digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Some progress in electrical... there is actually more progress then pictures show, as I repinned the C101, C100, and C105 plugs to lower it to two plugs and put them through the firewall. It's going along quite well thus far though.... I'm toying with the idea of the PCM inside the car... We'll see how ambitious I feel. I won't be running heat or A/C as this is a nice summer weekend car... and A/C is for wusses.. :halo:

Engine bay cleaned up...



A better use for a glovebox... OBD2 connector and recycled fuse panel from the Camaro donor car interior...

wickedrx7

iTrader: (1)

Awesome!!

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

My radiator setup. This is a Summit 27x19 radiator, and a 1993 Ford Taurus wagon cooling fan. I picked up some aluminum bar stock to mount the fan and the radiator with.



And my ported 00+ manifolds. These were done by a friend of mine, who does them regularly for Grand Prix's. They're VERY smooth, and actually opened up a hair larger then the gaskets. Should flow well enough for now.






And mounted on the engine. I'm only waiting on some parts in the mail now... crank pulley, idler, throttle body (mine is damaged, as you can see) coolant sensor, gauges... man this crap gets expensive... hopefully I get enough stuff tomorrow to keep myself busy this weekend. I modified the tranny dipstick to fit better under the hood, and to accent the Corvette valve cover as best possible.






The engine bay wiring is done... the interior wiring will be completed this weekend, complete with relays to control the high/low fan from the PCM and the fuel pump.

chucklaw

iTrader: (2)

Stop by over here in Vegas and you might change your mind!

Hot as hell!

Nice work on your RX7! My RX7 LS1 vert should be done in August.

And A/C will be in place!

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

LOL, I've spent some time in Vegas (my company flies me out for CES yearly, but it's cold that time of year... a chilling 50* LOL, I wore shorts )

If it's too hot, I just drive faster with the windows down.

chucklaw

iTrader: (2)

Over here, that's called a convection oven. Just cooks you faster!
Good luck with the project and keep us posted.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

More progress...

Fabbed up some new (less crappy) upper radiator mounts, it's hard to see but the radiator is mounted with rubber grommets to the bolts for vibration control. Tranny cooler and overflow bottle are mounted now also.



I also built a mount to hold the PCM solid in the engine bay. I just bent some aluminum bar and jb welded it on to the PCM. Doesn't look too bad to me, and it's not going anywhere. Now hopefully the PCM is good... I don't feel like building another one...

Mounted:



The bracket:



I also picked up a new throttle body to replace my damaged one, complete with new IAC Valve (mine was busted from the accident the donor endured).



Engine bay wiring is cleaned up a little more, and I resprayed all the beat up parts. Also got the tranny mount completed so the engine is completely mounted under it's own weight.



And finally... wiring in process... it's actually nearly finished, I just need a few more colors for gauge outputs and such to make everything easier to track down problems with if they occur down the road.

WeeWolf

iTrader: (16)

nice progress glad to see another one coming near the end. just curious did you ditch the 3.8 project for this one or did you just put it on the back burner for now? i'm starting my 3.8 install this weekend.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

The 3.8 car will probably be a convertible.

I do have a Grand Prix GTP, which is a 3.8L as well. I have a spare L67 3800SII in my garage that I'm rebuilding this summer for my daily driver (GTP) as it's got 120K on it. The engine that's currently -IN- the GTP will be rebuilt and setup for turbo in another RX7. That's after I do the turbo setup on the LS1-RX7.

MakotoS13

DUDE.... that engine bay has more space than the cars the motor was DESIGNED FOR.

FC's own

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Heck yeah they do.

I got a little more done yesterday; driveshaft installed, transmission mount redrilled and installed (THAT SUCKED), tranny lines modified/installed, primary power connected from battery to starter/alternator/RX7 engine power harness, brakes adjusted/bled, glovebox wiring tied up and glovebox remounted, and lower radiator brackets fabricated and installed.

It's going pretty smoothly now, mostly just waiting on a collection of parts to arrive from different sources. I can now get in the car and crank the engine. Just doesn't start quiet yet.

RFERG43

If you want to get the engine running before a computer reprogram you can use this little ckt to defeat the vats. I didn't bother with the zener and R1.
First time you drive it you'll LOVE it!!!

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Thanks bud. I've actually got a VATS bypass from Baker Electronics sitting in my room right now. I might drop it on just for ***** and giggles, but I like the idea of the HP Tuners just so I can see what's happening in the engine more specifically. It's the paranoia in me.

MakotoS13

are you trying to retain AC or is that getting shucked?

strokedls1

iTrader: (1)

Cool pics. Looks like it is coming together for ya. I bet you can't wait to drive it. I used to have a 91 turbo II. Fun car.

WeeWolf

iTrader: (16)

i believe he's ditching the a/c sounds like it's going to be much a race car.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

It's still mostly a street car, just no A/C and no heat (A/C is too much of a pain for my taste, and you don't need heat for a summer weekend only car). I am bringing the weight down as much as possible, but I'm not giving up comfort for it. i.e. it will have full interior (just no sound deadening) and my old eXcelon stereo with component speakers in the doors/towers (actually lighter then stock, no more factory amps).

On a side note...

IT RUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I fired it up tonight for the first time. Still don't have cooling or some of the front pullies, and a few vacuum leaks, but it was just a test run to prove my wiring (and that the engine was good, LOL). I got in, hit the key, and it kicked right over (much to my surprise). I ran it for about 2-3 seconds and shut if off (late at night, didn't want to **** off the neighbors).

Anyway, I'm going to get my VATS bypass in tomorrow, plug up the vacuum leaks, and run it for 15-20 seconds just to shake it down and make sure nothing blows up. So far soo good.

Left to do:

Tweak fuel system, mount radiator fans, crank pulley, alternator idler pulley, alternator rear bracket, manifolds -> catback exhaust, and a few other little details.

All in all I'm quite giddy.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Well, bad news. Bad rear main seal on the motor (seeping oil out of the back).

So, down she goes for new bearings, seals, cam, and ported heads. The cam I'm going to use is:

Comp extreme x-er part # 54-444-11
224/230 .581/.592

Most of the other stuff is just standard issue, I'll be porting the heads myself, just hogging/smoothing, nothing extreme.

If all goes well, hopefully I'll have it back together and in in a week or so. We'll see how it goes.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (24)

Okay, repair/rebuild plans are finalized.

I'm not going to touch the pistons/cylinder walls. With a 98 and 51K, I don't think I care to push my luck honing and such, though if they look bad I will. I am putting in all new Federal Mogul bearings on the mains/big end of the rods, with LS6 rod bolts, and new GM main bolts (top and side). I'm pulling the heads and hand porting them myself (just hogging them out and port matching/polishing). It will get new GM head bolts, and factory head gaskets.

ALL of the gaskets/seals south of the intake are getting replaced (oil pan, oil pump o-ring, front/rear mains, cover gaskets, etc.). I'm putting in the 224/230 cam, with an LS2 chain, and TSP hardened pushrods and comp 918 blue stripe (130 lbs) springs with stock retainers. I'm going to port the throttle body and MAF while I'm at it.

Block and tranny will get a FULL detail, and will be 100% spotless when I put it back in.

Anyone see anything I'm forgetting?

aram

iTrader: (7)

Why don't you just put in a new rear main seal and call it a day? It's not a hard job with the trans out of the car, and the part isn't very expensive.