86 eta 5.0 swap...

[Elysian]

Bummer! Looking forward to the first start video. Any chance you could measure the total intake height and what the hood clearance looks like with it? At this point it isn't going to be necessary for me to find a good EFI intake since I have an aftermarket throttle body injection unit that fits manfolds made for carbureted cars, but I'm still interested to see what hood clearance looks like since it will dictate how tall of an intake I can run.

If I put the idle valve up the hood won't close. It's tight. I haven't been able to check with the TPS on top yet, my fuel pressure regulator is currently in the way. I have subframe spacers I need to install, so the hood isn't so close to the intake manifold.

[varg]

That sucks! Looking forward to the first start video. Any chance you could measure the total intake height and what the hood clearance looks like with it? At this point it isn't going to be necessary for me to find a good EFI intake since I have an aftermarket throttle body injection unit that fits manfolds made for carbureted cars, but I'm still interested to see what hood clearance looks like since it will dictate how tall of an intake I can run.

[Elysian]

Got the starter to kick over, only to realize I have the wrong starter. Mistakenly thought the Explorer was 157 tooth. Going to grab a starter on the way home.

[Elysian]

Realized this morning I forgot to hook up the ground for the main relay Now I can't do that till I get off work

[Elysian]

Wrapped up the engine harness today. I salvaged the O2/Fuel/Main relay another E30 harness, those are working properly, and I have the minimum wiring from the C101 working currently. I kept the rest of the wires in the C101 for now, I want to see how much I can get to actually work properly.

The Megasquirt powers up, the fuel pump relay seems to be functioning properly, and I checked anything else I could check. I was tripped up by the TPS for a moment. It wasn't working at all, so I did some investigating. I accidentally wired the 5v reference wire to the pin next to it. Fixed that and got 5v from the reference to ground, but not to sensor ground. Once I connected sensor ground to ground I was able to figure out the TPS wiring (had the wires mismatched) and get that working perfectly. I still need to give power to the injectors, then the harness is 100% done, at least for now. I may get the wires where I want and shorten some portions of it, right now it's comically long.

No start today, but got a LOT done after the rain cleared up. Made custom spark plug wires for the LS coils with 90 degree ends at the spark plug. Got all the wires run, intake installed, and got the starter wired up, or so I thought... Couldn't get it to turn over, it got dark so I wrapped up. Came in and realized the E30V8 guide isn't great for a Megasquirt setup. I'll hopefully have the starter up and running tomorrow after work.

[Elysian]

So yesterday I decided to bring all my wiring in the house and work on it on my electronics bench. Got about 90% of it done, but by the time I'd already put 8 hours into it my brain was mush, so I stopped. Didn't get to start the engine this weekend, but I should have the harness finished in short order, all I have left is to add some fuses for the injectors and coils, wire up the C101, and wire up the Innovate LC-1 wideband.

[Elysian]

Eventful day, till I had to leave for a friends get together.

Started the morning at the junkyard, grabbed a Fox body gas pedal and throttle cable, as well as the bolts I need to install the upper intake manifold.

Then wrestled with the fuel rail, got it mounted lower which gave the intake plenty of clearance. The rail kit I bought didn't come with everything I needed, should have bought one with a regulator, but I was able to find the parts to make the regulator I have work, so the fuel rail is complete. Tomorrow I'll start by mounting the pressure regulator, then finish up the wiring work.

And just worked out the LS coil wiring, so I can wire those up easily tomorrow.

[Elysian]

From what I saw so far adapting ford or GM stuff to the E30 will require an adapter to mount the OEM master cylinder to the booster and the booster to the firewall, that's fabrication I'm not really equipped to do so a machine shop would have to do it, $$$$. I can fabricate basic stuff, but I don't have a mill, lathe, drill press, etc. nor would I personally weld something required for my brakes to work, I just don't weld enough to be that good at it. The E23 setup seems to require less adaptation, but it has an external accumulator so it requires more lines. Not really a big deal other than finding the parts and buying a new accumulator - one in the junk yard probably belongs there since they're known to fail with age.

I have an E23 setup in the garage, it looks like a nightmare, which is why I didn't pursue it.

[varg]

What's expensive about it? Ford used hydraulic brake boosters in the Mustang, can find the setup in just about any junkyard. GM also used them quite often. You'd probably still have to move it up or over to clear the valve covers, but doesn't seem too expensive to me.

From what I saw so far adapting ford or GM stuff to the E30 will require an adapter to mount the OEM master cylinder to the booster and the booster to the firewall, that's fabrication I'm not really equipped to do so a machine shop would have to do it, $$$$. I can fabricate basic stuff, but I don't have a mill, lathe, drill press, etc. nor would I personally weld something required for my brakes to work, I just don't weld enough to be that good at it. The E23 setup seems to require less adaptation, but it has an external accumulator so it requires more lines. Not really a big deal other than finding the parts and buying a new accumulator - one in the junk yard probably belongs there since they're known to fail with age.

[Elysian]

Expensive! For the money I'd rather get an aftermarket pedal box with 3 separate masters. Current plan is a smaller bore master cylinder and altering the pedal ratio.

What's expensive about it? Ford used hydraulic brake boosters in the Mustang, can find the setup in just about any junkyard. GM also used them quite often. You'd probably still have to move it up or over to clear the valve covers, but doesn't seem too expensive to me.

[varg]

What about hydraulic?

Expensive! For the money I'd rather get an aftermarket pedal box with 3 separate masters. Current plan is a smaller bore master cylinder and altering the pedal ratio.

[Elysian]

Got most of the wiring done. Need to wire up the TPS and idle control, drill/tap for the idle air temp sender, and mount the alternator to include that wiring. Coming along nicely.

[Elysian]

Fuel rail came in, started putting it together to see if the intake fits. It doesn't, but it won't be hard to fit, the fuel rail is just barely touching the bottom of the manifold in one spot. Plenty of meat to clearance there.

[Elysian]

Fuel rail came in, started putting it together to see if the intake fits. It doesn't, but it won't be hard to fit, the fuel rail is just barely touching the bottom of the manifold in one spot. Plenty of meat to clearance there.

[Mykk540i/6]

Great seeing it come together! Keep up the good work