John's EZ36R H6 818R Build

[Hobby Racer]

Now that the car is in the garage for the winter I am starting on the modifications for next season. If you have been following my build you might remember I had some issues with wind buffeting my helmet at speeds over 120mph. I decided to lower my seats as much as possible with the hope of eliminate the buffeting. Side benefits include lowering the center of gravity a bit and being safer for me!

I was able to lower both seats 2 inches by removing my adjustable sliders and cutting out the X brace under the seats. I then welded in new H pattern supports that allow the seats to slide between them and rest on the floor pan.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=97233&d=1541967850

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=97235&d=1541967862

Here is a picture from the driver's bottom side. You can't get any lower than that without hanging below the bottom of the car. With the seats so low there is no way to use the bolt in sub harness bracket that came with the car. Instead I used a 3/4" square tube welded between the the 1" H supports so I can wrap the sub belt around. It should be a better/more secure way to mount the sub belt. Some custom side brackets secure the seats to the new H supports and voila, lower seats. Only down side is that the seats are so low that I can not use the sliders anymore, there is no room to move either seat forward or backwards, but they are in excellent seating positions (at least for me ;)).

[C.Plavan]

Now that the car is in the garage for the winter I am starting on the modifications for next season. If you have been following my build you might remember I had some issues with wind buffeting my helmet at speeds over 120mph. I decided to lower my seats as much as possible with the hope of eliminate the buffeting. Side benefits include lowering the center of gravity a bit and being safer for me!

I was able to lower both seats 2 inches by removing my adjustable sliders and cutting out the X brace under the seats. I then welded in new H pattern supports that allow the seats to slide between them and rest on the floor pan.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=97233&d=1541967850

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=97235&d=1541967862

Here is a picture from the driver's bottom side. You can't get any lower than that without hanging below the bottom of the car. With the seats so low there is no way to use the bolt in sub harness bracket that came with the car. Instead I used a 3/4" square tube welded between the the 1" H supports so I can wrap the sub belt around. It should be a better/more secure way to mount the sub belt. Some custom side brackets secure the seats to the new H supports and voila, lower seats. Only down side is that the seats are so low that I can not use the sliders anymore, there is no room to move either seat forward or backwards, but they are in excellent seating positions (at least for me ;)).

You will still need the aero for your helmet. I was just as low, even with the original seat pad removed and still had buffeting. Once I installed the aero devices on my helmet, all was good.

[Hobby Racer]

You will still need the aero for your helmet. I was just as low, even with the original seat pad removed and still had buffeting. Once I installed the aero devices on my helmet, all was good.

Did you use the Bell stick on pieces?

[C.Plavan]

Did you use the Bell stick on pieces?

This was on my Arai helmet. But yes, they were the stick on clear Lexan pieces.

[Hobby Racer]

So I've been pondering how to cut the airfoil I have to fit around the upper roll bar. I ended up soliciting advice from fellow builders and came up with a great way to get it done. You read about it over in this thread. (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?30373-How-to-Cut-a-Long-Extrusion-Lengthwise)

98279

Now I need to start working on securing it to the roll bar. Once secured, I will wrap the foil in the same carbon fiber vinyl wrap I used on the interior, both for looks and to seal up the cut along the trailing edge.

The one thing I have not decided yet is whether or not to close off the ends. I was thinking of putting on small end plates like I have on my rear wing, what are your thoughts?

[Hobby Racer]

Trying to wrap the air foil around the curved end parts of the roll bar by pie cutting end caps and then joining them to the straight center section. Once everything is covered by vinyl wrap it might look good. I'm not sure how much value that extra 6" on each end is worth compared to the extra effort though.

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[Hobby Racer]

Mounted the air foil on the top roll bar today. I decided to go with wing end plates. I used 1/8" polycarbonate with a slit on the bottom so I can twist it to fit over the roll bar tubing.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=98365&d=1543530929

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I have to think of a way to attach the end plates to the wing / bar.

[Jetfuel]

Racer, will "L" shape brackets inside the airfoil, upper and lowers and then attached to the end cover with countersunk rivets work for you??

[Hobby Racer]

Racer, will "L" shape brackets inside the airfoil, upper and lowers and then attached to the end cover with countersunk rivets work for you??

They would, I just need to come up with a sturdy method of joining the metal brackets to the ABS plastic. Its too thin near the trailing edge to use rivets (can't counter sink them).

Maybe some type of epoxy.

[Jetfuel]

Sure it will work, by the pics I can tell there's enough meat to countersink the foil
If you need some tiny rivets in length or diameter let me know and I will mail you an envelope full.
How thick is the foil skin?
The rivet hole will be drilled with a#40 bit and 100* countersink.....tiny...

Jetfuel

[Hobby Racer]

I got the air foil end plates mounted today. I ended up making small tabs and welded them to the roll bar. I installed #10-32 rivet nuts in the tabs to allow easy install and removal of the end plates should I need to remove / replace the air foil.

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Now I just have to paint the tabs, end plates, and vinyl wrap the air foil.

[Hobby Racer]

I finally got the carbon fiber vinyl wrap today and applied it to the air foil surface. It came out very nice. A few small wrinkles on the underside near where the ends come together. Man its hard to work with vinyl wrap upside down, on a curved surface, by yourself :rolleyes:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=98914&d=1544729678

98915 98916 98917 98918

[Mitch Wright]

Looks really nice, great job.

[AZPete]

I agree, it's beautiful!

[Hobby Racer]

If anyone is interested in adding a fairing, I have an additional piece I will not be using. Since I have the jig already, I can make the lengthwise cut for you if you want.

PM me if your interested.

[biknman]

PM sent

[Frank818]

Very nice CF wrap!!! Looks like a real CF wing.

[Hobby Racer]

I am finally getting some time to work on a new header design that exits out the back like normal cars. :p

This time I will be using 304 stainless steel instead of mild steel. Figured I need to learn how to use that TIG welder I bought. After cutting up a few bends I found it difficult to mock up the header tubes in the confined space. Add to that the fact that you can't use magnets to temporarily affix the tubes to anything and it was clear I needed another, easier way to design this set of headers.

Free Onshape 3D CAD to the rescue again! I took the critical dimensions from the frame, header flange, motor mounts, suspension pickup points and the general head configuration and modeled it up in CAD. This let me play with different tube routing options easily and ensure nothing was interfering.

So here is a screen shot of the initial design looking from the rear frame section. Once I'm happy with it I will add in the collectors and pipes out the back.

It's really cool spinning it around in 3D to see it from all angles. Maybe I'll post a video like I did last time.

Thanks to DSR-3 for posting his header pics; I took my design inspiration from him.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=101767&d=1549338815

[Zach34]

Now that's a cool project! A difficult one, too. How are you going to make the flanges?

I've never done headers, but I did do sidepipes for my roadster years ago (out of much larger stainless tubing). Leave yourself as much room for error as you can in your design. The tube bends you will use will inevitably not be 100% dimensionally perfect and the welds will distort things A LOT. I mean, really really a lot. Stainless grows and contracts with weld heat much more than steel or aluminum.

What kind of back-purging setup are you planning on?

I'd love to see more angles and pictures.

[Hobby Racer]

Now that's a cool project! A difficult one, too. How are you going to make the flanges?

I've never done headers, but I did do sidepipes for my roadster years ago (out of much larger stainless tubing). Leave yourself as much room for error as you can in your design. The tube bends you will use will inevitably not be 100% dimensionally perfect and the welds will distort things A LOT. I mean, really really a lot. Stainless grows and contracts with weld heat much more than steel or aluminum.

I ordered the flanges online. racemufflers.com (https://www.racemufflers.com/) laser cuts them from 3/8" thick 304 stainless. I also ordered mandrel bent 16 gauge 180 degree tube pieces and collectors from cone engineering. (https://www.coneeng.com/) The bends are really accurate as they are done on a CNC bending machine. The inaccuracies come when I start cutting them :D. I know that stainless distorts a lot with heat, but I have to learn some time. The CAD mock up allows me to find the configuration with the most room around the tubes without doing the trial and error thing, which is real expensive when using stainless tubing. The mild steel version (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?23199-John-s-EZ36R-H6-818R-Build&p=289414&viewfull=1#post289414) I did previously was a good practice run working with thin wall tubing. I plan on welding many test tubes prior to lighting up on the final pieces. Hopefully I can get the hang of the stainless expansion and get good results.



What kind of back-purging setup are you planning on?


As you know, normally you need to back purge with argon, but that requires either a dual outlet regulator setup on your argon tank or a separate argon tank and regulator, neither of which I have. I looked around for other / less expensive solutions and found a product called SolarFlux Type B. (https://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Welding/Fluxes/Solar-Welding-Flux.aspx) You apply it to the back side of the weld joint and it forms a hard glass like protective layer when heat is applied, shielding the back side from oxygen contamination. It works a lot like the flux that you see covering stick welding rods, it just works on the back side of the weld instead of the front side. It is very cost effective and easier to use than setting up argon back purging on all those joints.



I'd love to see more angles and pictures.

I'll post up a video of me rotating the CAD assembly when I get a chance so you can see it from all angles. If there are any specific angles / section you would like to see, I can zoom in and post pics of those specifically.

[lance corsi]

Try this; tape a piece of aluminum foil over both open pipe ends. Next, put a small hole in both. Put your tig torch against one hole and inject your inert gas until you feel it has filled the cavity. More is better. Next, tape the two small holes shut & begin welding. It has worked well for me. Sometimes I prefer this method because it allows repositioning the workpiece without having a purge hose connected.

[Hobby Racer]

Here are some more pics of the headers. I zoomed in on the passenger side only so you can see greater detail. The headers are symmetrical left to right.

One of my design goals was to simplify the number of different angle cuts I needed to make. These headers only require 90 degree and 45 degree bends. I made a simple cutting jig to allow me to make fast, easy, and accurate cuts out of the 180 degree mandrel bends I bought.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=101775&d=1549372018

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[Hobby Racer]

Try this; tape a piece of aluminum foil over both open pipe ends. Next, put a small hole in both. Put your tig torch against one hole and inject your inert gas until you feel it has filled the cavity. More is better. Next, tape the two small holes shut & begin welding. It has worked well for me. Sometimes I prefer this method because it allows repositioning the workpiece without having a purge hose connected.

I may try that in conjunction with the solar flux. That way as the gas leaks out the unwelded joints I will still be protected. Your right in that having a purge tube in one end is awkward as you are constantly having to twist / reposition the part.

[lance corsi]

Imo, the Solar flux is unnecessary and if you plan on tig welding, any sort of foreign substance that may be drawn into the weld is a bad idea. I use pure argon. Clean the parts well with acetone. Fit the parts as close as is practically possible. Argon is heavier than air, so if you're worried about it escaping, tape the bottom 2/3 of the pipe joint. Use at least 3 tacks. Use stitch welds until you're sure it will not warp beyond use. Use same or higher grade filler rod as your base metal. Practice on a scrap piece first. When welding tubing, I like to use 1/16 tungsten and a .04 dia filler rod.
The easy way to get good at welding is to weld a lot.
The hard way to get good at welding is to weld a lot.
You pick!

[Mitch Wright]

Looks great Hobby, I use the same method that lance is suggesting to purge the tubes and it works great with the freedom to roll the piece as needed while welding. As Lance has said clean both the inside and outside of the tube with acetone. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Are you going to have room for mufflers? I know you don't need them at the Glen but believe you will at Lime Rock, Palmer and Club Motorsport. If space is tight we sell inserts that can be installed in the tailpipe's that will knock the noise down 4-6 DB and they are easy to remove when not needed.

[Hobby Racer]

The easy way to get good at welding is to weld a lot.
The hard way to get good at welding is to weld a lot.
You pick!

Love it!!!! All good advise, thanks for tips.


Are you going to have room for mufflers? I know you don't need them at the Glen but believe you will at Lime Rock, Palmer and Club Motorsport. If space is tight we sell inserts that can be installed in the tailpipe's that will knock the noise down 4-6 DB and they are easy to remove when not needed.

I'm thinking of putting in a removable straight section out the back that is sized for a Magna Flow inline muffler. That way I can run straight pipes or the muffler sections if needed.

[Hobby Racer]

When welding tubing, I like to use 1/16 tungsten and a .04 dia filler rod.

Lance, I can only find 0.035 and 0.045 308L rod. Which would you go with, or am I just splitting hairs here?

[lance corsi]

Either diameter would suffice. I avoid the L designated rod, as it contains trace elements of lead, which is not easy to weld with. You could jump up to 316 ss if it comes in the small diameters. Plain 308 would work also. Use 15-18 cfph of gas, DC straight polarity. I use the 2% thoriated tungsten.

[lance corsi]

Either diameter would suffice. I avoid the L designated rod, as it contains trace elements of lead, which is not easy to weld with. You could jump up to 316 ss if it comes in the small diameters. Plain 308 would work also. Use 15-18 cfph of gas, DC straight polarity. I use the 2% thoriated tungsten.

Trace amounts...sorry!
I don't know how I forgot this, but one of the most important things to get right when trying to lay down that perfect bead- get comfortable, or as comfortable as possible. Half the time you will be welding in awkward positions, so if at all possible, do yourself a favor and get comfy!

[Hobby Racer]

I avoid the L designated rod, as it contains trace elements of lead, which is not easy to weld with.

Pretty sure the "L" designation means low carbon.

308L: Low carbon would be 0.04% and lower.
308H: between 0.04 - 0.08%
308: maximum of 0.08%

I use 2% lanthanated electrodes in my inverter type TIG welder, works well with mild steel, stainless, aluminum so I do not have to have multiple tungsten types, plus its what is recommended by the manufacturer :)

[aquillen]

Early on in my TIG efforts for my 818 (was my first TIG and so far only)... Arts818 you can see I've done a fair amount of it, and a lot I didn't describe...

I rigged up a T in the Argon and ran it to a medical pinch hose line, letting a bit of gas go to the back-purge needs. Stuffed a balloon on one end of whatever, taped the other end. As long as the balloon was just puffed up I knew there was some flow, turn if off the balloon "dies" = yes it works.

Then I bought the Solarflux. Ouch at 38$ a can. It does work but you need to have access to the inside of the joint to paste it in. And a little bit of learning curve on mixing and applying, it's not like icing a cake. Some joints you can't reach when assembled, and pasting in halves then butting the pipes doesn't let it work very well and if you don't really paste it up very nicely, it does not protect. It turns to glass like material and that doesn't bother me if it is in exhaust path. IF you can still reach the joint you can kind-of chip it out with a sharp tool, tapping, but necessary? You MUST use the right alcohol, I tried whatever I had around and it was not good. So get a bottle of Heet for that, every gas station has it. It is great for things like the flange to pipe, since that is rather hard to setup a purge (can be done but this is easier).

So if you want Solarflux and didn't buy it, pm me and you'll get plenty of mine. No point in blowing a wad on the tiny bit you need. One can is a lifetime supply for non commercial work like us guys.

Finally though I did buy a dual gas flow setup off ebay. This one was the cheapest, and while not exotic nor perfect (touchy to adjust until I modified the valves using my mini-lathe). It does work just fine. Costs $109. Now you have nice control. But again are you going to keep using this or one shot deal? If you bought a TIG machine I'd say you justified getting this already.

Ebay look for:

DUAL HTP Argon CO2 Mig Tig Flow meter Regulator Welding Weld Double Backpurge

[aquillen]

Trace amounts...sorry!
I don't know how I forgot this, but one of the most important things to get right when trying to lay down that perfect bead- get comfortable, or as comfortable as possible. Half the time you will be welding in awkward positions, so if at all possible, do yourself a favor and get comfy!

One more thing - not only comfy but excellent view, close up. I bought the highest magnification drug-store reading glasses I could find. I use them when welding and another pair on my electronics workbench. I had a prescription pair made years ago, for 5" from my nose. Perfect they were but over time got scratched and dinged. The drug store variety have proved just as good and are next to nothing to buy. Close up vision doing TIG is wonderful IMHO.

[Hobby Racer]

Then I bought the Solarflux. Ouch at 38$ a can. It does work but you need to have access to the inside of the joint to paste it in. And a little bit of learning curve on mixing and applying, it's not like icing a cake. Some joints you can't reach when assembled, and pasting in halves then butting the pipes doesn't let it work very well and if you don't really paste it up very nicely, it does not protect. It turns to glass like material and that doesn't bother me if it is in exhaust path. IF you can still reach the joint you can kind-of chip it out with a sharp tool, tapping, but necessary? You MUST use the right alcohol, I tried whatever I had around and it was not good. So get a bottle of Heet for that, every gas station has it. It is great for things like the flange to pipe, since that is rather hard to setup a purge (can be done but this is easier).

Here are my thoughts on mock up and final assembly. Tack each tube together with only 2 small fusion tacks at each joint and do a test fit. Then break each pipe down and final weld each joint one at a time using the paste and a lot of tack welds to keep each new piece in place. Building each pipe up one joint at a time.

On the exterior of the flange to pipe I was thinking about using silicon bronze filler rod and TIG brazing them. I have seen that recommended by a few header fabrication shops.

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So if you want Solarflux and didn't buy it, pm me and you'll get plenty of mine. No point in blowing a wad on the tiny bit you need. One can is a lifetime supply for non commercial work like us guys.

Man, wish I knew that before I bought my 1lb lifetime supply. :p



Finally though I did buy a dual gas flow setup off ebay. This one was the cheapest, and while not exotic nor perfect (touchy to adjust until I modified the valves using my mini-lathe).

Out of curiousity, what did you have to fix to get the regulators working well?

[aquillen]

As I recall, the adjuster thumbscrews are just needle valves, and they are sloppy. Turn them and they move back a bit, and even change with vibration. So getting exact flow was hard to do. I (may - don't recall now) have cut a groove on the adjuster shafts with my lathe so o-rings from my assortment boxes would fit in. Anyway I'm sure I fitted little o-rings and silicone grease on them so the adjuster screws would be more firm but also slide on the rings and not change settings on their own. The dual flow control turned out to be "cat's meow" for me.

[Hobby Racer]

Ok I just learned this from another forum where some car guys are using Onshape CAD. Onshape has this thing called link sharing where I can post a link to my cad file and anyone can load it up and play with it in their browser window.

You have to try this!

Link to my 3D solid model header file (https://cad.onshape.com/documents/e1325b4dd51a2c6abde1d919/v/a3583c337fb15da3da598904/e/11c3625ac3049862d11bed96)

Use the toolbar at the bottom of the page for pan / zoom / rotate / etc

[aquillen]

Slick!

[Hobby Racer]

I added the collectors to the shared CAD model.

Click the picture to interact with the 3D model.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=101839&d=1549555064 (https://cad.onshape.com/documents/e1325b4dd51a2c6abde1d919/v/a3583c337fb15da3da598904/e/11c3625ac3049862d11bed96)

[DSR-3]

Nice!
It looks like you're using the collector "kits". I started with those, but it seemed too challenging to assemble them in place and layout the system. Went with slip-fit inlet types and it helped greatly. However, I was building the headers in place after giving up on modeling them. Chop saw, belt sander, masking tape, and band-aid for dents in my head from falling parts... I work with Solidworks daily, and this method was less frustrating!

Regarding assy & distortion;
First thing I did was fix the muffler positions and mounting, including the v-band flanges at the mufflers. For the header fab, I cut/fit parts in place and masking taped them together. Then I tacked each joint making sure it was solid and stable. Then I took it to a professional sheetmetal/welder supplier I use, because I can't weld for sh!t. He welded the whole thing in 1 one shot while I held it. Then 2 weeks later his son welded the other bank. In the end, they came out identical in fit- way out at the end of the mufflers both were "up" 1/4" from their saddle, that's it! I was pleasantly surprised and happy that only a mount adjustment was required, as I honestly though it would be a mess.

* I have 2ea 3-to-1 collector kits available at a steep discount for anyone building...

[Hobby Racer]

Nice!
It looks like you're using the collector "kits". I started with those, but it seemed too challenging to assemble them in place and layout the system. Went with slip-fit inlet types and it helped greatly. However, I was building the headers in place after giving up on modeling them. Chop saw, belt sander, masking tape, and band-aid for dents in my head from falling parts... I work with Solidworks daily, and this method was less frustrating!

Funny, I moved to modeling in CAD because I got frustrated trying to tape and hold the pieces up under the car by myself! I only ordered just enough tubing to make it work so I did not want to do a bunch of trial and error cuts. It was tricky at first, modeling the pipes, but once I got the hang of it I worked through a few configurations and settled on the one that had only 1 or 2 welds per pipe. I figure the less I need to cut / weld the more accurate the outcome will be.


Regarding assy & distortion;
First thing I did was fix the muffler positions and mounting, including the v-band flanges at the mufflers. For the header fab, I cut/fit parts in place and masking taped them together. Then I tacked each joint making sure it was solid and stable. Then I took it to a professional sheetmetal/welder supplier I use, because I can't weld for sh!t. He welded the whole thing in 1 one shot while I held it. Then 2 weeks later his son welded the other bank. In the end, they came out identical in fit- way out at the end of the mufflers both were "up" 1/4" from their saddle, that's it! I was pleasantly surprised and happy that only a mount adjustment was required, as I honestly though it would be a mess.

* I have 2ea 3-to-1 collector kits available at a steep discount for anyone building...

I've had similar thoughts about just tacking everything up and taking it to a professional welder, but I really want to learn how to do this so I'm jumping in with both feet. I've gotten a lot of great advice and encouragement from Lance, Mitch, Zach and others, so I'm going to give it my best shot.

Oh and I can't forget to thank you for sharing your pics, they helped a lot.

[Mitch Wright]

John, as Lance pointed out the more you weld the better you get. When TIG welding I always weld some practice pieces to get some muscle memory and to get comfortable and figure out what I will use to rest my right arm on. When building headers you have plenty of scrap so we will have a lot to practice with, go for it.

[Zach34]

I've never used that solar flux. I'm very curious to hear what you think about it and hopefully see some pictures of the results.

When I did my sidepipes, I bought a Smith dual regulator and it worked great for back-purging. Stainless bracketry presents a problem, though, as there may not be an enclosed space on the backside of the weld. For those situations I have usually figured out some kind of copper backing plate, which works well, but the solar flux might be even better. I wonder if it cleans easily from parts exposed to view.

I was in the same situation as you when I did my sidepipes for the Cobra. I cut my TIG welding teeth on that project. The biggest thing that helped me was just buying a 2-foot length of straight stainless pipe, cutting about a 1/2-inch off of it, and welding it back on. I repeated that about 15 times until I was making beads that looked decent. It was 16-gauge material and I tried both 1/16 and 0.045" filler rod. On these thin-metal, low-amp welds, adding rod is like throwing ice on the puddle and sucks the heat right out of the base metal - causing the puddle to immediately move around. Managing that is what's tricky. My tendency was to go too slow, making the heat-affected zone too big and resulting in a gray weld (I was also using a normal #7 size cup. Larger may be better.). The 0.045 rod doesn't chill the puddle as fast as 1/16 does, but I think anything smaller might melt before you get it into the puddle.

When I make the exhaust for this car I'm going to do another round of practice. I will be using a very large pyrex cup and I will play around more with the pulser to see if I can manage the heat input a little better. I probably wouldn't care so much if not for these Instagram welders making feel incompetent, ha!

[Hobby Racer]

I've never used that solar flux. I'm very curious to hear what you think about it and hopefully see some pictures of the results.

When I did my sidepipes, I bought a Smith dual regulator and it worked great for back-purging. Stainless bracketry presents a problem, though, as there may not be an enclosed space on the backside of the weld. For those situations I have usually figured out some kind of copper backing plate, which works well, but the solar flux might be even better. I wonder if it cleans easily from parts exposed to view.

I was in the same situation as you when I did my sidepipes for the Cobra. I cut my TIG welding teeth on that project. The biggest thing that helped me was just buying a 2-foot length of straight stainless pipe, cutting about a 1/2-inch off of it, and welding it back on. I repeated that about 15 times until I was making beads that looked decent. It was 16-gauge material and I tried both 1/16 and 0.045" filler rod. On these thin-metal, low-amp welds, adding rod is like throwing ice on the puddle and sucks the heat right out of the base metal - causing the puddle to immediately move around. Managing that is what's tricky. My tendency was to go too slow, making the heat-affected zone too big and resulting in a gray weld (I was also using a normal #7 size cup. Larger may be better.). The 0.045 rod doesn't chill the puddle as fast as 1/16 does, but I think anything smaller might melt before you get it into the puddle.

When I make the exhaust for this car I'm going to do another round of practice. I will be using a very large pyrex cup and I will play around more with the pulser to see if I can manage the heat input a little better. I probably wouldn't care so much if not for these Instagram welders making feel incompetent, ha!

I think your right in that the Solar Flux would be great for exposed brackets and such (I have not tried it yet). I ended up buying a dual regulator like others have suggested and will back purge the pipes the traditional way. Hey, I'm already in this far, what's another hundred bucks right ;)

I'm doing the same thing you did, I bought a 2 ft. section of straight tube to practice on. I am cutting it up into 1 in slices and trying to weld them back together again. Emphasis on trying!

What I'm finding hard with my practice pieces is rolling my wrist around at the same arc radius as the tubing and keeping my arc length short and the torch angle reasonable. With such small diameter tubing, something gets out of wack after only about one inch of weld travel. I either get to much arc length or my torch angle gets too far from perpendicular.

I am noticing that the torch is fighting me when trying to roll it in my fingers. Having to put a lot of effort into fighting the resistance makes me shake and I get terrible torch control. I'm not sure if the hose is not flexible enough even though it is a "Super Flex" hose on a WP17F torch.

[Mitch Wright]

I use a log like toy that belongs to my dog or a piece of 2-2.5 tubing to rest my wrist on to allow some freedom of movement. I have the same problem I will tense up and my hand starts shaking. I will say the more I weld the more relaxed I get on a project.

[aquillen]

SOLAR FLUX -

It is great for open work like the flanges to pipes. About the only removal is chip it or grind it. If reachable then belt or disc sanding or even sandblasting works pretty good but of course you have to avoid cutting into the metal.

You can get creative, for example shape aluminum foil over an area and feed purge "inside" it, instead of the SF...

I have benign tremors which is pretty strong shaking, usually when trying to do fine work. I find ways to support my wrists and arms, get the rest of my body relaxed, and get really close to the work visually as I mentioned above. This lets me get it done. Once every so often though, I have to just go do something else and come back in an hour or so. Frustrating but I won't let it end my projects. Attitude is almost everything.

[Zach34]

I agree - it quickly becomes apparent that torch angle is critical. Leaning it over just a little results in having to pump more heat in to maintain the puddle, and that throws everything out of whack.

I've never made a good TIG weld with my wrist completely unsupported. My best welds always involved resting my hand on a guide that followed the line I needed to make. It's just tough to figure out a solution for round tube.

[Hobby Racer]

My best welds always involved resting my hand on a guide that followed the line I needed to make. It's just tough to figure out a solution for round tube.

This is one of the issues that I'm trying to figure out. I'm thinking of making a guide that attaches to my welding cup that I can drag along the circumference to maintain arc length so I can focus on torch angle more. Basically trying to remove as many of the working variables as I can. Maybe if I make the guide a bit wider and give it a concave radius the same as the tube it can help me maintain torch angle and arc length!

[lance corsi]

Equally as important as torch angle is arc length. On rounded surfaces, this is more pronounced. Starts and stops are inevitable. Practice making restarts so that the look is as if you hadn't stopped. That is the trick, because rarely will you be able to complete the entire length of your weld without repositioning yourself or stopping to get more filler rod.

[Hobby Racer]

Equally as important as torch angle is arc length. On rounded surfaces, this is more pronounced. Starts and stops are inevitable. Practice making restarts so that the look is as if you hadn't stopped. That is the trick, because rarely will you be able to complete the entire length of your weld without repositioning yourself or stopping to get more filler rod.

I am finding that it takes 5 or 6 restarts to get around the 1.5" tube circumference. I get maybe 3/4" of weld before I'm out of position and can no longer see the puddle clearly. On your restarts, do you start one or two dabs back over the previous end point or do you start right at the end and maybe back up just a bit to ensure a solid connection to the previous weld?

[aquillen]

I am finding that it takes 5 or 6 restarts to get around the 1.5" tube circumference. I get maybe 3/4" of weld before I'm out of position and can no longer see the puddle clearly. On your restarts, do you start one or two dabs back over the previous end point or do you start right at the end and maybe back up just a bit to ensure a solid connection to the previous weld?

I've had good results both of these ways - go back just a little bit and warm up the puddle, or jump ahead to new area and then quickly go back to the existing puddle. Either way you do want the earlier puddle to melt in with the new start.

I built a rotating table to try doing a complete rotation pass when making my rod end joints for the rear suspension. Couldn't get used to working with forced speed of rotation (I could adjust the speed but my technique just wasn't good enough). Funny thing, just a few weeks later my friends at my local metal fab business called me over to repair their rotation machine which was big enough to do whatever comes in. Replaced the motor controller which had fried. If I'd known they had it I'd have bummed time on it earlier but by then I already had my joints made with stop/start passes.

[lance corsi]

I am finding that it takes 5 or 6 restarts to get around the 1.5" tube circumference. I get maybe 3/4" of weld before I'm out of position and can no longer see the puddle clearly. On your restarts, do you start one or two dabs back over the previous end point or do you start right at the end and maybe back up just a bit to ensure a solid connection to the previous weld?
Hobby, I usually just return to where I last stopped, but I try not to overlap my previous bead because it will leave a large bead where the overlap is. Sometimes at the restart, I dwell a split second to remelt the previous, then as I move forward, I judiciously add filler so as not to mound up the bead at the start. It takes a bit of practice, but everybody finally has to come to terms with it. You will develop your own technique for what works best for you. I used to get the shakes too, but I'm used to it now.
Tig welding is a constant balancing act between amperage, arc length, torch angle, amount of filler added, and hand-eye coordination. Try laying on your back welding overhead with the foot pedal between your knees!! It's a challenge! That's probably what I like most about it. A good welder can find employment wherever he chooses to land. Welding is one of the handiest skills I've ever learned.

[Hobby Racer]

This is the first joint that I'm not embarrassed to show :rolleyes: Learning to TIG weld on thin wall stainless tubing is probably not the best idea. But the project requires it so like I said before, jump-in with both feet.

Using the dual regulator to back purge really helps, the back side is actually nicer looking than the top side! I just ran out of gas so its off to the welding supply store Monday morning for a refill.

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[Zach34]

On the contrary, I think your decision to learn on the thin wall stuff is the best decision. Looking pretty good so far. Those look like solid welds. No reason to think they would fail from what I can see. Now it's just a matter of how good you want to get at the aestherics.

[Hobby Racer]

On the contrary, I think your decision to learn on the thin wall stuff is the best decision. Looking pretty good so far. Those look like solid welds. No reason to think they would fail from what I can see. Now it's just a matter of how good you want to get at the aestherics.

Thanks for the encouragement! My main goal is to achieve solid / sound weld joints, I don't want to have to go back and fix these later. Aesthetics are nice, and will probably come with practice, but are a secondary consideration. In between practice welding I am starting to tack up the primary tubes. I build these make shift jigs on my fab table to hold the tubes in place and tack them together with tiny fusion welds.

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[Hobby Racer]

I finished welding each of the primary tubes for both sides. Now I'm getting ready to TIG braze the tubes to the flange and then the weld on the collectors.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=102483&d=1550684807

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I've got to say that the welding table I bought has been money well spent. It is great for laying out jobs like this. With all the holes in the top, it makes it super easy to lock things in place.

[Mitch Wright]

Nice work John.

[flynntuna]

Always an inspiration John. I'm planning on doing somthing similar. I got a pair of raptor headers included with the purchase of my car from the previous owner and we'll see if we can cut them and add tubing to make them work or start from scratch.

[aquillen]

Looking like you know what your'e doing! Tip - if you haven't already, jig up some 90 degree scraps and practice that style joint. Technique of course is different than rounding outside tubing. The difference in thicknesses and the angle makes for popping a hole through the pipe pretty easy.

[Hobby Racer]

Looking like you know what your'e doing! Tip - if you haven't already, jig up some 90 degree scraps and practice that style joint. Technique of course is different than rounding outside tubing. The difference in thicknesses and the angle makes for popping a hole through the pipe pretty easy.

That is exactly what I'm doing today. I bought a 1 1/2" hole saw to cut holes in a 3/8" flat plate to simulate the header flange and I will practice welding in scrap tubes. The silicon bronze filler melts at a lower temperature than the base metal so I hope to be able to braze the thick flange to the thin tube without blowing holes in the tubing.

Since I'm very new to TIG welding I mock up and practice each joint configuration until I feel confident enough to light up on the real pieces.

[1932]

I also took on tig. Made turbo headers and working on exhaust for my 33. Very tight with no room so a lot of pie parts. Not to fancy, just old farmer learning new trick.

[Hobby Racer]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=102778&d=1551132975

I got some time to work on the headers again today. They are now together enough to test fit on the car. I welded the tubes together in preparation for welding on the collectors. That involves building up weld material between the tubes and then grinding back just enough so the collector slips on. That way you don't have a large gap to fill when finish welding the collectors on later. The Solar Flux really came in handy here as there was no easy way to back purge these pipes when welding them together.

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I have only tack welded the tubes to the flanges for now. Figured I'd wait and do the final perimeter welds on both sides last just in case anything needs to come apart and get redone! I will use the Solar Flux again when welding the outside of the tubes to the flange as it will fully penetrate to the inside of the tubes where it would be difficult to back purge.

102788 102789

[Mitch Wright]

Nice work

[aquillen]

I bet you are enjoying doing that tig work. I do myself. Your work looks super.

[Hobby Racer]

Nice work


I bet you are enjoying doing that tig work. I do myself. Your work looks super.

Thanks guys. I enjoy learning new skills. And while I'm sure the welds would look nicer if done by a professional, I take pride in being able to say I built everything on my car myself. And as Lance said, the only way to get better at welding is to weld more ;)

[Hobby Racer]

More progress. I welded the tubes into the flange on the side that bolts to the cylinder head. The tube on the far right looks beautiful, almost like it was machined into the flange. The other two not as nice. The nice tube was flush with the flange and the other two were sunken down. It was much more difficult to get the torch in at the correct angle on those and I had a hard time positioning the piece while welding. But in the end all the pipes are fully sealed and that's what really matters.

102852

I also got the merge pyramids welded in place. These seal off the center section of the pipes so there are no leaks and provide a smooth transition for the exhaust gas to go from individual pipes into a single larger pipe.

102851

[Hobby Racer]

Finished welding up the headers today. Man it feels great to have accomplished that. I am very pleased with the way they turned out. I am also glad I designed them in CAD first. They fit exactly like the CAD model predicts.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=102879&d=1551304889

For those interested here is a picture showing a full penetration weld of a primary tube to the thick flange where I used the Solar Flux instead of back purging. I chipped away half of the glass like coating left behind so you can see underneath. It does a great job, no oxidation.

102881

After I was finished, there was some slight warping on the header flange so I leveled it by placing adhesive backed sandpaper on the top of my cast iron table saw (which is ground very flat). By running the flange back and forth a few hundred times, I'm not kidding either, the flanges are now dead flat.

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I needed to make a handy jig to hold the assembly vertically so I could weld on the collectors. Notice the back purge setup for these welds.

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Here are some more pictures of the finished product.

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102887

[Hobby Racer]

Here are some pictures of the headers on the car.

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[Hobby Racer]

Next I will be adding in the resonators and tail pipes. I bought these shiny ones, aren't they pretty :p

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[lance corsi]

Your headers turned out very nice! You have hidden skills. I wish my first weld job looked that nice!

[turbomacncheese]

Sharp

[AZPete]

beautiful

[Kurk818]

Outstanding work!

[flynntuna]

Great job John, your decision to mod the frame rather than moving the engine back an inch really makes this routing of the headers much easier. My dicision to move the engine back may prove to be problematic. I also only raised the engine 1/2" I'll probably raise it another 1/2" to an inch like you did.

[Hobby Racer]

Great job John, your decision to mod the frame rather than moving the engine back an inch really makes this routing of the headers much easier. My dicision to move the engine back may prove to be problematic. I also only raised the engine 1/2" I'll probably raise it another 1/2" to an inch like you did.

Modifying the frame was definitely a good choice. It has made many of my other modification easier.

[Rob T]

This looks awesome. I wish I could weld like that.

[aquillen]

Your work makes me feel good just looking at it.

[Hobby Racer]

This looks awesome. I wish I could weld like that.

Heck, I couldn't weld like that a month ago. All it takes is determination and practice.

[STiPWRD]

Great work! Really makes me want to get a TIG welder.

[Mitch Wright]

Beautiful, can’t wait to hear it.

[1932]

Nice work On the 33 there is very little room! It is fun to build your own parts, welder, grinder, time = new one-off parts!

[Hobby Racer]

Finished the exhaust out the back finally. I made some neat exhaust hangers that incorporate into the u-bolt clamps to hold up the back of the mufflers. I wanted some type of mounting that would have some give and flex when the motor vibrates and twists. The nice part is the hangers are threaded at the top so I can adjust the muffler height very precisely.

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I had to relocate my wing mount uprights and my transmission pump and my oil catch can, but it was worth it!

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[Mitch Wright]

Two thumbs up now lets hear a sound clip.

[Scargo]

Was thinking bungee cords. Yours is nicer. Looking good!

[Hobby Racer]

Ooh.. it sounds nice.

I'll post a short clip after I get the idle working.

[AZPete]

beautiful work. Clever design.

[Hobby Racer]

Here is a short clip with the new headers. My phone camera gives the exhaust a raspy sound that you do not detect when standing near it.


https://youtu.be/2B664lt-1Yc

[q4stix]

Sounds great and very unexpected with the idle tone!

[turbomacncheese]

Very cool!!

[sgarrett]

wow!!!

[Hobby Racer]

Getting close to being finished with the winter modifications this year. One of the last things on my list was to make a cold air intake that rams cool ambient air into the intake from the passenger side vent. I ended up going with an inline air box (its a cylinder really) that has a cone filter inside.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=104224&d=1553375734

I started by bending up a square tube the size of my intake adapter ~ 4 1/2" out of some scrap aluminum sheet. Then I needed to sculpt it to fit the side sail as best I could. That was quite hard, trying to fit a square tube to the multi curved inside body. I had to angle it up enough to clear the inner fender but not so much that it interfered with the rear deck lid. It was a very close fit.

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I then used resin and mat to bond the aluminum scoop to the inner fender in three places.

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After the resin hardened I reassembled the body and checked for fitment. I love the way it came out and it should give the engine plenty of cool air, especially at speed!

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[Wayne Presley]

Very nice work!

[Hobby Racer]

Back in a previous post (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?23199-John-s-EZ36R-H6-818R-Build&p=301087&viewfull=1#post301087), I opened up the gap between the leading edge of the doors and the back of the front fenders to allow high pressure air to exit the wheel wells and get more air to flow along the body and into the rear scoops. The enlarged openings work great, but I get tons of debris and stones flying out and blasting my paint. A while back I purchased some nice aluminum hex mesh screen and now I have finally gotten around to fabricating some front wheel screens. I think they are a nice touch and will hopefully prolong my paint job.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=104331&d=1553467157

Passenger side with the door off.

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Driver's side with the door on.

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[Mitch Wright]

John, you can also add some Helicopter Blade Tape to the leading edge of the door. (tough stuff looks like a clear bra) let me know if you would like some, I can send it over.

[Hobby Racer]

John, you can also add some Helicopter Blade Tape to the leading edge of the door. (tough stuff looks like a clear bra) let me know if you would lie some, I can send it over.

Thanks Mitch. I actually have XPel clear paint protection on the leading edge already. It works well but the added protection of the mesh is good for the large / sharp stones.

[Hobby Racer]

Since my new headers are complete, if anyone wants a set of custom EZ30R or EZ36 headers for their 818 build, PM me. You can use them as is or as a starting point for your own design. I would just need $ for shipping.

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Post showing the finished headers. (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?23199-John-s-EZ36R-H6-818R-Build&p=303190&viewfull=1#post303190)

[flynntuna]

Pm sent

[Hobby Racer]

I decided to try thermal wrap on my new stainless steel headers. I figured since they shouldn't rust the wrap should be ok instead of the very pricey ceramic coating I used on my first set of mild steel headers. Some tips for others planning to wrap their exhaust.


Use the expensive wrap from DEI. There is a reason they are the best.
Get the Titanium Lava Rock wrap. It doesn't itch and its very pliable without having to wet it.
Use safety wire to tie off the wrap. It's easier and you can get it tighter than those dam straps they give you.



https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=106810&d=1557097508

[Cosmo1stgen]

From a purely aesthetic non functional stand point those fender openings look awesome. I would do that to my car even if they served no purpose. Headers look good too.

[Scargo]

I decided to try thermal wrap on my new stainless steel headers. I figured since they shouldn't rust the wrap should be ok instead of the very pricey ceramic coating I used on my first set of mild steel headers. Some tips for others planning to wrap their exhaust.


Use the expensive wrap from DEI. There is a reason they are the best.
Get the Titanium Lava Rock wrap. It doesn't itch and its very pliable without having to wet it.
Use safety wire to tie off the wrap. It's easier and you can get it tighter than those dam straps they give you.



I agree in all aspects (and have used the stuff for years) but the downside is the wrap can hold oils and even antifreeze, which will burn.
A friend had enough oil related fires that he went to Heatshield products (https://www.heatshieldproducts.com/automotive/exhaust-heat-shield-insulation). Available through Summit. Though pricey, they last a long time. There are several other brands with similar products.

[Aero STI]

I agree in all aspects (and have used the stuff for years) but the downside is the wrap can hold oils and even antifreeze, which will burn.
A friend had enough oil related fires that he went to Heatshield products (https://www.heatshieldproducts.com/automotive/exhaust-heat-shield-insulation). Available through Summit. Though pricey, they last a long time. There are several other brands with similar products.


I've used the Heatshield Products stuff as well. It's pretty awesome for heat retention. It can be removed and reinstalled easily. However, it still a fiberglass mat type material on the inside and soaks up fluids.

[subysouth]

I am amazed at the incredible fabrication work being applied to these cars. I guess I should not be surprised though, its a great package so it is going to attract some very talented people. Awesome work Hobby.

ss

[Hobby Racer]

I am amazed at the incredible fabrication work being applied to these cars. I guess I should not be surprised though, its a great package so it is going to attract some very talented people. Awesome work Hobby.

ss

I seem to be working on the car more that driving it :D

[subysouth]

I seem to be working on the car more that driving it :D

I hear but sometimes it seems like that is where you want to be if it is a real give and take. You working on the car and the car giving back results. What wears you down is chasing demons 75% of time at least IMO.

ss

[Hobby Racer]

Finally got around to syncing up my first track video with GPS telemetry and engine ECU data. After watching the oil pressure drop in the brake zones and hard corners, I'll be fabrication a dry sump system for the EZ36R this winter! This is a long session at Watkins Glen International from back on 9/18/2019.

This is with the bone stock H6 on street tires (Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Spec). Sorry about the wind noise, the camera is in the air stream and this is as good as I could get it.


https://youtu.be/PmIhWkaLeGA

[Frank818]

Damn it! That's nice!!!

How do you keep 88psi of oil at all time and all rpms?

[Hobby Racer]

Damn it! That's nice!!!

How do you keep 88psi of oil at all time and all rpms?

That's the stock Subaru oil system! It has a huge oil pump. For comparison the EJ25 4 cylinders have a 10mm thick pump gear, the EZ36 has a 30mm thick gear. Yeah that's roughly 3 times the volume flow compared to the EJ25 motors. Must have something to do with the keeping the pressure up for the 4 variable valve timing cams this motor has.

In any case, it does drop into the 30's under heavy braking and high G corners (like over 1.3G). Still not bad for a completely stock oil system with no baffles or nothing!

Next year when I switch to slicks though I think it will be too many G's for the stock system. I'm going dry sump this winter.

[flynntuna]

Hmmm... Is it that the accusump can't recharge fast enough to keep up with demand, or not enough capacity to make it thru the curves or braking.

[Hobby Racer]

Hmmm... Is it that the accusump can't recharge fast enough to keep up with demand, or not enough capacity to make it thru the curves or braking.

It's a 3 quart unit (the largest Canton Racing makes) so its not a capacity issue. I've found that the Accusump does not keep the pressure up. It does provide additional flow if the pump drops out altogether, but it does not provide high pressure. I log oil pressure both before and after the accumulator and have not found it to be very helpful.

[Mitch Wright]

Something you could make and install over the winter which is a simpler version of Bill Walters Arctangent oil control plate which works great with oil pressure at a consistent PSI. I copied this from a race Subaru team in Europe. I didn't use a Accusump just a 6qt KB pan. 116557 I made one for my EJ but didn't try it, using Bills plate instead.

[Hobby Racer]

Something you could make and install over the winter which is a simpler version of Bill Walters Arctangent oil control plate which works great with oil pressure at a consistent PSI.

Unfortunately that is not possible with the design of the EZ36 two piece oil pan. Its very weird!

116559

[Scargo]

I agree that with slicks and/or any more power you will need a DS system. How do you feel the steering and handling is? Did it understeer at all?
Where is the gas tank? Are you ultimately looking at a racing class, like ST2?

[Hobby Racer]

How do you feel the steering and handling is? Did it understeer at all?

The car is very neutral, no push and you have to do something very dumb to get it to oversteer. And when you do it comes back in line with a quick steering correction. I think the Quaife TBD does a great job of getting the power down.


Where is the gas tank?

The stock tank is in the stock location (behind the seats). The hydro-mat does an amazing job. I have run this down to about 1/2 gallon on track and had no fuel starve issues! In fact it was the session I posted in the previous video.


Are you ultimately looking at a racing class, like ST2?

Not going for wheel to wheel racing. I just enjoy doing open track events.

[Hobby Racer]

I just updated the previous video with better data overlays for laps, oil pressure, and max G's in the corners. Helps to see the oil pressure issues in the corners.

[Mitch Wright]

Interesting, yes it is a bunch different than the EJ. So is that the oil pump/pickup that bolts that is bolted to the bottom of the block? Could additional baffles be welded to the pan? Can the pan and pick up be extended to allow for more oil capacity in the sump?

[Hobby Racer]

Interesting, yes it is a bunch different than the EJ. So is that the oil pump/pickup that bolts that is bolted to the bottom of the block? Could additional baffles be welded to the pan? Can the pan and pick up be extended to allow for more oil capacity in the sump?

Yes, that is the oil pump bolted to the bottom, there is no real pickup to speak of. The lower steel pan is like only 1" deep so no mods would be effective. The capacity could be increased with a deeper lower pan and extended pick but that would push it below the frame and screw up the aero of the rear diffusor. Capacity is not an issue as I already run 10 quarts not counting the Accusump! The issue is the large integrated aluminum upper oil pan which is part of the block assembly and has lots of passages for coolant and such. You can not even remove it without taking the heads off! Here is a couple of pics in progression showing disassembly.

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This winter I will examine it in greater detail when I pull the motor out. Maybe some convoluted control plate can be fabricated but I'm not real hopeful.

[Mitch Wright]

Ok now I have a better understanding. As far as extending the sump personally I would opt for the additional capacity in the sump over the very slight disruption under the car. I am of the opinion the hole cut in the panel for the pan will have little effect on the aero.

[Sgt.Gator]

I hope you find a way to dry sump it!

You probably have this already, but for others that are interested: the Technician Reference Booklet 6 Cylinder Boxer Engine Series: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AjtLSJvxEnlPlmEF7hC6eTL5FPkb

Note the EZ30 and EZ36 oil systems are different. The EZ30 may be easier to dry sump if one were to use the Aviad style pumps most of us are using and modify the stock upper oil pan with a connection on the outside for the dry sump return and on the inside of the pan up to the oil pump intake. Similar to what we do now with the ARE pan.

EZ30 oil system:

https://ipktpw.by.files.1drv.com/y4mWSMxBIXDoeaOTN4Gl4vcuFD6h1Hkb597PI2FxDXOVNrDI0O E4k0GfK01yALov2sjSofXanWnTdRYiHieIrAYem7gI0OZ-yCiafFV2LX0DMpaZ2SWGBvoU0l5gJaQc5WWOsdmbcv1Z1OsV-2FZHsq97Sxxk0SAQxOs_E5RBn1bSPnuNK4DuEzxd9-CjTmHYZO3DWbzHr6wUuaSLc2qKZ49Q?width=1024&height=828&cropmode=none

[Hobby Racer]

I hope you find a way to dry sump it!

You probably have this already, but for others that are interested: the Technician Reference Booklet 6 Cylinder Boxer Engine Series: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AjtLSJvxEnlPlmEF7hC6eTL5FPkb


Yes, I have all the H6 tech manuals for both the EZ30 and the EZ36. You are right in that the EZ30 would be easier to dry sump. But I enjoy the challenge! I am planning on using a hybrid system like what every one else has done on the EJ motors. I will by using twin scavenge stages with 1.40" spur gears and the stock oil pump for the pressure side. The EZ series of motors displace way more oil than the EJ motors so I need much larger scavenge stages.

[Sgt.Gator]

Yes, I have all the H6 tech manuals for both the EZ30 and the EZ36. You are right in that the EZ30 would be easier to dry sump. But I enjoy the challenge! I am planning on using a hybrid system like what every one else has done on the EJ motors. I will by using twin scavenge stages with 1.40" spur gears and the stock oil pump for the pressure side. The EZ series of motors displace way more oil than the EJ motors so I need much larger scavenge stages.

I was surprised when you said the EZ36 had a 30 cm pump ( I think you meant mm). The EZ30 has a 13 mm pump, just slightly larger than the 10,11,12 mm pumps used on EJ motors. I'm wondering if the EZ36 spins the pump at a much lower speed because of the way it connects to the drive shaft, so it's actually pumping the same volume? I've never seen specs on the EZ36 pump.
Here's the specs on the EJs:

https://jektpw.by.files.1drv.com/y4m_jpkjIwm2vtTYrBP8RZHr9LoYRfASutL3KES4JA32eAzkNj VbU2f69PP-F0FwWrUIoOkVdJfAJRFn-ZeSdXdo6BfGjOTeQt5DqZ2FdNSMz5c-_UXREFUDgL0xkC-1u6IXMcosv0K2lwK69Yw6Z32DAH-0sD0G2VSeREzJo1IveLIukfHlZBDEC49Cucj2hDj1_iwBvNliJ aDd0pbS3z0Yg?width=517&height=261&cropmode=none

[Hobby Racer]

I was surprised when you said the EZ36 had a 30 cm pump ( I think you meant mm).

Oops, yes I meant mm.


I'm wondering if the EZ36 spins the pump at a much lower speed because of the way it connects to the drive shaft, so it's actually pumping the same volume? I've never seen specs on the EZ36 pump.


The EJ's and the EZ30 pump at crank speed. The EZ36 pumps at cam speed (or very close), so about 1/2 crank speed. Even so the flow specs are way higher than the EJ's

Here are the oil flow specs from FSM. Check out the flow rate at 6,000 RPM (which is only ~3,000 revs at the pump). Its 87.5 quarts per minute!
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[Sgt.Gator]

Oops, yes I meant mm.



The EJ's and the EZ30 pump at crank speed. The EZ36 pumps at cam speed (or very close), so about 1/2 crank speed. Even so the flow specs are way higher then the EJ's

Here is the oil flow specs form FSM. Check out the flow rate at 6,000 RPM (which is only ~3,000 revs at the pump). Its 87.5 quarts per minute!
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There's why your Accusump can't keep up! 3 quarts is gone in 2 seconds... and after 1 qt of the 3 is gone the Accusump pressure drops rapidly as the air side expands. So you really have about 3/4 of one second of good pressure from your Accusump. Or maybe my math is challenged......

[Hobby Racer]

There's why your Accusump can't keep up! 3 quarts is gone in 2 seconds... and after 1 qt of the 3 is gone the Accusump pressure drops rapidly as the air side expands. So you really have about 3/4 of one second of good pressure from your Accusump. Or maybe my math is challenged......

Yes, its clear that the Accusump is not well suited to a motor that needs high pressure / high volume oil.

I am surprised at how well the stock oil system works though. In a street setup you would never need to upgrade. Even tracking it hard like I'm doing, you never lose oil pressure completely, it just drops into the 30's briefly. But I will feel much better when I can get it to have constant oil pressure ;)

[Sgt.Gator]

2009 Porsche 911 | Engine Oil Sump Test Rig |

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv53RbvgfGc

[Hobby Racer]

Winter is here, and now its time to get working on the 818R upgrades! First on my list is getting the frame modified to accept my Subaru 6 speed. I cut out the rear X brace to allow the transmission to fit properly. I added back some 1" tubing to triangulate the rear suspension pickup points and tie the left and right side together. I spaced the bracing to allow full access to both drain plugs.

I may cut out a shallow scallop in the rear most brace where the tail housing touches to further lower the transmission; you can see were it touches in the 3rd picture below.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=118810

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[Hobby Racer]

I ended up getting a 2005 JDM 6 speed out of a Legacy Spec B car. The 06 /07 STI 6 speeds that are supported by the FFR 2WD conversion are very expensive and getting hard to come by. It is very easy to convert a non-DCCD 6 speed to 2WD.

I plan on doing a detailed write up in a future post (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?34577-How-to-convert-any-Subaru-6-Speed-(6MT)-to-Front-Wheel-Drive-(FWD)&p=394267&viewfull=1#post394267) on how I selected and converted my 6 speed for those wanting to install a 6 speed that is not supported by FFR. I will probably post it in the engine & transmission section so it will be easier to find for future builders.

[Jetfuel]

Thanks racer
I'll be looking for your how to on this conversion

Jet

[Scargo]

I ended up getting a 2005 JDM 6 speed out of a Legacy Spec B car. The 06 /07 STI 6 speeds that are supported by the FFR 2WD conversion are very expensive and getting hard to come by. It is very easy to convert a non-DCCD 6 speed to 2WD.

I plan on doing a detailed write up in a future post on how I selected and converted my 6 speed for those wanting to install a 6 speed that is not supported by FFR. I will probably post it in the engine & transmission section so it will be easier to find for future builders.
Are you just playing on the track with your 818? It's interesting that I fit a 6MT in mine and did the upgrades, including close-ratio fifth and sixth then decided to go with a Rallispec hardened 5MT built for an 818 and racing! I am just playing, but I forsee eventually selling it as a viable race car and wanted to save the 100 pound difference.
What did you pay for that Spec C tranny? Will look forward to seeing what you do and how.

[Hobby Racer]

Are you just playing on the track with your 818? It's interesting that I fit a 6MT in mine and did the upgrades, including close-ratio fifth and sixth then decided to go with a Rallispec hardened 5MT built for an 818 and racing! I am just playing, but I forsee eventually selling it as a viable race car and wanted to save the 100 pound difference.
What did you pay for that Spec C tranny? Will look forward to seeing what you do and how.

I just "play" on track, doing HPDE's and open track lapping days at various tracks in the northeast. If you recall I custom built my 5MT with a close ratio 5th gear and a Quaife TBD diff and I love it, but my plans include forced induction in the future and the 5MT would never hold up to the increased power levels so I am biting the bullet early and building the drive train to handle the power even though I am not there yet.

The extra weight is big detractor, but its unavoidable if you want the extra strength the 6 speed offers.

I payed $1,000 for the transmission from a JDM importer in NYC. The non-DCCD aka viscous center diff transmissions go for a lot less because the Subaru guys don't want them. For our purposes they are the best units to get! Plus they are usually in excellent shape since they have lived calm and peaceful lives in Legacy's and Outback's and are generally not raced or modified like the STI units are.

More to come as I tear down and rebuild my 6MT. I plan to lighten the unit as much as possible and change 5th & 6th gears to longer ratios.

[aquillen]

Thanks racer
I'll be looking for your how to on this conversion

Jet

Me too - thank you

[Hobby Racer]

Just a quick update, I compared the weight of my 5 speed against the 6 speed and was quite surprised. Both were weighed bare, without fluid.

6MT 155 lbs
5MT 115 lbs

Only a 40 lb difference, much less than expected! I was able to remove nearly 20 lbs from the 6MT by removing both rear transfer gears and the entire center diff. I have figured out 2 different ways to convert this unit to FWD and will outline each in a future post. I will be going with the most time intensive but lightest variant. And yes, all of them involve some degree of welding, with the lightest also involving some machine work.

[Hobby Racer]

Starting the tear-down of the 6 speed. The gears, shafts etc in the 6 speed are super heavy duty! I can see why these can take a lot of torque and abuse. From my initial evaluation, I think I can swap out the 5th & 6th gears without disassembling the ring & pinion section. That will save me from having to redo the backlash settings.

I have to fabricate some special tools to disassemble and reassemble the main shafts. The 55 mm nut (red arrow) that holds the main shaft gears is torqued to 420 ft lbs and you can't get a socket on it! The other shaft (green arrow) has a 38 mm nut that is torqued to 289 ft lbs.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119276&d=1576939891

The two special tools I need to fabricate are show below. The black base plate with the splined holes is a special tool Subaru sells for $900! The funky 55mm wrench just behind it sells for around $300! I'll be making my own.

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[Scargo]

I have to scratch my head and try and remember... I did at least one 5th & 6th close-ratio upgrade without any special fixturing. I did buy a 3/4" drive impact wrench from Harbor Freight for the job. I believe I was able to have an assistant hold onto the cluster (somehow) and I was able to impact it off and back on.
You must use an extra pair of hands to get the case back over the gears when reassembling.

[Hobby Racer]

So the factory service manual says you need to remove both the main shaft gear assembly and the drive shaft gear assembly, the 3 shift rails/forks and the reverse shift rail/fork and gear set all at the same time! They do mention that a second person is needed to help hold everything together while you lift everything up and out. Well I work alone and the wife is not keen on getting greasy in the garage :rolleyes:

Here is my method for doing it by yourself. I wrapped the entire assembly in thin plastic film, think saran wrap but larger and stronger. It is used mostly in moving applications. Got it at Walmart in the packing section where you find boxes and packing peanuts.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119475&d=1577396081

This made it easy to keep everything aligned and tight together while I lifted everything out.

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[Hobby Racer]

My special fixture and service tool worked great. I made a torque extension for my torque wrench that allows my 3/4" drive 300 ft lb torque wrench to reach the 420 ft lb required to remove / install the nut on the driven shaft gear assembly. I cut out a 15" long section of 1/4" flat stock and welded a 3/4" to 1/2" impact drive adapter to one end. This allows me to connect my torque wrench securely to one end. On the other end I carefully cut out and filed a 55 mm hexagon to fit over the nut.

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To hold the shaft assembly securely while applying that much torque, I welded the gutted out center differential to a large piece of angle iron scrap I had laying around and fastened that to my large work table. The center diff has the splined hole that fits over the splines on the end of the drive shaft gear assembly, ensuring it can not move. Here are pics of it in action.

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Now I have the new 5th & 6th gear set on the shaft, but I'm waiting for Subaru to get the 55 mm nut shipped in so I can finish up and move on to the other gear set.

[Scargo]

Nice fixture. Taking it apart is easy. Assembly requires a helper. Still not sure how I torqued mine other than the impact and putting the nut back to the same spot I marked when I disassembled it.

[Hobby Racer]

Taking it apart is easy. Assembly requires a helper.

Yes, still trying to figure that part out ;)

Dying to get the new parts in so I finish this up and get on to the FWD conversion. I can't cut up the center diff section until I re-torque the main shaft nut, which is welded to my fixture at the moment.

[aquillen]

We see eye to eye - I believe in making special tools too. Nice work!

[Mitch Wright]

Nice work, I too really enjoy making special tools as needed.

[Hobby Racer]

I got the main and driven shafts reassembled and now I'm working to get the case reassembled. Since the 6MT is longer than the 5MT, it ends up either sticking out the back a bit or is pressed up very close the the rear valance. Here is the tail section before shortening it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119805&d=1577907875

First I shortened the tail section to what FFR recommends. Then I took off a little more than an inch over what FFR recommends. My hope is that it will tuck nicely behind the rear valance now.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119806&d=1577907887

Cutting the tail section proved challenging as my portable band saw did not have a large enough opening to allow a clean cut through. So I broke out the trusty hack saw. With a simple jig to hold the tail section, I went slow and steady and ended up with a very nice cut.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119807&d=1577907893

I think I will take the cover over to my brother in-laws and clean up the cut with a pass or two on his Bridgeport before closing up the holes with circular plates and my TIG welder.

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[Hobby Racer]

I will be doing a separate detailed write up on converting a 6 speed to FWD (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?34577-How-to-convert-any-Subaru-6-Speed-(6MT)-to-Front-Wheel-Drive-(FWD)&p=394267&viewfull=1#post394267) without using the FFR adapter later. For now here is a quick update on my progress.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119813&d=1577908894

I used a plasma cutter to cut out the outer splined section of the center differential. The rest of the center differential is not used. After grinding and trimming the outer splined section is ready to be welded to the inner splined section. It's important to tack weld the inner and outer splined sections together on the transmission shaft to ensure they line up perfectly. Any misalignment and the adapter will not slide onto the shaft after welding. After tacking, remove from the shaft and fully weld the circumference were the two parts meet. To finish it up I need to use my brother in-laws Bridgeport to put in a set screw or two to keep the adapter from walking back off the shaft.

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[Hobby Racer]

I got over to my brother in-law's garage to mill the tail section to its final dimensions. Now I need to cut some plugs and weld them to the case to close up the holes.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119866&d=1578007487

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119867&d=1578007499

[Hobby Racer]

Posted my How To on converting a 6 speed to FWD in the Engine and Transmission (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?34577-How-to-convert-any-Subaru-6-Speed-(6MT)-to-Front-Wheel-Drive-(FWD)&p=394267&viewfull=1#post394267) section today. Hope it helps someone!

[Jetfuel]

Thank you very much for the tutorial
It opens up a new world for the 818 family

Jet

[Hobby Racer]

I cut out some blanks from 0.120" aluminum sheet I had left over from another project and tacked them in place from the back side. Melted through on the lower one a bit :rolleyes:
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=120235&d=1578431906

Then finish welded everything, including the bolt holes from the front side.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=120236&d=1578431913

Welding to the cast aluminum proved challenging. All the oils and dirt that the casting adsorbed over the years boils to the surface and gunks up the weld puddle. I had to stop / start many times. Its not the prettiest, but for welding aluminum for the first time I'm quite pleased. Important thing is that it is sealed.

[Kurk818]

Nicely done! Curious if they sell freeze plugs in those sizes for those that dont have access to a welder.

[Hobby Racer]

Nicely done! Curious if they sell freeze plugs in those sizes for those that dont have access to a welder.

Maybe, I didn't look. You could plug the four bolt holes with the bolts and thread sealant. The tough part would be the rectangular hole. Not sure how you would plug that one.

[DSR-3]

Looks very nice!
For the welding-challenged (like me)- 1 plate and a pack of JB weld would do the trick.

[Mitch Wright]

Nice work.

[Santiago]

I have really enjoyed following this build - one of my favorites (and I did my RX-8 in the same color scheme!). As you see my build unfold don't be surprised if it feels like deja vu; your work helped me rethink some important elements. Many-many thanks!

-john

[Kurk818]

Maybe, I didn't look. You could plug the four bolt holes with the bolts and thread sealant. The tough part would be the rectangular hole. Not sure how you would plug that one.

That rectangular hole is still an issue (although a smaller hole) when you cut less off of the end. I ended up roughening and putting a two part epoxy in there suitable for aluminum.

[Hobby Racer]

The shortened tail housing looks like it will fit nicely behind the rear bumper.

Side profile.
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Top profile
120389

Any one else think the outline of the welds and the ribs looks like a cartoon chicken? I might paint one on there :p
120392

[Kurk818]

Example of the other option for shortening

Before
https://i.imgur.com/pC4raF3l.jpg

After
https://i.imgur.com/jAbX9fll.jpg

[Santiago]

I totally had the same "chicken" thought... Go for it - canary yellow :p

[Hobby Racer]

I made a new transmission mount for the 6 speed. The only issue is that two of the bolts that mount the bracket to the transmission can only be installed when the transmission is out :rolleyes:

Oh well, I don't plan to remove the transmission often.

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[Hobby Racer]

Pulled the oil pan today in preparation for my dual oil pickup system. Look what I found stuck to the magnet in the stock pan. Anyone know what this is? Its got a spring loaded valve in the end. Looks like a small pressure valve.

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[Bob_n_Cincy]

Pulled the oil pan today in preparation for my dual oil pickup system. Look what I found stuck to the magnet in the stock pan. Anyone know what this is? Its got a spring loaded valve in the end. Looks like a small pressure valve.

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I thought they might oil squirters for lubing the cylinder walls. so I searched for them and this is the picture I found. 120895

[Pearldrummer7]

Hobby--

your build thread is a bunch of fun to follow. I'm sorry we missed each other in CNY (Oswego until early 2017; right when your build started). I totally wanna check this thing out next time I'm up there!

[Hobby Racer]

Hobby--

your build thread is a bunch of fun to follow. I'm sorry we missed each other in CNY (Oswego until early 2017; right when your build started). I totally wanna check this thing out next time I'm up there!

Next time your in town let me know and we can set something up.

[Hobby Racer]

My quest to control oil pressures in high G corners while keeping my wet sump system has led me to start building a swing arm oil pickup. I have to give credit to Lance Corsi for putting this idea in my head years ago from a post I saw on this forum.

Instead of starting from scratch, I found a swing arm assembly made for big block Chrysler's and AMC cars that I could modify.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=121064&d=1579664093

I started by fully disassembling the unit and sizing it to my oil system. Since the stock oil pump has an integrated mesh screen, I think I will not use the perforated sheet screen that came with the swivel pickup. No need for two screens, it just adds more restriction to flow in my opinion.

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It looks like I can modify the mounting block to mate up to my oil pump. Unfortunately I will have to fabricate a new oil pan as the stock one is about 1/2" too shallow to fit the new swing arm.

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Next, its time for some work on a milling machine. I really need to get a Bridgport :)

[Hobby Racer]

I got over to my brother in laws to have the mount milled on his Bridgeport. The mounting came out nice. You can see in the second picture there are some threads from the original design that I left in the part. I needed to leave as much meat as I could in the part so I did not keep machining down to eliminate those threads as they are not part of the sealing surface of the oil pickup and will have no effect on its functionality.

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Here are some pictures of the swing arm mounted to the oil pump to check fitment. As you can see, a custom pan that kicks out in the front and possibly both sides will be needed. It does still fit below the diffuser though!

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Next I need to test it in my test rig before I spend too much time fabricating the pan.

[Hobby Racer]

I decided I no longer liked having all the electrical and electronics buried in the center console. Each time I needed to access something, I had to remove most of the interior.

I'm starting by moving the major electrical components into the nose of the car. I made a "power control center" that houses the battery, main relay, main circuit breaker and auxiliary fuses and relays. Nice part is that by unscrewing four screws and unplugging two connectors I can lift out the entire "power control center" for easy access and service.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=122346&d=1581383718

[Ajzride]

Looks nice, are you not worried about water in the nose? Never race in the rain?

[Hobby Racer]

I'm a wimp, never race in the rain.

[Hobby Racer]

So I tested the oil pickup swing arm in the test rig today and it did not go well :mad:

Seems there is too much friction between the arm and the mount. The arm does not swing with the oil when I tilt the test rig until way after the pickup gets uncovered. The diameter of the circular section of the arm that fits into the mount is 1.500" and the hole in the mount is 1.503" making for a nice flip fit. The arm moves freely, but I think the torque generated by its own weight that is overhung past the pivot point is causing it to bind just enough to hinder its movement. Since the coefficient of static friction is higher than kinetic friction, getting it to start moving seems to be the issue.

It seems as though this would need something like needle bearings to eliminate the friction and allow smooth movement at low tilt angles.

@Lance Corsi - Have you tested your swing arm yet? Do you have bushings or bearings in the swivel joint?

Any thoughts on how to overcome this issue?

[Jetfuel]

Just a thought, with .003" clearance and it binds a bit I wonder what it will do when the oil gets to operating temp and the clearance is reduced, will it become more of a interface fit or will it swing easier...
I would try warming/heating the joint and pouring some hot/warm oil in the point of contact...another thing is the effect of the pump suction in the sealing joint....

Jet...?

[Hobby Racer]

I ordered some drawn cup needle bearings. The bearing will be a slip fit to the swing arm and a light press fit to the mount. I hope this will cure my bind and friction issue. Not sure how this will effect the sucking of air in through the spaces between the bearings. I won't know the overall effect until I test it. The entire unit is submerged under normal conditions so it might only be an issue under hard cornering.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=122500&d=1581636822

[Hobby Racer]

I needed to update my bell crank adapter after changing from a 5 speed to a 6 speed. I made two new brackets and used some of the good bits from my 5 speed setup. The pic below is not complete as I still need to secure the cable bulkheads to my wing strut upright to finish the job.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=122897&d=1582325187

The adapter was easy to make with common garage tools and required no machining.

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I chose to attach the bracket lower on the transmission case to give me plenty of room at the top near the reverse lockout mechanism. I plan to fabricate something to work the lockout mechanism next.

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[Hobby Racer]

I'm very pleased with the outcome. It shifts super smooth and has a satisfying click each time the cogs engage. Very distinct gate like feel which will be nice on track when furiously shifting.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123034&d=1582475282

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123032&d=1582475270

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123033&d=1582475277

[aquillen]

Sweet.

[Hobby Racer]

To eliminate any difficulties finding 5th gear when on track, I decided to hookup a functioning reverse lockout on my 6 speed. I wanted something small, functional and aesthetically pleasing since it sits so close to my nice looking bell cranks :o

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123625&d=1583446196

Let me take you through the process step by step.

I removed the OEM lockout lever by driving out the roll pin that holds it in place. Next I cut off the collar that is welded to the original lever arm so I could reuse it on my new lever arm. Then I welded the original collar onto my new lever arm and bent the top so it would be inline with the control cable.

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I then prepared the case by drilling out the 10 mm hole in the top of the case to 7/16" so I could fit in the shank of a bolt I cut up to act as a bushing to locate the small diameter push pull cable in the larger hole. Next I drilled and taped a small hole perpendicular thru the case top and bushing that accepts a set screw to lock the cable in place.

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The case has another small hole just below the lockout shaft that is the perfect size for a roll pin. I inserted a roll pin to use as a stop so the lever would not over travel in either direction. Finally I ground off some of the casting flash on the case to ensure the new lever would not bind.

123634

I installed my new reverse lockout lever with the original roll pin. Note the new roll pin limiter below the lockout shaft is positioned in the cutout I made in the lever arm and limits travel in both directions. I finished it up by placing the cable knob in the center console near my other controls so it will be easy to access while strapped in.

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On thing I noticed is that the choke cable I used has a lot of friction and can be hard to pull. Anyone have a better cable option? Bicycle cable maybe?

[Ajzride]

A bicycle brake cable should work much better. I'm wondering if you could even use the brake handle from a bike and mount it to the shifter so that you just needed to squeeze the lever while holding the shifter to get into reverse (would need a return spring added).

[Hobby Racer]

A bicycle brake cable should work much better. I'm wondering if you could even use the brake handle from a bike and mount it to the shifter so that you just needed to squeeze the lever while holding the shifter to get into reverse (would need a return spring added).

I thought about that, but I don't want anything on the shifter. The bike cable should have a smoother pull. I just need to figure out how to connect it to a knob like the choke cable is connected.

[Rob T]

Your solution is very elegant. I used the locking push pull cable from McMaster. It has a nice looking T-handle and locks in any position. The movement is smooth because there is a liner in the cable. The wire is solid stainless steel. The cable is more beefy, however, and the bend radius is larger than bike cable would be. I wanted to be able to lock mine though. All my bike cables are braided. I don't know how well, or positively, they would "push". I suppose over a small range, they might be fine. The solid wire in the choke/McMaster cable does that well. Bike brakes are used in tension only, with a hefty spring return.

[Hobby Racer]

I used the locking push pull cable from McMaster. ... The movement is smooth because there is a liner in the cable.

That's what I need, a cable with a liner. I'll check McMaster. Thx!

[aquillen]

I used this for my throttle cable, I think I found a spec on it, pull good for around 100# if I remember correctly.
Venhill VWK003-BK Universal Motorcycle Shop Multi Throttle Cable (Kit = 5 meters, ~15 feet, AMAZON.com

[Zach34]

Hobby, have you thought about the impact of engine/trans movement relative to the frame on your cable attachment? I know it only takes a few millimeters of motion at the shifter input shaft to change gear or knock into neutral. We know that with the OEM rubber bushings the engine/trans moves/shakes around a lot. It will probably still move some with poly bushings. Could happen that you mash the throttle and get bumped into neutral or a whole other gear.

[Hobby Racer]

Hobby, have you thought about the impact of engine/trans movement relative to the frame on your cable attachment? I know it only takes a few millimeters of motion at the shifter input shaft to change gear or knock into neutral. We know that with the OEM rubber bushings the engine/trans moves/shakes around a lot. It will probably still move some with poly bushings. Could happen that you mash the throttle and get bumped into neutral or a whole other gear.

I thought about that, but the bushings on the motor and especially the trans are rock solid. I do not anticipate enough movement to be an issue. Also the shifter free floats in the forward and back direction so any movement that would tend to move it in / out of gear will simply move the shifter slightly forward or back. The side to side movement can not pull the trans in / out of gear. I think it should be ok.

[jforand]

Hobby Racer, this is awesome work, both on the tail housing and shift linkage. I just started my build (and thread) the other day. I am currently working through the 6MT trans and really did not like the idea of zip tying the reverse lockout out of existence. I was going to attempt the bike cable route when the time comes. If you did need a return spring you could source a long skinny one and slide it over the cable between your cable end mount on the trans and your fabbed rotational level. It would push between the casing and crank to reestablish the lock out.

[Hobby Racer]

I found a much better cable for the reverse lockout. I ended up using a tractor PTO push/pull cable. It has a plastic inner and outer liners and a thicker cable. The only issue is I need to find a smaller knob as it comes with a big honking red one :p

I did need to make a new bushing for the back to accommodate the thinker cable. It also had to be drilled offset so that there was enough meat left to run a tap through it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123950&d=1583963022

[Hobby Racer]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123951&d=1583963173

I know from my data logging last year that you need to run a trans cooler if you push these cars hard so I added one to my 6 speed setup. This is a bit different than the 5MT version I had before as the early 6MT's have internal oil pumps that make it very easy to add external coolers. The pump has an external oil line that can easily be removed and diverted to a cooler and then re-inserted back into the transmission.

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I used a better bar and plate cooler from Derale this time. The unit is smaller than my previous one but is also more efficient. I used a thermal bypass that skips the cooler until the temp reaches 180 degrees F. That is also where I mounted my temperature sensor. Still want to track my temps!

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[jforand]

Very nice looking! I love how simple and clean it is. So you are saying that the oil pump in your transmission had a tap into the discharge and that it was is going up to your cooler? That is super slick. Do you have any insight as to how much flow can be safely diverted? I remember talking about your scavenger pump you had to slow down which I guess was on your 5 speed. My first thought on these pics was how do you pick up oil half way up the case? A 'free' oil cooler, so much easier than adding a pump with the plumbing and wiring.

I have never use that style of AN connector. It looks like barbs, but I do not see anything holding the hose onto the barbs like a compression ring....Are they pressure rated or are you just banking on very low pressures?

Also in looking back at your open trans picks I do see the circular oil router piece in the left over output shaft race. It looks like that is the same idea as the piece that is behind the gear bolted into the tail housing. It puts oil into the shaft center. The lower one for the pinion shaft we both cut off handles the needle bearings (no longer in play). I think my output shaft was solid but I'm thinking your must have had something on it with a bleed hole or two. I looks like that is probably unnecessary now unless you think the size of the orifice actually holds some back pressure providing flow elsewhere. I would think behind it looks very similar to the same size hole, which is what mine has.

[Hobby Racer]

Very nice looking! I love how simple and clean it is. So you are saying that the oil pump in your transmission had a tap into the discharge and that it was is going up to your cooler? That is super slick. Do you have any insight as to how much flow can be safely diverted? I remember talking about your scavenger pump you had to slow down which I guess was on your 5 speed. My first thought on these pics was how do you pick up oil half way up the case? A 'free' oil cooler, so much easier than adding a pump with the plumbing and wiring.


Its not that there is tap, its even better than that! In the pre 08 transmissions with an internal oil pump, 100% of the fluid from the pump exits the case and is routed through an external steel line. It re-enters the case near the front. In the pic below you can see the external line pointed to by red arrows. So hooking up an external cooler is super simple. Just remove the external line and replace it with the correct sized banjo bolts and plum in your cooler.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=124074&d=1584285432



I have never use that style of AN connector. It looks like barbs, but I do not see anything holding the hose onto the barbs like a compression ring....Are they pressure rated or are you just banking on very low pressures?


The connectors are called push lok. They are great, push on and reusable. They are rated for 400 psi, no compression ring needed, I use them for everything. You do need the correct push lock type hose though. Summit Racing has a great selection.



Also in looking back at your open trans picks I do see the circular oil router piece in the left over output shaft race. It looks like that is the same idea as the piece that is behind the gear bolted into the tail housing. It puts oil into the shaft center. The lower one for the pinion shaft we both cut off handles the needle bearings (no longer in play). I think my output shaft was solid but I'm thinking your must have had something on it with a bleed hole or two. I looks like that is probably unnecessary now unless you think the size of the orifice actually holds some back pressure providing flow elsewhere. I would think behind it looks very similar to the same size hole, which is what mine has.

My shaft was hollow for oil flow. But, behind that plastic ring there were drilled oil passages that diverted flow to the left and right sides. Yours did not seem to have those passages. If I removed the diverter and the race the oil flow would have never gotten to those left and right passages so I left it in.

These are some of the reasons people prefer the older 6 speeds. The built in pump and ease of adding a cooler make it a better trans for hard use.

[jforand]

Oh heck yeah, easiest oil cooler ever. You don’t even have to sweat reducing flow. You simply put an exchanger in between the to existing ports. I’m jealous!

[Hobby Racer]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=124240&d=1584488435

My first cable was a choke cable and had too much internal friction to work. My second cable was a tractor PTO cable. It worked but was large and clunky. My final cable is from McMaster-Carr and is a braided cable like a bicycle brake cable and lever. It works super smooth and the return spring built into the lockout mechanism is more than strong enough to return the lever when you let go of it.

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Hope my early mistakes help someone get there in one step :)

[jforand]

Nice setup.

Man, that shifter is a heck of a lot more robust than the plastic thing in my kit.

[Mitch Wright]

Nicely done.

[Kurk818]

I had a custom length cable made to fit the reverse lockout. The cable was made to mimic what subaru used but longer. I can post the manufacturer of it if anyone is interested. I cut off the OEM 6 speed upper portion of the shifter that includes the reverse lock out ring and welded it onto the FFR provided shifter.

This is the best photo i have of the transmission side at the moment.
https://i.imgur.com/jAbX9fll.jpg

and shifter
https://i.imgur.com/E09wmt2l.jpg

[Hobby Racer]

Finishing up some odds and ends.

Finally got around to installing the carbon fiber canards.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126482&d=1586911056

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126483&d=1586911065

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126484&d=1586911071

Added a new digital dash that pulls data directly from the ECU.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126481&d=1586911051

And lastly, added a pedal stop for the clutch pedal. This allows me to make quicker shifts as the pedal only travels the needed distance to disengage the clutch and not all the way to the firewall.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126480&d=1586911045

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126479&d=1586911038

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126478&d=1586911031

[flynntuna]

Can't see the pictures.

[Hobby Racer]

Are they fixed now?

[Ajzride]

Are they fixed now?


I can see them.

[Hobby Racer]

I need to extend my oil pan to fit over my new swing arm oil pump pickup. My design parameters are simple.


Extend the pan so the swing arm clears the bottom and moves freely
Keep the bottom of the pan above my diffuser
Make it as simple as possible



Given the complex and odd shape of the stock pan I decided to keep the mating surface of the stock pan and build on that.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126519&d=1586970538

I made a wooden pattern of the pan sides so I could bend up some 16 gauge steel to fit nicely.

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Next I cut the bottom off the stock pan with a 4 1/2 grinder and a cut off wheel. Everything seems to fit up very nicely. Next I need to cut out the new pan bottom out of the sheet of 16 gauge steel and TIG weld it all together.

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[Rob T]

Some fine surgery with that angle grinder. Very resourceful. I always learn a lot from this forum.

[jforand]

Very nice on the pedal stop. Mitch Wright was commenting on his need for a stop as he would over extend and blow out the slave cylinder on the clutch. I imagine this is in my future as well.

Nice camera work! How do you fit those ARMS in the car?

[Hobby Racer]

How do you fit those ARMS in the car?

Ok, that went right went right over my head. What do you mean?

[Hobby Racer]

This is my second attempt at an oil pickup swing arm. This version uses a standard shielded ball bearing instead of needle bearings. With this design I was able to make the swing arm a press fit into the bearing race, eliminating any slop that causes binding when it swinging. The arm is made from simple schedule 40 black pipe from Home Depot that has been turned down and press fit into the inner bearing race. The bearing mounting block is machined from an extruded piece of aluminum flat stock.

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Test fitting in the car showed a nice fit and decent swing range. Now I need to finish the pan by welding on a new bottom piece with a drain plug.

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[aquillen]

Very nice - should be "the solution".

[Mitch Wright]

Beautiful work.

[Hobby Racer]

I completed the pan this morning by welding on the bottom piece and adding a drain plug. I have to say, the pulse settings on modern inverter TIG welders are amazing. I welded the bottom without using any filler rod, just dialed in the pulse setting and melted over the corner. It came out excellent. Tonight I will fill it with water and let it sit overnight to check for leaks before painting it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126795&d=1587404003

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[jforand]

HAHA, sorry about going over your head. It has been a few days and I honestly had to go back and figure it back out myself! I was commenting on your above picture in post 678 (the last one) . I am pretty sure I could not take that picture. You either have me really beat on flexibility or have REALLY long arms!

Really beautiful work. I wish I had access to machine shop equipment. I find myself still struggling to determine the best way to cut metal stock....

[Hobby Racer]

HAHA, sorry about going over your head. It has been a few days and I honestly had to go back and figure it back out myself! I was commenting on your above picture in post 678 (the last one) . I am pretty sure I could not take that picture. You either have me really beat on flexibility or have REALLY long arms!


Three words, removable steering wheel!



Really beautiful work. I wish I had access to machine shop equipment. I find myself still struggling to determine the best way to cut metal stock....

There is really nothing you can't cut with a cheap 4 1/2" angle grinder and a cut off wheel. Better tools might do it faster and or straighter but with patience you can do it with simple cheap tools.

[jforand]

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I was wondering about the swing and then you posted these pics. I was thinking that a full 360 swing would be cool as that is what the oil itself is going to be doing. If the pan was square it would facilitate that better with a circle being ideal. I don't believe changing the pan makes a lot of sense, I think you nailed that. The only other thing to facilitate a full 360 swing would be to shorten the arm. The downside of that is the pickup gets further from the front and back of the pan which is not ideal at all.

I'm thinking with the keyboard here a little so forgive me:

1) As the swing arm hits the sides of the pan I see two things potentially happening. 1) Impacting and wear. Over time I can see a wear pattern developing and possibly starting to outwardly dent the pan (death by a thousand paper cuts type thing). You seem to have a a pretty substantial interference angle at this point (versus swinging in at at more of a tangent to the side). As it wears or outwardly dents it will become more tangential. That will lead to potential binding and getting stuck over to a given side. You might want to put a bit of thought into welding in a little perpendicular stop on each side of the pan to keep it from trying to wedge into the side of the pan.

2) It appears to me that you have the arm pointed forward. I was wondering why you picked that orientation? To be clear, there will be a ton of lateral loading and that is what the swing takes care of. I am purely considering the fore/aft loading at his point to pick the best swing arm orientation. At first it seemed natural to me as I believe that you pull more G's under braking than acceleration (at least I do in the Mustang ~2:1). So put the pickup where the oil goes right? Then I kept thinking and I believe that the majority (with respect to time) of the longitudinal G loading will be to the rear. The thought is braking is most extreme and very compressed, whereas, the acceleration is more spread out and time consuming. All of the neutral loading just factors out for this exercise. I think I would give consideration to orienting the pickup in the rear facing direction. Of course, if you had data to say that oil pressure never wavered except under braking then that would change things.

3) You have picked differing materials and are relying on press fits. I am pretty sure that there are interference fits that will be just fine, but I am also certain that too loose could cause problems. Your aluminum piece will grow with heat more than the steel which will work to reduce the interference fit. There is a temperature out there where the bearing will fall out, which would obviously be the end of your engine. You might want to consider fashioning a retaining plate to close off/retain the bearing in your aluminum housing. Just a ring that goes around the pickup tube and has a couple ears that bolt to the aluminum flange. If you really wanted to be ultra safe, you could tack in a small steel collar on the pickup tube just outside the press fit into the bearing that would also be retained should that press fit start to walk on you as well.

Super clean and Super efficient. Just thought I would throw out a few considerations as they are easy to contemplate and incorporate at this stage. If anything is unclear feel free to ask for clarification.

[Hobby Racer]

1) As the swing arm hits the sides of the pan I see two things potentially happening. 1) Impacting and wear. Over time I can see a wear pattern developing and possibly starting to outwardly dent the pan (death by a thousand paper cuts type thing).

I don't think the arm will swing that violently as it is cushioned by quite a bit of oil and is not that heavy. I will however check on it after a season to see if there are any witness marks being made in the pan. If I find any I will come up with something to limit travel at the extremes.



2) It appears to me that you have the arm pointed forward. I was wondering why you picked that orientation? To be clear, there will be a ton of lateral loading and that is what the swing takes care of. I am purely considering the fore/aft loading at his point to pick the best swing arm orientation. At first it seemed natural to me as I believe that you pull more G's under braking than acceleration (at least I do in the Mustang ~2:1). So put the pickup where the oil goes right? Then I kept thinking and I believe that the majority (with respect to time) of the longitudinal G loading will be to the rear. The thought is braking is most extreme and very compressed, whereas, the acceleration is more spread out and time consuming. All of the neutral loading just factors out for this exercise. I think I would give consideration to orienting the pickup in the rear facing direction. Of course, if you had data to say that oil pressure never wavered except under braking then that would change things.

I do in fact have data to back this up, but the two places I lose oil pressure are under heavy braking and hard cornering. I never lose pressure under acceleration because, like most cars, we do not have enough power to pull real G's in acceleration so there is always plenty of oil around the pickup, no matter where it is in the pan. So it makes the most sense to have the pickup face forward and swing left to right.



3) You have picked differing materials and are relying on press fits. I am pretty sure that there are interference fits that will be just fine, but I am also certain that too loose could cause problems. Your aluminum piece will grow with heat more than the steel which will work to reduce the interference fit. There is a temperature out there where the bearing will fall out, which would obviously be the end of your engine. You might want to consider fashioning a retaining plate to close off/retain the bearing in your aluminum housing. Just a ring that goes around the pickup tube and has a couple ears that bolt to the aluminum flange. If you really wanted to be ultra safe, you could tack in a small steel collar on the pickup tube just outside the press fit into the bearing that would also be retained should that press fit start to walk on you as well.

It might be hard to see in the pics but there is a shelf machined into the aluminum mount that the bearing rests on when pressed into the mount. Once the mount is bolted to the bottom of the oil pump the bearing is trapped and can not come out. The swing arm is steel as is the bearing race its pressed into so they expand at approximately the same rate. However I am still thinking of either staking the top or putting the tiniest of tack welds on it to ensure is can never come out.

[jforand]

OH, I got you. The bearing pressed in the aluminum from the top. I saw the step but figured that was the top of the mount, but your pic does define that as the tube is already facing the other way.

Glad to hear you have data. So it is the extreme of braking....good to know, I knew cornering was a definite issue.

Sounds like you have it nailed. Very elegant solution.

[Hobby Racer]

While not strictly build related, I will be using this in my build. Its a bit rough around the edges but it was still being used in the machine shop I got it out of and everything works. I'll be doing a complete tear down and rebuild in the weeks / months to come while racing is on hold due to COVID-19. It will be nice to have something to do in the garage.

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[Ajzride]

That would take up my entire garage!! Very nice, be sure to document the rebuild somewhere, I find that stuff fascinating.

[aquillen]

My little mill would fit in the vice alone. Nice grab!

[Brd.Prey]

On my list that and a lathe, just need to free up the capital.

[q4stix]

Nice score on the mill. I did the same thing and while the head on mine was recently rebuilt, the base had paint chipping off because it was sitting in a coolant bath. I went to town with a needle scaler, wire brush, and lots of degreaser after disassembling the whole mill. I'm just starting to put together a small paint booth to get DTM primer on it.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=95756&d=1539844997

Have fun and be safe, these parts are heavy!

[Hobby Racer]

I went to town with a needle scaler, wire brush, and lots of degreaser after disassembling the whole mill. I'm just starting to put together a small paint booth to get DTM primer on it.

Wow, I did exactly the same thing. The needle scaler was amazing at stripping the paint, rust and especially the body filer/puddy they used to smooth out the rough castings. I used about a quart of acetone to get all the coolant and cutting oils off the castings before I primed the base.

I'm not going for a show finish or anything, I just want it to look nice and keep it from rusting. Using Rust-Oleum primer and paint. I sprayed the primer but I think I'm just going to roll / brush on the rest. I'm not looking to turn this into a long project, I'd rather be making chips ;)

[Hobby Racer]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=131127&d=1593897691

I needed a custom air duct to direct air from the side vents to the transmission cooler, so I decided to try my hand at making a custom mold for a wet fiberglass layup. I have never really done a complete fiberglass part, from mold to finished part. I marvel at the skill of some of the people here like aquillen who make entire manifolds in carbon fiber! But here is my simple part.

I mocked up what I needed in wood as the sizes were easy and I have lots of scrap laying about. I then used automotive body filler to fill the gaps and sanded it out to get a smooth finish. To make it easier to get the mold out I separated it into two sections so in theory I could just pop each piece out.


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After waxing the mold twice and then coating everything in PVA release agent I laid up a total of three layers. First layer was cloth followed by mat and a final layer of cloth. When it came time to pull the mold out it would not come out, even after unscrewing the two separate sections. I ended up destroying the mold by digging out the wood layer by layer. I drilled many large holes with a large forstner bit to hog out as much wood as I could before going at it with a wood chisel. Eventually I got it all out and the part was actually a great fit.


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Once I get it mounted to the cooler and the air piped to it from the side vent I'll post more pics.

[FFRWRX]

You probably know that you can use styrofoam for something like that instead of wood. Cover it with packing tape so the resin won’t dissolve it. When done, dissolve out the foam and pull off the tape. I’ve done a lot of small fibreglass pieces like that. I use the pink foam as it doesn't get beads everywhere as bad as the white stuff. But what you made looks very nice!

[lance corsi]

Hobby, I had the same problem and have since found that wrapping the mold in Saran Wrap works very well for separating the part from your mold.

[Hobby Racer]

You probably know that you can use styrofoam for something like that instead of wood. Cover it with packing tape so the resin won’t dissolve it. When done, dissolve out the foam and pull off the tape. I’ve done a lot of small fibreglass pieces like that. I use the pink foam as it doesn't get beads everywhere as bad as the white stuff. But what you made looks very nice!


Hobby, I had the same problem and have since found that wrapping the mold in Saran Wrap works very well for separating the part from your mold.

Great suggestions. I'm going to try these methods when I do the mating piece that bonds to the inside of the side vent, thanks!

[FFRWRX]

Great suggestions. I'm going to try these methods when I do the mating piece that bonds to the inside of the side vent, thanks!

Do one or the other. I think the resin may go through the Saran Wrap and attack the foam. It won’t stick to packing tape, so you don’t need another release agent. I seem to recall a guy at a fibreglass supply place telling me that Saran Wrap was very similar to release agents (PVA maybe, but I don’t remember) so that is a good suggestion to try if you want to stick with a wood mold.

That is a very nice duct you are making. More pictures as you progress please.

[aquillen]

When I wax, I use about 8 to 10 coats, not just a couple, PVA also needs to be well coated. A couple tricks to de-mold include warming it up so the glass can flex away from the mold surface, and figure out how to blast high pressure air down between the parts while pulling - sometimes that really works well. In your case you (could have) drilled through the center of the wood, or a tiny hole in the back of the new glass, and put HP air in that to pop the thing out. But you are there.... so happy now!

[Hobby Racer]

... blast high pressure air down between the parts while pulling - sometimes that really works well. In your case you (could have) drilled through the center of the wood, or a tiny hole in the back of the new glass, and put HP air in that to pop the thing out. But you are there.... so happy now!

High pressure air piped through channels in the mold . . . that is a great idea . . . wish I had thought of it before, I could have saved the mold. :rolleyes:

[mikeb75]

fiberglass resin doesn't stick to duct-tape. Which just reinforces my opinion that duct-tape is is magic. I've wrapped the plug with duct-tape to very good success, before I even tried using mold-release wax & PVA. Regardless, that is a very nice looking part!

[Frank818]

This fabrication is insanely awesome! Too bad molds are a one time use. :(

[Jetfuel]

This fabrication is insanely awesome! Too bad molds are a one time use. :(

...not always...
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Foreground Kevlar top...background cardboard mold

Jetfuel

[Hobby Racer]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=131270&d=1594064990

I completed the transmission cooler ducting that grabs air from the driver's side vent and forces it through the transmission cooler. I trimmed the short ends of the fiberglass duct so that the long edges seal up against the cooler body forming a tight seal. The end caps are short and only need a small piece of foam to completely seal the edges. I made two small aluminum brackets to affix the duct to the cooler mount and then routed the hose.

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I ended up using a 4" hose made for dust collection systems in a wood shop. I'm not sure about it's heat rating but it is not real close to anything hot, fingers crossed that it holds up. If it doesn't I'll have to use automotive silicone hose, but that's $$$.

Until I get a chance to take the body off again and mold a nice piece to fit the driver's vent, I made an aluminum arm that holds the hose end in place just inside the side vent. That should suffice for now.

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All in all I'm happy with how it turned out. I'll do testing next week at my first track event this season. I'll report back on how it works.

[FFRWRX]

Beautiful job with that! The ducting is probably going to get soft with any heat, but the metal bands in it (I assume they are metal) will help it keep its shape.

[aquillen]

Nice setup. Anxious to know the performance as I would do something like this to cool my trans. Wondering if those side cutouts flow enough air for either task, yours or mine. I know some others setup stuff on the cutouts but don't recall any final reports - great / marginal (fan fixed?) / flopped...

[Hobby Racer]

Wondering if those side cutouts flow enough air for either task, yours or mine. I know some others setup stuff on the cutouts but don't recall any final reports - great / marginal (fan fixed?) / flopped...

If you recall my side vents are quite a bit larger than factory. I expanded them 1.5" and removed all the inside material to maximize their effect. I will definitely give a full report when I return from the track. I will have data logs on the temps to share as well.

[Hobby Racer]

I finished rebuilding / restoring my 1964 Bridgeport Series I vertical milling machine. It looks fantastic! Now to starting putting it to good use.

Next I need to find a smallish engine lathe to complement the mill :D

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=131535&d=1594403907

[aquillen]

Sweet.

[Ajzride]

You are making me feel inadequate. I've spent the last two weeks working on an old craftsman drill press and a diehl bench grinder. Actually, it would be a huge help to me if anyone here had any information about the vintage of the drill press. I think it is newer than 100 or 150, but still pretty old, maybe 70s or 80s. I've spent two hours looking through pictures of "old craftsman drill press" today trying to figure out how to tighten the motor belt, and only found a single picture that matched this one.

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It was probably grey originally, hard to tell there was so much grim on it. After I wired wheeled it I powder coated it blue and black (craftsman red makes me think of harbor freight tools).

[Bicyclops]

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=131270&d=1594064990

I completed the transmission cooler ducting that grabs air from the driver's side vent and forces it through the transmission cooler. I trimmed the short ends of the fiberglass duct so that the long edges seal up against the cooler body forming a tight seal. The end caps are short and only need a small piece of foam to completely seal the edges. I made two small aluminum brackets to affix the duct to the cooler mount and then routed the hose.

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I ended up using a 4" hose made for dust collection systems in a wood shop. I'm not sure about it's heat rating but it is not real close to anything hot, fingers crossed that it holds up. If it doesn't I'll have to use automotive silicone hose, but that's $$$.

Until I get a chance to take the body off again and mold a nice piece to fit the driver's vent, I made an aluminum arm that holds the hose end in place just inside the side vent. That should suffice for now.

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All in all I'm happy with how it turned out. I'll do testing next week at my first track event this season. I'll report back on how it works.

4" SCEET hose from Aircraft Spruce:
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sceet.php?clickkey=5261

Ed Holyoke

[q4stix]

Your mill turned out great! Gives me motivation to finally finish mine!

Nice work on the ducting too

[Hobby Racer]

Well, my track days turned out to be a bust. I didn't even get a single full lap in :mad:

The issue is that the ECU loses sync with the crank sensor at anything above 4700 rpm. When that happens the motor hiccups, farts and shuts down until the rpm's drop and it can reacquire sync with the crankshaft. I didn't have the equipment needed to do a deep dive on the wiring at the track so I packed it in.

Now I have to rip out all the interior and trace the crank sensor wire back to the engine and find out why this is happening. My guess is that when I rewired the car this winter and extended all the wires, I put the crank sensor wire next to a wire that is electrically noisy and when they all got tightly wrapped together, some noise is jumping into the crank sensor wire. Now I have to unwrap and pull out all the wires to isolate the crank sensor wire to figure this out.

It ran fine in my garage before the event since I never revved it that high. Lesson learned, test the full rpm band BEFORE going to the track. It's tough with a track only car since you can't legally drive it on the road to work out all these issue ahead of time.

So, no data on the swivel oil pickup and no data on the transmission cooler and duct setup until mid August when I have another event.

[aquillen]

I would run a shielded crank sensor wire end to end, outside the existing harness and see if it is a fix, then do whatever to the wire bundle after you figure it out. Save tearing the bundle down first if at all possible.

[Hobby Racer]

I would run a shielded crank sensor wire end to end, outside the existing harness and see if it is a fix, then do whatever to the wire bundle after you figure it out. Save tearing the bundle down first if at all possible.

I thought of doing that but I don't have a spare shielded wire to test with :D Maybe I'll see if I can put a scope on the signal to ensure it is a noise issue first. As it stands now I'm just guessing based on the data logs from the ECU.

[FFRWRX]

Nice mill! Makes mine look like a toy, but I generally make small things so it works out well. If I could suggest something (which involves you spending some money), get a DRO (Digital Read Out) for the mill. It is one of those things that when you get it you wish you had done it sooner. Takes using the mill to a new level of convenience and makes it easier to perform precision operations.

Rick

[Hobby Racer]

Nice mill! Makes mine look like a toy, but I generally make small things so it works out well. If I could suggest something (which involves you spending some money), get a DRO (Digital Read Out) for the mill. It is one of those things that when you get it you wish you had done it sooner. Takes using the mill to a new level of convenience and makes it easier to perform precision operations.

Rick

Already have one! I just need to get it hooked up properly. The readout is maybe 20 years old but the scales are quality glass scales. I am trying to find the wiring pin-outs for the scales so I can buy a newer DRO readout and connect it to my glass scales but I am having a tough time finding the specs.

[Frank818]

Oh I hate those issues! I understand so much the situation you're in.

Is it possible you made a mistake on your wire extension, like bad crimping or bad soldering?

As for not legally driving the car on the road, there is a fix not too far from NY and it's called IN. lolll Actually Art is there! Gives you an excuse to move and register the car there. :)

[Sgt.Gator]

Electrical sensor gremlins. UGH. You're sure it's not a bad sensor? Or the sensor is not held down tight?

[Hobby Racer]

Electrical sensor gremlins. UGH. You're sure it's not a bad sensor? Or the sensor is not held down tight?

I'll be checking all those items, but it ran great up to 6500 rpm redline before I redid the wiring so its a good bet that's it.

[Hobby Racer]

In chasing down the issue that prevented my car from revving past 4700 rpm, I ended up taking the car down to this state. Ripped out the interior, the wiring, unwrapped the harness etc.. Just to find out that all it needed was a resistor added to the crank trigger sensor. Apparently by extending the wiring harness this winter I changed the electrical pulse just enough that the ECU could no longer lock onto the crank signal past 4700 rpm. Adding a resistor across the sensor leads stabilized it enough so the ECU can maintain a signal lock up through red-line now.

Custom engine swaps and aftermarket ECU's can be a serious challenge :rolleyes:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=132501&d=1595799476

[FFRWRX]

Nice the fix was easy. Not nice what you had to go through to find it!

[Frank818]

Custom engine swaps and aftermarket ECU's can be a serious challenge :rolleyes:

TELL ME ABOUT IT, MAN!!!! And that issue is just the tip of the iceberg in what's possible to happen...

Your interior is VERY VERY clean for a race car. Too clean... what gives? loll

[Hobby Racer]

Sensor gremlin vanquished. 6500 rpm red-line restored! Car re-assembled.

Now I have to wait until late August to get back to Watkins Glen for my first real track day this year!

Man, late August and it will be my first track day, not a great year...

[Frank818]

Wow great!! You managed to fix a very weird issue quite quickly! I wish I would be you.

But why wait eng of Aug? There is no possibility to go there before, or somewhere else?

[Hobby Racer]

134339

I ran two full days at Watkins Glen, basically the first real driving I've done this year :rolleyes:

The oil pump swing-arm is a complete success! I logged oil pressures and saw no drop in pressure during hard corning or hard braking like I saw last year.

[Hobby Racer]

134340

The transmission cooler with the forced air ducting worked excellent. Two days of racing and the oil temps never got over 195F! That is the actual fluid temp and not the case temp.

[lance corsi]

I knew the swingarm pickup would work. It’s an interim step between the oem pickup and a dry sump system. Now somebody’s got to break the news to Gator. He didn’t give it much sway.

[Sgt.Gator]

I knew the swingarm pickup would work. It’s an interim step between the oem pickup and a dry sump system. Now somebody’s got to break the news to Gator. He didn’t give it much sway.

LOL! I've been hoping it would work in his H6 because I want to run an NA EZ36 too! But I do still have my doubts that on a long carousel turn or a high banked turn that this will work. It sure is a simpler and less expensive solution. I'd be tempted to add some sort of a scavenge pump to the heads with a feed back into the upper oil pan as insurance. No tank, just straight back to the upper pan.

I see that IAG has made a copy of the Cosworth baffle plate with flaps with one key difference, it doesn't sandwich between the pan and block, it bolts to the block with a slight clearance around the edges inside the pan so oil can run off the sides into the pan. And it has little scoops to grab the oil sliding across the top of the plate and directs it down into the pan. I'm not sure if that idea could work with the EZ36 or not.

134368..134370..134371

OK Hobby get to work producing a few more, I'll be first up to buy one!

[Rob T]

Good News on the trans cooler. Mine is in also, waiting for September 11. We have a similar set-up, but I put a tee after the intercooler and am running water through mine.

[Hobby Racer]

OK Hobby get to work producing a few more, I'll be first up to buy one!

The swivel pickup is quite easy to make. The pan modifications were more involved. If you need one just drop me a line and I can fabricate one up for you. ;)

[DSR-3]

Great news on the success of your pickup project, congratulations!
I've seen the swing design work on motorcycle engine installs in cars too.
I hope to need one someday... 'Hating having my car torn down for paint & work, and I need some social distancing!
Have fun on your track days- jealous!

[Hobby Racer]

But I do still have my doubts that on a long carousel turn or a high banked turn that this will work. It sure is a simpler and less expensive solution.

I'm still going threw the telemetry data but I thought I'd share this. In turn 6 "the carousel" at Watkins Glen I pull 1.5g for a bit more than 10 seconds. I think that qualifies as a long sweeper!

[Rob T]

Hobby: Out of curiosity. What tires are you running? 1.5g is a strong number. Were you on the ragged edge?