Now THAT'S a banana rod!

--Ian

 

that's probably the best failure you could have had.

 

Yep.

Pat called the exact situation early on from the video.

That is a serious banana rod.

I am super lucky, looks like everything is useable except the stuff we usually toss anyway. I largely credit this community for my ability to safely bend connecting rods in this fashion.

 

Wow, you were laying down the exact right amount of torque. Amazing. @18psi or @shuiend one of you mods needs to make that banana rod into SotH's profile pic. I know you wield that power.

Is that a banana in your engine or are you just happy to have not broken anything?

 

I mean, I have no problem with this, give me a couple days. Although I am guessing that you don't mean instead of the puppy pic.
And, yes.

 

Finally cooled down a bit so I finally made some moar progress. Head studs torqued to 60ft/lbs, intake manifold torqued to 17ft/lbs and cam caps torqued to 100​​​​ Inch pounds. The machine shop forgot a couple of the broken bolts, they were very apologetic and got them all out for me. They did beautiful work and even got all my valve clearances right by telling them the original clearances. T&G machine shop in San Rafael, I will use them for my next motor.

Hey Nigel, do you have any of these cushions? They are my favorite, I can probably use new adapter to fuel rail o rings. Let me know, I will send you some cash.

 

I used T&G for a coupe of heads. They corrected mine the last go around. Glad you found em.

Looks like you're getting pretty close. Tons of time left in the racing season. Look forward to seeing you out there again Carlos.

 

You got it! I'll shoot you over my top secret v3 upgrade too

 

I can't wait, thanks guys!

I am sick of replacing these lower timing covers. They also seem to shed plastic strings on to my CAS, eventually leading to CEL P0335 or something like that, random misfire. This is my solution this time, we will see how I like it.

I also popped the little bushing out of the AC bracket for a spacer, in case anyone is wondering.

 

These are so pretty, too bad they get hidden away.

I finally tried the new FF fuel rail spacers that Nigel sent me, too bad they aren't the same color. I never had any complaints before, but the fit is so nice with the spacers. Good job Nigel and Andrew.

So I never was happy with this hose, I think it is currently reversed. The one with the white dots. I am considering reversing it because I was never happy with the floppy side near the belts. I think I can shorten it some too, but wonder if I am forgetting something it's supposed to go around.

Actually it looks like I have the floppy side about to dangle in the alternator belt

 

Personally, I deleted that hose, along with the one that goes from the throttle body to oil warmer and oil warmer to the back of the head.

--Ian

 

Do put it back for reasons?

 

I ran mine from the front to the oil warmer (didn't wanna delete that) but also bypassed the tb. totally not needed unless you live in crazy cold climate

 

I flipped it and cut the longer end so it won't wobble so much. I will leave it connected for a few more months. The guys around here tend to be fussy. I could see them saying "Dewd, yer missing 2 hoses to your throttle body." Then when I bring it back, "Those aren't emissions hoses" with me like "Dewd, there's freaking water in those hoses."

 

It's probably for throttle plate icing, I'll let you google that.

I know exactly what you mean about the inspection guys. I failed a visual because I had the 2 rotrex oil lines, with caps on them, tucked out of the way in my engine bay. Dude at the shop refused to touch the car because he didn't know what they were.

If you are committed to deleting them, rip out the steel nipples with heat & vice grips, then drill and tap the holes for NPT and stick some nice stainless plugs in the holes. Done and done.

 

Exactly right. If it was the right temp outside that moisture in the air didn't freeze, and you were cruising for a long period of time at high vacuum, the throttle body could get cold enough to ice up. So mazda ran the water lines though it to heat it and guarantee that never happens. Most delete the hoses with no ill effect, myself included. But it's always how here in TX.

 

Well, I have good oil pressure, and I got a sputter and a few pops. It wouldn't start though, I think I need to up my cranking pulse, but I ran the battery down getting oil pressure. Oh well, I have a nice cranking and sputtering log to look at, the battery is on the charger.

 

Hazzah! Good luck!!

 

Charged the battery overnight, started right up, like nothing ever happened.

 

Put the first 17 miles on it, zero leaks so far. Runs almost perfect, like nothing ever happened, maybe just a few tweaks to my VE table in the cruise area. It doesn't get much better than this.
Brought it up to 4 grand and about 10psi then put some vacuum from 4 grand down. Oil still crystal clear, I have to work in about an hour. I will probably increase my RPM and load over the next few days, then get some real oil in there. Next race is only a week and a half away.