9!'clipseDOHC's 1g DSM build

[9!'clipseDOHC]

The dash speakers came in (Pyle 3.5” PL31BK) and I mounted them into the original speaker mounting rings because they were slightly smaller. 3.5” instead of 4”. I went with the 3.5” speakers because they were only 2” deep, same as the originals.

I also installed the new door speakers (Cerwin-Vega 5.25” HED H752) . These were easy, I just needed to drill three new holes in the factory speaker pockets.

I installed the new AEM wideband gauge (just the gauge itself, not the sensor or wiring). My old one was so dim that thought it wasn’t working at all but it turns out it could only be seen at night.

Under the hood I found a large boost leak. The hose from the PCV valve to the intake manifold had dried out and cracked in several places. That was an easy fix. I haven’t driven it yet to see if this helped with the idle surging. If not, I’ll pull the TB and mess with the FIAV.

I added a new boot up logo to the stereo! This flashes on the screen for a second or two when I first turn the ignition on. I love it. Sometimes it’s the simple things!

I had a bunch of scratches on the windshield from the wipers pushing dirt and mud during my RallyX days. I tried to polish them out to no avail. I went to a glass place to see if they could polish them out but they couldn’t either so instead l had a whole new windshield installed. It looks awesome but now I’m wondering if I should have waited until after the California trip (rocks on the highway and such).

I found that a new fuel priming feature was added to ECMLink a few years ago. I tried to get the new version on my old laptop but my laptop is too old. I got the new version on my wife’s laptop but can’t get it to connect to the ECU. I’m still working on trying to figure this out. But I think adding a 5 second fuel pump prime when I turn the key to on will fix my cold start cranking issue.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

After fixing the leaking PCV line I was still getting idle surge, so I pulled the TB and adjusted the FIAV as much as I could, which ended up being about 4-5 quarter turns. It wouldn't go any further after that. I reinstalled it and it seems to have lessened the idle surge considerably, but it is still present. I'll get a better idea when I drive it to work tomorrow. I may be ordering a bypass plate to fully block of the FIAV depending on the final results.

I also swapped out the passenger window regulator and now the window goes up under its own power again. Hopefully this one lasts a little longer.

I took it for a good drive yesterday out on the highway to burn some of the E85 so I could drain it and refill with 91 octane. I looked back in my build thread, and I have been running E85 since May 2011, so this will be the first time it's had pump gas in almost 13 years. I drained the rest out (about 5 gallons) and refilled with 5 gallons of fresh 91 octane. I used my old laptop and older version of the ECMlink application to load my old 91 octane global fuel settings, fuel maps, and timing maps. It took a little while because those maps were made on V3 Lite and I'm now on V3 Full so I couldn't just copy and paste them. However, after reflashing the ECU, it started up and drove like normal. I will take it for a long cruise tomorrow to verify the fuel trims since it's been so long since I've used these maps, but the initial test went very well.

After the drive yesterday, I also noticed only my main fan is kicking on and the supplemental slim fan in front of the turbo isn't doing anything. It looks like the wires might have gotten pinched or damaged by the lower intercooler piping. My plan is to rewire that after work today so both fans will work together.

Everything is coming together! Just a few more days until we take off for the coast!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I started it up this morning and was surprised when it fired up relatively fast, after just a few seconds of cranking. Perhaps my cold start issue had more to do with the E85 than with fuel pressure not holding. Also, it didn't idle surge at all this morning. I think tightening the FIAV those few tuns might have done the trick!

Yesterday evening I pulled the slim fan and found the issue, the wires coming out of the motor were very brittle and one had already completely separated. I soldered new wire in but there wasn't much to connect to so I'm not sure how well it will work. I also lengthened the wires and routed them around the lower intercooler pipe instead of going straight down. Hopefully this fixes the fan, at least for now, but I will probably just buy a new one in the future.

On the inside, I installed the backup camera that came with the head unit and tied it into the reverse lights, so it kicks on automatically when I put it in reverse. I also installed an external microphone for the head unit as the built in one had terrible sound quality.

All that is left is the check the fuel trims, check the remaining fluids (trans, x-case, rear diff), and check the drivetrain bolts are properly torqued (I feel like I might be hearing a drivetrain "clunk" on certain shifts).

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

When I left work yesterday it was back to extended cranking and idle surging, so those problems persist. Also, the slim fan still wasn't working so I ordered a new one with overnight shipping from Amazon to install this evening.

Yesterday when I got off work, I took it for a 20+ minute drive, mostly steady state highway cruising with some stop and go traffic at the end. When I got home, I let it idle and hooked up my old laptop with ECMLink. My Airflow Per Rev was .26 and the Combined Fuel Trims were +14%. I bumped up my injector deadtime until my fuel trims were hovering around 0%. On my E85 tune deadtime was set at 300 but on my old 91 octane tune it was 210 for some reason so that I what I had used. To get the combined fuel trims to zero I moved it up to 310. The ECMtuning chart shows my FIC 850 injectors using a 330 deadtime, so it's pretty spot on.

I crawled under the car to check out the drivetrain and everything was tight but both carrier bearings are completely shot. I added new bearings to my wish list but won't get them done before the trip. I could go with OEM but really like the ease of install on the JXB bearings so doing some more research now. If anyone has input, please let me know.

I also topped off the rear differential with some fresh Redline Heavy Shockproof. Unfortunately, I ran out of time and daylight to check the trans and x-case but I'll get to those tonight, along with the new fan install (if it fits!).

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

The car is ready (or at least as ready as its going to be) to hit the road!

Free overnight shipping from Amazon is incredible! I was planning on upgrading to a SPAL but couldn't get one before the trip. I ordered a generic 12" slim fan, and it was at my front door when I got home from work yesterday. It was an easy install and should help supplement the factory fan with keeping the engine temps down.

I also finished up the fluids, topping off the transfer case with Redline Heavy Shockproof and the transmission with Redline MT-90. The transmission was a little low and took about 1/2 a quart so I'm glad I put in the time to ensure they were fully topped off. The transfer case and rear diff just needed a few pumps to be full. I would have liked to have completely changed the fluids instead of just topping them off, but I didn't plan ahead and only had the fluids I already had on hand, which wasn't enough for full drain and fills.

I might start a new thread for the actual road trip, but I'll still be posting updates here too so stay tuned!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Pacific coast or bust!

 

[CrackedDSM]

The car is ready (or at least as ready as its going to be) to hit the road!

Free overnight shipping from Amazon is incredible! I was planning on upgrading to a SPAL but couldn't get one before the trip. I ordered a generic 12" slim fan, and it was at my front door when I got home from work yesterday. It was an easy install and should help supplement the factory fan with keeping the engine temps down.
View attachment 725701
View attachment 725702

I also finished up the fluids, topping off the transfer case with Redline Heavy Shockproof and the transmission with Redline MT-90. The transmission was a little low and took about 1/2 a quart so I'm glad I put in the time to ensure they were fully topped off. The transfer case and rear diff just needed a few pumps to be full. I would have liked to have completely changed the fluids instead of just topping them off, but I didn't plan ahead and only had the fluids I already had on hand, which wasn't enough for full drain and fills.
View attachment 725703

I might start a new thread for the actual road trip, but I'll still be posting updates here too so stay tuned!

How did you get the spout to work with the redline bottles?

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

How did you get the spout to work with the redline bottles?

I just drop it in and start pumping, it fits perfectly. I’ve been using this one for years, I got it at O’reillys or Auto Zone.

We made it from Texas to California today, about 750 miles. I started a dedicated thread for the road trip so check it out and follow along, it should be a fun adventure!

Thread '1,800+ mile Road Trip to the Pacific Coast in a 1G!'
https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/1-800-mile-road-trip-to-the-pacific-coast-in-a-1g.546203/

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

A few pics from day two (LA, Malibu, Santa Monica Pier, and Venice Beach), see the full post of the road trip thread here: '1,800+ mile Road Trip to the Pacific Coast in a 1G!'
https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/1...e-pacific-coast-in-a-1g.546203/post-153911886

I made this fun reel of my car in front of the Toretto house:

 

[1cleangsx]

So cool!

I’m jealous

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

So cool!

I’m jealous

Thank you! It’s been an awesome trip so far!

 

[1qkfwd]

Damn I’m so jealous. I’ve wanted to road trip a dsm for years. Used to make the 500 mile trip to Las Vegas all the time. Was so much fun. But that was early 2000s!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Damn I’m so jealous. I’ve wanted to road trip a dsm for years. Used to make the 500 mile trip to Las Vegas all the time. Was so much fun. But that was early 2000s!

We are having a blast for sure! It’s hard to believe I’ve had this car for so long and this is the first time I’m taking it on a long trip like this. It’s doing awesome, pretty comfy for two, fun to drive, and getting great mileage!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

We made it back home safe and sound after an awesome road trip! I'm super impressed with the car but driving 1,800 miles over 4 days is bound to reveal a few minor issues. I'm going to document them here so I can start working towards fixing them.

• Horn doesn't work. Luckily we didn't need it but I want to get it working.
• Wipers work on intermittent and medium but completely stop as soon as I move the switch to high.
• Transmission comes out of gear on decel in both 3rd and 5th. 3rd happens all the time and I already knew that. I thought it was an issue with the transmission but on the trip it started happening in 5th gear too. Now I think it might be a linkage issue since its 3rd and 5th.
• Check engine light came on for coolant temps a couple of time on the first day. Cruising 75-80 across southern AZ. Gauge wasn't reflecting higher temps so I'm not sure if its the sensor for the gauge or the sensor for the warning light.
• Clunking during come shifts. I know both driveshaft carrier bearings are shot so I'll start there.
• Still Idle surging on cold starts. I just ordered the FIAV bypass plate from Extreme PSI.
• Still taking a bunch of cranks before it starts to fire up. I'm very confident this is an issue with it not holding fuel pressure when off.
• Very low idle sometimes (dropping to ~500) when we first get off the highway, or right after we restart it after fueling up, almost causing it to stall out.
• At times it seemed to wander on the road at high speeds. I need to check for loose or worn suspension components and alignment.

If anyone has any ideas on solutions, feel free to comment!

 

[99dsmer4g63]

I would fix the driveshaft supports and inspect the motor mounts out before tearing into the trans too much for the popping out issues. Just my .02

-Daniel

 

[curt-s]

Glad to hear you made it all the way back, and under your own power!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I would fix the driveshaft supports and inspect the motor mounts out before tearing into the trans too much for the popping out issues. Just my .02

-Daniel

Yes, I will definitely be replacing the carrier bearings next but I think that has more to do with the clunking than the shifting. All motor mounts are Prothane but I will be double checking them too. Im hoping the popping of gear is just a shifter cable adjustment issue. I’ll be looking into that today.

Glad to hear you made it all the way back, and under your own power!

Thanks, me too! It passed the long distance test with flying colors!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Yesterday I tried to work on the shifter. It was super sloppy and there was a ton of play all over the place. I tried to swap in my 91 shifter (trans is a 90) and 91 cable mount but even after adjusting the cables as far as they would go I could only get into 1st, 3rd, and 5th. I couldn’t get into 2nd, 4th, or reverse. I pulled the 91 stuff back out and cannibalized some bushings from it to install on the 91 shifter. I firmed up the selector arm, both pivots on the short shifter, and where the cables attach to shifter. I followed the factory service manual and adjusted it perfectly and it feels a lot firmer and I can get in all the gears but it still pops out of 3rd as soon as I push the clutch in or let it deccelerate. So basically I’m back where I started, except it’s a little firmer now.

Today I did some digging on the horn issue and actually got it working. The issue is that the engine body harness came out of a car with the anti-theft system and the interior harness came out of a car without the anti-theft system. The two systems are completely different in function. Eventually what I did was grab the wires that came out of the body engine harness for the horns and reran them to the horns. This got everything back to how it should be without the anti-theft system. I’ll post a picture of the diagrams to show the difference and better explain how I fixed it. I had also already bought some aftermarket horns so I went ahead and installed them at the same time.

An easy upgrade was installing an interior mounted FM antenna. I got rid of the factory power antenna years ago but now that I have a stereo again, I wanted to be able to access the radio. I picked up a simple interior mounted antenna from Amazon, ran the cable to the head unit and stuck it to the dash with the included 3M style mounting tape. It seems to have great FM reception but wasn’t picking up much of anything on the AM band.

While I had the lower steering wheel/dash cover off I also started re-gluing some of the padding that was starting to peel. it looks like I caught it early enough to be able to save it.

 

[92AWDHX40]

I'm pulling the foam off and re gluing it back on.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I'm pulling the foam off and re gluing it back on.

I actually like having the foam. How is yours turning out without the foam?

Here is the horn diagram showing the differences with and without the anti-theft system. You can see on the anti theft system the horns are always grounded and without they are only grounded with the switch. The red circles show how my car was setup and the black lines show how I modified it to get it back to how it should be without the anti-theft system.

 

[92AWDHX40]

I haven't glues it yet.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I haven't glues it yet.

Oh, I see. I'm interested to see how it turns out.

This weekend I fixed the issue with the wipers not working on High. I had previously eliminated the wipers but added them back in when I was rallyxing and the Blue/Black wire (that powers the high setting) had pulled out of a crimp connector. Easy fix!

Also, my FIAV bypass plate came in and I got it installed. Two of the screws to separate the throttle body were stripped out, but the drill made short work of them. I bought new 10.9 fasteners with Allen heads to make it easier in case I ever have to remove them again. No more idle surging, but now my idle is dropping very low (similar to the other idle issue I had identified on the trip) down to about 500 and almost shutting off. I will adjust the idle now that the FIAV has been bypassed and hopefully that will take care of the extremely low idle condition I was experiencing.

Updated list:

• Horn doesn't work. Luckily we didn't need it but I want to get it working. FIXED (corrected anti-theft system wiring)
• Wipers work on intermittent and medium but completely stop as soon as I move the switch to high. FIXED (Loose wire)
• Transmission comes out of gear on decel in both 3rd and 5th. Shifter adjusted, still an issue.
• Check engine light came on for coolant temps a couple of times. Building ducting. Need to replace sensors.
• Clunking during some shifts. Need to replace driveshaft carrier bearings.
• Still Idle surging on cold starts. FIXED (FIAV bypass plate)
• Still taking a bunch of cranks before it starts to fire up due to not holding fuel pressure when off.
• Very low idle sometimes (dropping to ~500), almost causing it to stall out. Need to adjust idle now that FIAV has been bypassed.
• At times it seemed to wander on the road at high speeds. I checked the suspension components, and everything seems tight. Need adjustable rear upper control arms to fix negative camber.

 

[BeatupVR4]

• Still taking a bunch of cranks before it starts to fire up due to not holding fuel pressure when off.

Have you tried the prime feature in DSM link? It's under the MISC tab. I have mine set to 2 seconds. If it's actually the regulator that would make it moot.

Another thing to look at is hot start enrichment (MISC tab) and "CrankingFuelAdj" in direct access. With High-Z 1000's my car would start on 2 rotations cold but took forever to start up warm. Played with the cranking fuel and it's good to go.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Have you tried the prime feature in DSM link? It's under the MISC tab. I have mine set to 2 seconds. If it's actually the regulator that would make it moot.

Another thing to look at is hot start enrichment (MISC tab) and "CrankingFuelAdj" in direct access. With High-Z 1000's my car would start on 2 rotations cold but took forever to start up warm. Played with the cranking fuel and it's good to go.

I think the prime feature would completely solve my issue but can't get the newer ECMlink application to work on either of my laptops and my current version of the application doesn't have that feature. I have also changed the diaphragm in my AFPR to no avail, so I think it is just the lack of a check valve in the Walbro 255.

On my old laptop that I have always used ECMLink on (2006 MacBook running OS X 10.6.8 and ECMLink 3.22.172) I can connect to my car (running V3 Full). So that tells me my ECU, cable, etc. are all working.

I tried to update to the newest ECMLink application (ECMLink 3.46.226), but it requires OS X 10.11 or newer. This laptop is running the newest OS it can handle (10.6).

I pulled out my wife’s laptop (2009 MacBook running OS X 10.13.6 and was able to install ECMLink 3.46.226 and the drivers for OS X 10.4+ but it cannot connect to my car.

I was able to download the firmware request from my old laptop but can’t move forward until I can get the laptop with the newest application version to connect.

I haven't messed with hot start enrichment, but it starts great after it's been running. The only issue is after it's been sitting for hours and fuel pressure has dropped.

Also on the low idle issue, I checked with ECMLink when I got home yesterday and my ISC was at 90+. The car was idling so low it actually did shut off when I pulled in the driveway. I unscrewed the BISS a couple of turns until the ISC position moved to 60 and it seems much better now but I'll have to drive it a little more to confirm.

 

[BeatupVR4]

Windows guy all the way here. Got a friend with a newer laptop? Or there is a nice little one on El Paso CL https://elpaso.craigslist.org/sys/d/el-paso-blue-mini-laptop-cannon-printer/7710917039.html

If you've ever turned on the fuel pump through ECMlink while looking at a fuel pressure gauge the pressure comes up in about 1 sec. So if it's taking longer than that it might not be pressure related. Mine was taking 5 plus seconds and I had to give it throttle.

Since it's only after it's been sitting for a while it could be the CrankingFuelAdj tab. I know you live in a hotter area than me but keep an eye on coolant temp when cranking and see if there is a value that above it's fine but below it's pissy. At least the log I could find has +20.3% fuel at 126 coolant temp so that's quite a significant amount.