[speedfoos]

Minor update. No pics. Its been T-storming all day so I only spent about an hour in the garage.

Man, having a life sucks when you want to devote all your time to a turbo install. Two of my guys are deployed so I got together a care package for them after work today. Then it was computer OS install on two boxes and finally got a little time to work on the ol' Civic.

A/C is drained and out of the car. Amazing how much more room there is without all that crap in the bay. Capped the lines that will remain in the car so they don't get full of crap. I had some extra little plastic caps, so those and little electrical tape fit the bill.

Removed the AC and PS mounting brackets. Soaked them in gasoline to get rid of most of the gunk, brushed them, and primered them in preps to paint them black tomorrow.

Oh guess what. My second oxygen sensor doesn't clear the engine block. Heheh. I'm starting to sound like a broken record. "Part blah-blah doesn't clear the downpipe, I've gotta grind something" So I'll be grinding a notch into the block tomorrow so it has some room. Don't worry its in a safe place and has no danger of breaching the integrity of anything on the block. Plus I need like an 1/8" of allie ground away to give the wires enough clearance. The sensor fits, but is pressed right up against the block, and I don't like that.

The good news the scooter that I rebuilt fired up on the 2nd try last night!! Since I had to rewire the charging system, I had a 50/50 chance of getting the wiring right. What was labeled as positive on the cord I spliced in really wasn't and I was able to shut it down in time before the charger blew. Swapped the wires and was good to go!

Hopefully I'll have more time tomorrow night, although it may have to wait until the weekend before I can really give it a go!

[LT2004ever]

"The good news the scooter that I rebuilt fired up on the 2nd try last night!! Since I had to rewire the charging system, I had a 50/50 chance of getting the wiring right. What was labeled as positive on the cord I spliced in really wasn't and I was able to shut it down in time before the charger blew. Swapped the wires and was good to go!"

WHOOT!!!!! YEAH!!!!

[DsevenEm2]

^^ your still probably not going to get it LT lol!

hey foos...quick question. was this your first turbo install..

[speedfoos]

Yup. Does it show?

[HonCiv02]

not at all man keep up the good work - this thread rocks.

[skipbarber]

dont worry, i havent done a damn thing with my car since the motor build up. my welder comes back from vacation this week and hopefully we'll have a downpipe.

[speedfoos]

Update in a little bit. Wrenched for a good 6 hours tonight and got lots done. I'm hungry and need a beer now.

[DsevenEm2]

jess! score

[speedfoos]

Install Day 11

OK, all those days I didn't work on the car don't count as install days which is why we're at 11. And also because 11 is one louder than 10. You see, other bands, their knobs only go up to '10', but ours, they go up to '11'. That's one louder.

VB bucks to whomever gets that reference....



All righty then. Decided I needed to work on the old Civic today. As much as I like driving the Rubi, I miss my 'vic and I need boost! Pulled everything out of the way to notch the block so the narrowband won't knock into it. Between it and the wideband, it's the shorter of the two. Here is my grungy block. Blech.






It's really dirty, so I got out the wire wheel on my drill to clean it up a bit, before attacking the block with 'The Persuader'. Its amazing how filthy aluminum can get. I didn't get into every nook and cranny, but this is a damn sight better. Here is another shot with the freshly painted accessory brackets on there. See the contrast between the clean part and the dirty part? I did that on purpose just for you.

I had to chase out the mounting bolt holes with a tap so things would seat properly again.

**Note: A metric tap and die set (4 - 10mm) is really handy.**

Then I decided to put my timing belt cover back on. What a pain in the ass. Here is the order things need to go on:

You have to crack open the valve cover, then put the alternator bracket on - make sure the long alternator bolt is in the bracket, its too long to clear once the bracket is in there. After the bracket is in place, then put the upper timing cover on and bolt it in. Now tighten the valve cover down. I forgot I had to do this little rain dance and it frustrated me to no end. Yes I did this wrong twice before remembering the sequence. Don't ask.

Anyway, here's a pretty shot. It's an engine block.




Time to bring out my die grinder and get to work on the block. I'll bet I gained .25 horsepower from losing this little bit of unsprung weight!





This is a fast forward to when things are on the car but you can see why I notched the block. When you live in the UK, you have the power of time travel.





Owweee! I got booboos from the radiator crossmember! I tried to snap a pic before it started bleeding because you could see the tendon, but my hand was numb so I wasn't fast enough.

[speedfoos]

Install Day 11 cont'd


A little gauze and some athletic tape and I'm back to work.

Mounted the turbo up and decided to re-secure my radiator support after I used my cold chisel to separate it. Rivets are cool.




Then I farted around with the catch can a little. Trimmed the dump line to fit and then mounted the can. I've decided not to plumb it back into the turbo intake. I'll just get a little filter for that other fitting. I figure I'd rather not take the chance of getting nasty blow-by oil in my turbo.





Mounted the BOV and WG. Gaskets are on the WG, turbo, and everything else so that's all ready to go. Felt kind of nice to get things in there permanently. I also trimmed the IC pipe that mates up to the turbo. There was a lot of tension in the charge pipes and this relaxed things a little. Having relaxed charge pipes is a good thing. I played some Bob Marley when that was complete, just to set the mood.

Then I cut up and painted the intake pipe for the turbo. I also drilled the hole for the IAT sensor with my new titanium step drill bit. If you don't have one these, you need to get one. They're fucking awesome. I also used it to drill my rivet holes. I have the 4-22mm one.





Here it is all bolted up. Look at all that room! Whoever said there is no room in a D17 engine bay?! Crack smokers!






<Puts down crack pipe> Time to fit the radiator. There's no room in a D17 engine bay. Banged away on the radiator support:





Brute force and ignorance win every time.

[speedfoos]

Install Day 11 still cont'd


So the radiator is in and everything finally fits the way its supposed to. Did I mention there's no room in this engine bay? For you guys who haven't reloc'd your battery, I have no idea how you make stuff fit. Look at this.










Where did all that free space go?

Anyway, the radiator is just in there to make sure everything fits. My lower hose presses up against the charge pipe a little, but nothing too awful. I don't think I have to fab or destroy anything else to make things fit. I still have to mod the hood, but I knew that was coming.

Tomorrow will be the rest of the wiring, vac lines, and gauge install. Then I'm done until my exhaust is welded up and my alternator belt gets here. Good fun today!

Now if I could just find my other radiator bracket, I'd be in good shape......

[skipbarber]

yay fun!

[DsevenEm2]

wats left now? i ask that alot huh

[mugenman]

jesus man things are coming along great!!!!!! you are my hero clint you know that? lol

[speedfoos]

It just makes you want to go turbo, doesn't it Jon? How are the repairs to your baby coming along?

Here's what I have left:
- cut and route the vac lines
- wire up the wideband into the PCS
- install the boost gauge and test to see if my water temp gauge will be fine off the stock sending unit.
- install the PCS
- de-crappify and paint my alternator and PS pump
- fill it back up with oil and coolant
- defabricate the underside of the hood
- wait for exhaust to be done and belt to arrive