progress on the banshee...

[ericjon262]

Hello all! Thanks for posting all the info on your build! After investigating the DIY Autotune products, I purchased the microsquirt and harness. Its been a while since I was fresh on all the requirements I thought I needed, but you are saying that your MS wasn't enough? I have an LX9 with custom headers a T5 five speed and a Holset HX40 turbo I'm putting into an old sports car. You can see it here lx9alpine.com

First off, welcome to the board, cool build!

no, the megasquirt should be fine, I wanted to get a MS3 pro ultimate for a few reasons though.

with the MS3 pro, I can directly input my VSS, oil pressure, coolant temp, and all other parameters to the MS3Pro, and display them on a digital dashboard via canbus, instead of having all of them interface with the car. this eliminates a large amount of wiring that otherwise has to make its was into and out of the car, removes many potential failure points, and reduces weight of the car. I'm thinking about using can bus and microsquirts to work as a BCM as well, so I can datalog wheel speeds, fuel level and control components like the intercooler pump and fuel pump, which are on the body instead of the engine.

the MS3 Pro is also a much more robust unit, that is weather resistant, and much more vibration resistant than the regular MS3.

I know MS3 can run the LX9 native, without an external trigger now, using the beta firmware release. I am not sure is a microquirt can or not, I haven't looked into it yet.

here is some info for the MS3 LX9

http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 31&t=70646

[LX9Alpine]

First off, welcome to the board, cool build!

Thanks! I kno9w I dont have a fiero (which are cool cars also, btw) and I don't want to take up a bunch of your thread, But I'm also doing the Lx9 and MS thing so I hope you dont mind.


no, the megasquirt should be fine, I wanted to get a MS3 pro ultimate for a few reasons though. I assume you meant microsquirt here

with the MS3 pro, I can directly input my VSS, oil pressure, coolant temp, and all other parameters to the MS3Pro, and display them on a digital dashboard via canbus, instead of having all of them interface with the car. this eliminates a large amount of wiring that otherwise has to make its way into and out of the car, removes many potential failure points, and reduces weight of the car. I'm thinking about using can bus and microsquirts to work as a BCM as well, so I can datalog wheel speeds, fuel level and control components like the intercooler pump and fuel pump, which are on the body instead of the engine.

Yea, I won't be doing any of that. All my gauges will be dumb. I just need precise control over the engine management and compensation for boost. I have an external trigger/damper pulley from TCE, but like you, I would like to use the internal reluctor.

the MS3 Pro is also a much more robust unit, that is weather resistant, and much more vibration resistant than the regular MS3.

I know MS3 can run the LX9 native, without an external trigger now, using the beta firmware release. I am not sure if a microquirt can or not, I haven't looked into it yet.

here is some info for the MS3 LX9

http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 31&t=70646
[/quote]


In that thread, racingmini_mtl says;

SappySE107 wrote:
"Will this work with a microsquirt as well?"

"If it's already been done on the MS2 it should work on the Microsquirt since that's the same code. However, there are hardware differences so that may create some issues. If it doesn't work then please post your issue so that can be fixed.

Jean"


I dont see any more info on it, but I guess it would just be a matter of the microsquirt having all the hardwaare IO that I need and uploading the MS2 code?"

[/color]

[LX9Alpine]

Also, does anybody know if the code for the LZ9 reluctor wheel has been done? I havn't done enough to lock me into using the LX9 vs the LZ9. I would like the additional Cubic inches, intake flow, and oil squirters the LZ9 has. Just not sure it's worth buying yet another engine.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Thanks! I kno9w I dont have a fiero (which are cool cars also, btw) and I don't want to take up a bunch of your thread, But I'm also doing the Lx9 and MS thing so I hope you dont mind.

Feel free to start a build thread. All technical topics welcome!

[The Dark Side of Will]

Also, does anybody know if the code for the LZ9 reluctor wheel has been done? I havn't done enough to lock me into using the LX9 vs the LZ9. I would like the additional Cubic inches, intake flow, and oil squirters the LZ9 has. Just not sure it's worth buying yet another engine.

LZ9 uses a 58x on the crank, right? Any aftermarket ECU in the world should be able to handle that. Would you keep the variable cam phasing?

[ericjon262]

as far as posting in my thread is concerned, I don't mind, as long as it is applicable to both cars, if you want to get more in depth about your specific car, I can't imagine anyone here (all four or five of us... ) having a problem with it not being a fiero, as most of us have non fiero build threads as well (trucks, BMW's, AMC's, a Ferrari ect...)

the LZ9 does use the 60-2/58x wheel, which is a huge plus for anyone wanting to run aftermarket hardware, as it is the most widely used trigger wheel.

as far as the LX9 with MS2/Microsquirt, check out this thread, there's more MS2 stuff there.

http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 01&t=39177

[Shaun41178(2)]

Also, does anybody know if the code for the LZ9 reluctor wheel has been done? I havn't done enough to lock me into using the LX9 vs the LZ9. I would like the additional Cubic inches, intake flow, and oil squirters the LZ9 has. Just not sure it's worth buying yet another engine.

Microsquirt has been used on the lz9 in a fiero. Its still undergoing tuning but it has started and idled.

I have thought of going this route too for my lz9 swap

[ericjon262]

not much to update here. the block is at the machine shop getting tanked, decked, and cam bearings, I should have it back late next week. I'm having it decked so the MLS gaskets seal, hopefully they don't have to take much off, once I have the block back, I'll order gaskets to make up some of the difference.

Son, you NEED a plasma cutter.

almost 3 years later, but I got one now! it's my new favorite tool!

[ericjon262]

started tearing down the engine in the car, I also drained the IC tank in the trunk. I'm planning on relocating the intercooler tank to the front closer to the heat exchanger, as well as using a smaller tank. I'm trying to decide exactly what to do, because I want this car to be serviceable, right now, it's a mess, stuff in the way everywhere, that doesn't need to be.

in other news, the old POS ebay turbo seems to have somehow gained a ton of shaft play, thankfully I wasn't planning on using it anymore.

[draven]

what type of heat exchanger are you using?

[ericjon262]

the car currently has a dual pass unit from frozen boost in it, I'm not sure if it is going to be the permanent HX though, I am currently in the process of going through alot of changes to this car. I am planning on moving the intercooler expansion tank up to the front of the car, along with the pump to shorten the overall length of pipe in the system, and make the overall fluid volume/weight go down a bit. since I'm making a new hotside, I am trying to plan this one much better than the last setups I had made, packaging was very poor, and caused too many sacrifices in service-ability.

the block should be done at the machine shop soon, when I get it back, I plan to cut valve pockets in the pistons and then start the hotside build.

Edit:

I'm pretty sure it's this HX

http://www.frozenboost.com/water-to-air ... -1063.html

[ericjon262]

yanked the heads off today, they look ok, but it felt odd, they came off way too easy. the gaskets stuck to the heads, not the block, but both peeled off the heads pretty easy. there was a piece of what appears to be aluminum in hole number 4, but I think it hasn't been there long, I think it may have snuck in through one of the sparkplug holes thats been open in the garage for the past 3 months, there's no signs of damage d/t it.

on the other hand, the water jackets of the heads, and the block are full of corrosion products and bullshit of unknown origin.

the stuff in hole 4:





all the other pictures:

[Emc209i]

almost 3 years later, but I got one now! it's my new favorite tool!

Just saw this. I'm sure that will come in handy! Almost done.

[ericjon262]

almost 3 years later, but I got one now! it's my new favorite tool!

Just saw this. I'm sure that will come in handy! Almost done.

I sure hope it does, I'm going to get an updated torch for it, hypertherm no longer make consumables for this one.

The block is still at the machine shop, I need to call them and see if it's ready, I'm not sure why it would have taken this long. I might have found a new turbo too, I'm looking at a precision 5557 CEA with V band in and out on the exhaust, it's listed as supporting up to 595 hp, but I haven't looked at a map yet.

[Shaun41178(2)]

Precision doesnt release their maps

[ericjon262]

10-4, I hadn't looked yet.

I ordered my new ECU today, as well as picked up the block from the machine shop. although it's going to wait a bit while I finish some work on the pig-rig.

[ericjon262]

got the block back from the machine shop! I taped it off and shot some black paint on, I think it turned out pretty good.



I also got a little something in as well! right now, the majority of my efforts are focused elsewhere, but that should shift next month once I come off leave.

[The Dark Side of Will]

What did you have done to the block? You're out west, now, right? WD-40 the bores so humidity doesn't get to them over the next month.

[ericjon262]

I had the block tanked, new cam bearings, decked, and a quick hone. I was planning on hosing it down w/ WD-40, before I leave, I'm trying to wait to do it as long as possible so that the paint fully cures. I really want to get started on this thing again.

[ericjon262]

Alright! so, I don't have a ton of pics at the moment, but progress is being made, the engine is out, and I just placed a large order with WOT-tech for studs, head gaskets, and other paraphernalia. Tomorrow, I plan to order the gapless top rings, and for the next hour or so, I'm going to do a bit of research on what to run for the 2nd ring. someone mentioned a napier 2nd might be a good idea, so I'll look into it, but probably stick with a stock style ring.

in other non engine related news, I ripped my intercooler reservoir out, I'm planning on making or buying something smaller, that will mount closer to the heat exchanger. I also plan to mount the pump all the way up there as well. I'll end up building a wood or sheet metal panel to fill the hole where the old tank went.

I also came to the realization that I made a somewhat large mistake with this car fairly recently. when I pulled the intake manifold a few months ago, I noticed the plenum gasket wasn't crushed around one of the ports. I should have thought a bit harder about this and fixed it on the spot and tried running the engine again. in the past when it didn't want to play nice, it would only run if it was super rich, which makes sense if there's a huge air leak into the plenum causing 2 or 3 cylinders to be much leaner than the others, which are now crazy rich and not wanting to fire. this realization has triggered the decision to ditch my custom intake for now. I'm undecided as to whether I'll run a ported stock piece, or make a new custom manifold similar to what was there.

I'm also probably going to go ahead and convert to DBW and digital dash. my throttle cable is about to break, multiple strands are visibly unraveled, and it's harder to package a DBC throttle as neatly as a DBW.

I also need to fix my front trans mount, I put that thing together very poorly, because I was in a rush to get the car together. I'm also going to redo my engine mount so that it bolts to a stock pan, so that when I throw a rod through the pan spinning this engine to 8K, I can replace it with any old engine and not have to grind away bits of the pan.

for now, I plan to throw the car together N/A, but try and carefully plan for adding a turbo after I can drive it again.