Real progress is underway at this point on the Eclipse. I've been quiet
about it mainly because not much has been happening; the shortblock is
pretty much ready, Mitch is
working on the head right now, and I'm in the process of pulling the old
7-bolt engine and tranny.
Some specs on the new setup, since I don't think I've talked about it here
before: we went with a 6-bolt 2.4L g4cs block (with oil squirters for
cooling, as Mitsubishi intended in their turbo applications),
Oliver billet I-beam rods, and
Wiseco custom 9:1 pistons. The ported
1g head is going to host COMP 101300
cams, oversized stainless valves, dual springs with titanium retainers, and
new revised lifters, with the usual valve job, new stem seals, honed bronze
guides, etc.
Once the longblock is done, I'll be picking up a
Forced Performance 3052
turbo. Some would probably argue that the 3052 is terribly undersized for
this application, and I'd agree...if all I was doing was drag racing. But
because I autocross the car and plan on driving it on a regular basis,
the 3052 is probably the best compromise between quick spool-up and power.
Along with this comes fuel and intercooling. Fuel will be supplied by Denso
fuel pump originally sold with Toyota MKIV Supras through -8AN feed and
return lines, to a Victory
Performance fuel rail with four 950cc/min injectors from
Fuel Injector Clinic,
all regulated by a Paxton fuel
pressure regulator, and controlled with
DSMLink. Cooling will probably be
handled by a DV/DT intercooler, and
supplemented later with water injection.
Somewhere along the line, I'll need a bunch of fabrication done for exhaust
and a roll cage, and since Erica's Laser currently has all my gauges, I'll
need a few new gauges as well (at a minimum, wideband O2, EGT, and boost).
Boost is managed by an HKS EVC II
electronic boost controller, and I'll still be running the old
ACT 2600 clutch with a new
6-bolt Fidanza aluminum flywheel. The
rest of the setup is pretty much the same.
One thing I haven't accounted for yet is the wheels and tires; right now,
the Eclipse is sitting on the Laser's old 16" rims on four completely
different tires. I'm considering going with 5Zigen FN01R-C 17x9+35 rims,
with Kumho Ecsta 255/40/17 tires, which
ought to
fit perfectly with a bit of fender rolling, but they're not cheap. I
also ought to be looking at suspension upgrades, but I don't think the
money is going to be there this year to do anything other that polyurethane
bushings and possibly sway bars.