The Brumbyrunner Project

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:47 am

haha good point

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:19 pm

Well there won't be any tube engine crossmembers before Gundy but the new one I'm building should be enough for now. I've eliminated the 2" lift kit blocks (the engine crossmember ones) and working on some bush style engine mounts. I should be able to lower the engine slightly on the engine mounts, leaving the crossmember and therefore the bashguard and the amount of clearence the same as it was but with less angle on the CVs and a slightly lower COG.
The STI engine mounts were both starting to tear, one worse than the other, and would probably still be fine in a road car.
One good thing about ditching the lift kit blocks is being able to re-use the genuine crossmember bolts. You know, the splined ones on a bracket so you don't need to get a socket onto the bolt heads.

What's the general consensus on the exhaust pipe shields around the motor? Are their weight and bulk worth the power gain (keeping the heat in) and cooler engine bay? Bearing in mind that my engine bay is much cooler than normal.

Post by **Captain Obvious** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:48 pm

Stuart, I havnt run the 2 outer heat sheilds on my car for years as the started to rattle/vibrate with no ill effects (centre one covering the flex joint still there), i think for your application they are just in the way.

bryan

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:00 pm

Here's some pics of the engine crossmember. Still a long way from finished but shows the new 50mm extension and the cut out for the exhaust. I've picked up the original rear mounting holes so now there are 3 bolts on each side.

Now if I could just got some more time in the shed I'd get it finished.

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:43 am

Pic of a custom made dry sump from a good thread over on nasioc http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthr ... ?t=1272571

external oil pump

Outback bloke · Post by **Outback bloke** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:07 am

I had a quick read of it. At 22 pages long I wasn't going to read it all. It looks just like what you will be doing.

Although I didn't see where he said that he feeds the oil to the motor, did you?

Have you decided if the ute is coming here to be re-wired after Gundy? Want me to get a sump shortened for you?

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:16 am

They tap directly into the factory oil pump.
It's not a mod for the faint hearted though, I've found EJ20 kits online for US$3,600. The scavenge pump must be expensive as the rest is just tank, lines, fittings and cooler. You could mod the sump yourself or get a groovy cast alloy one ready to go.

Then we'd have to make a header pipe as I don't think it would have been done before (direct over the sump). And if you go that far, why not move the turbo to the passenger side? Away from the steering column, brake master and those pesky p/s lines. And put it right next to the starter motor and coolant lines:rolleyes:

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:48 am

Outback bloke wrote:Have you decided if the ute is coming here to be re-wired after Gundy? Want me to get a sump shortened for you??

I reckon to do it properly, we need to have the new dash and gauges in place first. I won't have time to do that before Gundy, I'll be hard pressed to get the front end back together.
I might try to leave the car in Mount Isa after Gundy so the dash and new fueltank can be done, then bring it back when I come down in November.

Better hold off on shortening a sump for now.

Might be better to do it all at once, built 2.7, programmable ECU and 6 speed.

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:24 pm

2.7 is a no go from what I can gather. Too many of them have done head gaskets.

Mike Collins has ditched his and gone back to a 2.5

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 10:01 pm

I don't understand why though? Even the 2.5 is supposed to do head gaskets isn't it? Why does stroking and boring affect head gasket sealing so much? The old Subaru Shoppe always advised me to stick with the tried and true 2 litre, with single turbo.

Anyhow, I finished modifying my spare MY engine crossmember. Very nearly cut up a WRX one but they're heavier and the LCA mounts would need to be altered and the bashguard probably wouldn't bolt up without some work either. This was easier and I got what I needed however temperary it ends up. Having some serious doubts about the strength of the rack after having a play with mine. Can't imagine why it didn't break in half when the crossmember did. Thinking about a Howe 2.5" rack and pinion but the steering column would be a headache.
I extended the ends 50mm to do away with the lift kit blocks and brought in another mounting point so there are now 3 chassis bolts each side instead of only 2.

The cut out for the exhaust is much bigger and stronger. The old one had rubbed on the heat shield causing it to break off and rattle. There's a good half inch of room around the pipework now.

I've boxed in a fair bit of the crossmember including the rear facing part here which joins up the two LCA mounts.

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:16 am

good stuff. It looks nice and strong.

Just remembered a few of those bash plate bolts are stripped. Dont forget to run a tap through them

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:51 am

That's a different crossmember. The other one was twisted all out of shape so it was better to start again. If it wasn't for the steering rack mounts, I would've built a tube one from scratch.

Outback bloke · Post by **Outback bloke** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:09 pm

It is the 2.5 open deck block that have the head gasket issues. Closing the deck like I did to that one in my car eliminates the tendency for the block to "walk" which is what created the problem in the first place.

Was Mike using a closed deck 2.5 that was stroked?

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 2:20 pm

Was/is there a closed deck anymore? I seem to remember there was a 2.5 semi-closed?

All I know is.......I wanna go fast.

Outback bloke · Post by **Outback bloke** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:01 pm

Pretty sure the EJ257 is closed deck.

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:48 am

Fuel tank has been welded up. I picked it up yesterday and it's ready to bolt in. One less job to do before Gundy.

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:37 pm

I finished the new custom engine mounts tonight. What a fiddly, time consuming, prick of a job. I've used L series rear trailing arm bushes and I'm keen to see what the difference will be now that the motor won't move. They're all painted so just have to bolt them in. Then I can bolt up the new crossmember and start work on the bent drivers side LCA.

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:42 pm

After months of searching I think I may have found a suitable truck to tow the racecar.
Dual cab, bogie drive trucks are not real thick on the ground and although this ones 13yo it looks in good nick.

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:18 pm

that looks perfect. plenty of space in the cab, nice solid bullbar. Just needs some gold paint

would you put a body on the back of it or just drive the car up into the tray?

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:43 pm

The plan is to ditch the tray body, relocate the rear mounted knuckleboom crane behind the cab, throw on a turntable and tow a 40+ foot pantech trailer. Then we'll be able to do the AORC in relative style (for us at least).

Pulled the broken front driveshaft apart today and discovered it's only a 30 spline!
Can't understand why we had it in there for Finke but it's good news because the 25 spline shafts are a fair bit beefier.

For the non-technical minded, Subaru have used 3 shaft thicknessess in the front and the one we broke was only the medium which is the size we run in the rear.