Freebird: SR20VE+T 510 Wagon

[]2eDeYe]

I am just seeing a circle with a dash.  

[datsuntech]

Awesome! Pics are working.

[volkswagner]

 

Full set of CBR coils came in. 
Popular knowledge seems to point to the BPR7ES as the best all around turbo plug. Since it does not have a removable cap, I looked for the closest plug that did have one.
I ended up with the BCPR7ET, same dimensions and same heat range but they're the three prong type. Most importantly the cap comes off to allow the coils to grab.

Fit great in the VC and the stock CBR harness is even the correct length to not need modification plug-to-plug.

The coils grab super tight and it's actually quite difficult to remove them. Makes me feel better about no hold downs.

 

Gathered the rest of the bits and fittings to mate the turbo to the engine. A downside to the RB turbo is that Nissan in their infinite wisdom went with a custom output flange rather than the normal T3 flange. (thanks guys ?) this makes the aftermarket hot side options for the turbo limited to RB specific rather than the plethora of generic T3 parts.
Oh well, cheapo ebay down pipe. Metal thickness ended up good on it but it looks like they tried too hard to keep their welds small to portray "qaulity" 
I'm thinking I'll beef them up with the MIG and coat it. 

 

Made progress on the Transmission. Adapter in place. 
 

 

Clutch and pressure plate mounted.

 

Tranny mocked up, still gotta sort the throw out collar match up. 
Starting to look like something.
We'll see how long that little gear box holds up ?

 

The RB engine has the turbo side mounted, as opposed to the bottom mount SR20. This means in order to use the down pipe as is the exhaust housing would have to be clocked. As well the sr20 is a T28 flange and the RB a T3 so I already have to weld a flange to the manifold, clocking it to side mount should be as easy as cutting in the angle first. 
With the tranny in place it was much easier to visualize just how much angle would be needed.

I'll have to wait until the engine is in the bay to ensure fitment. Looks like that will be soon.

Edited November 5, 2018 by volkswagner

[datsuntech]

Pics broken again... ?

[Trophy24]

I can see the latest pictures ok. 

 

An an exciting stage for your build Sam! Looks like things are coming together. I am looking forward to how you solve your hot side flange fabrication. 

[datsuntech]

Weird I'm getting the circle with the line through it on the latest pics.

[]2eDeYe]

me too 

[volkswagner]

Annoying, time for a new image host. I'll redo links on the last two posts. Do the broken links go back further? I can't tell since I can see them all on my end. 

[]2eDeYe]

Well they work for me now. Maybe it's a time delay thing? 

[volkswagner]

I re-linked the last three posts to a different image host.

[carterb]

Sam this is such an amazing project!

[volkswagner]

I gave some attention to the shifter. I like having my knob tall and close to the steering wheel for quicker access. However, with my short arms it gets hard to reach the full travel of a tall shifter in 5th. Short guy problems, Jeff will understand because we are the same height.
Cut and extended the knub below the pivot point.

 

Raised the pivot point the same amount.

 

Sanded some delrin to press fit for a new bushing to remove some slop. I then shim the shifter between the pivot tabs to get a close fit and use a fastener and nut to pre-load the pivot to reduce lateral slop without causing friction in the shifting.

 

Good great, shifter sorted so the transmission can get installed one final time before dropping in the bay. All good, until... Thud.
That's as far as the starter goes. ?

 

It was hitting the bell housing, pulled off the tranny again for some clearancing.
An found that it was more than a bell problem. Even the flywheel clashes.

 

After some researching I came across this SR starter advertised for a Primera, the car my motor came from, except mine was automatic. 

 

I contacted Guy Selle to confirm my suspicions. Yes the bell needs to get clearanced and yes that was the started I needed.
The starter is of course only available on a few JDM models, there goes another couple racecar coupons ?

 

Then for the clearancing, some time with a caribide bit later.

 

The adapter leaves an opening right next to the starter gear, not the best place to let crud accumulate.

 

Nothing some epoxy couldn't handle, oiled to adapter so hopefully when the tranny is removed next the epoxy will stay with that. 

 

Finally! up in the air!

 

ahhh, cozy.

 

My biggest anxiety appeased, perfect clearance for the solenoid.

 

And then my biggest oversight, whoops! Lesson learned, tack and test fit the manifold before fully welding. haha.

 

Nice amount of room up front for the fans.

 

Off with the intake to get cut down to size.

Edited November 19, 2018 by volkswagner

[]2eDeYe]

Looks good in there :)

[volkswagner]

Sure does, it's been too long. Hopefully it will be able to stay where it is and not need to come out for the rest of the work, we'll see.

[dukerollo]

Cool project. I dig making stuff work in ways it isn't supposed to. Why the RB turbo though? Was it it something you had on hand or did you choose it for another reason?

[volkswagner]

Yep mostly just convenience, they're easy to come by and are cheap for what they are because they don't handle much more boost for the RB guys so they all take them off, also they aren't a complete bolt in for T3 guys so they don't pick them up. It works for my power goals though. They are basically a T28 in T3 housings. As far as I can tell this just gives them a larger efficiency range. I figured since I was already building everything from scratch there was no need to pigeon hole myself into a T28. Now if I want a T3 in the future it should be as easy as an exhaust flange on the down pipe.

[dukerollo]

Cool. I will eventually be in the market for a t3 frame turbo and will keep those on the radar. 

[volkswagner]

Next up was to button up the fuel delivery. 3/8” steel lines for the tank pickup and return.
I’ve heard that 5/16” is most common but I have dreams of E85 one day so I figured I would future proof for that possibility. In general I’ve never seen any data on the effect of fuel output by pick-up size so I did a quick test with the stock ¼” line and was able to pump 500ml in 15s through the fuel rail and out the return. Online calculators suggests that’s enough fuel for 395hp on pump gas, anyone know if that's accurate?
I’ll have to remember to do the same test with the new lines once the tank is full.
 
No tube bender but this seemed to work well with some heat.

 

I originally got creative with the supply line path but then decided that was pointless and chopped it back to the single bend out of the tank.

 

Then soft lines out to the outside of the frame rail.

 

Joined the hard lines out there. I was going to follow the more natural path of inside the frame rail but my panhard bar mount and axle looked like they might bash into it there so decided to take a more cautious route.

 

And joining back up with the pump where right where we left it.
 

 

Filter and soft lines to the fuel rail up front.

 

A question for the crowd, why does my fuel rail have two regulators? I didn’t take a pic but I’m sure there’s a view of it in this thread somewhere. There is a regulator both before and after the injectors.
All of the the RWD SR’s only have the typical one on the return.
Maybe it cuts out at too low of a fuel pressure to prevent damage from leaning out as the pump wears out?

Got a visit from my fan technician.

 

He did good.

 

Law of large numbers, with all of the pieces to this puzzle, something had to work out. Once I found a stock 510 transmission isolator (Thanks Carter!) the stock crossmember bolted right in. This let the stock driveline slip in with the appropriate slop as well.

 

A quick spray of high heat paint on the cover for now. I plan to properly paint eventually but this will do till then.

The CBR coil seals stop a bit short of slipping in to the cover bores to actually seal. I few chunks of proper size coolant hose got them to the correct height for a nice tight interference.

 

I removed the PCV ports on the intake manifold to prevent a source of boost leak. Found a cheapo catch on ebay to deal with the loose hoses. Had to dig through the sticker stash for an appropriate warning. Still need to sort a mount.

 

On to the exhaust side. The crank vent was wanting to live where the downpipe should be.

 

Cut off one of the bends in the vent pipe and it tucked to the side neatly.


Turbo fitment up next.

 

 

[Crashtd420]

I like how your fan tech has matching boots to the car.....

 

[Trophy24]

Your fuel rail may have a pulsation damper on it. Do they each have a vacuum line attached?

[volkswagner]

Good thought on the pulsation damper I'd never heard of those. It does have a vacuum line.

[datsunfreak]

8 hours ago, volkswagner said:

Good thought on the pulsation damper I'd never heard of those. It does have a vacuum line.

 

I know older Nissans had those but they were usually right in front of the fuel pump under the car. 

[ol' 320]

updates?

[Icehouse]

8 minutes ago, ol' 320 said:

updates?

 

He bought a Pulsar GTiR, might be a minute before he gets back on the goon.  

[ol' 320]

does Sam have a thread somewhere on his 521?