Ok, been a while since an update. I’m about to fall of the front page of this rides section so time to log my progress
So, while it was in to get a tune on the Apexi, aside from the Deatschwerks injector issue mentioned in my last post (these were replaced with Bosch 440cc injectors) there have been all sorts of issues identified and needing a bit of troubleshooting:
- Manual fuel-cut switch I had installed wasn’t flowing the full 13v-14v and causing fuel lean out in higher RPM. Incorrect rated switch for the application which is my fault. 11.5v only gets you so much fuel… cut this out of the circuit and all was good.
- 1 coil pack had failed and was arcing through a crack in the housing and 2 more were in the process of the same breakdown, causing intermittent missfire in higher RPM. Set of 4 new TGP coils cleared this up.
- Walbro 190lph fuel pump was not able to provide enough flow in the higher RPM. Replaced with a Walbro 255lph pump and this came right.
- Throttle cable deteriorated and became seized while on the dyno. Yeah, not the best, but better than being stuck at wide open throttle on the street… New throttle cable made to suit.
- more issues that just don't come to mind 9+ months on from when they happened
Probably the biggest issue was when the Apexi Power FC was found to not hold a tune… save it and commit the change after some dyno changes and less than a half hour later it was gone with the base tune in it's place. It was second hand, and the fingerprints on the main board showed it had been opened up in the past. Could just be a capacitor or something, but counting losses here, the decision was made to go for a Link G4+ Storm which has far more options for inputs and future development than the Apexi can offer.
Was seeing
227whp on the Apexi which was where this sat pretty much as a complete and final tune, if only it stayed on the ECU. Oh well – maybe NzLHD will have a bit of knowhow and luck with the Apexi and return this to a working unit.
Fast forward a month or so with the workshop finding time to slot me in when they could (I was well over my planned 2-3 day booking by now) and with a 6 week wait time you just have to settle for the workshop time you can get. Link was wired in but oddly was still having an unusual intermittent failure up top where sometimes at 6k+ RPM the power would just drop right off and engine would splutter to a halt. WIth the new coils in already it wasn't this, and it only started since the Link (and rewire) so got to be something with this, right??
All sensors reading fine, oscilloscope reading fine, wiring gone over, new wiring put in for Crank and cam angle sensors, capacitors put in to reduce noise, different Link tried, etc. and the issue still occurring.
Fast forward another few months and we are into Feb this year and I have just got to call it quits at the workshop for now, the guys don't wish to progress further with troubleshooting this with the wiring in it's current messy state, and I don't have a blank cheque book at my disposal. The intention was to give it a few months and have a new engine harness made up to replace the AW fuse/relay box, and the Celica fuse/relay box which have been awkwardly integrated to run this 2zz in my car. And the AW fuse/relay box has already been messed with as it used to have a supercharger loom spliced in too… And there is now a Link running it all which needs less than half the wires as the stock computer. You can see how this is less than ideal, I'm sure.
Still waiting for this to happen to this current day – good things take time. I'ts been started and the ECU, relays and fuses are all nicely mounted up on a small sheet of ali, and I’m told this will be together for early June, so fingers crossed for then. I’m not fussed by the timing at the moment or the timing it's taken thus far to be honest – I am so far over my budget for this engine ‘power up’ that the longer spacing between bills gives me more opportunity to work my butt off to cover them!!
At the moment the car is drivable, just with a 4k rev limit.
I know its no way near the powerband of this motor, but boy does it pull down low compared to before!!
Aside from the fact that there has never been a power dyno run as all dyno time has been in getting base tune sorted then fault finding, Jon at Spec claimed this was at 235whp on the Link with still a bit of rich fueling up top to play with after the fuel pump change – as that stands that’s about 270 – 275 crank hp from a 1.8 litre naturally aspirated engine with a completely stock bottom end. I mean, that is a pretty sweet specific output, right!
I'm keen to see a final figure once it has it’s issues sorted and is back for a power run…
I know it was a few months back (Easter), but the kids love that Dad’s car is back home in his garage
It's the best play thing, for both me and for the kids
Alright – while this was back in my care at home, one thing that was left unsorted was what to do with the gaping hole in the firewall:
And so I took this to a local fabrication shop literally right next door to my workplace and they folded up a box to suit.
Really nice work, in that it is fully contoured top and bottom with the shape of the firewall, and all tig’d up for a mint finish. The combination of 1.2mm steel and the overlapped sections make this stronger than the stock firewall it replaces:
I gave all joins on both sides a treatment with automotive seam sealer, and finished the inside with some leftover white Hammerite, and the engine side was finished in this really awesome spray on rubber underseal. In fact, it was so good and is tough as nails now it’s dry I was thinking of re-doing the whole interior in this
I mentioned earlier about the “pie cut” 4” intake pipe with a hacksaw – it turned out ok:
Link in it’s new home. Oh look at all that lovely wiring mess!
Next thing was while driving around even with a pathetic 4k rev limit was I noticed how hot things are getting – like the white paint inside the boot is starting to discolour brown like it is getting burnt close to the headers. Despite my original intentions to have a boot clear of all wiring and ECU’s etc so to be good for chucking in lots of gear in, it’s virtually an unusable space because of how hot it gets.
With a new loom being drawn up, its next to no effort to add a few more relays and an extra circuit for some fans.
Because of my double vent supercharger lid I can double the push
It’s not going to be a complete fix for temperature, but will help. With the link I might trigger to come on with water temp >90 degrees, or oil temp >90 degrees or something of this nature.
I will need to keep a close eye on oil temp now too - I forsee the need to add in an oil cooler of some sort too. Anyone with a spare SW20 water-to-oil cooler or have a link for an uprated aftermarket one?
And because race car, drilled and tapped the front lower bumper mount to take a standard sort of tow hook:
While it was away, I turned my hand back to sewing - I have sewed up some interior stuff in the past. A decent shift boot in red lambs leather, yes please:
Last part of this update is bought to you by some aesthetic change - with picking up another prefacelift side vent to run dual prefacelift vents:
So as it sits, we’re waiting for a new loom to be completed and wired in, and some more dyno time where hopefully all intermittent issues at high RPM are gone, and we can get a final tune.
Then I’m just going to drive it like a madman everywhere. I’m well overdue for some 2zz high lift cam noise!!
Here's hoping the next major update is full of lots of smiley faces
** edited to keep photo links intact
hahaha.
