Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Add another $30, sold more parts!

I <3 eBay.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Fuckin' hot out there...but the new MBC is installed. Now I just need to find where the coolant is squirting out from and why the wastegate isn't seeing boost (I think the new intake is pinching the vacuum line).

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

MAP located and fixed the coolant leak; turns out it was a turbo line.

Also, in celebration of hitting the 100k miles mark this morning, it'll be getting a tune up tonight along with some more stopwatch data being gathered!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

This thread should be, i am in denial about getting back into DSMs thread.
Your funny.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

I am only half back into them since I refuse to mod it too heavily....although, your suspension and 16G sound mighty tempting!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

they r for sale!!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

I for got to say you need to bend the barb of the waiste gate actuator to clear the huge intake pipe.

~John

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

you know you want too go balls deep into it now

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Ahh ok, I was thinking I would have to do that tonight in order to get the boost issue fixed. Do you remember how far you bent it?

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

I would bend it out about a ~45 deg angle pointed at the radiator, that should do the trick.

~John

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

You need exhaust first whore!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Lets make it out of dryer ducting tonight!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Why use ducting when we can use duct tape!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

We didn't get any stopwatch runs in due to bad weather, but the car is pulling pretty well right now for what it is!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

We could not get the car to boost over like 11-12psi before, it would just break up realy bad. It was kinda like boost cut, but not as harsh. Turns out we should have replaced the spark plugs back during the first round of modding. I took the first one out and the gap was HUGE! I stuck a feeler gauge on it that measured .035" and it easily slid in...all of the plugs were gapped to like .040. No wonder she wouldn't boost!

Now hughes, take off your skirt and crank up the boost whore! You should be able to do 17psi easy on this etup!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

I actually did some testing this morning and its still breaking up at 15 psi (but perfect at 13 psi) so I'm thinking about bringing the gap down to .028" instead of .030". Maybe I'll do that and the K&N cleaning this weekend.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Chris I don't think its plug gap that is your problem though; I had the same problem with my 90 Laser when I was running over 11-13psi. I could run 17psi all day through 1st and 2nd gear but as soon as I got on it in 3,4, and 5 it would break up sometimes. It was intemintant though so it was hard to nail down, it didn't seem like fuel cut but something similar.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Thanks for the heads-up, Craig. I'm going to try closing the gap a bit, and then after that (if needed) try replacing the coil. It starts a bit easier now with the new plugs so maybe I just have a weak spark.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Did you get new wires also? And you should research passive amplifiers or something that you can make yourself that will increase voltage to the plugs. :) Probably cheap or free if you can use existing parts.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Yeah it got new NGK wires. There is no reason I should need amps for a nearly stock 1G, I am going to search for the real problem.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Yep, get that gap down to a tight .028. Is the fuel pump rewired?

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Its an EVO pump, I should be getting plenty of fuel.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Drive to owatonna and you can have that exhaust if you want it. I am sick of it being in the shed and dont want to deal with trying to sell it.:) Plus I think the Laser would like it:lol: Keep in mind you will have to get creative with the o2 housing though cause nash had a 3" tubular on it rather than a stock style ported 2.5".

Let me know via PM. I am out of the state mon-fri for work but could arrange pickup by leaving it on the side of the garage for you if you want it.:lol:

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

If that is the exhaust i am thinking it is, then it is 2.5" to the flex section.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

The Laser will take it, thanks Tim!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

LOL, this is great, when I get a new car, I'm going to do a 100dollar project thread on that and see how much stuff I can get. You are getting some good deals.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

I know, its actually pretty fun :) After selling off a bunch of stuff I still have over $30 to play with.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

put it in the stock market for a while, get some returns and buy more stuff.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Anyone have a 2G exhaust manifold or o2 housing they would want to donate to the project or at least let go for cheap? I know some of you (and shops!) probably have these parts just cluttering up your garage! :D

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Now you have me second guessing myself? I am still about 99% positive that at the o2 housing flange it was kind of cut and crushed to 2.5" and the problem that I had was that the o2 housing studs were the same width as the 3" tubing.

Either way it is free and has a brand new o2 sensor in it that could probably be sold for something.

Chris, PM replied.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Now that you mention it I think I did ghetto fab that for Andy. His flex section died and he wanted something quick and dirty. It works though :D

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Down to $0 again with the exhaust manifold and o2 housing? Wonder how much pickup you'll see with those plus an exhaust?

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Yup, its down to around $0 now with your exhaust manifold and o2 housing, but I think those combined with some at-home porting of the turbo exhaust housing and the turboback exhaust should yield some great gains!

Thanks again for the good deal Andrew!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Yea no problem, it'll be worth the new knowledge and $ savings of having you street tune my car.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Well, I took all the pics, so I'll post them up for S2kracka!

Wow, we went to town on this thing today. This morning, tear down. Took off stock manifold, 6cm turbine housing, o2 housing, and everything else inbetween. Chris picked up a 2G Exhaust manifold and a cheap SS o2 housing off of slowboy (andrew, not the a'holes in indiana or whatever) for $30, using the remaining $30 in this $100 fund.

For those young'ins out there, here's what the stock 1G manifold looks like (going into the turbo):
http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3243.sized.jpg

We cleaned up the 'new' 2G manifold a bit and ported it a bit extra. Here's what it looks like up to the same 7cm gasket:

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3244.sized.jpg

Looking down the throat of the turbine housing, we saw this mess:
http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3252.sized.jpg

Ugh....so Hughes looks up on my shelf and spies a little jem that I've been waiting throw away for a while, it has literally been in the trash 2-3 times and each time I take it back out, throw it up on a shelf....I guess for this day! I owed chris lunch, and he decided this would be a fair trade instead, a fully ported 7cm turibine housing:

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3245.sized.jpg

It was a little rough, so we cleaned it up and Hughes put a little further porting magic onto it:
http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3249.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3250.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3253.sized.jpg

Then stuck it all together with the o2 housing:

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3246.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3247.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3248.sized.jpg

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

The turbine wheel was a little chewed up, probably from some of that massive carbon build-up on the stock turbine housing chipping off and getting stuck around the outside of the blades :(

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3256.sized.jpg

Everything all buttoned up:
http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3261.sized.jpg

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Now the best part! Tim's donation to the project, a cheap but free-flowing 3" turbo-back exhaust. This was on one of Nash's old 1G's, and we were worried it would not fit well because he was running such a big turbo....but it fit like a freaking glove!

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3266.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3265.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3264.sized.jpg

And the best part, this exhaust totally fits this car:

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3263.sized.jpg

http://www.scheides.com/albums/dynod...3262.sized.jpg

With this exhaust, this car officially sounds like a DSM!

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Also, helping Chris on this project has been really fun, reminds me why having a DSM is so fun, all this little stuff, $100 in mods, and the thing is really starting to feel quick! I don't drive the thing ever but from the passenger seat, 12psi feels freaking strong. Still having some sort of ignition issue so it seems to break-up past 15psi, should be able to run 17-18psi on this setup no problemo.

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

Great pictures!

Yea, that was a very productive day :D The exhaust originally had a huge 5" shiny chrome tip on so we putt Matt D. hard to work hacksawing it off while we ran back and forth to the deal with the retard at the hardware store who is unsure of how bolts and nuts are supposed to function. Thank you again to Tim (not X-Factor, Tim from Owatonna) for the free exhaust, I really appreciate it and it will go to good use! The exhaust seriously fit perfectly. It was a spot on match to the flange of the o2 housing thanks to a 3" to 2.5" neck-down JET fabricated who knows how long ago for Nash. Its actually a pretty decent exhaust. Stainless downpipe with flex and o2 bung, then a mild catback with Magnaflow muffler.

I did a bit more porting on the collector of the 2G exhaust manifold and hogged the wastegate passage out to about as close to the edge of the flapper as possible. It holds 10psi to redline so there are no creep issues here! The welds inside the tubular o2 housing were pretty bad so I spent some time going through that thing cleaning up and smoothing out all the welds and transitions so it would flow as smoothly as possible. Thank you again Andrew for providing those to the project within fund budget!

I warrantied my Autozone front brake rotors and got a new pair of those installed today so it cruises down the highway a bit smoother. I also cleaned my K&N air filter and gapped the spark plugs down to .026". It still misses above 15 psi so thats another thing to look into sometime in the future.

All in all, the car sounds a lot meaner and pulls damn hard for the amount of money I have into this thing!

Again, thank you Scheides, Mark, Matt, Tim, and other Tim! Oh yeah, thank you Turbo for doing whatever it is you spent the day doing, thank you Anna for being out of town, and thank you Ally for suggesting pizza and keeping Janelle company this evening. Hmmmmm.....oh yeah, thanks for all the beer Tim!

Even the trip down to Owatonna to pick up the exhaust in a Subaru Forester was fun. We somehow crammed the whole turboback and 4 people into the car. Matt D. was even lucky enough to ride the whole way back in the trunk ;) Tomorrow in celebration we shall enjoy Chicken & Waffles :)

Re: Laser's $100 Project Thread
 

I replaced one of the coils back when I had the car due to a hesitation under boost. It seemed to fix the problem so I only replaced one of them. Maybe the other one is bad?? The coil I replaced was arcing between the terminals where the plug wires connect.

Did I ever give you the other coils I had laying around? It would be something simple to check.