Jack's NB8B

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:27 pm

I like where this is headed. Full points.

JackF · Postby **JackF** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:37 pm

Thanks!

Not sure why the video's not embedding properly...

Here's a link, anyway
https://youtu.be/uqme3c23CDw

speed · Postby **speed** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:50 am

Very nice - good work!

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JackF · Postby **JackF** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 3:39 am

Made some progress on the tablet install today, wired the amp, USB DAC and tablet power in. There's a decent amount of interference though (high pitched whining coming from the speakers that matches engine rpm, sounds like a high pitched supercharger basically) so we've got some work to do to get rid of that. One problem is I know next to nothing about car audio and electronics, so I don't know if/when what my mate is wiring is wrong/could be better. That said, everything so far has worked, no blown fuses and no electrical fires, so I don't think it's all bad :wink:

Either way, currently, we're using the plug from the back of the original head unit for power and speakers (diagram below), and using the cigarette lighter plug for accessory (power for the tablet, just a switch for the amp) and ground. I'm running a Pyle Hydra 2-channel amp, with constant battery power (fused) coming from the B plug, and speakers going to the A C D F plugs. Accessory (switch) and ground are going through the cigarette lighter power and ground (which I'm sort of skeptical about..?).

Tablet power is through a 12v car charger, which is in turn sharing power/ground from the cigarette lighter plug. The tablet powers the USB DAC, audio goes via RCA from the DAC to the amp.

Testing it all out watching Roadkill. Working speakers yay

All the bits got mounted inside the original head unit cage, which I stripped the internals out of ages ago.

Nearly done! Just got to design and 3d print a fascia and switch panel, take the tablet apart and move the USB plug to somewhere more convenient, rewire the power and volume switches to my external switches, mount everything up, and then rewire the window switches as well so its all nice and neat (I have no centre console and the window switches sorta just flop around. Relocating them to the tombstone switch panel).

So, questions are: what causes interference in car audio systems, and how can I fix it? I'll do some research in the next few days and see what I can figure out. My mate Matt is working on a circuit to turn on of our mom-off-mom switches into a (tablet on/off)-off-(amp on/off) switch, but that won't really solve the interference problem, it'll just mean it doesn't happen when the amp's off.

In other news, I'm heading down south after easter to spend a week at Collie motorplex, swapping the MX-5 for mental FSAE cars. Rather looking forward to it

Cheers

speed · Postby **speed** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 8:46 am

Looking good. Running power and speaker wires together can create interference. Separate where possible

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IanR · Postby **IanR** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 7:31 pm

looking good, ill be doing this!!!

JackF · Postby **JackF** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:24 am

Hey all, time for an update.

So my car has now been off the road for most of two months, largely due to waiting for parts. After my last track day my rear tyres were completely shredded, so I ordered a pair of AD08Rs as a new set of fronts. They took most of a month to arrive...

Then a week after I got them, I took the diff out to have my Kaaz 1.5 way centre fitted. I had bought a spare diff housing with 3.9 gears already fitted, but when I took them to the shop, they noticed that the ring gear had 12 bolt holes, which should have been 10... (I'm still 100% puzzled by this. 12 bolt ring gears aren't a thing on mx5s, but its definitely an mx5 diff...)

So after faffing around having to find a second set of 3.9 gears, and getting charged for way more labour than was initially anticipated, I finally got my diff back. Then exams came around and I got too busy to reinstall it. Just started holidays so hopefully it should be back together soon.

Other things: One goal for this uni break is to make a new cat-back exhaust. I bought a set of used Warren Heath Performance headers with a very early mild steel twin-exit Nitro Dann exhaust (only wanted the headers but the seller wanted them gone together. No dramas tho, the extra tubes should be useful for something). Also bought a Varex muffler for cheap without the electronics, but that shouldn't be too hard to wire up. Really hoping i can get it to be about the same volume as stock with the Varex closed, definitely want it to be stealthy. Also really hoping my welds aren't atrocious..

Bought and installed new bump stops, reset coilover heights and preloads in anticipation of getting an alignment soon. Bought a VDO oil pressure sender (360-009, 80psi with a 7psi warning light), will chuck that in with the next oil change. Bought some polyurethane diff bush void fillers, apparently sort of half way between a rubber and full poly diff bush, will go in when the diff goes in.

Aaaaand I bought new wheels as well. The stock ones will become track wheels, so I don't waste the semi slicks on road driving (also they're sort of dangerously capable for the streets, you shouldn't be able to take roundabouts at 70 with no consequences...)

I really had a bit of a moral dilemma when these wheels came up for sale. I always wanted genuine wheels; a set of Work CR01s or BBS RSs... I had never intended to buy Rotas... then these came up. They were 500kms old with equally new tyres for a excellent price, in pretty much perfect specs: Rota Grid Classics, bronze, 16x8+20, with 205/45/16 Nexen N9000s. And to be honest I kinda like them... Just need centre caps and they'll be good

Anyway, that's it for now. With any luck the diff should be back in this week, so I should have an update soon

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:40 am

The wheels look great and fit perfectly! I know Rota get's a lot of hate from wheel snobs, but spending $2k+ on wheels alone doesn't make a lot of sense to everybody. I wouldn't mind getting a set in the same specs as yours, except in a Gun Metal colour.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 5:30 pm

Looks good mate, wheels really suit it, nothing wrong with Rota's IMO.

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 10:23 am

Agreed on the Rota's mate, the bit we can see looks great! :mrgreen:

When the car is mobile a few more pics would be great.

Also, is your car lowered at all?
Did/will you need to roll and/or pull the fenders?

I suppose you won't know until you drive it about a bit......

JackF · Postby **JackF** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 5:19 pm

Thanks guys!

The diffs back in! I'm still yet to break it in, but I think I've found a carpark thar should be empty on sunday night and is isolated enough there won't be people around to give me weird looks/call the cops on me.

Nevyn, yes its lowered, but I raised it a tad before chucking the new wheels on, and in the short drive up the street and back it didnt rub on full lock or on bumps. Might be ok without rolling the guards, we'll see soon I guess ;)

JackF · Postby **JackF** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:05 am

The diff is now broken in (figure 8s for half an hour), and 95% of the clunking it was doing pre-break in is gone. I'm going to change the oil tomorrow, drive another 1000km in sensible mode, and then change the oil again just to be safe before getting silly with it. By the end of the break in procedure it felt amazing, even at low speed its definitely a noticeable improvement, the whole rear end just feels so much more responsive. I'm guessing the ratio change and poly bush void fillers are also helping in that regard, but the kaaz itself feels great. More feedback to come in a week or two once i give it a proper work out

Couple of photos from tonight, trying out a new lens. They don't really show the new wheels, but oh well :beer:

JackF · Postby **JackF** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 5:04 pm

I think this picture probably best answers the question of whether I was rubbing. Pretty disappointed, never thought a bit of rubbing would cause that much damage. Anyway, I'll get some touchup paint and roll the guards tomorrow.