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Duncan's Winter Projects

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#41
Duncan

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Did some wiring tonight to add in my coolant pressure sensor. I wired it using 2 lights. A green light when the system is above 3psi, and a red light when the system de-pressurizes. I use a normally closed relay to do the switching. It's a very simple circuit. Cost is about 20 dollars for the sensor, 5 for the relay, and 2 Radio Shack lights at 3 dollars a piece.

Back of the gauge panel. White Molex connector is for the water pressure gauge. The other connector is for the CEL and turn signals (I tend to leave them on :) )
Posted Image
IMG_5756 by duncanrellis, on Flickr

Front side of the panel
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IMG_5755 by duncanrellis, on Flickr

Relay wired up outside the car. That way when it goes in I only have to connect 2 wires. One to the sensor, and the other to a 12v switched circuit.
Posted Image
IMG_5757 by duncanrellis, on Flickr

Tomorrow should do some last wrap-up items and get ready to fire the motor for the first time.
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IMG_5757 by duncanrellis, on Flickr

-Duncan
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#42
Danny Steyn

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Duncan
really enjoying following your thread - thanks for posting your build story
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#43
Duncan

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Duncan
really enjoying following your thread - thanks for posting your build story


Danny,

No problem. If nothing else, it serves as a record for me of what I did. Fingers crossed that I can get it fired up either tonight or tomorrow.

Duncan
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#44
Jim Drago

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I like as well.. Are you sure you didn't swap those springs from the time those pictures were taken? :huh: :P :D I thought the same thing as Speedwell :) :whistling: :spin:

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#45
Duncan

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I like as well.. Are you sure you didn't swap those springs from the time those pictures were taken? :huh: :P :D I thought the same thing as Speedwell :) :whistling: :spin:


Very sure. I didn't touch the shocks or springs when I took them off the car. I was worried when Speedwell posted so I actually went straight out to the garage to verify the rates were right. Don't know why they don't look right to everybody. The short thicker spring is on the front, the longer thinner spring on the rear.

Duncan
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#46
MPR22

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I like as well.. Are you sure you didn't swap those springs from the time those pictures were taken? :huh: :P :D I thought the same thing as Speedwell :) :whistling: :spin:


The rear springs are 7" unloaded and the fronts are 6" unloaded according to 5X Racing Website. He clearly has the shorter thicker spring on the fronts and longer skinnier springs on the rear. I guess you old guys are seeing things.
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#47
Jim Drago

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old eyes

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#48
Bench Racer

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old eyes


It's one of the first signs, your eyes are telling you something.

Not funny guys, take care of your eyes. I was blind in one eye for three months this summer when Cataract surgery went all wrong. I never looked at the faults from cataract surgery untill after the fact.
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#49
SaulSpeedwell

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old eyes


Your old eyes are probably seeing 1200 hours of cars going up and down on the scales. My springs never had part numbers on them :D, maybe I had them on backwards?

Seriously, we are probably "seeing" the installed parts wherein the fronts droop quite a bit more than the front, longer shocks on front, blah blah blah. My mind's eye still swears the fronts are longer than the rears, but I believe these guys even if one of them is from Texas and the other one is named Duncan.
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#50
Duncan

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No pictures for tonight, but it runs! Motor fired right up, all the gauges check out fine. New water pressure gauge works perfectly. Only odd thing noted is that the windshield wipers don't work. They did before I took everything apart so I'm sure it's something I can track down.

Will be switching gears for a few days while I wait for a few supplies to arrive. I need to install an inverter in my trailer to run the fridge at night. Should take about 2 days since I need to fabricate a mounting bracket for both the inverter and the automatic transfer switch I'll be using. The plan is to put the inverter and switch up front with the hydraulic landing gear so it's near to the battery (Gooseneck Trailer) and put a remote switch for the on/off somewhere in the living quarters.

Duncan
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#51
Duncan

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Started work on the inverter this morning. Picture below is the rack with the inverter and transfer switch. This will be painted and welded into the trailer.

Posted Image
IMAG0269 by duncanrellis, on Flickr

Duncan
Series Champ - Won a points based series in a Spec Miata Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations!

#52
Duncan

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No car progress today, but I did get my inverter installed in the trailer.

I painted the bracket above, and then welded it into the trailer. Mounted the inverter and transfer switch and ran the wires.
Posted Image
IMG_5762 by duncanrellis, on Flickr

This remote panel turns the inverter on and off. The display on the right is a voltmeter to check the battery. The momentary contact turns the voltmeter on.
Posted Image
IMG_5761 by duncanrellis, on Flickr

The inverter is wired to run the fridge and one of the wall outlets in the trailer. It will only be used at night when I'm not running the generator.

Duncan
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#53
SaulSpeedwell

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Yes, you can buy the hardware kits. I usually order a few in the beginning of the seaon when I do my oil fiter/consumables order. I don't know the part number right now, but I usually just ask for the brake caliper/hardware kit.


You can "rotate" the clips, too - when you slam on the brakes going forward, the pads "slam" upward or downward depending on what end of the car you are working on. Filing the "ears" of the backing plates helps, too.

This matters more than some think when it comes to being able to modulate the brakes under load - even if the pads seem to slide nicely when everything is sitting still. You don't want the pads trying to "scrape" across the bare caliper casting, or "climb" out of a dimple in those clips.

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#54
Alberto

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You can "rotate" the clips, too - when you slam on the brakes going forward, the pads "slam" upward or downward depending on what end of the car you are working on. Filing the "ears" of the backing plates helps, too.

This matters more than some think when it comes to being able to modulate the brakes under load - even if the pads seem to slide nicely when everything is sitting still. You don't want the pads trying to "scrape" across the bare caliper casting, or "climb" out of a dimple in those clips.


Can't picture what exactly you are filing... Got a pic?
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#55
Bench Racer

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Saul doesn't need any help, but some times he goes into hibernation. (Good stuff on the trans springs.)

"Filing the "ears" of the backing plates helps, too." Filing the ears of the "brake pad" backing plates helps, too. The brake pad backing plate ears that slide in the clips that many people whine about.
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