My new car!

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Tue May 17, 2011 9:14

Yeah I got it from Wannaspeed. Paid 2 days ago and hasn't shipped yet...hopefully it shows up! But yeah they used to be all over eBay, but now you can't find them.

The Defined kit isn't bad, and I love that it comes with ducting, but I'm just not huge on the "look" of the intercooler, and I'm not sure why. I think it's because of the endtank design, it's just a little funky. Plus, this kit has no real world experience since it's brand new and hasn't been on the market long. The weird benefit to it is because of the weird endtank design and how it tapers at the top it looks like there is room for the A/C dryer to mount in the factory location, or close to it.

Also, complaints about both the Defined and the RX7Store v-mount kits- they both use modified Koyo radiators that are flipped and the inlet is repositioned. That is all fine and dandy but now the drain plug is on top! So how do you drain your coolant without removing the radiator? I'd have to take the radiator to a shop to get a bung welded in and put in a petcock so I can drain the coolant...BS.

I have thought (and was originally planning on) making my own v-mount with the RX-7Store v-mount Koyo radiator only which is just $600 bucks, then doing my own intercooler and piping. Still a lot of variables though.

But I agree, with an FMIC, Koyo dual pass radiator, and eventually twin aftermarket oil coolers, I should have no problems with overheating. I hope.

Also, after talking to you about your oil burning issues Eric, I got to thinking if the same thing is happening to me- where the check valve in the oil fill neck failed so boost pressure is getting in the oil pan and pressurizing the oil, forcing it back up into the turbos.

So today I took off the two hoses connected to the oil fill tube- one has a check valve and runs to the UIM, the other just pulls vacuum off the intake. I plugged up the intake and the UIM hose, put a vacuum cap on the nipple for the intake hose and then routed a new piece of hose off the UIM nipple on the fill tube to a "catch can". By catch can I mean I stuffed an old coke bottle with a hole drilled in the cap and the hose inserted in it in-between my battery and the main fuse block haha.

So I went for a drive (just as it started raining, grrr) to test it out. Nope, still smokes, and if anything it smoked worse! No oil was in the coke can when I got home, either.

I thought about swapping how the system was hooked up- leaving the catch can on the UIM nipple but hooking back up the vacuum source (doubt that would change anything) or moving the catch can to the vacuum nipple but hooking back up the UIM source...that could change how it operates if the check valve has indeed failed, instead of sending the pressurized oil back into the turbo drain hose it could be venting it out the vacuum hose, which dumps right into the primary turbo inlet. But due to weather and general laziness I decided not to. Another day. I plan on getting the RE Speed aluminum oil fill neck and hooking up a JEGS catch can this Fall/Winter anyways when I overhaul her.

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Tue May 24, 2011 9:14

Alright, I think I came to decision, I'm going v-mount, and I'm going with the Defined kit. Just after reading a lot about FMIC's, the GReddy in-particular, I'm not sold on it. Plus, the v-mount isn't too expensive in the long run. I will have to hold on dual oil coolers unless I decide to do a dual R1/2 oil cooler setup for less coin.

The Defined kit isn't setup to run A/C out of the box so initially I will be A/C-less, until I can fab mounting brackets for the condenser. Then I will either have to fab my own A/C hard line or take it to a shop to get them made to fully plumb the system. The dryer will probably have to moved as well. So the condenser, dryer, compressor, hard lines, etc will all be coming out and saved so they can make it back in at a later date.

Or I'll just decide I'm manly like Eric and ditch the A/C altogether

PXRdriFT · Postby **PXRdriFT** » Tue May 24, 2011 9:14

No ones as manly as Eric! Man, I'm about to work on getting A/C back in my car. It sucked last summer!

Learjet45 · Postby **Learjet45** » Tue May 24, 2011 9:14

Who needs AC when you have windows?

Side note: I cannot stand car heaters. I can never use one unless it's to defrost a windshield, otherwise I feel miserable and like I'm going to be sick.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Tue May 24, 2011 9:14

The main reason I ditched mine was because it didn't cool that well anyway. When I bought it, the guy told me he had just charged the system, but it was never really cold, so I thought it just sucked on every FD. I never thought to try to charge it myself to see if it would change anything haha. Then when I put the engine in back in 08, I had left the dryer uncorked and was told I'd have to buy a new one to make the system work correctly and I didn't feel like spending the money anyway. I also like that little bit of space afforded by no compressor. Although it would be nice to have a good working AC system that blows cold, especially in a murdered out car haha.

Glad you picked an IC setup. Although I'm sure you'll change your mind a few more times haha.

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Wed May 25, 2011 9:14

Haha I WILL change my mind a few times but I think I'll ultimately decide to get the Defined kit.

My FD's A/C actually blows pretty darn cold, just as well as any other car I've owned. The only difference is I don't like running because I'm afraid of it overheating haha, so I never really run the A/C except right after I start her up and she's warming up to cool off the interior, then drive home with the windows down.

Ultimately A/C isn't a deal breaker for me, which is how I arrived at my conclusion. I've owned more cars without A/C than ones with it, so I know I can deal with it. And my DD now has A/C whereas my old truck didn't. I am looking forward to no P/S pump or A/C compressor...the engine will look real clean and uncluttered. Plus, changing plugs from the top will be a breeze!

iani1.1 · Postby **iani1.1** » Wed May 25, 2011 9:14

keeping all the creature comforts while still having power is the coolest thing ever. i mean 9 sec car (over exaggerating) with a/c blasting while your staging is just awesome lol

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Wed May 25, 2011 9:14

Man, I'm thinking I should have found a way to keep my AC HAHA. I still have everything for it, maybe I should try to reinstall it haha.

I love having the extra space in the engine bay, but I agree with Ian that it's ballin as hell to have AC AND power. lol

iani1.1 · Postby **iani1.1** » Wed May 25, 2011 9:14

heated and cooling seats would be cool too... especially when you dont have a heater

hey eric i have an idea... LOL

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Thu May 26, 2011 9:14

Haha I actually want to put seat heaters in my FD when I re-do the leather seats. I plan on keeping a full interior, A/C, heat, and leather seats with heat, plus my JDM rear seats.

Although I really do want race seats, like the Corbeau FX1's, so I'll see if I can do a custom seat heater for those.

But yes, I agree, baller status is having power AND creature comforts. Because what good is a car if it's fast as shit but you don't want to drive it because you'll sweat your balls off?

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Thu May 26, 2011 9:14

iani1.1 wrote:heated and cooling seats would be cool too... especially when you dont have a heater

hey eric i have an idea... LOL

Yeah I've thought about it before, mainly because I don't have heat haha.

chickenwafer wrote:Haha I actually want to put seat heaters in my FD when I re-do the leather seats. I plan on keeping a full interior, A/C, heat, and leather seats with heat, plus my JDM rear seats.

Although I really do want race seats, like the Corbeau FX1's, so I'll see if I can do a custom seat heater for those.

But yes, I agree, baller status is having power AND creature comforts. Because what good is a car if it's fast as shit but you don't want to drive it because you'll sweat your balls off?

That's why I don't get many miles on my car anymore, because in the summer it's too hot to drive and in the winter the roads are too bad LOL.

erod550 · Postby **erod550** » Fri May 27, 2011 9:14

chickenwafer wrote:But yes, I agree, baller status is having power AND creature comforts. Because what good is a car if it's fast as shit but you don't want to drive it because you'll sweat your balls off?

Does that mean I'm baller status? lol

Heated seats, AC, leather, basically loaded minus the Nav package, and still fast. It does come with a cost though. I weighed the car at the track last night and it's 3840 with me in it. :\

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Fri May 27, 2011 9:14

Holy crap you're car is heavy as shit!

FYI the kind of fast I'm talking about is the low 11 second range. At least that's what I'm shooting for.

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 9:14

Just picked up a set of low mileage (22,000) good condition OEM twins with minimal cracking, no shaft play, and the best part- they don't smoke! (Or at least the seller claims).

They will need some clean up but nothing major, and I got them for a good price. So now these new twins will be going in when I pull the motor in late July.

Also thinking more and more about racing seats. I've somewhat settled on the Corbeau FX1:

Price is right at $320 a pop and Corbeau makes bolt-in slider rails for the FD to boot. Fitment is a little tight but not terrible. My biggest concern is with a fixed back seat having enough angle to I get the proper head room. Hopefully the FX1 would sit lower than the stock seat anyways so this wouldn't be a huge concern. But as it is now I can't fit in the FD with a helmet on, so I am obviously hoping with a these seats I would fit with a helmet, so head room is a big issue for me.

I'm also concerned if I could fit in the seats, period, with the bolsters being so aggressive. There is a good thread on 7club with people or nearly my same dimensions (same waist size but smaller height, I'm probably one of the tallest FD owners out there tho haha) fitting in the FX1 so I think I'll be alright. I just wish I could find someone in Colorado with an FX1 so I could test fit it...

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Sat Jun 04, 2011 9:14

After today I seriously can't wait to go v-mount! Driving back from Denver on E470 I was hitting 112*C coolant temps on the highway with the A/C OFF! If I hit 115*C I was going to pull over and the shut the car off but luckily I never did get that hot, although 112 doesn't sit right with me, either. Ideally I'd never want to get above 100*C (boiling) anyways.

So even though I have A/C, I couldn't run it today without coolant temps spiraling out of control, so I had to cruise home with the windows down. Wind buffeting noise at 90mph makes me deaf for hours! So yeah, today completely sealed the deal on me going v-mount. I still plan on retro-fitting the A/C to the v-mount, however.

Also need to work on some cruise sections of the map as I was running richer than I would like. I went about 160 miles round trip today and that burned through a 1/2 tank, which is about 17mpg...ouch.

My new car!

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