This is due a serious update! So, got the wiring completed and tested, thankfully all worked and no burning smells! New inlet manifold and charge pipe arrived, so got those installed, and buttoned up the last parts.
Went for turn over for oil pressure and it took ages - like almost 5 minutes to get anything. I was using the KAD race pump, which i found out after is thinner than the OEM pump, so flow is much less! Due to the oil jets and oil fed drop gear idler, i opted for a Turbo Pump and zero-toleranced it myself. Got it installed and got almost immediate pressure of 90psi! Perfect. Then pushed her out for the first proper wash/decontaminate in 2 years.
Timed the igntion in on the ECU and went for first start. Fuelling took a while to get right as it was a blank map, but soon got it fired up and idling at 2k rpm for cam knock in. All went well and drained the oil immediately after. Created a base map and took her for a drive to run the engine in. This all went well until i started getting coolant temps around 120c!!! Pulled over and coolant was everywhere in the engine bay, i couldn't see where it was coming from so tried to limp her home. Got about a mile down the road and the temps shot up to 130c so shut the engine off and coasted into a layby. Found that the cork gaskets for the thermostat housing had failed Ditched the gaskets, put rtv between the parts, topped up the coolant and got her home (oddly, coolant never went above 92c on the way back!).
Moving on, I fit new paper gaskets, cleaned the engine bay and did some more running in. Took her to Mahker for a new 2.25" stainless system and mapping! The car ran perfectly and was making some good power! Made 112bhp / 123lbft at 6psi (actuator pressure). We started to move the RPM and boost up, making 137bhp / 153lbft at 10psi but then got ignition break up over 5500rpm. Tried new plugs, coil pack, changing the coil dwell times, but nothing cured it, so concentrated on off boost mapping and idle control. Turned out the MPi ignition pack and Bosch ignitor just aren't up to the job so instead went for a smart coil pack which has now cured the issue! Had to make a custom mount, which, for an initial go, i'm quite proud of!
Fit the Haltech CAN keypad, so now i have antilag, launch control, boost settings, fan override and cruise control at my finger tips!! Yes... cruise control!!!
And thats where she stands to date. I'm slowly mapping the car psi by psi from 10. Basically increasing the boost control duty slowly until i reach my target, logging several pulls, adding a bit of timing until it gets close to knock threshold and then repeating. I'm at 16psi currently and it pulls like a train! Definately the fastest shes ever been. Booked in at Himley Hall, so anyone going, please come say hi!