1. Check out how low the voltage was! And this is my super small CNC machine battery!! LOL It has a reserve of about 10 mins. Look at my speed, I'm doing about 56 MPH on Fowler Ave here

Pic 2. This is how dark it was while following the suv