Ant's Cosmo

[db2boy]

In the fashion of Berty etc starting a dedicated thread to keep my Cosmo updated here instead of separate posts. Back from the UK and completed some more work on her whilst there. Unfortunately I was rushed leaving and didn't get all the photos I wanted but should be able to update at XMas.

Completed on this trip:-

* Fitted front Okuyama/Carbing strut brace
* Fitted rear Okuyama/Carbing strut brace
* Fitted Okuyama/Carbing cooling plate
* Cleaned and re-oiled intake filter (was filthy!)
* Nearly fitted 400x300x85 intercooler but too tight on the inlet/oulet - friend is currently moving inlet/outlets from side to rear similar to stock cooler for me
* Fitted Apexi RSM
* Acquire another broken CCS screen and now have 1 nearly working one (screen fades out/darkens a little need to explore on next trip) but it does work!!!
* Removed a whole load of old 'security' wiring and gadgets
* Purchased set of 18" RE:Amemiya AW7 wheels - 8.5s and 9.5s - yes these are 18" and not the usual 17". Centres are excellent, lips have some damage. Pondering having them repaired or new lips CNCed from scratch
* Finally had a suspension place take apart leaking coilover and fix the leak

Managed to buy an RE:Amemiya Type B ECU too :-D

So another small bunch of items off the list but plenty more to do - fit coil overs, wheels, fit Apexi RSM stand, full fluid and filter change etc for next trip. Still looking to acquire and fit Blitz I-Color too.

All pics here for reference:- http://s714.photobucket.com/albums/ww145/db2boy/Cosmo/

 

[BRIAN_MP5T]

Pretty cool project, I am anti Automatic so it's a shame from my perspective that it is not a manual..

Other than that, it's a massively sexy car.

Keep up the updates...

 

[Berty]

Those wheels are awesome. Good work. Pjman has a set of them and I always have a bit of a drool when I see them. If you are going to the lengths of new lips then get them widened also.

It seems like you are starting to get a good list of aftermarket parts. This is the hardest thing with this car. Even if you are a cheque book-racer you cannot just acquire this stuff. Keep up the good work!

 

[db2boy]

Pretty cool project, I am anti Automatic so it's a shame from my perspective that it is not a manual..

Other than that, it's a massively sexy car.

Keep up the updates...

I have been anti-automatic for years too, then I drove this and couldn't care less with factory'ish setup still. It works so well, so effortlessly and so smooth

 

[db2boy]

Those wheels are awesome. Good work. Pjman has a set of them and I always have a bit of a drool when I see them. If you are going to the lengths of new lips then get them widened also.

It seems like you are starting to get a good list of aftermarket parts. This is the hardest thing with this car. Even if you are a cheque book-racer you cannot just acquire this stuff. Keep up the good work!

Thanks Berty, whilst I know the AW7s well I've not actually seen mine yet but I love the look. Only wheel I would prefer (my favourite) is MS-02s but never seen them bigger than 17. When you say widened are you referring to just the lips? This is more a medium term item on the to do list.

Am trying to collect the right parts as I modify her as tastefully as possible, definitely helps having a Japanese friend in Tokyo although it still hurts the chequebook ;-) I just wish I could get her to the US and spend more time tinkering with her! Thanks for the positive comments.

 

[db2boy]

Comrades,
I have an RE:A Type B ECU coming from Japan and have a couple of questions you might have more experience with:-

1) Does the ECU control boost more accurately or would an R Spec Blitz controller still be a good addition?

2) Any instructions on wiring in the boost switch wiring from the ECU to the AT switch? I think RE:A made a harness to do this. I have asked them but no response from them in 2 weeks.

Ant

 

[frank20bcosmo]

Ant,, Nice work Bro definitely making it your's now with all the additions..
from what I have read on the ECU this ECU lifts the speed limiter, lifts the fuel cut and increases the factory setting on the Turbo's,, when fitted with a larger intercooler you should be knocking on the door of 400 bhp,, however Dave at DMRH did have this set up but also fitted a boost controller to get 9psi out of the turbos..

I have purchased something also,, I will post it up on my thread
Frank

 

[Antoine]

Enjoying an early Christmas are we..?

Excellent start for a project thread...Nice to see all these now hard to find parts getting a new life on your Cosmo including those super sweet rims!

Good point about the boost controller, Berty...I recall reading about that on DMRH. I've been thinking about ECU tuning options for a long time...When the time comes, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go the piggy back route with the HKS F-Con V Pro.

Looking forward to your updates, Ant!

 

[Berty]

Comrades,
I have an RE:A Type B ECU coming from Japan and have a couple of questions you might have more experience with:-

1) Does the ECU control boost more accurately or would an R Spec Blitz controller still be a good addition?

2) Any instructions on wiring in the boost switch wiring from the ECU to the AT switch? I think RE:A made a harness to do this. I have asked them but no response from them in 2 weeks.

Ant

In regards to the boost controller...

So long as your rats nest is in OK condition, the ECU does control boost to some extent. There is a waste-gate duty control solenoid on the intake elbow that (as far as I know) has some role in fattenning the boost curve.

I just tried to go to Dave's site (www.dmrh.com.au) and his posted dyno-graphs but it looks like it is no more

Dave, if you are listening I reckon that there is enough community support to ensure that the site remains hosted.

My experience with the Blitz DSBC and Pan-Speed ECU (Similar to your RE-Amemiya one) is that yes it does bring boost on slightly earlier AND it will attempt to address boost spikes if set correctly. As the ECU already allows you to bypass the wastegate spring pressure of 6psi, I wouldn't bother until you upgrade to some serious turbos.

Sorry but I am not sure about question 2. My Pan Speed unit was only set to one boost setting.

 

[db2boy]

Thanks for the positive comments chaps and suggestions on the controller. I think this trip I will see how she behaves and watch the normal boost gauge currently in and decide if need additional control in current form. Still not managed to make contact with RE:A about the extra harness to switch low/high boost but not given up yet.

Ant

 

[db2boy]

A few things to report from Xmas trip to the UK but afraid no photos due to weather and non-stop running around:-

* RE:A wheels fitted - much more confident stance with the wider rubber and I love the look

* Coilovers fitted - leaking one was repairer. Much firmer ride but with nice dampering over bumps. Need to tweak the dampering next trip, just a little spongy for my liking. The coilovers and the stockers both had AutoEXE springs fitted.

* RE:A ECU fitted - Smoother start and idle, smoother pull and cruising. I do not feel as if I have any more power, I put this down to not boost spiking now as the ECU is controlling the boost much better than stock ECU did and keeping it where it should be.

The interesting aspect of the RE:A is I have the extra wiring for the high/low boost but it doesn't seem to make any difference. I wasn't 100% sure how to wire this as there are 2 wires going to the REDOM board. 1 of them though appears to be a shield wire and not a signal wire - it is braided - there seems to be no reason for a shield wire in this application. I did locate this:-

I connected the 'normal' wire from the ECU boost switch to here and tested that when the EC-AT switch is activated it does switch from 0 -> 12 volts. I confirmed RE:A supplied this harness originally with the 'boost up' option on their ECUs. The braided wire at the REDOM board did pin out to the ground pins for the ECU, all I can think is I can try grounding that braided wire separately but don't see that it would make any difference? Anyone ever wired up the RE:A 'boost up' wiring and seen a difference in boost? Maybe by running non-sequential I'm not seeing it.

I think next jobs will be:-

* Getting the larger inter cooler fitted and piping.
* Dual solenoid boost controller
* Redo exhaust as its not as good as it could be running up the car

Rgds

Ant

 

[db2boy]

Completed some new tasks:-

* New larger intercooler
* New larger alloy radiator
* New auto transmission cooler
* Fitted Blitz boost controller with water temp and oil pressure
* Replaced the TWS unit with a refurbished one from Japan

I have a few questions that have come out of this work, :-

1) The 56 ohm resistor that goes into the exhaust temp sensor - Is this the connector under the car that is attached to a bracket towards the front of the auto box? The pipes no longer run into the pre-cat which is long gong and this is the only connector I can see that once had something connected to it. I put the resistor here and it does seem to have leaned out my very rich idle and smoothed it out.

2) Idle temp of rad sits around 80-87 degrees C, from memory of my FD and the Cosmo thermostat this seems about right?

3) My idle previously was high and lumpy. I suspect the TWS and possibly the resisistor as above might have now helped this a lot. But the idle is now very low and she is struggling, what is the correct way to adjust? Screw on top of throttle body?

4) I cant currently fit the top single wire sensor in the rad (water level?). Dash light is obviously on. Does this affect the idle or cause ECU to enter limp mode?

5) Still topping the cooling up, whats the best way to bleed the system?

Thanks for the help, once I get these few things ironed out I'll take some pics

Ant

 

[rodneooo]

1) u can get the exhaust temp wires from under the driver seat. if u did from under the car, u should be able to trace it to under the drivers seat.
2) spot on!
3) are you referring to a neutral idle or drive idle? yes there for fine adjust, and also the throttle plate stop adjust screw.
4) this wont affect anything except a warning light on your dash.
5) cut the bottom of a bottle. seal the bottle to the rad filler. fill with water/ coolant and let the engine warm up at idle - 2000 rpm. you will see all the bubbles comming out as it warms. Also heater on the whole time. make sure your coolant recovery bottle is hooked up right way around or u will never have a full system.

 

[db2boy]

Thanks Rodneooo:-

1) Not traced for now but the connector I used definitely reduced the eye burning on idle!

2) Great. Now I can monitor water temp it does increase rapidly on load. I see it quickly rise from high 80s/low 90s to over 100 on the motorway and under boost. At what point should I start to be concerned?

3) Neutral. Is the throttle plate adjuster the one built into the throttle cable on the Cosmo?

4) I saw on Bertys thread he has the exact same radiator and problem. I will look for adaptor or follow his lead on tapping the bung that is there

5) Thanks I got there in the end

 

[db2boy]

Update on the work now completed:-

* New larger intercooler
* New larger alloy radiator
* New transmission cooler
* Resistor in connector for original pre-cat temperature sensor
* Refurbished TWS from Japan fitted - niggly things like chimes, auto door lock, gear selector indicator etc now working nicely. Might be imagining it but dash seems overall brighter too
* Blitz i-color EBC with water temp and oil temp fitted

Some updated pics here:- http://s714.photobucket.com/user/db2boy/library/Cosmo

I'm back in the US so she is at friends workshop for the next few weeks having the following completed:-

* All fluids, filters, belts etc changed
* Turbos off and proper non-sequential conversion completed and removal of rats nest and un-required parts
* Air pump removal (anyone know if I need any resistors or anything to fool the ECU? Running an RE:A ECU)
* Waiting on injector o-rings etc from Japan to clean and flow injectors

Next major improvement will be big brakes on the front, eyeing the K-Sports at the moment as they are bolt on kit. Once brakes
are done I'll start pondering ECU and single turbo.

Rgds

Ant

 

[db2boy]

Had the second lot of work above completed amongst a few other bits such tank cleaned out, new fuel pump... Having the stalling issue now at idle and blowing black smoke on idle but she isn't smelling rich. The rats nest and all unneccessaries are now cleaned off including the air pump. The solenoid connectors have the resistors in them. Does the air pump connector also need a resistor to prevent the ECU being upset?

Any any thoughts on what can cause this? Going to have to swap the RE:A ECU out for the stock and pull error codes I think!

Ant

 

[FCJay]

How heavy is the smoke? My FC has all emissions off the car and it slightly blows black smoke. You can't really tell unless you're looking at it from above on a light ground. Maybe the smoke is just the product of the emissions removal.

 

[db2boy]

How heavy is the smoke? My FC has all emissions off the car and it slightly blows black smoke. You can't really tell unless you're looking at it from above on a light ground. Maybe the smoke is just the product of the emissions removal.

It's on hard run with plus 0.5 psi of boost. Definitely black/brown cloud out the back as things start approaching rapidly in front! I did all the same mods to my FD and never had this. Had a skyline fuel pump fitted and no regulator yet, wondering if even with the voltage drop on the oem wiring if it's too much.



Played with idle and stopped it on idle. Although need to work out what controls idle on cosmo as different arrangements to FD.

Ant

 

[db2boy]

Another little update. Smoking has gone, suspect it was residual oil from the turbo pack being removed. Idle is still not as smooth as I'd like but better, will order new water and air temp sensors next and alternator and battery.

Fixed the auto steering wheel on key insert/removal. Wires to the contacts in the little box on the steering column had become disconnected, quick re-solder and all good. Following pics show the contacts and the box under the column - pop the cover off to expose the contacts. The little white pin pushes on the contacts when the key is inserted to complete the circuit and lower wheel; reverse is true when removing the key.

<a href="http://s714.photobucket.com/user/db2boy/media/Cosmo/2013-09-22144638_zps00102ecd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww145/db2boy/Cosmo/2013-09-22144638_zps00102ecd.jpg" border="0" height="663" width="884" alt=" photo 2013-09-22144638_zps00102ecd.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s714.photobucket.com/user/db2boy/media/Cosmo/2013-09-22144647_zpsb6ac3fef.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww145/db2boy/Cosmo/2013-09-22144647_zpsb6ac3fef.jpg" border="0" height="663" width="884" alt=" photo 2013-09-22144647_zpsb6ac3fef.jpg"/></a>

Removed the Apexi RSM, with the Blitz i-color installed it was redundant as both can display speed yet the Blitz naturally does MPH. The Bitz is rock solid on holding boost exactly as programmed and is so far very impressive in addition to the additional sensors and warnings set up. Only running on the auto settings for boost control for now and not played with the manual and speed/rpm/scamble settings as the auto with a little tinkering with the gain has been excellent.

The Transmax-Z fluids in the box have definitely improved the smoothness and less jumpy shifts on the box, very impressed with the difference here too; highly recommended.

Ant