11/14-11/16/08 Moonegg's engine swap weekend!!

[marcdh]

hardcore effort Thought you'd have it done by now though

[Mooneggs]

sooooo after 3 and quarter days of mooneggs madness... car still isn't ready LOL
add something to the list if I missed anything...

hopefully next weekend this will be completed...

Failures:
•6 stripped exhaust manifold bolt holes - had to helicoil them
•Headers we tried to install from a Probe - FAIL - it hits the oil pan, power steering rack and lower crossmember - front 02 bung in wrong place (had to reweld a new hole for 02) thankfully jesse traded me these failed headers for a set of SS autochrome...
•Drivers side axel fail stuck in tranny
•Broke 3 sockets trying to loosen flywheel bolts
•Jarid lost his iPhone
•Fast car failed on the way to Jarid's house (partially fixed now)

Accomplishments:
•Black hi temp paint in engine bay including custom "moonegg craters"
•Motor is in the car
•wiring harness connected
•replaced oil pan gasket
•replaced thermostat
•replaced belts
•removed a/c compressor
•Aasco Flywheel, CM stage 1 clutch with ACT pressure plate installed
•HEI mod completed
•bored 68mm TB + pheno spacer installed
•Walbro 255 installed
•Millenia alternator installed
•AWR front and rear motor mounts installed
•Probinator ECU installed
•SRD engine member bushings installed
•SRD battery tie down installed

Still need to do:
•racing fuel filter fittings, and AFPR install
•ss autochrome header/02 sensor install
•radiator install
•fill all fluids
•pre start, then install iridium plugs and MSD 8.5mm wires
•IM pheno spacers install/ knife edge IM
•replace rear valve cover gasket
•build exhaust and install titanium muffler
•SRD lower crossmember install
•install new master/slave cylinders
•install right rear SS brake line and upgrade to racing blue brake fluid
•install dual air horns
•install carbon fiber hood (fix hood pins)
•weld new brackets for mazdaspeed racing seats

[cjthor]

Yup I think you hit most of the good/bad! I got back from LA today and your car was still on the lift. YAY!!

[fowljesse]

But is the lift still upright?

[cjthor]

But is the lift still upright?

upside down!

[Mooneggs]

I think we will definately be able to finish it this weekend!

the most time consuming part will be the exhaust but the lift should cut that time in half compared to Jesse's exhaust!

[cjthor]

should be fun. NOT!! LOL. Ya I have some stuff going on in the morning Sunday but should be able to get the exhaust done Sat night/Sunday.

[cjthor]

Its alive!! Rolled outta the shop at 10:15 last night!!

[Mooneggs]

heck yeah it did!!! drove fine even though I have barely any passenger side motor mount

it was idling like crazy because of the k8 ecu too but at least it drives!

so here's the update:

probinator ecu failure - I'm not sure why, I haven't opened it up to check the sauder job but I've emailed Ryan to find out what we can do. Basically the timing was 180 degrees off and it backfired out of the IM and started a fire (luckily a fire extinguisher was present)... stereoking15 almost sacrificed his life for this swap LOL (we are laughing about it now but it could have been bad)... so anyways finally swapped the k8 ecu in and it runs but with poor idle/rich (to be expected).

Dana also helped extensively overall with everything engine related! I feel like a n00b compared to this guy (maybe I am a n00b lol). Hopefully someday I will have the knowledge and skills to get my ze running as fast as his!

Thanks to Jesse as well for helping out with a little bit of everything... especially if strength was needed we just called jesse haha

Thanks to Barry for letting me buy the motor and all the parts to go with it! Hopefully it will be running as it was intended from the beginning (including the original mx-3 in that plan)!

Thanks to CJthor for letting me use his shop for over 2 weeks and for welding up the entire exhaust system of 2 1/2 inch piping with non mandrel bends so overall the exhaust is probably 2 3/8 haha... he also lent his expertise/tools for the whole project and even let me crash at his house for like 5 days!! anyways I feel fortunate to have friends with skills... thanks guys - this couldn't have been a reality without you!!

[fowljesse]

Yaayy! That's Grreat! I can't wait to see how it runs (and races me) with the proper ECU!
I was glad to hang out, and pull or bang on stuff once in a while

[cjthor]

I know you guys took pics. Post em up!

[cjthor]

Finally got it outta the weather! Only problem is that the crazy thing is too low. Gotta make some floor plates to lift it up about an inch...Bath time for sure!!! Right Mooneggs? LOL

[Custommx3]

Im suprised the bolts were so tight. I had help, go figure

glad its all working well. I'd like to see some pics of my old motor in my old car