01 Nov Doing Lines
Okay, so maybe this one is intentionally risque, but we can assure you our noses are clean. We’re talking about a whole different set of lines here.
The first type of line we’ll be working with is fuel line. On the LS1-swapped blobeye WRX, some time ago, we had the fuel filter and pump installed outside the car, underneath the trunk floor. We also had the fuel cell and new trunk floor installed well before that, along with the fuel pressure regulator on the inside of the trunk. With everything in place, it’s just a matter of running the lines. So, from the bottom of the fuel cell, the gas will run through the pump and filter underneath the floor…
…Where it’s routed behind the bumper, coming out into the trunk and running along the rearmost side of the fuel cell, held in place with some brackets…
…Where it connects to the FPR itself. From there, two lines are run — first, the line is connected between the FPR and the return on the fuel cell itself. Next, the fuel line that will deliver the gas to the motor goes back into the floor, where it’s routed underneath the vehicle up to the front of the car. We still have to run the vent lines for the fuel cell; we’ll be using a solenoid that will keep the vent line closed off during fueling (so it doesn’t keep accepting gasoline past the indicated maximum capacity), but open it up during normal operation. That’ll come later, but for now, those are the fuel lines we’ve run.
In other news, we installed the battery and its corresponding battery box. Situated between the FPR and the fuel cell, the box will fully seal the battery away from anything else in the car. We installed the positive and negative terminals and ran both wires to their corresponding destinations. We also ran the vent line; this one’s important, because batteries do emit a bit of gaseous matter, so it’s important to have somewhere for that gas to go.
Moving on to other lines, remember that assembly line of engine building we’ve been up to? Well, with two down, we still have a couple to go. This is another 4-cylinder Mazda motor, which we’ll be beefing up slightly as we rebuild it. Blowing a motor is always a costly endeavor, but if you’re able to throw down a few extra bucks during the process, and get a little extra oomph in your motor, it’s worth doing. The parts are still all over, but we’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on this one as the days go forward.
In non-line-related news, somebody find the thieves that did this to Tom’s Z32, and make them pay!
Just kidding. Tom’s put his Z32 up on jackstands so he can have full access to the wheel wells, as he’s about to start working on his epic wire tuck, which will require a lot of outside-the-box thinking when it comes to relocating the various wires and systems that normally occupy a very busy engine bay. In the meantime, it’s fun to pretend that thieves broke into the shop, just to screw with Tom’s car and nobody else’s.
Also, if you’re from around Chicago, you may have noticed that it’s been dipping to just above freezing in the mornings and at nighttime now. For that reason, we need to throw a little extra heat into the fabrication garage, as it’s a big space with only average heating capabilities (until Nicor finally brings that new meter that they promised), so in the meantime we’ve got the propane-powered heater blasting fab with some serious heat. It’s one of the most glorious inventions ever; you’d be surprised how well it works, and how quickly.
Finally, we’re glad to throw up another picture of Zak doing some TIG work at the welding table. He’s been working on various small bits for FMU-owned vehicles, and he’s improving leaps and bounds every day in terms of his welding. His pools are more consistently sized, his spacing is evening out, and he’s determined to keep improving. Who knows, maybe (hopefully) he’ll be replacing Tom as the go-to fabricator. In a perfect world…
Have a great day.
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