Solarsurge's Ongoing 2013 LSM Build

[Solarsurge]

Ok, boys and girls. The build has begun! Made a TON of progress today. Measured everything and weighed everything again, gapped and deburred the rings, assembled the pistons, assembled and checked crank main journal oil clearances. Also got some painting done. Tomorrow I should have an assembled long block.

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[Solarsurge]

I gave my left thumb a 3 stitches mod today thanks to a piece of shit ring compressor literally exploding in my hand.

But on a lighter note...before I went to the hospital I wrapped that shit and built a daggone engine! Put the pistons in with a replacement compressor, put the head on, set the cams, replaced the VVT and crankshaft washers, timed it all, then wrapped it up with Saran Wrap and went to the hospital lol

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[_Mazdarati]

I like the way you operate... Putting literal blood, sweat, and manly tears into building an engine.

Come to MI and do mine next. Will pay in beer and stitches.

 

[SharksInSpace]

#BloodBuilt

 

[Solarsurge]

Finished assembling the engine. Paint needs to be touched up in a few spots, but I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out.

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[SharksInSpace]

das a lotta yella

 

[Solarsurge]

JFC... So, I knew Full Race had a robotic TIG welder go down. I knew their exhaust manifold was delayed around 4-5 weeks. I was told there was already one coming for an order that had been canceled and they were expecting it to arrive in 3 weeks. That was 7 weeks ago. I called in to ask about it and Full Race actually gave some bullshit excuse about running out of 90 degree elbows. How fucking hard is it to simply say "Sorry, we fucked up and forgot all about it." I'd be totally cool with that. But don't act like it's some major feat to procure a bent piece of steel fucking tube and that's what caused the delay.

/end rant
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das a lotta yella

Big Bird Mode

 

[Solarsurge]

Minor update today. I'm pretty sure I found the only cp-e exhaust manifold in stock anywhere in North America, so I decided to cancel the Full Race order and get the cp-e. The cp-e flows better and will also support further growth over 700 HP, and the only reason I did not go with that in the first place was availability. So, my delays turned into a blessing in disguise.

 

[Solarsurge]

She purrty...

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[Solarsurge]

Greatest warning label of all time...

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[Sho]

Which turbo you running again ?

 

[Solarsurge]

Which turbo you running again ?

BNR S4 v2 currently, but my turbo is at BNR right now getting serviced. Likely getting v3 upgrade.


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[Solarsurge]

Well, I didn't get the v3 upgrade I was hoping for, but I did get new bearings and seals after BNR determined there was some oil contamination. I really don't plan on running this turbo for very long, though. My plan has always been to push the S4 to its limits to see what it truly maxes out at since I already bought it. I will be turbo limited after this round of parts, so I fully intended on this just being temporary for the break-in of my new engine. Then, my car will reveal its TRUE form...muahahahahaha...

 

[Solarsurge]

I’m not really sure, but I think I found the boost leak I’ve been chasing for months... lol

The old girl’s been stripped down to the engine and transmission. Just about everything’s been swapped over to the new engine. Should have the first start next weekend!

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[Solarsurge]

What a day. I think I dropped more F bombs today than I have in a long time. Let’s start this off with a basic rundown of my day...

First we needed to pull the axles out so we could pull the motor and the freaking ball joints were so tight it took a good 30 minutes of whacking with a shop hammer, prying, prying and whacking. I think I now have permanent hearing damage I was hitting that sucker so hard. It required two guys, one prying the knuckle open, one whacking with the force of Thor with the hammer. Getting the axles out after that was a breeze. That is usually the pain in the ass part.

Pilot bearing was easy enough, flywheel, clutch and pressure plate were easy peasy. Then the real work began. As I suspected, my old clutch was, in fact, slipping. And I had chunks of clutch material in the bell housing. I had to scrub out and wash the inside of the bell housing with denatured alcohol. Re-lubed the fork, installed the new throw out bearing, and the transmission splines slid into the clutch and pilot bearing like butter. A little shimmy and it seated right up with no issues.

Finally, just for the record... I believe CPE’s motor mounts, specifically the TMM, were designed by Satan himself. It requires a PhD in geometry and a fucking Tetris champion just to get the fucking mounts lined up together enough to slide in place. If you’re off by literally 1/8” it will foul and bind up somewhere. It wouldn’t be such a huge pain in the ass if the motor and transmission wasn’t so front heavy while it’s empty of fluids. It must have taken us 2 hours, much cursing and yelling at each other, and apologies from both sides after the last bolt went in and we both calmed down. Jesus what a nightmare.

Good news, though... new engine is in.

 

[Solarsurge]

Found a coupon code for Glowshift gauges, so I went ahead and ordered the 3 gauge pillar pod assembly with tinted lens 7 color 100 PSI Fuel Pressure, 100 PSI Oil Pressure, and 300F Oil Temp gauges. I also got the oil filter sandwich plate and wiring kit. Grand total $241 and change. Not a bad deal. Also upgrading to 3.5 bar MAP sensor, as I will undoubtedly be well above 30 PSI.

 

[Solarsurge]

Sorry, I didn't take any pictures today...but I can chronicle my build progress. I was waiting for my injectors to come, so we couldn't get the front of the engine together, but we did get the axles in, suspension torqued back down, got the turbo and TIP bolted up, the main harness is all wired up, catch cans are mounted, shift linkages and clutch slave connected, engine mounts torqued down, and some of the hoses rerouted and connected. Only a few things to note today:

1. Stock flange on the cp-e mani is really a giant pain in the ass. The nuts on the turbo studs are literally so tight around the collector that you have to put them all on and get them tightened gradually all the way around. If you try to tighten one nut, the others will not fit on over the studs. Also, on the driver side rear hole, the collector welds actually extend into the area where the nut is supposed to sit, so it was a pain getting it to sit flush. I really wish I went with a v-band turbo from the start.

2. Damond catch can kit didn't come with enough hose, so I need to get more. Also, there are literally zero instructions on the routing option that I purchased and it's not even an option anymore on their site. Probably because it was too complicated and they don't supply enough hose? LOL Luckily that's an easy fix.

3. I think I said it before, but I'll say it again. The 3.5" silicone coupler that Edge gives you with the JBR 3.5" WP Intake for BNR turbos belongs in the closest trash receptacle. It's only 3" long, which is simply just not long enough to connect to both sides without a giant pain in the ass, it also doesn't flex, and the JBR "curved" end is a nightmare. Get a coupler on Amazon that is 4" long. You'll thank me later.

The injectors were sitting at home waiting for me when I got back, so hopefully I will be finishing everything up tomorrow and cranking her over for the first time.

 

[John]

Finally, just for the record... I believe CPE’s motor mounts, specifically the TMM, were designed by Satan himself. It requires a PhD in geometry and a fucking Tetris champion just to get the fucking mounts lined up together enough to slide in place. If you’re off by literally 1/8” it will foul and bind up somewhere. It wouldn’t be such a huge pain in the ass if the motor and transmission wasn’t so front heavy while it’s empty of fluids. It must have taken us 2 hours, much cursing and yelling at each other, and apologies from both sides after the last bolt went in and we both calmed down. Jesus what a nightmare.

Well, this build is shaping up legit. I even like the color scheme.

As for the TMM... Hmph. Glad I never bothered, though it was already because I think the cpe TMM is shite, engineering wise. That's why I cpe RMM/PMM'd, put in the CS insert on the stock TMM and called it done.

 

[Solarsurge]

What a day...

Started off realizing I didn’t have anything to plug the injector ports with while I sort out a few things on the final PI setup. Just about got heat stroke in 100 degree weather roaming around in a junkyard searching for injectors that would fit. Finally got lucky and found a Nissan Sentra 1.8L with 48mm EV14 injectors, got em pulled, and got back to the garage to mock everything up.

Found out real quickly that things were going to be a LOT more challenging than anticipated. All the hoses for the catch cans had to be precisely routed or they would foul on the IC cold pipe, so we had to reroute and adjust hose lengths about 5 times. This pic is one of the many fails.

Then, when I looked over at the hot pipe, we realized it was going to be a SUPER tight fit and we would have to modify the cp-e piping kit and grind off the IM mounting bracket. Under route piping kit is definitely recommended. We will be making changes to this for sure, but it’ll work.

Also, obviously we got all the rest of the hoses hooked up and got everything to fit with a little bit of finesse. We got the sandwich plate installed and started mocking up the wiring for the gauges and the pillar gauge pod. I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just gonna have to take apart the dash and drill a hole in the firewall for feeding wiring through. It’s just too difficult to try to mess with any of that shit with the dash being like 800 freaking pieces that fit together like origami.

Also, I said I was going to show off the fancy head porting my machinist did. I tried to take pics down into the ports, but it was too hard. They are much bigger than stock and literally just go right down into the valves with no obstruction or angles. It is so clean it’s unreal.

Anyway, still not fired up. But close. Very close.



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[Finch204]

Well, this build is shaping up legit. I even like the color scheme.

As for the TMM... Hmph. Glad I never bothered, though it was already because I think the cpe TMM is shite, engineering wise. That's why I cpe RMM/PMM'd, put in the CS insert on the stock TMM and called it done.

Interesting info on the CP-e TMM. Good to know.