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1SlowVW
1SlowVW HalfDork
10/5/21 5:00 p.m.

How many teeth on the cam gear? Can you just bump it back a tooth and see if it wakes up the top end? 
 

Loweguy5 (Forum Supporter)
Loweguy5 (Forum Supporter) HalfDork
10/6/21 5:58 a.m.

This project is amazing!  Top work!

Emmett70
Emmett70
10/6/21 10:34 a.m.

In reply to mjlogan :

Sweeeet build! I just did a 2.5 swap in my NC Miata this spring and used a junkyard Fusion motor. I have been using VVT from the beginning so I can't offer much comparison to how it would run without. However, I did stage 1.5 intake and exhaust cams when I did the swap. Everyone on the NC 2.5 swap forum talks about how the stock cams in the 2.5 stop pulling around 5k. They are just designed more for low end. So, I'm not sure how much difference the VVT will make, however I'm sure some. With the stage 1.5 cams my 2.5 pulls all the way to 7k when it hits the rev limiter.

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
10/6/21 11:37 a.m.
Emmett70 said:

In reply to mjlogan :

Sweeeet build! I just did a 2.5 swap in my NC Miata this spring and used a junkyard Fusion motor. I have been using VVT from the beginning so I can't offer much comparison to how it would run without. However, I did stage 1.5 intake and exhaust cams when I did the swap. Everyone on the NC 2.5 swap forum talks about how the stock cams in the 2.5 stop pulling around 5k. They are just designed more for low end. So, I'm not sure how much difference the VVT will make, however I'm sure some. With the stage 1.5 cams my 2.5 pulls all the way to 7k when it hits the rev limiter.

Right on, that's some good info.  That pushes me to go aftermarket fixed cams when time/$ allows

For right now though I am still really enjoying the car as is.  Even with the compromises it is a ton of fun to drive and I'm not in any way disappointed in the power it is making.  I just know there is room for improvement

billstewartx
billstewartx New Reader
10/7/21 7:02 a.m.

i really  like your swap.  the duratec and tranny swap are a good template for many cars... sunbeam alpine, many trucks, almost anything RWD would be able to fit a duratec! 

question:

do you have a wide band O2 sensor hooked up?  that is essential for any tuning . 

do you have a intake air temp sensor?  also essential.    Bosch MAP & Temp are good for that-- junkyard VAG group machines have them . 

ETB? and  pedal? Ford Fusion are good donors for those 

Also, the guys at RusEfi could get your Variable cam working for you, so yo don't have to mess with fixed cams and their limitations 

 

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
10/7/21 8:13 a.m.
billstewartx said:

i really  like your swap.  the duratec and tranny swap are a good template for many cars... sunbeam alpine, many trucks, almost anything RWD would be able to fit a duratec! 

question:

do you have a wide band O2 sensor hooked up?  that is essential for any tuning . 

do you have a intake air temp sensor?  also essential.    Bosch MAP & Temp are good for that-- junkyard VAG group machines have them . 

ETB? and  pedal? Ford Fusion are good donors for those 

Also, the guys at RusEfi could get your Variable cam working for you, so yo don't have to mess with fixed cams and their limitations 

 

Yes, Innovate wideband and a GM intake air temp sensor.  I'm running Megasquirt so I converted it to a cable actuated throttle body off from an early 2000's 5.0L ford explorer

Sonic
Sonic UberDork
10/7/21 12:54 p.m.

One of our race cars is a Mazda3 with a 2.5 swap, running 2.3 stock electronics with 2.5 everything else.  With a cold air intake and 2.5" exhaust you can audibly hear a change in the cam phasing around 5k, it is fairly subtle but always there if you listen.  

billstewartx
billstewartx New Reader
10/7/21 6:10 p.m.

In reply to mjlogan :

yea, megasquirt doesn't do ETB? that was my recollection.. 

i have a proteus from RusEfi and am running two ETB's  on a jag V12.

i hope you kept the original ETB from the duratec... would be nice to put it back on    

do you have the cam sensor hooked up also ? to run sequential injection  and spark?  or running wasted spark and batch injection? 

check with these guys for getting that Variable Cam running  http://rusefi.com  

They have a Hellen board for Miatas. which would do your setup easy peasy. 

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
10/11/21 9:13 a.m.
billstewartx said:

In reply to mjlogan :

yea, megasquirt doesn't do ETB? that was my recollection.. 

i have a proteus from RusEfi and am running two ETB's  on a jag V12.

i hope you kept the original ETB from the duratec... would be nice to put it back on    

do you have the cam sensor hooked up also ? to run sequential injection  and spark?  or running wasted spark and batch injection? 

check with these guys for getting that Variable Cam running  http://rusefi.com  

They have a Hellen board for Miatas. which would do your setup easy peasy. 

I believe if you run MS3 pro there is some sort of an add on box you can use to run an ETB.  That's all way out of my budget and skill level, so cable it is

I'm running wasted spark/batch.  Cam sensor is wired in the harness but not currently to a pin in the ecu.

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
10/11/21 9:16 a.m.

Decided it was time to up the wastegate spring again now that I had the tune pretty happy at 4 psi.  Current spring setup net me 8 psi and this thing moves pretty good now.  I'll probably leave those springs alone until I find time to get the boost controller set up.  I was hoping to have 2nd gear traction issues by 10 psi but I just dont think that will happen.

What's a safe boost limit for a totally stock duratec?  I figure it should be able to handle anything under 10 psi just fine

1SlowVW
1SlowVW HalfDork
10/11/21 11:03 a.m.

In reply to mjlogan :

Safe number will depend on fuel, timing , the tuner ....

I'm sure with the crowd here someone will know the safe hp limit with a good tune. 

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
10/11/21 11:52 a.m.

In reply to 1SlowVW :

Very conservative fuel and timing and an inexperienced tuner... me 

1SlowVW
1SlowVW HalfDork
10/11/21 1:32 p.m.

In reply to mjlogan :

Feed it boost until you crack a ringland or bend a rod. Replace motor and pull out 2 psi and one degree. Tuning complete ! 

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
10/11/21 2:18 p.m.

In reply to 1SlowVW :

With a $200 engine that has pretty much been the plan!  

Actually this thing may be called into 100% duty while I rebuild the engine in my truck, so I'll be trying to take it easy on it for a bit

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
11/2/21 12:53 p.m.

Been a while.  Have literally done nothing to it other than rack up miles.  Did a 170 mi highway trip in it the other weekend and it just loves to cruise at 80.  Effortlessly climbed the Cajon pass at 80 in overdrive without even getting into boost.  It is such a blast to drive once you get out of the traffic that I live in.

25-26 mpg mixed driving so far.  It has turned into quite the useful workhorse with these high gas prices.  Been hauling quite a bit of lumber for some house projects.

Clicked over 1000 mi on the way to work 

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
12/21/21 9:34 a.m.

Wish I had some cool updates for you guys but life happens and other things have taken priority.  Doesn't mean I have stopped driving it, in fact quite the opposite.  Coming up on 2500 mi.

Changes and discoveries:

-I have to empty the oil catch can about every 800 mi.  From what I read this is not alarming since I just have it vented to atmosphere, no vacuum on it or anything.  It is pretty small too, about the size of a coffee cup.  Open to advice on potential remedies for this.. it doesn't bother me that much though.

-Added some timing in up top where I was super conservative in the beginning.  It really liked that and after a plug read it looks safe to possibly add a little more.

-Tried to switch from the factory plugs @ factory gap to a set of autolite 103's gapped at .035.  It hated that, idled very poorly and got a lot of popping between shifts.  Put the factory (but new) plugs in gapped at .040 and it is back to being happy

-Figured out the really annoying bucking issue I had in traffic when just barely touching the throttle to creep along.  I was getting into decel fuel cut, had the tps threshold set about 3% too high.  It is now as joyous as a manual trans car can be when creeping along in traffic

-Oh and I discovered it is quicker 0-60 than a typical shrieking loud 2007ish 350Z.  He was quite surprised to see this rusted out pile drive around him

dculberson
dculberson MegaDork
12/21/21 10:31 a.m.

You are mistaken, that was a very cool update.

StripesSA1
StripesSA1 Reader
12/21/21 10:58 a.m.

In reply to dculberson :

Yap. Especially that last point

1SlowVW
1SlowVW HalfDork
12/21/21 12:32 p.m.
StripesSA1 said:

In reply to dculberson :

Yap. Especially that last point

Last point really is a treat. 
 

Good work. 

golfduke
golfduke Dork
12/21/21 12:53 p.m.

Nice bike, Smuggler?  My DH sled is a  TR11 that I very much love. 

 

 

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter)
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/21/21 3:20 p.m.

i want this car so much

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
12/21/21 4:09 p.m.
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

i want this car so much

Make me an offer.

Seriously.  The "life happens" mentioned above is going to involve selling my house and moving next year.  I really don't know if I am going to be able to take it with me.  The next step in life may require a serious downsizing.

mjlogan
mjlogan New Reader
12/21/21 4:12 p.m.
golfduke said:

Nice bike, Smuggler?  My DH sled is a  TR11 that I very much love. 

 

 

Its a Sentinel.  Or was I should say, it was stolen 2 weekends ago locked in the bed of the ranchero while I was having a beer at the brewery after a ride.  

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter)
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/21/21 5:27 p.m.
mjlogan said:
Its a Sentinel.  Or was I should say, it was stolen 2 weekends ago locked in the bed of the ranchero while I was having a beer at the brewery after a ride.  

sometimes i hate people.  this is one of those times.

also, "want" doesn't always translate well to "can have".  i'm a year away from having garage space and 2 years away from having money to spend.  :-(

StripesSA1
StripesSA1 Reader
12/22/21 12:25 a.m.
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:
mjlogan said:
Its a Sentinel.  Or was I should say, it was stolen 2 weekends ago locked in the bed of the ranchero while I was having a beer at the brewery after a ride.  

sometimes i hate people.  this is one of those times.

also, "want" doesn't always translate well to "can have".  i'm a year away from having garage space and 2 years away from having money to spend.  :-(

And a V8 Corvair to finish..... 

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