Project Thread Supercharged Supra

[JustenGT8]

what's the max load rating? and where did find this gem? GP perhaps?

 

[LondonBenji]

what's the max load rating? and where did find this gem? GP perhaps?

It goes up to 1000 lbs, and has 1.5x that in overrange capability.

I think that is what you are after isn't it?

John, best of luck, I know this has been a long time coming not without some set backs and a lot of time and money invested so I wish you all the best!

 

[cribbj]

Day 1 at the Dyno:
So I turn up at around 0930, and my builder buddy says he's finished with the bellhousing mods and adaptor, and he'll have me mounted to the dyno and ready to run by noon, and if "my" side is ready and running, we should be finished by 5 PM.

Hahaha, who does he think he's kidding? Personally, I don't think we're going to be mechanically ready to run until Tuesday afternoon earliest.

Here's a photo showing the modified 1UZ bellhousing which allows the engine to be bolted to the dyno. A window was cut in it to allow access to the flexplate adaptor bolts for tightening.



Another shot of the bellhousing, showing the billet spacer/adaptor plate at the rear:




And here's a shot showing the dyno's sprung hub mounted to my flexplate



And whaddya know, fastforward to 1155 and we're done connecting the fuel line, and this puppy is now ready to go for after lunch. Ask me if I was embarrassed.....



Well, after lunch our luck seemed to run out. First thing to go wrong was my $250 eBay special carburetor. Dan Da Vinci of Da Vinci Carburetors offered to test it for me on a test motor he had rigged up there, just for testing his racing carbs, so of course I agreed, and the da&n thing would only fire his motor, but it wouldn't keep it running. So he promptly pronounced it a POS rebuild, and kindly offered me the use of one of his 750 CFM double pumpers instead.

Next thing to go wrong was no fire at all from the ignition. After chasing my tail for the better part of two hours, I traced this to a dodgy connector. Took it apart, tightened everything up, then tried again. Still no go, so out comes the connector, and in go three butt splices. OK, now we have static fire, with no plugs in the motor yet. I'm still cautiously optimistic this EDIS is going to be able to fire 8 plugs, although my common sense tells me it's too much load for it.

Put the plugs in, connected up the big double pumper, cranked it, and lo & behold, we now have firing, but it's an intake backfire through the carburetor.

Engine guy thinks the engine is out of time somehow. Either the coils are out of sequence, the crank trigger wheel isn't set right, or the camshaft timing isn't right.

So we'll check all this tomorrow.... Right now, my feet and back hurt from being on this concrete floor for 9 hours, and it's beer-thirty.....

 

[Lextreme II]

Awesome journy John... It makes me want to send my 5.2L for a dyno..... Please Please keep us update when the engine fires... How about live cam?

 

[mycarhasposessedme]

Bad luck there John, damn that Murphy.
Tommorrow is a new day and I'm sure all will work out.
Keep those pics coming for all of us following this.
Best of luck.
Trev.

 

[cribbj]

Thanks David & Trev, yes, "journey" is really an apt description for one of these projects isn't it?

So, plans for today:

First I'll pull the carb off to keep from fueling the motor while troubleshooting.

Next the plugs will come out and I'll put a timing light on it to see if we're getting the 10 degrees BTDC static timing the EDIS is supposed to give.

If that's OK, it means my crank trigger wheel positioning is OK too.

Then I need to check the intake/exhaust cam phasings, which I didn't do previously (OK, shame on me for not double checking this before, but I trusted the engine builder to put the cams in right). Probably will put a dial indicator or other TDC indicator in #1 and just confirm the valve positions, too.

If all the above is OK, then MAYBE I made a wiring error with the coils, although that seems HIGHLY unlikely (hehehe).

If the wiring checks out, then I've probably just got an unhappy EDIS unit, and I need to either get a set of Ford coilpaks and get them wired in, or I need to get that 2nd EDIS and wired in. Either way it's going to be a complete rewire <sigh>.

Man, what I wouldn't give to have a digital storage 'scope right now. I feel like I'm just fumbling around blind without one. Next on the shopping list is one of these: http://www.autonerdz.com/picoquad.htm. I've been drooling over this thing and its predecessors for five years, and it sure would come in handy now.

So 1st thing this AM I'm off to the auto parts store to get a set of Ford coilpacks and some HT wires, plus a 2nd EDIS and connector, so I'll be ready for the worst case.

Hmmm, this cheap, disposable ignition is starting to get a bit expensive :grumble:

David, if you or anyone else in the US decide you want to dyno your UZ motor on a Superflow dynamometer, I'll have this modified bellhousing and flexplate available to loan out. These are the only pieces you'll need to bolt up & go, plus some little angle iron brackets to adapt the UZ engine mount to the Superflow's mount.

I'd only ask that people pay the freight both ways, and give me a refundable deposit for the parts.

I'd be happy to extend this offer to the international members, but the freight would be cost prohibitive, and it would be cheaper to build the parts needed.

 

[cribbj]

what's the max load rating? and where did find this gem? GP perhaps?

Sorry Justen, thought I'd replied, but I don't see the post.

These are available on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/1-000-lb-HANGIN...ryZ11814QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

As you can see, they're available from 500 to 20,000 lbs. Mine is the 1000 lb model.

Great buying experience; I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this guy.

 

[JustenGT8]

Thanks Cribbj..... and good luck with the run in process. I remember the night we 1st fired up the GT8, 'tense' barely describes it

 

[Lextreme II]

John... Video..... Video....

 

[mshawari1]

I wish all the good luck for this project ………. And as David Says: video … video …….​

 

[Thermactor]

I'm cheering for you, John!

 

[turboandrew]

Hmm, maybe this is just hindsight speaking, but was there a reason you did not use -just- the ignition part of your ECU, and the carb for break-in? Seems like getting the ignition part of the ECU would not no more difficult (probably a lot easier in fact) than going with an ignition that is not well known to you.

Well, I hope it all works out. I bet that first sound of the exhaust from revving when running well will be worth it all.

 

[LondonBenji]

John, you've got everyone going! Videos damnit!

You almost look like you are already doubting the EDIS unit on its own and you look like you are the kind of guy that wants to get everything right and perfect and I don't think you are going to be truely satisfied until you have sorted the EDIS with the second unit..... how much would it be to add?

Again, all the best dude!

 

[cribbj]

Day 2 at the Dyno: Murphy 1.5 Home Team 0.5

A very frustrating day.....

As planned, I pulled the carb and plugs, and cranked the motor with a timing light on it. Ignition timing was solid as a rock, but it was 20+ degrees BTDC, instead of 10. Hmmmm

Thankfully the cams were aligned OK with each other. I really wasn't looking forward to having to redo them!

Oh, and "my" coilpack wiring was spot on, hehehe.

Checked the timing belt marks again and both my builder buddy & I thought the timing looked to be out at least a tooth or two on each bank, which probably explains the additional advance I saw with the timing light.

Pulled the dampner and lined everything up again, and sure enough the right bank had jumped one tooth and the left bank at least one or possibly two teeth.

Took the belt off, lined up the cams, and the three marks and put it back on, then we bumped the motor several times and checked again. Sure enough, it had jumped a tooth again.

Something very odd is going on with this timing belt, tensioner and idler, so I ordered a whole new setup today and it'll be in tomorrow. The tensioner is so loose that with the grenade pin pulled, I can still install it by hand. Plus, by using a screwdriver, and not a lot of force, we can lift the tensioner pulley and tighten the belt a good bit more than the tensioner can. That's not normal....

What's even more strange, is that the previous belt that was on this motor was the belt from hell, and it was so loose I never could get it timed right. This new belt was a good bit tighter than the first one, so I thought everything was cool, but now I'm wondering about the tensioner & idler.

So, it'll be interesting to compare the new parts that come in tomorrow with the "old" new parts that I've just taken off the motor.

Andrew, originally I was going to use the AEM in ignition only mode, but I needed to keep the blue car running, and really didn't want to be swapping the ECU back & forth. Plus I was just plain intrigued with this EDIS setup and wanted to give it a try.

Thanks everyone for your interest & moral support; it sure was encouraging to get home & read your comments this afternoon. I'm sure we'll get this puppy sorted in the next day or two. Once we get the timing sorted out, then it'll be back to the EDIS, and whether it'll fire all 8 coils or not. Once there's something actually worth videoing, I'll catch it on my digicam.

I picked up a couple of Ford coilpacks, and a set of HT wires for the Mustang 4.6 mod motor, and it looks like they'll fit fine on the 1UZ. Hopefully the 2nd EDIS will arrive tomorrow morning too, so I'll have two alternatives if the single EDIS doesn't work.

 

[Lextreme II]

Man... that is a headache..... Fuel?

 

[rms]

John,
For a while there I thought I had exclusive rights to Murphy, sorry he is taking vacation at your place.

Tenacity will beat Murphy every time, keep at it.

 

[cribbj]

I really don't know if I have any fuel problems just yet, David. But I've got one of the foremost experts in carburetion in the next room if I do encounter any. I'm sure Dan DaVinci has forgotten more about carbs than I'll ever know, so it's sure good to have him there.

Plus my engine builder buddy, Dennis Faerman, is an all around engine guru. It doesn't matter whether it's a SBC drag motor, or a GTP class Ferrari motor like the one in the pics below, he builds them all. This little V12 will be good for 700+ HP @ 14,500, but if you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it. Five valve heads, dry sump, and the cutest little titanium rods you've ever seen, sitting on a gorgeous flat plane crankshaft. These pics just don't do it justice.

In another corner he's rebuilding a BBC motor from a Can-Am car, c/w the Kinsler cross-ram manifold and mechanical injection. Would love to see that thing running.

 

[cribbj]

Just an interesting point to show everyone about the hazards of running a worn out stretched timing belt.

This first pic shows my 36-1 trigger wheel on the motor with #1 at TDC, and the missing tooth is exactly at 6 o'clock, and the 5th tooth is centered on the crank sensor (or where the crank sensor would be if I'd remembered to put it in for this pic.) This is exactly the way it "should" look with a new timing belt and no stretch. (I actually deleted the missing tooth with Paint this morning because this photo was taken with it still in place)



Now this pic was taken yesterday and it shows the position of the trigger wheel with a stretched belt and/or lack of tension in the system. Notice that the missing tooth is now past 6 o'clock, and the 5th tooth is past the center of the crank pickup hole, and it's more like 5.5 teeth. Since each of these teeth represents 10 degrees crank timing, this 1/2 tooth of slop was responsible for 5 degrees error yesterday, with the belt jumping a full tooth being responsible for another 5 to 10 degrees.



Bottom line, don't wait to 120K to change your timing belt. There are other good reasons to change it besides just visible wear!

 

[JustenGT8]

Lucky these are non interference eh Cribbie

 

[cribbj]

Day 3 at the Dyno: Murphy: 3.5 Home: 0.5

Wednesday, was a complete writeoff. We were convinced something was installed wrong on the motor to produce all this slack in the timing system, so a complete new timing kit arrived, and the parts were exactly the same as already on the engine, and the timing belt was the same length as the Gates I already had on there. So I spent the rest of the day driving around to all the Lexus dealers in Houston looking for a tensioner and an oil pump to compare dimensions. Didn't accomplish the square root of SFA.


Day 4 at the Dyno: Murphy: 3.5 Home: 3.5

We finally evened the score with Murphy yesterday and the motor ran!

First thing, we decided not to waste any more time trying to figure out "why" the timing system had so much slack, and just go ahead and fix the problem and get on to the next stage. I had thought we could shim the tensioner with a valve lash cap, since its shaft was just under 6.00mm diameter, however when we looked at the amount of shimming needed, it was more like 1/8" to 3/16", which we couldn't get with a valve lash cap. Then Dennis came up with the idea of using a set (grub) screw because of its hardness, so he chucked up a 3/8" set screw in his lathe and bored it to 6mm, and set the depth so we'd have around 3/16" of "shim". Here's a pic of the finished product - not too pretty, but effective:



Next I put the timing belt back on the motor, then cranked the engine without plugs just to see how it was working, and voila, it stayed in time finally. So that was one big problem out of the way!

Here's a pic showing the trigger wheel back where it ought to be. notice the missing tooth is bang on 6 o'clock, and the 5th tooth after the missing one is centered on the crank sensor:



So then I put the plugs & COP's back on and we cranked it for real, but it still wouldn't start, so at that point, since it was obvious the EDIS wasn't man enough to spark the 8 coils, I decided to pull my harness and COP's and go with the Ford coilpacks, so it would be a 100% EDIS system.

That took about an hour to pull off the old ignition, and wire up the new coilpacks, so by 1 PM, we were ready to try again, and bang, right on the first bump of the starter she fired up and ran! Oil pressure was good at 65-75 psi, but as soon as we turned on the circulation water to the dyno, we blew a coolant hose. Here's a video of the first run:



Fixed the hose, and another coolant leak on the front bridge, then went for another run, but the engine was overheating, and the cooling system on the dyno didn't seem to be working. After some discussions, we decided to modify the front coolant bridge and plug the bypass port of the water inlet (behind where the thermostat would normally sit). As the dyno has its own thermostat, we were running with no 'stat in the engine, so the bypass line was wide open all the time.

This modification sorted out the overheating problem, so we went for another test run. Here's a video of the exhaust - straight pipes, baby! They sound pretty good, if a bit blubbery 'cause of the rich AFR:



Here's one of the front showing the timing belt running smoothly finally:


And with a timing light on it. Lot of good it did to have the timing light, since I decided not to put the timing cover back on, 'cause we wanted to watch the timing belt & trigger wheel!



Here's a couple of pics showing the Denso IK20 plugs after the runs. Yeah, we're a bit rich ;-)

These are 1, 3, 5, 7 from left to right:


And 2, 4, 6, 8 left to right:



Left bank apparently is running richer than the right bank, except for #5 which looks leaner than the others. Not sure what to make of that, other than perhaps we've got some left/right fuel/air distribution issues. At least the four corners don't appear to be leaner than the middle cylinders, which was my big fear about building this motor with this ghetto carb setup.


Another odd thing was happening - the plug wires (which were for a '97 Mustang) weren't seated well down in the plug wells of the Lexus motor, and were working their way up in the wells, and causing the engine to misfire. I had to use these plug wires in order to get the special connectors on them for the EDIS coilpacks, but they were just a bit too short for the deep wells of the 1UZ.

So, goals for today are:

1) Fix the plug wire problems

2) Rejet the carb to lean it out

3) Install the MegaJolt Lite Jr. controller so we'll have variable timing. (We ran yesterday with the static timing provided by the "limp" mode of the EDIS)

4) Do a couple of power pulls :scared: