It's been over a year since my last post! Work on the car is progressing albeit a little slowly. I've been distracted by any number of things including a side project at work, moving to Los Angeles and getting engaged. Also, just as I got settled in my new garage I'm moving spaces again. This time to a nice large garage which should make working on the car a lot more pleasant.
The harness slots in the kit's seats were not in the correct places for me. The shoulder slots sat too low so the harnesses were being redirected by the seat's slot. Not good! Also, the sub hole was too far back. I ordered some Sparco guides from OGRacing and installed them.
I moved the vehicle speed sensor from the engine, where is used to pickup something from the transmission which is now gone, to underneath the nose of the diff, where it now picks up the counterweight. I also got the Speedohealer hooked up to make sure the pickup is legit. I have to say the Speedohealer is a great product and simply "just works". The user interface is simple and informative which makes it very easy to setup.
I made an oil dipstick to go in the hole where the speed sensor used to be:
I spent a bunch of time deciding between PowerCommander, aftermarket ECU or re-programming stock ECU. I decided to stick with the stock ECU. There has been a lot of work done to crack the ZX12 ECU. Between a couple items I had to buy and a couple freeware items I was able to download, modify and upload maps to the stock ECU. Right now the only thing I changed was the rev limiter. Next time I run the engine I'll verify I successfully changed the rev limit.
The big fabrication job that I'm in the middle of is the exhaust header. I had Burns stainless run the math on the tube lengths and diameters. It's a dual-stepped header with equal lengths for each diameter for each primary. Designing it was a bear! Lots of time 3D modelling to make it work.
Right now I'm trying to hunt down a TIG welder to borrow. I tacked it up with the MIG. Either I'm not good enough (most likely) or there is simply not enough control (or some combination) with the MIG to get exactly the right amount of penetration and low weld height. Too much and the interior of the tubes won't be smooth which is the last thing I want.
Anyone in the LA area willing to let me spend an afternoon in their garage welding my header?