The Mite
Part :54
More wiring, Programming the Tec-2
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Here's the engine as I left it. All the wires from the harness that lead to the engine compartment have been connected except for the headlights, fans, and blinkers. The wires have been routed and zip-tied together. |
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Once the wires were run, I wrapped them with cloth electrical tape. I like the look better than the split-loom plastic that is often used |
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The result it perty clean, i think. |
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Still need to wire the fans, using the stock Miata thermo switch near the thermostat in the front of the engine. I ran a power wire and an ignition-on wire to the front already. |
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I need to make some plug wires with the appropriate ends on them. The stock Miata wires have angled boots and the wrong connectors. I'll tidy-up the wires going to the Tec-2 after everything is working correctly. |
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The Tec-2 is pretty easy to hook up, as long as you do things one-at-a-time. Start with one sensor, run the wires; then move to the next one. Here's a wiring diagram. I ran into one problem with the stock 1.6 Miata throttle body from this 5 speed engine: the TPS, or throttle position sensor, is a simple on-off switch. The Tec-2 supplies a 5 volt signal and requires a variable return to determine throttle position. The correct type TPS can be found on the throttle bodies from a 1.6 liter Automatic transmission engine. BUT, the TPS won't fit on a manual trans throttle body. I went to the local U-Pullit junkyard and found a throttle body and tps from a 1.6 auto trans engine for $22. It's now in the Mite. This wiring diagram is for both 4 and 6 cylinder engines |
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The Tec connnects to a computer for programming. It's not like The Fast and the Furious where the computer talks to you about your manifold pressure and NOS. |
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Here's the 'monitor engine' screen. I have not started the car yet, but I hooked up the computer, uploaded a baseline turbo .bin file that I made using the 'quick-start' included with the Wintec software, and used this screen to check that all sensors were hooked up correctly. I had some wires on the TPS reversed, so I fixed them and now everything is ok. I expect to be able to get the car running, and then bring it to a tuner with a dyno for final tuning and optimization. |
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This week was also the Barrett Jackson auction. Here's the booth Erik and I split. That's Erik. Sales were certainly not as brisk as we had hoped. Same sentiment from nearly all vendors. |
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There was a nifty drift disply, tho. Click the pic for a you-tube link of a short vid I took. |
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Here's the Arizona Tourism Board's booth at Barrett Jackson. No retouching, no photoshop work. The irony kills me. The dude in the booth had no idea why I was laughing. |
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Here's the hole for the Blinkers in the 'glass bonnet. Drilled with a hole saw on a cordless drill |
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Then, in go the rubber grommets; then the bulb holders that had wires attached were screwed in place. Finally, the glass lens and chrome trim ring were installed under the rubber lip |
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Holes drilled in the headlight bucket |
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And the buckets installed. These were a bear to install. The repro's from moss don't really work as they are supposed to: the chrome outer trim ring will not install after the buckets are put in the bonnet, so I welded studs onto the back of the buckets so that the bulb, gasket, trim ring, etc..could be assembled and then installed in the bonnet. Aiming will be more difficult, but I'll only have to do that once... |
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The powdercoated grill installed with nylocks |
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And the finished (nearly) bonnet installed on the Mite |
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Front view. I still need to fab a prop-rod, install the Dzus fasteners and wire up the headlights and blinkers. Then the radiator plumbing and the intercooler plumbing. THEN I can try to start it! |