The MotoIQ community is composed of lots of different cars and makes so let's hear it:  What are ya driving/working on?

Guess I'll go first... For my part I have a '93 Saphire Blue 240SX that serves as a daily driver with the only "modifications" being Energy Suspension 3-piece polyurethane tension rod bushings and 17" TSW Revo wheels.

For a project car that has unfortunately yet to see the road in the time I've owned it I have a '90 Aztec Red 300ZXTT.  I bought it with a spun rod bearing and a trashed dashboard.  The idea was to simply tear down the motor to replace the bearings + replace the dash.  Instead the motor is being fully rebuilt although just with stock internals.  Upgraded 500HP capable turbos, full energy suspension bushing set, Eibach springs, new OEM TT adjustable shocks, welded and ported manifolds, bigger injectors, chipped etc. 

Things kind of snowballed but there's still no good reason why the car shouldn't be done. I'm aiming to get it on the road this summer.

My 2 daily drivers right now are a 2001 Golf 2.0, and a 99 Expedition 5.4 4x4. The golf is plain stock, just keeping up on stuff like timing belt and shocks, etc. The Expedition is lifted, thats about it.

In the garage/driveway, i have...a 90 Pathfinder SE 4x4, and a 90 300zx n/a with TT front clip parts sitting in the garage. Im trying to sell the Z project, but it wont be long until i have another. We might be bringing home a 240z to build into a time attack car for business reasons. If it comes here, im going to spend about 6 months stitch welding it.

My current daily driver is a '92 Subaru Legacy Wagon AWD 5 speed.  It looks like hell due to many unkept Minnesota winters, but it hauls stuff and gets over 28 mpg on the highway.  Stock cars run long-time, and bring home 60 gallon compressors.

My project is a '93 Legacy.  Been working on it for about a year and a half since a T-bone incident from which I drove the car home.  Work started when I found a rust-free replacement shell.  

Very little has been left alone.  Engine, driveline, fuel system, brakes, suspension, among other things have all been looked at, and are being looked at even more.  The centerpiece is the turbo.  It is a GT3782 AVNT from a early '04 6.0L Ford Powerstoke diesel, with a compressor housing, backing plate, and wheel from a GT4088R. 

We've been running this turbo for over two years on my close friend's Legacy of similar specs, yet a built auto trans.  The results have been very promising after two years of experimentation.  I know Khiem is interested .

Anyways, I'm new to the site and have a build thread elsewhere. 

http://mnsubaru.com/forums/showthread.php/29762-T-leg-Version-2.0

Here are some videos from my friends car in which we initially got the VNT turbo working.  N/A cams hurt big time.  Also, keep in mind this is a 2.2L engine that really does drive like a V8.  We've been working on the vane map for quite some time.  (when it's not winter)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvCQoaMttmM

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=y4lDkm6Xj5g&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=xIhhNa-ol9s&feature=related

Posted By jere on 06-10-2010 12:51 PM
piddster what are you using to control the AVNT a traditionally run wastegate?

The AVNT system has taken some serious time and growing pains, to say the least.

The solenoid on the turbo that controls the oil pressure runs off a 12v PWM signal.  +10 points in the easiness department.  Using a modern standalone EMS, you can set up a general purpose map on something like  Hydra or Link Plus G2-G4 to run it.  We learned that the inductance of the solenoid is very high, and will cook the diode that controls the fly-back voltage (my friend that initially tried it cooked a circuit in his Hyrdra 2.6).  So, now we use a solid state relay that can handle 180 Hz+, since the Ford run the solenoid at that frequency.  I can set my frequency with my Link, but Derek has a choice of 600Hx or 30 Hz.  Also, a beefy diode is needed to protect the solid state relay from the fly back voltage of the solenoid.  

A wastegate is still needed.  Derek is running a 38mm TiAL which has been more than adequate thus far.  I have a 44mm TiAL, so I think I'll be fine for now.  A race gas tune could change things though.  

All that said and done, we were able to spend some quality time tuning the car, and the turbo response which took more time than the fuel map.  With the freedom of controlling boost on a 2.2L between 2500 and 5000 rpm, there was a ton of work to be done.  Closing the vanes down can make a ton of boost, but you can also be choking the motor out at the same time.  Therefore we found that less boost can mean more power and torque in the end.  

His car is a highly built automatic, so things are a little bit different.  We haven't developed the region of the vane map that will be seen by a manual vs. an auto, but I'll be getting there this summer.  Also, the vanes can sometimes be finicky if the turbo and oil is cold.  Cold oil means more pressure and the vanes are at a tighter position than you tuned for at full operating temp.  

Anyways, it has been a fun project and if it didn't work so well on my friends car that we spent a lot of time on, I wouldn't be perusing it.  I gave up a GT2871R 56 Trim for this thing, which worked so well on my engine. 

My project is a 1993 Plymouth Duster with a fully-built 2.2 Turbo motor.

Let the insults begin. 

Posted By Dusty Duster on 09-13-2010 06:28 AM

My project is a 1993 Plymouth Duster with a fully-built 2.2 Turbo motor.

Let the insults begin. 

Sure, a bit crude and unrefined, but I've seen enough 10 to 12 second 2.2-turbo powered Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouths over the years to know not to make fun of them...

I got completely smoked by a 2.2 turbo Dodge minivan (with wood siding!) back in 1989 on the Merritt Parkway in CT. I saw the car in Turbo magazine about 6 months later, it was turning 11.47 in the 1/4 with an automatic and a stock unopened longblock!

Posted By RallyBob on 09-13-2010 08:41 AM

Sure, a bit crude and unrefined, but I've seen enough 10 to 12 second 2.2-turbo powered Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouths over the years to know not to make fun of them...

 

I got completely smoked by a 2.2 turbo Dodge minivan (with wood siding!) back in 1989 on the Merritt Parkway in CT. I saw the car in Turbo magazine about 6 months later, it was turning 11.47 in the 1/4 with an automatic and a stock unopened longblock!

Dodge helped start the American sport compact trend with the Omni GLH and GLHS.

I'm actually planning on buying a new toy in the spring.  I've narrowed it down to 7 vehicles:

1. BMW 135i
2. Nissan 370Z
3. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
4. Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8
5. Dodge Challenger R/T
6. Chevrolet Camaro SS
7. Ford Mustang 5.0

I'm going to test drive every single one of those in February or March, and I'll have a thread documenting my search for the perfect daily driver/street terror. 

Just restored a 1991 E318is: 

Posted By Dusty Duster on 09-13-2010 11:02 AM

Posted By RallyBob on 09-13-2010 08:41 AM

Sure, a bit crude and unrefined, but I've seen enough 10 to 12 second 2.2-turbo powered Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouths over the years to know not to make fun of them...

 

I got completely smoked by a 2.2 turbo Dodge minivan (with wood siding!) back in 1989 on the Merritt Parkway in CT. I saw the car in Turbo magazine about 6 months later, it was turning 11.47 in the 1/4 with an automatic and a stock unopened longblock!

 

Dodge helped start the American sport compact trend with the Omni GLH and GLHS.

I'm actually planning on buying a new toy in the spring.  I've narrowed it down to 7 vehicles:

1. BMW 135i
2. Nissan 370Z
3. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
4. Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8
5. Dodge Challenger R/T
6. Chevrolet Camaro SS
7. Ford Mustang 5.0

I'm going to test drive every single one of those in February or March, and I'll have a thread documenting my search for the perfect daily driver/street terror. 

I think that the Mustang is certainly the way to go!

96 miata and 08 mazda 3 sedan.

I like the pictures of the bmw 3 series restoration!  Good to see more of these cars continued to be put on the road rather than junked/destroyed.

Dahamler: Sexy. Great difference from the start! And ballah with the Royal Purple! Although with the poster in the background i'm guessing you are provided oil by them? Also what engine is that? M50? M52? S52?!?

Working on this:

Hey all-

Great website. I've particularly enjoyed reading the columns, and have been lurking on the forum occasionally for a while. My name is Brent, and I drive a 2009 Nissan GT-R, which I got last July. I had never tracked a car before, but after break-in, I quickly realized this car had way too much of everything to stretch its legs on the street safely, sanely, or legally.

I discovered Speed Ventures in August of 2009 and did a track day in the Novice group just to experience the car's power in a controlled environment. Well, a year and half and 17 track days later I can honestly say I'm hooked on tracking, and am now running in Speed Ventures' Red group. I also played around at a couple of RTA events this year. The car is my daily driver and my track toy, and has seen Auto Club Speedway's ROVAL, big Willow, and Buttonwillow 13cw.

Regarding wrenching, once the mod bug bites, well, you all know where that goes. So far, I've done HB Speed large MAF intakes, AMS FMIC, Harmon Motive intercooler piping, HKS plugs, iD 1000cc injectors, twin Walbro fuel pumps, AAM catted downpipes, Titek resonated midpipe, HKS Legamax exhaust, and tuned via the Cobb AccessPort by Jon at HB Speed (soon to be Cobb Tuning So Cal). On Jon's DynoMite dyno, the car made 540 awhp and 560 awtq on 91 pump gas; a stock GT-R on his dyno makes about 420 awhp. Motul 300v is used for oil, 5w40 in the winter and 15w50 in the summer. Willall fluids are used in the trans and diffs.

Braking has been upgraded to AP Racing J-hook rotors, Carbotech XP10 pads, Stillen stainless brake lines, and Motul RBF600 fluid. The only suspension mod I have done has been Stillen sway bars to dial out some of the understeer. The stock suspension is really quite good, as are the OEM Dunlop SP600 runflat tires.

For data acquisition, I have a Traqmate complete with a Chase Cam. This has really helped to idenify areas where I can improve my driving.

Coming up, I will be replacing the intakes, downpipes and midpipe with Akuma BM intakes, AAM decatted downpipes, and the Cobb catted y-pipe. This setup should make a bit more power after a retune and should be a bit more reliable on the track, as the AAM catted downpipes have had a couple of reported issues of the cat elements becoming dislodged, and one of those was me. Moving the cats further from the turbo outlets should prevent this from happening again. I'm also switching to a square tire setup with 285's on all four corners, instead of the 255 fronts, and will be adding a Stillen lip and side skirts. Evans NPG+ wil be used for coolant and I'm swapping out the RBF600 brake fluid for Castrol SRF. This project is planned for early January 2011, before the next track season begins.

I hope this wasn't too long-winded for my first post.  Hope to meet you all at the track one day.  Here is a pic from my first track day.