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

[914forme]

I sorted out the issue with the boost and it is running great again. So great in fact that I decided to drive it to work today.
Took the opportunity to fill it up at the pump for the first time.


I did find that with a full tank, fuel will slosh out of the vent. It is so fun finding issues like this finally!

Who's. valance are you running, it looks like the one Patrick sells, but if you have a better source do tell. I am in the market for one.

And great to see it out on the road. That is a great day in every car projects life. Now go and work the bugs out (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Amenson]

NICE! no vids?

Not much to show that is video worty, just tooling around town.

Who's. valance are you running, it looks like the one Patrick sells, but if you have a better source do tell. I am in the market for one.

And great to see it out on the road. That is a great day in every car projects life. Now go and work the bugs out (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

It is the Patrick valance. It is a pretty nice piece but it did not fit symmetrically on my car so I had to offset it about 1/2 inch from center. Might be my car but it seems pretty straight up front.

The car got a little warm sitting in traffic on the way home from work yesterday. Probably due to the lack of a vent on the hot side of the radiator. Also did not help that I had a few weeping connections in my cooling system. Man would it be nice to have a set of tube beaders the next time I have my cooling system apart (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[JTSmithson]

Just read this cover to cover, amazing stuff you've done. My father and I are in the process of putting a '74 2.0 back together. I have my doubts on the quality of life our little 2.0 has and if it get's a Suby Motor this thread will be printed on poster boards for reference.

[JTSmithson]

Just read this cover to cover, amazing stuff you've done. My father and I are in the process of putting a '74 2.0 back together. I have my doubts on the quality of life our little 2.0 has and if it get's a Suby Motor this thread will be printed on poster boards for reference.

[Amenson]

Just read this cover to cover, amazing stuff you've done. My father and I are in the process of putting a '74 2.0 back together. I have my doubts on the quality of life our little 2.0 has and if it get's a Suby Motor this thread will be printed on poster boards for reference.

Thank you for the kind words. Hopefully my successes and more importantly my failures can help others improve the quality of their projects.

That being said, I just swapped out the clutch master cylinder and the 7/8" master has a much more reasonable pedal force and the stroke is enough to fully disengage the clutch. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[Amenson]

I have been going through all of my parts to see what I have...more like what I can find.

Looks like I lost my Subaru fog light switch. Anybody have one left over from their harness that they want to sell?

It should look like this:

[Amenson]

Had another pretty successful weekend in the garage. Spent a few hours cleaning up some unused or poorly routed wires. Then I tackled installing the upper dash.

The metal support dash came out pretty easily.


Mocked up the assembly on the bench so that I could weld up some cuts make to fit the Suby IC.


Many hours of welding, grinding and painting later...it is ready to go back in.


Installed! The paint job is crappy but much better than is was previously.


Now I can accelerate without having to hold the IC in place!

Cheers,
Scott

[Amenson]

With the dash in and some of the wiring tidied up the car feels almost like a real car. So much so that I have been driving it a lot...apparently too much for the unvented radiator. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
The engine temps have stayed almost ideal but after a half hour drive through traffic and highway speeds on a beautiful 80 deg day the thing started sputtering and quit on me. Sort of started up enough to get onto a side road where I could check things out. After poking around for a bit I noticed that the fuel pump was not making any noise. Went to touch it and damn near blistered a finger. Apparently containing all of the heat from the radiator in the same area as the fuel cell and heats up the fuel so that it no longer cools pump causing the pump to seize. I did not like the external pump anyways so I picked up one of these:

In Tank Pump

I am also going to apply some adhesive heat barrier to the fuel cell and finally put the hole in the hood so I should be ok.

I found it to be very irritating that the fuel gauge reads backwards so I ordered a new sender.
Sender

I also noticed that the radiator fans were running all of the time and that the ECU was commanding them to do so. After a bit of reading the ECU considers speed when turning on the fans so I guessed that the vehicle speed sensor disconnected fault was causing this. Temporarily hooked up my sensor and the fans work properly. While messing with the sensor I considered that there was no way possible for the speedometer to be correct so after some searching of the internets I found and ordered this wonderful device:

Speedpuls Tachotronic

I was still struggling with a fuel/boost cut type feeling as boost started to build. Again I had convinced myself that it was indeed fuel/boost cut. In preparation to have my car tuned next week I made a quick boost leak tester to confirm that everything was OK. Well, it was not. I had a few small leaks that were together causing a huge loss of air under boost. Welded up a few pinholes and adjusted a few clamps and it is making power again. When I took it out for a test drive last night the roads were a bit damp so I had a load of fun boiling the tires with any moderate throttle apply. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

I also found that all of the wheel bearings need to be replaced. I read a number of different explanations on how to remove the rear bearings and would like to try it while on the car w/o the spendy tool. Anybody want to convince me that trying to "tap" them out is a bad idea? I have a press so I could do it that way but really do not want to pull the trailing arms. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I have to say again just how cool the custom dash is that I picked up from ruby914. If you want to use the suby IC you really need to convince him to make one for you.

Cheers,
Scott

[ruby914]

I don't know Scott. Have you have you seen what Kent (76-914) is doing with his Suby/914 cluster. He is making the need for complete dash replacement obsolete. He is 1/2 way there.
I have to take a 2nd look at the Suby cluster, see if it can be drawn and quartered with the parts reintegrated into the 914 cans and still get full functionality out of it. It would be cool if the odometer was still there and the Suby harness connectors utilized.
I see you did manage to get the fuse box up under the dash, wow, great job.
Where is the ECU now? I think anything FWD of the stick shift is a major task.
I also like the upside down fuel sender tube, wish I knew they made them sooner.
Do I recall your wife didn't feel comfortable with the control locations? What was it?
I think I did manage to get the steering wheel just a little more forward. I also tilted the seat back some.

[Amenson]

Mike, I did see what Kent is doing and while it is really impressive, it just feels right to have the suby gauges and with your handy work...it integrates really well. I do hope that you go back to a stock configuration so that I can have your carbon covered piece (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

My ECU is between the seat. I will hide it under the center seat cushion/tray. My wife did not like how low the steering wheel was and how her legs were unsupported. The wheel is now much higher so that I can see the gauges and the seat will be reclined 15 deg very soon. Should be pretty much ideal seating position for me and not so bad for anybody else sorter than 6'.

On the progress front, I got the in tank pump and new fuel sender installed. No pictures because it was a somewhat hectic install...partially because one of my buddies stopped over with a couple of Cuban cigars that distracted me for a couple of hours. I did make a valuable swap fact. The suby fuel pump controller requires an isolated ground in order to control the duty cycle. The in tank pump kit that I used has a pump ground that is not isolated so the pump does odd things...like run continuously when the IG is on but engine is not running. Not really a problem except that I also had a leak inside the tank that was causing the engine to run like crap. I went to bed Sunday night with the car not running and no idea how to fix it with an appointment first thing in the morning with the tuner. After a restless night of mental troubleshooting I fixed it first thing in the morning and made my appointment. The result is this:



Pretty standard stock turbo results. I had him be a bit conservative so that I can put pretty much any quality of premium and still beat on it w/o any fear of detonation.

I also had my new tires installed which really helped with the straight line traction but the sidewalls are really compliant. I actually pulled over on the way home from the shop because I thought that something was wrong. I feels like I am driving on gummy bears. I played with the tire pressures a bit and got some improvement and it will get a bit better when I replace the wamped out bearings but the handling will still be less than super. Maybe I will have to install the 911 front suspension and 16" phone dials I have squirreled away. Anybody have a set of rear 5 lug parts laying around?

Tires are 205/55R-15 Dunlop Direzza DZ102's. Wheels are stock 2.0 Fuchs.

Anyways, still have a load of stuff to clean up before I will be comfortable to drive it 2500 miles on Hot Rod Power Tour. Less than 3 weeks to go, time to get serious.

Cheers
Scott

[Amenson]

...almost forgot. After the tuning session, which was particularly nerve wracking listening to some strange guy wail on my "baby" on the dyno for almost 4 hours. Every time he brought it to redline at WOT I cringed waiting for horrible noises of catastrophic failure. None happened but after the session he asked me what fluid in the car was blue. WTF...did the tranny crack? Swepco is blue! Got under the car on the lift and the passenger side of the trans was soaked. Pressure plate was dripping. Looked around and it appeared that the front seal was leaking. Got it home and looked at it closer and it actually looks like the fluid was coming out of the breather.

Is it possible/common for gear oil to get slung out of the breather?

[914forme]

I have a spare set of drilled hubs. You can take your -4 rotors, bolt the hobs on and mark the -5 bolt holes, and drill the 4 holes. on each of the rotors. If the hats are as soft as the metal in the disk, you should have no problem drilling them.

Iam swapping over to 911 rear hubs and stubs. So these are just kinda hanging out in the rear arms, still haven't pressed them out yet. I could get that done if your in need.

[JTSmithson]

What would you want for the 4-lug Fuchs if start doing swappy swap stuff??? You can PM to keep the bidding down.

[Amenson]

I have a spare set of drilled hubs. You can take your -4 rotors, bolt the hobs on and mark the -5 bolt holes, and drill the 4 holes. on each of the rotors. If the hats are as soft as the metal in the disk, you should have no problem drilling them.

Iam swapping over to 911 rear hubs and stubs. So these are just kinda hanging out in the rear arms, still haven't pressed them out yet. I could get that done if your in need.

This is definitely an option. Realistically the conversion will not happen before Power Tour so I am not in a hurry. When you get them out, get in touch and we can work something out.

What would you want for the 4-lug Fuchs if start doing swappy swap stuff??? You can PM to keep the bidding down.

Send me a pm with an offer. This will get you first in line when I do sell them and give me an idea what my budget would be for the swap.

Nobody has any feedback about the trans fluid situation?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[mgp4591]

I have a spare set of drilled hubs. You can take your -4 rotors, bolt the hobs on and mark the -5 bolt holes, and drill the 4 holes. on each of the rotors. If the hats are as soft as the metal in the disk, you should have no problem drilling them.

Iam swapping over to 911 rear hubs and stubs. So these are just kinda hanging out in the rear arms, still haven't pressed them out yet. I could get that done if your in need.

This is definitely an option. Realistically the conversion will not happen before Power Tour so I am not in a hurry. When you get them out, get in touch and we can work something out.

What would you want for the 4-lug Fuchs if start doing swappy swap stuff??? You can PM to keep the bidding down.

Send me a pm with an offer. This will get you first in line when I do sell them and give me an idea what my budget would be for the swap.

Nobody has any feedback about the trans fluid situation?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

I've only seen oil out the breather tube if it's overfilled... or if the bottom of the tube is venting below the fluid level. Other than that...?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[CptTripps]

My size 13 foot would catch EVERY one of those wires!

[914forme]

Added a catch can and see what happens with your trans fluid. Many a thread on how to do it, you can go cheap on it, a bike bottle, and cage, and some hosing. Its not a bad idea anyway if your planning on auto-xing it or taking it to the track anytime.

People don't like oil on tracks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

And for some reason unless there is a VW Beatle in the crowd the first place they always come and look is at the 914s.

I was at one event a guy in an Eagle Talon dumped 4 Quarts all over the paddock and they came over to inspect my car. I am like what are you looking for, I am clean, go look at that guys car, with the trail of oil heading to that trailer over there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

[Amenson]

Added a catch can and see what happens with your trans fluid. Many a thread on how to do it, you can go cheap on it, a bike bottle, and cage, and some hosing. Its not a bad idea anyway if your planning on auto-xing it or taking it to the track anytime.

People don't like oil on tracks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

And for some reason unless there is a VW Beatle in the crowd the first place they always come and look is at the 914s.

I was at one event a guy in an Eagle Talon dumped 4 Quarts all over the paddock and they came over to inspect my car. I am like what are you looking for, I am clean, go look at that guys car, with the trail of oil heading to that trailer over there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

I like the idea of adding a catch can, thanks for the suggestion.

When I used to race F500 we had a run group with Formula Vee. Even though we ran two strokes and probably put a decent amount of oil out of our exhaust we still complained about the oil from the FV guys (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) Air cooled flat 4's are always to blame.

Cheers,
Scott

[Amenson]

Had a productive day in the garage today and ticked off some major items.

The biggest but least interesting thing was to fill the access holes in the outside of the longs. I always hate doing things that when complete just make it look the way that it should have in the first place. So boring that I did not even take any pictures.

The other thing is something that I have been avoiding....cutting the cooling scoop in the hood. Lots of measuring, marking, measuring, and more measuring...

..then finally some cutting.

Cuts came out almost perfect, wobbled a bit on the longitudinal cut but can't really tell.

Still have to bend it open further and fab in some sides but it should be fairly discrete.

The opening will be about 12cm deep. The cut out is 60cm x 20cm.



Eventually I will fab up ducting to the radiator but that can wait, too many other things to do before the start of HRPT on the 6th.

Cheers,
Scott

[Alphaogre]

I'm really diggin that hood!