April 2020
28Apr
Drivetrain complete
The 2020 upgrades to the drivetrain are now complete. I've removed the gold tape from the top wishbone since the exhaust doesnt blow directly over it any more. Next I torqued the M8 socket head screws on the CV housings to 25Nm, and then I tried out my new Beta Tools wirelock pliers. The job took me around 20 minutes to do both sides, and the professional tool made my amateurish attempts at wirelocking look acceptable.The upgraded drivetrain now consists of the DJM Motorsport uprated driveshafts, new GKN wide-body trilobe joints and new GKN CV housings. I've also fitted ABS reluctance rings to the output cups to improve the traction and launch control accuracy.
Removing the gold tape from the top wishbone
Upgrades complete
Wirelocking using 0.8mm wire and Beta wirelock pliers
Wirelocking using 0.8mm wire and Beta wirelock pliers
Whats next? Now I can start working on the front wheel speed sensors, to increase their resolution. They have a circular aluminium disk with 8 holes that rotates with the front wheel, so I'll see if I can make a new disk with 16 holes in it, or more, to reduce the distance that the wheel turns per pulse recorded.
27Apr
Output Cups returned
The output cups were returned yesterday, with the reluctance rings machined and fly pressed on to them. I fitted the cups and quickly fabricated a pair of right angle brackets to hold the inductive sensors in position. I ended up with a 1.9mm gap between the teeth and the sensors, since the recommended 2.5mm distance didnt seem to work reliably. I've repogrammed the ECU to expect 44 pulses, and I then refitted the driveshafts using the CV2 grease. The bolts that fasten the outer CV housing to the hubs, need torquing up, and then wire locking, which I'll do tomorrow.
Mazda CX7 reluctance rings fitted to the output cups
XS608B1NAL2 inductive sensor fitted
XS608B1NAL2 inductive sensor fitted
XS608B1NAL2 inductive sensor fitted
25Apr
Suspension reassembled
The suspension is now reassembled, I'm just waiting for the output cups to come back from Altiss so I can relocate the wheel speed sensors and reprogram the ECU for the additional pulses from the reluctance rings. I also finished the wiring in the van, the LED lights in the tailgate and the rear of the van, return to the switch panel behind the drivers seat. With the tailgate open, the lights really light up the floor behind the van, which will make loading up the trailer and van, safer in the dark.
Tailgate lights wired in
Roof lights wired in
Suspension rebuilt with a new pushrod and fresh paint
24Apr
Spray time
I've now resprayed the nearside lower rear wishbone, again to cover all the stone chip damage to the powder coating. Its ready to be refitted this weekend. I've also fitted a pair of LED lights in to the tailgate panel inside the van, which will be wired to the switch panel. I ran a wire inside the rubber cable sleeve that passes the wires from inside the van to the tailgate, so the wires will remain hidden from view. I then wrapped the panel, since it was in such poor condition. I think it looks a lot better with the sticker bomb vinyl on it.
The wrapped door cover with two LED lights fitted
The resprayed nearside lower rear wishbone
Cleaned nearside rear hub
Cleaned nearside rear hub
21Apr
Spraying again
I've resprayed the offside lower rear wishbone, and refitted it. When I took the gold tape off the paint was in very poor condition, it is the original wishbone after all, and before I fitted the diffuser, had suffered lots of stone chips and heat from the exhaust. I've replaced the pushrod too, with one of the freshly painted ones. Both the output cups are away having the reluctance rings fitted. The internal diameter of the rings is being increased, so they can be fly pressed on to the output cups. The first pair of lights are now working in the van's roof panel. I've hidden the wiring by passing it from the roof space, down the cavity leading to the rear inertial reel seatbelt on the drivers side, and I then had to use the 1in. hole punch to allow the cables to pass through a grommet in to the space where I've mounted the switch panel.
The painted lower wishbone and replacement pushrod are fitted.
My calcuations for the number of pulses per second seen by the ECU, with the 44 tooth ring, on the 300/390 rear tyres, at 150mph.
16Apr
Assembling parts
The CV2 grease arrived so I completed the assembly of the near side driveshaft. Thats now fitted back on the car, and waiting for the lock wire to be used on the six bolts. I've now started on the off side driveshaft, and I'll finish that off before the weekend. I've been thinking about how to improve the rear wheel speed sensor, to increase accuracy. They both point at the six bolts on the outer CV joints, which gives poor resolution. ie with 6 pulses per revolution, the wheel travels a fair distance between each pulse. So I've found an ABS reluctance ring from a Mazda CX7 that is 81.4mm ID that should fit over the Hewland output cup, which is 81.35mm OD, with a bit of Loctite to keep it from moving. It has 44 teeth, so if I can position the speed sensor to sit above the ring, I can increase the resolution from 6 pulses to 44 which will make the launch and traction control more accurate. When the ring arrives I'll fit it on the output cup and mock up a bracket to see if it can be made to work.12Apr
Van upgrades
My Van is getting a lot of attention over the Easter break, while I wait for the CV2 grease to arrive. I've Jet Sealed the paint work, cleaned the wheel rims with a strong degreasing solution to get the majority of brake dust off, and cleaned every surface. Looks better now than when I collected it from the VW dealer. I'll fit some airhorns to her next, I've found a new set in the garage during another clearout, and the pile of junk to take to the Refuse Tip is growing daily, which is especially frustrating since they all closed several weeks ago.
11Apr
Driveshaft buttons
Back to the car again, and Nigel at Altiss has made a pair of steel buttons for the driveshaft ends. Thanks again to Nigel for the fast turnaround. I've now got a Beta wire locking tool, ready to wire lock the bolts that hold the trilobe housing to the wheel hubs. Its a reversible tool too, and I'll have a play just as soon as the grease arrives and I can finish off the driveshafts swap.
07Apr
Van electrics
I've fitted a 12V switch panel to the kombi van, and a 240V inverter, which both run from the 12V leisure battery that sits under the drivers seat. I've got some recessed LED lights coming, which will be fitted to the roof lining, and wired in to the switch panel in 3 seperate circuits so I can switch them off in pairs.
06Apr
Fitting the uprated driveshafts
The first of the DJM driveshafts has been trial fitted, replacing the gundrilled Sadev shaft which has been used on the car since 2013. I've replaced the tripode joints with wide body versions, and the Mygale tripode housings, with genuine GKN parts, which are heavier duty and should cope with the extra torque and horse power. The nearside housing was showing signs of wear, so I'll keep them as spares should the replacements ever break. Altiss are machining a pair of aluminium dome head buttons to fit to the end of the DJM driveshafts. When they arrive, I can refit the assemblies with some Redline CV2 grease which is on order.
05Apr
No Anglesey
This weekend should have been the first trip of the year to Anglesey, and with the weather as nice as it is, its doubly frustrating not to be racing around the full international circuit today. :(I've bought an EcuMaster CAN switch board for the steering wheel. Its a CAN connected interface card, that I intend to re-wire the calibration switches on to, thus freeing up the valuable high speed analogue inputs on the X10 expander, so I can refit the suspenion potentiometers and measure suspension travel at 500Hz. I'll remove the ECU from the car and wire the switch board to CAN1 on the bench, and prove that it works before I start modifying the wiring on the car.
CAN switch board is a device that sends information about state of the following channels via CAN Bus:
- 8 switch inputs (switched to ground),
- 8 analog inputs (analog voltages of signals from potentiometers, pressure sensors, resistive sensors, etc)
- 4 low side outputs
CAN switch board can be used to send information from steering wheel buttons and rotary switches, as well as an analog inputs / switches. The module also doubles as a low side output expansion for the ECU or other CAN bus compatible devices.
I've been playing XBOX Forza Motorsport 5 again this week, just so I can drive my EcoBoost FF200, and I decided to try to replicate the vinyl that I have on the car at the moment. I'm not quite finished, and the choice of wheels is rather limited, but I'm pleased with the progress so far. I'll add some Powered by EcoBoost logos today. I've tuned it to have 444bhp, and its a little bit lively without traction control switched on
