Titus's Garage - Supercharger

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02-23-2005, 08:52 AM
Titus

Titus's Garage - Supercharger

Things are going to get busy in my garage over the next few weeks. Help and encouragement would be greatly appreciated!

ROUGH Schedule:

2/25, 7pm (Friday night)- I am going to try to get the header installed. The old one is out, so it SHOULD be pretty easy. I may just wait until Saturday morning if no one feels like stopping by, as it was kind of a pain test-fitting it by myself.

2/26, 10:30 AM (Saturday)- The supercharger install, part 1. Who knows if it will get finished Saturday, but this is when we start!

2/27, 10:30 AM (Sunday)- If the Supercharger is not done yet, then I will be finishing Sunday. If Gary gets the A-pillar gauge pod for me from Moss, then gauge install and MSD install will occur.

3/5, 10:30 AM (Saturday)- If the gauges and MSD haven’t gone in yet, this will be the day. If they are already in, I will probably do the BBK.

3/6, 10:30 AM (Sunday)- BBK, continued… if needed.

PM me if you think you want to come and get your hands dirty!

WHERE: North Dallas, PM for directions
02-23-2005, 09:11 AM
Kags1969

I can help you slap that header on, where do you live? Just PM me the address. I bet that we will be able to start the SC install....

Chris
02-23-2005, 10:35 AM
Titus

Thanks Chris!
02-23-2005, 12:07 PM
Treibenschnell

:thumleft:
02-23-2005, 12:13 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

:thumleft:

:bounce: :cheers: :geek:
02-24-2005, 10:56 PM
TurboDuane

Welcome to the dark side :afro:
02-25-2005, 03:52 PM
Kags1969

Do you have the header???
02-25-2005, 04:16 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kags1969

Do you have the header???

I just got off the phone with Gary. He is going to pick it up after he gets off work, and then call me as he is heading back to his house with it. It sounds like that will be between 6:30 and 7pm. That would put me at home with the header in hand around 7:30, 8 at the latest. Do we want to say 8?
02-25-2005, 04:50 PM
Kags1969

That works.
02-26-2005, 01:16 AM
Treibenschnell

Hey, sorry Titus, we didn't get out of POS's place until about 11:30pm...

Let me know what time Saturday!
02-26-2005, 07:34 AM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

Hey, sorry Titus, we didn't get out of POS's place until about 11:30pm...

Let me know what time Saturday!

Well, we got the header into the car in about 20 minutes flat (THANKS CHRIS!!!), but then we ran into a problem. Paul had mentioned before that he had ended up getting a shorter O2 sensor for clearance issues with the header, but when I test-fitted the header it looked like it would be fine. Once we got it in there and torqued down, we realized that we had the same problem. :cry: We hit the all-night Auto-zone, and Chris got the guy to let us dig through the boxes of O2 Sensors, but we couldn't find a single short single wire O2 sensor. :cry: :cry:

Right now, I see 4 options:
1) Find a short O2 sensor like Paul used. :?
2) Pull the header out, put the O2 Sensor in, and then put the header back in, but this would leave me open to breaking off the O2 sensor if there is any engine movement in the wrong direction. :shock:
3) Put the stock header back in and go with that one. :?
4) Use a BFH to "Make a little room". :shock:

I am stucking doing some work from home this morning, but then I hope to go hit some other parts stores. :roll:

I may get back to working on it at some point today, but I think it is safe to say 10:30 is off. :oops:
02-26-2005, 07:36 AM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

Hey, sorry Titus, we didn't get out of POS's place until about 11:30pm...

Let me know what time Saturday!

I almost forgot... How is the new ride? :D
02-26-2005, 10:47 AM
sammm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

Hey, sorry Titus, we didn't get out of POS's place until about 11:30pm...

Let me know what time Saturday!

I almost forgot... How is the new ride? :D

I got to test drive the BUR after its transformation. WOW! :shock: It rides and handles great now!!!
02-26-2005, 11:33 AM
Titus

Update:
Found an O2 sensor... cars running, but it sounds like I have a small exhaust leak... time to re-check torque figures. Anyone interested in helping can stop on by... I'm back in business!
02-26-2005, 11:39 AM
Treibenschnell

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

Update:
Found an O2 sensor... cars running, but it sounds like I have a small exhaust leak... time to re-check torque figures. Anyone interested in helping can stop on by... I'm back in business!

I'll be over in a bit!
03-04-2005, 08:58 PM
Titus

*UPDATE*

Well, things have gone much slower than I had expected. The last time I gave an updated, I had the header and O2 sensor in but I had an exhaust leak. Tailchaser showed up around noon Saturday, and he noticed that the valve cover gasket was leaking, and perhaps that was the leak I heard. I happened to have a new gasket on hand, so we went ahead and installed it. I managed to break off a valve cover bolt, but I didn't really care at that point as there was still a leak. 3Bean showed up fashionably late :wink: and we decided to pull the header out to take a closer look. Tailchaser noticed something that I had missed before... The ceramic coater had coated the flange, leaving several burs and an uneven surface. We tried to clean it up and then re-installed the header (4th time it went in) but the leak was still there. :evil: That was it for Saturday, and Sunday was scraped while I tried to decide what to do next.

Monday started with a call to our local boost pusher. Gary recommended that I take it a machine shop in Plano that he uses. I took it over there Monday night and dropped it off. They knocked off the rest of the burs and re-surfaced the pipe ends where the stick through the flange. I picked it up Tuesday night and decided to let it sit for a few days. I was really dreading installing it a 5th time, sure that the leak would still be there.

Well, I spent today dreaming of pancakes, so I had to try to get this thing running. I put the header, cat, and intake system back in for the 5th time, and took it for a drive. NO PUT PUT PUT sound! :D

I will be driving it to Pancakes in the morning! As for the supercharger, I hope to get to working on it again tomorrow afternoon, but I have to admit that it will be hard to tear into it again after being down for this header project for 2 weeks. :roll:
03-04-2005, 09:01 PM
sammm

Sweet! Congrats! 8)
03-05-2005, 12:37 AM
Sharpie

I feel your pain Titus. My engine swap with turbo, etc. left me driving the OTM for almost 2 weeks straight. If weren't for all the test drives to check things out, i would've lost it. Almost did, several times. Hope the rest of goes smoothly. At least your closer to TDR's neighborhood. Glad it's running.
03-05-2005, 01:52 AM
Treibenschnell

Sweet deal...

And oh, by the way, I'm always fashionably late! :wink:
03-05-2005, 03:42 PM
Titus

Got an hour and a half in this afternoon (hopefully more this evening but I have the kid while wife goes shopping). Everything that comes off the car is off, and I have started putting new stuff back on. The dummy throttle body is in, and I have started to disassemble the pulley assembly for re-configuration.

I have run in to 2 parts missing so far- The instructions call for installing the new thermostat that came with the kit. I can see how that could have been missed on the previous car... oh well. The question is was it a special thermostat, or just a new OEM one to make sure the cooling system is up to snuff. I will have to look into that when I have some time. The second piece is a wire extension for the TPS wire to make it to the new side of the car. The weak instructions make it sound like it is just 3 wires together in the correct new length, as it talks of cutting the connecter off, adding the extender, and reattaching the connecter to the end of the extender. Again, easy to see how it was left on the previous car. I will need to look in to this to. I don't want to spend crazy $$$ with Moss if it is just a plain old wire and some but connectors.
03-05-2005, 03:59 PM
Titus

OK... the :batman: board says that the kit comes with a 160* thermostat, but most people say don't use it, there is really no need. They seem to think it is left over from the early Miata tuner days when a bad rumor went around that a 160* thermostat would improve performance. I will stick with my OEM one.

I haven't found much on the TPS wire, but I did find an interesting quote on overboost.com's review of a Jackson Racing SC install:

Quote:

Before driving, you’ll need to set the stock timing from 10 degrees BTDC to 6 degrees BTDC. As you can see from the display on our timing light, Lisa set the base timing on her Miata to 35 degrees BTDC for maximum power.

:shock: :shock: :shock:
03-06-2005, 04:28 PM
TurboDuane

Yea, you will definately need to reduce the timing, especially if you don't have a Bipes or MSD timing puller. Otherwise when you get into boost you will get the dreaded Pinging and kaboom! :(

Look into getting a timing puller. They pull timing as your boost increases. This enables you to keep timing for more low-end torque. MSD will pull up to 6deg at 8psi, and is not adjustable. However, the Bipes unit is programmable and has the capability of pulling far more timing and is a much better unit. I'd upgrade from the MSD that is on my Silver car if I were too keep it.
03-07-2005, 05:54 AM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboDuane

Yea, you will definately need to reduce the timing, especially if you don't have a Bipes or MSD timing puller.

I picked up a used MSD for $40 that I will be using for the first month or so, but Gary seems to think that i won't need to pull any timing once I get the intercooler on.

AFPR is in, and the pulley assembly is in. I test fitted the Supercharger and it looks good. :D There is really not much left to do, as alot of the pieces of the kit were already together. Right now I just need to find more time, as we have company through Thursday. :cry:
03-07-2005, 08:24 AM
Ataim

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

Right now I just need to find more time, as we have company through Thursday. :cry:

Can the company hand tools to ya. I'm sure that they could at least hold a cold beverage :beer:
03-07-2005, 08:32 AM
Titus

I wish! The big problem is that I have a 2 year old and Company includes a 5 year old. If the men spend too much time in the garage, we get grief for sticking the ladies with the kids. ( Darn equal rights. :roll: ) We found last night that we could get away for short 20-30 minute bursts without them noticing we were gone. That is how the AFPR got in. :wink:
03-07-2005, 10:43 PM
TurboDuane

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

I picked up a used MSD for $40 that I will be using for the first month or so, but Gary seems to think that I won't need to pull any timing once I get the intercooler on.

Did you find any instructions on the MSD?

I agree with Gary, with a MSD and an inner cooler you should be able to push 8psi with 8-10deg of timing. On my Silver I have to turn the timing to 8deg at 8psi or I get pinging in the summer.
03-08-2005, 05:58 AM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboDuane

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

I picked up a used MSD for $40 that I will be using for the first month or so, but Gary seems to think that I won't need to pull any timing once I get the intercooler on.

Did you find any instructions on the MSD?

I agree with Gary, with a MSD and an inner cooler you should be able to push 8psi with 8-10deg of timing. On my Silver I have to turn the timing to 8deg at 8psi or I get pinging in the summer.

I found a picture of the wiring that I saved. Post or PM me your email address and I will send it to you.
03-09-2005, 10:28 AM
Titus

Supercharger is in, TB is in, trottle cable is hooked up, AFM is in.

What’s left? Air Filter, misc vacuum tubes, the TPS wire extension or re-route, belt, crossover tube, timing, tuning, driving.
03-09-2005, 10:39 AM
Ataim

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

Supercharger is in, TB is in, trottle cable is hooked up, AFM is in.

What’s left? Air Filter, misc vacuum tubes, the TPS wire extension or re-route, belt, crossover tube, timing, tuning, driving.

Getting Closer :D :D :D I've got a digital video that you can borrow to take an AVI with and host it if you like. Let the tire smoke begin!!! Do you have a LSD in that thing?
03-09-2005, 10:45 AM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ataim

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

Supercharger is in, TB is in, trottle cable is hooked up, AFM is in.

What’s left? Air Filter, misc vacuum tubes, the TPS wire extension or re-route, belt, crossover tube, timing, tuning, driving.

Getting Closer :D :D :D I've got a digital video that you can borrow to take an AVI with and host it if you like. Let the tire smoke begin!!! Do you have a LSD in that thing?

Its the 1.6 LSD. Don't think it will help me much. :roll:
03-09-2005, 01:45 PM
Sharpie

I still disagree with that..... Unless that thing has really worn out, it will help A LOT!
03-09-2005, 01:51 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharpie

I still disagree with that..... Unless that thing has really worn out, it will help A LOT!

It just doesn't seem to dig in like it did when I first got the car (60k miles ago).
03-13-2005, 11:24 AM
Titus

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!! :D :D :D

The Car is running (In the garage) and the idle is set ok for now. Off to get a timing light so I can get the timing set before getting it out on the road.

I'M BOOSTED!!!!! :twisted:
03-13-2005, 11:45 AM
Treibenschnell

If you're still at home give me a call... I'll bring my timing light right on over.
03-13-2005, 12:16 PM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

If you're still at home give me a call... I'll bring my timing light right on over.

Thanks... I would say bring it on over, but my daughter is getting ready to go down for a nap... I don't want to wake her with car work again. :shock:
03-13-2005, 12:29 PM
Treibenschnell

Just let me know!!