SVX gravel rally car...surely not? Absolutely...

[benebob]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

I was thinking more along the lines of sleeving/pistons or custom crank/rods.

The key is production displacement which is how all things SCCA/NASA tend to be set up

[cdigerlando]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

Thanks for the offers Chuck, I'll definitely take you up on that when I can.

A couple of people in the rally scene in Australia are starting to get some successs from the Megasquirt ECU's. They are cheap, easy to tune, and fairly easy to make, and given that they've been tested in the rallying environment (very harsh), and work great, I'm pretty comfortable with them.

I've previously had Motec's, Link's, Microtech's and Megasquirts etc...and the Motec has stood out by far, but feature for feature (of what I need), the Megasquirt has the resolution and tuning options that will suit me.

I've got the Megasquirt sitting in a box. It's just waiting to be made. At this stage, I'm tossing up using the SVX loom and connectors and making the Megasquirt a plug-in, or going for a completely new loom. I suspect what ever I do, it will be a hybrid.

M

I read where the megasquirt only does injector control. Not ignition control and timing yet. How do you propose to adjust the timing? You could go with LANs setup for the timing. He might even tune for your particular injectors. That would be cheap and not a lot of wireing. Trouble is you will not be able to tune it yourself in the future.

[dynomatt]

MS2 does both fuel and ignition. I think it has for a while now so I plan to run that.

Spent the day tackling the wiring. This is a nightmare, but worthwhile. I can't recall what the factory loom weighed, but it's not pretty.

It's all about being methodical...as long as you logically and slowly follow the wire to the end, it's all pretty easy.

It'll take longer than I anticipated though, that's for sure.

Matt

[cdigerlando]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

MS2 does both fuel and ignition. I think it has for a while now so I plan to run that.

Spent the day tackling the wiring. This is a nightmare, but worthwhile. I can't recall what the factory loom weighed, but it's not pretty.

It's all about being methodical...as long as you logically and slowly follow the wire to the end, it's all pretty easy.

It'll take longer than I anticipated though, that's for sure.

Matt

Sorry...you are correct. I didn't read enough into it. The 2 does ignition. I'm anxious to see how it turns out. It will be neat to see what can be done with stand alone and basically the stock NA system. Good luck. Ever thought of trying the stock injectors and upping the rail pressure?

[dynomatt]

Got some bits and pieces today to start the manual conversion.

Still working through the wiring.

Also got a WRX steering column - half the weight of the SVX one. With a bit of encouragement and a bush (the outer part of the column is shorter, so needs a 20mm extension) it'll fit fine. They probably aren't a good road car swap as the "encouragement" needed might render the standard height adjustment a bit dodgy...but because it's a rally car, I don't really care about that stuff. For note, the SVX indicator assembly bolts straight onto the WRX column as does the ignition switch wiring. However, you'd lose your sensor that senses the key in the ignition having the chip it needs to start.

Factory SVX column, airbag and steering wheel = 33lbs

WRX column with Sparco wheel and adaptor = 13lbs

We'll get that weight out of her yet.

Are there any right hand drive manuals? If so, what spacing did you guys use to mount the clutch pedal? Obviously it goes through the wiring loom hole, but by how much? It also appears it needs to hang off the same bracket that the brake pedal does...where though?

Matt

[SilverSpear]

I think you will also remove the AC because MQ2 will not support it, and it will be useless weight in your car, isn't it?

As for the MAF, what are your plans Matt???

[dynomatt]

Danny,

My wiring will be reduced to essentials.

Headlights, tail lights, brakes, blinkers, reversing lights. Then the MS wiring (it's own loom), fuel pump, relays, engine bay fans etc and I'll need the climate control fan to switch on and off for windscreen demisting.

Then some rally navigation stuff and an intercom.

And that's it...there's so much wiring to pullout. Once I remove the ABS, Aircon, remote central locking, climate control, TCU and factory ECU wiring, there's not much left!!!

M

[cdigerlando]

Something you might consider to get rid of some more weight, is a carbon fiber hood. I could weigh my stock hood, but I believe its over 50 lbs and the cf is about 13 lbs. You could also get rid of all the hood cables, latches, and struts and install some hood pins.

Also, since you are doing an NA system without the MAF you might be able to fab up an intake to match up with the hood scoop. Something simple with a K&N panel filter might be nice. That would get rid of some intake weight. I don't know if you have torn out the ABS yet. I would be interested to see how you do that.

Since this is a racecar, it sounds like you might be able to completely remove all the wiring and redo the looms for minimum practicablility. Then redo the instrument gauges using output from the MSQ 2. The only thing you would lose is idle air control, which you may not need anyway, or may be able to control from the MSQ 2. In my SVX I use the stock ECU to control the IAC, since I still have A/C. You would need some ego control to go to the iris solenoid. I believe it activates at about 4000 rpm.

Just thought I'd make some suggestions. This is fun! I may do this to my car someday.

Good Luck

Chuck D.

[dynomatt]

Chuck,

I have to use the standard body panels unfortunately, so no CF hood (I'd love to though).

And we aren't allowed to use ram air unless it was a factory thing.

As to the wiring, I thought about completely redoing it, but I think the process I'm going through of extracting the wires I don't need, although tedious, will deliver the same result, and utlise factory plugs etc...

Didn't do much last night...I cut my thumb after doing some grinding.

Need to get some bolts today to finish the rack, and get my mate to whip up a bush to adapt the column.

Then work out how to mount the clutch pedal in the air!

Matt

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by cdigerlando

I don't know if you have torn out the ABS yet. I would be interested to see how you do that.

We did this in the racer, and Subafreak did it before us. The ABS pump has 2 inlets and 4 outlets. The two inlets come from the master cylinder and are identical, the 4 outlets go to each wheel. I just used some "T" fittings to connect each master cylinder line to diagonal brake lines. The only difficult thing about it was that I couldn't find "T" fittings for the metric flare nuts that subaru uses. I had to cut the stock flare nuts off and use standard flare nuts and then flare the lines.

I think if you could find a non ABS SVX it would be much easier.

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

I have to use the standard body panels unfortunately, so no CF hood (I'd love to though).
...
As to the wiring, I thought about completely redoing it, but I think the process I'm going through of extracting the wires I don't need, although tedious, will deliver the same result, and utlise factory plugs etc...

SVXFiles lightened his hood before he found the shop to make fiberglass. He cut almost all of the inner support out and saved about 15 lbs if I recall. When you opened it, you could tell a slight difference, but when it was closed, you would never know. He probably has some pictures in his locker...

I chose to go the same route with our wiring, although we're still using the stock ECU, so I don't have to add in extra wires. I don't see any real benefit to completely remake a quarter of the stock harness, when it's much easier and cheaper to just rmeove the three quarters that isn't needed.

[benebob]

Originally Posted by cdigerlando

Something you might consider to get rid of some more weight, is a carbon fiber hood. I could weigh my stock hood, but I believe its over 50 lbs and the cf is about 13 lbs. You could also get rid of all the hood cables, latches, and struts and install some hood pins.

Also, since you are doing an NA system without the MAF you might be able to fab up an intake to match up with the hood scoop. Something simple with a K&N panel filter might be nice. That would get rid of some intake weight. I don't know if you have torn out the ABS yet. I would be interested to see how you do that.

Since this is a racecar, it sounds like you might be able to completely remove all the wiring and redo the looms for minimum practicablility. Then redo the instrument gauges using output from the MSQ 2. The only thing you would lose is idle air control, which you may not need anyway, or may be able to control from the MSQ 2. In my SVX I use the stock ECU to control the IAC, since I still have A/C. You would need some ego control to go to the iris solenoid. I believe it activates at about 4000 rpm.

Just thought I'd make some suggestions. This is fun! I may do this to my car someday.

Good Luck

Chuck D.

I wouldn't go C. F. for a racer as it is pricey esp to replace when things go bump. If you were allowed another panel a fiberglass hood would do just fine. Ours is so light it flaps in the breeze at 55.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by Hocrest

SVXFiles lightened his hood before he found the shop to make fiberglass. He cut almost all of the inner support out and saved about 15 lbs if I recall.

48#s down to 37#s.


Your and Hocrests racer hood weighs 13#s.

[dynomatt]

I can't modify the hood like that unfortunately. All panels must remain stock and they open the bonnet to check that sort of stuff .

The ABS has been removed, I'll just be t-piecing the brake lines (as I don't have to keep the diagonal-brake-line thing like you guys) and the rest of it has gone.

I'm getting my WRX calipers by the end of the week, so should have a brake upgrade report for you then.

Matt

[dynomatt]

I must have been a good boy...look what came today.