Project Shoehorn - M90 into a 4.0L

[SolarBell]

Got the throttle cable bracket finished tonight. No pictures as it's hanging up for paint.

I did get the compressor intake manifold installed along with the throttle body and bypass valve. Got the bypass piping cut and fitted too. The throttle sensor cables are in place, but not soldered in yet.





Since I have my hood vents removed, I was able to stick my camera phone under the hood and get a shot of clearances. I think I have a little more trimming to do of the hood frame, and that throttle cable bracket is going to be real tight (There is about 7/16" between the throttle plate connection and the hood).

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

IMO, I would trim at a diagonal so as to preserve as much of the brace as possible.

Nearly ready to fire...

I want to be there, truth be told.

 

[kastein]

I'm a little nervous about how little support there seems to be for the cable bracket (the factory probably had three bolts in a triangle holding it down for a reason...) but otherwise, everything looks great.

 

[yossarian19]

So, are you going to responsibly put it through it's paces for a while or are you aiming for 2nd gear tire smoke right off the bat?

 

[SolarBell]

I'm a little nervous about how little support there seems to be for the cable bracket (the factory probably had three bolts in a triangle holding it down for a reason...) but otherwise, everything looks great.

Agreed. I'll have a picture of the updated bracket where I tacked on a brace so it's stiffer. Unfortunately I have to fit around the A/C line so I have to float it to clear. I'm going to make sure it's as stiff as I can manage.

So, are you going to responsibly put it through it's paces for a while or are you aiming for 2nd gear tire smoke right off the bat?

I am planning on being pretty cautious. However tuning it does require some WOT runs... :firedevil

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

What I can tell you all is that I can break traction on both rear tires at a stop light. Given that the rear end is locked full time and the Heep has 285/75R16 ties on it with 4.56 gears and the AW4, this is not bad.

Prior to the gears getting changed and the Detroit going in, it was routine for me to burn the right rear tire with throttle to spare...

As it is now, the rear end "hops" up and down as the tires loose traction. What I am not willing to do is to go to full throttle as I am concerned about breaking things...

Ask SolarBell how my Heep runs, He has driven it...

Not willing, do not ask...

 

[SolarBell]

Ask SolarBell how my Heep runs, He has driven it...

Highlights. Keep in mind O-Gauge's rig is on around 5" of lift running the metric equivalent of 33x10.50's (4.56 gears) on a 4-link long-arm front. Bumpers and all, so it's not as light as stock by any means.

- Going up a decent size hill in overdrive with the TC locked and the engine at 1500 RPM, but still accelerating.

- Merging onto the highway and having to consciously keep my foot out of the throttle so I didn't suddenly find myself doing 80 in a 55 zone.

It's actually a little disconcerting since you expect the XJ to be it's usual dog self, but suddenly its not.

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

So, uh, my Kid had to drive up to School in Denver one morning last year and when he got home, he bitterly complained about the mileage the Heep got on the run that day.

Not sounding right, I asked him...
"Just how fast were you going?"

His reply?
"Don't know the speedometer only reads to 100"

He then complained that it "kept shutting off and coming back on".

This means that he was bouncing it off of the speed limiter.

Which is set at 118mph by the factory...

Not a dog? You betcha not a dog.

Unless you wish to consider a Greyhound that is...

 

[kastein]

That might have something to do with the fuel economy :gee:

It sounds like you guys need traction bars, leaf springs don't last long with that kind of axle wrap.

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

On the design board as we speak. The tricky bit is to control the wrap whilst allowing articulation and keeping the NVH down to a minimum...

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

For your edification:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy0eyIFZ6bU

This is a standing start to 118mph in 25 seconds.

AND this is with the stock Sprintex setup. Not the version I am running....

Enjoy!

 

[rav]

That was awesome!

 

[SolarBell]

So freaking close.. So freaking close..

Spent 6 hours today measuring, re-measuring, and building rev 3 of the throttle cable bracket. It finally fits under the hood and doesn't have TOO much of an angle on the cables. Also got the extended throttle body wiring harness finished. Last night I got the new engine intake manifold prepped and ready to install.

All that's left on my list is to install the knock sensor and fab up a new mount for the PCM and the AOS. Everything after that will take it down until I get it on the supercharger and I need to plan that out for when I can have my rig down for a day or three.

 

[SolarBell]

Here are some pics of the final throttle cable bracket. I might throw a thick washer under it since I ended up with about 1/8" of space, just to clean up the angles a little.





I found what hopefully is a decent place for the knock sensor. It's an almost perfect location, I just re-used the stud that was there.



I also got the throttle body sensor extensions patched in today, I figure so long as I leave the other set of connectors unplugged it should work ok.

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

Knock Sensor on the manifold side? IMO, if it is mounted on the camshaft side, it most likely will pick up tappet noise as knocks. Worth a try I suppose, what is there to lose after all...

There is a thread hole on the manifold side, at the bottom of the block, just forward of center that can be used. It is where I had mounted mine. Be warned though, not an easy location to get a wrench on...

As my Sensor was metric, I had to gently enlarge the hole in it to take the bolt required.

 

[SolarBell]

Dangit, I knew it was too easy. Those holes didn't look like they had threads and I don't have any bottoming taps, so I was looking elsewhere. Didn't even think about the cam. Time to see what I can do with those holes.

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

I had taken advice on this so, it is only fair to pass the advice along! Share and share alike!

 

[Vanimal]

The newer blocks don't have a hole for the knock sensor like mine? The renix motors had a knock sensor, AFAIK the hole was never removed. It's a larger fine thread hole at the bottom of the block on the manifold side. I have an HO which doesn't have a knock sensor, and the hole is still there (and threaded)

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

That would be the very location I have referenced. I think it was Talyn that pointed me there... Could be wrong about who it was, senile you know...

Things would be ever so much simpler if the factory had left a knock sensor installed.

 

[SolarBell]

Notes for those following along.

1. It appears that Venom Injectors is out of business. Their primary contact phone numbers have been disconnected and their website hasn't been updated in over a year. I'm probably going to run with what I have for now since I can't afford to buy new ones unless Amazon takes mine back. Accel makes similar but more expensive units, and for 00+ models the Ford Racing Mustang 34# injectors are a viable alternative with the EV6 connector.

2. If you are changing injectors and are using the AEM FIC, the Injector Response Time is a minor but really important thing to set. It has to be set to the response time of whatever injectors are installed. Unfortunately that is typically not a well published value, and not anywhere near the default value of 486 uS. If the value is off it will cause the PCM to hunt a lot for the correct AFR when states change. I can't find my stock IRT values so I bypassed the FIC until I install the new injectors (I know a reasonable close value for them).