Nocones $2020 challenge build thread

Gzwg said:

One more thing that goes through my Head:

Your Windscreen is quite upright. How much disturbed air does it create, and is it maybe worse enough that it does not really matter what you do at the back of the car?

Would some kind of small deflector before the screen help with that?

nocones and I tossed around ideas about that offline.  lots of ideas.  it's hard to quantify the benefit of those, and lots of the possible options are going to be incredibly difficult to make a reality... and all of them will almost certainly ruin the way the car lives up to the original concept (which, afaik, didn't have a rear bodywork).  talking it over, it seemed like the best "bang for the buck" was in addressing things in the back.

in reply to 2GRX7:

afaik, the rear foil is just set there with whatever stand nocones had kicking around.  I don't expect it will be that low (it was higher up originally), and while the low pressure from that foil will certainly pull flow up, I think we'll be able to ensure it doesn't impinge the flow into the back of the rear foil (there's a chance their chord is going to shrink in the gen2 rear setup too).

in reply to Purple Frog:

I'd have to go back and look through the thread.  I'm pretty sure neither stafford, nor I, recommended an angle exceeding 15deg.  I think part of the reason it looks "bigger than expected", is because of how far forward nocones is able to start the expansion, and also how far back (especially compared to recent LMP car rules) he's extended the tunnels?

Singleslammer and Robbie came over this weekend and we had a build day on the LMP360.   I didn't take many pictures because mostly we took the engine out and got started wiring the Haltech.  

There has been a large number of hours to cut apart the stock harness, identify and sort out things.  A few connections have been made and I'm working on the planning for the rest of the connections.  

Big thanks for the help to get me over the hump to get started on the motor wiring.  I have been hesitant because it is new but they pressured me to get it going and I appreciate it.  

Digging the aero changes. If you want to do some cheap CFD maybe check out OpenFOAM which you can self-host for free (I can help with this if you like and I have some powerful computers):

OpenFOAM is the right answer for inexpensive CFD results, but still requires a complete model and a fairly in depth knowledge of which simulation parameters to use/tune. I have it running on one of my machines. It is not the scale of the clusters I have at work, but it does the job for small/simple cases. If you get to the point that you want some ideas of what you have AND have the time/effort to model it up let me know.

By the way OpenFOAM is a massively powerful tool for simulation, including everything from fluids to thermal to radiation to combustion. I only use a small fraction of its capabilities, but I know some stronger users when I have questions. It is also very code/text heavy to make it work. Every aspect is run by tuning several files and lots of command line interaction.

Your left glove will need a web between the thumb and index finger so you can hold it up against the window opening on the straights during qualifying.    

Okay..  it's been a while again.  My camper had unknown longterm leak that I had to address by disassembling the entire overcab bunk area, the Willy's truck blew all its fluids all over the highway, and I impulse bought a Sambar Kei truck.  But Let's bring things up to speed on the LMP360.  

Haltech install continued.  I didn't keep things up to date because well I didn't work that quickly and taking pictures of crimping wires over and over isn't very interesting. 

I modified the TGVs to remove the TGV.  Subaru installed some butterflies that cover half the intakes and open electronically with throttle and load.  The Haltech could manage them but they don't do anything really and "rob power".  You can't just remove the plates but all the solenoids and sensors (that happen to be exactly 2 more TPS sensors) because they seal the shafts.  So I pulled the shafts and tapped the holes for some plugs.  The tap didn't go all the way through so the plug cannot go into the engine.  

You then get to cut out a divider from the middle.  I used one of those hardened mill bit things in a Dremel after cutting it with a sawzall.  It's not perfect but it's smooth enough.

You used to be able to get these CNC machines pretty reasonably, but they tend to no longer be available due to the same forces reducing the availability of other similar off highway modifications.  

I continued to wire.  I decided to do a hybrid merger harness.  Many connectors are brand new and a few are reused.  New ones came from iWire which I recommend for Subaru connectors.  Super easy to deal with and quick shipping.   No sponsor or anything just impressed with their work.  

So once the wires were terminated on the engine I removed the harness and pulled out everything I am not using.  I left it pinned and just wound it up for now.  After a few events I will consider depinning and removing what I'm not using but I don't know what I may add.  

I had been unsure what to do about gauges.  The Haltech and any aftermarket ECU is amazing but it's kinda where engine data goes to die.  You have all this data but it's not easy to access.  You can pulse out a tach, but since most other gauges you care about are 0-5V you have to start doing things like trying to PWM an output to simulate a voltage.  Or .  .  You run a digital dash.   I didn't really want to spend the nearly $1k for a digital dash but I also didn't want to run entirely separate senders for everything and by the time you buy decent electric gauges and senders for just Oil pressure, coolant temp, Tach and put together an LED panel for warning lights your into it for $500-600 easy.   I researched non Haltech solutions but in the end they had a 15% off sale and I just paid the man for a iC7.  It runs natively on the Nexus Can network and gives way more information then I will ever need.  

While in a spendy place I also got some FIC 1000cc injectors.  I'm not immediately planning to need them but E85 may be in the future and the flow rate ceiling room will be nice to have.  

I also needed to address the power supply to the Nexus.  Haltech wants a 4AWG feed dedicated to the Nexus for both power and ground from the battery.   I tried to figure out different ways to wire it.  It was difficult to figure out how to use a battery cutoff that didn't have any hot legs running and still cut the alternator.  I was working under the paradigm of the OEM ECU where the starter load was in series with the ECU and other car loads.   I realized the Haltech didn't need that so I compromised a bit, and again ended up having to spend some money to solve the problem.  

Forgive the crudeness, but I ended up buying a 4 post 2 175 amp circuit cutoff switch.   One leg provides power to the starter, start button/solenoid, and carries the alternator charge feed.  When the cutoff is switched there is nothing in the system that is likely to be damaged by the alternator current.  The other leg feeds a small fuse panel in the cabin, a small panel in the firewall, and the Haltech behind a 80amp busman breaker.  I ended up buying a harbor freight hydraulic crimper for making all these battery cables and was pleased with it.  For $50 it was worth it.  

Everything installed ready for the engine.  

I then got to do my least favorite automotive activity, installing a transmission input shaft into a clutch with a tight pilot bearing.  It was made even more intimidating by the WRX "Pull" style clutch.   Shockingly..  it went right in.  Like 5 minutes..  bolted in.. 

Then finally it was time to reinstall the engine to the subframe and rejoin the halfs of the car.  I'm VERY glad I thought ahead to make this serviceable.  There are a few fidly bits but overall it takes about 45 minutes to get the engine out or in.  

It was finally..  FINALLY time to find out if all my efforts worked.  

I cobbled together the ignition and starter switch played with a few settings on the Haltech and..  it started..  sort of.  

I was getting all kinds of home sync and other errors and it was clearly misfiring and wouldn't idle.  

I will admit I was pretty well deflated.  This has been a HUGE stretch for me in both expense and comfort and I was thinking the worst.  

But singleslammer said call Haltech they have amazing tech support and he was absolutely right.  Like I inherently knew I was the thing standing between me and good running but it still was an emotional rollercoaster.   This morning though I spent about 45 minutes on live support (which happens seamlessly though the software) and they did some Wizard stuff and this happened.

Haltech wants me to call back once the coolant system and charge piping is hooked up (I mean built) so it can run for longer while they fiddle but..  it runs!   And it's gonna be rowdy.  

That does sound goooooooood

congrats!

Sounds awesome!  I love when this thread bumps up to the top :)

Awesome work!

In reply to nocones :

Serviceable and Rowdy are a perfect pairing. Congratulations!

RAWR!