Ricktalife's EPIC fails and maybe a build thread too

[Ricktalife]

Paid it off and had the oil changed today. Now that I will have an extra $300 per month laying around plus the money that I won't be spending on mods, I can start saving some of it. I've been looking at buying a newer or maybe even brand new WRX, but I definitely want to save some money first so I can make a down payment either way. However, I still have this EMS-4 that is fully assembled and begging to be installed on my car... so considering I am going to lose my ass on it, I just might go ahead and install it until I'm ready to sell the car. I probably won't bother with a dyno tune, since I sold the EBC and don't feel like shelling out even more cash on it.

Decisions, decisions..

 

[SeR_Cyclops]

Your still in college so my recommendation would be to get the protege drivable how you want it with the parts you have. Don't spend any more money on it and when you get out of college and get a job, purchase what you want.

 

[mazdaspeedp]

Would you sell the ems-4?

 

[Ricktalife]

Your still in college so my recommendation would be to get the protege drivable how you want it with the parts you have. Don't spend any more money on it and when you get out of college and get a job, purchase what you want.

Yea I'm just a little worried that with the bad luck I have had with this car, the next thing to go out will be the motor. It's the only thing I haven't replaced yet lol. Also, I'm trying to think ahead because after school is over I will have a s*** load of student loans to pay back. So if I can get a decent car and have it paid off by the time I graduate or maybe shortly after, it would probably work better. Who knows, I'm still up in the air about everything.

Would you sell the ems-4?

It is actually for sale right now. Check my sig for a link.

 

[repthemazdas]

sub!!! looking great so far!

 

[jdwk]

I've pretty much made up my mind on ordering a '13 S4 and picking it up in Germany next summer. I don't have garage space or time to keep the MSP, but I've got a collection of parts laying around now and I can't decide what to do with them.

The MSII is working out of the car with the JimStim, but I haven't grown the balls to cut up my unopened patch harness to actually put it in the car.

I have a beautiful powder coated crinkle finish red valve cover that I spent the better part of the day polishing the logos on along with the requisite Mazdaspeed oil cap. I haven't put it on because I bought a new VCG and figured if I have the VC off, I should probably do the timing belt even though I am only at 76k miles. So I might as well do all the belts, idlers, tensioner spring, and water pump. Since I was doing all that I figured I'd replace the pulleys with aluminum ones while I was at it. I could never find the water pump pulley so I've got 2 of 3 on my workbench.

I also had a hot pipe powder-coated to match the VC. I had bought the hot pipe just as an experiment to move the WGA vacuum source in front of the throttle plate, but it arrived in such poor shape I had to clean it up. Moving the WGA source to the hot pipe will essentially lower my boost, so I bought an MBC in order to bring it back up, but I won't put an MBC on the car without some sort of EMS to monitor it. I had already sold my FIC and started on the MS, so I decided to wait until I had my MS working to start anything, which brings me back to the patch harness.

I also have an MS flywheel which I had planned to put on if and when my stock clutch ever let go (back to the unsprung mass kick), but it's still as strong as ever. Hurray for rev matching.

There is nothing really wrong with the car that wasn't wrong from the factory. I am getting a little tired of the 800rpm vibrations from the MM inserts, and I've debated taking them out, but anyone who buys this car is probably going to put them right back in, so I probably won't bother. Also, my neighbor with the engine hoist moved and I've never felt comfortable supporting an engine by its oil pan. Always seemed like a good way to get it to start leaking.

The problem with all this stuff, is that it's worth a whole lot more off the car than on it. Mods don't increase resale and most of the time hurt it. It's well over a grand in parts sold separately but on the car, they really aren't worth anything. A new timing belt and water pump might help the listing, and the bright red VC might look attractive to the right buyer, but I wouldn't even try to sell a car that is running off an aftermarket PCM, especially a homebrew one like the MS.

I know what the smart thing to do is, but if all we ever made was smart decisions life would be very boring.

 

[Ricktalife]

Haha I know exactly what you mean about the mods. I have always had a pile of stuff in my back seat, trunk, garage, basement and so on that were waiting to be put on. But there was always an order to it because I'm just cautious like that.

For instance, I really want to try out the EMS-4 but first I need to fix any leaks with the FMIC (I know there are some) and I'm considering using the RDV that I bought for a little while as well. Something is not right, because I honestly can't even hear the BOV anymore so there must be a serious leak somewhere. I have the MAF relocated so that is probably why the car is still driving.

 

[jdwk]

Do you not have a boost gauge? I actually don't have one because I just don't like aftermarket gauges in cars. I convinced my friend to hack into his LCD display in his RX-8 because there was no good place for one in that car. I've always wanted a double din LCD in the MSP to do electronic gauges as well as infotainment, but while they give away phones for free with high res displays and capacitive touch screens, the screens available to build carputers are garbage and cost several hundred dollars if you want to be able to read them during the day. The software is also lacking severely and nothing is written for the aftermarket EMS's other than the ugly windows software that they come with. You also have the dilemma of the head unit. Double din computers with integrated amps exist but they are Chinese garbage with the look and reliability of something you would expect from a website called chinagrabber.

Some guy made a really beautiful interface and gauges for his MegaSquirt on an atom ITX machine running Meego. Unfortunately, Meego is dead, but I am not sure how he didn't see that coming. He should have developed it for Android and then you have access to all the apps that already exist for cars as well, like aDyno, torque, etc.

Ok back on topic. You can probably just supply power to your EMS-4 and pop on your vacuum line and do a run with it connected to your laptop and see if and when you lose boost.

 

[Ricktalife]

I have a boost gauge, but I really don't boost all that much because the factory tune is so horrible. It's bad enough when you are stock, but with mods it is just complete garbage. Sometimes it doesn't even kick over and go rich so I just keep an eye on the wideband and try to keep my foot out of it. Also if I boost and then put it in neutral it occasionally acts like it wants to stall even though I relocated the MAF. I would bet the issue is at my hot pipe, because I remember having trouble getting it to fit right after the new core and turbo replacement.

 

[jdwk]

Are you using t-bolt band clamps or just the ribbed ones? If you have t-bolts you really can't tighten then down too much. You can strip out the ribbed ones if you tighten them too much.

You can always put the front of the car in the air and take a look while someone mashes the throttle in gear so you have some load on the engine. That's the only way I was able to find the tiny pin hole exhaust leak on my muffler. Just secure the car very very well. Put the jack stands on the rails and chock the rear wheels. Also, always wear eye protection.

 

[Ricktalife]

Are you using t-bolt band clamps or just the ribbed ones? If you have t-bolts you really can't tighten then down too much. You can strip out the ribbed ones if you tighten them too much.

You can always put the front of the car in the air and take a look while someone mashes the throttle in gear so you have some load on the engine. That's the only way I was able to find the tiny pin hole exhaust leak on my muffler. Just secure the car very very well. Put the jack stands on the rails and chock the rear wheels. Also, always wear eye protection.

I've got Vibrant t-bolts and silicone couplers. Are you saying that it's not good to tighten the t-bolts down that far, or that they just don't get that tight? Because from my experience they hold tight as s*** and I have to fight to get the couplers off lol. Also, if necessary I can have a mechanic put it on a lift because I work at a car dealership and he helps me out with oil changes and such for little to no money.

 

[jdwk]

That's a nice hookup to have. I am saying t-bolt clamps are pretty indestructible so don't hesitate to tighten them down pretty hard, but it sounds like you've already done that.

 

[Ricktalife]

 

[ajkulish]

did you get this on top of the msp?

 

[Ricktalife]

Nope, it is the MSP's replacement. My dad gave me a check for it today which I used as a down payment and it officially belongs to him until it is sold.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Your first post on the page from January predicted it all. Congrats on the purchase. Don't forget to leave a mazdas247 card in the car for the next owner! Maybe you can convince your dad to keep the MSP as a toy, I know it's a low mileage car.

 

[Ricktalife]

Lol yea I've wanted a newer car for quite some time, just didn't know what the final outcome would be. I am very pleased with the result, especially since this body style is IMO the best looking WRX to date. I was never a big fan of the older ones.

Thanks and I will try to troll around here every now and then. My dad never keeps cars for long, even if it's a car he likes to drive. He is an old school muscle fan of course because he grew up with them. Corvette's to be exact.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Don't leave us completely! I know wagonbacker still kicks around, I am a fan of Subie's but I think the 04s are my favorite body style. When I was looking for this car I couldn't find one for the right price and I was already crazy about Mazdas so it was an easy choice for me.

My dad is the same way about cars but with Mustangs (and honestly I was too I hated 4 cyl. cars), but he is coming around. I've got him wanting a track car to build along the lines of an S2000 or Miata.

 

[Ricktalife]

Yea I'm sure I will continue to poke my head in and tell you guys what looks dumb and what doesn't lol. Kinda sucks that I am back to not knowing jack s*** about my car, but I enjoy learning as I go. This car was a great experiment with turbos and also taught me a very important lesson... don't mod the s*** out of your DD. I would love to mod the Subaru and make hellapower, but I am holding back because I don't want to complicate anything and more importantly void the warranty. If I still have it in a couple years and decide to get another DD, some coilovers would make it look titties.

I let my dad drive the MSP a few times and he does admit it is very fun. But once you get old, you don't like change lol.

 

[jdwk]

Congrats on the Subi. Let us know how you miss or don't miss the MSP. I usually hate white cars, but it really works on the last gen Imprezza/WRX. The new Imprezza is on dealer lots now I believe, but no word on when we'll see another WRX or STi. I am still waiting on the order forms to show up for the Audi. In the meantime, I did spruce up my engine bay a bit, but the car still isn't driving due to a shot wheel bearing. I don't know why I did all the work. I've always wanted a really nice looking bay, so I figured it was now or never. I posted it in its own thread last week. I also put in JDM headlights, new trailing arms, the whole PCV system, hard pipes, welded in IAT, HKS BOV, silicone hoses, etc.