1994 MM 2.4 EFI - Tow Truck for the Race Car

[Finnie3d]

Here is where I was able to find the last Chevy 4.3 V6 oil pan in the known universe. If you have a new pan and send it to them they can modify it. No powder coating on it or they can't do it. http://champpans.com/

Cool...thanks for the tip. Will he make mods to an OE pan? Will he make one custom all together? I didn't see anything that looked like Mitsubishi. I really like the idea of an aluminum pan (definitely want the baffle since I'll be racing) but I'm trying ALL I CAN not to pay half a grand for it.

Do you know anyone reputable that's selling the OBX, maybe as a plan B or something?

[camoit]

I would call them up and ask them. Never hurts to talk with them.
The other place is in Oakland CA. about 1.5 hours away from me.
6195 Coliseum Way, Unit F
Oakland, CA 94080

[Finnie3d]

Well I just decided to do it. I may be eating lightly until my next payday, but so be it. :-) Now, I have a pretty good picture of where I'm starting from with building power for my truck. Good results! A '94 EFI truck with almost 200K and basically stock. I'm very excited! *note A/F ratio is a bit rich, but I'm sure that's easily fixed.* Look how consistent everything is on both runs. I'm very grateful to have such a strong foundation to build on. Check it out...

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Next I need to get an O2 sensor that actually fits, but the fact that I bought the wrong one still gives me a chance to source a wideband sensor so i can due some tuning...more to come. Thanks for "tuning" in.

[Finnie3d]

This is pretty cool. It's the original window sticker for the Race Car. It was purchased right down the street from where I grew up all my life. Who would've thunk it...?

2012-04-12_22-44-08_371.jpg I wish I knew how to rotate this picture... anyway, more to come!

[DroppedMitsu]

80hp huh I thought it'd be a little higher then that since they were supposed to be around 110+ hp originally, but I guess thats what 200k will do. Looking forward to seeing more progress on this, and sweet window info sticker!

[Fordubishi]

Remember factory HP was BHP (Brake Horse power) or what the engine does at the flywheel. WHP (WHP Wheel Horse Power) is what a dyno reads is after it goes through the tranny and diff. the Avarage automatic loses 20% HP from the flywheel to the wheels, where as a standered loses around 15%.

[Acuta73]

What did it cost to put that thing on the dyno, out of curiosity?

80WHp with a stock and well worn 2.4 seems a bit low, but still decent!

Would love to find the original paperwork for my truck...lost to the sands of time, and Central Idaho. Lost contact with the Army buddy I bought it from over a decade ago.

[LethalEthan]

at least it wasnt a heart breaker!

[Finnie3d]

This is just the beginning. If it's running this well now, wait til he's built... stay "tuned"

[Finnie3d]

Yeah Dropped, Fordubishi's right about (they're called) "frictional losses". That's why guys say "at the flyweel" or "at the street". Two different power numbers, and how close they are is determined by what's in between them... Acuta, it cost me $60 for two pulls. You're right about the HP. It's a little lower than you'd expect. I've got a SOHC 8V motor not designed for top HP. It redlines at 5500RPM if my memory is good. It's designed to be torquey because it's a RWD truck. That's why you notice on the dyno graph that I already have Max Torque at 2500RPM...He's getting ready to tow the race car... Thanks for "tuning" in!

[Finnie3d]

[QUOTE= and sweet window info sticker![/QUOTE] Thanks for the s/o Dropped. I was surprised to even find it in the glove compartment. I'm glad to have a chance to build this particular Laser.

[camoit]

I fixed your video. You had the wrong URL. What I did was click the link above and use the hole url that showed in the browser.
OH and just so you know if you click the facebook icon at the top of the page the board can update your facebook wall for you. A box will appear next to the editor you would need to put a check in to have it post to FaceBook.

[Finnie3d]

Thanks Cam. Anyway to delete that other post about the video not working? Kind of misleading now huh? lol

[Finnie3d]

Gratefully, I was finally able to find a tach cluster salvage for a reasonable price. I installed it in the parking lot of the yard, to make sure it worked, (because I had to drive about an hour to get it), and it popped right in - good to go! I had to use scotch brite to get some of the rust off of the metal connector that was sticking out, but other that that, it was easy. Reading the instructions that talked about re-routing the speedo cable, it took me a sec to realize the best way to do that.

When I first moved the cable, I tried to put it UNDER the metal bracket. That made the cable too short. There was a round hole going THROUGH the metal bracket that made the cable just the right length and angle.

The sender (for the gauge) that I got from Advance looked HUGE by comparison to the online pics, but it threaded in and works fine.

My truck got 15K mi younger with the install (LOL) so I have to find out how to roll the ODO forward so it will match, and we'll be solid. Anybody have any tips?

I'm grateful for the progress. I've got to re-check the timing and reset the idle speed and go from there.
I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do next, but I'll definitely keep you posted.
Thanks for checking me out.
Stay "Tuned"!

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[LethalEthan]

for rolling it forward i've heard of people hooking up a dremel to the speedo cable socket (I think) and letting it run till it gets to the right mileage, OR you could pull the cluster apart and move the numbers manually (which is what I'd do).

[pennyman1]

Or swap the speedos between the clusters if they will come out without too much trouble. A drill works better to spin an odometer up - too easy to overrev the thing and break it with a dremel. Use a corded drill and lock it on to run.

[Finnie3d]

The lights work fine! #whew (I forgot I bought them in the daytime...) lol

(My phone's camera is kind of wack. It looks better in person. Very bright.)

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[Finnie3d]

Thanks for the odometer tips! I'll try something today and let you know how it goes.

[abeemanator]

I took the speedo out of the old gauge cluster, took the needle off, and then stuck it in the sport cluster and put the sport clusters needle on, it reflected the real mileage and the speedo was still accurate

[Finnie3d]

Ok, so first I tried to use the "drill in the speedo plug" method... clearly it would have taken a thousand years to add the number of miles I needed my ODO to show... Because I didn't want my grandchildren to be the first people to enjoy the new gauges, I decided to take the gauges apart and fix things that way... #really?!

Long story short, I got to the point where I had taken both clusters apart to swap odos, I had taken the tach cluster odometer itself out and was trying to turn the numbers to match what I needed. I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie or I was trying to decipher an ancient stone mason's key... It was like a Rubix Cube gone bad...

What's more, when I finally figured out how to set the numbers, and I got the odometer numbers back in the odometer housing, I missed one detail that made the numbers point down a little in the bezel, and I almost lost the "baby-small" retainer clip that holds the numbers in the housing. Gratefully my friend was here and eventually found it. (I was already going to the truck to try to swap the odo from the original cluster.) Seeing the old odo showed me how to align the new one though, had to take to small clip off again, but i learned from my mistakes and kept it close this time. (*note* friends don't let friends take apart small things on carpet)

When I put everything back together this time, the numbers lined up, everything was properly adjusted and we were finally good to go. I put the gauges back in the truck, and when I was able to test drive, the numbers roll over as the should. (*I'm glad they didn't roll backwards, or have bigger numbers roll before smaller numbers)

So, now the gauges are in and the numbers are true and I can put this chapter of the build to rest...#whew!

I'm not sure what will be my next mod, but I'll definitely keep you posted.
Thanks for checking me out.
Stay "tuned"!

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[Fordubishi]

Next is taking the turbo out of your "Rice" oops race car and drop it in the truck

[Finnie3d]

This is coming from Fordubishi, who's clearly at the top of the list for brand loyalty... Dodge truck, Ford engine, Mitsubishi in the name, and you're in Canada...
We're having a party tonight. Please siphon some of that moonshine out of your gas tank so we can have plenty of drinks for everybody. Thanks!

[LethalEthan]

I'd love to see a proper built and boosted awd talon run a v8 mini-truck anyday

I've heard it before, it's rice until it blows past a turbo v8 cobra. Then its "oh they sprayed it."

[Finnie3d]

I'd love to see a proper built and boosted awd talon run a v8 mini-truck anyday

I've heard it before, it's rice until it blows past a turbo v8 cobra. Then its "oh they sprayed it."

Apples to apples, talking power to weight, 400HP from the V8 v. 400HP from the 4G64B (everything else being equal) = Mighty Max #winner
So more is not always more... That's the whole point of this build - to to stylishly demonstrate exactly that.

In a minute, domestics will be able to get their doors blown off by the Laser or the MM.

[Finnie3d]

I'd love to see a proper built and boosted awd talon run a v8 mini-truck anyday

I've heard it before, it's rice until it blows past a turbo v8 cobra. Then its "oh they sprayed it."

I agree though Lethal - DSM over V8M any day.