machg

Got Jonny to come around today. We took it for a spin with his AFR attached, and as I reasoned/suspected (given its running a tune for a 3T and I'm running it on a 2T) mixtures were quite rich (under throttle 9s to 10s). Under cruise it wasn't too bad (13s). I also backed off the timing, it turns out I'd gone a bit too far, so Jonny set it to 12 degrees. Also installed some better struts; I had put the struts out of the TE71 in, but the shocks were stuffed and the discs heavily pitted; so I put the struts out of the T18 on instead; newish rotors, OK shocks and Makita superlows, :P We tried hooking up his laptop, but it wouldn't read the MT4, so we reckon it must be a handset programmable unit. Jonny is going to borrow one off one of his mates, then we'll give it a tune and it should go really nice. I am waiting on a response from a US company for a rebuild kit for the CT20 for $54. Also bogged over the guards, so its all happening.

Hallelujah! As a last roll of the dice, I pulled out the injectors to check for blockages (they run a small mesh filter in the top of them) and two of them were badly blocked. Cleaned them out, re-installed and hey presto, decent performance, AT LAST! That's the good news, some bad news was the smoke screen left coming off boost. The CT20 seems to boost fine, minimal shaft play etc. but I'm Umming and Arrring about whether to put a rebuild kit through it as it has a small crack in the exhaust housing (near the wastegate port). Anyone got a CT20 (or maybe CT26) that's in good nick and doesn't blow shitloads of smoke?

OKE 020: awesome

Needed priming, surge tank is now full of nice, cold fuel and its running again. Haven't test driven yet, but at least I have "done it properly" now, so if I still have issues I can rule out the fuelling system. (Apart from possible injector blockages). I am running a VN Commonwhore in-line fuel filter, fitted just before the lift pump.

Fitted surge tank, lift pump and pipes today. The Facet lift pump doesn't seem to want to draw fuel, will it need to be primed to work? Cheers, Mark

Thankfully my family has lent me a car to get to work, so now I am not running around like a headless chicken trying to get the thing going. Now I can take my time and make sure everythings 100% before driving it again, who knows, I might actually enjoy working on it again, rather than stressing, cursing, swearing etc. LOL

picked up facet lift pump and 1.5L surge tank today, hopefully will sort the fuelling out.

Yeah, I will get one one day. I am thinking "No more bodging" LOL, do things the right way and things will work out. Plan is to set the fuel system up properly, check the injectors, check all the oil levels and drive it to Jonny and get him to at least check that the mixtures are in the ballpark. (he has a wide-band AFR) If they are way out, I'll have to borrow a hand piece or laptop with Microtech software installed and get Jonny to tune it.

3tgtes are a factory turbo motor and are very conservatively set-up and hence are easy to get power out of cheaply. If you are going to build a 4AGE Turbo, then you will want to base it on a 4AGZE (not cheap) then a custom exhaust (more $$) and turbo (more $$). Power potential is difficult to predict 1600cc versus 1800cc, 16 valve versus 8 valve. If I was going to do a 4AGZE with a turbo, I'd leave the supercharger on it and run a larger turbo (Google "Twincharger") I guess the 2 drawbacks with the 3TGTE are its old (hard to find and get parts for) and its an interference engine; snap the timing chain and you're up for an engine rebuild.

All is not well, surprise, surprise, I think I am having fuel supply problems. Gonna have to get that surge tank and lift pump afterall... Drivetrain is whining like an unpaid prostitute too, will have to re-check oil levels. Car is registered and has a nice 2 1/2 inch exhaust fitted.

..oh yeah, the front brakes hadn't been used for a loooong time, discs covered in rust etc and it locked the rears under brakes. They should get better with use and maybe a bit of bleeding, yes? Or will I have to get a brake bias valve? (TE71 front brakes, AE71 rears)

You are right, it was all worth it, Thank God, ITS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Car wouldn't turnover due to a bad earth. Talk about learning the hard way, when I attached the earth strap to the chassis rail I half stripped the mounting nut, so half tightened it. Bloody connection worked loose, didn't it. :) As soon as I re-attached the earth strap properly to another mounting point, voila, it turned over on the key straight away. Awesome, now I could check things like spark and injector opening. Popped out the plugs, no spark. Fart arsed around checking wiring, all looked OK. Still no spark, hmmmm. Thankfully I have a good mate (Wyane) who's a mechanic and I picked his brains and while clarifying the coil operation he said something about the coil needing a signal to know when to generate spark. Now there's a plug on the dissy which with the standard EFI connects to both sides of the coil and also plugs into the EFI loom to send a signal to the ECU. The Microtech doesn't need this signal, so I didn't connect the plug to join the dissy and coil. When Wayne said the thing about the coil needing a signal from somewhere to know when to make spark I thought "I wonder...." joined the plug on the dissy and hooked up the two wires to each side of the dissy and HEY PRESTO, it started instantly I turned the key! Checked all fluid levels and took it for a quick spin down the street. Goes very nicely, especially on boost. Will need to set timing so it doesn't ping itself to death. What do you guys reckon, about 5 degrees static advance be safe? I am thinking of leaving the vacuum advance connected, because when it comes on to boost the dissy shouldn't "see" vacuum anyway so should run no extra advance, just the standard 5 degrees. Thoughts? Will be running 95 octane, standard 2TGEU internals, standard 3TGTEU Turbo running standard boost, Microtech MT4 running a 3TGTEU map, series 4 RX7 top mount cooler front mounted and a 2 1/2 inch exhaust with a straight through muffler. Thanks for feedback guys, I would have chucked it in without your support.

Got starter rebuilt, hopefully I can at least turn it over and work out if its getting spark and if injectors are opening or not. Ho hum

Thanks, I'll check them out tomorrow

Good idea, tried bumpstarting today and absolutely nothing, gonna need help, anyone? :y:

O.K. awesome, someone in Launnies gotta have a reasonable AE71 bumper, also need drivers side front indicator. Cheers

Wanted "slanty" (is that kouki or zenki? LOL) AE71/KE70 front bumper and beaver panel (the bit that goes directly behind the bumper), must be straight/in good condtion, cash waiting, prefer anywhere south of Oatlands (nothing against you non-gay northerners, but I live south and work in Oatlands)

So am I. Shit day, engine wouldn't turn over despite fully charged battery, any ideas? Starter solenoid f@$ked? Then went to bleed brakes and found a bleed nipple held in with thread tape, NOT HAPPY JAN. I am tempted to swap some wiring over from the T18 and see if that works, otherwise pull the starter motor out and get it checked (where?) Mark

...and make sure it has brakes before driving, LOL.

Well, its alive, but not running yet. She turned over on the key, but battery didn't have enough charge. Whacked it on the charger overnight, will tomorrow be the day it runs at last? Must remember to put coolant in!

$$$$? I'd go with some sort of 4AG(Z)E setup. 4A series engines were installed factory in a couple of different model front engine rear wheel drive models (AE86 and AE71). Do a search for info, but basically get the engine and gearbox, modify engine and gearbox mounts, EFI fuel and wiring, install a hydraulic clutch and you are good to go

Its a real shame to do this to a new K&N, but better than sucking shit into the engine Wiring is done bar a couple of earths/body loom connections. Have gone with a VL external fuel pump drawing from standard tank and fuel pick-up. Have hopes of getting it running tomorrow...

I'll try get some tomorrow night.

Dash is back in, "customised" rear bumper installed.

Microtech is mounted and some wiring done, installed the 3TGTE injectors. To do: fuel pump (just external to start with), wiring the Microtech, put dash back together, a bit more bodywork and re-install bumpers. Paint can wait. Ho-hum, getting there slowly...