so sikaflex specifically!
I tried with another silicone sealant I had, that worked for one wheel, but the other 3 still leak air...
 
I'll need to clear all the current sealant off, but it's not like i don't have time for that
 
Thanks for the heads up!

cant remember which one exactly but it was grey. Might be bathroom sealant?

I'll go down to Bunnings and take a look.
It might be that I just suck at sealing it and need to pull it all off and just do it again, since that first one has held for at least 3 or 4 weeks now...

Been a while since I posted anything about the car.
 
I moved house in September, got the car running for a whole week, then heard an exhaust leak from the turbo mani.
 
Decided it was finally time to drop the engine and get a good look at the head since I already knew a couple of the studs had stripped.
 
engine on the floor, gearbox off, clutch off, and engine stripped
 
This is the Pistons after a clean and removal.
the rods were still fine, but chunks missing and clear evidence of detonation show that something was definitely not right in there.
Amazingly, the bore was still mint!
I now have a nice paperweight at work now too
 
New 9:1 Wiseco Pistons (86.5mm), reused the rods, Genuine Toyota 3S-GTE gasket kit with a metal head gasket (keeping the compression ratio around where it was)
 
Now, I'm no professional when it comes to building engines, so I actually sent it off to get assembled by people who do this for a living (also warranties are nice).
While being assembled, I installed some Gen 2 3S-GE cams (dat extra lift tho), got a 3-angle valve grind done (increase compression further, somewhere around 9.3:1 now approximately) and the builders found that my oil pumps pressure relief valve was somewhat stuck open, so my second set of bearings was shot after less than 2000 k's (awesome)
 
a couple thousand later, 
 
This happened
 
I had a (mostly) assembled engine.
 
with the help of G-ham (EssDub) and the use of his garage, we put the engine together, slapped an intake manifold off of an ST162 Celica, deleted the TVIS because it's awful and put the engine back in!
 
Also got a Gen 3 wiring kit to get rid of the AFM and updated to Gen 3 540cc injectors.
(heads up everyone, the Blitz adapters are useless, you'll have less pain repinning your ECU)
 
Now, after doing all this work it would seem silly to use the stock ECU (it had a sisterboard, but that has gone in the bin).
 
cue NEW ECU!
 
Link G4+ standalone!
This also helps as on the list is a Coil on Plug conversion, and it's easier to set up with a standalone than stock ECU.
 
So
We get the engine in
we spend 6 hours rewiring the whole bloody thing
we find out that the standard spark plug leads won't fit because the Throttlebody is in the way now (thanks random Corolla at U-Pull-It)
still using the stock intercooler(warmer)
have to relocate the fusebox as now my cold-pipe goes right through it
(new holes in the firewall are fun)
 
finally ready to start?
Pretty much!
We get it to start and run, eventually sorted the idle out enough to get it driving onto the trailer.
 
Off for a tune!
Now, I didn't get videos of the car being tuned as i dropped it off and left it for a week.
I also don't have photos of the dyno-graphs because I'm lazy and don't want to go out to the shed to get them (it's cold)
Take my word for it, but on the run in tune, still with a dizzy and stock interwarmer, we pulled 186rwkw on 12psi.
The turbo has run out of puff at about 6.5k rpm as it's still a CT26 for size purposes, even if flow is miles better.
 
Also bought a set of Blitz type 01's for it
 
so the car looks like this now!
 
Parked down the street from work here
 
It developed an oil leak from the sump, so I've resealed that (again), but otherwise appears to be pretty good.
 
Now it's 80% of the way through it's run-in, having done about 800k's, and final tune to be done at about 1000.
 
Time to start charge cooling!

 
 
did a large order from FrozenBoost, got the water pump, heat exchanger and core itself from the US for a fairly reasonable price (even if i did get boned on import taxes because i ordered 2 of each for a future 2ZZ-GTE project)
 
As much as I try to support local business, there's no reasonably prices W2A parts in this country and I can't justify spending $600 on a core alone when you can get everything from the US for little more.
 
So far the heat exchanger and core are mounted, I got a 2nd hand turbosmart BOV to replace the factory one, keeping it plumb back because i like not being defected and expect to have it back on the road this coming weekend.
 
Once that's done, I have a RacerX 1ZZ COP conversion kit to go on, and about a billion coilpacks to choose from.
 
That said, I'm unsure how to actually do the conversion and am open to suggestions on whether to go wasted spark or not and how to set the whole thing up as a whole, since I have no clue what I'm doing there...
 
Upon retune, with effective cooling and reliable ignition system (currently blows spark out occasionally), I'm told I could be expecting in the area of 220-230rwkw still on 12psi with a good tune, still on PULP and without upgrading injectors.
 
 
wish me luck and I might see you at the track some time!

That piston looks more like one that has something in the combustion chamber than detonation....

correct!
Chunks of piston were also in there at some point.
You can't see in that photo too well, but all 4 were missing small pieces around the edge. We're talking 5-6mm around the intake side, i expect they were bouncing around a little in there too which certainly wouldn't help matters.
 
can confirm at least now that there's nothing in the combustion chamber now that shouldn't be, and it's not knocking any more either, which is nice

Found the URL for the dyno video.
https://www.facebook.com/SK1DDER/videos/10213380386243103/
 
Yes it's a facebook video, but it isn't on Youtube
 
This is the guy who tuned it, and it'll be going back there in short order to get the final tune done.
 
I'll also upload my process for the Coil on Plug conversion with a standalone ECU as googling hasn't helped a huge amount

Oh how time flies.
It's been quite some time since I updated this, probably because a lot has happened since the last time I drove the car.
 
To cut things short, new systems have been added, and revised, and then revised again. I set up a W2A system and redid piping and core locations a few times before i was happy with how it turned out.
the Link PnP went and I got a standalone Link G4+ Monsoon instead, and wired up the loom myself.
Binned the stock fusebox and did a couple of revisions until it turned out (mostly) tidy.
Interior has also had a touchup, redid the drivers side seat rails in something a little stronger, new, custom dash cluster and a lot of the factory wiring has been binned.
 
So to cut things short, the following has happened:


FrozenBoost W2A Intercooler with some custom stainless piping, as well as an ally intake pipe that was made for me a few years back but never fit with the ARC airbox it used to have. This has since been clamped and appears to have no leaks (I'm far from a professional welder). Should offer substantial gains over the stock setup it used to have, as well as better response with shorter pipes. This will also hold up when I eventually upgrade the turbo to something a little more beefy as a CT26 has very limited options in terms of power output.
 
 
Some eBay spec oil cooler and filter relocation kit.
I was actually very surprised at the quality of the parts. I originally ordered it as i was struggling to find a filter relocation block to run a proper oil pressure and temp sensor where I can get a reliable reading. 
So far so good, it hasn't leaked in the 20 mins the engine's actually run.
 
 

 
New Exhaust system.
The cannon it used to have was ready to fall off.
I picked up the muffler and pipe from an Exhaust shop I dealt with closely for a while, so got everything for quite the reasonable price. Fabricated it up myself and it looks pretty good.
Still some tweaks to go, it sits slightly crooked now, so I'll have to sort that out, but it's a damn sight nicer than a 4" cannon stick out at an offensive angle
 

New Fuse box.
Again, eBay provides the goods.
For just $20, I got to bin the chopping board with relays tec screwed to it and tuck this into the corner of the boot.
Still some tidying up to go, but most of that will happen once the final tune is done and I know everything actually works.
 
 
 
Lastly, the dash cluster.
This has been put together with a few different parts.
Speedhut Tacho and GPS Speedo with fuel gauge, so far the only thing that doesn't work is the indicators, but I'm working that out
JustRaceParts Multigauge for pretty much everything else. Oil temp, pressure, boost, voltage and AFR are the main readings i'm concerned with, and the gauge just above that is coolant temp.
It turned out pretty good if i do say so myself, considering i started with a sheet of carbon fiber and a die grinder.
I also have a TRD dash cluster sitting spare if anyone's interested ;)
 
Overall, it's getting there. It even started 2 weeks ago as shown by this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHXZCkhJ11I
Actual running engine courtesy of ZMIT, who knows how Link software works far better than I do.
 
I'm hoping to bring it home in the next week or two, tidy up everything and start getting a basic tune on it before sending it to the dyno.
Still yet to see a mechanic, so I'm happy that I've achieved this much, even with some help here and there.
 
With any luck, she should be seeing the road in the next month!

So with a couple of weeks of holidays at my disposal, I decided against going over to NSW for what remained of the MTC and then check out WTAC and elected to work on the car instead!
 
What followed doesn't LOOK like much, but progress has been made.
 

 
The day it came home from a mates place, where it's been living for the past couple of months. It got its first wash in probably close to 2 years!
You can see in these photos that the exhaust isn't finished (still isn't), but i haven't nailed the position down yet, so I won't be cutting the tips until I'm happy with where the muffler's sitting, it's slightly crooked and that bothers me.
But it's functional and a little quieter than the old exhaust, which is a plus. It's a magnaflow 3" in to twin 2.5" out muffler and some 100 cell hi-flow cat in there, with a butchered Berk dump pipe.
 
I also got in contact with a tuner who specializes in Link ECU's, since I'm running a Monsoon, and they have someone familiar with 3S-GTE's, which is always nice. Given the strange combination of parts in this engine, it's probably best it doesn't go somewhere who tunes by throwing as much timing as they can until it starts pinging and then backs it off a degree or two *cough*Jaustech...
 
They asked that I fit a fuel pressure sensor, more for safeties sake as they can program in a failsafe or two if pressure dies. They also tried to get me to fit a new fuel pump, which is declined as I REALLY didn't want to drop the fuel tank out just yet. I'll save that for when the pump dies or I want e85... Neither seems likely in the near future. Stay tuned to see me eat those words...
 
As a result, I picked up a sensor, and then found out that SW20's feed line comes with 2 different parts, and sheathed VERY similarly... I snipped the not-rubber side, so the below happened.

Not all bad news though. with -6 fittings this line will be ready for a top feed rail down the track if the car calls for it!
 
 
I also noticed that the engine creaked quite a bit when you let the clutch out, which usually means worn torque mounts.
Lo and behold, they have separated themselves from the bearing cage.
 
Many of you would be aware that I like doing things myself. I also don't like spending money where it's not necessary.
As a result, this happened.

 
I made a new, solid rear engine mount.
This uses spring bushes from a Holden Rodeo, believe it or not. they were $30 from Supercheap, and I have another set so I can do the front as well.
The only downside is that they come with a crush tube that brings the ID of the bush from 19mm to 14mm.
Anyone who know's SW20's will know that engine mounts bolts are M12.
 
I could have cut off the captive nut and welded on a new one and just run an M14 bolt. I even bought the bolts and nuts to do so with.
But instead, I came up with this

On the left if the original crush tube, and on the right is some 19mm stainless rod, bored out to 31/64" (just over 12mm, I don't have metric drill bits in that size). It took AGES to drill that out.
The bushes are the same width as the stock engine mount (65mm), so the crush tube just had to fit, which it does.
 
The result is this, the cleanest part in the whole car.

 
I'm far from a photographer, so please forgive me.
 
It bolts up in the factory location using all the original bolts. I'm yet to see how it copes with the torque, but that's what road testing is for. If it fails, it just means version 2 is around the corner.
 
Lastly, I'm also looking at brakes. This is after the car actually runs properly and I drive it for more than 30 seconds without worrying that it'll explode (2GR incoming). It's booked in for a tune Thursday, and fuel leaks pending, it'll be on the road Friday with any luck.
 
Back to brakes.
Not the traditional setup that most people look at, like the 32 calipers on Supra rotors, or RX-8 rotors on the rear with the stock caliper spaced out.
 
I'm also considering the 32 caliper, I even have a pair ready to go! But the Supra rotors are far too heavy.
\
 
These are 2-piece rotors from an Evo 8. The brand, from memory is Girodisc, which I've never heard of.
They're the same stud pattern as an SW20, the hat offset is a little lower, but tolerable since I'm not planning on going with different wheels any time soon, clearance between caliper and wheel should be fine
The ONLY downside is that R32 Skyline front rotors are 30mm in thickness.
These are 32mm, so the calipers don't fit... Yet...
for fitting purposes, I'll be able to make these work, and once I have measurements, I can actually find something that isn't worn down to nothing. Worst case, I contact them and see if they have a rotor blank with the exact same dimensions, but with 30mm thickness.
 
Rear caliper/rotor combo TBD at this stage. I'm looking into Skyline calipers all round, but then handbrake becomes an issue (they use drums for their handbrake FYI)... Hydro?
 
I'm sure I'll be back by the end of the week with a running MR2, or plans for a V6 swap...
 
 

Great update Joe. I'm hoping it all goes well and you can start to enjoy it on the road.