244 replies to this topic

[Steve.i.am]

I found a 20mm STS drill bit work best (not on hammer)

 

Right oh Chris - will try that thanks. 

 

PS for all those off to the National - have a blast. Looking forward to hearing how it all went.

[Steve.i.am]

Got the mani sideplate back from Dave - great service - so I'm all ready for the manifold to go in the car..

 

 

The original injectors were still in so I went about removing those. Was a bit worried about it if I'm honest after reading stories of rubber o-rings dropping down into the inlet tract. The first one I just managed to pull out - it took an almighty amount of pulling but it did come out with the o-ring still on the injector. 1 down.. The rest weren't havin it. No way I could pull them out.

 

So I changed tack. I decided to gently and carefully lever them out with a small pry bar. At the same time I stuck a finger in the inlet port and onto the injector nozzle to prevent anything dropping in. And had a pair of long nose pliers to hand. They all eased out pretty easily, but all left the o-rings behind - but with finger in place to stop anything dropping in, I could fish out the o-ring from the top with the pliers. Phew glad that was done. Taped holes over.

 

So plumbed up the manifold ready to go in..

 

 

And fitted to car..

 

 

Tip: Put alternator on after the manifold - otherwise you can't get to the support bracket underneath the manifold to install the bolt.

 

Clearance on the alternator +ve seems OK:

 

 

I'm not 100% happy, though, about the +ve on the starter motor underneath the manifold. I had a good feel around under there and although I can't get a finger between the mani and the starter +ve lead, it does feel like there's about 8mm of clearance. Wonna double check though so will borrow my neighbours inspection mirrors.

 

Also routed the fuel pipes and coolant hoses away from the aux belt path - I'll try and get some pics maybe tomorrow - but I just cable tied them out the way - routed the fuel pipes behind the top coolant hose - and wrapped various points on the pipes/hoses with foam/rubber sheet to protect them. I have used the Corsa S bend for the top coolant hose rather than the 'over the top of the charger' option.

 

Drilling of pre cat... BLOODY THING! Its not out yet. I've drilled holes all the way around now, but there's still a lot of material to detach so to speak. Got traumatised by the bloody thing so made a start on the wiring and now 70% done on that. Another hour tomorrow and it'll be done.

 

 

Edited by Steve.i.am, 20 July 2013 - 06:05 PM.

[Dave H]

Hi Steve. Glad the side plate turned up ok. Looking good Dave

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

I was never 100% happy with my alternator but its been great

Edited by CHILL Gone DUTCH, 21 July 2013 - 04:26 PM.

[fezzasus]

Looks good, once you're happy with the fuel line routing then there won't be much left to do, that said all the 'not much left' items take ages.

 

Are you using the original hard plastic fuel lines? I was concerned that they would kink too easily so I pulled off the line after the fuel filter and cut the fuel return under the fuel filter. I then cut the last two inches off the metal fuel return line and used that as a joiner for the fuel return.

[Steve.i.am]

Looks good, once you're happy with the fuel line routing then there won't be much left to do, that said all the 'not much left' items take ages.

 

Are you using the original hard plastic fuel lines? I was concerned that they would kink too easily so I pulled off the line after the fuel filter and cut the fuel return under the fuel filter. I then cut the last two inches off the metal fuel return line and used that as a joiner for the fuel return.

 

Yep I did just kept the original fuel lines - I saw that you'd re-routed with new hoses. Mine have been unclipped and carefully routed behind the coolant hose that descends on that side, then tied to the support bar. Made sure they're not too stressed and wrapped them wherever they touch anything - or are near to doing so. Everything is all well away from the belt anyway.

 

Fippin' hot work today. Finished off the wiring of injectors/map sensor/fuel vent. Swapped pins around in the throttle body plug. Wrapped all the wiring up. I re-located the ECU on the bulkhead. Read some threads on best practice here and it seems a lot of people just use wood screws! I was slightly tempted, but persevered with the bolt it on approach.

 

That material lining the bulkhead is a pig to make nice holes in init? I rekon any whiff of a drill near that and it'd tear the whole lot to shreds. I read a tip (sorry forgot where) about using the metal tubes off the NA inlet manifold - they're ideal to space the ECU from the bulkhead. Also, when drilling, I could push one through the lining and drill through it. I suppose its possible to remove the lining out completely but mine seemed bonded on at the bottom.

 

Anyway, ECU mounted:

 

 

 

Put in a location so that the throttle body plug would reach so no need to extend that.

 

Once all the wiring was done, I connected up the CC pipes to the manifold plumbing and could now fit the charger. It is a new one so expected it should have oil in it but checked anyway. My neighbour is a retired aircraft engineer and has a garage full of A/F size tools - so allen key was found and took off oil fill plug, poked wire in and it came out covered in clean oil. So I assume its OK??

 

Supercharger mounted and the fuel rail installed with VXT injectors. Various pipes connected and starting to come together..

 

 

I did connect up the fuel tank vent pipe in the end - cut original plug off (has a handy 90 degree bend which fits perfectly on the charger throttle body), cut off pipe about 4 inches at the valve end and connected the two with 8mm fuel hose.

 

Need to get a length of vacuum hose for the FPR pipe. Bit tricky to find on a Sunday. Will try local motor factors tomorrow.

 

Also put belt on. I've gone for a 1285 (I have standard size pulley) which I've read seems fine - have a new tensioner also. I must admit I haven't pulled the pulley 1.5mm out as I know is recommended - but with the belt on it seems to line up bang on to the inner 5 gooves. The belt runs totally parallel to the edge of the idler wheel above the alternator suggesting to me it is running straight??

 

Still got that precat to finish getting out. Ignored it today. Will have a concerted effort tomorrow. Along with mounting CC header tank and pump.

[fezzasus]

Looking good, your ECU mounting is much tidier than mine.I just cut away the material with a knife and fitted to the bank bulkhead. Sounds like oil in the SC to me, I think it's bollocks that they're shipped without oil, a lot of manufacturers fill in the factory because it protects against corrosion and protects the company against other people using the wrong stuff and blaming them, there are a few issues with airlines carrying oil containing products but i've yet to see that actually impact shipping anything.

[A-F_20]

Pulley doesn't need moving - I used a 1285 belt and its been fine for the last 500 miles. Looks like you're getting on well, rather you than me in this weather! I've only just done mine so drop me a pm if you get stuck.

Edited by A-F_20, 21 July 2013 - 09:08 PM.

[smiley]

 

Also put belt on. I've gone for a 1285 (I have standard size pulley) which I've read seems fine - have a new tensioner also. I must admit I haven't pulled the pulley 1.5mm out as I know is recommended - but with the belt on it seems to line up bang on to the inner 5 gooves. The belt runs totally parallel to the edge of the idler wheel above the alternator suggesting to me it is running straight??

 

 

 

The 1.5mm shove is not mandatory. Some have not done it, and it's fine.

Only if it squeels like a pig, and shreds at the edge it's needed.

You can take the chance, and check the belt after a few miles.

[A-F_20]

Interesting - I found getting the injectors out was one of the hardest parts, all but one of mine stayed in. I was so nervous of dropping one into the cylinder!

[Arno]

 

Anyway, ECU mounted:

 

 

 

 

 

Just disregard this if you already did it, but...

 

AFAIK the Z22SE ECU grounds through it's casing and not through the loom, so you need to put a ground wire on one of the bolts and connect it either to the engine block or the main ground point on the chassis.

 

Bye, Arno.

 

 

[fezzasus]

there should be a black ground wire in the loom where the two ECU plugs split.

[Steve.i.am]

there should be a black ground wire in the loom where the two ECU plugs split.

 

Yeah ran this upto main ground point on the side of the head.

 

AFAIK the Z22SE ECU grounds through it's casing and not through the loom, so you need to put a ground wire on one of the bolts and connect it either to the engine block or the main ground point on the chassis.

 

 

I did wonder this, but thought it just earthed through the wire mentioned above.

[fezzasus]

You'll need to either run another wire between the ECU and head, or take the one you ran to the head off and connect to the ECU. Remember that wire was used to earth the ECU on the plastic manifold in its original position.

[fezzasus]

Ps. Love the 'urgh I got epoxy on my hands' smear marks left on the chassis from the bonding in the factory, these cars really are hand built!

[Steve.i.am]

You'll need to either run another wire between the ECU and head, or take the one you ran to the head off and connect to the ECU. Remember that wire was used to earth the ECU on the plastic manifold in its original position.

 

Ah I see. Doh. Thanks for the spot fellas.

 

PS: PRECAT - YOU UTTER UTTER F********R. Another hour of chiselling, levering with pry bars, hammering and still wont budge. Its the only bit stopping me starting the thing up.

 

[smiley]

Checks for splits on both side of the vacuum valve, and cut off split sections.

At some point you may need to brake with all that powah.

 

 

 

 

[Steve.i.am]

Checks for splits on both side of the vacuum valve, and cut off split sections.

At some point you may need to brake with all that powah.

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah I saw this as well and did exactly that - plus put clips on as well - Good spot - keep 'em coming.

 

 

I'm never doing that again.

[Steve.i.am]

Apart from pre cat shenanigans, got the chargecooler pump installed, plumbed in, wired up. Also header tank. The pump I bought was a bloomin great thing (although I know others use it) and dillied and dallied about for a while trying to make up my mind where to put it. Only real place was on the bulkhead but really didn't want to bolt it on there because of the noise transmission into the car.

 

I'd previously taken off the original airbox bracket, but decided it might be my best bet for locating the pump. So there it went. The pump is held fairly well in place just via the hoses, but cable tied it to the bracket with an almost comical number of layers of foam rubber.

 

 

How well this works is anyones guess - I'm just waiting for someone to tell me the pump must be upright or something. Wiring getting untidy in there - will do something with that.

 

Header tank and pump relay..

 

 

Is the relay actually accessible from the bonnet opening in that location?

 

Tomorrow - exhaust on, coolant in, battery connected and see if it actually runs.

[Steve.i.am]

Engine runs 

 

However, when you open the throttle it hesitates before picking up. When it was cold it was much worse and almost stalled. As it warmed up it got much better but its still there. If you open the throttle slowly it is ok, but sudden blip of the throttle there's a hesitation, almost a splutter if you like then it picks up.

 

Any thoughts? I'll try & post up a vid.