Eli's orange drift TG - now 4ZE1+T, massive update P16

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archangel62
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by archangel62 »

Hi guys, geez it's been forever...
Most of my updates have been on my Facebook pages, Eli the Drift Panda and my team page Pandamonium Drift simply because my main image hosting website capsized and I couldn't be bothered hosting images any more...

Nevertheless, we all know OzGemini is a thousand times better than Facebook, so I'm going to give you guys an abridged rundown of the last few years of progress and work on posting more media soon. Since my last post, the Carrot Gem aka New Hotness hasn't drifted. Hell, it hasn't even driven, but with good reason.

Here's what HAS been done:
4ZE1 engine has been built and fitted on standard Gemini mounts, I chose the diesel sump
MUA gearbox fitted, modified gearbox xmember to suit
Megasquirt II V3.0 ECU has been soldered together by Yours Truly, connected to my laptop and tested (not hooked up to motor yet)
Full weld-in rollcage has been fitted, built to CAMS specs with a diagonal crossbar, harness bar and side intrusion bars
My RN25 Hilux diff now has 4x100 axles (thanks Gene), Gemini seats have been tack welded in place and tested for fitment
Custom adjustable upper trailing arms have been made to my design by McDonald Bros
Bride drivers seat mounted

Here's what's happening right now:
Piping up the front mount intercooler to the forward facing plenum and Falcon TB
Waiting on rear brake caliper mounting plates to be made by a local engineering shop, I drafted up designs, these will use Pulsar GTiR disc rears (N14?) with the handbrake assemblies removed, running hydro only
Changing to rear-facing K-mac swaybar to clear the Hilux diff
Mounting hydraulic clutch under dash using a bracket I've made up
Mounting hydraulic handbrake, vertical next to shifter/steering wheel (using MUA remote shifter)
Mounting Daytona passenger seat shortly
Making up hard brake lines for the hydro and N14 discs
Fitting bigger front brakes, I have a kit with FC RX7 calipers and TM Magna(?) discs to go on

Pics/media soon!
Last edited by archangel62 on Wed Dec 24, 2014 9:13 am, edited 2 times in total.
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
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jimmymeik89
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by jimmymeik89 »

sounds exciting mate, hope to see some drift videos soon!
archangel62
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by archangel62 »

Thanks man, that's the plan! I'd like to have it on the track by April 2015, but we'll see. I'm putting a lot of energy into it at the moment, where I had been focusing on my street TE project and the Piazza for most of last year. I need to decide on a turbo, I'm running a highmount Gemracing tuned length T3 manifold with Tial 38mm external gate (hopefully that'll be big enough), emphasis is for response and a wide powerband, I only want 230rwkw out of it and could live with less, I would love power from 2500-6500rpm with a 7k limiter, so I'm tossing up between:

Garrett GT3071 AR 0.64
Kinugawa TD05H-20G 8cm rear housing
Kinugawa TD06SL2-20G 8cm rear housing

Ideally I'd like the Garrett as they have turbo efficiency graphs and I can see that it's suitable, where Kinugawa don't, but Kinugawa are also about half the price. I'll also need to get injectors soon (800cc would be nice, RB25DET style long with 11mm O-rings). I've ripped most of the loom out of the car and am culling stuff I don't need, it was a labyrinth of loose wires, poor repairs, removed stereo stuff etc from the car's previous life, and I'd just like to keep it minimal.

The Hilux diff is currently 4.55:1 I believe (and open... lol), thinking of leaving the ratio and using 3rd/4th instead of 2nd/3rd - slightly longer gears then and also a faster change. Not sure how this will go on faster tracks however, the MUA box has a 5th but it's probably not a good idea to drift in it with proper power.

More comprehensive specs on the engine build:
4ZE1 (2.6L 4cyl 8v SOHC for those not in the know, slightly undersquare at 93x95mm for mine)
JE forged pistons 93mm by memory
Spool rods with their normal ARP studs
Balanced lower end
ARP head studs
MLS 1.3mm head gasket from Thomas4parts
New head from overseas
Stainless steel valves, exhaust are oversize, 44mm inlet, 40mm exhaust through Thomas4parts
E1 cam reground to turbo specs by Crow Cams (I have specs somewhere...)
Diesel sump with wings for capacity, but correct depth (doesn't hang below xmember)
Piazza oil cooler
E1 runners and fuel rail for the press fit full length injectors
Gemracing forward facing plenum (early style), with Falcon throttle body
Gemracing T3 flanged tuned length runners with Tial 38mm external wastegate
FMIC is a 450x300x76mm eBay item, bar and plate with 2.5" piping, apparently a low pressure drop, looks alright
RA40 Celica radiator, slanted back to allow FMIC partially behind the rad support for reduced piping and a bigger crumple zone...
Megasquirt II V3.0 ECU

Apart from all this, there are some cosmetic mods on their way too, some new (old JDM) wheels that will work out to a lower offset, and a bit of oldschool kit... I'll wait until it's done to reveal details ;)
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by Jonno »

How much did ur forgies cost?

I needs a mls head gasket :(
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archangel62
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by archangel62 »

Memory is flaky but somewhere between $800-$1200 for forgies. E1s are meant to be cheaper than the other 4Z series engines because they're much more standard in America, I've heard some companies even have off the shelf items, but I was surprised that they cost as much as they did as I was expecting a little cheaper on that basis...

I'm running a Thomas4parts MLS gasket, I also have one in the Piazza now and it seems great! Money well spent. I also have ARP head studs in both motors so I could up the torque to around 118Nm final stage I believe.
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by Holden202T »

archangel62 wrote:I also have ARP head studs in both motors so I could up the torque to around 118Nm final stage I believe.
just be careful! every failure I've had with ARP head studs was the original block threads pulling out!
No matter what the question is, the answer is always more horsepower!!
archangel62
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by archangel62 »

Very good point, I've been mindful of that. I look forward to building my other twincams actually because they have a larger diameter thread for the head bolts! The C1 in my Piazza seems to be fine, though I haven't exactly driven it much since doing the head, since the gearbox did a bearing. I reckon it's just important to use the lubricant stuff and make sure the threads aren't clogged up or binding up, and just be smooth. I actually add an extra stage or two when doing head bolts, probably pointless but I just prefer it that way. I do 50, 85, 100, then 118Nm for ARP studs!
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
archangel62
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by archangel62 »

Time for some progress pics. It's all on my Facebook page, Eli "the Drift Panda" Duykers - so if you do the bookface, give me a like to stay in the loop... but because we all know OzGemini is way better, I'll still update here from time to time for you folks who can appreciate it.

I've welded mounts onto the Hilux diff (still finishing the welds on the spring seats) and made up a subframe of sorts for them to mount at the body end (again still finishing welds and I need to do the actual brackets at the body end). The subframe goes from the lower trailing arm mounts, using the original M10 bolts as well as an M8 bolt in the existing hole above it, and goes to the torque tube mounts, has the top half of a tailshaft loop in some seriously thick steel to join the sides. The Gemini torque tube mounts aren't centered within the body, so the actual mounting points for the arms aren't aligned with the torque tube bolts. The "subframe" also has cutouts to clear bulges in the floorpan, which to be fair I could have bashed with a hammer, but I preferred a regular bolt-in arrangement. The whole thing looks like a dog's breakfast but is very strong, and when you consider that the standard lower trailing arm brackets are 3mm steel, I'm very confident that mine will be fine. One Aeropro tailshaft loop kit was sacrificed for the making of this, since I couldn't find a loop of metal the right size and I don't have an oxy yet to bend one myself.

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Yeah, might have singed through the piece of paper with my design on it. Pretty much just glad it didn't go up in flames altogether, you don't notice pesky fires with a welding mask on. I'm still deciding if I'll fit the lower half of the loop, hence the lethal looking spikes of metal in the middle at the bottom of the subframe, it'll depend on how low it'd have to hang. I don't want it catching ripple strips at Mallala, and I don't technically need a loop, but the extra strength/safety would be nice.

I've purchased a full spool centre for it. There's nothing worse for drifting than a s*#t LSD centre, and the common 1-way centres may not lock under handbrake or shift lock, which is inhibitive. Constant clutch-pack type LSDs are pointless, since they apply almost the same straight-line nose pushing as a locker, unless they're weak and slip... The only decent LSDs for drifting are mechanical 2-ways, and based on my research a TRD 2-way would cost around $900 at least, would be heavier and also may need modification to fit such an early G series diff (it might be fine, or it might hit the pinion or need a spacer made). On a cost/benefit analysis, I decided it just wasn't worth it yet. If I find it pushes the front end with grippier rear tyres, I might change it out later, but right now I just want the thing done. Plus, less unsprung weight and 1/4 the cost is appealing. I've ordered a full spool from America for around $220 shipped. The final drive ratio is currently 4.8:1 I believe, so I'll be basically skipping first, launching in second, then drifting in 3rd/4th. It's an easy gear change to make mid corner, and my third will be halfway between standard 2nd/3rd, my fourth will be halfway between standard 3rd/th. I just hope it has enough revs for fast tracks, I think even an MUA box wouldn't appreciate drifting in overdrive. If it becomes an issue I might change out for a 4.3 or similar, but I'm a bit worried about making the 2nd/3rd change in corners with the MUA shifter, it's a little sloppy, though I'm sure I could fix that if I took the time.

I'll break this up into a few posts...
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by Jonno »

Cool!

P.S. The forum will not break now :D
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archangel62
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by archangel62 »

1000cc Bosch E85 compatible injectors, "RB25DET style" full length top feed, o-ring press fit style with 30 degree mist spray, all flow matched. Cost around $550 shipped. I'll be running 98RON, but I wouldn't mind leaving my options open for E85 if I ever felt the need.

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My clutch pedal had loads of slop after me trying to be JDM and clutch kicking the f**k out of it to try to make 56rwkw fast. The plastic sleeve insert looked like a smear of Vaseline (hurhurr), so rather than replace it with another which would suffer the same fate, I figured I'd engineer something better. I had two of these made up, one from brass, one from bronze, and will be selling them in the near future. Works a treat, maybe 1-2mm of sideways play now and the insert is self-lubricating and strong. Actually, I initially tried to replace the plastic sleeve temporarily, then melted the f**k out of it whilst modding the pedal for hydraulic clutch. Whoops.

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Here's my hydraulic clutch setup. It bolts onto the firewall, and the bracketry for the steering column. It requires four holes to be drilled but otherwise bolts in and out "relatively easily" with no dash in. I'm not saying this is the best way of doing it, in hindsight I think I'd try to make it mount to the pedalbox instead, but it works, so I'm not messing with it. Like many of my parts, they're made by me with some metal and my MIG, so they don't look pretty but are my standard of "over-engineered" and shouldn't break. I'm using a 4ZE1 Rodeo hydraulic clutch master and slave to keep it simple, though I'll be looking for a fitting to mount the reservoir elsewhere at some stage.

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Pile of fun parts:
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Hydraulic handbrake mounted - I welded a plate to the floorpan/tunnel so it could lean slightly for optimal placement, and also so the bolts don't pull through - not that I should need to rip it that hard... Shifter is of course standard MUA Rodeo, matching the gearbox.

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Four Zed Eee, no s*#t:
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As you can see I chose to mount the FMIC behind the rad support, simply because drift cars have a habit of bashing into s*#t and I'd prefer not to end a day from hitting a tyre stack. I might make a bash bar, we'll see. I had to trim the rad support and it seemed to be far more structural than I'd anticipated, so I'll most likely weld some square section onto the front side of the rad support to regain the strength.
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
archangel62
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - The LAST drift video for a while

Post by archangel62 »

The throttle body and plenum can be politely termed as a f**king nightmare. I bought this POS as an "easy temporary solution" until I could get what I'd call a nicer plenum and runner setup on there later. To be honest, if I had a TIG, making one from scratch myself would probably have been easier than adapting this one. I was told it's set up for a Falcon throttle body, but after getting one I discovered the threaded holes are a few mm out of the PCD, but the PCD can't be rotated and redrilled due to the design of the plenum, so I'll have to slot the holes on the Falcon throttle body. The Falcon TB requires a cable pull from the FRONT of the car, which not only has no mounting options whatsoever, but would require a long cable that does a 180deg turn. Total shite. Furthermore the linkage, if rotated, would foul on the plenum and has the wrong radius for a Gemini pedal throw. All kinds of sh*t. And it comes pretty damn close the bonnet, and is an oval shape that works out between 3" and 3.25" for piping, so I had to grind down the flare/start of it to get a pipe on. The TPS on some Falcons is okay, though the IAC valve has zero chance of fitting and allegedly isn't good with boost, so I'll just go without IAC for now. Meh, track car with no air con, timing advance should sort out cold idle. On top of that, the plenum and runners cumulatively have a billion holes that will be hard to plug, and aren't ideal for fitting sensors... but oh well.

Anyway, I ended up making the most ridiculously complicated accelerator cable setup conceivable.

Using a 4ZE1 Rodeo cable, ground and tapped to thread into the firewall, the Falcon throttle body uses an offset increased radius and slightly increased pedal throw to [hopefully] offer more progressive and controllable throttle application. The links aren't pretty, but very functional, and certainly not your average setup.

I dismantled the throttle body and used a Gemini radius/linkage, offset, and spaced out to clear the plenum using a swaybar link tube, of all things. Ideally I'd have liked something that bolted up to the throttle body itself to eliminate flex between the parts, but that just wasn't a realistic option for this unit. Nevertheless, it might not look pretty, but the end result feels great and has no flex. Pedal throw was increased by removing the limiter by the fusebox, and of course there's no carpet to contend with.

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It does feel really good though, progressive, smooth and with the extra travel it feels a bit more accurate... Will have to wait and see how touchy it feels though, and if I need an even more offset radius for more progression.

Got some brake caliper plates laser cut out of 10mm steel for the N14 SSS calipers on Hilux diff. It remains to be seen if these will work or not, because the axles are out and the machine shop managed to f**k up the holes and drill them too small.

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Upper trailing arm designs - NOTE, length will depend on exactly where you position your mounting brackets. Cost was around the $500-$600 mark from Mcdonald Bros to have them made and shipped, I forget the exact figure:
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Finally finished the Megasquirt II V3.0 kit I bought for Indigo, my twincam turbo TX sedan project like 8 years ago. It's now going on the drift car, I'll get something else for Indigo when the time comes. Managed to hook it up to my laptop with the stim and it all works fine, can see inputs and outputs on screen etc.

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Old photo, but the seat rails are too high (and they're not very high...) so I'll need to re-jigger them somehow...

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Some mystery JDM wheel goodness... ;)
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Moved the mounting holes for the gearbox xmember, the MUA box then bolted straight up with standard Gemini engine mounts, easy as pie:
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And I think that's about caught up for now! I'm really trying to get the thing done for May Drift Matsuri at Mallala... but we'll see. I still need to organise tailshaft, turbo, hot side piping, exhaust, I need to patch the Megasquirt loom into the car, do fuel system, plumb the brakes and sort the stupid inlet mani... and a bunch of other little things, then tune and go!
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - now 4ZE1+T, massive update P16

Post by Jonno »

Such progress.
Very excited.
Wow.

Can start compaing 4zheadache questions soon.
I lol'd at your f*#cking nightmare plenum.
Why cause I had the same problem....
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - now 4ZE1+T, massive update P16

Post by zep »

Wow! I haven't checked this thread in a while! I'll be watching this with eager eyes as you are basically doing everything that I plan to do with my Gem once I'm back home - even have a 4ZE1 sitting in a mate's garage ready to be rebuilt. Keep up the great updates!
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - now 4ZE1+T, massive update P16

Post by archangel62 »

lol Jonno, that's it! I guess good things take time, along with a healthy dose of swearing and a dash of resultant insanity.

Cheers Zep! Your pics and info back in the day were a huge help getting off the mark with the Hilux conversion (along with PSIGEM's setup, that was extremely useful), I had no luck finding disc-rear AE101s in Australia so ended up redrilling Pulsar GTiR stuff instead. Hopefully I can offer some helpful insight, experience and info on the 4ZE1T/etc in the near future! Don't hesitate to ask if you run into any questions along the way, I'm still learning but have picked up a thing or two also :) Your car would be crazy with a 2.6L turbo! It's cool enough as it is!
My Gemini drift videos: http://www.youtube.com/PandamoniumDrift
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PandamoniumDrift
Current tally: 5 Geminis and a Piazza
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Re: Eli's orange drift TG - now 4ZE1+T, massive update P16

Post by GEMWRC »

Getting stuck right in now ! Keep going Man ..
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