[Car_Upgrade] Yet Another Mi16 1.9 Build

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Ah. Yes and no. The Epas requires a speed pulse input as well as a torque signal.The latter comes from a sensor built into the column. It did not have the former, so used a pulse generator which is adjustable via a small potentiometer . This tricks the ecu into working at a fixed set speed which is determined by the pot setting and then responding just to torque input . Now I have a live speed input for the dash, I can use that signal to feed the Epas ecu  . The advantage is that the ecu will give maximum assistance at zero speed and progressively reduce assistance as speed rises. At the moment, all I can do is to  turn the pot down at parking speed and turn it up once moving. In practice, I used to leave it set  in a particular position  ( high speed) and live with slightly heavy steering when parking .

[SRDT 146]

Using the 4 wheel studs as the sensor trigger may be a problem at very low speeds if the dash is expecting the signal to come from some ABS ring.

With only a few pulses per revolution you will have a speed of zero at the dash while still moving. Maybe the Epas ecu won't like it.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

The Stackdash fitting details suggest that 4 pulse per Rev will be an adequate trigger. However. I will try it and see how slowly I can rotate the hub and still get a reading on the dash as all is now wired and operational. As for the EPAS, using the speed sensor input will be a nice thing to do, but not at the top of my ‘to go’ list. I really want now to build the engine, as I have all the bits, head assembled and shimmed . I wanted to get all this wiring sorted first as it is so much easier to do with an empty engine bay .Thanks for your input. It has prompted me to go and check !

Andy

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Engine in . Only hanging on it’s mounts but at least it is no longer on the engine stand 

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

The good news. The manifold cleared with room to spare, so complete exhaust installed. I thought I would then just drop in my brand new GTi6 alternator.  Dead easy , until I trial fitted my Baker BM radiator . Not so smug now.Alternator fouled on the rad. Modification to clear the radiator done, then thought I would trial fit the bodies again. Bother. Alternator fouled the bodies . Plan ‘c’ is a 205gti alternator with a slightly unconventional alternator mounting, but everything now fits .

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

At 2.00pm this afternoon that alternator mount lookwd o.k . At 8.00pm this evening I am less convinced. There is not enough resistance to twisting in the two mounting points, so a bit more thought required. 

[welshpug 1,621]

that looks a bit weird!

 

alternator should be bolted to the bottom section with the adjuster running from the top lug, still plenty of space (I say should, that's how the standard S16 alternator is mounted}

the adjuster bolt is 205 and the slotted flat bar is one I made, some 11 years ago

 

[Tom Fenton 1,524]

I reckon you can make that work Andy with a bit of re engineering.

Rose joints make things easy in terms of adjustability and misalignment, but as I think you have decided, they are crap in this application as they provide no constraint against lateral movement.

Some sort of slotted solid adjuster I think will be much better and stop the alternator flapping.

I would add I think you are right that the current arrangement is no good, a mate of mine with a 16v TU race car that revs to 9k rpm had a similar arrangement, all it ever did was throw the belt off.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Alternator update. I will not bore you with plans ‘d’ and ‘e’ but go straight to plan ‘f’. This one reverts to the Gti6 alternator and uses its original lower mounting point on what remains of the Gti6 engine/alternator / power steering pump bracket. This gives a degree of lateral location. The upper mounting is a rose jointed adjuster operating almost vertically. I take your point Tom about making a slotted bracket which would be an even better way of adjusting  as it would give added lateral location.However, now the bottom mounting is o.e , I hope that this will be sufficient. As for your method Mei, yes, it is great , but a combination of my Satchell inlet and ATR bodies and my Baker BM radiator mounted on a modified o.e plastic housing ( which will have two fans ) means that there is not enough room to do it your way.Mind you, I do not have an o.e S16 alternator mounting. That might have made the job easier , but hey ho. 

[Tom Fenton 1,524]

I see why you are having a problem now, the standard fan cowl. Ditch this and the big rad moves forward quite a bit. 

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Yep. I can do that, but then have to fiddle on trying to arrange a mount for the grill. The cowl also makes a nice home for the fans, rather than strapping them to the rad or fabricating mounting brackets for the fans . I am also thinking of making a new upper rail to replace the slam panel, as the latter will only fit if I cut lumps out of it . It looks a bit of a mess . There is another problem with mounting the rad on the lower panel( where it is intended to go ) and that is that the bottom hose is then tight up against the lower corner of the upright , making it almost impossible the get the hose on . In other words, the Baker BM rad is very nice but does not fit very easily . 

[Tom Fenton 1,524]

I’ve fitted a couple of them now, for me the whole point is to lose the fan cowl and move the radiator forwards. If you are keeping the fan cowl can’t you use the standard rad? Or a turbo diesel rad?

 

 

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

The Baker rad leaves a nice big gap between its top and the underside of the slam panel , into which pokes the air intake for the bodies . The standard rad fills that gap. I have just checked the Baker rad sitting on the lower rail. Unless I tilt  it back towards the engine, the lower hose connection is completely obscured by the vertical part of the frame that edges the headlamp panel . My 663mm fan belt comes tomorrow, so I will see if that works with my revised alternator location , as if so, I think the alternator will probably be o.k now as it is so well located by its lower mount . If so,  I can then think again about how to mount the rad. Currently I have it bolted to the cowl, which sort of works . What do you do with the slam panel, keep it of replace it with a piece of angle ( or something more elegant) 

[Tom Fenton 1,524]

I think there must be different types of radiator, the first one I fitted went in like a glove, whereas the second one I did have to cut part of the headlamp panel for clearance for the bottom hose.

I keep the slam panel in place, although it’s not much use for the bonnet latch as it isn’t rigid enough so you need to use some other form of catches for the bonnet. The grille I have sorted by making a couple of small brackets that attach to the bumper to pick up the outer two lower “pins”. When the grille is fitted you cannot see them.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

That will be the answer. I have fitted aerocatches  So bonnet closing is sorted. I will give this radiator issue a bit more thought. I might just go o.e and arrange some cold  air ducting for the intake. 

Thanks for your help and advice . Oh, got that coilpack for you when we next meet up .

[petert 549]

Why are you using such a big radiator? I don’t even need that in Australia. Standard is more than adequate.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Hi Peter , the short answer is because I had it. However, the o.e one is quite adequate so I am going to use an o.e one and avoid the above headaches . I will need to think about cool air intake , but that is an easier problem to solve.I have an o.e housing and two fans , and , as you point out, as an o.e one works in Straylia , it must a  Racing  cert in our more temperate climate ( read cool and wet) . In between bike rides, I am cracking on with crankcase ventilation, alternator and starter motor wiring, drive shafts  hubs and discs back in place so just the brakes to bleed and Ican drop the car onto its wheels . Still have an ecu loom to make but it is , as they say, coming on 

[Tom Fenton 1,524]

Andy, I'm interested in the big rad if you are not going to use it, and would consider selling.

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Hi Tom Message sent .

 Andy 

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

More progress. High current wiring in place, fuel lines made and all the instrumentation wiring completed . Crankcase ventilation done via a Mishimoto oil separator . It is possible to plumb in a return to the sump and pcv to the inlet , but I have gone for a filter on the outlet and the potential to drain the separator if required. 

[petert 549]

Where is the oil cooler? It must be friggin' cold at your place.

[jackherer 543]

The summer averages in Derbyshire are about the same as the winter averages in Sydney

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

Hi Peter,

 fair point , but I doubt I will need one . If it turns out that the oil is getting too hot, it will not be difficult to fit a sandwich plate between block and filter and pipe up a cooler 

[Andy 105 1 Cars]

It might not look much, but the loom took me nearly two days to build( not in one go you understand ) . It checks out on my multimeter .Time will tell if it works ! 

[petert 549]

I hear you. Most people have no idea how long it takes to make a quality harness (and repair). Can I see bare wires though?

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by petert