88 Lancer Shelby - better, faster.

[Mike M]

Hey everyone. I never intended on putting up a build log but I am told all the cool kids do it, which means I am SO in. The last time most anyone on here would remember the car was from SDAC 19, looked pretty hot and ran 12.7@110MPH. Didn't do much of anything the previous year except the car started to smoke at the end of the year.

This is my rebuilding year, fix any nitpicking issues I've had, cure my smoking issue and generally clean it up. The main focus will be fixing the smoking issue, because in combination with that and a co-worker of mine building a 410CI Fox Mustang... my drive to make this car faster got a bit bigger, nothing "wild" but just trying to make the ol' 2.5 8valve spit out some good horsies.

Here is the car as she currently sits:


Hack, grind, zoom, bang. Started on this months ago and took ages to complete.


This is a while back, the start of my parts collection. Still waiting on more.


This is one of my nitpick issues which snowballed a bit. My MC was a bit leaky (paint peeling on booster). So I bought a new one. Then I decided to get rid of my disc/drum valve as I've done my disc swap many many moons ago. Decided to go to an adjustable valve with a F/R split and this is what happened. Bled the system yesterday, bled out easily and pedal feels great so far.


More.


Here is the intake in its completion.


58mm TB on the 3.8V6 elbow. I didn't extend mine out like some did, I designed it so I would have cleared the head and cam button, but didn't take into account the fuel rail. Which prompted the fuel rail modification (which is a good idea anyway) - removed the inner tube and tapped/plugged the ends.


Backside of the intake. I love nipples. And uh, sitting behind the intake is a very nice Todd Nelson G-head.


And sitting over on my other bench (a Datsun 510), the upgrade to my smoking S70 turbo. To4e 50trim, 63ar stage 2. The TU manifold is merely notched to fit larger locking nuts. Thats smart.


And here is pretty much where I finished off at 1:45am last night.



The list of things to do is getting very short, but I'm having a few issues.

Need to ensure my turbo is clocked correctly, the compressor housing doesn't matter as much because I have an abundance of clearance with the TU manifold, but my center section to turbine housing is where I need to make sure (I'd rather get it bang on out of the car than trying to do it on the car or pull the head back off. SO. I think I'm supposed to have the flat part of the oil inlet flange at a 90 degree angle to the turbine housing flange (to manifold) - does that sound right to anyone? I'll keep looking anyway, too tired to look last night. I even took pics of my S70 before taking it apart but I took them at stupid angles and its hard to see exactly.

ALSO, I know I wasn't using a torque wrench but I've installed many a cam without having issues. I have a new TU R2 cam going in to my fresh clean cylinder head. When I tightened it down it would not budge, I backed my bolts off and it would turn, but I felt the point where I backed them off to was too loose (as stated I've ballparked many a cam torquings). I will remove it and inspect the bearing surfaces, probably install the cam sans rockers and ensure it spins on its own freely (ie, not bent). And I guess I'll go get my torque wrenches from work. I guess I know what to do but just curious if anyone else had similar problems.

Well thanks for looking anyone, enjoy

[turboshad]

...but I am told all the cool kids do it...

Who would tell you a stupid thing like that? I mean seriously, can't people just build cars for themselves these days instead of always trying to fit in with the "cool kids"? O'well, welcome to the cool gang.

For your turbo drain you want it pointing as straight down as you can when it is installed. So if your flange is say 15deg to the vertical then the drain axis needs to be 105deg to the flange etc.

Oh and looking good. You have a year and three weeks starting.................now!!

[Mike M]

Shouldn't you be sanding something?

Thanks eh! I don't have the angle in which the motor sits, or else I'd be able to calculate the drain tube better based on your thoughts.

[bakes]

Your getting closes to war time
Looking good

[Mike M]

Yea bakes, I'm just gonna say.... good luck

Fixed my sticky cam issue. Disassembled, removed rockers, cleaned and emery clothed any minor burrs/scratches. Installed cam without rockers and torqued caps one at a time. Found when #1 cap was even loosely snugged it would bind and not turned. Swapped cap from another cylinder head and it works great. Yeehaw.

[Mike M]

You know you are excited when... you start mocking IC pipes on the bench. Got the turbo clocked, this head is ready to go on. Over to the car now to set up the degree wheel and find exact TDC. I know some people can still degree cams without a solid lifter, which I don't have, so I'll be trying that out

[bakes]

Well you better hurry up mine's running , I need someone to play with!!!

[raccoon]

looks nice, i like the nipple idea.

[Mike M]

Crazy carbon piston eating monster


It's in! You looky loo Lancer lovers you...


TU header + To4e compressor + standard nothing fancy 3" elbow FITS PERFECTLY WITHOUT HITTING THE BRAKE BOOSTER.


Thoughts so far. Everything is going great... its nice having the laptop/camera/wireless in the garage so I can feed updates, to anyone who actually checks this out. My intake looks awesome, I knew the intake elbow would have a slight angle downwards after having it welded up... its a bit more than I thought but still looks wicked and perfectly fine really. It's tight around the heater hoses/nipples/TB etc but all will fit

To raccoon, yea I think the nipples are cool, where they protruded into the manifold I ground them down so they do not intrude on airflow either. Thats smart.

Peaaaaaaace.

[Vader85]

Why aren't you sucking some of that cool rammed air front behind the grill?

[shadow88]

Shouldn't you be sanding something?

Thanks eh! I don't have the angle in which the motor sits, or else I'd be able to calculate the drain tube better based on your thoughts.

I measured 13 degrees a while ago.

[Mike M]

If you are referring to the intake, its not even close to being done, I have more bends and the filter will either sit under the battery tray or possibly in front of the radiator support

Thanks shadow88 but I was able to clock it, and now that its installed it was the first thing I checked and the drainback tube lines up good!

[Mike M]

Worked on the car all day today. Degree'd cam, hooked stuff up, ran into a leaky shrader valve on the fuel rail - replaced that, had a nice puddle of fuel there for a bit Set up my AEM wideband to run the stock oxygen sensor.

After sorting all that jazz out, fired it up and it actually runs Warmed it up, checked it all over for leaky leaky and things look good.

My exhaust droned quite a bit on cold start (this car likes to do that... I've made it better with a resonator, and actually quite awhile ago found it got much better after adjusting the cam timing into spec. So I'm curious if the TU R2 cam (installed on centerline) likes to cause some of that. Just seemed worse than it had for a long time on cold start - after warming it up I was actually quite pleased with it though, drone got significantly better.

Also when warm I noticed it has a bit of a chop (lumpiness) to the exhaust and pulls about 16in of vacuum. I'll reserve all judgement until I drive the car though, I had heard the R2 cam idles very smoothly but mine isn't quite... does still run nicely though.

My only concern in there is the lifter shims I received measure .050 each, using 3 puts me higher than the "normal" shims used for these lifters. I knew I wouldn't be driving it or being hard on it so I didn't hesitate to put them in for the time being. The concern would be too much preload on the lifters causing the valves to stay open. I do intend on getting a better set. Unless anyone has any other input?

Otherwise I need to get a replacement PS pump (leaky but have lifetime warranty, just need to dig up a receipt), and fab up my IC pipes then I will be good for a test drive.

Nothing fancy but this is how she sits:

[Turbo224]

Good looking build!

[BadAssPerformance]

Awesome car! Can't wait to see it again Mike!

[Directconnection]

Nice job. I do have concern as to why the #1 cam cap was locking up the cam.... and hopefully, the replacement one doesn't make the clearance too big.

Your intake came out cool and almost looks stock at 1st glance. (which scores bonus points with me)

[Juggy]

hey mike, looks good!!

if your "lifters" happen to the be "PT" ones, you can shim up to .180" max height b4 you raise the lifter out of range. you never mentioned if the cam is a regrind or a billet??? that will mess with your install height...

[Mike M]

Hey!

Yea they are PTs, I reshimmed them to .120 and I think it sounds better. When I measured my crusty old lifter I got a .180 difference between that and the PT (whether the measurement is accurate due to the bleed valve, then whatever). Decided to stick as close to the common measurement of .125 as I could eh. And the cam is also a new billet.

I've been chipping away at a few things but have been busy lately too, I think as long as weather holds up there should be an update come Saturday sometime

[Juggy]

Hey!

Yea they are PTs, I reshimmed them to .120 and I think it sounds better. When I measured my crusty old lifter I got a .180 difference between that and the PT (whether the measurement is accurate due to the bleed valve, then whatever). Decided to stick as close to the common measurement of .125 as I could eh. And the cam is also a new billet.

I've been chipping away at a few things but have been busy lately too, I think as long as weather holds up there should be an update come Saturday sometime

ok cook. yeah with the billet you can get away with .120" shim as the cam retains the stock bias. as long as the rockers have no play between the lifter/cam and you can still move them side to side, your good 2 go!! you only need enough pressure to hold them down, you dont want tight rockers...but im sure u know this stuff

[Mike M]

Ahoy-hoy, nothing ground breaking but I guess I has an update for all y'all.

Everything underhood is essentially complete, minus tuning and tweaking. I/C pipes and air intake complete, got my PS pump warrantied and reinstalled, breathers installed (possibly temporary if I can figure a nice catch can/breather box), and some minor things back together.

So far I've only run the car in the garage due to tons of rain and a partial mud driveway, everything is looking good that way... just gotta wait for some nice weather and my landscaper to bring in some slag for my driveway so I can get out of my garage

Only other work to be done is some tuning, cosmetics, detailing, rear window seal (hence why spoiler is off in upcoming photo)



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General awesomeness:


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Air intake routing. The intake is held up by the studs of one of the T-bolts going through the battery tray hole/bracket thing so everything is supported nicely and cleanly:



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Once again, showing that a To4e compressor, TU cast manifold with a standard 3" silicone elbow clears the brake booster, close... but definitely clears:


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More general awesomeness:



Adios!
Mike.