LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 29, 2024, 2:26 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 49 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: January 10, 2015, 6:58 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
I got some more work done today. The engine mounts are tack welded, and I removed the old Miata wiring harness. The car still had the full Miata harness installed to there was a ton of extra stuff. I am planning on using a Hot Rod style wiring harness and separate harness for the ECU. I am looking at this for a car harness http://kwikwire.com/wire-harnesses/stan ... e-harness/ and plan to use this ECU harness http://www.shop.kmiata.com/Wiring-Conve ... ARNESS.htm The conversion harness will also allow me to connect everything to the stock gauges. . I have picked up a Honda Acura RSX 5 Speed ECU for $125. I will use that as the basis on the Hondata K-Pro ECU upgrade. That will give as a fully programmable ECU with all the toy. I am hoping to get the ECU off to Hondata next week. I think I have some good news on the steering rack, I can just rotate it to get a straight shot at the bottom on the column, but I will wait until I can put the engine mounts it for real to make sure.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: January 17, 2015, 5:47 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
More progress this week. I picked up a RSX 5-speed ECU off EBay for $125. You need a 5 speed not an auto, so after spending hours on EBay looking at 100's of posts writing down serial numbers I got the correct ECU, I think. I have delivered it to RC Autoworks in Bridgeview IL for the Hondata upgrade. Bob at RCA has been very helpful, we are expecting the upgrade to take a couple of week so I am planning to pick up the ECU on Jan 31st. Bob is also going to put a base map into the ECU and supply me with injectors and a wide band sensor for the Hondata. But other progress has been good, the engine mounts are now finished welded and the engine is supporting it's own weight. Now the engine is in it's final position I have checked the the front pulley will fit, and the steering rack it just going to have to be rotated so the steering shaft clears the water pump. The new wiring harness has also arrived so I am starting to look into how best to position the fuse block.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Last edited by FastG on April 14, 2015, 5:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: February 7, 2015, 5:09 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
I ran into my first major snag, the alternator will not fit, it's just to wide and hits a frame rail. Doing some searching I find people are using Toyota fork lift alternators as they are a lot smaller and only 35 amps. So I will pick up one and see if I can make some brackets. The Toyota bolts in from the front rather than the side so it's going to take some milling

http://tinyurl.com/lbkvchm

If that does not work I guess this is the next option

http://www.jhpusa.com/store/pc/viewPrd. ... oduct=8364


So we picked up a small alternator and made a mount using the lower 2 stock alternator mounts. I will have to make a top sliding mount, but I like it, nice and simple. It moved the pulley in about an inch, but a little grinding on the webs inside the stock bracket and I about get another 3/4" if necessary. I had to make a sleeve for the pulley because the mini alternator has a 15mm shaft were the Honda was a 17mm. I also saved about 6 pounds of weight was the Honda Alternator was over 12 pounds without the pulley the new one was 6 pounds 6 oz with the pulley.

I made a guess and ordered a 36" belt from RockAuto, it was on clearance for $6 so we will see if that's correct. They measure belts by outside circumference, but without an existing belt I just used a piece of string.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: February 22, 2015, 7:27 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
I got the alternator setup, it took me a couple of belts, but the first was a complete guess as I had nothing to go off.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: February 22, 2015, 7:43 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
On to the oil pump swap. This is a type S oil pump, the conversion gets you a better pump that ups the max rpm of the motor to over 8.5K, but it also removed the heavy balance shafts that are part of the stock oil pump setup. KMiata do a very nice conversion kit that includes the machined oil pump, windage tray and all the necessary bolts and washer, included a block off washer that blocks the oil supply to the now removed balance shafts. I am just waiting for the 50 degree adjustable cam sprocket and the Canton race sump and we should be able to button the motor up. I have picked up the flywheel so as soon as the motor is compete it should go back into the chassis for the last time

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: February 23, 2015, 12:25 am 
Offline
Mid-Engined Maniac

Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
Posts: 6410
Location: SoCal
A 35 amp alternator...

Lights, 10 amps
Electric fan, 15-20 amps
Fuel pump, 10-20 amps depending upon size
Engine computer, ?
Electric water pump, assuming none
Wipers, ?
You'll be running on battery if you drive at night in traffic

There are alternator relocation kits available that move it down to where the A/C compressor was.

Also, how do you adjust belt tension with the current alternator setup?

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: February 23, 2015, 12:48 am 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
Good questions, all my lights are LED, I don't really drive at night anyway. I don't have any wipers. But they real point is that using the same form factor (93mm Denso) you can go up to 75 amp, so if necessary I can easily upgrade without changing my mountings. You cannot use the regular Alternator re-location setup that use the lower AC mounting location because it will hit the lower frame rail. I will manually adjust the belt.

Graham


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 3, 2015, 10:46 am 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
More progress this weekend. The sump is on and I added a 50 degree inlet cam sprocket. I picked the Canton sump just because it looked a little better built than the Moroso, the flange looked heavier duty on the Canton. It also has 2 extra plugs one for a oil temp sensor and the other a turbo oil return. It a three hinge design. I did have to trim the edge of the type S windage tray and clean up the weld at one end, bot after that it fitted perfectly.

The engine is now back together and should be going back into the car on Saturday. I have the flywheel and have order a heavy duty clutch from Flyin Miata.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 3, 2015, 10:56 am 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
One good piece on news is that I have found a header that might be a good starting point, so I don't have to build a header from scratch. The header that KMiata is offering would still need modifying because it runs under the car to mate to the stock Miata exhaust system. But the real problem is that it's to wide by the front exhaust port, the Locost frame is getting narrower at the front, there header needs 7 inches of clearance, I only have about 6 inches. Dave at Kmiata had a prototype header they had used in there early testing, it's an aftermarket they had modified. But it looks like it might work, we will know on Saturday. Dave was kind enough to lend me the header so I can see if it will work as a starting point.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 8, 2015, 10:27 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
Some progress this week, but not as much as I would like. I was ready to go this weekend installing the engine for the final time. I was planning on using the stock Miata clutch, it only had 7k miles on it so it should be good. It was probably be OK with such a light vehicle. The good news is a sold the Miata engine, to another list member, but he wanted the clutch, so I was forced to order a new clutch, I picked a Flyin Miata level 1 clutch, rated at 318 ft/pounds, it should be perfect, and it's know for it's stock like feel. This weekend I did everything I could do while waiting for the clutch.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 11, 2015, 9:48 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
The motor is in, hopefully for the final time. The depth of the flywheel makes the engine longer than I expected. I had to remove the crank pulley and tip the back of the engine down to get the flywheel and clutch into the bell housing, it was a tight fit but it just went in. After that it was just a case getting everything lined up. And there was more good news, the relocated alternator is going to clear the frame rail, I think the steering shaft will clear the water pump housing if I get a little more clearance with a grinder, and the new header will also clear the frame. The bottom of the header will take a little re-engineering but it will work.

Next move it to make sure the clutch works, get the steering shaft installed sorted and start on the electrics

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 29, 2015, 6:08 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
Good progress this weekend. The steering is back in the car, I just had to pivot the rack downwards at the back to get the shaft to clear the water pump. So it was on to the the inlet system, no drama everything went to plan. I love the little k-Tuned heater hose block off plug, a very nice Al O ringed bung with a simple hold down plate. I also like the EFI to AN fitting, I have an AN adapter for the fuel rail on the way so that will make the running the fuel line simple. Just a few minor mechanical pieces left, make the fuel line, add the braided clutch line, make up new front brake lines. Then it's on the the electrickery. I have the Hondata ECU and adapter harness and new engine and power harnesses, so I have everything I just need to make it all work.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: September 16, 2015, 2:26 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
Sorry I have not been updating this post as often as I should have, me bad. But the car is up and running and it mental fast, so the overall goal has been achieved. I have had just about every problem possible, from quick and easy fixes to total brain twisters. I have had bad injectors, the S2000 manifold I picked up every sensor was bag. I had grounding problems, but the biggest problem was the clutch fork, mine is just different, it's not bent or twisted or warn, it's just different. But it lead to 2 clutches, 2 master cylinders and 1 slave cylinder, and removing the engine 3 times before we worked it out. Even Dave C at KMiata was stumped it was only by chance we put 2 forks on the bench side be side that we spotted the problem, but the 1/8" difference was enough to cause a physical limit on the fork movement before it hit the bell housing, plus the slave cylinder was running out of travel. But with all that it was worth the effort, I have only taken a couple of longer drives but so far so good, the Hondata is still in AFR target mode, so I am sure there is plenty of power to be extracted with a custom map.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: September 16, 2015, 2:37 pm 
Offline

Joined: April 1, 2010, 10:26 am
Posts: 564
For Dave C at KMiata, this is how I got the later MAP sensor to fit the S2000 throttle body. I enlarged the stock hole fot the MAP sensor to 13/32 hole so the TSX sensor would push into the TB. I spotted the new sensor must be longer so it was blocking the bleed hole, so I drilled a new 5/32 bleed hole a little lower. I then had to remove just a little from the sensor body and it just bolted in and works perfectly.

Graham


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: September 16, 2015, 5:13 pm 
Offline
Toyotaphobe
User avatar

Joined: April 5, 2008, 2:25 am
Posts: 4829
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
1) Why did you need the later MAF?

2) Could your clutch fork difference be the difference between an AP1 and an AP2? (He says nervously)

WAIT! You're using the K series engine not the S2000 engine. All those S2000 parts threw me.

So did you use the S2k transmission? If so did it bolt up with no mods?

_________________
mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 49 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY