Orion's SP20 worklog [Archive]

Orion

07-12-2009, 11:25 AM

Exhaust:
Autoexe header 4-2-1 design (HPC coated)
CES 2.5" cat and 60mm mid-pipe
Racing Beat 60mm catback system

Engine:
AWR 70-duro mounts
AWR drivers-side engine mount inserts
Twiggy-spec custom cams
RR Racing Under-Drive Pulley
Remote oil filter re-location
Optima Red-top in-boot relocation
Mazdaspeed 1.3bar radiator cap
Power steering cooler
WeaponR coolant overflow tank

Engine Management
Microtech LT-10X
Bosch 715 coil packs
J&S Safeguard knock control unit
Wide-band LS-01 AFR sensor

Gearbox:
Mazdaspeed LSD
Fidanza Lightweight flywheel
626 5th gear swap

Intake:
Custom intake with 3-inch filter
- retains stock MAF
- two IAT sensors
- HPC coated
Chassis opening for cold air
Throttle-body coolant bypass

Rims/Tyres/Suspension:
MX-5 17"x7" 10-spoke rims
Kuhmo Excta KU31's 215/R17/40
Tokico Illumina 5-way adjustable shocks
Eibach Pro-kit front and rear springs
AutoExe 3-point front strut brace with Master Cylinder stopper
Progress 21.5mm rear swaybar
AWR adjustable rear endlinks

Exterior:
Mazdaspeed 2003.5 front lip
Mazdaspeed 2003.5 spoiler
Black side strip delete mod
Black painted headlights
Smoked side indicators
EDM tail lights
AeroGrid wipers New!

In-Car Entertainment:
JVC AVX-77 single DIN touchscreen
- Bluetooth mic
- Steering wheel remote

Interior:
Autometer gauges:
- oil temperature
- oil pressure
- transmission temperature
- exhaust gas temperature (EGT)
- fuel pressure
ScanGaugeII OBD-II monitor
Mazdaspeed pedal set
DaveB brushed gauge rings
B&M short-shifter
Black leather (silver stitching) shifter/handbrake boots

Accessories:
Cruise control
Variable intermittant wiper upgrade
Mazda Hi-Spec alarm
Stebel Nautilis horn (139 dB)
Mazdaspeed oil cap
Power distribution fuse block

Orion

07-12-2009, 11:26 AM

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm43/marcs_sp20/skid%20nov%2009/IMG_0462.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm43/marcs_sp20/skid%20nov%2009/IMG_0600.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8449/dsc04154.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5096/5509416648_162b4e5a7a_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5509421998_9b0747250c_b.jpg

Orion

07-12-2009, 11:27 AM

Hey everyone,

Seeing as my car has only just been recently named, I thought it was high time that I started up a build thread to keep up-to-date with the work being done. Without further adieu I present ‘Hugo’ who is my 2003 Mazda Protégé SP20. Hugo was purchased back in 2004 off a couple from Victoria who had been given a work car. I was actually looking at Starry Blue sedans but in I just couldn’t resist buying Hugo after I first jumped in for a test drive.

I have been slowly adding mods here and there starting off with suspension and then ending up with custom cams and a Microtech ecu. I was thinking about going turbo recently but decided not to due to the cost and the reduced reliability. Besides, putting turbos on these cars has been done forever in a day and I want to try and do things differently.

I realise that this could have been the very first post, but I thought that it would be more appropriate to have the mods list up-front to be kept up to date as things progress, followed by a pics post. I will keep the post after this as a “current projects / uninstalled parts” list so that you can see the future plans for the car. On the fifth post I will keep references to significant posts in worklog to try and make it easier for people to find information or a discussion.

Other than that constructive feedback / comments / suggestions are welcome – although please avoid posting one-liners such as “nice ride” (a PM would be appropriate for those). If you would like to comment how about adding a bit more detail or perhaps make a suggestion as well.

Cheers,
Darryl.

Orion

07-12-2009, 11:27 AM

Projects to come:
JDM power folding mirrors Just need to connect the passenger side!
Matt V retro-fit projector headlights Installing soon! Hopefully
Vibrant Vacuum block Installed but not hooked up
AutoExe grill with stock insert Halfway done
PWM fan controller Cooling system - Stage 2!

Orion

07-12-2009, 11:28 AM

So over the last month or so I have picked up some goodies which will be the start of a high-compression engine build. This will be a very long process as there are a couple of other projects that I need to finish up first before I get stuck into it. However, I have got the major components and I can slowly accumulate the other parts I need over the long-term.

Update (07/05/2012): The block is now ready! It was stripped down and then sent to a local shop where it was hot-tanked, bored 20thou (0.5mm) and honed. I will now start accumulating the rebuild parts starting with the main bearings and bolts. I will also look to get the oil pump ready to go out soon. In other positive news, I had some wins with getting the fuel rail prepared :)

Things that are done:
- FS-ZE manifold Ready!
- Strip down block Done!
- Block hot-tanked, bored and honed Done!

Parts I have to date:
- Spare block (has a/c compressor, alternator) In my possession
- FS-ZE intake manifold In my possession
- High comp piston/rod package In my possession
- Adjustable cam gears In my possession

Things to get:
- full rebuild kit (gaskets, seals, bolts etc)
- a/c compressor bracket
- power steering pump
- FS-DE(ZE) intake manifold brace
- Doc B oil system Oil pump cleaned and ready for shipping

Mini projects:
- Weld AN-10 bung into the main bearing support plate
- Preparing MAM fuel rail Ongoing
- Put baffles into the oil pan

chicaboo

07-12-2009, 08:49 PM

Hudo? Hugo is evil, and cannot be trusted! Hudon't! :p

Orion

07-12-2009, 10:06 PM

Hudo? Hugo is evil, and cannot be trusted! Hudon't! :p

Hugo is not evil!! :p

The other thing with Hugo, is that it seems all the cheap personalised number plates are taken. I will have to keep looking at at various combinations and see what is still available.

Any opinions (from anyone) as to what colour combinations would work with the car? I was thinking a dark blue plate and silver writing. Would that be too much? Should I go with some other colours to break things up a bit?

marcs_sp20

07-12-2009, 10:17 PM

Orion

07-12-2009, 11:45 PM

Hey Darryl, are you looking for something SP20 related, if so I know the plate for you ;) Also dark or royal blue with silver lettering would be good on our colour cars, I honestly cant remember what my colour is :o

Also one question, I noticed at the skidpan day that you were running slotted rear rotors, but the fronts were not? Any reason for this?

Marc, I think that yours are 'royal blue', but Im sure there is a 'dark blue' or 'dark purple' or something. Thats what I would get with silver letters/numbers. I might consider something SP20 related, send me a PM so no-one else gets it ;)

I would actually like to take the SP20 badges off the car and put some of these on the front grill and rear boot (but in silver or polished):
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af31/xJAZx63/1026091138a.jpg
I would keep the rear 'Mazda' emblem as it is - silver/polished.

As for the rears being slotted. At my last service I was told that the rear pads were about done and would need replacing within 4,000 kms. So I ordered new pads and discs for the rear, and also a set of braided brake lines all around. I knew the rears were going to be a pain to change so I bundled the lot up and had it all done at a shop.

Turns out that the rear pads had a lot more life left in them than I was lead to believe :rolleyes: But at least now, I can get the front rotors/pads early next year (before the next Skidpan Day) and put them in myself as most of the hard/tricky jobs have been done.

marcs_sp20

08-12-2009, 12:03 AM

PM sent re plate combo ;)

Im actually thinking about going about and bleaching my badges I have here, ridding them of all the chrome, and painting them dark grey, could seem to go well with the dark blue, black would be a little hard to see... this is what I am talking about (http://www.ozmazdaclub.com/forums/3-323-modifications-technical-performance/2341-diy-painting-badges.html#post19189)

Rear pads arent as bad as what everyone says, thats unless you cant find the hidden allen key bolt! :p

Mad Mat

08-12-2009, 01:39 PM

nice read up mate. i love the list of mods u have got :D can i borrow some hee hee :P

na whats a EGT gauge, & a Scangauge II unit?????

Orion

08-12-2009, 02:03 PM

nice read up mate. i love the list of mods u have got :D can i borrow some hee hee :P

na whats a EGT gauge, & a Scangauge II unit?????

Thanks for the kind words :). As for the mods - NO!! They are all mine!! Bwahaha :D

The only thing that mod that I would consider going back to are the Espilier springs that I used to have on the car. Unfortunately sold them off about a year ago when I got the Eibachs. Best performance spring out there.

Good things:
- even drop, so maintains the balance of the car
- firm spring rates, which meant that the car would turn beautifully into corners

Bad things:
- linear spring rates, which meant driving around on rough Brissie roads gave you a decent massage
- the even drop meant that the car kept its a$$-high look which was none too flattering

E.G.T. gauge - exhaust gas temperature gauge. I am currently an O2 sensor bung drilled and tapped to put the EGT sensor into the bung at the front of my headers.

Scangauge - a small dashunit that displays data from the stock ecu and sensors, and does other funky stuff like calculate fuel usage rates and trip range etc. See here www.scangauge.com.au/ I want to get one of these moulded into my radio surround but need to find someone who works in interior plastics to help me.

Mad Mat

08-12-2009, 02:35 PM

wicked as. :D i'll pm u on the egt. i have some questions about that

Orion

17-12-2009, 09:34 AM

Well, I FINALLY picked up my drivers-side AWR mount this morning. It only took 4 months and several attempts at posting it from ProtegeGarage in the States.

Well, you were right Gav. I ended up getting a factory second. 80% of the welds lookd good but there are definitely more than a few that were rushed jobs. The bracket that connects to the engine is a slightly different shade than the main unit, and some of the powdercoating on the main unit is cracked.

Im not going to send it back - I might not see a new one until 2011 :(. I will be sending a rather curt email to Ken at PG and Tony at AWR when I get into work this morning. Simply bad customer service all around. On the other hand, Im looking forward to installing it in the next couple of days and seeing/feeling what the results are.

chicaboo

17-12-2009, 09:47 AM

Yeah, they might not respond to it well, but then again your a good customer and have certainly spent enough $$$ on them by now. So I say, make your objection known to them, and they might even impress you with their response? Point out the fact you waited many months, and then what they delivered is an embarresment to the usual quality of their work, and by no means the usual show piece they sell...

Gav.

marcs_sp20

17-12-2009, 01:36 PM

That seriously sucks :( I hope you got a discount, did you know you were getting a factory second?

I just hope when I order the kit from Tony next year that they arrive within reasonable time and are what they are pictured as...

Also in regards to the convo we had last night, when you upgrade headlights, I may just snap them off you ;)

Orion

20-12-2009, 09:36 PM

Engine mount problems aside, I did manage a bit of progress tonight. After one failed attempt to thread my transmission temp sensor into the bung, I gave it another go with the help of my bro. Look below:
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/3145/dsc04050n.jpg

The one on the right is the first (err, unsuccessful) attempt - the disc on top of the sensor head is a washer. We originally thought that the we would need to create a seal at the top, but it turns out that the thread is tapered (slightly smaller at the bottom) and will seal up on its own. What happened was that it was so hard to screw the sensor in that we did realise how close we were to the bottom of the thread. So when the head of the sensor hit the washer, we didnt feel it bite and as we turn a bit more we ended up shearing off the top of the sensor :rolleyes:

The one on the left is the good one - I was keen for one more half turn, but my bro was a bit more gun-shy after the first try. We can always tighten it up a bit more if it does leak a bit (not likely). Just have to change the transmission fluid now so that I can swap the bungs out and then I just will have to connect the sensor and all done. Easy peasy. Got some Royal Purple sitting in the garage, so will give that a try this time around. Then just have to get my DIN triple gauge holder sorted :p

Orion

08-01-2010, 01:51 AM

So on New Years Day, I finally got around to changing the gearbox oil. I jacked the car up and put pan under the transmission. I put the spanner on the drain plug and give a mighty heave, and the bolt loosens immediately. So as the old transmission fluid is draining I went to work on the fill plug - whole different story. We now suspect that the transmission shop used an air tool (i.e. rattle gun) to put it on as it was a b!tch to get off with the breaker bar. It came off eventually and we saw that it had been put on so tight that the washer had basically fused to the plug. See below:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/5643/dsc04066qf.jpg

Lucky I was installing a new plug with the sensor in it and could use the stock drain plug to replace the fill plug. The old gearbox oil had some metal filiings in it and Im hoping that a change or oil will help to prevent that and make shifting a bit smoother:
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/3951/gearboxchange2.jpg

Hopefully the Royal Purple will prove to be a better gearbox oil and there wont be as much metal filings when it next gets changed. Finally, here is a pic of the sensor sticking out of the gearbox, just to one side of the main support bar that the front and rear engine mounts are attached to. Sorry about the pic quality as it was late when I took it.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/4208/dsc04069r.jpg

Now I just have to monitor the sensor for a bit and make sure that no gear oil is slowly leaking out.

Orion

11-01-2010, 01:05 AM

Well after a relatively unproductive year on the car last year, this year has started with a flurry. A couple of projects that have been sitting in the background are finally coming to fruition.

So I have had my Autoexe strut brace since the middle of last year and never got around to installing it. I had a few concerns as bits of the a/c system and other random things are connected to the brackets that join the stock SP20 strut brace. Well, I finally got some little things made and ready and then tackled the brace a few hours ago.

Let me tell you it was a pain. Where the brace connects to the firewall, there are a/c lines, electrical wires, vac lines and then there is the intake manifold right there too. There was a lot of swearing with this install and small spider fingers were definitely useful. There is still a few things to tidy up but all-in-all the major part is done. Here are some pics:

Old brace off and new brace ready to go:
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/9143/dsc04071u.jpg

New brace installed:
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1052/dsc04079.jpg

A handy inclusion - brake booster stopper:
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/4195/dsc04073.jpg

I took the car for a quick spin around Mt Cootha after the install. I can't say that I was blown away by the improvement in the handling. It was better, more direct, but the car was already setup quite well to begin with. The major difference I felt was in the braking - much more initial bite and seemed to stop a lot better. When I get new front pads and rotors it should be pretty damn good :)

Things left to do for the install are:
- get two 14mm nuts without flanges as two just wouldn't fit inside the raised edges
- add the remaining two bolts to the firewall connection point
- tighten up the brake booster stopper a bit more
- tidy up the a/c lines, electrical bits and vac lines

After all that, I sure that the engine bay could use a good clean. Come to think of it, the whole car needs a really good clean. Oh, well for another day .....

marcs_sp20

11-01-2010, 01:16 AM

Now to find another so I can have a matching one like my rear! I knew I should have kept it for myself :p

bradsp20

12-01-2010, 08:00 AM

Orion...
Nice ride you have there...
big fan of the black / smoke headlights

Ice88

12-01-2010, 02:30 PM

I find it interesting that with all the other stuff done to the car you have stock intake. Theres certainly nothing wrong with it, just interesting or curious you could say. *shrugs*

marcs_sp20

12-01-2010, 02:37 PM

Orion's got an K&N CAI going on soonish Kris :D

Orion

12-01-2010, 03:01 PM

I find it interesting that with all the other stuff done to the car you have stock intake. Theres certainly nothing wrong with it, just interesting or curious you could say. *shrugs*

Orion's got an K&N CAI going on soonish Kris :D

Yup, I have a K&N Typhoon intake sitting ready to go.

The major thing stopping me putting that on is the fact that it will need to go on at the same time as the 626 intake manifold that I also have sitting around. I want to put them on at the same time, because the Microtech will need to be re-tuned - might as well combine the two and pay for only one tune ;)

Although, with access to a few more tools and a workshop now (as well as getting some other projects out of the way) I reckon that I will start work on the manifold quite soon. Basically, I will taking off as much of the casting marks as possible and having it powdercoated grey. Also, will be adding a shiney new fuel rail (not expecting any performance benefits - just for looks) and give the injectors a service.

I'm hoping that have all that done by the next Skidpan Day at the end of April :D

Ice88

12-01-2010, 08:15 PM

Nice work :D

Yeah figured that if you used the new mani youd get a intake seeing as you didnt have one. Are you going to use 646 TB as well?

chicaboo

12-01-2010, 08:33 PM

Use a big-bore TB [65-70mm ID] from a Nissan SR/RB motor with the same bolt centres.

Gav.

Orion

13-01-2010, 01:16 PM

Nice work :D

Yeah figured that if you used the new mani youd get a intake seeing as you didnt have one. Are you going to use 646 TB as well?

Use a big-bore TB [65-70mm ID] from a Nissan SR/RB motor with the same bolt centres.

Gav.

No, not going to use the 626 TB as you need to push the throttle in about 20% before it will open up the TB valve. The SP20 TB has a bit more finer control with small throttle inputs.

What I am going to do is give the EGR and idle control valve a good clean and service before everything goes back together. I also want to gut the MAF that came with the K&N intake to reduce restriction while still looking stock ;).

Also, I think getting the intake manifold ported slightly (or at least port-matched to the gasket) would be easier done before it goes on the car.

Finally, I have a vacuum block that I need to find a mounting spot for and then tee a hose off the brake booster as the vac source. I also need to figure out how many things need a vac source and what size hose they are in order to get the correct adaptors and new vac hose.

So, not much to do :p

chicaboo

13-01-2010, 01:18 PM

So, not much to do :p
Have you seen my Laser? :eek: :p

Ice88

13-01-2010, 01:39 PM

Is the SR throttle body already on the car?

EDIT: Guess that strut brace is gonna have to come off again :p

Orion

13-01-2010, 02:25 PM

Use a big-bore TB [65-70mm ID] from a Nissan SR/RB motor with the same bolt centres.

Gav.

Is the SR throttle body already on the car?

EDIT: Guess that strut brace is gonna have to come off again :p

Gav was merely making a suggestion as to a larger bore throttlebody that shared the same bolt pattern. As there would be a bit of work in getting things like throttle cable and idle control sorted, Im not going to go down this path. I think that brings an end to the throttle body discussion for the time being but thanks for the suggestions/thoughts.

Yes, the strut brace will have to come off when the new intake manifold and intake piping goes on. The strut brace was a pain to get it in the way it is now - still a couple of bolt, nut and a/c line issues to work through. But once I have figured those out then getting it on and off next time will be easier ;). And as everything will be done in one hit, then I only have to take it off and put it back on again one time :D

Orion

13-01-2010, 06:52 PM

Sorry didnt mean to derail your thread. :)

No worries Chris :)
If I look to change the throttle body in the future, I will open up the thread to discuss it then.
Right now, the major push is to get the intake and manifold prepped and ready :cool:

Orion

07-02-2010, 10:58 PM

Well, there was progress today :D

After several months of fart-arsing around I finally got things moving on the gauges. I finished up with the speaker-wire connections that will provide power, ground and illumination. They are now bolted-in solidly in behind the dash and all that remains is to connect all the wires to their sources and it is ready.

Next was the DIN slot, triple gauge holder. After examining a couple of options I stuck to my original plan of using an Evo 8 triple gauge dash piece. I had to trim a bit of the dash behind the centre console facia but with a bit of foam lining, you won't be able to tell from the outside. I still want to adjust the gauge holder a little more to the left and lower the right side down a bit to get it sitting more flush.

After that, (to finish all of this off) I need to install the gauges, connect up all the gauge wiring and get the sensors connected. Getting the sensors connected will require a larger/cleaner grommet in the firewall. I will try to get some pics up in the next couple of days.

Good to get some progress but still some things to do! :rolleyes:

Oh, and I got word that my last engine will start its journey across the Pacific next week :)

marcs_sp20

07-02-2010, 11:08 PM

Orion

08-02-2010, 01:42 AM

So what gauges are you putting in? I wouldnt mind adding some to mine, but really is no point in putting them in the centre console piece due to the DVD player, only option is in the dash gauge plastic surround ;)

Current gauges are oil temperature and pressure.
The three gauges I am about to put in are transmission temperature, exhaust gas temperature (EGT), and fuel pressure.

Yeah, when I was picking out my headunit, having the DIN triple gauge holder was a major consideration. Thankfully everything fits in.

There are a couple of people in the States that are going to start producing the dash gauge console with one or two 52mm gauge holders. Not sure if you have seen the threads, but I can post them in your build thread I you like. I wont be putting in any more round gauges after these three go in, so I dont need those cluster surround gauge holders.

Woot! :D:D

I second that. Can't wait to get it in. :)

Orion

19-02-2010, 03:04 PM

So, my triple gauge DIN install is complete! Yay! :D

Firstly I had to finish off the wiring behind the dash, which was a bit of challenge but has turn out better than expected. Actually putting in the gauges is going to be a piece of cake when I get to it.

And whle I was in the guts of the centre console I found that my head-unit was slowly falling down, so I quickly whipped up a small bracket and the headunit is much more secure :)

This was taken quite a bit of time to get finisheed due to several options being investigated, a change of address, and general lack of time. I tried the standard Autogauge triple gauge holder but it didn't fit all that well and I found that it heated up very quickly in a hot car. So I went with my original thought which was to use a holder designed for an Evo 8, see picture below:
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/3636/72ac2cd1b20fb9cb.jpg

I trimmed the dash behind the radio console surround a bit in order to get things fitting a bit more snuggly. The gauge holder itself is simply bolted into the dash (behind the console surround where you cant see it) in the top-left and bottom-right corners. I have also put in a few bits of foam just to give it a nice trim and cover up some of the holes that were the result of the headunit install.

The end result is fantastic! :D It is very solid and I am very confident that there will be no vibrations and very little maintenance required. At the moment I only have one gauge in at the moment because I have to move onto putting in the sensors for them :P but that should be the easy part :rolleyes:

Anyway, here are some pics! Enjoy!
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/8409/dsc04082.jpg
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9998/dsc04080o.jpg
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/9259/dsc04089w.jpg
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4986/dsc04087t.jpg

02-KQ-LASR

20-02-2010, 09:51 PM

that looks cool!
nice work!! i like how the guages are white too and match the stock guages.

Orion

22-02-2010, 12:17 AM

that looks cool!
nice work!! i like how the guages are white too and match the stock guages.

Yeah I wanted Autometer and then I electric gauges, so I ended up with the Ultra-Lite II series gauges which do match the stock gauges quite well during the day. They are quite different at night with yellow lettering on a black background - but I still like them. :D

Orion

22-02-2010, 12:46 AM

Well, 6 months after I ordered it, my last AWR engine mount finally arrived on Friday. I don't really want to go over the story behind that in this thread but it was due to some bad timing and some other factors.

So, today I had a spare couple of hours in the morning and in it finally went. It was a bit of pain because of the alarm bracket got in the way and then I wasn't quite sure what to do with the ground from the alternator, but I got there in the end.

I have stolen Marc's picture because it looks exactly the same as his and I can't be bothered taking my own photo at this stage. Here it is - thanks Marc ;)
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm43/marcs_sp20/SP20%20pics/IMG_1554.jpg

Impressions of the effect of the mount are generally good. Power goes down to the road much better and there is almost no wheel hop anymore. The engine feels more solidly connected to the chasis. Also, shifting through the gears has tightened up and its much more direct. I can really get through the gears quickly (almost to the point of flat-shifting).

The bad is that vibration in the cabin has increase a fair bit :(. Previously with the stock driver's side mount (and the associated Coke can modification :rolleyes:) the vibrations weren't too bad - noticeable but not too bad. Now there is a definite vibration in the cabin and several new rattles have developed. Hopefully this will settle down over the next couple of weeks but even if it doesn't, its not like I going to take it off :rolleyes:

Anyway, I'm glad that I now have a complete set of AWR 70 Duro mounts in the car. On to other projects now :D

Mad Mat

22-02-2010, 09:14 AM

dude lookin good :)

where'd u get the gauge holder from?????? looks very very neat. :D

Orion

22-02-2010, 11:17 AM

dude lookin good :)

where'd u get the gauge holder from?????? looks very very neat. :D

It's actually something that Autometer make for the Mitsubishi Evo 8/9. I have added a photo in my previous post.

Just some modification of the dash, bolt in the Autometer piece, and then some black foam as trimming to make it look nice.

Orion

03-03-2010, 11:59 AM

:D Done!!! :D
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8449/dsc04154.jpg

-dc-

03-03-2010, 12:36 PM

the gauge holder looks nice and neat, I like how it is fitted into the factory dash without too much customisation. Reminds me abit of a jet's cockpit with all the gauges. Good job

Ice88

03-03-2010, 12:48 PM

Looks quite sexi :) Day time photo showing would be sweet.

EDIT: Rephrased

marcs_sp20

03-03-2010, 01:23 PM

I think someone has a fascination with the colour red and gauges! :p

Looks good man, cant wait to see it in the flesh ;)

Orion

03-03-2010, 01:35 PM

the gauge holder looks nice and neat, I like how it is fitted into the factory dash without too much customisation. Reminds me abit of a jet's cockpit with all the gauges. Good job

It is quite a simple design. Although there was a lot of complicated thought that went into achieving that :rolleyes:

Day time photo pls :P

Will do, but on the weekend. I work during the day and have only been able to finalise this over the past few nights. Also, I have a safety tip for young players - CHECK YOUR GROUND WIRE before ripping wires and plugs apart ;)

I think someone has a fascination with the colour red and gauges! :p

Looks good man, cant wait to see it in the flesh ;)

Gauges, yes :p I think that they will look better in the daylight because of the silver bezel but I did choose the Ultra-lite II series because they did fit in with the stock dash colours.

Orion

21-04-2010, 10:19 PM

So its time for another update. A bit has happened to the car recently, but I have to start somewhere.

The cold air intake (CAI) is an Injen Typhoon which has a diameter of 60mm and has the pod filter placed in the passenger wheel well.

With the car already running lean due to the exhaust upgrades, it was definitely time to get the Microtech re-tuned as it would be running even more lean due to less intake restriction and cooler air :eek:.

The end result is that throttle response is increased, a little tap and the engine spins up a bit quicker than before. The mid-range feels more solid and the revs climb all the way to the 7,000 limit without feeling like it runs out of puff :).

I'm looking forward to the upcoming Skid Pan Day and putting the bit of extra punch to good use :D. Below are a couple of pics but I'm sure you all know what a CAI looks like :rolleyes:. See it even goes around the battery that isn't there any more :p

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4560/dsc04178px.jpg

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/9138/dsc04180m.jpg

marcs_sp20

21-04-2010, 10:33 PM

Orion

21-04-2010, 11:33 PM

Looks great Darryl, but looks a little weird going round a battery thats not there :p Have you thought about running a 45 degree angle off the IM, and having a straight pipe to where goes under the guard?

Yeah, not much I can do about its position at the moment, but Im happy with how it is performing at the moment so I not in any rush to change it.

I do have some plans to put something that runs more directly to the front passenger guard. I will slowly piece together the parts I need over the next few months are $$$'s are a bit low at the moment.

Cheers :)

RustyKaos

22-04-2010, 08:57 AM

Looking awesome. At least you no longer have that restrictive stock item in there. Would be interesting to see how much Kw it makes now.

bourbon

22-04-2010, 09:57 AM

better to leave it longer daryl...better torque...

Orion

26-04-2010, 10:28 PM

Looking awesome. At least you no longer have that restrictive stock item in there. Would be interesting to see how much Kw it makes now.

I hope that it would be pushing on the 100 wheel kW range now, due to the following:
- less restrictive intake, allowing the power to keep climbing past 6,500 rpm to redline at 7,000 rpm
- the new tune with the intake will help increase the power again as it was running a bit lean before
- the intake will deliver colder, more dense air which is better for POWAH!

better to leave it longer daryl...better torque...

Yeah, it will shorten a little bit but not a great deal. I am slowly collecting the bits I need at the moment and will eventually put it all together.

Orion

27-06-2010, 08:19 PM

I did this little mod a while ago but I must have forgotten to post up about it. Some of you have already seen this (and I know of someone already copying the idea :p) but I figure I would put in the project worklog :rolleyes:.

Here is a modification that I made to the upper steering column in order to fit in a ScanGauge II ODB-II unit. It was quite a simple procedure just cutting the top to a compatible shape (including a notch for the cable) and then squeezing it in with some foam to hold it in place and stop it being scratched.

Enjoy!! :D
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7473/dsc04172a.jpg

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/9461/dsc04176g.jpg

Sorry, I now realise I don't have a current picture of it installed in the car. When I get around to after my holiday I will edit this post put one in here ;)

Orion

27-06-2010, 08:37 PM

And just as a bit of a teaser, I will put up a couple of pics of some goodies I received in the last couple of weeks - a new SP20 bumper and a Mazdaspeed Protege front lip.

The MSP lip was available only for the turbo US-version of the SP20and sits over the front bumper, replacing the foglights. It took about 6 months from go to woah to get the lip here :eek: but it was worth it and I'm looking forward to getting in on the car :D

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/2919/dsc04256ve.jpg

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/6135/dsc04258tc.jpg

Now, I won't be able to put them on too soon but as soon as I get some tax money back I will look to have them painted and fitted.

Brisbane_boy

27-06-2010, 08:50 PM

looks good, Iv always liked the look of the mazdaspeed lip but its a mission in its own to find one no matter somebody who will send it to aus.

Is it brand new that 1 or 2nd hand? (looks new)

chicaboo

27-06-2010, 08:50 PM

Test fit it while it's still black, and see what you think. :)

marcs_sp20

27-06-2010, 08:54 PM

I really want the autoexe now, then there'd be 3 varities of lips for the same bumper in brisbane! :p

As Gav has said, test fit to car NOW!!! :D

Orion

27-06-2010, 09:44 PM

looks good, Iv always liked the look of the mazdaspeed lip but its a mission in its own to find one no matter somebody who will send it to aus.

Is it brand new that 1 or 2nd hand? (looks new)

It is brand new, from a Mazda dealer in the States! :D

It was a mission but its good to know helpful folks ;)

Test fit it while it's still black, and see what you think. :)

As Gav has said, test fit to car NOW!!! :D

The lip is basically only connected to the SP20 bumper and does not connect onto any other parts of the chassis. Therefore, what you see is what you get. In the 5 minutes that I spent lining it up it fitted really well - there are several points that allow the fitment to be adjusted so I'm sure there will not be any major problems ;)

I really want the autoexe now, then there'd be 3 varities of lips for the same bumper in brisbane! :p

That would be sweet! Maybe it might happen in time for the Mazda flag photo shoot later in the year! :D

Orion

15-09-2010, 12:29 AM

Hey guys,

Its been a while since the last update but then again it has been a while since I had some real progress with the car. Anyway, I finally got all the pieces together for my intake and on Sunday I got it in the car.

The details of the system are as follows:
- 3A Racing filter with 3-inch flange
- short 3-inch straight pipe
- 3-inch 45-degree coupler
- 3-inch flange from wheel well to engine bay
- 3-inch to 2.75-inch 90-degree reducer
- 2.75-inch straight pipe with ports for two intake air temp sensors (IAT)
- 2.75-inch straight coupler
- stock MAF (2.75-inch)
- 2.75-inch to 2.375-inch straight reducer
- 2.375-inch straight pipe with vacuum port for crank case ventilation
- 2.375-inch coupler
- stock throttlebody

This is the top of the flange that extends down into the wheel well:
http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/3639/dsc04543b.jpg

And how the intake connects into the same location:
http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/3646/dsc04544.jpg

Here is the intake extending towards the throttlebody:
http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/263/dsc04549o.jpg

And a final photo:
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3457/dsc04551v.jpg

I haven't had a decent chance to drive too much with the new intake but I will write up my impressions in the near future. I'm not expecting any more power during normal driving, but am hoping for better low-rev response and maybe an extra couple of horses up top due to colder intake temps.

Thanks again for looking! :)

Orion

17-10-2010, 03:20 PM

So after have this crappy little 0.7mm bracket half holding up my coolant overflow tank (and half bending / falling over) in my engine bay, I finally got around to buying a new bracket and modding it up as a replacement.

The bracket is a beefy 4mm and nice and sturdy and the galvanised aluminium look goes well with the coolant overflow can. Here is a pic:

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2001/dsc04557e.jpg

NaughtyGT

17-10-2010, 04:59 PM

Lookin' good my man :cool: Similar to the GTX I had. Keep up the good work :)

Orion

17-10-2010, 05:11 PM

So I have a number of accessories running the require power in the car. Some of these are already installed as best they can be by splicing wires and tapping into the stock fuse box.

Two things that are already in the car and definitely need power are the Microtech and the coilpacks. Things that are to be added in the near future that will require power are:
- HID headlight ballasts (x2 obviously)
- an aftermarket horn

So, while I was at battery world a while ago I asked them how I could best supply power to all these items in a simple compact unit. I was sold a power distribution block which has 6 power and 6 ground points. It takes mini-fuses with a maximum of 30 amps each and the whole block can handle up to 100 amps in total.

I had this lying around for a while deciding how best to hook it up and where to mount it. Eventually I put it where the battery used to be, mounting it using two bolts from the original battery tray (that is no longer there) and hooked it using a pre-existing bolt style connector for the battery relocation.

Here are some pics of the finished project:
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5039/dsc04560x.jpg
The power distribution block is in the bottom right of the picture.

Here is what it looks like close up:
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/2521/dsc04561a.jpg

And this is it with the cover on:
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/803/dsc04562t.jpg

I will slowly bring the Microtech and coilpack power sources across over the next few weeks, but it will take a bit of planning as they require relays as they don't run while the car is switched off.

I have completed a couple of other projects but I ran out of time to take piccies and do a write up but keep your eyes peeled as they should appear next weekend.

Cheers :)

marcs_sp20

17-10-2010, 10:03 PM

Orion

18-10-2010, 12:33 AM

Hey Darryl,

Bit confused, when you say your going to run your HID's off this distributor block, do you not realise its all plug and play off the looms for the bulbs? Unless you have devised a plan I cant think of :confused:

Hey Marc,

I might well have it a bit wrong. I was under the impression that with the ballasts, I would have to power them indepenantly and use the headlight connector to switch them on and off.

If the ballasts can be powered directly through the headlight connectors (and used for switching them on/off) then that would be brilliant as it would save a bit of wiring and free up some outputs on the fuse block.

Btw, these are what I am getting :D:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123775878-FS-01-03-Protege-bi-xenon-retrofits-NEW-PERMANENT-LOWER-PRICES

70NYD

18-10-2010, 12:57 AM

Orion

18-10-2010, 09:24 AM

looking good darryl :) your car is amazing man
as for the hids since you have a low and high seperate you dont need the bixenon ballast which requires a constant power (from memory) but the retrofit is cool i mean WOW what a mad one charging 500 for these (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2x-HID-BI-xenon-Bulbs-Headlight-Projector-Lens-H4-6000K-/270636787543?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f0335a757) and a bit of patience haha awesome :D

Ahhh, that might be the difference. The retro-fit does use bi-xenon ballasts so might need the constant power and use the stock headlight plugs for switching the low-beam and high-beam on off. I will see in a few weeks hopefully ;)

Yeah, Matt V has done about 20 retrofits. While it isn't exactly cheap, I feel its one of those things that is better left to someone with those skills. There are some things I want to do myself and other things that I'm happy to leave to the professionals.

Thanks for the comments :)

zappy65

18-10-2010, 04:46 PM

Brisbane_boy

18-10-2010, 07:11 PM

looking good darrel.
is ur coolant overflow bottle just an oil catch can??
I need to replace my stock overflow bottle but thought a catch can might be a bit small. and there isnt realy a way of filling it up??

I like ur intake, simple but smart, i never thought of just using straight hard tubing and just silicon bends.

Orion

18-10-2010, 08:33 PM

Looks good Daryll,

The sensor female to male fitting that you had a few pages earlier is a gas fitting, most taper in to each other for a nice seal.

Love the bracket for the overflow, bout time you finished that :P

Ive got 1 of those distributor blocks in the 180...awesome to hide **** behind the guards...+ splicing wires is messy...

I don't remember any pics or discussion about fittings in earlier posts :confused: The only thing it might be is the gearbox fluid temp sensor fitting in the drain bung.

Yeah, not quite enough room to put it in behind the guards and for just little annoying to open up the guards to hook up new items. I will have a chat to you another time about connectors you are using ;)

looking good darrel.
is ur coolant overflow bottle just an oil catch can??
I need to replace my stock overflow bottle but thought a catch can might be a bit small. and there isnt realy a way of filling it up??

I like ur intake, simple but smart, i never thought of just using straight hard tubing and just silicon bends.

Nope it is an actual coolant overflow can, although I'm not sure if they make that particular style anymore. There are plenty floating around on eBay.

The piping for the intake is stainless steel that have been HPC coated. Yeah, I spent a while nutting out what I wanted to do with the intake and how it would all go together and in the end I am pretty happy. I just need a small bracket to attach the MAF to the gearbox mount (for some extra support) and it will be all done.

Orion

18-10-2010, 09:38 PM

So I have had some little projects floating around for the headunit, and as usual it has taken me ages to sort out how and where I wanted to fit them.

The two things that I have added to the headunit are the microphone for the BlueTooth connection for my mobile phone. I had it placed on the gauge cluster surround with bluetac for a while and it worked well there and was relatively discrete. So I used the mounting peg that was supplied and made it permanent. Here is a pic:

http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/52/dsc04565o.jpg
The missus took this, and she did a pretty good job :). Maybe I will let her take more photos in future ;)

The other thing I bought a while ago and never figured how I was going to get fitted properly was a steering wheel remote control for the headunit. I was thinking about all kinds of brackets and other devices but it all seems too complex and hard. So in the end I just drilled through the plastic plug (opposite to the cruise control). For the other end I have used double-sided tape but I might to velcro and the tape is not holding up too well. Pic below:

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8236/dsc04567j.jpg

Its good to have some progress! :D

Orion

31-10-2010, 11:03 AM

For a while now I have been annoyed at where my cruise control indicator light was positioned - down near the dimmer and foglight switches. I would have to physically turn and lower my eyes (and look around the steering wheel a bit) to see the indicator light and I couldn't see any of the road. Not good even if it is for only a second . I think there is supposed to be a light on the cruise control steering wheel controls but it has never worked :(

I didn't need to extend any wires thankfully. My cruise control unit is a "factory" (dealer option aftermarket) unit that is mounted behind the instrument cluster towards the centre console. The cruise light wire runs down to the switch area under the gauge cluster so it is already long enough to go over the steering wheel shroud.

The only tricky bit is that there is a wire that connects into the dimmer switch for some reason. I wasn't going to remove it ("if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality), so I just worked around it. It is just long enough to go from the module to the switch area and then back to the steering wheel shroud :)

As for mounting the cruise light, I already have a ScanGauge II unit mounted in the steering wheel shroud. The ScanGauge has two RJ-45 ports, one on the back and one on the side. I have the ScanGauge OBD cable plugged in the back, so the RJ-45 port on the side is free. I simply got an RJ-45 plug (no wires), drilled a hole in it and mounted the light in there. I also had to drill a small hole in the steering wheel shroud as well but it was already cut up so I'm not worried ;)

Here are the pics! :D
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5796/dsc04571c.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/9731/dsc04573q.jpg

Rupewrecht

31-10-2010, 05:01 PM

Not bad! Next time, you might consider using one of the unused warning lights in the cluster (like the ice light etc), and running the LED there. Means it's a little more fiddly if you ever remove the cluster, but it looks more integrated then. I did that with my alarm light a while back - now my rear fog light indicator flashes.

marcs_sp20

10-12-2010, 06:48 PM

Hey Darryl,

Get off your butt already and install the Mazdaspeed Lip already, and if you wanna go for that JDP splitter look, I have just the answer! A ChargeSpeed lip off a WRX :D

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SUBARU-WRX-STI-MY06-07-FRONT-LIP-CHARGESPEED-STYLE-PU-/200391910003?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ea849e273#ht_3278wt_916

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a48/JDMGoSpeedRacer/IMG_9894.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a48/JDMGoSpeedRacer/IMG_9904.jpg

DO IT!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Orion

10-12-2010, 11:15 PM

Wow that matches up really well! :D
And its cheaper than getting the JDP lip over from the States.

I have not had any word on the headlights from Matt V, so I might be pressing ahead with the lip install and other things just after Xmas. Will keep people informed.

Not too long now ;)

Orion

20-12-2010, 03:29 PM

So, I have pretty much gotten everything ready for the front-end upgrade I have been planning for a while now. Just a few minor things to sort out but all the difficult stuff is done.

I am planning to do the work in the week after New Years when I have some holiday time. I'm just hoping that the weather will be kind - will keep an eye out on the long-range forecasts.

What I am planning to do:
- remove stock scratched SP20 front bumper and foglights
- make duct holes on the chasis behind the bumper to feed the intake
- remove sick stock horn and install new aftermarket one
- test fit and align new headlights (which I'm hoping will arrive before New Years)
- remove power-steering trombone cooler and replace with new tube-fin cooler
- install new painted SP20 front bumper (minus foglights)
- install Mazdaspeed Protege front lip

Look forward to a new look for the car! :D

mynameisdaniel

20-12-2010, 03:52 PM

All you need now are some of those racing hart rims and the 03.5 mazdaspeed rear skirt and you'll pretty much have a 03.5 Mazdaspeed protege :) oh... and a turbo.... :D

Orion

18-01-2011, 10:47 PM

My stock horn has been sounding very sick for ages now and ages ago I bought a Nautilus horn a while back as a replacement. It has been sitting on my shelf waiting for me to get some time to change the front end.

I was originally intending to mount it in the front upper grill area but couldn't find a convenient mounting spot. I eventually found some space under the passenger headlight and used an old Mazda bracket I had lying around to mount it. I also used a relay to switch it on and off rather than just powering it through the stock horn wire.

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/9409/dsc04732i.jpg

This horn is loud - 139 dB :eek:
I can't wait to give someone a blast with this! :D

Orion

18-01-2011, 11:03 PM

So for a while I have wanted to remove the "trombone" cooler from in front of the radiator. While I was biding my time, I painted the power steering reservoir an aluminium colour to match the various other similar colours in the engine bay (I think you see it in a later photo :rolleyes:).

Installing the MSP front lip and having direct air flow behind the bumper gave me an excuse to install an small cooler in behind the bumper on the drivers side.

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/281/dsc04743d.jpg

I had another "trombone" cooler that I cut up to provide a connection piece between the stock Mazda plumbing and the new cooler lines. Getting the new lines onto these pieces proved a bit of a nightmare :mad: but we got there in the end.

I have also drained the original power steering fuild and refilled with some lovely Motul Dextron III :)

project.r.racing

18-01-2011, 11:18 PM

That is cool. Get it? Cool?

I might just have to do that also. Where did you get the cooler from?

Orion

18-01-2011, 11:26 PM

Also on the theme of having cold air flow through the bumper, I wanted to provide better ducted air into the space where the air filter is. Trouble is that there is a bit of metal that sits in the way.

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/2240/dsc04733c.jpg

So, a bit of work with a jigsaw (and some more work with a handsaw :() and the piece of metal disappears :p

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1647/dsc04737h.jpg

Now, I haven't been able to drive around much to see if it has had any effect, but I'm hoping that it will help lower the temperature of the air into the engine and find another pony or two :p

Orion

19-01-2011, 12:51 AM

So now it is time for the coup de grais! :D I organised with a local company here in Oz to source and ship a Mazdaspeed Protege Lip over from the United States in March 2010 (last year). It then took 6 months to arrive at my door due to various delays :( However, in the meantime I was able to get a new SP20 front bumper.

Late last year, both of these items went off to spray painters to get done in the cars original colour. That was a mission in itself as I provide my old spoiler as a paint sample, but because it has sat in the dark for years, the shop could get an accurate match to the Mazda 22A paint code. I eventually had to take my car in for them to match it off the bumper. Steve did a pretty good job and I would recommend them to Brisbane locals:
http://www.pjscustomspraypainting.com.au/

Without any further delay, here are the pics:
New SP20 bumper on and lip in foreground:
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/856/dsc04758v.jpg

Lip fitted to bumper:
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/853/dsc04763m.jpg

Here you can see the air filter through the grill:
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/3332/dsc04766g.jpg

And here is the finished product! :D:
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/9353/dsc04772c.jpg

chicaboo

19-01-2011, 02:00 AM

I really like the new modified stock front end. :)
I wonder if you will get a bit of ram air effect now?

Rupewrecht

19-01-2011, 09:13 AM

Do like :)

marcs_sp20

19-01-2011, 02:02 PM

As i have said before, it looks wicked, a real eye catcher now from the front :D

How much did the front bar & lip cost you to be painted? If you dont wanna tell on here, let us know via PM or email/msn etc, you have my details :p

Orion

19-01-2011, 02:56 PM

That is cool. Get it? Cool?

I might just have to do that also. Where did you get the cooler from?
It is a Hayden power steering cooler and came in a kit with a metre of hose and hose clamps from eBay.

I really like the new modified stock front end. :)
I wonder if you will get a bit of ram air effect now?
Do like :)
As i have said before, it looks wicked, a real eye catcher now from the front :D
Thanks guys!

Can't wait to get the Matt V headlights in and have some night shots taken ;) I was talking to Matt the other day and he said they will plug straight into the stock looms :)

How much did the front bar & lip cost you to be painted? If you dont wanna tell on here, let us know via PM or email/msn etc, you have my details :p
The front bar and lip cost me $350 to get painted. And that was after they washed off (literally :eek:) the OEM primer and re-primed it.

phunkdust

19-01-2011, 03:59 PM

That lip is sweeeeeet!

Orion

02-04-2011, 01:38 AM

So, I have been knocking off some minor projects that have been sitting on the shelf - for a while :rolleyes:

One of these was placing my fuel pressure sensor in the fuel rail. The gauge was already mounted and powered, and the sensor plug was already positioned in the engine bay. What I needed was for some way to place the pressure sensor in the fuel system with little or no modification.

Then I stumbled upon this product:
http://www.dynotunenitrous.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=245

It basically acts as a spacer between the fuel rail and the pressure regulator with a port out the side for a sensor. I got the dimensions off the company and they were pretty close to the SP20 application. The bits where the fuel travels through are perfectly fine for an SP20, but I had to enlarge the mounting holes a bit to bolt it to the fuel rail.

Applying it to my fuel pressure regulator looks like this:
http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/3159/dsc04779z.jpg

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/156/dsc04777br.jpg

I don't have a great shot of it on the engine but you might be able to spot the flash of silver in a later photo ;)

All-in-all, a fairly simple and easy install once some minor modification has been done :)

Orion

02-04-2011, 02:07 AM

Another one of these projects that has been sitting around. I had a bracket that I had made up to mount my coils on that sat over the intake manifold. This eventually broke through the mounting points on the IM (as it is cast aluminium) mostly due to the vibration of the engine.

Then I fired a coil and a bolt got welded in on the bracket. So what I had was a bracket I couldn't use and had to improvise with the coil packs :p

The "before" shot:
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/6560/dsc04773li.jpg

There was a relay sitting under my fuse box that only allowed power to the coils when the engine was "ON", not at "ACC" or "OFF". While this may be viewed as over-cautious I liked the fact that coils are switched off if the engine is not running. So I decided to retain this feature but wanted the relay moved out. I built a small bracket ans attached two relays to it and placed them near the power distribution block. I was able to hook everything up but still needed a signal for the relay to tell it when the power was "ON".

Using speaker clips I made this little gadget that provides a discrete outlet for "ON" or ignition in the engine bay.
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/3209/dsc04775uq.jpg

Two of the outputs will be used for the relays and the other two can be used for whatever I need :cool:

I built a new bracket for the coils a while back and had them on the engine for about a month as a bit of a field test while I waited to get the new leads made up. Everything worked fine so a couple of weeks ago I mounted everything and here is the end result:

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/1027/dsc04780c.jpg

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/5919/dsc04783a.jpg

Makes for a much nicer engine bay :D

Also, now that my strut brace is all nice and clean I can pull it off and mod it to mount up my vac block. Yes, you guessed it - another project that has been sitting on the shelf! :p

Orion

05-04-2011, 11:00 AM

Edited the fifth post on the front page of the thread ;)

Engine build :D
So over the last month or so I have picked up some goodies which will be the start of a high-compression engine build. This will be a very long process as there are a couple of other projects that I need to finish up first before I get stuck into it. However, I have got the major components and I can slowly accumulate the other parts I need over the long-term.

Parts I have to date:
- Spare block (has a/c compressor, alternator)
- FS-ZE intake manifold
- High comp piston/rod package ordered
- adjustable cam gears

Things to get:
- full rebuild kit (gaskets, seals, bolts etc)
- power steering pump
- Doc B oil system

Ice88

05-04-2011, 11:06 AM

What High compression stuff did you get? What sort of static compression?

EDIT: The oil system is the one i thought it was.

Orion

05-04-2011, 11:39 AM

What High compression stuff did you get? What sort of static compression?

K1 5.4" forged long rods (stock rods are 5.315" long)

Wiseco 11.0:1 (static) compression pistons
- 0.5mm overbore
- raised wrist pin (to match long rods)
- deep valve recesses for high-lift cams

Ice88

05-04-2011, 09:54 PM

So custom pistons from Wiseco? K1 rods the same ones that tri point sell/use?

What rpm are you aiming for?

Using a calculator i got from Mazdas247 your new rev limit can prolly be about 7400 rpm. Thicker rist pin + rod means you should be able to go a lil higher i guess.

Whats the weight of the pistons and rods gonna be like? Shame none of the FS stuff will work on my engine :(

Orion

29-06-2011, 08:48 PM

So, life has been hectic of late with work (and other things - those in the know, know ;)) but I have been trying to move some projects along. I was originally going to do a big radiator install but I have decided to break it into two stages.

Firstly, I will install the new radiator with aftermarket fans, new hoses and thermostat. Then I will tap into the power and ground wires of the radiator fans in order to install a fan controller (but more on that when it happens).

So, here is Stage One. Mishimoto two-pass aluminium radiator, Mishimoto fans which I have attached stock fan plugs to. I am still waiting for the coolant hoses, so it will be a couple of weeks before I can install this :(

Here are the some photos. Firstly, the whole setup:
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/1017/dsc07039l.jpg

In this pic you can see the stock connectors and also an auxiliary coolant temp sensor (again, more on the purpose of this later ;)):
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8304/dsc07041n.jpg

I hope to update you all soon with the install! :D

A.E

29-06-2011, 10:59 PM

What are the benefits of this?? Just curious not dissing ;)

Orion

30-06-2011, 10:39 AM

What are the benefits of this?? Just curious not dissing ;)

No major benefits at the moment. I have a small amount of coolant sneaking out of the radiator through the filler / cap. The mechanic says that it is the cap not sealing but two different caps are doing the same thing so I think it might be the radiator.

I also know the plastic endtanks on the stock radiator sometimes crack, so going to an all aluminium radiator will prevent this potential failure.

Also, with my high-comp engine build things will be running hotter than with a stock engine, so it is a bit of future-proofing as well :)

DavoAust

30-06-2011, 11:58 AM

Just did the catchup through the thread, looks like you're getting on a roll. Have to take a look in person on cruise day :)

Orion

26-07-2011, 10:58 PM

So I have been slowly putting my radiator together and I had some free time the weekend before last. While the whole process didn't hit any major snags along the way, it did seem to take a while to swap out the radiators out.

Anyway, as it is a like-for-like swap I will keep the descriptions short and just provide a photo story ;). Anyway without further ado, lets start with what the original radiator looked like:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6633/dsc04784ap.jpg

Now the original radiator is removed along with the coolant hoses:
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7355/dsc04786uo.jpg

New radiator being placed in the car (special cameo appearance by Marc's hand ;)):
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/2941/dsc04790k.jpg

New radiator all hooked up:
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/9614/dsc04797w.jpg

Along the way, I replaced all the coolant hoses with black Samco Sport hoses and new clamps. Also, cleaned up water neck and thermostat housing as they had crusty coolant crap on them. As part of regular maintenance I replaced the thermostat and put fresh coolant in.

I also re-routed the line to the coolant overflow tank so that it connects at the bottom. This allows coolant expelled from the radiator due to expansion to be sucked back into the radiator when it cools down. It was a simple mistake not to have it hooked up this way from the start but the upgrade was a good excuse to correct it ;)

Can't wait to take it out on the cruise this weekend! :D

P.S. Made a little bracket for the drivers side fan plug. Will make something similar for the passenger side soon :rolleyes:

Mad Mat

26-07-2011, 11:09 PM

lookin good man :)

marcs_sp20

26-07-2011, 11:11 PM

I have said it before, and I'll say it again, thats one sexy radiator :D

familiagtx

27-07-2011, 10:41 PM

noticed that your using slim aftermarket fans,

doesnt the mishimoto radiator that you put in allow the factory fans/shroud to be bolted up?

Orion

27-07-2011, 11:01 PM

noticed that your using slim aftermarket fans,

doesnt the mishimoto radiator that you put in allow the factory fans/shroud to be bolted up?

Yes, the Mishimoto has all of the mounting points required for the stock fans :)

Its just not what I wanted to do ;) I got a fan controller as well (not installed yet) so I thought that new fans were in order too.

SP-20-DB

28-07-2011, 07:03 AM

looks awesome. alot neater

Orion

24-10-2011, 11:36 PM

Damn, its been a long time since I updated this :( Probably because not much has happened with the car :rolleyes: I keep getting bits and pieces for projects but never actually find time to work on them :p Oh well, hopefully that will all change and I can get some things rolling :)

Anyway, the latest thing that I have done is to delete the external sedan antenna, blank it off and replace it with a Dakota Digital amplified internal antenna, see below:
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=105/category_id=406/home_id=-1/mode=prod/prd105.htm

Here is the blanking plate, that I made out of some flat plastic to match the size and shape of the antenna and then painted to match the car:
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1215/dsc08415pp.jpg

And here is it installed on the car. Not completely smooth, but it only cost me time to make it so it is a lot cheaper than bogging and repainting the whole panel (which is quite large remember).
http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/2732/dsc08420im.jpg

The antenna is hidden away behind the cluster. Impressions so far are that it does a good job with the radio signal and while the blanking plate may not be the best, it is certainly better than the stock sedan antenna :D

Future things with the car, hopefully in the short term, are to:
- do some re-wiring in the cabin
- install J&S Safeguard
- install the vac block
- perhaps even install the projector headlights
- install the fan controller

mynameisdaniel

25-10-2011, 08:16 AM

marcs_sp20

25-10-2011, 01:06 PM

The upside of having a hatch - being in the centre of the roof :p

Let me know if you want me to come over early before the party and I'll gladly help with installing the headlights :)

Orion

25-10-2011, 01:20 PM

I like the antenna fix. It's always annoyed me and I usually drive around with the antenna retracted. :p

I reckon you could and should install those projectors in an hour, seeing you've taken your front bar off before ;)

And it also means that I don't have to retract / extend the antenna when going through the car wash ;)

The upside of having a hatch - being in the centre of the roof :p

Let me know if you want me to come over early before the party and I'll gladly help with installing the headlights :)

Thanks for the offer Marc, but I think we will be out most of the day before teh party. Also the headlights is that they still aren't sealed. I think that I will need to do it during the week so that I can get them sealed by a place down the road from me.

But I will think about when I can install them and I might ask for some help then :)

TheMAN

25-10-2011, 01:37 PM

did any sp20s ever come with the glass antenna?
we never got it except for on the mazdaspeed

I'm willing to bet the BG antenna delete will fit

Orion

20-02-2012, 11:00 PM

Well, I finally got around to installing my J&S Safeguard unit in the car - I bought it in the middle of last year :p What the J&S unit does is to monitor engine knock from the engine and pull ignition timing when it is detected. This function is normally undertaken by the stock ecu but the Microtech bypasses this function. The advantages of the J&S unit are that you can set the sensitivity, retard individual cylinders and event log when knock is detected via an output.

If you want to learn more about the J&S units, please go to the J&S website (http://www.jandssafeguard.com/) first and do a little reading. If you have questions that are specific to my install please ask but consider if it might be better to put in a PM. Thanks for you understanding :)

On to the install. I had seen a few people in the States mount the unit in the passenger footwell area and cover it up with the interior trim. Here is a picture of where it is located in the interior:
http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/336/dsc08774ym.jpg

I decided to go one better, as usual :p I sourced a USDM interior fuse trim piece and cover panel and modded it so that it would fit in the AUDM passenger well. This covers the unit and provides quick and easy access to it without having to remove the whole trim piece. Picture:
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/3533/dsc08493b.jpg

So, after a bit of a stuff up in the wiring I put two plugs on the J&S unit wires, which means that the unit can be taken out of (or re-instated into) the ignition system whenever I want in about a minute.

I just need to verify that the knock sensor is functioning properly (with a little tap) and then it will be ready to rock'n'roll. I will probably advance the timing incrementally (while running it through the rev range) until the J&S detects knock as a way of finding a bit more out of the engine. This will be particularly useful safety device (insurance) when the hi-comp engine goes in :D

Orion

15-04-2012, 10:15 PM

So I finished up with my FS-ZE intake manifold today. This is what was done to it:
- completely stripped down
- VICS butterflies loctite'd in
- everything cleaned and painted
- new gaskets
- new throttlebody and sensors

Here is a pic:
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9323/dsc09224i.jpg

SP-20-DB

15-04-2012, 10:33 PM

that is mint as

marcs_sp20

15-04-2012, 10:39 PM

Just sucks it wont see the light of day for a little while :(

TheMAN

15-04-2012, 10:55 PM

Orion

16-04-2012, 11:39 PM

So after a crappy and long day at work, I decided to blow off some steam and get the crank, rods and pistons off my block so that it would be ready.

Mission complete:
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/5048/dsc09232c.jpg
The only things left on there are the oil squirters and the oil filter tube.

Here are all the major components on the bench:
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8687/dsc09233n.jpg
There are all laid out in order according to how they were removed. Jon (Zappy) would be so proud ;)

Hopefully I will be able to drop the block off next week to have the work done :D

DavoAust

17-04-2012, 09:24 PM

Looking good, how much of an overbore does it need?

Clean_Cookie

17-04-2012, 09:35 PM

So after a crappy and long day at work, I decided to blow off some steam and get the crank, rods and pistons off my block so that it would be ready.

its amazing what you can do when you are CRANKy....sorry, couldnt resist!

Orion

17-04-2012, 10:14 PM

Looking good, how much of an overbore does it need?

It will need a 20thou (0.5mm) overbore in order for the new pistons to fit. Slightly more displacement ;)

its amazing what you can do when you are CRANKy....sorry, couldnt resist!

Haha, if I was able to do this more often the car would be finished quick smart :p
But work is taking up too many hours in the day :(

Orion

07-05-2012, 10:04 PM

No, not the renovation show but my stripped down engine has returned from the shop a little lighter (bored 20thou or 0.5mm, and honed) and a lot cleaner (hot-tanked).

Back on the engine stand:
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/2174/dsc09236v.jpg

So shiney inside:
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8324/dsc09238jt.jpg

Now onto other projects and collecting rebuild parts :rolleyes:

Rhys

07-05-2012, 10:10 PM

lookin good.

How much do you think the block weighs approximately? (I'm thinking about making my old one into a coffee table as suggested)

Clean_Cookie

08-05-2012, 07:11 AM

Awesome. I received a call from John only hours after I emailed and spent 40 minutes on the phone. Very helpful and I learnt a heap more! Prices seemed reasonable too, I might just drop the whole engine to him, as its only going to cost me 200 or so for disassembly, cleaning and checking everything for straightness... He recommended forged pistons too, so much more expensive though. Anyway, won't clog your awesome worklog!

maz sp20

08-05-2012, 08:42 AM

Nice

xeon8

08-05-2012, 09:00 AM

(I'm thinking about making my old one into a coffee table as suggested)

An FP coffee table :D Wouldn't see too many around of those around eh? :p

Orion, looking good mate! :)

Orion

12-05-2012, 08:22 PM

As part of my build I be will getting the Doc B oil pump service performed on my oil pump. This consists of coating the oil pump internals to make the pump perform more efficiently by increasing the pressure and flow. The stock pressure relief value would normal not allow this so it is removed and an external pressure control unit is installed. More details on this a bit later.

So here is the oil pump, which has been cleaned and is ready to be sent to the State for the service:
http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/9529/dsc09243.jpg

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5531/dsc09245z.jpg

Ice88

13-05-2012, 10:06 PM

Orion

13-05-2012, 10:44 PM

Yah DocB is trying to source me a 2nd hand pump atm for this. Just need to work out what im gonna do about a oil pan. Should help a bit eh :) Are you going to run a bigger after market filter along with this?

Would like a pan with some baffling to avoid the risk of running dry, but the AWR pan is a) expensive (when factored in with postage) and b) interferes with a few bits n pieces.

The type of filter I will end up running will depend on what kind of remote oil filter mount I end up going with - researching it at the moment.

I won't be going with an AWR pan either for similar reasons. However, I will be putting baffles into my stock oil pan.This week I'm checking out an engineering shop that I hope will help me out with a few welding jobs. If they are any good I will PM you their details ;)