PorSTi Project Thread…, Well that was fun, time to make some upgrades! Options

[geniusanthony]

I kinda wanna see the bonzai that you made the tray for, Is that doable? I mean since you made it it kinda counts to the thread. You're doin great work though.

[Amenson]

...
Detached Trans.



Slave cylinder attached at both ends for the first time.





I have a bit of welding to do. Unfortunately I found that it takes more than the 30amps that I am currently fused at to weld the BOV mount. Home Depot does not carry the size fuse that I need so I am stalled until I find an industrial electrical supply shop.



The engine after a day's work. See the difference? Didn't think so, neither can I. What is different is my confidence that nothing is going to fall off or leak once I start the thing up. I also cleaned up the intercooler mounts and a few other parts that I made before I had the belt sander.



I spent the evening yesterday and this morning assisting/monitoring the owner dissemble/remove the equipment that is in the house that I should own by the end of this week. Fortunately the band saw is still here (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif) We could not come to an agreement on the price but the guy decided that he would leave it until we worked out a price or he sells it to somebody else. Based on what he is asking for it, I do not see it leaving.

Scott

[Amenson]

I kinda wanna see the bonzai that you made the tray for, Is that doable? I mean since you made it it kinda counts to the thread. You're doin great work though.

No problem. I am just starting with the bonsai hobby so I harvested a sapling silver maple from my back yard that had a really nice start on some interest roots/trunk to use as a trainer tree. The little guy is a 15 year old kingsville boxwood that I picked up at the local arboretum.




The poor thing has has had a rough life. Apart from me uprooting it during the summer dormant period, one of the deer in my backyard decided that it looked tasty. He ate half of it and threw the rest on the ground.



I repotted it and it is still hanging in there. The deer gave me an excuse to experiment with a partial defoliation to promote smaller leaf and internode length. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) If I can keep it alive it should be a great tree with really good character in 15 years.

Scott

[GS Guy]

Looking good Scott - that clutch set-up looks very familiar! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I like it as it puts the bleeder up high, and keeps any side loads off the clutch fork. Looks a little close to the exhaust? Might need a shield of some sorts?
I decided to fit a couple of springs onto mine as well - one to keep the fork compressed against the pivot bolt, and a return spring pulling the fork towards the engine (hopefully keeping any unnecessary loads off the throughout bearing?).

Couple of questions:
Any concerns about the post-turbo exhaust being bolted tightly to the trans (with no flexibility for expansion)?
Also - what kind of coupler did you find that will fit the turbo compressor inlet? Mine measures 2.2" OD - a little too big for a 2" and little too small for 2.25" connector. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Keep up the nice work!
Jeff

[Amenson]

Looking good Scott - that clutch set-up looks very familiar! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I like it as it puts the bleeder up high, and keeps any side loads off the clutch fork. Looks a little close to the exhaust? Might need a shield of some sorts?

I am considering what to do about heat management. I may end up wrapping the whole left side of the exhaust to the "Y" to keep the trans and save cylinder cool. I am pretty sure that I am going to need to shield the passenger damper from the turbo as well.

I decided to fit a couple of springs onto mine as well - one to keep the fork compressed against the pivot bolt, and a return spring pulling the fork towards the engine (hopefully keeping any unnecessary loads off the throughout bearing?).

Couple of questions:
Any concerns about the post-turbo exhaust being bolted tightly to the trans (with no flexibility for expansion)?

We (my buddies and I) discussed putting in a flex section when I was making that part of the exhaust and decided that it probably would be ok. Will be able to tell pretty easily if it needs one or not by loosening mounting bolts on the end of the trans after a couple hard heat cycles.

Also - what kind of coupler did you find that will fit the turbo compressor inlet? Mine measures 2.2" OD - a little too big for a 2" and little too small for 2.25" connector. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I remember having a similar dilemma. I think that I used a 2.25. I will see if I can find what I bought tomorrow.

I just finished welding the intercooler. Did not go too badly considering all of the crazy angles and vastly different material thicknesses that I had to deal with. It got a bit goobery in a couple of places but I did not blow any holes and it should be leak free and crack resistant. I made the whole thing hot enough that when I blew compressed air in one side, the air coming out the other was too hot to hold my hand in front of more than a couple of seconds. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)



When I was shutting down the garage for the night I found myself standing and admiring the drivetrain from this angle. May just be a father's pride but damn is it purty. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)



Scott

[McMark]

It is beautiful. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

Loving the progress.

Why not use the internal wastegate?

[Amenson]

It is beautiful. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

Loving the progress.

Why not use the internal wastegate?

I may not quite understand the question. I am using the internal wastegate on the turbo. Maybe you are thinking about the recirculating blow off valve on the side of the intercooler? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Scott

[Katmanken]

Nice work!

Maybe this is the wrong time to ask, but how do you expect change the oil and plugs on that engine?

[Amenson]

Nice work!

Maybe this is the wrong time to ask, but how do you expect change the oil and plugs on that engine?

Changing the oil is very easy. I ordered the oil pan with the drain in the middle of the front so when I jack up the rear of the car the oil comes right out. The oil filter is easily acessable at the front of the engine as well.

The plugs will not be so bad to change. I will have to remove the AL tube feeding the turbo but other than that there is nothing really in the way. It will be much easier than changing the plugs with that engine in the Suby, that is a pain in the ass (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif)

Scott

[Katmanken]

Glad you thought it out.

I had visions of that engine being serviced a la Boxter- ie- everything is accessed from the bottom...

[McMark]

I may not quite understand the question.

Nope, I was confused. I understand now.

[Amenson]

Lots has happened since my last post.

My wife and I purchased our first house on Friday! Thankfully it is the house that we are currently living in so the move will not be so bad...already done (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) Now that we own it the house projects will start ramping up, yet another good reason to get the car on the road in the next 2 weeks.



Suby wires touched the car for the first time. Had to make the mount for the main fuse box before the engine went back in. The harness was quickly returned to the basement for further modification.



While going through the parts bins I realized that I forgot to install the gaskets for the timing belt covers, so off those came. While I was in the area I helicoiled the alternator/PS bracket bolt that the dealership stripped when I brought the donor car to them for a new power steering pump. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)



Hopefully the last picture of the firewall like this for a while. I went through and tightened everything while I had easy access.



...

[Amenson]

...
A gratuitous glamor shot on the way back home.



Home again.



Made and mounted the line for the slave cylinder. Can't hook it up because my SnapOn inverted flare took broke. This is the first really crappy tool that I have purchased from them.



Shift linkage is in.





...

[Amenson]

...
Also installed the drivers seat and shifter. I was going to leave the seat out until the last minute to keep it from getting scuffed up but decided that it would probably be a good idea to give my wife someplace to sit when she is helping me bleed the brakes. Plus it makes the car seem more drivable (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)



I still have some mechanical stuff to finish up but am going to start spending the majority of the time working on the wiring. Less than 2 weeks until Woodward, must stay focused. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Scott

[pktzygt]

I'm really jealous. I'm still in the staring at the motor in the car and wondering how to reconnect all the loose vacuum lines and plugs. Then I still need to figure out how to get an intercooler to stay put in there.

[Amenson]

I'm really jealous. I'm still in the staring at the motor in the car and wondering how to reconnect all the loose vacuum lines and plugs. Then I still need to figure out how to get an intercooler to stay put in there.

You would not be jealous if you knew how much time it has taken to get this point.

I would recommend going to the Subaru technical website and download the factory manual for the engine"s donor car. Very useful stuff.

Oh, and it really helps to have the same car that the engine came from in your driveway to look at when you get stuck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

Keep at it,
Scott

[Amenson]

Still plugging away.

My new flare tool came in so I finished the clutch plumbing.


Figured I should give it a try so I bled all three new hydraulic circuits. Takes a while to fill all those lines but got it done with the help of my wife. The clutch seems to work very well. The brakes are, well...stiff, to put it mildly. The master cylinders are sized for the new calipers, not the ones on there now.

First fluid in the car!!!


Looks so sad up on the stands w/o wheels.



I also installed all of the intake plumbing clamps. Bought a boatload of T-clamps and it was so tight in places that I had to resort back to regular old hose clamps.



And installed the driver's harness. Unfortunatly it might not work very well because I am probably going to run out of adjustment. The belts are made to be installed in normal sedans with a much larger gap between the mounting point and the seat.



Did a bunch of other things not picture worthy like install the rubber strip under the fuel cell straps and tighten everything up, ran the soft part of the return line, set all of the steering coupler positions and tightened everything down, and worked on the wiring harness.

Still more to go but the end is in sight.

Scott

[Amenson]

Today was harness day, and what a day it was.

Apparently this is what I look like after 10, nearly continuous, hours of working on the harness. Not pretty (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)



This is what I removed.



This is what is left.



I can't seem to find the main cruise control switch, rear blinkers, or brake lights. Other than that, everything that I need is there and labled. There are a few things that I have not identified yet. Hopefully get these things figured out first thing tomorrow morning so that I can wrap it up a bit and lay it in the car to see where things will mount and how much I will need to extend parts of the harness to get to the front of the car. I know that the harness in the back could be shortened up a bit but that will be a winter project. Now I just need to do what is necessary to get it running.

Scott

[Amenson]

Still not running. It seems like the to do list is infinite, just when I think that it is getting shorter I find new things to add. I was really hoping to have it running today. Not going to happen. I did take tomorrow off from work so I should be able to get it to fire tomorrow.

Here is the harness pretty much ready to go for initial fitting.


Subaru made the main chunk of the harness in two parts that seperate by a load of connectors. Here is the left half.


In the car. The loose wires dangling below the fuse box are the radiator fan and headlight circuits. They will be extended to the front and then wrapped.


I decided that in order to reduce the potential bugs, I would start the engine before I start lengthening the harness to the front. This means that all of the switches, sensor, etc will be in the trunk for startup. Once everything is working as expected I will start cutting/splicing.

Finished the top to the coolant filler tank. It was nice to pick up the torch again after staring at wires for 3 days straight.


Filled it with trans fluid and oil.


Also wrapped the exhaust going under the trans and tidied up/tightened a load of other things. It is going to be very tight getting it ready for next weekend but there is still a real chance. Tomorrow will tell.

Scott

[Amenson]

Running!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kembTjP-4ao

It would have started on the first turn of the key had I remembered that the clutch needs to be pressed. The ecu is not entirly happy and then there is the small matter that everything is still in the trunk. Oh, and based on the valve noise I did not quite get the valve clearances quite right.

Much more to do and not much time before Woodward. I have had it for today, time for bed.

Scott