Brando's Newbie 818R Build Thread

[longislandwrx]

I was thinking this was silly, until the video hit 1:48



very cool man

[Brando]

It was pretty intense surprisingly.
They call the girls "arm candy" lol

[wleehendrick]

Ha! That reminds me of Direct TV's "get rid of cable" commercials... Bad things happen when you stop working on your 818. Stop entering arm wrestling tournaments. Work on your 818.



Overthetop.jpg

[Mechie3]

Yeah, that one guy is definitely a douche.

[Brando]

There is a national tournament in Vegas in 3 months. I'm training my a$$ off and going to enter it, slam that guy and scream in his face when i'm done.
Goal is set and it will happen.

[metros]

"It's like a switch, ya know"

*Turns hat backwards*

[ehansen007]

Don't pull your arm off kid, come on by and work on my car!

[RM1SepEx]

There is a lot of technique involved. When I was 18 I worked in a bottling plant. At 147 I was able to beat everyone else in the plant, I did toss 1000's of cases of soda into trucks every night @ 42 lbs/case

Review the video and watch the best guys get their preferred body position. Do some research too.

[Brando]

Today I cutout my doors for the vents. Before fixing them I am having them wrapped with 4d carbon fiber. I am also wrapping both engine scoops. I think this will offset the car nicely and go well with the rest of the real deal CF.

My bearings didn't spin but they were melted and flattened out razor thin. Here is what became of my crank and rods. The rings were all oblong and annihilated.







I received my block back from the machine shop who cleaned things up and took a few areas down to make room for the long stroke. I went with CF pistons 8:6:1.







I lost my turbo to what appears to be oil starvation. It was a cheapo $200 ebay special so no major losses. The replacement should be a solid upgrade.

Blouch Dominator 1.5XT-R 10cm^2 Ball Bearing turbo

[Brando]

I'm really excited about adding a LSD to my trans and I should have included this in my original build. Cusco 1.5.
Drysump arrived and looks great. Surprisingly simple for the price point.






One thing I don't understand is why the oil pan has 2 scavenging ports and the pump has 2 inputs but only one output. Normally Element uses a single scavenging oil can. So do these pumps work in such a way you can have 2 inputs and 1 output? Doesn't seem right. At any rate the Oil can i purchased has 2 scavenging ports so it seems fitting to have 2 outputs on the pump. Am I missing something here (besides an output port)?




I am leaning towards this location to mount the oil can. It will require some refabrication to the wing mount but I can't think of a better spot for it. Maybe near the battery on the front firewall would work too.

[C.Plavan]

Yeah- No oil= that. Exactly why we have the dry sump.

Parts look very nice. Looks similar

Just an FYI- You may get some heat for those fittings (Stress may). Some race organizations are not keen on "push on fittings". Element tried to sell me those, I said plan on racing, so no thanks. (Time Attack that they do is essentially a HPDE or TT- so sometimes Tech does not care)

[Brando]

I would like to eventually race with NASA so besides the race tank and intrusion panels which I will one day add, I am trying to keep things in line with their regulations.
I was under the impression that if you kept all the oil lines out of the drivers area that these fitting were fine.

EDIT: Are you using both of your pumps out ports into both the available ports on the tank? I feel like Element should have given us that 2nd nipple

[C.Plavan]

I would like to eventually race with NASA so besides the race tank and intrusion panels which I will one day add, I am trying to keep things in line with their regulations.
I was under the impression that if you kept all the oil lines out of the drivers area that these fitting were fine.

EDIT: Are you using both of your pumps out ports into both the available ports on the tank? I feel like Element should have given us that 2nd nipple

You should be OK with those fittings. I dont think they are illegal, just some racing orgs dont like them.

IIRC- You can have oil line/ water lines in the cabin as long as they are braided. Fuel lines need to be braided and covered if in the drivers compartment (firewall type shield). I need to look at the NASA rules again. I run braided oil lines through the cabin in my 911. Had them for 10+ years without a single problem.

As for a diagram, ask Phil to send you an email on how to hook them up. Double check with him, as will I. We are fine with one oil out, that is normal. Here is a good diagram I found on the web. Just minus one of the scavenge lines (picture has 3). We are going to have to use one of the middle ports as the second vent. This is just an example, again, we need to discuss with Phil

[FFRSpec72]

Brandon, do you have a cad drawing for this, as it seems very useful and would save me the design time

[Brando]

Sorry Tony. It was made on the fly

[Frank818]

Sorry Tony. It was made on the fly

Best ideas always come by on the fly.

[Sgt.Gator]

Did you have the Killer B Oil pan and pickup on when the oil starvation happened? I saw it in the original build list but was unsure if you had them on...

[Brando]

I had the Killer B pickup and baffle but I did not have the pan. I have read that the STI or the Killer B pan makes a significant difference in keeping the oil from running up and out of the pan. I'm curious to see if an 818 on slicks with that pan and an accusump will be enough. Lot's of builds wrapping up so we will see soon enough.

[Brando]

A few friends gave me a bunch of grief about putting fake CF on a car with plenty of real CF and steered me away. I ended up going with matte black and i'm glad I did.

Here is what it looked like with CF, not bad but at the same time not authentic.








I laid up the CF on the vents too, but I have since removed it and am going with the stock flat black





The finished product:

[AZPete]

Looks much better in flat black. The stick-on CF reminds me of those old station wagons with wood-grain vinyl.

[wleehendrick]

Looks great, Brandon!

[Frank818]

Quick question for which probably no one has the answer cuz no one other than me needs it lolll, what's the width of the tranny at the axles (without the axles)?

[Brando]

Thank you, can't wait to see it all together.

Frank, I would help you out with that but at the moment my transmission is in pieces as I am installing an LSD. I hit a hurdle securing the stubs. I should have it together by this weekend if you don't get your answer by then.

[Frank818]

No rush Brandon, I misfollowed (is that a word?) your thread and thought the tranny was still in, but I guess I hop in at the right moment, cuz soon enough you will have the tranny in your hands for reinstallation, which will then make it a 30sec measurement. I prefer that than if you had to remove panels and stuff. The reason for the measurement is I am comparing tranny options and already know some WRX tranny measurements, but not this one.

[Brando]

I don't believe I updated my thread with the details of blowing my motor.

Shortly into my 3rd session running at my first TT track event with the 818 my turbo failed and the engine introduced rod knock.

I contemplated running a last AutoX event in before having the motor rebuilt and stroked. I threw in a cheap turbo I had sitting on a shelf and went for it. I made it half way through my second run before the motor spun a bearing. Thankfully there was no damage to the block or heads. The AutoX event was only 6 miles from my house so i drove the 818 there. Of all the lessons to learn from this, two come to mind. Oil starvation makes quick work of an engine, and AAA is not equipped to tow a car this low. What a nightmare that tow was.

I didn't trust my skill set enough to build a short block and I didn't want to go through this again anytime soon. Brian (Iwire) referred me to a good friend Frank at Prolific Auto Sports. He specializes exclusively on WRX motors. He taught me quite a bit and hooked me up with stroking and building my short block. Him along with Element Tuning held my hand in getting the dry sump setup correctly. Things went off without much a hitch

The vent at the top of the oil tank is temporary. In its place I am installing a catch can.

I was supposed to dynotune tune today but things fell though due to an exhaust hurdle. I don't have a bellmouthed downpipe and therefor my wastegate port hits the plate connected to my exhaust. So at the most the wastegate will open 50% as is. I was worried about boost creep or spiking and we decided to hold off on tuning until something is figured out. Curious what everyone else does to fix this.















11' Race ramps had made my SWEET uhaul trailer much more 818 friendly.
They are huge and rather hard to store, but my body panels thank me.

[Brando]

Frank (Pearldrummer7) was in the area from N.Y. on business this past week. I took the opportunity to talk some shop with a fellow builder. As always no regrets, this community is solid.
So I took him to a local club, Sutra for the evening with a few other friends. My girl shot this photo and she claims she didn't mean to catch the GOGO dancer. Jury is out on that one. If she did mean to...mad camera skills!

[mikeb75]

Brando,

Are you currently running a divorced downpipe? Have you looked into an external waste gate? That would be one solution to your clearance issue (not the cheapest though).

[Rasmus]

That sucks to read about your oil starvation and spun rod. Dry sump looks great.

[Scargo]

Looks good. Who's dry sump kit and what is capacity and specs on parts? Petersen pumps and tank? Am I correct that the pumps are designed to mount on the stock alternator/ex-a/c compressor bracket?
I don't see an oil cooler, bypass valve, heater, etc...

[C.Plavan]

Very cool. Looks great

Since I have not even touched my dry sump. Can you shoot me over the line hook up diagram? I'm confused on the breather lines coming from the heads. I'm guessing you tee them together.

I'm dropping my 911 motor/trans today to get my transmission rebuilt. Once that is done. It will be full steam on the 818R.

[Brando]

Most of the kit is sold by Element Tuning. Their oil tank manufacturer is 6 months back ordered, perhaps even closing their doors. Both Chad and I went with a 2 gallon Peterson tank in its place. Besides that most everything else is made by ARE.
Yes, the pump has a mounting bracket that installs over the stock A/C bracket and uses the stock A/C belt.
I am not doing a heater/cooler at this point in time. Maybe down the road, but i'm not sure I will need it for 20 minute runs will I? I am not sure how a bypass valve fits into this setup, so that's probably why your not seeing one. Feel free to educate me however, if you think it's worth doing them please do tell.

I don't see myself switching to an external wastegate, but probably will find a cost effective downpipe and start over on the exhaust routing or will try and cutout the area and have it merged in somehow.



Chad, i put together a pretty ugly diagram of how I have mine routed. Basically yes, I ran a T splitter off the PCV. I think I will need a second one once I start running the catch can.

I still need to TIG weld the barbed fittings on the catch can.




I was planning on running a 2nd T off the PCV and hooking it up like this



Sorry about the hacked diagram.

[Mechie3]

Frank looks like a kid standing next to Brando. Next time take him to K1 speed for some east coast vs west coast 818R builder kart offs. From 2009 to 2013 I was in Brea every other month. Always went to k1 on Tuesday and Thursday after work.

[Wayne Presley]

So that's really a 2 stage scavenge pump with a factory oil pump on the motor correct?

[Brando]

I'm bummed I didn't think of that. K1 would have been a fun start to the evening and result in some light hearted bragging rights. It is only a few miles away from me too. Next time for sure.

Wayne, there is only 1 outlet being used which pulls from both scavenging inlets. Is that what constitutes a 2 stage pump, many to one? If so then yes it is a 2 stage.
Yes the factory oil pump is still used.

[Wayne Presley]

And they get how much for it???

[Santiago]

So that's really a 2 stage scavenge pump with a factory oil pump on the motor correct?

I seem to recall that Element's contention was that neither pressure nor cavitation from the factory pump was ever a concern for them, they just couldn't keep oil in the pan. This is how they put together an "affordable" dry sump system.

Looks good Brando! But I wonder...with your exhaust and that dry sump, could you cut/re-weld the motor mounts and drop the engine an inch (or more)? =)

Best,
-j

[Wayne Presley]

Why are you running the PCV vented to atmosphere? The scavenge pump should be able to pull a very good vacuum in the motor which helps the rings seal better

[mikeb75]

Kinugawa turbo sells a short bellmouth downpipe (elbow, so really just the outlet flange tapered into a tube) that may be able to replace the plate flange you have -but the geometry will be different; there is a bend (down) to the kinugawa part.

[C.Plavan]

Most of the kit is sold by Element Tuning. Their oil tank manufacturer is 6 months back ordered, perhaps even closing their doors. Both Chad and I went with a 2 gallon Peterson tank in its place. Besides that most everything else is made by ARE.
Yes, the pump has a mounting bracket that installs over the stock A/C bracket and uses the stock A/C belt.
I am not doing a heater/cooler at this point in time. Maybe down the road, but i'm not sure I will need it for 20 minute runs will I? I am not sure how a bypass valve fits into this setup, so that's probably why your not seeing one. Feel free to educate me however, if you think it's worth doing them please do tell.

I don't see myself switching to an external wastegate, but probably will find a cost effective downpipe and start over on the exhaust routing or will try and cutout the area and have it merged in somehow.



Chad, i put together a pretty ugly diagram of how I have mine routed. Basically yes, I ran a T splitter off the PCV. I think I will need a second one once I start running the catch can.

I still need to TIG weld the barbed fittings on the catch can.




I was planning on running a 2nd T off the PCV and hooking it up like this



Sorry about the hacked diagram.

Dude- Thats not a hacked image. That is perfect. Thanks

[Brando]

with your exhaust and that dry sump, could you cut/re-weld the motor mounts and drop the engine an inch (or more)?

I was throwing that question around the forum when I ordered the dry sump kit but was shot down. I still feel the motor could be dropped a full inch, perhaps more. Definitely something I am interested in looking into.


I could only find this bellmouth at kinugawaturbo. I do see quite a few wrx downpipes that I could hack up. First I am going to call every wrx shop around town and see what I can't dig up.


I have not yet installed the catch can I had planned on discussing this with Element, the CA referees wont pass my car if my PCV isn't closed either. I was also confused about that.
Is there a better to do this Wayne?

I am way outside of my knowledge set here and learning as I go. Lot's of "I don't knows" and that's my primary reason for posting content here. I appreciate the questions but REALLY appreciate the answers.
When your someone like me, who has never worked with anything like a dry sump before it's unlikely I am going to try and build my own kit. I will pay the money for a bolt on dry sump kit like this. Regarding the prices all I can say is you should put together your own dry sump kit and offer it. I would have surely purchased my kit from you and support our team of vendors.
Offer a package (AWIC + Dry Sump Kit). I would have been all over it.