Project-Heartbreaker 215/205 mash up

soarer.jzz30

New member
Ok, so where do I start? The car was purchased in October of 2008 as a daily driver for my girlfriend at the time for $2000. It is a 1990 California spec with 80,000 miles on it. The paint was sun faded from lack of care and one of the tires was dry rotting because they did not stay properly inflated. The interior was full of old clothes and fast food bags and dirt. Everything was basically stock with the exception of the crap head unit and wal-mart shift knob. It was in barely running condition.
List of faults:
Faded paint
Crappy autozone HILA tint (faded to purple)
Leaking radiator
Boost leaks like crazy
Shaft play in the turbo
Speedometer wasn't working
Front bumper bottom lip broken off and pass. fog smashed.

So I started by getting my buffer and some good 3M rubbing compound, spent about 6 hours buffing, polishing and waxing it back to par, my girlfriend scraped all the tint off with a blade and a heat gun. I decided to clean the engine bay up a little so I wrapped up the alternator with a bag and rubber bands, sprayed it with purple power and sprayed it down for a bit. First sign of trouble, the car would not start for some reason after that. Took off the I/C and the plug wires were probably not changed since 1996 or so (guessing) The boots did not seal off the plugs at all. Water was in the holes. So I took lot's of paper towels and soaked up all the water, took out the plugs and let them and the wires dry for a few hours. Installed everything and it started up again. The car made NO boost under normal loads. I had to brake boost for about 15 seconds to make the stock gauge even register. It had about as much accel as my modded 1990 5sfe coupe. Which is not much. I checked all the rubbers and come to find out someone at a dealership "fixed" the connection at the throttle body with epoxy and wires. So yeah, not holding anything for pressure. It was at this moment in time I decided to park it and really get a feel for where this thing was. The more I pried the worse it got. Apparently the previous owner thought it was OK to put in aluminum radiator repair in his rad for 2 years straight. Never replacing it or having it repaired. This upset me very much. how dumb was he? He did not deserve this car at all! I started ripping everything apart to see what the damages were.
I managed to get the head off and low and behold, LOADS of aluminum powder stuck in the head and rear water jackets of the block. Now to mention all the calcium lime and slight rust build up. The oil was at least 2 years old. Most of the harness was so saturated with oil that some of the connectors simply fell apart when I was taking out the head. Sooooo. I take the cams out and head down to the machine shop.
They take out the valves and springs for me to do a mild port and polish. I ordered a kit online and followed the instructions very closely. I had them do a deck job and valve job along with checking the guide clearances. Also I had blasted it and had it tanked. Install new viton valve seals and cam seals.
I ordered a new aluminum radiator off ebay along with a tubular manifold and DP, I had a front mount from an SRT-4 laying around and decided to see if it would fit. IT DID! mounted to the stock fog light locations (90-91).
Ordered a front mount 2.5" I/C piping kit off ebay. Cut everything to fit. Mean while, I was having a machine shop machine my housing to fit a t-04 b trim comp wheel, re-clocked it facing down. I cut the waste gate actuator mounts of and had a welder re-weld them to fit the clocking. Polished it up using the port and polish stuff I had left over. Blasted everything in the cooling system and Exh. housing part of the turbo. I ordered a re-build kit from ebay and started re-building. I sent the center housing assembly off to the G-pop shop for balancing. Ordered a MBC off ebay and installed it nicely.
Here's what happened.
I installed everything and tried to start it. No go. Turns out the haynes manual has a reverse plug wire installation? Puzzled me so much because there was spark and fuel. I actually took off the valve cover and re-timed it just to make sure...
Well, it started right up with a wild idle, bobbing up and down. I take it out for a test drive... I push about 10 psi for most of second gear AND!!! A bog and LOT'S of white and blue smoke. I did not install the dynamic seal properly, the metal water lines running along the block were leaking from corrosion. Oil was spitting out of the BOV. Still overheating...
I know I'm leaving out a large amount of story and mods here. I will start to update and put of LOADS of pics tonight and tomorrow. I really screwed up the first go around, but there's hope!!
 

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soarer.jzz30

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Here is just a few to start.
 

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soarer.jzz30

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more
 

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soarer.jzz30

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Oh, BTW the clear markers and JDM clear corners are from my old gt.
 

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soarer.jzz30

New member
engine update. and why there's still hope for this one.
 

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soarer.jzz30

New member
I am at a stand still due to lack of funds at the moment, among other things I want to use a cometic mls HG but the mating surfaces are not a smooth enough finish I am afraid. I might just have to go with an oem one I have laying around. Maybe run only 10 psi max? maybe 12? I think that would be pushing a bit though. I am in need of the oil cooling adaptor plate that goes between the block and oil cooler. I striped mine the first time. ( I know, I'm a clot) I have a gen 1 set-up but I REALLY don't want to use it. I am not using it. I am going to invest in a set up of mixed ebay and KO racing parts to make a custom oil feed and return system. Mainly for ease of installation. The stock crap is just to much of a pain since I re-clocked the turbo. I bought an engine in michigan for $675. It is a gen1 completely re-built. I am using my head and that block. I want to re-build my block and strap the gen1 head on it later. Included in the package was VERY VERY many extra parts and gasket/seals. It was a steal really. I have all the spare parts listed in a thread. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=37940
It is enough to build a stock gen1. Maybe for another project another day? I'd really like to get rid of this stuff to afford things for this project.
 

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soarer.jzz30

New member
ok, so enough pics for now.
List of parts/mods
3" alum radiator
Re-clocked T04-B trim ct-26
Port & polish
valve and deck job
e-bay Tubular mani and DP
HKS "style" intake filter + camry MAF adapter.
Gen1 re-built block (new oil pump, water pump, rod and crank bearings, rings & honed walls, main seal)
SRT-4 FMIC and ebay 2.5" piping kit
T-VIS delete
EGR delete
Charcoal (EVAP) canister delete
new valve stem seals
Cam seals
Valve cover gaskets
ebay allen key stainless upper bolt kit
ebay fuel cut defencer
ebay MBC
(yes I like ebay) Don't flame I'm just broke :(
Blitz BOV
Boost+oil pressure+oil temp (faze) (autozone) gauges. (I had them laying around form my gt)
JDM clear corners + ebay clear blinkers
GT-S gauge conversion, voltmeter only. (I will post a pic)
brushed aluminum gauge bezel
92+ gt-s shifter assembly (cut 1/4" to fit new knob)
red stitched shift boot to match knob
Polyurethane filled mounts

Modifications before engine goes back in:
SS oil feed and return lines
Turbo re-build (proper)
trans speedo adapter (the part that actually goes in the trans)
Straight intake
Oil catch can
Polished radiator reservoir catch tank
oem clutch kit
Flywheel deck
MLS head gasket? if I can use one...
Injector seal kit

Future mods:
warlboro 255
550cc ( maybe 650) side feeds + bored stock rail + regulator
Turn up the boost to 14 psi max (I'm not blowing a piston)
Oil filter relocation and cooler
Eonon dvd player/ touchscreen
2x 4 channel amp to run all the stock speakers + two 8" free air subs for the system 10

I don't have much expectations for power if I run 10 psi at 14 I'd be happy with 300 bhp at the crank. I don't know at 10 maybe 240-250? either way it will have more power than stock, which is the point. Even if I run stock 8 psi I won't care because this thing needs to last as long as possible. It will be a daily driver for as long as it lives in my hands. that's why I am keeping all the nice things that a $30,000 sports car in 1990 should have. A/C, PWS, ABS, cruise control and a nice stereo. I did in fact disconnect the air bag module because this is a first gen air bag. They have killed people and randomly exploded in peoples faces and I don't want to risk it. Don't ask or spit an opinion on it, It's not your car or air bag. It's fine without it.
 

soarer.jzz30

New member
Easy gauge mod.
Don't look at the 00000000 on the odometer. It was rolled back! only because it actually says that on the title. Stupid broad at the dmv did it accidentally. And the fact that it is getting a brand new engine and turbo I think it is ok to do so. I suppose I could clean eveything inside and out and get new paint too. But what's done is done.
 

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soarer.jzz30

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MAF is now hidden. I am likely going to run some rain gutter pipe up from the front bumper. for some fresh air. 95% done though. have to extend the plug 6-10"s still.
 

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soarer.jzz30

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just thought I would post my other car.
 

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soarer.jzz30

New member
no real progress yet. ordered the injector seal kit, cleaned and temp mounted the alt brackets and alt. I really like the results from a drill and wire brush. makes everything new again :D
 

soarer.jzz30

New member
thanx. i have done a few more things to it since the pics. not all of it good. But they look sucking fexy together!!
Funny the first reply to my build thread is about my OTHER car.
 

alltracst185

New member
soarer.jzz30":2g4u16ht said:
thanx. i have done a few more things to it since the pics. not all of it good. But they look sucking fexy together!!
Funny the first reply to my build thread is about my OTHER car.
Haha ya that is a little funny, i meant to comment on it before and i thought i did. :shrug: It is coming back together very nice. It seems the people on here that really put a lot of time and money into their cars get a lot less comendation for their efforts :lol: Then the people that just fix per say a broken light get 6 pages of reply :|
 

soarer.jzz30

New member
GT4RC":21jnzlil said:
did you use a wire wheel to do all that cleaning on your block? looks great.

I bought a block from a guy in michigan, he rebuilt it completely oem. new oil and water pumps, rings and bearings. he had it tanked and blasted them ceramic coated silver. so no, the block isn't done with a wire wheel. most everything else is though. it doesn't take much effort or time. the alt and a/c pump turned out awesome. I took off all the oem stickers just for a different look. plus I accidentally wheel'd them, so I had to anyways. :shrug:
 

soarer.jzz30

New member
So i have been very hard at work on this thing the last week. I dropped the old block out of the bottom effectively swaying the trans enough so that the propeller shaft came out and all the trans fluid came out. So that sucks because it looked golden and in good condition. oh well, just another thing to add to the list. I pre-fitted the turbo and downpipe (tight ass fit) I have had to modify my a/c lines in order for the DP to fit, and also cut a notch out of the alt mounting bracket in order for it to clear the manifold. I really hate ebay sometimes, I take that back, just some of the sellers quality and what they call "direct fit". most of us have experienced that at one time or another though. I don't want to use the stock manifold, because I want a little bling under the hood, plus it is equal length, and in my mind it works sell with the "twin entry" ct-26. whatever, I'm no engineer.

I have used the 165 harness for spare connectors and it's working out well. I used the AFM plug off it and now mine is about a foot longer :D :D :D
I used the injector clips and extended mine about 2.5" a piece. Also extended the TPS and whatever the thing is under the throttle about 8"-10". the reason I am extending most of the wires that run along the inside of the intake mani is because I am routing it behind it instead to ease up on installation and hopefully get less heat=less resistance to get better readings. That's my theory anyhow. Plus I think it will look cleaner. I am trying to do a minor wire tuck a the moment as well, but it seems that I would have to extend the entire drivers side of the harness in order to run it along the trans and up the frame rails in a tidy fashion. I might just clean it up and see what can be done with what is there. I have lot's of clips to mount it just about anywhere, So good luck to me there. :shock: :doh: :shrug:

I deleted the VSV for the EGR plug, T-VIS actuator plug, the other green plug on the TVIS bracket, I can't remember what it is at the moment. I was going to clip the EGR-T plug as well, but I am not sure if I want to add the resistor there or perhaps at the ECU. The car is california spec so it has a EGR temp sensor. i am still not fully sure what ohm resistor to put or where. I have read a few threads on EGR removal and no one has told me exactly where and what to do in order to fool the ECU.
I figured out I have a heat shield form a mk3 supra that will bolt to my exhaust housing, I just had to cut off a small section to clear the A/C and DP. I wire wheel'd it pretty good I don't know if I should do the ceramic coat in silver or not, it might just burn off anyways. If I don't, then it will just rust after a few months anyways? :shrug: what to do what to do....

As for now I still cannot afford my head gasket, my soarer open diff took a dump last weekend after one too many clutch kicks. It's okay, I was running on a 4.10 gear diff form my auto still, I found a good 5 speed 3.7 gear for $225. But I did manage to sell a few spare parts I had laying around from my lot of parts I have, enough to get a spare dipstick and another fuel rail with injectors and good seals for a good price. I figure it is cheaper to get a rail and injectors for only $10 more than I would've paid for new seals. I know I'm cheap, my budget just got cut short by my DD soarer. I think it is jealous, but it shouldn't be, I just put a new clutch kit in it. With a stage two 6 puck disc!!

On any note, I will have pics of the harness mounted on the engine later this week after I am done with a few more things, then off to the chassis for fitting and extending even MORE!! :shoots: :shoots: :shoots:
Still have to make a bracket to mount the harness to the mani. I think I will use some 12 GA steel and use the mani stabilizer bar mounting points.

pics to come hopefully this weekend!!


Thanks for the compliments guys!
 

soarer.jzz30

New member
like I said... the old block is finally out for good. SOLD!
 

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soarer.jzz30

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Pre-fit turbo, ALT and heat shield, I still think I should do silver ceramic on it.

I hid the injector resistors in the right side box, looks nice, had to cut and hammer it to fit, I chipped some of the undercoat off, need to spray satin touch up. Looks at home there.

I am test fitting the harness, seeing where to extend more plugs to place the main parts slightly tucked. I know it's no where near a full tuck, I just want to make it flow a little better and keep out of the way plus easier to remove. I think this is about what it will look like when all goes back in... Still much to extend in order for it to be able to stay exactly where it is.
Also cleaned up the starter with the wire wheel + a polish, painted center black. very nice, on to the rest of the trans!!
 

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