Author Topic: The Rebirth (Read 440934 times)

BigMike · « **Reply #285 on:** February 11, 2014, 01:41:49 PM »

October 20, 2013: New Engine mounts, Inspecting water leak issue, More shift improvements, and Welded steering shaft

Got a lot of things done today that have been bugging me for a while.

First I installed some sweet new engine mounts! These are not inserts but rather replacements. They are made by SpeedSource and I got them from here. HUGE difference. I am very satisfied with them. Removing the old mounts wasn't too bad. I should have done this a long time ago.

Sirdeuce had originally made some custom-poured mounts and generously let me use them ... and it looks like I beat the snot outta em

1 & 2: Condition of Sirdeuce's mounts that he let me use. When i installed them they were great but they didn't last.

3: The instructions were clear and easy to follow. the stock mount is held into the mount bracket via a steel ring. This steel ring needs to be sliced in order to tap it out with a hammer. I just took a hacksaw apart, inserted the blade through the mount, reattached the blade, and then made a cut. A few taps with the hammer and the stock parts came out.

4: New mount installed! The kit came with enough parts to replace the front and rear engine mounts, which are the important ones that bear the torque loading of the engine.

BigMike · « **Reply #286 on:** February 11, 2014, 01:42:42 PM »

October 20, 2013 (continued)

Installed!

BigMike · « **Reply #287 on:** February 11, 2014, 01:45:46 PM »

October 20, 2013 (continued)

Next I traced down a slow water leak to my heater core steel lines that run alongside the fuel tank. In years past I've never used and antifreeze because 1) it rarely gets below freezing here, and 2) I prefer the higher boiling point of plain water. But obviously this was a bad idea because there was nothing controlling corrosion and it took their toll on these lines. I was fortunate that Sirdeuce had an extra set of lines up at his place so I was able to get it back together and have a nice working heater once again :)

BigMike · « **Reply #288 on:** February 11, 2014, 01:54:14 PM »

October 20, 2013 (continued)

I replaced the square shift block with a bearing. I got the bearing from here. The concept is great and at least someone did the research on finding this bearing, but $14 is outrageously expensive for this, what, $2 bearing, and they even ground off the part number.

I have a ton of bearing cross-reference books at my disposal but have not looked it up yet. Measurements are 14mm OD, 9.8mm height, and, and, and holy cow I forgot to measure the ID. Well I gave my old square piece to Bill so I'll have to get back to the ID measurement if I'm ever working on this section of the car again.

What this bearing helps is the side-to-side movement when moving from 2nd-to-3rd and 4th-to-5th, and vice versa. I figured since I've already replaced the other parts with bearings why not just complete the job. Yes, I can definitely notice it is easier moving around through the different shift gates! The entire shifting of the car has improved so, so much from all these changes. Really happy on how it's all turned out.

1. My old stock square piece wasn't too badly worn out. You can see where they ground off the bearing's P/N. That move along is making me want to cross-reference the bearing, just out of spite!

2. This is how the stock part rested into the shift shoe.

3. This is how the new bearing rests. There is a very slight air gap on either side so that the bearing is allowed to rotate freely in both in-and-out directions of the shift shaft.

BigMike · « **Reply #289 on:** February 11, 2014, 02:08:18 PM »

October 20, 2013 (continued)

I finally tracked down my loose steering issue! So my car has almost 300,000 miles on it and I've had free play in the steering wheel that has been getting progressively worse. While driving, you could wiggle the wheel about half an inch in either direction and you'd still be driving straight.

At first I thought it was my steering rack, so I tightened it up which made no difference. Then I figured it was a bad tie rod end or something else inside the rack, so I just found a nice remanuf. unit out of the wrecking yard that felt better than mine and swapped it in (I can't find my pictures for when I did all this

) Still no change. Then I was laying under the dash doing some wiring and I noticed that there is a massive amount of play at the steering shaft itself!

Upon investigation I found out that the rubber dampener that connects the steering wheel shaft to the u-joint at the top of the rack & pinion had completely worn out and the components were going metal-to-metal. I thought about how I could remedy this and just decided, what the hell, I'm sick and tired of this, let's just weld it sold! I made sure that the slip joint was positioned in a way that the u-joint can still be removed, and then put a few tacks on it. Let it cool and then added some paint. DONE!

I understand the safety of what the slip joint is for, but the u-joint turns and goes straight down. In order for the slip joint to have any impact to my safety, the object I run into head-first will have to travel all the way past my front axle, past the steering rack, and up into the dash itself before I'd be at risk of being impaled by the steering wheel. Look, if I take a front end collision that goes past both my legs, I don't think I'll care too much about the steering wheel hitting my body. I'll probably be dead when that happens. I've been driving this same car for 15 years without injury. I am certainly not panicking about this at all.

The results?? WOW just WOW!! The car is SO RESPONSIVE NOW! I never thought this was possible! I mean it's a MR2; I already drives on rails. It has just become so responsive now. I'm not used to this at all! Even 15 yrs of driving... I think that rubber dampener has been bad for a while and just recent has gotten really bad!

BigMike · « **Reply #290 on:** February 11, 2014, 02:14:18 PM »

December 26, 2013: New Windshield!

I think just over 1 year ago sometime in October, 2012, I came out from work and a very small crack had started to form at the top of the passenger's side of my windshield. Over the year it had slowly increased in size but never outstretched to my field of vision ... so I just ignored it for a long time. Knowing that I need to take care of it before I get pulled over for a fix-it ticket, I started looking around for a used windshield. Then on Christmas day my dad surprised me in saying that he would like to replace my windshield for me for Christmas! WAY cool dad, thanks!!

The cost was I think $165 and included free installation. The guy did an "ok" job. He cracked my passenger's side A-piller trim (hey it's super old what can I say), and he left 1 screw out on the driver's side A-piller area. But all-in-all he did a good job and it was very nice to finally have a sparkly clear new windshield!

BigMike · « **Reply #291 on:** February 11, 2014, 02:16:15 PM »

And that's it for the updates for now. I still have more exciting things to post up

So stay tuned!!

In closing, here is my car on New Year's Day at CCORC's "Buck Naked Ride" at Hensley Lake, CA

Regards,
BigMike

BigMike · « **Reply #292 on:** February 11, 2014, 02:27:24 PM »

Quote from: Sirdeuce on February 10, 2014, 09:41:43 AM

A problem with the short shift mod. When you move the shift cable end up the stick you also increase the angle of the cable. The cable sheath is just plastic and will break at the mounting boss. You need to move the cable mount up to get a lesser angle. Driving with a uncooperative shifter is a real pain!

So the slightly-thinner bearings work out great to help combat this since you can alter their placement, high or low up on each shift fork/lever

BigMike

Sirdeuce · « **Reply #293 on:** February 11, 2014, 06:40:49 PM »

No, I'm talking about the other end, the shift handle. When you pull back for 2,4,6 gears the cable angle increases to a point where it stresses the cable sheath. Moving the shift cable end high on the shifter lever causes this little bit of stress.

BigMike · « **Reply #294 on:** February 12, 2014, 07:12:07 AM »

Quote from: Sirdeuce on February 11, 2014, 06:40:49 PM

No, I'm talking about the other end, the shift handle. When you pull back for 2,4,6 gears the cable angle increases to a point where it stresses the cable sheath. Moving the shift cable end high on the shifter lever causes this little bit of stress.

Ahhhhh gotcha. If we raise the cable sheath mounting point a bit, can we clearance away some plastic from the center console to offer a bit more room between it and the cable?

(or maybe it's interfering with the shift boot mount)

Mike

Sirdeuce · « **Reply #295 on:** February 12, 2014, 10:14:33 AM »

You got it! Or if there is a way to bend the mounting tab, possibly ding the center channel for a cable canal to prevent binding. Just need to reduce the stress on the cable sheath. I learned the hard way.

BigMike · « **Reply #296 on:** February 12, 2014, 01:08:21 PM »

My center console is already unbolted (it actually has not been bolted down since I rebuild the car now almost 4 (!) years ago). I'll pull it up and look about altering the angle of the top cable.

Mike

Sirdeuce · « **Reply #297 on:** February 12, 2014, 06:13:49 PM »

If you do break the cable I have 2 sets sitting here.

BigMike · « **Reply #298 on:** February 12, 2014, 09:30:36 PM »

BigMike · « **Reply #299 on:** February 14, 2014, 04:12:37 PM »

January 31st, 2014: Finishing up the intake (day 1 of 5)

Finally planned to be in town for the weekend and it's time to get this intake done!!

On the TODO list:
1. Build and integrate a new Water-Injection nozzle. I have been refusing to up my boost until I get the H2O system back in service.
2. Properly finish the Idle Control Valve circuit of the 3S-GTE throttle body.
3. Get the Air Bypass Valve reconnected so I can increase my off-boost fuel economy.
4. Properly reconnect my Power Brake Booster.
5. Reconnect the valve cover PCV hose. With it disconnected, it 1) leaks oil everywhere, 2) it is seriously stinky, and most importantly 3) the ECU has already metered this air so it must be re-instated back into the intake for proper fuel mixture.

Let's go!

1. Get'n things ready
2-6. Building another water injection nozzle adapter, following the same design from my old SC14 engine. The idea is that I will weld a nut onto my intake (going to go before the S/C) that is large enough for the diameter of the water injection nozzle to pass through. Then I will make an adapter that both A. the nozzle threads into and B. itself threads into the large nut. Now I can remove the nozzle at any time for servicing, or I could just a bolt into the nut to block it off if it's not needed.

2: The water nozzle I have will pass through a 16mm nut. So I started with this bar stock of aluminum, turned it down in our lathe and tapped it for 16x1.50 metric outer thread.

3: Back on the lathe I bored into the bar stock and tapped it for my water-inj nozzle (standard 1/8" NPT).

4: Cut it off and tapped the other side also to 1/8" NPT for a flared end to connect the system to and I'm done! Here is the system put together.

5: System exploded. The nut will be welded to my intake pipe and then another nut will be used as a jam to tighten it in place.

6: Close up showing inner and outer threads