IR89 - back in action.

[ImpulseRocket89]

The 4ZC1-T and 4ZE1 distributors are completely interchangable. My stock 2.0L one is currently bolted on to my 2.6.

AFAIK, all of the US spec Impulse Turbos had the optical distributor. I actually have a second one sitting as spare that came with the car. I am thinking about gutting it and using it to adapt/convert an AEM engine position module, which acts as not only a cam sensor but also a crank sensor so I can run sequential injector firing and COP ignition using LS1 coils.
http://www.aemelectronics.com/engine-po ... 9gnks8n046

On the brighter and whiter side of the news. When I wasn't messing around with the shifter stuff, I got the trans bolted to the engine almost the rest of the way and the starter installed (should have done that first lol). Then proceeded to lift the butt end of my car way up in the air.



My "new" transmission mount arrived today, so I am going to get the engine and trans bolted into the car tomorrow.


It's kind of nice having one that isn't completely ripped in half.


Compare that to the original.

[IZU069]

Oh yeah, oil etc and rubber mounts... Yuk!


Not that I've done the Piazza (Belletts are bad enough!), but as I recall, the trick to refitting a Piazza manual box is to rotate (about 90 degrees?) and then twist when in place.
I strongly suspect however that you'll figure out whatever trick is required. (Belletts can allegedly be aided with cursing.)

Thanks too for the Optic dizzy confirmation. (Typical Isuzu interchangeability - just like my 1985 Jackaroo/Rodeo LSD in my 1965 Wasp.)
You lucky you-yous - you have the ITECs!

[ImpulseRocket89]

My trick to the transmissions is to install them with the engine all at once lol. The reason the back the car is way up in the air is for that very reason. It gives a fairly straight shot in, and while you have to juggle with the height and going forward, one I get the trans under the car I place my jack under it and lift it a bit to support it, after that it is generally a pretty straight forward in and done.

[ImpulseRocket89]

Had a little fun today. Now that I got this far, I can at least start to sort through the mess.



I forgot how the darn trans crossmember and mount went together, so I spent a lot of time here.



The nice thing this is, and the reason I bought this car, the corrosion is fairly limited. I noticed a little along the edge of the rockers and a couple of other places, but it is mostly surface rust. I have yet to spot any rust bubbling through anywhere, which is more evidence that this car spent most of its life out of the rust belt.





Even the fuel tank bolts are corrosion free, which is a blessing. The fuel tank is my next project to tackle, as it has had gas sitting in it for a few years now. I plan to drop it and have it professionally cleaned and sealed. Hopefully I can save the sending unit for the fuel gauge, and then install my Walbro pump.



I went ahead and loosely installed the radiator and condensor. Hopefully I still have all of the AC lines hidden here or there, but I don't want to hold out too much hope. the PS lines are in good shape, except for the return had been cut by the previous owner to remove the pump. No big deal there though.



The wiring harness will probably be my next thing to tackle, its a mess on both sides. Since they are visible in the pic. The holes on the outer edge of the top part of the fender, I noticed on the drivers side there were some round pegs/dowels but they are missing on this side, and a couple on the drivers. I am assuming they are some kind of stop for the edge of the hood? Any place I can source these, or another fix to replace them?



Another issue to resolve, if I don't build a different plenum or manifold for the intake. The rotation on the 97 Rodeo single blade throttle is reverse of the stock twin butterfly unit.

[ImpulseRocket89]

I've been ordering some more bits for my car. I figured since I want to restore the car, and I found a few bits for sale cheap... why not! All of that magnificence was in total about half off retail. Including the brand new Bosch water pump ($11) I got the cam blank to ship off for a regrind. Brand new Clevite cam for $73 was hard to turn down. That steering rack was also a bit of a Steal too. $150 with no core. I figured I would get the new one, and have the old one to put new seals and inner tie rods to keep handy as a spare.



Otherwise, I am getting all of my misc odds and ends together in the garage in preparation to move it to its new home so I can start working. I have the funds to buy most everything I need for my build now, so hopefully I can make some new progress on it between classes (going back to school for my engineering degree).

Also have my Megasquirt 3 w/ MS3X, all wiring, sensors, coils for COP, boost control solenoid, and "Mapdaddy" 4bar Map sensor with barometric correction. that just got shipped today. My new (bigger) 7670 EFR Turbo and other goodies ship tomorrow or Monday, as well as the materials for my intake manifold build.

Waiting on my head flanges for the intake and exhaust manifolds to be made.

Feels good that I am this close to making progress.

[ImpulseRocket89]

Tore down my spare distributor, and It is an optic one.


I would love to utilize this with a megasquirt and run sequential. It would save me quite a bit of time and money.

My question is, how do people block 3 of those 4 holes. Do they even have to block them?

[ImpulseRocket89]

Never mind, I found a $28 solution to the optical disc that works with the megasquirt. Once I get confirmation back from DIYAutotune about their 50 and 54mm trigger discs for Nissan applications my problems will be solved.

The optical is the same unit used on the VG30E/L28ET Nissans/Datsuns as is the 54mm disc diameter, but the spacing of the slots seems to suit the 50mm disc more. I am going to send them my disc so they can compare it for me and figure out which would be appropriate, or maybe even make me one for this specific application.

Yes, there will be a loss of resolution since those discs are essentially run as a 12-1 crank signal and 1 tooth cam, but the megasquirt 3 cannot support the 360/4 slot pattern of the factory wheel. (This is the same slot pattern on the factory nissans)

In either case it would be the same resolution as that AEM EPM, and cost me about 10 times less. Score!

[IZU069]

That's the beauty of that optical set-up having chosen a "magical number" or whatever they used to call it (eg, 60 minutes to the hour, 12 hours a day, 360 degrees to a circle) - you can subdivide to all but a few of the common CAS combinations.

Of course the megasquirt should be able to be modified, or is that now part of the code they have locked up?

I figured liquid paper to block off the holes. But anything that stays on and isn't thick enough to foul the sensor's slot.

Sequential is easy - block 3 of the 4 inner holes.
Of course, only the outer slots are needed if the ECU coding is right. (And a CAS isn't even needed of the coding is even better - just the normal 4 timing marks - ie, a normal dizzy.)


It's a pity not to be able to utilise the 360 slots for normal 2° crank resolution, or 1° if using both slot edges.
IMO the 360 slots makes for a better limp home mode where the fall-back is a simple counter (no need for interactive calculations) as well as better timing certainty (for those that argue uneven rotation speed).

BTW, some of the "non-divisible" OEM or commercial timing disc combinations are solved by using both edge detection on the 360 slots. And that dizzy type is not uncommon, I have one from a Nissan EXA turbo. Whilst their outer 360 slots are always(?) the same (namely 360 evenly spaced 50% slots), they often vary their inner slots - ie, slot length varies between vehicles; one slot or 4 slots; one slot may be a different length, etc.


And your 4ZE1 dizzy should be from a Trooper - ie, bottom 2x2 spade connector?
The Rodeo (pick up) version should have the side mounted 4x1 connector (common with Mitsubishi Magna dizzies, and various vehicle AFMs etc).

[ImpulseRocket89]

This isn't a 4ze1 dizzy. This is my spare 4ZC1-T distributor.

No idea what you are talking about with the connector. The one on the factory 2.0T here is a bottom connected 4 wire, colors Red, white, green, black. - The same as the early 54mm Nissan/Datsun units.

I did have an idea for blocking and modifying the outer ring slits to make it read as a missing tooth wheel in combination with the single slot inner... but for the amount of effort involved this $28 option is fine by me.

[IZU069]

Sorry! YTF did I think you mentioned you had a 4ZE1 optical? D'oh!

But the guts of the Piazza G200W optical dizzies look the same and I know their modules are exchangeable with the Jackaroo/Trooper 4ZE1 guts - same 3 mounting hole positions and bottom 2x2 rectangular spade connector. The twincam GW optical modules do have visible electronics under a conformal coating, but that's the only difference. eg:

Courtesy of Tridon.

Some Rodeos use the same module but I have also seen the 4x1 side-exit type that I mentioned earlier. That may have been a later model, and maybe later Jackaroos also changed. eg:

Courtesy of Tridon.

When I finally build my flywheel timed ignition/EFI I should solve everyone's timing problems, and avoid cam belt/chain slack to boot! (I started that in 1988 LOL!)

[ImpulseRocket89]

So essentially with either dizzy the new optical disc should work. That is good to know.

Small update... I went on a buying spree lol. Three more companies to contact about some custom parts, but most of my turbo, fuel, and EMS systems are on the way, as well as the goodies to make my intake manifold. Custom radiator, pistons, and under drive crank pulley are the big custom parts left to order.

I also ordered some goodies from Thomas4parts as well. One of his Chromoly rodeo flywheels and MLS head gasket. I have to send him off a cam gear so he can make one of his adjustable units for me...unless one of you Aussies wants to sell me one you have on hand and ship it to him for me

[Piazza_man]

You've made some excellent purchases there. I too have a keen interest on that billet chrome-molly flywheel and adjustable cam gear. But I would have thought they have can gears ready to go instead of what was asked of you. Would you know how much lighter the billet flywheel is compared to standard?

Some months ago isuzuperformance was one selling one of tge last remaining sets of under drive pulleys on eBay but it was for the JT series or Gemini. Can't remember. Anyway I emailed the seller and he said they don't any for the JR and would cost around 10 large to tool up and manufacture a minimum quantity. Needless to say that idea got canned quickly, but I'd like to know about who are doing your pulleys.

[ImpulseRocket89]

Via e-mail:
"Hi Daniel

The 95mm gaskets are coming in the next 2 to 3 weeks , i just sold the last one the other day

The cam gears are done when i receive the old gears from customers , they are real slack at doing that by the way

Flywheel are available , I weighed the one i have done and it weighs 6.3 kgs

Cheers Lee"

That should tell you about the cam gears. lol.

As far as the flywheel goes. The factory 4Z flywheels all weigh in around 10kg or 22-23lbs, give or take. The chromoly version he made is 6.3kg, or 13.9lbs for those of us on the standard system. IMHO, that is the perfect weight for a lightweight flywheel for a vehicle being used as a road/track machine.

As far as the custom pulley goes, I am having one made by Paeco. http://www.paeco.com/Aluminum%20Pullies.htm

This is the same company, I believe, that Isuzuperformance used to have theirs made. It is also the same company that produced Soren's crank pulley. Shown below (this is a 4zc1-T pulley).


Soren wasn't very specific, but he said that pulley was around a 30% under drive. I was going to request around a 20-25% for mine. He also said that the new pulley weighed around 2lbs, which is a lot lighter than stock. Not only is this a huge decrease in mass, but the reduced diameter also decreases moment of inertia thanks to the smaller diameter and reduction in mass from the outer edge where most of the weight is. Combine the two together and this will make a big difference on reducing parasitic loss.

Cost will be around $380 USD, but I will know for sure when I get a call back from them. I have to go retrieve my radiator to be sent off to Ron Davis for my custom one as well as my stock crank pulley to ship off.

If you are looking to buy one in the next few weeks I could request two be built. I was considering getting one done that just ran the AC and alternator (two grooves) since I do not plan on running PS, but I may just get all three. You could have yours done however you would like. Just let me know if you would like to get in on it and we can work out details.

[ImpulseRocket89]

I make that offer, because otherwise you will have to ship your factory pulley off for them to make a copy. Since I have to do that anyway to have mine made, they could easily whip up two of them at the same time. This would save you a little dead time and having to risk your stock pulley being potentially lost in overseas shipping.

I also upped my turbo factor too.

I am still not aiming for the stratosphere (700+hp), but I figured the Borg Warner 7670 EFR, 1.05 Twin Scroll external wastegate. is a little more ambitious than my old 5431 billet wheel precision.

From everything I have seen, the 7670 spools like a GT30R, but makes power similar to a GT35R. Rated at 64lb/min, but I have already seen a couple examples push in the high 500's and low 600's.

I decided to go with a high boost (30psi) E85 build, which is why I had to re-order my fuel system. 1600cc injectors and a more capable pressure regulator. I also ordered one of the new 450lph E85 rated Walbro in-tank fuel pumps. I do plan on upping the fuel lines to AN-8 feed and re-doing the return line in AN-6 (same size as stock).

My overall goal for power is to get as close to 600rwhp as I can. Which should be more than sufficient to kill me.

[Piazza_man]

Freakin awesome m8. Now your cookin' (on E85 no less ) BTW pm sent at the same time you posted you latest thread. You may have answered a couple questions for me.