ZeroDrift's 1988 All Trac. Engine Overhaul Project!

ZeroDrift

New member
Engine management showed up today as well! Going to make some progress this weekend routing some of the leads. Still waiting upon shrink wrap, plugs and the insulation for the harness.

This is Megasquirt's new MS3-Pro ECU with an 8' flying lead. Its rated for a wide range of temperatures compared to some of the other offerings on the market.

Here is a complete list of the MS3-Pro's features:

Hardware features:

Freescale MC9S12X 16 bit, 50 MHz asymmetrical dual core processor
10 saturated injector drivers
8 logic level ignition outputs
3 high current (5 amp) general purpose outputs - 2 can be reconfigured as additional injector drivers
3 medium current (3 amp), high frequency general purpose outputs
All unused injector and ignition outputs can be used as SPARE outputs. This ECU has a LOT of I/O!
1 stepper H-bridge driver
Camshaft and crankshaft differential inputs - supports VR, Hall effect, and optical input
12 volt tach output
Fuel pump output
8 analog inputs (5 dedicated sensor inputs, 3 spare/general purpose)
4 spare digital on/off inputs
3 spare digital frequency inputs
2 knock sensor inputs
RS232, USB 2.0, and CAN communication
Onboard 8 gigabyte SD card for internal data logging
Internal ECU temperature sensor
Real time clock
Temperature range: -30 to +80 degrees C (-40 to +85 without battery for real time clock)

Software features:

Supports speed density, alpha-N, or MAF based fuel and spark tables
1 microsecond injector pulse width resolution
Tables for nonlinear injector behavior at small pulse widths
Allows blending multiple load types, including specialized mode for independent throttle bodies
Supports a wide variety of OEM cam and crank position sensors
Individual cylinder trim tables for fuel and ignition
Accelerator pump or model based acceleration enrichment
Closed or open loop idle speed control
Closed or open loop boost control with gear or speed based tuning options
On/off or closed loop continuously variable valve timing control - supports up to 4 channels
On/off or progressive nitrous control
Traction control
Rally anti-lag
Rotary support - can run up to 4 rotor engines with separate leading and trailing spark tables
Staged injection
Table switching
16 x 16 fuel and spark tables - can be reconfigured to function as 30 x 16 or 16 x 30 by switching tables based on RPM or load
2 or 3 step rev limiter with no-lift shifting
Wideband AFR target tables
Flex fuel sensor input
Allows repurposing injector or ignition outputs as general purpose outputs, or high current outputs as injector drivers for 12 cylinder sequential applications
Real time barometric correction
A/C and cooling fan control with idle compensation
Safety shutdown based on AFR or EGT input
Sequential shift cut and air shifter control
6 General purpose on/off or PWM inputs


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ZeroDrift

New member
Some minor progress the last few days. Intake manifold is cleaned and ready to inspect. May still opt for the newer ST185 manifold I have. The cold start sensor area will be modified to suite the air temp sensor. It will be bored out and a threaded plug inserted or possibly welded in. Also took a picture of the manifold with the TVI-S plate against it. Castings don't line up all that well and I will be cleaning up the ports just a bit.

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ZeroDrift

New member
Few more parts came in the mail. Only waiting on three more packages, then time to start assembling the harness! Parts to arrive: Flex fuel sensor, injectors and connectors, replacement wire, shrink wrap. Anyways, on to pictures!

Insulation: Have a large variety of sizes, but all of it should be great protection to the harness! Rated for use up to 650 degrees C.
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Coil pack from a Yukon: One of the strongest coils on the market from what I have seen.
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Sensors! From the top: Hall effect sensor, GM 3 bar map sensor, GM intake air temp, and a pair of GM coolant temp sensors. And a stainless bung for one of the coolant temp sensors. Going to use the second coolant temp sensor to monitor the WTA intercooler.
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Here is the Ford Fuel Controller (AKA: variable relay) This will be used to control the Bosch WTA pump. Currently trying to find a plug for this on the second hand market as they sell for $45 new.
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Finally a few extra parts for the flex fuel plug. Going to be using a high quality solder for the important bits!
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ZeroDrift

New member
Not much progress on the car besides working the intake manifold ports and some shuffling on parts for the engine. Hopefully will have some engine pictures coming along shortly.

Few more pictures of misc parts:

Pneumatic actuator for TVIS control.
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Pump once more:
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ZeroDrift

New member
That is the plan. I will be doing some tests on this before any bracket designs though. Have to make sure everything will work with current vacuum levels.
 

ZeroDrift

New member
No major progress on the car. Been too busy to put any major time into it. I have the head here and I'm going to clean up the ports lightly and will be ceramic coating it, along with the turbo in the next week or two. At this moment I'm putting my time into my business and setting up the new computer controlled oven which will enable me to ceramic coat heads and other large/sensitive parts in a very controlled environment.

In the mean time, what are these: (Fuel injector resistor pack?)
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Along the firewall:
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MWP

New member
First photo looks like fuel pump resistor.
Second is injector resistor pack.

Can tell the difference by the number of wires going into them.
 

ZeroDrift

New member
Thank you for the info! I'll have to check out the wiring on that and report back.

Here are a few pictures of the small bit of porting I've done. Honestly just cleaning up edges and allowing for a smoother transition.

Intake manifold now matches the TVIS nicely. Just need to put a radius on the TVIS edges that face the manifold now, and the intake will be completed.

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Now that I think about it I will need to work on the throttle body side of things slightly more. Gotta get the future IAT port sorted out still.

As for the head, I have a question regarding the exhaust ports. I'll be opting for the stock exhaust manifold for the foreseeable future. Going to be porting the exhaust manifold near the merging section before I apply the ceramic coating. The head's exhaust ports are considerably smaller than the exhaust manifold: is there any benifit to match the ports to the manifold, or will a small 'lip' add some benefit?

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ZeroDrift

New member
What I'll be doing to the TVIS plates to aid with a smooth airflow into the engine.

From this:
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To this:
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Will be using a flapper wheel to do the final smoothing.
 

RallyMax165

New member
Thank you good sir,
What a fine job of documentation you have done, and fact gathering as well. I sincerely applaud your efforts to get to the bottom of things. Bravo.
I also have an ST165 as well and I am just starting to turn it from a possession into a project car. We should keep in touch for sure, I will be watching this thread. Can't wait to see that baby rocking those sweet ass new wheels! I like the vent look, but understand it might not be an efficient solution. I plan on driving my car through the northern Nevada Desert a lot this summer and so this heat issue has already come to my attention through my research... How much money in gold heat insulation would you say you have on your 'Trac? I am planning on doing a large wide center evacuation duct in the hood, in between the radiator and the turbo. I also am working on a straight short ram intake because the stock one on my car is falling apart. I am vacillating over how, where or if to make an intake through the body panels for some cold air.
I don't mean to hijack your thread, I am just excited to see such intimate details about the same car I have!
-Max
 

RallyMax165

New member
It's hard to find a really good article on the subject of cylinder head dynamics, but here is a decent summary. Turbo handles volume, the engine wants velocity. Keep them small, straight and unhindered ... I am cautioning you because I got carried away once, on a small block Mopar V8 in my 67 Dart GT, I afterwards researched it heavily and regretted removing as much material as I did from the intake side because it took away a BUNCH of low end torque.
Faster intake runners give you more low-end torque and more volume gives you higher flow potential and if the cam and valves are also conducive to tremendous flow, you'd better build a light and high-sprung valve-train that can scream up to 10,000RPM because you built a banshee.
Think of the airflow improvement of a golf ball's divets, the stock casting has divets, why go smoothing out those blessings in disguise. If you are serious about making a super fun street car, get some cams, have a turbo manifold built for a turbo of your choice for this application, and don't worry about the ports.
The best thing that an amateur hobbyist to a head is relieve some of the "Squelch" material. That is any area in the combustion chamber which restricts the gas' mixture from the valve openings from entering the cylinder itself, it also allows the ignition spark to penetrate the entire combustion chamber more rapidly. Most 4 valve per cylinder cars don't have much issue here though. (Semi-HEMIspherical combustion chambers do this VERY well) Squelch work becomes especially important when running domed pistons (For mostly non-turbo applications).
Having the base of the head "decked" or machined down will decrease the combustion chamber's size and therefore increasing the compression ratio of the piston's stroke into the Fuel/Oxygen mixture. Decking heads may also cause valve and piston head interference as well when you add domed pistons and or camshafts that increase valve "lift" and intake "Overlap" (also for high RPM designed builds) so be carefully considering all of your operating interference tolerances when considering beneficial modifications to your car's valve head.
Many HP can be won or lost with appropriately placed funds at this point. And I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor. I can tell you want to build a driver's car here and not a race machine, so keep it simple and read up well. I can not yet give you firsthand trial and error advice on a Turbocharged 4-Valve Aluminum head so here are some other forum links on this matter:

http://www.superhonda.com/forum/f93/por ... es-127827/

http://www.mr2.com/forums/turbo-engine- ... ish-2.html
 

ZeroDrift

New member
Decided to do a bt of work on the 'Trac today. Getting the head prepared...

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The porting work is only a minor port match. They match the new gasket and the TVIS system very nicely. The chambers are not finished yet as they need a bit more attention before they are blasted in preparation of the ceramic coating.
 

MWP

New member
Hmmmm... :cry:

You should have done more reading about combustion chamber dynamics before starting.
Youve removed a decent amount of the squish areas. Youve probably made things worse, not better :(
Squish areas are very important for detonation resistance.
 

ZeroDrift

New member
MWP":16linyce said:
Hmmmm... :cry:

You should have done more reading about combustion chamber dynamics before starting.
Youve removed a decent amount of the squish areas. Youve probably made things worse, not better :(
Squish areas are very important for detonation resistance.


Pistons that I am using are much higher compression than stock. Spec is 9.5:1, which is just a pinch more than I was hoping for, so the minimal amount I'm removing from the combustion chambers should be a beneficial trade off. Plus I am removing sharp edges that will become hot spots, and one blasted, cleaned and ceramic coated will be very resistant to detonation. 8)
 

MWP

New member
Well in that case you are removing it from the wrong areas.
There is nothing wrong with 9.5:1 CR anyway, its not that high (im at ~12:1).

How does coating prevent detonation exactly?
Coating helps with thermal efficiency, and not much else.
Coating, etc is no substitute for the squish areas.
Be careful not to remove any pressure recovery areas too.
 

ZeroDrift

New member
MWP":113xjng0 said:
Well in that case you are removing it from the wrong areas.
There is nothing wrong with 9.5:1 CR anyway, its not that high (im at ~12:1).

How does coating prevent detonation exactly?
Coating helps with thermal efficiency, and not much else.
Coating, etc is no substitute for the squish areas.
Be careful not to remove any pressure recovery areas too.


The coating will reduce thermal buildup in the metal, and combined with a bit of shaving will aid in the reduction of hot spots from sharp edges. The amount of material removed is minimal, just enough to make it a smoother transition. Every build I do I inevitably make a few experimental changes to mix things up. Some work better than others, but at the end of the day it adds character and I'll still be readily able to reach my power goals.

If you want to see some of my past projects, here is my last build: http://www.rs25.com/forums/f145/t134896 ... 2-5rs.html
 
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