Don's Vtec Pup

[MiniDave]

Very interesting.   Do you have a Honda manual to guide you?

Sort of, he has downloaded a PDF but it's not very complete or good or easy to read.

[MiniDave]

I may have overlooked it, but what final drive was in it and what are you putting in? 3.7?

4.25 going to 3.7

[MiniDave]

Today was a good day......

I took the gears back out of the trans case, and inserted just the main gear and the reverse - it did not drag. So next I tried putting all the gears and shifter forks in - still no drag???? So I went ahead and assembled the rest of the gearbox. Everything went together fine and we bolted the two halves together.

Next we put the flywheel on and torqued it up, then installed the clutch. The clutch kit Don got not only came with a clutch alignment tools but a new pilot bearing, release bearing and disc and pressure plate. The new disc was slightly larger than the old one too.

Once that was done we manhandled the transmission back onto the engine and bolted her up. Next we fit the subframe  onto the motor mounts so I could start figuring out how to build the new engine steady. That's where we left it tonight......

Later tonight I'll cut the old brackets off the subframe so I can start engineering the new ones.

[94touring]

You'll have it done in no time.

[BruceK]

Great progress! 

That engine looks about the same size as a Mini's - until you hang that gearbox off the end of it!

[jedduh01]

Same frame as BaHowe...

Ive seen his setup  a few times too in various states of repair... A thought we always had and discussions.   The REAR flat plates that bolt to the floor... Are these Solid mounted into the Pup?    Would a nice rubber isolator help?   Strip of Hard rubber? between that mount area and the body? ( I don't think it would hurt in any case. )

I wish you could have driven Howe's car while at CMU for a good Apples to Apples comparison.  I know Howe is running urethane bushings vs these Factory rubber mounts.

[MiniDave]

Me too! I've wondered about those solid floor mounts too - right now they are simply bolted to the floor - but I was thinking that if I got the engine isolated properly it would help. I don't know for example whether the Honda subframe is rubber mounted to the car or solid. I know that the rear engine steady on a Civic is a massive thing, with three rubber bushings (2 engine mount points and 1 frame) so I'm thinking If I can get two steadies in the right orientation it should work. Mike Smith out of Vancouver, BC built his own frame and I've seen how he did it too and I don't think his car vibrates like the bitch this one used to. Changing from the poly motor mounts to factory rubber helped immensely.

I thought Ben's frame was about the same era as Don's, Don got his car in 2008 so it was one of the first D series they did, their current frame looks more like what I'm doing. One thing I would not do is run poly mounts on a 4 cylinder engine!

I would have liked to ride in his car for several reasons, one to see how the taller gears work out and also for the vibes....too bad he lost his brakes, not to mention his alignment was off so the car really squealed around corners. My grandson got to ride with him at least - he was all grins after that!

Don says he's "managing his expectations" but I'm really hoping to tame this thing down to a manageable level.....I'm convinced I can make it better.

[MiniDave]

Today I started on the engine steady, after several revisions, this is what we decided on for the first one, I'm still trying to see if I can figure out a second one. the way the engine runs, it will be pulling downward on this one so it will be in tension not, compression.

[BruceK]

Should do the job.  Looks very good.   4.gif

[MiniDave]

Today I worked on getting a second engine steady engineered, I think the one would suffice but if one is good, two is better.  ;D

The big problem was where to locate it on the engine, since I had one at the transmission end I thought one at the opposite end of the engine and up near the head would be a good choice. I found a 10mm bolt that was only used to support the end of the intake manifold but it was tight, very little room to locate a bracket, so this is what I made....and where it goes. Once that was done it was just a matter of shortening the double ended steady and rewelding it in the right orientation, then making and welding a bracket on the frame to receive the other end and we're done.

Don is cleaning and repainting the subframe this afternoon, so tomorrow if the paint is dry we'll put it all back together and back in the car. Finger's crossed it will all fit OK.

[MPlayle]

Does the bracket still leave you room to get that lower intake nut on and tight?

[MiniDave]

Yes............barely!  ::)  I'll probably need to use an open end wrench rather than a socket, but there might be room for a Snap-On socket to get on the nut.

What I'll probably do is install the manifold first, then the steady bracket. Then if I need to I can always grind a little off the edge of the bracket.

[MiniDave]

Another banner day on the Pup!

First we got the subframe installed on the engine, then we installed the suspension and hubs..... this is a very fiddly job as there are four pivot points all with heim joints and all using shoulder bolts and spacers.

Once those were done we installed as many ancillaries as we could, then rolled it under the engine commpartment. Things got slow then as the engine hoist wouldn't fit around the cribbing we had the assembly sitting on, it took over an hour fiddling with the cribbing, floor jack and engine hoist before we got it lifted back into place, but she's in now!

All the modifications we did to the subframe look like they will work beautifully, and the rest will go together easily if slowly.

One minor setback, Don managed to break one of the custom MiniTec spec front ss brake hoses so we may be stuck till they can ship us one, and they're not the most responsive when it comes to customer's needs - especially on a holdiay week. However, I may have figured out a way to work around the problem with some bits and bobs I have on hand - we'll see tomorrow.

A few pics of Don fiddling with the suspension and the final pic of the subframe mods I did.

[94touring]

No way to use a standard mini hose? I'd hate having some hose that's rarer than hens teeth to have to replace.

[MiniDave]

No, it won't clear the suspension arms on turns, it's a PITA as he's broken one before, they're not fragile but if you don't get it set just right when you turn the wheels it breaks the hose end off the hose. If my idea works, he'll be able to use std Mini SS brake lines......

As it is, when we took the engine out we had to cut the brake line that feeds the rear brakes as it would not clear the frame, today I re-flared the stub and we used a coupler so we'll never have that problem again.

[BruceK]

You guys have really made a lot of progress in a short time.   Fingers crossed that most of the NVH issues go away. 

[MiniDave]

The engine does not move, so now I'm concerned it may be too tightly controlled. We'll see tomorrow.....we had left it hanging on the two big bolts, but tonight I decided to go ahead and bolt up the six smaller bolts that hold the rear part of the subframe to the body, so I did that tonight, now it's solid.

[94touring]

I would think so long as you have rubber bushings it will be just fine.

[MPlayle]

For the brake hose, spend some time exploring JEGS.com for what they may have.  They carry almost all of the various ends (caliper to frame) needed in varying lengths.

This search results might give a start: https://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchResultsPageCmd?Ntt=Brake+caliper+hose&N=&Ns=P_Price%7c0&Nrpp=&Tab=SKU&storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&No=0

[MiniDave]

Other than the NVH there really won't be any difference in how the car sounds or drives - well that and the taller gears I guess. The main thing is we cured a number of oil leaks and did maintenance that will take him thru the next 30K miles. I'm hopeful that the car will be as much or more fun to drive now, I can tell you those buzzes and vibrations were more than annoying - to the point of not wanting to drive the car except for short blasts around town. It should be  a whole lot quieter now and be a better highway cruiser. We'll see, maybe even later today......

Today is tidy up and finish day - there are about a million electrical connectors to match up, all the plumbing to reinstall, a brake line to fix, then flush and bleed the whole system. Lastly I'll do the intake installation while he does the exhaust and shift linkage under the car, and a bunch of other small bits and bobs, then it will be time to see if it all works. Fingers crossed but barring something unforeseen I expect him to drive it home this afternoon.

[MiniDave]

While Don was busy with finding where all the wiring connectors go, I worked on the broken brake line. I had a regular Mini stainless line in stock but it has a male end. Don's brakes have a banjo fitting at a slight angle to provide clearance for the line to the suspension members, especially at full lock - the fitting also has a male end. MiniTec had grafted a female end onto a regular Mini SS brake hose - it is this little end that always breaks (he's broken one once before). My solution was to use a regular line with a female/female union between them, and it looks like it's all going to clear in both locks and in full suspension movement. Result! as Edd Chinar would say.  ;D

A few pics to show what I mean....

[94touring]

I'd say that's an improvement.

[MiniDave]

Today is finish day, Don got called away early yesterday and as I'm letting him do all the electrical ( he took it apart and took notes and pics of what went where) we're almost ready to button it up. Still to do, tidy up some loose wires with zip ties, install the downpipe and new flex joint in the exhaust, while he's doing that I'll install the intake (as I took it off and took no notes or pics of where anything went  ::)  ;D ) then all we'll have left is to fill the coolant, oil and fill and bleed the brakes - oh and re-install the coilovers. Then, turn the key and see if he lets the smoke out or if it will run!

More this afternoon.  77.gif

[MiniDave]

Soooo close.

Don got called away to a family emergency so I carried on best I could. I got everything done except installing the A/C compressor, shocks and bleeding the brakes and clutch.

I took a pic of the mess of pipes, hoses, wires and what have you under the intake manifold, once you get the manifold in place and tightened down there's no room to get your hands in there to hook stuff up again. You think an A series in a Mini is tight! I only drew blood a couple of times....  ::)

Tomorrow I have to work so it will be Wed before I get back to it.

[94touring]

Done tomorrow? Does he know I'm challenging him to a duel once I'm on the road?

Edit: on the road Wednesday.