63 replies to this topic

[fuzzy-hair-man]

I know I haven't kept this thread updated but over the christmas / new years I've put the engine back in after taking the sump off as it was leaking from the sump gasket underneath the pulley,

 

Then I started the wiring.....

 

After scratching my head for a week and having the micra loom strewn all over the floor and midnight panic trips back up to the shed check things, I eventually made a loom that kept all the engine stuff and got rid of the rest.

 

First attempt to start it was foiled by the O ring on the hard pipe that comes out of the back of the waterpump (replace this if you do a conversion even if it didn't leak etc it's not so easy to replace in the car)

 

Anyway; with much apprehension we just attempted to start Spot....

 

AND SHE STARTED 1ST TIME!!!!   

 

As most of the wiring I've done before this hasn't been a stunning success and that wiring was the bit I was most apprehensive about I'm very pleased and not a little bit surprised!

 

It's having idling problems but at this stage I don't have and gauges or anything so I didn't leave it running too long.

 

Having trouble sitting still long enough to write this I'm a bit excited....

[FlyingScot]

Nice one mate, good job!

FS

[fuzzy-hair-man]

It's having idling problems but at this stage I don't have and gauges or anything so I didn't leave it running too long.

Gauges all wired up now (well except the fuel and temp gauge as I need a voltage stabilizer) and all working.

 

Has anyone else run across the issue that the micra's charge light has a resistor wired in parallel with the globe and a diode before going out to the alternator? I wasn't sure what to make of it and if I need to try and replicate it. I'm using a suzuki alternator anyway and it's putting out 14V so happy with that.

 

My best guess so far is I've heard some alternators won't charge without a charge light connected so I was figuring if the bulb blows at least with the resistor you aren't left with a flat battery??? ie current still goes to the alternator.

 

Oh I also found out the micra loom gives permanent live to the Alternator signal and suzuki alternator seems to expect it to switched through the ignition. (Alternator was getting warm when not running and was draining batteries)

 

 

Solved the idle issue some silly bugger    forgot that he hasn't connected up the carbon canister yet but there are lines going to it, kinked those off with zip ties and it idles beautifully, got it up to temperature it's holding water and the thermo fan started up   so that's working as well...

 

Still to wire up a reverse light, mount and plumb in the carbon canister(I have an emissions test to pass), get and exhaust and various other things, but things are moving.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

So recent progress,

 

The micra speedo and mini 140km/hr reads a bit slow @ 100km/hr it reads 94 km/hr, I need it to be the other way ie when the speedo reads 100km I'm going somewhere between 90 and 100.

 

Other news:

 

I got to putting the mini on a weigh bridge it came in something like 600 - 620kg (10kg resolution and it kept moving) with no bootlid or bonnet so a good bit amount below standard weight.

 

All bodes well for the engineering process...

 

Next step pull out the ECU and get Nistune on it and then get the GA15 TB and injectors on (same size as GA16 injectors and TB).

[Shingler4596]

What have people done about water temp sender. As far as I've read the micra sender won't work with the 3 clock mini dash as the resistances are different. I could put a different sender in somewhere else but don't know where the best place would be... any ideas? What has everyone else done

[fuzzy-hair-man]

I put the mini thermostat cover on to turn the water house to the side at the same time we drilled and tapped it for a mini temperature sender. The sender sits a bit closer to the thermostat so we used a spacer that was in the mini bits we had lying around.

[EccentricToast]

I saw I_jonez tapped into the back of the block to connect it up.

On the rear of the cylinder head there's a take off to provide coolant to the TB, nearly all the micra boys disconnect this any way and in my case the carbs don't need it so the nipple/take off was removed the hole drilled and tapped to fit the mini sender

Edited by EccentricToast, 01 March 2016 - 01:26 PM.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

So some progress of late:

 

• Nistune got installed on my factory ECU and it was setup for the GA15 injectors. (185cc vrs 148cc)
• GA15 Injectors installed, no problems with idle or anything else so the injectors seem as though they aren't too big
• The speedo has been adjusted (after 2 tries...  ) but it's bang on now.
• The GA15 throttle body has been installed (50mm vrs 45mm), initially it needed some throttle to start but after adjusting the the waxstat (it had been adjusted so it did nothing) it starts and idles nicely. The GA15 TB uses the same hotwire MAF sensor so there's nothing to adjust in Nistune it also means there shouldn't be any air signal problems. 

I bought the Nistune software which also lets me run a consult and get ECU info and see any faults/messages, which meant I could use it to set the idle but also let me see what the temps and a few other things were doing, like confirming when the IACV Idle Air Control Valve is working.

 

If it helps anyone the radiator fan turns on at around 97 degrees C and turns off at 92 degrees.

 

I'm looking at a nice small catalytic converter because it has to pass an emissions test, it will be getting tuned down in Sydney...about 500kms away....

 

Other bits that have been done, I took it in for a wheel alignment to find the rear had 3/8" toe in but all on RHS!!!

So some adjustable camber and toe brackets and it's at about 1/8".

Caster and toe set to advised settings in a mini magazine.

Camber side to side is 0.75 degree negative on one side and 0 degrees on the other so if I have the frame out again I'll put some adjustable bottom arms on

 

It still feels a little vague/washy on our 2km long gravel driveway, I can't wait to get it out for a proper drive.

 

Is there a DIY way to double check my caster settings?

 

So now trying to find some room for the Cat and get the exhaust on it then to the engineer before going to Sydney for the tune and emissions test....

Oh and recondition my door hinges.

 

Oh I almost forgot I have a old school speedwell tacho I want to put on but I'm not sure how to wire it in, any suggestions? 

[smudger068]

Really interested in how it turns out with the mods

As for the tacho you have the feed off the ECU which didn't work for me or tap into the blue wire off the two pin plug on the dizzy (neg side of the coil) as this drives my 3 clock dash but I did have to adjust the variable resistor in the counter to make it accurate.

Lee

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Really interested in how it turns out with the mods

As for the tacho you have the feed off the ECU which didn't work for me or tap into the blue wire off the two pin plug on the dizzy (neg side of the coil) as this drives my 3 clock dash but I did have to adjust the variable resistor in the counter to make it accurate.

I'll let you know once I get an idea of the output.

In the meantime here's a micra with much the same mods, the GA16 throttle body is the same diameter as the GA15, the injectors are also the same, mine will be running a catalytic converter but I'd hope my inlet manifold flows better than the standard one so we'll see...

 

I've connected up the tacho as you suggested and it's all working, I traced it back inside near the ECU but had to take the signal before the resistor as it didn't have sufficient signal, I initially connected it in parallel with the black lead to earth but it was sluggish and read low, I ended up cutting the wire and putting it in series much better now although about 200rpm low.

 

Next I'm trying to hook up an oil pressure gauge, I think I'm going to go for an electrical smiths oil pressure gauge as I don't want to deal with oil lines running inside the cab.

There's a oil passage that the micra guys use for oil feeds for turbos at the front of the engine near the no 1 exhaust port, so I think I'll use that.

Edited by fuzzy-hair-man, 10 April 2016 - 09:46 AM.

[l_jonez]

Or fit a Tee piece where the oil pressure switch is.

[smudger068]

That explains my problem my loom misses that resistor could you buzz it for resistance and let us know what that is that may cure my issues as my doesn't currently work. I saw it on the diagram but it doesn't say a figure for it.

 

thank you.

Edited by smudger068, 10 April 2016 - 11:31 AM.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

L_Jones: I could but I'm worried about clearance once I get the T piece in there and the wire would need to be in my 'engine' loom this way I can put it in the mini loom along with the temp wire. In some ways I'm being lazy but I think I'll be able to run wiring and install the sender easier too. Is there a reason it might not be appropriate?

Smudger: does yours have the plug for the resistor? If there's nothing in the plug the ecu won't be getting a signal and it brought up an error code (related to ignition) on mine (i can get codes via nistune) it still ran ok for the short time I tried it (wanted to see if the car would run if the tacho died) .
I figure the ecu might check the camshaft position sensor with the injection signal via the blue -> light green / black -> white / red wire from the distributor.

I'll have a look for you and post back here.

[smudger068]

Sorry i think i may have misread what was said. I thought there was a resistor on the blue/black wire which is the original tacho feed as on the wiring diagram i think there is a resistor in line. My blue and black wire just came off the ECU and was cut so it didnt go to anything when i got it.

[l_jonez]

Nope no problem with it being up front just pointing out another option.