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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: October 8, 2009, 7:48 am 
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BBlue wrote:
I have not done it, but everything I have read says it will work.

Bill


OK, I'll pick up the combo in a week or two and advise the forum.
Many Thanks again
Pete

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Book Chassis, 2.3 Duratec/Miata 6 speed Trans


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PostPosted: January 30, 2010, 9:51 pm 
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Location: Connersville, Indiana
Pete, were you able to determine if the combo will work?

In the meantime, I have taken the starter modification about as far as I can. Any further and inserting the rather long mounting bolts become an issue. Here are some photos of the "action".
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This is the nose of the starter, fresh from the welder. A half inch thick piece of aluminum has been welded onto opposite sides of the mounting flange. This is the second attempt to crank the starter around so the solenoid is out of the way.

Here the nose is clamped in the mill. The slug of steel sticking out of the pinion bearing is used as a reference point for centering the mounting holes and milling the mounting surface to the proper depth.
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The nose after milling but before the mounting holes were drilled.
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The starter mounted on the engine.
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Starter and engine mounted in the Alpine.
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The problem is the black thing to the right of the starter. It is the steering and swings waaaay to the right and left. There is opportunity for it to hit the solenoid when turn hard right or left. Clearance now is about 1/8" min, either way.

We gave the starter a trial run. Two short hits, engaged properly each time and sounded good as it turned the engine, maybe a total of two revs!
Bill


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PostPosted: April 29, 2010, 6:49 am 
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Location: Connersville, Indiana
Finally have the engine installed and on the road with a rough tune. The starter is fine and the intake does not seem to have any fatal flaws, although I'm sure it could be better.

The car flies! The low end torque is impressive. At the moment, I have no idea what it is like on top end and way it pulls, I may never know. Second gear starts are fairly easy and it will rev to 60 in second, which, to me, is pretty good flexibility. One of the first things learned is the junkyard M5R1 has no 2nd gear synchro, which is a shame. But that is going to have to wait until winter. I'm sorry I knocked the shifting of the M5. With the shifter adaptor, shifts are very untruck like with very good feel. My only complaint is the reverse/5th spring is pretty strong. Keep in mind this is a different (later version) of the trans that was behind the Pinto, so I do not know if the difference is due to the transmission, shifter, or both.

This is a 2500 pound car with 3.55:1 rear as the car was "designed" to be a highway cruiser. I cannot imagine this engine in a 1250 pound car with a 4.11 rear. You guys that putting a 2.3 in a Locost are going to be happy campers. Should be able to post pictures of the engine installed in a few days. The last few days been hectic, getting the car roadworthy as we're leaving in a couple of hours to attend the Sunbeam Alpine Invasion in North Carolina. And yes, we're driving the DuraPine.

Bill


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PostPosted: April 29, 2010, 8:20 am 
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Nice work Bill!


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PostPosted: May 6, 2010, 10:36 am 
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Some photos of the engine installed in the Sunbeam.
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Still in the "tuning" stage. Have had all sorts of issues, including, I'm beginning to think, some off spec gasoline.

Bill


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PostPosted: May 6, 2010, 11:29 pm 
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Always Moore!
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Wow that looks great. Very nice.

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PostPosted: May 7, 2010, 8:19 am 
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Location: Darboy, WI
So...how does it drive? :D


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PostPosted: May 7, 2010, 10:01 am 
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RossD wrote:
So...how does it drive? :D

Its too early to tell. Right now, it pulls good in mid range, lean at low rpm and runs out of breath (or seems to) at high rpm. But the tune is still very crude. I have not touched the timing. We have had issues getting the proper response to fueling changes. I make massive changes in the program and see little result in the O2 readings. Plus, after getting it leaned out a little, barely in the stoic range, I put it on closed loop and it went rich! At least according to the O2 sensor. So I have to do a little trouble shooting. Right now, I just do not have the time. I put everything on hold in order to get it ready for a 450 mile trip to a Sunbeam meet. My wife REALLY wanted to take it. As a result, I have stuff backed up like you would not believe and the weeds are taking over.

Bill


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PostPosted: May 9, 2010, 9:29 pm 
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At this point, I can say the engine can produce some serious power. There is a hill that I use for test runs. I pull out of a side road (slightly upgrade) onto the highway and nail the throttle. In my wife's car, a 5 speed ZX2 (Zetec), using low gear start, I can achieve 60 mph by the time I reach the crest of the hill. In the DuraPine, using a second gear start (2nd gear synchro is history) I was doing 70. The comparison is interesting. I figure the two cars are very close in weight. The ZX2 is geared 10% lower than the DuraPine and revs much more freely. The Duratech seems to run out of breath in the upper ranges. I have to shift into 4th at about 60 when I make that run. The ZX2 finishes the run in 3rd while still pulling nicely. The Duratec puts down a nice "patch" on the shift into 3rd gear.

This is with a very crude tune. I am having the Devil's own time getting the basic fuel delivery. When the 'puter says the tune is close to stoic, but still on the rich side, it misses. This run was made with the tune just rich enough to stop the miss. So there is probably more to come, maybe it will be on the top end.

Oh yes, the Duratec is a thumper. Especially at lower engine speeds, probably in the teens. It smooths out considerably in the midrange. Don't know the rpm's, the tach is not operational and I cannot see the computer screen. That is also the reason I have no idea when it seems to run out of revs. My copilot was watching the speedo and not the computer output.

Bill


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PostPosted: May 10, 2010, 2:39 pm 
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Just got off the phone with the developer of the ECM. He says I am running out of injector. His calculations say that is happening at 4700 rpm with about 163 hp. I guess the next step is a 50 psi regulator and 175 hp.

Bill


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PostPosted: May 10, 2010, 8:39 pm 
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what size injectors are you running? if your not sure post the part number and i can find their rated size.

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PostPosted: May 10, 2010, 9:36 pm 
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They are the 27 pound stock units. They are rated at 53 psi, I'm running 40 psi. Do you know of a 50-60 pound system that uses barnyard engineering friendly construction? By that, I mean hose barbs or equivalent simplicity in the regulator hook ups.

Bill


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PostPosted: May 11, 2010, 7:03 am 
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BBlue wrote:
Just got off the phone with the developer of the ECM. He says I am running out of injector. His calculations say that is happening at 4700 rpm with about 163 hp. I guess the next step is a 50 psi regulator and 175 hp.

Bill

Are you sure larger injectors and a new pump (if needed) wouldn't be a better idea? I'm always leery of running injectors right at the ragged edge. Upgrading the injectors & pump would also allow future power upgrades to be handled with just re-tuning. If you do decide to upgrade the injectors & pump it would probably be worth finding out your fuel rail's maximum capacity as well so you know when that has the potential to become a limitation.

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PostPosted: May 11, 2010, 7:38 am 
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I'm sure of nothing.

I had 35 pound injectors in it, put the stockers back in at the suggestion of my EFI guru. It does run better on them, especially noticeable at idle. From what I can tell, the 27 pound injectors should be good for nearly 200 hp. I don't think I'll be exceeding that as the Duratec requires mods to go there and I'd probably loose some bottom end. Besides, this is going to be a cruiser. Right now the main reason for larger injectors is to add some R's and maybe some bragging rights.

Bill


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PostPosted: May 11, 2010, 11:11 am 
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oops, somehow i managed to get this in the wrong topic... :mrgreen:

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Last edited by oldejack on May 11, 2010, 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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