Plavan's 818R Build Thread

[Mitch Wright]

I used my M18 Milwaukee Cordless Drill

[Scargo]

I just confirmed that I can get in-between the ears with my 3/8 air ratchet, a 7/16" six point socket and a shortened bit with hex flats on the shank. I didn't actually mod the bit but I could see that it was doable.
If you used a 5" or 6" long 3/8" extension and a universal then you could drive the bit with a hex to 3/8 adapter and use almost anything to power it with. You could then leave the bit and/or shank longer, too.

[C.Plavan]

Thanks guys- I got it with a Die Grinder and surgical precision



I bolted everything back on. I just need to lower it and torque everything down to specs. Then align it again.

Next week, it has to go to the muffler shop to have them weld/bend the dump tube to the exhaust.

[C.Plavan]

I had to rush to get a few things done before my tuner appt. tomorrow (1 month wait list!). The external wastegate dump tube is all fab'd up. It turned out really good. Once I get back from the tuner, I'm also going to wrap the exhaust and dump tube to minimize more heat.

I made some -4 AN SS lines and plumbed the water cooling fittings on the Tial wastegate. I used the throttle body coolant lines I looped together earlier. I figured its a race car, might as well do it now since everything is apart.

So after the tuning tomorrow, I hope I don't have anymore excuses.








Punchlist before the race in 2 weeks:

1. Fab up sheet metal to block up radiator/HE escape routes
2. Fab and install a sheet metal panel to bridge open area between front splitter and steering rack area. (So its all flat)
3. Make a mount to raise the Traqdash to the dash. It will be more eye level and easier to see while racing.
3. Corner balance and align again
4. Bleed brakes

[Santiago]

Punchlist before the race in 2 weeks:

2. Fab and install a sheet metal panel to bridge open area between front splitter and steering rack area. (So its all flat)

Not sure what you specifically had in mind by "all flat," but if you mean "all level" you might want to reconsider. Smoothing out flow is good - so "all flat" in that way is headed in the right direction. However, if the splitter is already angled up a tick in the back (or even just lower than the area that needs to be covered), you probably want to make sure you preserve the expansion area. A raised area at the back of the splitter and then down to the floor is a common technique. Something to keep in mind when making the bridge panel.

Congrats on getting the fab work done and being ready for the tuner.

Best,
-j

[Hindsight]

Looking forward to seeing the radiator blockoffs you come up with. I want to do the same when I get that far.

[Mechie3]

Early kits didn't get the piece to connect the sub frame undertray with the battery under tray so there's a break in the underbody. That's what he's doing.

[Scargo]

Santiago, If only for my enlightenment could you explain (or is there a diagram of) what you meant by "A raised area at the back of the splitter and then down to the floor is a common technique." I was following your comment till I got to that. I guess this has something to do with the splitter and the diffuser being "below", by their material thickness, the level of the chassis/pan?

[Santiago]

I get that he's bridging the gap in the underbody between the radiator subframe and the battery tray. However, simply going horizontal or level with the front splitter is not the most efficient way to do it. Ideally, you want a raised area behind the splitter. So in an exaggerated form, something like this (in side view):

............raised area _______
splitter __________/........... \________battery tray

(disregard the dotted lines, the formatting wasn't letting me make the image I wanted.

As it looks now, the splitter is already not level with the ground. They seemed to build into the center of it an entry ramp so that the front is higher than the rear (or higher than the lowest part of the splitter floor in side view). That's good and as it should be. However, if you want to amplify its effects, give its rear exit somewhere to diffuse (i.e. increase volume) before it continues on its way under the car and out the wheel wells. That's actually what they're trying to accomplish (in part) with the raised elements towards the ends - although the exit strategy is compromised by body work, it's still a good idea. So what I was recommending is that if you have the room for expansion, use it. Don't just go from bottom of splitter to bottom of battery tray.

FWIW, if you were to go straight across level with the two trays, tragedy would not ensue. The thing is still going to work and it's still going to be better than the open and rough edges of the exposed sub-frames. This is just a thought on a more optimal solution.

Best,
-j

[Harley818]

Chad,
Good to see it all coming together again, and great idea for the tie-downs.

I'm trying to find out the length of the stock trailing link.
I bought the adjustable ones and I want to start with the stock length when I set up the body position.
Any chance you could measure the length from center to center?
Good luck in the upcoming race.

[xxguitarist]

Where are you routing the port off the top of the EWG? Just somewhere else to keep it clean inside?

[C.Plavan]

Chad,
Good to see it all coming together again, and great idea for the tie-downs.

I'm trying to find out the length of the stock trailing link.
I bought the adjustable ones and I want to start with the stock length when I set up the body position.
Any chance you could measure the length from center to center?
Good luck in the upcoming race.

I'll get you a measurement tomorrow of the stock WRX links. Thanks.

Where are you routing the port off the top of the EWG? Just somewhere else to keep it clean inside?

It goes to my Cobb EBCS. The Tuner wanted them both hooked up for what we are doing.


TADA-

I can basically drive in any gear above 4.5K RPM on the whole track and be at maximum HP for my car in ST2 class. I just have to keep it between 4.5K RPM to 7.5K RPM. The HP is purposely flat, this time without any reduction in the throttle map. The external wastegate fixed the overboosting problem. As an added bonus, I gained ~50 ft/pds of torque.

Now I'm really getting excited.

[Canadian818]

Wow, that is going to be a dream to drive!

[Tamra]

Nice!

[Scargo]

Outstanding! Very impressive. Looks like torque will come on smoothly. Leads me to believe that I need to go with external wastegates too. That takes me up to a BW EFR 7064 if I want to stick with that line of turbos and go EWG and twin-scroll.
What does it mean when Engine Delta Pressure (dP) is in negative numbers? According to Matchbot, when I get above 7K it starts to go negative.

[Hindsight]

Looking fantastic! I don't recall reading anything about you getting a smaller turbo so I'm assuming this is all just from a new tune with the EWG. If you you run this setup out on the track and feel like you are at a power disadvantage (vs Corvettes) in the lower RPM bands, a smaller turbo would probably get you to peak torque about 1,000 RPMs earlier (down around 3800 or so) while still giving you the same top end you have now. However, on a road race course, I don't know if that's going to be a factor since you may be able to keep the RPMs above 4500 the whole time.

Looking forward to the next race results!

[C.Plavan]

Looking fantastic! I don't recall reading anything about you getting a smaller turbo so I'm assuming this is all just from a new tune with the EWG. If you you run this setup out on the track and feel like you are at a power disadvantage (vs Corvettes) in the lower RPM bands, a smaller turbo would probably get you to peak torque about 1,000 RPMs earlier (down around 3800 or so) while still giving you the same top end you have now. However, on a road race course, I don't know if that's going to be a factor since you may be able to keep the RPMs above 4500 the whole time.

Looking forward to the next race results!

I looked into that with my gear charts after the first dyno. There was no need to go with a smaller turbo because on a road course you would never get below 4.5K RPM. I have a 4.11 final drive also. I could shift well below 7000 RPM and still be above 4500 in the next gear, in every gear.

At the first race, the boost creep was so bad, I could only shift at around 6000 RPM! The car still broke the 1:30 barrier at Willow Springs. That says something. Like I said, I am getting really excited. I just hope there are not anymore gremlins.

[Hindsight]

Oh wow, yeah then you are totally set and that's good news too since you don't have to drop another $1500 on a different turbo. With this setup, being able to shift at redline, and not having to constantly watch your boost gauge.... I really can't wait to see what lap times you turn in the next race. When's that going to be?

[C.Plavan]

Oh wow, yeah then you are totally set and that's good news too since you don't have to drop another $1500 on a different turbo. With this setup, being able to shift at redline, and not having to constantly watch your boost gauge.... I really can't wait to see what lap times you turn in the next race. When's that going to be?

Two weeks! I can't wait. I'll probably test on that Friday before the race.

[bbjones121]

Looks great Chad! Can't wait to see how it performs.

[Wayne Presley]

I'll get you a measurement tomorrow of the stock WRX links. Thanks.




It goes to my Cobb EBCS. The Tuner wanted them both hooked up for what we are doing.


TADA-

I can basically drive in any gear above 4.5K RPM on the whole track and be at maximum HP for my car in ST2 class. I just have to keep it between 4.5K RPM to 7.5K RPM. The HP is purposely flat, this time without any reduction in the throttle map. The external wastegate fixed the overboosting problem. As an added bonus, I gained ~50 ft/pds of torque.

Now I'm really getting excited.

That was exactly the power I had talked about in the ST classes in NASA. All of the allowed power all the time. Good job Chad

[C.Plavan]

That was exactly the power I had talked about in the ST classes in NASA. All of the allowed power all the time. Good job Chad

Thanks Wayne, you are the one that got me thinking. Never having a turbo race car before, I never knew you could do that with tuning. I hope to surprise those Corvette's.

[Scargo]

You really should put it to the Vettes and Porsches. With my 7.75/8 to 1 ratio STi, I give them fits in HPDE. In the wet it's no contest.

[Frank818]

Now THAT'S a proper torque curve!

[metalmaker12]

Nice ,

Ps: for his power range and being just under the efficiency range of his turbo Ewg will fix the overboost issue. But if he was trying to make 350-380whp and staying in the turbos efficiency range the iwg would work well. I have pretty much the same turbo setup minus I think he's not twinscroll and my boost range is 18-25 to make the turbo play nice. That puts me well over 300whp. In fact 300whp+ at 15psi, 18 will make like 360whp or more once we dial it in. I just want 350-360 max. I am going to road tune it before I do a final dyno because I want to feel the power and how the car handles it and if I like it or not. I like road tuning much more when it come to perfecting the cars behavior.

Put it this way guys, my buddy have a 658whp notch back stang and with 17psi on my old setup I pulled on him amazinglyfrom 40-120. Only bikes have pulled on him. What I am getting at is this car with like 300-400 is a seriously quick car.

[longislandwrx]

As an added bonus, I gained ~50 ft/pds of torque.

oh is that all

[C.Plavan]

Race weekend!!!! Getting ready to test the fixes in practice in about an hour. Fingers crossed!!!!

[bbjones121]

Have fun!! Tear it up!

[Mitch Wright]

Good luck.

[C.Plavan]

More gremlins, gremlins, gremlins. All heat related. Lost a small hose, another hose had a cut. Awic temps at 140-143. It's high 80's at the track. I moved my air intake to a different spot. Seemed to help a little, but that's when a hose popped. I was too busy watching gauges to go really go after it. I'm so paranoid. But got a 1:57 on crap tires.

The good news- no boost creep at all!!!!

[Tamra]

Sorry to hear about the gremlins.

The 140 was post intercooler? What was pre-intercooler? Do you have a speed density tune? Also, which AWIC are you using?

[C.Plavan]

Sorry to hear about the gremlins.

The 140 was post intercooler? What was pre-intercooler? Do you have a speed density tune? Also, which AWIC are you using?

140 post. Air Filter temp/maf was all over. Better once I moved it to the hump area instead of down low on the side vent.
No speed density tune. I'm using Wayne's kit. I'm not sure what is going on. I have bled it many times, blocked of air escape routes. I'm thinking of removing the radiator fans, and fan housing. I'm thinking that may could be blocking airflow. I'm at a loss right now.

[Mechie3]

If you look up in the nose with the hood in place you can see a lot of air can escape over the top of the radiator if you haven't already blocked it off.

[Hindsight]

Chad, maybe post some pics of the duct/blockoff work you've done? I read posts where you talked about doing it (and using foam to seal the AWIC heat exchanger to the rad) but don't think I saw pics.

[D Clary]

How is your coolant and oil temp. Can your tune compensate for the IAT. I think Tamara said that they were 80+ in 65 degree weather, so at 80 they would be close to 100 figuring that they were 15 degree above ambient. and that was autoX. My point being that without more coolant the IAT you are seeing may be what you have to deal with. I would also ask your tuner about speed density. every time you change the inlet around the MAF you can change the MAF interpitation of the airflow.

[Mitch Wright]

Is the engine running hot? I would think if it is a air flow issue the engine water temp would also be high.

[C.Plavan]

Seemed to fix the high IAT temps- I'm running with the air filter above passenger harness bar. I cant run the rear hatch with it there. I'll modify it permanently at home.

Now the thing is just overheating after about three laps. I refill and burp they system. I see it go eventually go past 225 and coast, bring it into the pits then it geysers out my rear overflow tank. I have filled and burped it 3 times with the speciality funnel etc..... I'm thinking I'm going to take the fans and fan shroud off. Frustrating. Oil temps got to 240-250- frustrated is an understatement.

1:56 driving like a sissy checking gauges the whole time (3 laps)

[metalmaker12]

Speed density will help with adjusting the map, but heat is heat and your power will be limited. It seems that awic is not working very well

[Hindsight]

When you say it overheated, it sounds like you are talking engine coolant. So it sounds like since both engine coolant and awic temps are high, it's an airflow issue. Its a race car so maybe buy or make a couple large naca ducts for the hood to vent and do whatever else you can to seal the front air area to the radiator and vent out behind.

[Wayne Presley]

You are trapping air in the motor, there is no way to get 240 oil temps in 3 laps with a full cooling system