JohnCh

Glen, really great write up that captures the spirit and fun of doing a group tour. The only downside to reading it is that I'm now compelled to read the fist 70 pages of your thread. I guess I know how I'm spending the weekend... -John

Of course I can't handle all that horsepower. That's part of what makes it fun. As for the Elan, it runs just fine, thank you. Unlike your 400i.... BTW I forgot to address your comments regarding oil filler proximity to #1. I was too distracted trying to figure out how a corporate finance guy could subtract 27,894 from 32,853 and come up with just 4,000. But I digress. It's a fair point and the breather is back by #4. I'll take a closer listen to the various leak points when I redo the test later this week. Thanks, John

Yeah, I know. Life has gotten in the way of long tours to nowhere over the last few years No signs of head gasket or other issues. I went with TDC and did that test twice on a couple of cylinders including #1. That involved rotating the engine a full revolution between tests to reset the TDC point. I can't confirm that it was perfect, but I doubt I got it wrong in just the same way twice on that one cylinder. The difference between those tests was less than 1%. Someone else suggested repeating at BDC to see if it's an issue at the top of the bore. I'll try that when I re-run the test over the next couple of days before draining engine and trans oil in prep for the engine removal. If I do the upgrades I'm contemplating this is all moot as the pistons, head, and head gasket will all change, thereby renewing/replacing all the failure points. But I'm still riding that fence. Thanks, John

I could use some help interpreting compression and leak down tests on my 2.0L Duratec. Compression remains high and within 10psi across the board, but #1 now has very high leak down. No audible noise from the exhaust, and the sound from the intake didn't seem louder than the other cylinders, however, the whooshing sound from the oil filler was much louder. To me that means rings, but if it's rings, then why is the dry compression fine in that cylinder? Below are the results of tests taken about every 6k miles. As you can see compression numbers have remained pretty consistent, but #1 has always been the leak down outlier and has gotten much worse over the past 6k miles. Any ideas? I need to pull the engine to deal with a faulty oil pressure relief valve, and am contemplating a refresh and possibly upgrades as long as I'm in there, so don’t want to miss addressing an issue while it’s easier to tackle. [TABLE] [TR] [TD] Date[/TD] [TD]4/28/12[/TD] [TD]10/19/14[/TD] [TD]8/27/19[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] Miles[/TD] [TD]22,146[/TD] [TD]27,894[/TD] [TD]32,853[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]205 psi[/TD] [TD]190[/TD] [TD]210[/TD] [TD]Compression[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2[/TD] [TD]205 psi[/TD] [TD]198[/TD] [TD]210[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]3[/TD] [TD]215 psi[/TD] [TD]195[/TD] [TD]200[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]4[/TD] [TD]215 psi[/TD] [TD]201[/TD] [TD]210[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]10%[/TD] [TD]13%[/TD] [TD]23%[/TD] [TD]Leak Down[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2[/TD] [TD]7%[/TD] [TD]8%[/TD] [TD]10%[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]3[/TD] [TD]7%[/TD] [TD]11%[/TD] [TD]10%[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]4[/TD] [TD]7%[/TD] [TD]9%[/TD] [TD]9%[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Thanks, John

Here you go: http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15829&stc=1 http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15830&stc=1 -John

The windshield is installed incorrectly and too upright. The base of the mount should be parallel with the join line of the scuttle and tub. And yes, that certainly looks like Derek Bell. I seem to recall he is involved with a car dealership in Florida where that car is located. -John

That's outdated information. Many of the communists in power have been replaced by conflicted anarchists. Agree about the microbreweries though. Also a good foodie town. If you like books, make sure to visit Powell's which bills itself as the world's largest independent bookstore -- it's enormous! -John

If you decide to stick with traditional lighting, Daniel Stern is a great resource. I have the Cibie lenses couple with Navra +50 bulbs and have no complaints about the lighting; sharp cutoff and very good output. -John

Just remember to drain the transmission first or you will have an oil slick under the car once the driveshaft separates. -John

Al, glad to hear that good old fashioned guilt is still an effective motivator Any recent pictures of the car? -John

Thanks, but Mazda installed Spam-O-Matic a couple of years ago when we another big influx of spammers. As long as Croc posted the link to the other thread, and I have people's attention given the use of the word "porn" in this thread, I have a favor. I made a minor tweak yesterday to solve the issue of massive thumbnails when attaching images, and although it works perfectly for me, it's not for Shane. Only the thumbnail posts, not the inline image. Would folks mind going to that thread and seeing if it works correctly for them? http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.php?12426-Testing-thumbnail-changes Thanks, John

I just banned over 40 more and discovered it stops being fun after 10 in a row... Time for a beer. A really big beer. -John

The daily total is now 42 threads and 6 users. Hopefully the minor tweaks I just implemented will slow things down a bit. -John

Ah, so that explains your recent request to become an admin! Not sure why we are suddenly getting hit so hard. So far today I've deleted 33 threads and banned 5 users -- not that I'm complaining about the banning part. That's kind of fun! I'll see if Mazda has any ideas or if the previously installed anti-spam solution has an issue. -John

You only need to mention a Westfield to get him on a roll :jester: -John

Wow! That is a very interesting sales technique. -John

I can't remember if this was mentioned before; is it possible the TPS has rotated slightly on the mounting screws and is no longer calibrated correctly? If so that would cause the map to effectively shift and supply the wrong fuel and timing for a given throttle opening. If you have the software connecting to the Pectel, it should be easy to check. -John

Right, but if Bob sold the se7en, then he would simply be a guy who talks to a stuffed duck and Pee Wee Herman, which would NOT be a particularly right blend of crazy. As always, a se7en makes all the difference. -John

Glad to see you came to your senses! -John

It's a little disturbing that the Bookatrack mechanics call it relatively common. Are you considering having a replacement made from thicker material? -John

Are you sure it's metric and not standard? 9/16" is pretty close to 14mm. Definitely pick up a thread gauge as that will give you the definitive answer. -John

Toyo states that 6" is the preferred wheel width for the 205/60-13 R888 and RA1. I checked with them before buying my wheels back in 2012 and they confirmed this recommendation. Given they do recommend wider wheels for 205/50 and wider still for 205/45, there is likely something about the 60 profile that works better with the narrower rim. Having run both tires, I prefer the RA1 to the R888 for road use. The RA1 has a 10% softer sidewall -- better for a very light car like a se7en -- and I found it more forgiving when pushed. That's not to say the R888 isn't a forgiving tire, but on my car the RA1 feels more playful in the corners, and hence, more fun. I can't comment on lap times differences since my car is used exclusively on the street and back roads. I also don't have experience with either tire in standing water, but it's probably worth a call to Toyo to ask. They've always been very helpful to me in the past and likely have a quantitative view on this aspect of the tires. -John

I have a 2.0L Duratec with Kent DTEC10 cams, some head work, and Jenveys. It's mapped correctly and fires up just like my real cars. -John

In addition to what has been mentioned above, I'd confirm that the fuel pressure regulator is doing it's job. If current fuel pressure is much higher than what what was used to create the map, your mpg (and power) will drop. -John

Are you sure the O2 is narrow band? The Pectel is pretty sophisticated so i'd be surprised if it doesn't use a wide band and have an interface that shows live AFR, or better yet, log it. -John