Restoring the SSEi: F40 swap, HIDs, and a HY35 turbo.

[MattStrike]

Axle update!

I've been working with Driveshaftshop to get a set of custom axles made. I got them in a few weeks ago, and started switching out my old axles. The drivers side fit perfectly! Moving on, getting the passenger side axle installed, I ran into a snag... The axle was too long, bottomed out the inner joint. So I had to put the old axle back in. That one had not broken, it was the DS one that had, so I thought at least I'd be safe to start driving around and getting things flushed out. I started getting some of the little things worked out, including getting the relays for the HID harness replaced, new battery, oil cooler, new wheels, etc. And then the other old axle broke. So I had to wait for DSS to get a shortened axle back out.

That axle showed up on Wednesday right before the meet; The good part is now it wasn't too long! So I installed it, notice that it seemed a little short, but from what I could see the inner joing was not being over-extended so I went ahead with the install. Everything worked fine, until I made a right hand turn, and the inner joint popped out of the tulip. Apparently, it was a rpezza joint so all the balls inside spilled out on the road.. So I was back to welding this other old axle back up for the meet. That also meant I couldn't take it to the track.

So the axle is going to go back, I think I'll have to send my old axle with it, so we can get the correct length. Once the axles are all set I'm really looking forward to needing to do some extensive tuning. And I've got a oil pan leak to figure out, some issues with hunting for idle

But enough of that, you guys really want to see some pictures!

Too long:


Too short:




At the meet, with the hood open it does seem to generate some interest!


The new wheels!

[tytotheler92]

Hey, atleast it's alive now.

Looks awesome. I like the wheel choice.

[MattStrike]

Mini update!

I got the third axle back at the end of last week, and had a chance to re-install it this weekend. Looks like it's going to fit, so the car is almost ready for a few track runs!

I've been working on a oil filter adapter arm replacement that offers additional clearance to the axle (needed...), The goal is to cast it myself from the same mixture of brass & aluminum that we cast the coins from. I've got some wax pieces to start with, which has been very helpful in designing the part. I'm working on an improved design again, hoping to have that finished this week.

I still need to drop the oil pan to fix the oil leak, while I'm at it plan to use the electric oil pump to pressurize the block and make sure I don't have any obvious contributions to what I feel is too low of oil pressure.

I found a spot to mount the catch can for the PCV, just need a few little things to plumb it in now.

And I noticed that the drivers side rear wheel seems to have some negative camber going on, I first noticed it in some of the pictures I took during the meet. So I spent some time trying to figure out why, I found out that the rear sway bar end link bracket on one side has ripped off the strut, as well the rear ball joints are toast. But those wouldn't explain the camber issue, I'll have to check the alignment sheet again but it wasn't there before.

This week I plan to drop the oil pan, fix the leak, and see if I can find anything to explain the oil pressure. Then replace the ball joints and end link bracket.

[yourgrandma]

Matt, what oil pressure relief valve spring do you have?

[MattStrike]

I have the increased pressure spring, along with 15w40 turbo diesel oil. I think I've seen evidence of a bearing on the way out already though not sure how that's possible unless it was a cam bearing that was a little too tight getting worn in. Or maybe there is some other internal leak. One theory is that the pump is worn out and not making full flow, the pump I have was a used replacement. Either way I'd like to know why.

[MattStrike]

Not sure that I'll be able to participate in the weekend activities with the Bonneville now; I lost the castle nut for one of the new rear ball joints and need to decide if I'm going to make the brackets for the parking brake, which have to be integrated with the sway bar end link bracket, which one has to be replaced anyway. I will say that it will make parking a bit easier with a functional parking brake. But on top of that I have not done anything about the oil leak/pressure test yet.

Any thoughts why one side in the rear would sit about 1" higher than the other? Springs are original, they had the same uncompressed height when I pulled them out tonight, isolators were replaced when I first started years ago and no signs of wear. The only difference is the one control arm is from a '96-'99 I think, but I can't find any discernible difference between them.

[BonnieBoy08]

What's going on out there this weekend? Parking brake would definitely come in handy with a manual. Not sure on the ride height difference, how old are the shocks and do you have air ride? Could have a bad seal or something. Good luck on figuring out the oil pressure/ leak situation once you get to it.

[MattStrike]

There is a cars and coffee, and I usually go cruising on Friday/Saturday nights

[haro1225]

^^ What he said. That's ok we can all pile in my car for cars and coffee.

[haro1225]

I'll just leave this here.
http://youtu.be/n9wCyec6RdE

[MattStrike]

I get through 1st gear in 2 seconds, 36mph . Wastegate is set for 12psi, still using the 3.25 pulley. Turbo starts to spool around 2900RPM and takes over around 3600RPM.

I think it's time to start shopping for fuel injectors and break out the wideband

[nos4blood70]

How did you manage to hook?!

[haro1225]

This happened today

[RJolly87]

A Bonneville parked in a handicapped space? That's nothing new. LOL #GrandpaCar

[MattStrike]

Today was the first time I drove the car for a really extended period of time. Actually did OK. At one point the BOV got heatsoaked or something and wasn't working properly, just needed a cooldown. We cruised out to the place where they had a Bonneville reserved parking spot (#GrandpaCar), from there we cruised Woodward for a while, then back to the hotspot near home.

But there are some issues to work out. Wastegate springs are set to 12psi, turbo is only making 6.5. I'll have to throw the 7psi springs back in and see what happens, I'm thinking that the wastegate valve isn't sealing off properly so it's not building up boost the way it should. I'm also considering a 1-2" spacer for the supercharger to help get some space between the charge pipe and the turbo, once things are heat soaked the charge pipe get's toasty. another oddball, I've got a 160 degree thermostat, but temps run at 180-190. In traffic it'll rise to 195 where the high speed fan kicks in. But never gets below 180. I thought a 160 thermostat meant that it should run close to 165? With the heat and humidity today I saw 0.4 degrees of KR during part-throttle non-downshifting accelerations, but otherwise still showing 0 during pulls.

[RJolly87]

What do you have the low speed fan turn on set to, and are you running A/C?

[1oldman]

A Bonneville parked in a handicapped space? That's nothing new. LOL #GrandpaCar

HEY! I resemble that post! - BC

[MattStrike]

How did you manage to hook?!

RaceCar! I think clutch compliance plus driver mod ( I control throttle independent of gear change) are the main factors.



Coolant temperature does not matter if the A/C is on or not (Yes..... I have working A/C in my racecar!) unless I've been sitting at idle in traffic for extended periods. 182 was the lowest temp achieved, ~80mph in 6th gear around 2200rpm after cruising for a few miles with nobody in front of me on a flat stretch of freeway. Fans are still set for the 180 thermostat (low speed on at 185, high at 195 IIRC) but on the freeway I should still see lower temps.

[MattStrike]

Decided it was time to fix the headlamp adjusters again. I managed to fix the adjusters on the '93 housings before, those are now on the SE. The headlamp assemblies I pulled for the HID retrofit however had some issues...(I hate rust)......

The '96+ headlamp adjusters are a mixed bag compared to the '92-95. Each lamp has one adjuster that has a metal - metal drive, the other is like the 92-95 being a plastic - metal (and once metal rusts the plastic strips), and that plastic - metal drive controls the up/down adjustment. Both adjusters will need to be filled with grease similar to the '92-95 to prevent corrosion and stripping out the threads in the gear that drives the adjustment, the metal -metal side to side adjuster is more robust but is still susceptible to rust. The '96+ design seems to have a much better housing to retain the two gears, just needed to be greased from the factory so it doesn't rot out. I'll try to remember to get some pictures of everything as I fix it all, though at one point I thought I had some '92-95 pictures here as well.

[MattStrike]

So I figured out the wastegate issue, turns out I had managed to forget to get the valve seat in. But at least the good news is that there is sufficient flow through the wastegate that I won't get any boost creep. With the 12psi springs I get 9.5 psi in the manifold now. I know I've got a boost leak at the SC snout seal, not sure if 2.5psi is acceptable loss between the wastegate tap at the compressor outlet and the manifold tap for the sensor.

I also mocked up the front rotors, turns out I had done sufficient internet research to figure out enough critical dimensions to design a bracket. I had printed out a 1:1 copy on paper then today fabricated an exact copy out of 1/4" plywood to mock it up. Marked up that copy for changes, as well as other critical things, so I can adjust the design accordingly. I can confirm that the 13.4" rotor with proper offset (wheel spacers) will fit the 17" swoopies. Pics to follow.