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Back with another redblock

I haven't been able to do much with the sedan lately. I have acquired a flat flywheel, so that will be getting crank sensor triggers machined into it and I'll be using it instead of the dogdish flywheel. I was also lucky and scored a cross member and front half of a driveshaft for a t5 swap. I'd asked the seller which adapter plate he had used so I can go the same route. I don't want to end up with a driveshaft section that won't work. I'll be using the BNE method. Kind of works out, I'll be sending the flywheel out to get machined, so I might end up sending BNE my flywheel along with the bellhousing that will need machining as well. I also recently picked up a 016 AMM, I'm considering swapping it on and keeping my green s60r injectors and trying out that e85 stuff they've got all around me

On a side note, the wagon will remain stock(ish)
 
Not too much of an update really. Swapped over to the 016 AMM and am running e85 (or whatever comes out of the pump around here). Seems to be doing good so far on it. Also had to readress my MBC that was leaking. I took it all apart and boiled it in a pan and from using my hand pump, seems much better. I'll be going on a drive tonight.

Before I get bashed, yes, I'm running e85 without a wideband currently. I still need to get that being welded to my exhaust. I do have my eyes set on a squirter engine though. At this rate I'll probably end up building the motor, and doing the t5 swap at the same time. I'd love to get the t5 swap done yesterday, but with a possible engine core possible I'd rather wait then have to pull the engine multiple times, and swap the t5 over as well
 
Back with another update!

Phew, been busy getting a bunch of small things accomplished it feels like. I replaced a burnt out brake light bulb (maintenance ftw!)...

Ok, that was a bit of a joke. I just now got done installing and wiring up my new to me turbosmart eboost street electronic boost controller. I just have 2 hoses to buy and run to the solenoid, and it's complete. (Read at the bottom on why I ditched my hallman pro mbc)

I picked up a spare squirter engine. Aaaannnnd it's totaled lol. I ended up getting it for free, but when I got digging into it it's got a crack at the bottom of one of the cylinders, and a chunk taken out of the block. I plan on sticking my borescope thru the oil plug on my current motor, and see if it's at least got the holes drilled and tapped with bolts in them (I doubt it, especially being a 1991 but gotta check). I'll at least be able to pull the squirters out, and the round tooth crank and one cam gear. Might be a good excuse to order an.adjustable cam gear for a round tooth, and use the blown motor gears for the aux shaft and crank.

I also have ordered a 3" angled downpipe from Lucacarmods. I couldn't stand looking at my own welds, especially with car show season among us lol. I'm sure my welds aren't leaking free. This will also get my O2 sensor off the firewall since it is very close. Also a good time to get a bung welded in so I can hook up my wideband and be able to actually see what's going on.

So my hallman pro was a vacuum leak. Verified with a hand pump it would not hold vacuum, or pressure. You could still set it and it would still open at the set pressure, but below that pressure with the ball " closed" it was still leaking by. I ordered a new spring and ball, replaced them, and same thing. I then tried cleaning up the fitting the ball seals to, made it worse. Went to the store for a new 1/8" mip fitting, same thing. I gradually polished the face up and it did make it much better, but it was still leaking by. I found the turbosmart ebc on FB marketplace for a good enough deal, so I jumped on it. I do have one question regarding it so far, but will make a dedicated thread for that
 
Been getting small things done still, and still acquiring parts/tools to move forward

After installing the turbosmart EBC I was still having erratic boost control. I went out and bought a compressor so I can do a proper boost leak test.

I also decided to cut my stock cold side intercooler pipe. If any of you have installed NPR intercooler, chances are your iac valve hose nipple on the cold side piping was too far off to use the stock hose. I cut my pipe at the straight section right before said nipple, and just used an extra coupling I had laying around. I made some home made flaring tool out of channel locks, a washer, and half of an exhaust clamp. I was able to get enough of a lip at each side of the cut that I don't believe the coupling can blow off. Cutting my pipe here allows me to orient that nipple in any direction. I also ordered do88 silicone iac hoses.

I also just bought what are supposed to be 60lb injectors. FB marketplace find for 25$. There is a dynotune shop 20 minutes up the road from me, so I will have them flow tested before installing them. Upon getting them home, I hooked jumper wires from each injector terminal to my battery, just to ensure they all actuate. 2 out of the 6 did. The other 4 were stuck. I sprayed some wd40 in them, tapped them on the side with a screwdriver and was able to get all of them to free up!

Maybe someone can help me with this part. What are the advantages of running a 3" AMM over the stock sized unit? I know about hitting fuel cut once you exceed the sensors threshold, regardless of size. But what about those of us with chips that eliminate fuel cut? I THINK what happens is, once you hit the max the sensor can read, you don't get any extra fueling for more boost. Say for example you're running 20psi. As boost increases, your fueling increases as well. Say at 10psi you hit the max the sensor reads, you won't get any additional fueling, even though your still building boost. Does this sound about right? Either way I'm sure going 3" AMM is what I need to do at this point, I'm just trying to understand why.

I've gotten to do a few good pulls and she runs damn good, but other times the boost control is wonky, and you can feel the timing being pulled and added. Still waiting on the 3" downpipe to also eliminate the pre o2 sensor exhaust leak.

Writing all of this makes me realize that I need to take my time and do shit right the first time. I have a bad habit of leaving something good enough just to get it done, but having to come back and redo it later. I guess I'm a hardheaded learner. I do it right cause I do it twice?
 
Did some reading on other people using this EBC. Found someone on a BMW forum post his setpoints for everything, I copied it and got about the same results as him, about 13psi. Still waiting on that downpipe, and got a get to the store for a boost leak rig too, but making progress
 
I've been working on making these updates easier to read instead of one big paragraph lol. Still suck with pics though

Glad to see there's still people reading along.

It's too easy for me to see something I want/need, buy it, and then the other plans go out the window. I'm trying to be less scattered with my approach to this build. I will probably make more progress at a faster rate if I stick with one thing at a time. Hell, I've been sitting on the manual swap for months now. I could've bought an adapter plate with what I spent on the EBC and bigger injectors.
 
Well I did a boost leak test and found 1 leak where the charcoal canister hose attached to the TB on the smaller nipple. I gota go get a new house with a smaller diameter and then I will run there test again. I'd taken the pcv valve out of the intake hose and plugged the hose. Other than the charcoal canister, I had air escaping from the pcv valve. My thinking is if there were other leaks, I wouldn't be getting air thru that valve. Like I said, I need to fix that hose and redo the test (probably going to block off the pcv valve next time as well)

I also swapped in a fuel rail I'd got a few months back from a member here in person. I can't remember his username, but he's a cool dude out in Georgia. This fuel rail did not have the csi provision (good, it's been deleted) and has a Schrader valve on it. Once I fix my boost leak, I will go ahead and check my fuel pressure to ensure all is good there as well.

I should be getting my silicone iacv hoses early next week and will swap them on. Still waiting on the downpipe though. Sucks, there's a car show tomorrow so I guess I have to show off my ugly welds lmao
 
I'll have to post some pics of these welds. Temu stainless exhaust pipe + harbour freight flux core welder + 0 grinding afterwards. It's all just slag and nastiness lmao. I knew it was gonna be temporary so I didn't really care at the time, just had to get it running.

I am looking forward to probably the ugliest car there though lmao
 
https://imgur.com/a/8NGiMcx

Pics of downpipe as promised. Originally it was just a 90 coming off the reducer on the flange. That had the O2 sensor in a decent spot, but was obnoxiously loud. With the pipe kit I had, I had to move the 90 further back. I cut it and spliced in the short straight section that's different looking. After doing this, the O2 sensor was hitting the heat shield so I had to remove it. The O2 is extremely close to the firewall right now, so I'm looking forward to that getting corrected as well. It appears I did attempt to grind at it, but gave up very shortly after lol. Really with how bad my welding is, I'm surprised I've only got like 3-4 leaks throughout the entire exhaust system. The rest I could really care less about, but the pro o2 is my concern
 
Crustacean Wagon said:
I consistently enjoy feeling like the ugliest girl at the dance with my 5 color wagon
Click to expand...
I used to love how traffic wouldn't bother me in my 5 colour 242, it had a perfect interior and I loved how it looked awful on the outside but perfect inside. Every car I've had since, people roadrage at, attempt to intimidate, or pull out in front of like I'm not there. I think there's something to be said for a "so ugly you notice it" car, but at least I don't get a mini panic attack every time I see an enforcement vehicle anymore
 
amerbritcan said:
I used to love how traffic wouldn't bother me in my 5 colour 242, it had a perfect interior and I loved how it looked awful on the outside but perfect inside. Every car I've had since, people roadrage at, attempt to intimidate, or pull out in front of like I'm not there. I think there's something to be said for a "so ugly you notice it" car, but at least I don't get a mini panic attack every time I see an enforcement vehicle anymore
Click to expand...
Yeah i pucker for staties

New sticker design just dropped lol
 
Replaced the hose that was causing at least one of my vacuum/boost leaks, filled up with e85 and went for a little rip. Car feels much better now. Still waiting on parts, and still plan on reboost leak testing and checking my fuel pressure
 
Crustacean Wagon said:
I consistently enjoy feeling like the ugliest girl at the dance with my 5 color wagon
Click to expand...
Also about the car show, it was inside of a local convention center. My girlfriend drove her car because she thinks mine is embarrassing (I'll convert her over to be a fan soon) we parked right by the front door. I opened my hood before we went inside and she kept saying how embarrassing it was for her. "You've got nothing under the hood worth showing. No one is going to look at that POS". We go inside, walk around, and come out to a few people checking it out. I go and talk to a guy who just pulled up in one of the good Supra's. Talked to him, 800whp, stock motor (even the stock head gasket from 98) street driven car. That thing was badass. Go back to my car and had a few people talking to me about my build. I looked at my girlfriend and laughed at her. "I knew there were people here who would enjoy a good sleeper build" was what I said to her.

I definitely had the ugliest car there. I was disappointed in the show itself. 30 cars MAX. All just show cars. Most had the hoods and doors closed, with window tint too dark to see inside of the car. Coolest cars there were a couple lotus, and a couple nsx's. Mostly subies and hondas on air bags with body kits and pretty paint. Show cars make me wanna 🤢
 
Yeah dude with you on that. Theres a weekly tuner show near me ill drop in on sometimes. Def plenty of decent folks with cool dailys show up, but the snootery kills me. A dude with an INSANELY hot fc was there a while back, and he had zero interest in engaging about the car. Turned me off the whole scene for a bit, like why show up if you dont want to share about your ride? The boys w a rowdy sn95 and a cruze pushing 30psi bring the stoke back at least
 
I think some people are having the thought of fake it til I make it. Like I know there are some very serious cars out there that the owner doesn't want to give up much info about the car. I get it, you don't want the recipe used for your 6 second 1/4 mile car. I can get that. But sometimes it's like bro, you have a mid 12 second run of the mill car. It's cool, but not cool enough to be a snob about it. Idk, that's my hill to die on and I'm entitled to it 🤣. There are a lot of really cool cars in my area, but it seems like not too many meets or anything like that. I truly believe I've got like one of the only modified Volvos around. My job kind of kills it too, as I'm on the road a lot so maybe there's more going on than I know about
 
Well I just reached my first real setback. Remember that downpipe I've been waiting for? Well turns out I, in fact, have a straight flange exhaust housing, not angled. Of course I didn't realize this until I had my exhaust completely removed 😔

I'm going to be on the hunt for an angled housing to use though, so we'll get her back up and going soon
 
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