My new whip.. :)

[tireboy]

Right on!!!! looks good... Hopefully you get the kaaz issue sorted out..

[Mazda_Powered]

Go ford friction modifier! I hope that will calm it down to your liking man.

[crazycanadian]

First round of break in things seem to be getting better... The mall parking lot was a little to busy at the time and I was getting all kinds of bad looks from the bike security so I came home early.. Just waiting on the mall to close up for the night then I am headed out to finish off the break in process... If all goes well I am signed up to take the car to autocross tomorrow..

Since I have been told I am not doing any damage to anything, then I am comfortable finishing up going threw the break in process and seeing how this thing will perform...

[Mazda_Powered]

Exactly man! It will work just fine, just won't be "dialed" in yet if anything since it's 100% lol...

[crazycanadian]

YAAA! to a very successful Day at autocross... The Diff is getting quieter as I keep driving it... The car drives like a whole new animal with the diff installed.. Its amazing how earlier I can put power down coming out of the corners and how much more over all grip the car has... With all the changes I have made, the car was totally unpredictable.. The rear end was all over the place my first 2 run... I ended up dropping rear tire pressure almost 10psi.. I also softened the shocks up about 10 adjustments...

Lots of little things to do still on the car, but this was a great day and an awsome start... The only problem I having with the motor is an odd idle pattern... Anytime I touch the throttle or come to a stop the car idles at about 1200ish or so for 3 - 4 seconds and then it idles back down to a normal sounding idle... I'll have to get the OBD2 plug wired in tomorrow and put my scan tool on the car to see whats going on...

I took some videos... My first run of the day was exciting.. I took a guy for a ride along who was interested in getting into the sport.. I think he got a little more then he expected... Even with a while harry ride he was still really excited about getting involved at the next event...

http://youtu.be/5s4gcBg0Ka0

It took me 6 runs to get a feel for the car and finally start cleaning up my runs... I was still very sloppy all over.. Its going to take some time to get used to the again..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px63CKLGOA4

I took Robs uncle for a ride later on in the afternoon.. I'll let the video show just how much fun he had...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541BwmmYag0

For my last run of the afternoon I gave it up to allow Don to drive my car.. He is the owner of PDM racing and has had experience with KAAZ diffs in more rwd applications.. He also has many years of driving at the nation tours behind his belt... You'll see at the end of the video he has many good things to say about my car and the job I have done setting it up thus far... He also has some good positive feed back on the KAAZ diff I installed.. His 1 and only run in my car net him a time of 51.3 and change... My fasted run of the day was a 51.4 and change.. Just goes to show my car has a lot more in it then I am capable of... With more seat time and getting used to the car and how much faster things are moving I think I'll get better though..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=795NzvpPRLY

[Mazda_Powered]

awesome man!!! sounds like you and your car just need some bonding and tuning time now haha

[Mazda_Powered]

also that's a fancy gravity powered tach you have there lol

[crazycanadian]

Thanks for the comments bud... I think I need to take a break from bonding with the car... I was thinking the other night about how many hours I have into the KLG4 swap and all the other stuff I have done over the last 2 months.. I figure its some where around 100 - 120 hours...

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get my hands on a new gauge cluster, that way I can attempt to rectify gravities power over my tach. haha..

Today I tinkered some more with the car.. It was nice being not having any kind of dead line to get things done by... I just took my time and relaxed... I managed to get my rear trim pannels back in, my rear seats installed.. I rewired my turn signals properly this time (I had them back wards.. ).. I found a blown fuse that was causing my clock to reset every time I turned the key off... I also figured out why my rear defrost didn't work yesterday morning.. I took the door pannels off and cleaned up the wiring inside the door.. Also took the opportunity to install a couple of Concept 5.25 rounds while I had the pannel off.. Since I had to space the speakers away from the door a bit my window handle hits the speekers.. I flattened the grill out a bit but over all I am just going to leave it as is... I don't feel like getting into some big stereo install, I am only doing this so I can listen to traffic reports and stuff while driving to work..

Hopefully tomorrow I'll also get a hold of an OBD2 plug that I can wire in.. This way I can check out data and have a look at the odd idle pattern I have....

My one and only picture tonight... This was why my rear defrost wasn't working... The connector is badly melted/burnt, so is the out put terminal on the relay.. This is actually pretty common to see on high current circuits.. People turn things on and forget to turn them off once they don't need it anymore.. The circuit can't handle the continuous load and burns up... It can also happen if your rear defrost strips on the glass start open circuiting. Thankfully this relay is is very common. It interchanges with many other relays on the car.. So does the harness end, you just need to make sure the wire gauge on the load side is large enough...

[FE3-323]

eek @ burned electronics. i hate that sight.

[crazycanadian]

Some more updates with the car... like any project as you finish things up the updates aren't as exciting... I picked up a new gauge cluster this week and installed it.. The engine speed signal line from the stock computer worked perfect for running the tach... If you ever do a KLG4 swap.. Pin 48 Orange/Black wire is the engine speed signal wire... Its listed on all wiring diagrams as a simple communication line that goes to the instrument cluster/ABS and Traction control computers...

I also go my DLC hooked up and working... I can now data long/check codes and everything with my scan tool... Its also going to be very useful to have working for when I buy Solo Storm... Solo Storm is a data longing software for android devices.. Its used for comparing autocross runs... It works with GPS and your phone to tack where you are on course... The G's you are pulling.. How fast you are going ect... It also worked with OBD2 vehicles to track TPS/Engine speed/VS ect... This way I'll be able to have 2 drivers in the car and compare things in between runs....

Tonights excitement..
NEW BEST TIME 1/4mile time.. Tonight was the last night for drag racing for the season... On my final run I nailed the launch and got my best 60' time to date with the car...

60' - 2.033
1/4 - 14.468
MPH - 91.29

The car feels like a KL swapped 323 should feel like now... I am pretty sure if I was still running the stock 4.38 diff ratio I would have been quicker... But this car isn't built for drag racing.. I am really happy how it performed.. Next year I'll probably tinker and play with it a little bit... I might be able to squeeze a couple more tenths out of the car...

I had my little helper out at the track tonight... He was really excited to be out watching his Dad run and more then excited to help me change tires at the end of the night... The jack won the battle though... Little man just doesn't have enough weight yet to jack up the car... It was quiet the sight watching him try though.. My gf and I both had a good laugh...



This is part of my fastest run she cut it off by the time I got around the 1/8.. I'll have to teach my gf over the winter how to better use the camera... The Mercedes ran a 12.490.. so no I didn't beat him..

[FE3-323]

which cluster/tach are you using now?

[crazycanadian]

Still just a stock mx3 cluster and tach... With figuring out the Engine speed signal wire from the KLG4 PCM I didn't need any kind of adapter..

Couple of other bugs I have encountered... In the mornings I was getting an air pocket in the cooling system.. The heater would stay cold for a long time even with the engine temps showing warm... The engine temps would also come up around 3/4 and then the thermostat would open and everything would be fine... This was happening because I have the small coolant line just below the rad cap on the block tied into the small line from the rad and then run to the over flow tank..... Plugging the small line under the rad cap fixed the problem... I was sucking air in from the over flow tank...

I have to look at whats going on with the Idle... It not serious but its not right either... Everytime I come to a stop or touch the gas peddle the motor idles up at 1500 -1800 rpm for about 3 - 4 seconds.. If you don't touch anything it idles down to a normal idle at 800 -900rpm... (Its an auto PCM thats why the higher idle)... Since I have my DLC connector working now I'll be able to play with things and see whats going on... The computer is commanding it to idle like this, so I just have to figure out why...

[Mazda_Powered]

I'm super excited to hear updates with the DLC connector working lol, sounds like you're working through all the final touches though. So you were running the 4.38 final before, now you're running the 3.85, correct?

[crazycanadian]

Last night was also the first time I had the car on the hwy... 2500 rpms at 100km/h was glorious to be cruising at... At 120km/h I still only at 2800rpm... I am excited to see what my fuel milage is going to be like now... With the escort gears even around town I cruise at 1500 - 2000rpm...

[Mazda_Powered]

that is pure sex to me haha, under 3000rpm at 120?? AMAZING!!! I know what needs to be done