93 SC400 1UZFE into 88 RX-7 Journal

[robotbrandon]

Hello all,
This is my first project log on here, so please bear with me.
I hope to share anything I find or uncover.
This is a budget build with a budget of $4000.
Mostly every part will be sourced at junkyards.
If you have any advice or knowledge I would be very grateful for your insight.
I will be updating as I go along.
I apologize in advance on file attachments only, I'm not sure how to embed properly from photobucket.

Background Info

Engine:
93 sc400 junkyard engine
traction model

Shell:
1988 rx-7
power steering rack

transmission:
Black Top SR20DET transmission

 

[robotbrandon]

AC PS Hydro Pump Delete

Today I removed the following:
AC Pump
Powersteering Pump (was already missing)
Hydraulic fan pump
EGR system (used lextreme kit)

I replaced my dual TPS (TRAC) throttle body to a single tps model.
I had to re use the hardline from the dual tps TB.
The single TPS model is lighter and does not have all of that annoying TRAC nonsense.
Unfortunately I did not weigh the difference between the two, oops!

Total weight of components and related brackets and lines was 38lbs not including the powersteering pump and serpentine belt and throttle body difference.

This engine should weigh less than a stock 3rd gen rx7 motor now.

I will get a final weight for you all when I finish up the wiring and change out a few seals and gaskets, perhaps remove the stock belt tensioner as well.

ACC BELT TENSION

For alternator tension I snagged a couple of tensioner arms from the junkyard and found the 2nd generation rx7 arm to work the best.

You may want to grind out the "adjustment" groove in order to put a stock size bolt through the rx7 bracket.

I have yet to do this in my pictures.

the pulley faces line up perfectly.

Using the bottom of the 2 bolts, I measured the belt range to be 31" min - 32 1/2" max.

I still need to buy a belt to make sure this is enough play to achieve proper tension.

This method swings the alternator out farther than I would like, I would prefer to use the top alternator mounting stud and have the bottom hole swing out for tension but the brackets I found would not allow this.

WIRING

I relocated some of the rear wire routing to make is easier to wire when I install the engine. Tucking the connector that hangs off of the back of the drivers side cyl head bought me about an inch of clearance.

Starter cable - moved to follow passenger side of engine (battery will be installed in passenger side bin of rx7)

Oil pressure wire - run along top of engine vs stock location near exhaust manifold

A/C - run along top of engine (will be removed when I pull all irrelevant wires from loom)

 

[robotbrandon]

BTW, if someone could advise on how to insert pictures I could start doing that.

 

[robotbrandon]

Radiator!

While I wait on the adapter kit from http://collinsadapters.com/, I will be working on misc stuff for the car once the engine is in such as the radiator and wiring.

I found a radiator in the junk yard I think I can Finagle into the Rx7.

It is a side pass radiator so I'm guessing it was out of a civic or something, it was just laying around in the yard.

The rough measurements I took for radiator "core" space available were 27"Wx17"H.

I found this radiator with an outer dimension of 28"Wx15 1/2"Hx2"D.

"core" measures to be 23 3/4"Wx15 1/2"

I followed a guide on a DIY aluminum radiator shroud here: http://www.d-series.org/forums/diy-forum/150875-diy-aluminium-slim-fan-shroud-ver-2-0-a.html

I bought 2 ebay 10" slim fans (1500 cfm each) since front to rear space will be a concern on this project, buying the 2 smaller fans was less depth than purchasing one larger fan.

My final depth comes out to 5 1/4" which is within my guestimated allowance.

 

[MattRose]

Hi Brandon,

I'm currently doing the exact same swap in my teammates fc. We have everything mounted and its ready to rip but we can't seem to get the wiring sorted out. Do you think we could connect as I'd love to talk about some of the wiring that we have, and make sure that we are on the same page.