Sprocket's Competition

[j2k4]

How much tire you got in front?

Did you put the old nose back on yet?

Can't remember...

[clocker]

Fronts are 255/35/18, rears are 285/35/18.
Nitto NT555 all around.
No, the "new" nose has a way lower lip than this one (and it's blue), so we haven't contemplated using it lately.

[j2k4]

Fronts are 255/35/18, rears are 285/35/18.
Nitto NT555 all around.
No, the "new" nose has a way lower lip than this one (and it's blue), so we haven't contemplated using it lately.

Huh.

I'm looking at your Nitto NT555s for the Stealth - you like 'em?

How much smaller will you need to go, or can you do something with offset?

Is the nose on the car the one that was mounted when I was there?

And lastly, didn't you say something about a body kit.

Thank you.

Btw-

The car looks freaking terrific.

[clocker]

Now that the car actually handles OK it'll be easier to tell if the tires work or not.

Yes, that's the nose you saw but it's been mended and the bellypan stiffens it up considerably.
Yes, there's a bodykit...I've yet to venture into S.'s attic to see it.

Offset and tire size are not the problem, just the ride height.
I reinstalled the stock front springs on the "new" Tokicos this morning and the issue is solved.
Springs raised the car about an inch and all scrubbing/fender interference is gone.
Car rides pretty well now, certainly better than ever before and acceptable for the nonce.

Tomorrow is dash wiring.

[clocker]

Tomorrow is dash wiring.

Yeah, well, you know how that goes.

I decided to take advantage of some cooler weather and work on the intake setup instead of the wiring.
Sigfrid had purchased a new MAF (Mass Air Flow sensor) which didn't run very well although unplugging the IAC (Intake Air Control solenoid) seemed to help.
(The IAC controls a bypass airchannel that smooths abrupt throttle input- especially at low speed).

I tried all combinations of MAF and IAC on/off with a ride on my test loop to get results.
I then removed the IAC solenoid and cleaned/reset it.
Why didn't I do this first, you ask.
Physically messing with the solenoid seemed to have about a 20% success rate on forums I scanned and was widely considered to be a Hail Mary shot before conceding defeat and purchasing a new one.

Which is pretty much where I thought we were.

I think the procedure (a cleaning of the pintle with injector cleaner followed by an ECU reset sequence) staved off the inevitable, at least for a while.
She still hunts at idle but beyond a walking pace, runs pretty smoothly.

Our smartest move would be to preemptively replace all our major sensors along with our crispy ECU and (fingers crossed) be done with it.
Even better would be to ditch the stock engine management and go to aftermarket standalone electronics.

Neither option is cheap, the first @ $500-750, the second @ $1500-2000.

One the final test drive she left me stranded with a dead battery.
I finally maneuvered into a bumpstart position and she fired up, at home finally, I decided the culprit must be the cooling fan, which is not key operated and runs with the car off.
I figured that multiple short stops, with the fan running constantly, was too much battery drain and the solution was to cut the fan with the ignition.
I had considered this option when building the front harness and the necessary wiring was already in place, so it was a simple job.

With the battery recharged and the (presumed) cause repaired, t'was time for another test drive.
First though, I decided to temporarily repower the gauge panel ( disconnected during engine harness install and awaiting dash removal to properly redo) and check fuel level.
Had plenty of gas, not so much in the charging department though.

Voltmeter only reads 11.5v, not 14.3v as it should.
Apparently, the alternator passed away sometime during the past week and we didn't notice because the voltmeter wasn't working.

It was a $25 used part from the junkyard so the demise was neither unexpected nor a terrible loss...a decent reman unit will run @ $125, we're getting one today.

The journey is made of a thousand detours.

[j2k4]

There is a book, here - you realize that, don't you.

Oh, and I finally heard from the errant ECU wizard; and for perhaps the third time in my life, someone actually uttered to me (in print) the words, "The (pick'em) is in the mail!"

By the end of the week, he says - and the rims are due back from powder-coat.

I am a mere set of tires from pics.

Alas.

Oh, and the book could be called One Man's...no, make that, Two Men on a Journey Ordeal Trial Path Search [/I]...

Or you could call it S & S's Excellent Adventure.

[clocker]

I'll take that under consideration, Kev.

New alternator solved the charging issue, car is basically running like a top.
Sigfrid says the ride/handling are better than the 400HP rotary RX-7 that he owned in California.

This Saturday we tackle the dash wiring.
Really...this time for sure.

[j2k4]

New alternator solved the charging issue, car is basically running like a top. Sigfrid says the ride/handling are better than the 400HP rotary RX-7 that he owned in California.

Yeah, and the best power/weight I have ever owned were the slightly tweaked 429SCJ Mustang I had; just shy of 600HP @ 2950LBs, and my '67 Mustang small-arm 302; that was about 410 @ 2700.

I'll bet it drives super tame, too, eh?

[clocker]

Yup, disturbingly docile.

Well, mostly.
Now that the diff is working properly and the suspension isn't trying to buck us out of the cabin, turns out it'll hook the back tires and spin the car pretty easily.
Sigfrid was doing smoky donuts in front of his house.
That's with our (estimated) 250 RWHP...the plan is bump the motor to the 400 HP range, which should make her pretty ah...entertaining.
Our current curb weight ( 1/2 tank of fuel, no driver) is 2650 lbs.

[j2k4]

Good God.

LS, here we come...