My new car!

[chickenwafer]

So I ordered some AN adapter fittings and the flare caps for the A/C bulkheads from JEGS, along with some AN tools (hose cutters, wrenches, vise jaws, assembly lube, etc).

First bad news; the -12AN flare cap for the A/C bulkhead is too large. The -6AN flare cap did fit, however. No big deal, I think I just need a -10AN and I should be good.

I ordered some M18x1.5 to -6AN metric AN adapters for the turbos CHRA water jacket fittings, so I could connect braided -6AN hose to the water lines on the turbo. They don't fit. See a trend? Luckily, I found some 45* -6AN adapter fittings that did fit, just laying in my toolbox. Problem solved.

Now, the part that ticks me off. I ordered some of those -6AN to 3/8" Hard Line tubing adapters so I could convert the stock fuel lines to -6AN male fittings, and the same on the turbo and throttle body coolant circuit to send coolant to the turbo and wastegate with braided AN hose and fittings. Firstly, the 3/8" size is wrong for the fuel hardlines, they are actually 5/16" even though I could have swore it was 3/8". So now I need to order different adapter fittings.

The ones for the turbo coolant and such are confusing me though. I measure the hard lines as 3/8" but the compression fitting would go on them. The hard line had a flare on the end of it so I cut the end with my Dremel. Still no dice, the OD of the hard line is the exact same ID of the AN compression fitting.

So I tried heating up the AN compression fitting with my Map gas torch and still no luck. So I put the water pump/t-stat housing in the freezer in hopes that the hard lines will shrink enough, and then the AN compression fittings will go in the oven at 500*, so hopefully the compression fitting gets large enough, and the hard line shrink enough, to essential make a friction fit so I can get the adapters on them.

Otherwise I'll have to go all "hookey" and use some tape over the braided -6AN line and a hose clamp on the hard lines.

The only good news from today is the AN hose cutters I got from JEGS (similar to bolt cutters) work really, really well cutting AN hose. It does take some effort, but it's not terrible. Much safer than the chisel and hammer method, and of course it's safe than the cutoff wheel method. So I am happy about that, at least.

[RX-7 Chris]

Any pics of what the car looks like now?

[VRx8]

I tried to convert my fuel lines to AN and I failed at it. I bought a AN to Tube Adapter Fitting SUM-2200077 along with the flaring tool. Looked good, everything was tight but it leaked. So I ended up using 2 hose clamps per line and it doesn't leak anymore. If you can figure it out let me get the recipe.

[chickenwafer]

So I put the water pump housing in the freezer for 2 hours, then heated up the fitting again with my MAP gas torch. It took a few whacks of the hammer but I think it worked. I tightened down the fitting with the compression cap inside and I think it will work but i have no way of knowing until I put water through it to see if it will leak.

I did put the new fittings in my vise and I pulled as hard as I could and they would not budge, so I think I'm good. Luckily, the coolant system is relatively low pressure (1.1bar max is my cap) as well.

Any pics of what the car looks like now?

Yep!





It's almost disheartening to see it so torn apart, and then I realize how much work I have left to go haha.

I tried to convert my fuel lines to AN and I failed at it. I bought a AN to Tube Adapter Fitting SUM-2200077 along with the flaring tool. Looked good, everything was tight but it leaked. So I ended up using 2 hose clamps per line and it doesn't leak anymore. If you can figure it out let me get the recipe.

The Summit part number you listed is for the 3/8" version. I bought the same size as you did, but it turns out we need the 5/16" version like this:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EAR-165056ERL/

I've heard of plenty of people using these without issue. I'm going to order a pair for the feed and return line soon so I will let you know.

Also test fitted the v-mount radiator. It's a tight fit!:

[VRx8]

Feed and return line are slightly different in size

[chickenwafer]

^Orly? I will have to check them tonight. It might just be better to avoid the headaches and do double hose clamps on the line.

[speedjunkie]

I want to do something like this for the ports for the turbo water lines, on the water pump/filler neck housing. I was thinking those things could be pulled out though, like the vacuum ones on the UIM. I think I'll try it on an old manifold I have at home and see what happens. I figure the same could be done on the front port, like you did for the AST delete. Know what I mean? I haven't found any pics or anything of people doing it on 7club though.

[chickenwafer]

Yeah, that should work, Eric. The problem is the hard line is the wrong size so it's a real compression/friction fitting, I had to put the housing in the freezer and heat up the fitting with my map gas torch and still whack it with a hammer.

So I was staring at my wimpy single oil cooler and I think it needs to be upgraded. Instead of doing dual coolers I think I am going to do a giant single cooler I've found two cooler that will work, that are nearly double the size of the stock cooler. I will have to get a little creative mounting it but I just measured and it should fit. The largest cooler is 14.75" x 9.25", and 3" thick.

If I do this, however, it will probably push my build back a couple weeks so it won't be done until mid April at the earliest.

Either way, I'm probably pushing back stacking the shortblock to sometime in early February. I forgot how many parts I still need to complete the engine and drop it in haha.

[speedjunkie]

No I was talking about removing the stock hard line (nipple or whatever) completely, then tapping the hole and putting an AN fitting in there. And then drilling a couple holes for the water lines for the wastegates too and putting AN fittings in those too...basically in the same places but just tee off both of them and have the one feed and one return for both wastegates. Know what I mean? Just a thought.

NO! The build CANNOT be put off. This MUST be done before April if we're going to caravan to NC. YOU CAN DO IT!!!! lol

[chickenwafer]

Haha well I decided I'm doing the big single oil cooler. An aluminum Earls 8.5" x 10.2" x 2" thick core with -10AN fittings (female fittings, Eric, haha). The extra expense is going to make it tight getting everything done before the end of April. I still think I can have it done before DGRR, but I will literally be finishing a week and half before we would have to leave, which leaves precious little time to tie up loose ends. And as I'm sure people know, with a big build like this, there will ALWAYS be little annoying ends to tie up....plus it eats into my budget for going out there.

For sure I am pushing back stacking the engine until probably the weekend after the Superbowl....I just forgot about all the other stuff I need to buy before it going to be built and dropped in. I still need the rebuild kit from Atkins, but then I also need the Banzai oil pan brace, ACT clutch kit, resurface my ACT ProLite flywheel, flywheel counterweight, braided SS clutch hose, manifold re-welded up for new w/g and divided, new oil pan, new thermostat, new water temp and thermoswitch sensors, and I still need to paint some stuff.

I know I'm paranoid but I'm still worried about building the engine and it sitting in the car for nearly 2 months before being fired up haha.

[chickenwafer]

So those hard line -6AN compression adapter fittings on the water pump housing leaked. I thought at first they were good, but curiosity got the best of me so I hooked a hose up to the fitting and sprayed some soapy water all over them. Blew into the hose and bubble city! Leaks all over. So I removed them.

Plan now is just to use some good old hose clamps. Again, the coolant system is low pressure, so it should be fine. I'm doing the same on the fuel system hard lines, but I'll use Eduardo's idea and do double hose clamps. Only other real option is to order the 5/16" adapter and pray they work (a fuel leak is something I REALLY don't want to deal with) or remove the hardline and get a -6AN fitting welded to it, which could still leak if not done right.

[VRx8]

Or you can run braided lines from fuel pump all the way to the engine . That is something that I have on my future plans.

[chickenwafer]

^I thought about that, but obviously it's more money. Probably something to do later on in the future.

[chickenwafer]

Not much update but I ordered an AEM water/meth inline filter; serves two purposes. First, I re-routed the water/meth line from the tank to the pump to above the front bumper cross member but the line is now about 5-7" too short (if even). The filter splices inline and is about 5" long so it will serve as a hose "spacer", plus it will obviously filter the juice, which is nice. There is also an integrated filter on the Snow nozzle in the elbow so double protection haha.

I removed the OEM oil cooler and lines. The cooler I'm planning on using should fit nicely. I'm going to modify the OEM plastic duct and extend it a big so it fits the new, much larger cooler. Afterall, all the best heat exchangers in the world are useless without proper ducting.

Also painted a few more engine pieces...tried to clean up the OEM motor mounts and remove all the old silicone in them. The silicone is really caked in the threads, I've tried to burn it out with my map gas torch without success.

[chickenwafer]

Matt came over and we tackled my single turbo wiring harness. Made a good mess in the garage with lots of crusty engine harness wrap left over haha. We de-pinned the ECU side of the harness and pulled all the wires to the connectors to do it right. Most difficult part by far was removing all the crispy wiring loom. 18 years in a hot ### engine bay will do that haha.

Harness still needs to be wrapped but otherwise it's pretty much done. There are still a few connectors I need to remove (fuel temp sensor, for example) so I'll be doing that tomorrow. I'm too tired/exhausted to post pictures but I will get some up in the morning!