97 Rotrex HPDE Build
#22
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Not sure about the Rotrex oil cooler. Assume that oil system is separate from the engine's? What's the target temperature for the oil? Since that oil is part of the induction system (and you don't want to heat inlet air), I'm thinking the target temp for that is cooler than for the radiator?
#23
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I called TDR as soon as pics of their bracketry hit the internet and they said they would get back to me as soon as they had production parts ready to go. IF they had actually called me back, I'd have kept the Rotrex. You are absolutely right, the TDR setup is far, far superior to the KW and probably worth the couple hundred bucks I'm sure they'll want for it.
Or it looks like you could just build your own
The pump you got from me should be a 190HP rather than the regular 190. It "should" be able to handle whatever you can throw at it. It's a bit noisy but I've never met a Walbro that wasn't.
Looking good man, I want to see what this thing will do. You still in CA or moved to CO yet?
Or it looks like you could just build your own
The pump you got from me should be a 190HP rather than the regular 190. It "should" be able to handle whatever you can throw at it. It's a bit noisy but I've never met a Walbro that wasn't.
Looking good man, I want to see what this thing will do. You still in CA or moved to CO yet?
#24
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Yeah the TDR looks real nice, but I'll run this KW kit for now as it seems to have been cured... 2 hours and no belt issues- new record!
It feels good so far- with a clutch dump I can easily spin through first gear. Couldn't get close before. I'm going to need to make some det cans so I can start messing with timing. And buy that 75mm pulley. And install the new head. And build a block. And switch to E85. Ahh ****.
Packing up this week, so progress will be slow for a while.
It feels good so far- with a clutch dump I can easily spin through first gear. Couldn't get close before. I'm going to need to make some det cans so I can start messing with timing. And buy that 75mm pulley. And install the new head. And build a block. And switch to E85. Ahh ****.
Packing up this week, so progress will be slow for a while.
#25
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Made it to the track in Colorado (High Plains Raceway)... Car ran great except it would warm up after a few laps going full tilt. Will be buying a radiator and making some duct work soon. Pretty happy that the car and my tune actually worked the whole day without issue (other than the cooling system). Belt stayed put and seems fine. The car pulls dead even with my dad's 350z, so that is good. Maybe 160whp at this altitude?
On another note, track days in Colorado are way more laid-back and different than Southern California- no point by needed, pass anywhere, two run groups (slow and fast), and only 2 miata's! There was a chump car race the next day, so there were plenty of shitty cars out there.
Video: me harassing my Dad in the 350z, then I had to slow down at the end due to rising water temp:
On another note, track days in Colorado are way more laid-back and different than Southern California- no point by needed, pass anywhere, two run groups (slow and fast), and only 2 miata's! There was a chump car race the next day, so there were plenty of shitty cars out there.
Video: me harassing my Dad in the 350z, then I had to slow down at the end due to rising water temp:
#28
Looking at picking up a rotrex setup once i get back to the states. appreciate reading the thread for some ideas. right now I've got a 99 with an 04 vvt engine stuffed in it, that's been a pain to sort out. Trying to figure out which MegaSquirt system will be best to control it all to get the VVT going and fitting a supercharger to it.
Glad to here the rotrex seems to be working out. It seems like such a livable kit - keeping it mostly a daily driver with a goal of few track days.
Glad to here the rotrex seems to be working out. It seems like such a livable kit - keeping it mostly a daily driver with a goal of few track days.
#29
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Back at it...
I ordered the smaller diameter (80mm) pulley from Skunk 2. Interestingly they don't make the 80mm 4-rib pulley anymore (mobius has one on his car) and sent me a 7-rib pulley. I installed it, started the car and watched the belt jump around between the middle ribs. Called Skunk 2, and they said yeah the 7-rib is correct and should work fine on the miata kit. Sure.
25 miles in:
The ribs on the belt are all shredded all over the engine compartment. The belt looks fine though and isn't slipping or jumping off the pulley, and it moves around less with the ribs shredded off. I'll run it until failure, then figure something else out. I can't seem to get the belt to stop jumping around with any combo of flat/domed pulleys or spacing adjustments. The car is definitely faster though
Also- waitingimpatiently for my Trackspeed radiator and a bushing kit...
Yes- it is lots of fun.
Not sure on IATs on the track-I wasn't logging at that point. I need to do some more logging and tuning... haven't heard any detonation yet, and at this point I don't really care- the engine is coming out soon, and I'll get the new one properly dyno tuned by someone who knows what they're doing. Lots of oil drops blow out the tailpipe (and make stains on the driveway) when it's sitting and idling. Not sure what that means- rings/valve seals???? It doesn't burn the oil (no oil smoke), more like it just passes out the tailpipe.
I'd suggest a Rev built ms3 whatever. You're gonna spend a lot regardless... Just get the best one so you don't have to go back and replace it down the road.
Rotrex is pretty good for regular driver/occasional track day, but there is NO torque. The car feels like stock until about 4500 rpm.
I ordered the smaller diameter (80mm) pulley from Skunk 2. Interestingly they don't make the 80mm 4-rib pulley anymore (mobius has one on his car) and sent me a 7-rib pulley. I installed it, started the car and watched the belt jump around between the middle ribs. Called Skunk 2, and they said yeah the 7-rib is correct and should work fine on the miata kit. Sure.
25 miles in:
The ribs on the belt are all shredded all over the engine compartment. The belt looks fine though and isn't slipping or jumping off the pulley, and it moves around less with the ribs shredded off. I'll run it until failure, then figure something else out. I can't seem to get the belt to stop jumping around with any combo of flat/domed pulleys or spacing adjustments. The car is definitely faster though
Also- waiting
Not sure on IATs on the track-I wasn't logging at that point. I need to do some more logging and tuning... haven't heard any detonation yet, and at this point I don't really care- the engine is coming out soon, and I'll get the new one properly dyno tuned by someone who knows what they're doing. Lots of oil drops blow out the tailpipe (and make stains on the driveway) when it's sitting and idling. Not sure what that means- rings/valve seals???? It doesn't burn the oil (no oil smoke), more like it just passes out the tailpipe.
Looking at picking up a rotrex setup once i get back to the states. appreciate reading the thread for some ideas. right now I've got a 99 with an 04 vvt engine stuffed in it, that's been a pain to sort out. Trying to figure out which MegaSquirt system will be best to control it all to get the VVT going and fitting a supercharger to it.
Glad to here the rotrex seems to be working out. It seems like such a livable kit - keeping it mostly a daily driver with a goal of few track days.
Glad to here the rotrex seems to be working out. It seems like such a livable kit - keeping it mostly a daily driver with a goal of few track days.
Rotrex is pretty good for regular driver/occasional track day, but there is NO torque. The car feels like stock until about 4500 rpm.
#31
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I think the belt issues have been sorted, but I haven't gotten enough miles on it to confirm. I ended up with a smaller belt and adjusted the alignment some more. Seems like the belts are stretching quite a bit after a few miles- the first belt worked for a while, then stretched until the ribs were touching each other and teh tensioner pulley was about hitting the idler pulley.
Same timing map, seems fine- are you looking at a megasquirt?
Same timing map, seems fine- are you looking at a megasquirt?
#32
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The Gates kevlar belts will stretch much less.
You can get Gates' catalog online from their website and then get the belts from Amazon. For example the belt for my car with PS and AC is K040517RB for the kevlar version (the RB at the end designates kevlar vs non-kevlar).
Hope it's all worked out now. Maybe Jackson Racing will have useful pulley sizes in 4-rib belts now that Skunk2 has exited the arena.
You can get Gates' catalog online from their website and then get the belts from Amazon. For example the belt for my car with PS and AC is K040517RB for the kevlar version (the RB at the end designates kevlar vs non-kevlar).
Hope it's all worked out now. Maybe Jackson Racing will have useful pulley sizes in 4-rib belts now that Skunk2 has exited the arena.
#33
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As much as I'm sure you don't want to throw more money at the problem, it might be worth a call to Jackson Racing just to see if you can get pricing on the new mounting apparatus. Just tell them you are done dealing with KW and I'm sure they would be willing to help out.
**** man, I feel bad that you are still having trouble with it :(
**** man, I feel bad that you are still having trouble with it :(
#34
As much as I'm sure you don't want to throw more money at the problem, it might be worth a call to Jackson Racing just to see if you can get pricing on the new mounting apparatus. Just tell them you are done dealing with KW and I'm sure they would be willing to help out.
**** man, I feel bad that you are still having trouble with it :(
**** man, I feel bad that you are still having trouble with it :(
__________________
#35
In response to asking about an 80mm pulley for my kit, JR told me:
Hi Tommy,
You will need to contact Kraftwerks for any information on their products.
Regards,
--
Jackson Racing Sales
sales@jacksonracing.com
Hi Tommy,
You will need to contact Kraftwerks for any information on their products.
Regards,
--
Jackson Racing Sales
sales@jacksonracing.com
#36
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I believe Emilio and I are talking about the same thing: replacing the entire mounting apparatus, idlers & pulleys.
I would not expect that the JR and KW parts would be interchangeable at all, and thats pretty much what JR Sales said in that email, just not in so many words
I would not expect that the JR and KW parts would be interchangeable at all, and thats pretty much what JR Sales said in that email, just not in so many words
#37
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Thanks for all the advice- Mobius I'll get one of those sweet non-stretchy belts and see how that works.
I think I'm sorted otherwise. This belt/setup seems to be staying put and not shredding itself...
I think I'm sorted otherwise. This belt/setup seems to be staying put and not shredding itself...
#39
The Gates kevlar belts will stretch much less.
You can get Gates' catalog online from their website and then get the belts from Amazon. For example the belt for my car with PS and AC is K040517RB for the kevlar version (the RB at the end designates kevlar vs non-kevlar).
Hope it's all worked out now. Maybe Jackson Racing will have useful pulley sizes in 4-rib belts now that Skunk2 has exited the arena.
You can get Gates' catalog online from their website and then get the belts from Amazon. For example the belt for my car with PS and AC is K040517RB for the kevlar version (the RB at the end designates kevlar vs non-kevlar).
Hope it's all worked out now. Maybe Jackson Racing will have useful pulley sizes in 4-rib belts now that Skunk2 has exited the arena.
#40
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Kraftwerks started substituting the Gates Micro-V (black) belts for the Racing Blue belts in later kits. They even charged me for Blues and sent blacks when I bought replacement parts, claiming "these are the belts you need to run now"
I always felt the Goodyear Gatorback belts were much better than the Gates Micro-V belts, but I kept buying Micro-V's from O'Reilly because lifetime replacement. Once I got it sorted, I went back to Blues.
I always felt the Goodyear Gatorback belts were much better than the Gates Micro-V belts, but I kept buying Micro-V's from O'Reilly because lifetime replacement. Once I got it sorted, I went back to Blues.