Re-build Update

[Turbo tezza]

Hey guys,

Just thought I would give you an update on the re-building of my engine.

The engine was re-assembled on Friday, complete with lowering of compression to 10:1, to allow me to run 7-8 psi with no troubles.

Found out that they also come standard at 11.4:1, and with forged pistons.

Hopefully it will have about the same power as before (170 rwkw)

Should have more torque down low, which will be good.

May loose the nice exaust tone, since the compression has been lowered :(

The engine is going to be dropped off on Monday, to be fitted back into the car, then its going around to be measured up for the new intercooler.

If you were wondering what happened to the old 1, it was stolen off the front of the car while parked down at Miles Toyota, in their locked up yard.

Hoping to have it back by Friday next week, at the latest.

I'll keep you updated. :)

Corey

[greeneyes]

OMG!! What else can go wrong for you!?

Good luck with the new engine, it should be a real blast to drive.

keith

[Gavin_S]

Looking forward to hearing how the bigger,better tezza goes Corey!

[Hoon]

So they do have forged pistons, how about the con rods, do they look like fairly strong ones standard?

[Gavin_S]

;) (hoon says sneakily-lookin for those mods soon are we aaron?) :D

[Turbo tezza]

Yea, forged pistons- pretty fancy ones too ;)

Standard rods and crank.

Rods look pretty strong, didn't do any damage to my ones.

I'll put up some pictures off some stuff, wen i get it all back from Miles Toyota.

Corey

[Hoon]

;) (hoon says sneakily-lookin for those mods soon are we aaron?) :D

LOL- you never no whats around the corner

thanks Corey, What exactly have you put back into the engine? new pistons and rods?

I would like to compare the standard rods to the MR2 turbo rods.

Aaron

[Turbo tezza]

Ok guys, everything - engine wise - is back in the car.

New intercooler has been made and fitted. New intercooler piping, a new plumb-back blowoff valve are all ready to go, just waiting for some silicon hosing for the i.c. pipingto turn up. (There was none left in the country, so they are waiting for the new shipment to come thru customs today, then it will be sent down).

Just another problem to add to the list...

Also found out that the compression is more like 9.5:1, which is even better- more boost... ;)

Once they are fitted, all that needs to be done is put the bonnet and the bumper back on, then i'll be away.... racing... finally.

Car will be in the show, at the 4's & Rotataries south island champs this weekend in the Toyspeed stand, since i'm pretty much the only Lexus member down here.

Corey

[greeneyes]

Photos photos!!!! :D

[SnowwolF]

Show us our your new monster Altezza.

we are looking forward it.

very exciting to waiting for your pictures

Tian

[Supadupa]

Shot Corey, good to see your car is almost back in shape for the SI Champs!

Maybe if for the SI Autosalon next year we could enter a LOC stand, a couple turbo tezzas in there would look pretty sweet :)

So what was the story with your car anyway? I can't believe your cooler got nicked! My spoiler got stolen the other day! Ripped right off, rivets were almost ripped out of the boot too!

I found the guy who tuned my car too. It was Advanced Automotive next to Turbo Tech in Sydnham. Found it runs open loop continuously, and he said he couldn't fix the idling problem, my hot/warm starting problem, where the car cuts out and dies :( I know Denco pistons are heavy and aren' the best but I'm pretty sure idle doesn't need to be set @ 1250 RPM, unless the engine rebuild was a shoddy one.

I'll take it somewhere else, maybe RE Sinclair. See what they can do, can't hurt to get a 2nd opinion :)

GL @ the SI Champs anyway, I'd come and visit ya, but I got a wedding in Dunedin this weekend. Pick up a trophy or two :)

Lawrence.

[Turbo tezza]

Went to pick my car up today... coz its finished.... then they started it up......

And guess what.... it has a strange knocking/tapping noise coming from the top end somewhere.

Pulled rocker cover off and checked clearances, and they were all wrong....

Then they got the CORRECT clearances, and all was good on that front.

So... they think its something else ( either valve spring, or something like a valve hitting a piston.....)

By the way, the manual Altezza engines have different cams to the autos.. and the manuals have TITANIUM exhaust valves aswell. ;)

Car's going back together tomorrow morning, so i can use it this weekend.. yay!!

Then pulled apart again next week.....

...and Lawrence that sounds like a wicked idea... we'll have to meet up somtime...before hand.

Corey

[Turbo tezza]

Yay for me, my car's finished.

They checked the valve clearances wen it was cold and they found out there was NO clearance on most of the valves on the inlet side. So they skimmed the shims and now its good as new...coz it is!!!

Cars down at Westpac stadium for the show now. You never no, it may show up in Performance Car mag. :D

Alls well that ends well

Just the bills now......

Corey

[greeneyes]

Lawrence, that idle doesn't sound right. What reason did they give for it? Any idea of what mods have been done to yr car?

Good luck with that new engine Corey. Treat it carefully for a while and check it out. Which brainless apprentice did the valve clearences to start with?

keith

[Turbo tezza]

Wasn't ever checked.

They never touched the head, it was all bottom end work they did.

I have the same problem with the idle on my car, not quite that bad tho Lawrence.

Won't idle smoothly. I read somewhere that the only way to fix it is to run a return line back to the fuel tank from the fuel rail... coz they don't have 1.

Read it on a u.s. site i think.

Corey

[Hoon]

Are you both using aftermarket computers?

Or piggyback computers of the standard one?

[Supadupa]

I'm using an aftermarket Microtech LTX-8, which isn't set up to run as a piggyback, but a full EMS. This is my first car with an aftermarket computer, so I'm not sure what the characteristics of them are like.

I'm pretty sure Corey runs a Link.

I'll eventually get around to asking more people, and try to get it sorted, just being lazy atm :)

Lawrence.

[Turbo tezza]

Yea, im running a link... for the fuel

..a trust ECU piggyback for the ignition..

.. and the original ECU to run everything else.

The 3 systems are fighting each other a bit, but it works.

Another thing that may have caused detonation on my engine was that the breather off the top of the engine was plumbed back into the air intake tract, after the air flow meter.

Which basically means there was more air in the intake system than the air flow sensor registered. e.g. to much air= lean running at highish revs-not good.

I'm gonna put an oil catch can on the breather and plug up the hole in the pipe to the compressor for the turbo, should fix the problem.... and fix the irratic idling aswell. :D

Corey

[Turbo tezza]

Hi guys,

I disconnected the breather line last nite and ran it to a bottle to catch the oil, and plugged the hole in the intake pipe.

Went for a drive, and was amazed that disconnecting the breather would make so much difference!!

It got rid of the idle problem, the backfiring trouble when backing off from full throttle,and generally just ran better.

Lawrence, if u read this, i would suggest that u look at this to resolve ur problem. At least it may help. ;)

Corey

[Turbo tezza]

Hey guys,

I received my Apexí Power FC today, along with the hand controller and extension cable for the hand controller.

It is going to be installed next Thursday, along with the wiring in the loom being 'tidied up' and the GReddy FCU being removed

I have just been having a look at the manual, and it looks like the ignition, vt intake, and vt exhaust are all adjustable independently which should be good for tuning.

Got bigger injectors to go in aswell, 440cc should supply enough fuel for 10 psi boost

I'll keep you guys updated with how it goes.

Corey

[Sirnixalot]

ouuu nice build up so far. I missed what happened to the car in the first place but i sure hope ti doesnt happen again.

Forged pistons ey? You sure? They might just be really good quality cast? I dont want to get my hopes up lol

[Turbo tezza]

Altezza piston

[Sirnixalot]

im interested to know how you can tell by looking at it.

I am under the impression that forged pistons are machined for a forged cylinder of aluminum. This would leave a shiny machined surface. Even when forged pistons are used they still have a little luster.

These pistons look cast. All of the skirt edges are rounded, they have the criss cross patter on the wrist pin sides of the skirts as well as Toyota CAST into the side.

The damage your piston sustained also looks like what a cast piston is suceptable to....weak ring lands. I know because my pulsar suffered the exact same type of failure on the stock cast pistons.

I am not trying to be an asshole. But i dissagree with you :). How were you able to tell that that are forged?

[Turbo tezza]

sorry, thats just what i was told by the guys who re-built my engine :(

May not be rite.

As you say, they probably are just cast, just they look alot different to the pistons that went back into my engine. ( mr-2 turbo pistons)

Corey

[Sirnixalot]

interesting indeed. Thanks for the clarification :D