The Black Rat

[ManiacLachy]

I didn't realise it was TSE, I just assumed Kraken

I'm very disappointed with how things went with TSE, it was so promising and then Andrew just pulled the pin and left everyone hanging. The product (up until towards the end) was excellent, and the results he achieved were fantastic. Looks like you're well on your way to making your own excellent results though.

[The American]

I didn't realise it was TSE, I just assumed Kraken

I'm very disappointed with how things went with TSE, it was so promising and then Andrew just pulled the pin and left everyone hanging. The product (up until towards the end) was excellent, and the results he achieved were fantastic. Looks like you're well on your way to making your own excellent results though.

Mr Kraken appears to have sufficient hunger to survive, iterate his product and get it out to the people to make a living. It’s not clear to me what went wrong for TSE. Commitment? Capital/cashflow? Lost interest/found easier ways to make money? Who knows. You can still buy some TSE stuff through Tarmac88 and Flyinmiata...

The manifold I have looks ok, and at the time I bought it, it was hailed as the EFR based solution to reliability when used with the TSE studs and stage 8 hardware. Now though, it seems to be ‘common knowledge’ that these studs will still back out even with properly applied resbond. Sigh!

Kraken or a Suli item would be the options to consider now

[The American]

I've begun slowly bolting things back on to the engine. Having got the manifold and turbo bolted together satisfactorily, it's bolted to the head and I am beginning to put the plumbing together for it.

The oil drain went on first, and is made up of a fitting made by Franklin Performance in NZ (https://franklinperformance.nz/) who make an extended fitting that suits the bolt spacing on the EFR. This is coupled with some -10AN fittings and braided lines, and is covered with firesleeve.

I am going to attempt stainless water lines similar to those Trackspeed once supplied with their turbo parts. Because my engine does not have the front water neck (replaced with welch plug), my water feedline will come from the other side of the engine, hopefully sneaking through the tunnel that is now clear behind the timing covers.

[The American]

This is the best thread I've found for prepping your Skunk2 Throttle Body for use, I've got it bookmarked for when it's time for me to do the surgery.
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?p=9458045#post9458045

I can't believe this thing has been on the market for so long with documented issues but no fixes made by the manufacturer! I wish there were an alternative.

Two of the 6 supplied fasteners were too long to use without trimming, by 3mm and 5mm respectively. I did the porting this morning as well. All of the skunk2 jobs except for the throttle spring tension adjustment are done.

[The American]

Marked out for porting to match the Skunk2 throttle body:



Porting complete:



The oil feed for the turbo is -4an stainless with steel fittings with a firesleeve cover. The water lines are 3/8 stainless tube (I will have to remake these, as I have used the wrong flaring tool )



The injectors are in along with the fuel rail and fittings. The ID series injectors don't fit as nicely as the older versions. You can fit them, but there is only one orientation in which you can get the connectors onto them because of how close to the head the connector is on the injector body. I put the connectors on them before I seated the rail because there is so little room to work with.

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[ManiacLachy]

Nice job on the porting, and in general it looks like it's all coming together. That Radium rail looks beautiful, shame it'll be hidden under the square top.

Any reason you didn't drill the spring return hole? Going to see how it is on the current hole first?

[The American]

Any reason you didn't drill the spring return hole? Going to see how it is on the current hole first?

No, just haven’t got to it yet. I am tempted to leave it and see, but the spring tension is obviously less than the stock TB, and if the issue is not ‘sticking’ but ‘held open’ by the air passing through the port at idle then I can see why just based on the spring tension compared to stock.

[greenMachine]

On the two Skunks I installed (racecar, and the red SE), I drilled two holes, one where MT.net said, and one that much further again, just in case ... when installed I used the first (closest to original), and never had cause to try the second.

[The American]

On the two Skunks I installed (racecar, and the red SE), I drilled two holes, one where MT.net said, and one that much further again, just in case ... when installed I used the first (closest to original), and never had cause to try the second.

Was that 3mm away from the original? I’ve read a few threads and some have lots of holes drilled!

[greenMachine]

On the two Skunks I installed (racecar, and the red SE), I drilled two holes, one where MT.net said, and one that much further again, just in case ... when installed I used the first (closest to original), and never had cause to try the second.

Was that 3mm away from the original? I’ve read a few threads and some have lots of holes drilled!

I don't think I got quite that scientific ...

This is the image from MT.net that I used as my template:

(The red dot - you are adding tension to the spring).

[The American]

(The red dot - you are adding tension to the spring).

All done, and refitted with some blue Loctite (should I be using red for this one?)

There's a heap of tinkering in these water lines, and some learnings. I sweated a heap over trying to get double flares formed, and the 3/8 stainless tube was just too thick/stiff to form. It turns out that 37 degree single flares are best for stainless (much easier to achieve too).

I am sure I could make these up much more swiftly now that I've had some practice.



The first stage of the double flare makes a nice bubble flare end for the tube.

The 3/8 line on the turbo side will be fed from the 8mm/ 5/16 line that comes off the oil warmer. I'm just waiting on a 3/8 to 5/16 barb joiner so I can finish this connection.

There are not too many jobs left before the engine is ready to come off the stand for the clutch and gearbox to be fitted, and then it should all be ready to go back into the car (fingers crossed).

[ManiacLachy]

Exciting, not much longer until breakin!

[The American]

Exciting, not much longer until breakin!

We will see! Still need an exhaust, intercooler piping, a heap of wiring.

[The American]

About 25 years ago I did a introductory welding course at TAFE in the evening. They taught you just enough to successfully weld a little with each process. From memory, it started off with Oxy-acetylene, then stick, then MIG, some brazing and finally TIG. I think it was the opening unit that someone would need to do as part of their trade apprenticeship training. I was never planning to be a boiler maker and but it was enough for a taste.

Soon after this, I bought an Italian SIP brand MIG and an old rusty G60 Patrol. Fixing it was pretty straight forward, as most of the panels were single skin and flat. Later, I picked up a very rusty 60 Series Landcruiser that also had tin worm. I found a body with the sections I needed at a wrecker, and the rest was a lot of measuring, cutting and welding.









I have never forgotten the clean magic of that TIG welder at the TAFE, and since getting more motorsport oriented things, I have always wanted to play with one.



I'm going to need a bit of practice, but finally the practice has begun.

[PaulF]

Funny coincidence - I recently applied for that exact night course.