1987 3.2 Carrera Backdate project - Sladeys hotrod

[KS]

THAT wide... Will he still be able to shut both doors?

[sladey]

Cheeky fecker - I've just been out to the shed for you!

Porsche seats 53cm wide, Ferrari ones 51.5cm wide

[sladey]

ok both seats in now and I've driven it today


Really chuffed with how they look and the good news is that the colour has stayed on so far - today I drove back from training in a white shirt - it was hot and I was sweaty (easy, Thomas). No colour transfer.

On how they feel:- I've got to admit they aren't as good for me as the Porsche sports seats. The Porsche ones have higher side bolsters and they grip you much more around the hips. The side bolsters on the seat backs are also much stiffer on the Porsche ones - holding you much more firmly against sideways movement; the ones on the Ferrari are good but not as firm.

I'd say they are in between standard Porsche tombstone seats and the sports seats. This isn't to slag off the Ferrari ones, just to point out how good the Porsche sports ones are.

Having said all that I've driven 100K miles in the Porsche ones and about 30 miles in the Fezza ones. I reckon I'll get used to them no problem.

Another plus point for the Fezzas is they are 6kg a seat lighter - so that's a handy 12 kg saving then

[Gary71]

Look great and suit the car really well. Glad it doesn't all just come off first time you sit on it!

[sladey]

OK time for another update.....

On the seats I've got used to them now and really like them. The only downside is that if you scuff them the original color shows through (obvs...) but I can touch that up when I get a chance.

For many years now I've always had the idea that I'd like a bigger engine - in the search for more POWER! I'd initially thought along the lines of a 3.5 on PMOs but after a while realized I was trying to create something new from scratch _ I'd be better off taking advantage of the millions of pounds of R&D the Porsche put into their engine and slip in a 3.6 from a 993. I'd also decided I wanted a variorum version because driving it every day I would appreciate the improved torque.

Then last year while investigating an oil leak Mike Bainbridge accidentally rebuilt the whole engine. This really set me thinking. The engine was undoubtedly more powerful after the rebuild and as its loosened up its got even better. I can unstick the cars Tyres at most speeds if I want to, there's not a lot of cars I can't keep up with on the road, and it's very drivable day to day.

I've therefore come around to the idea that I'm going to stick with this engine. However I've always wanted some for of ITBs on the engine so that may be something I would go to. I appreciate that won't give much more power but it should improve responsiveness and they look awesome.

So given that I'd come round to that way of thinking, in September I saw an advert on impact bumpers for a Canems engine management system for a 3.2. This consisted of a Canems programmable ECU, Canems DIS (replaces dizzy with a box of gubbins), and a Canems MAF unit - replacing the barn door air flow sensor with a hot wire version. The settings can be changed by plugging a laptop into the ECU, and it's all reversible _ you can switch back to stock in a day.

What swung it for me was that Canems do an ITB conversion too- building on some of the kit that was for sale. So I could put this kit on now, and when I get some more money I could go to an ITB setup (the Canems kit uses Jenvey throttle bodies).

I hadn't heard of Canems before but a little research revealed that Redtek use them more and more in their engine conversions - probably about as good a recommendation as you're going to get.

So back in September I pulled the trigger on this



And now Christmas has come around I've finally had time to fit it all.

I emailed Canems a month ago saying I'd bought some second hand kit, and that I was proposing to first fit just the ECU To see if that worked, and if so go ahead and fit the rest. To my surprise they responded quickly and said that was a good course of action but that I'd need a map for a standard 3.2 engine - he attached one to his email. I was really impressed as I'd be half expecting them to just ignore me.

When I came to do stage one of the install. A couple of days ago my laptop wasn't talking to the ECU so I phoned them - again they were really helpful.

[sladey]

OK so stage 1 was just to fit the ECU and nothing else. I connected it all up and nothing happened. Eventually Sussed that there wasn't a suitable driver on my laptop for the USB to serial adapter. Downloaded one and it connected OK.

I then saved the existing map to one side (this was developed by the previous owner with all the kit on it so I did not want to lose it) I then loaded the stock 3.2 map - it take seconds to load a new one.
Then started it up - started fine - then drove it round the block. From my butt Dyno it definitely felt faster. More to the point it worked! And also it looked cool when the gauges changed on the laptop as I revved it



The next day I started installing the rest of the kit - starting with the DIS kit. This requires you to break into the main plug going into the ECU. Sounds serious but it was easy and the instructions were clear


Now I know a lot of you like before and after picture so here's a 'before' one


Next we do away with the coil. The cable I connected into the ECU plug joins onto this, as do two wires that were on the coil. It all then connects to the dizzy replacement gubbins. This part was the biggest hassle of the day - nothing to do with the kit - one of the studs holding on the coil had sheared off and I had to drill through the stud and put a new bolt through


After that was all connected up, in the afternoon I connected up the MAF system - here is the 'after' shot. The wires in the middle are a bit messy - don't like that - I'll tidy them up when I get a chance.


I also fitted a bracket onto the front seat mount so I can plug in the diagnostic stuff at any time without having to remove the seat


Once everything was done I crossed everything I had and turned the key. It started up fine. Initially the throttle wasn't catching very well - I'd blip my foot down and there was a delay. Again I just drove it round the block (in the pouring rain) and again it felt faster. The throttle delay disappeared.

I'm looking forward to driving it properly now. On the Canems site they put up rolling road maps showing about a 10bhp improvement for the DIS kit and separately for the MAF kit. No idea of the combined effect, also no idea of the Ecu effect on its own.

Next stage is to get it mapped property on a rolling road......

[DustyM]

Nice one Mark, that was a good purchase.

[bjmullan]

Panel beater, welder, painter, upholsterer, electronics wizard and general nice guy. Happy New Year Mark

[Mike]

Looking great Mark, well done you're a talented man! Happy New Year.

[sladey]

Thanks guys

Mike I know the gubbins isn't as pretty as a dizzy but I'm assured it will perform better

[impmad2000]

Nice one Mark. I'm pretty sure a RR tune will pull more out as "standard" maps tend to be tame. Well done, and approaching thins in small pieces is definitely the right way to go.

[KS]

I'm impressed! All done without endless moaning on DDK, as is my usual course of action!

I'll be interested to see what more you can get out of it.

[Darren65]

Panel beater, welder, painter, upholsterer, electronics wizard and general nice guy. Happy New Year Mark

Here's to that!

Just love your approach to things, just so very cool

Well done and thanks for sharing.

[sladey]

Thanks guys. To be fair I understand the previous owner spent quite a bit of time getting it to work on a rolling road - so even though the engines are different I'd got a good chance of it being close

The only thing I've noticed so far is it isn't starting well from cold and then once started its idling high

Any suggestions of thing to tweak Tim?

[impmad2000]

What can you adjust ? Megasquirt gives loads of adjustments for cold start, priming pulses, after start enrichment, warm up enrichment. Do you have lambda sensors ? But on yours, try start by tuning tick over on the ignition. It might help cold start too.