Another REW swap in the works, ECU questions...
08-09-2014, 11:29 AM
#51
Well, I've changed my mind on a lot of things with this build lol. It has officially become a much larger project than originally anticipated, so this is the ECU I'll be going with, full standalone, complete removal of the stock RX-8 ECU...
F88RX | Life Racing Ltd
... this dash...
AiM Sports - The World Leader in Data Acquisition
... and if anyone knows of where I can actually purchase this steering controller, I would be very grateful. Not trying to have no PS with 275's up front lol.
RX8 Steering Controller - CANbusAuto - Home of Automotive CANbus Innovation
What brought about this change in plans, you may ask? Well, project creep lol. Initially, I wanted a budget REW swap, but the more I do, the more I realize that this project is not very budget minded, so why not go ***** to the wall?
F88RX | Life Racing Ltd
... this dash...
AiM Sports - The World Leader in Data Acquisition
... and if anyone knows of where I can actually purchase this steering controller, I would be very grateful. Not trying to have no PS with 275's up front lol.
RX8 Steering Controller - CANbusAuto - Home of Automotive CANbus Innovation
What brought about this change in plans, you may ask? Well, project creep lol. Initially, I wanted a budget REW swap, but the more I do, the more I realize that this project is not very budget minded, so why not go ***** to the wall?
08-09-2014, 11:34 AM
#52
Nice ECU It should be able to output the CAN signal the power steering needs...you will just have to figure out what it wants ;-)....
The setup is a bit daunting for it...but there are a couple of guys that can help you
It will basically do almost anything you could ever want
The setup is a bit daunting for it...but there are a couple of guys that can help you
It will basically do almost anything you could ever want
08-09-2014, 11:40 AM
#53
My roomate is a Life Racing dealer and my other roomate will be running one on his FD with similar mods/power goals, so it should work out lol. They're the ones that talked me into the Life unit, especially after breaking it all down for me lol. Yeah, its an expensive unit, but nothing crazy- around $2400 for the F88RX, vs around $1500 for the Haltech PS1000 and the former blows the latter out of the water.
As far as retaining the CANbus- I honestly don't want any of it at this point lol. Except the power steering, I've driven a few 8's with power steering failures and it's a bitch, and that's coming from someone who hates power steering lol. I'll dig into it further to see if the Life can actually control the power steering though, that is a good idea. Thanks man.
As far as retaining the CANbus- I honestly don't want any of it at this point lol. Except the power steering, I've driven a few 8's with power steering failures and it's a bitch, and that's coming from someone who hates power steering lol. I'll dig into it further to see if the Life can actually control the power steering though, that is a good idea. Thanks man.
11-13-2014, 11:52 PM
#54
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I am also in the middle of a rew single turbo swap but I'm needed help on the fuel pump and I'm running e85, like is there adapters out there or can I just buy a big one and slap it in there?
11-22-2014, 06:07 PM
#56
What corrosion and seal compatability issues are you referring to?
The only one I know of is fuel injector related. The ID 1300 resolves this by using a stainless steel pintel. Otherwise E85 itself is no issue as long as you have good access to buy it. This varies by location. Race gas prices are thru the roof and access for it can also vary greatly. The one good thing with a modern ECU you can set it up to run anything from regular gasoline to e100 with an alcohol sensor inline tied to preprogrammed boost limits, etc.
The future is now ....
The only one I know of is fuel injector related. The ID 1300 resolves this by using a stainless steel pintel. Otherwise E85 itself is no issue as long as you have good access to buy it. This varies by location. Race gas prices are thru the roof and access for it can also vary greatly. The one good thing with a modern ECU you can set it up to run anything from regular gasoline to e100 with an alcohol sensor inline tied to preprogrammed boost limits, etc.
The future is now ....
11-24-2014, 09:17 PM
#58
Because e85 is awesome, I'll be on a flex fuel setup. Can add more boost, more timing, EGT's go down, carbon buildup is almost non existent, and the knock resistance is wicked. I'm not a fan of auxiliary meth injection, just one more complicated system that can break. To make big power with any shred of reliability, you can't run just straight pump gas and make anywhere near as much power. You have to pick between race gas, e85, and auxiliary water/meth.
11-25-2014, 11:05 PM
#61
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Guess this guy hasn't gotten the message that E85 is better than gas in EVERY way from a performance standpoint. Sure it is less efficient per volume and you need a huge fuel system, but the benefits far surpass the cons. Just difficult to find in most places and fuel consumption is pretty high. I loved 18 psi in my V8 on 105 degree days with not a single degree of knock. Ran it for years in my all aluminum V8 without a single issue. Fuel seals should be rated for use with e85 and kinda sucks in freezing weather as water accumulates more easily in the tank/lines.
12-25-2014, 08:52 PM
#62
My bad, I thought only the renesis had aluminum rotor housings, turns out that older engines also use aluminum rotor housings.
I do agree that ethanol is superior for race purposes. It also burns cleaner and provides less knock. Racecars aren't exactly built for longevity and teams likely do not care about long term corrosive effects. So your point is made in terms of power, but practicality is still ultimately up in the air.
However, everyone should really be thorough about considering ethanol. It is a corrosive fuel to soft metals, that IS a fact. A quick search says that leaving the fuel sit and giving it time to react speeds up corrosion. If memory serves me right, the energy systems engineering class I took last year agrees with this. If you want I could go look through my notes, but as that was an easier class I cannot guarantee I actually took notes on the subject.
A post simplifying a research article says:
"There are two mechanisms that occur with ethanol. Both mechanisms are a result of the hydroscopic property of ethanol, meaning it absorbs water. The more ethanol in the fuel, the more water there will be in the fuel tank. Water not only causes the tank to corrode, it also causes the corrosion particles to clog fuel filters, fuel systems, and damage engine components. The corrosion rate can be accelerated under a number of conditions if other contaminating metals are present such as copper which may be picked up from brass fittings or as a low level contaminant in the aluminum alloy. Chloride, which is a chemical found in salt water, will also accelerate corrosion. In the long term, corrosion can perforate the aluminum to produce leaks that would cause fuel to spill into the bilge and end up in the environment. In the worse case it could cause a fire and/or explosion hazard. Boat fuel tanks are often located under the deck next to the engine where the operator might not be aware of a leak until it was too late.
The second mechanism that can occurs with the increased use of ethanol based fuel in aluminum tanks is galvanic corrosion. Gasoline fuel is not conductive, but the presence of ethanol or ethanol and water will conduct electricity. The galvanic process that occurs to aluminum trim tabs, stern drives, shaft couplings, etc. will occur within the aluminum fuel tank. Boat builders are able to protect exterior aluminum boat equipment with sacrificial anodes known as zincs. Sacrificial anodes are not a feasible option for the interior of a fuel tank."
I am not speaking against E85 use, but like all things, more power is more wear.
I would recommend all interested read this study: Corrosion assessment of cast aluminum parts in ethanol fuel blends | Wirot | Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals
I do agree that ethanol is superior for race purposes. It also burns cleaner and provides less knock. Racecars aren't exactly built for longevity and teams likely do not care about long term corrosive effects. So your point is made in terms of power, but practicality is still ultimately up in the air.
However, everyone should really be thorough about considering ethanol. It is a corrosive fuel to soft metals, that IS a fact. A quick search says that leaving the fuel sit and giving it time to react speeds up corrosion. If memory serves me right, the energy systems engineering class I took last year agrees with this. If you want I could go look through my notes, but as that was an easier class I cannot guarantee I actually took notes on the subject.
A post simplifying a research article says:
"There are two mechanisms that occur with ethanol. Both mechanisms are a result of the hydroscopic property of ethanol, meaning it absorbs water. The more ethanol in the fuel, the more water there will be in the fuel tank. Water not only causes the tank to corrode, it also causes the corrosion particles to clog fuel filters, fuel systems, and damage engine components. The corrosion rate can be accelerated under a number of conditions if other contaminating metals are present such as copper which may be picked up from brass fittings or as a low level contaminant in the aluminum alloy. Chloride, which is a chemical found in salt water, will also accelerate corrosion. In the long term, corrosion can perforate the aluminum to produce leaks that would cause fuel to spill into the bilge and end up in the environment. In the worse case it could cause a fire and/or explosion hazard. Boat fuel tanks are often located under the deck next to the engine where the operator might not be aware of a leak until it was too late.
The second mechanism that can occurs with the increased use of ethanol based fuel in aluminum tanks is galvanic corrosion. Gasoline fuel is not conductive, but the presence of ethanol or ethanol and water will conduct electricity. The galvanic process that occurs to aluminum trim tabs, stern drives, shaft couplings, etc. will occur within the aluminum fuel tank. Boat builders are able to protect exterior aluminum boat equipment with sacrificial anodes known as zincs. Sacrificial anodes are not a feasible option for the interior of a fuel tank."
I am not speaking against E85 use, but like all things, more power is more wear.
I would recommend all interested read this study: Corrosion assessment of cast aluminum parts in ethanol fuel blends | Wirot | Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals
Last edited by LiveWire; 12-25-2014 at 08:56 PM.
12-26-2014, 10:56 AM
#64
Just trying to pass on explanations. The question was asked so I figured I would go the distance and explain. Had people only knocked E85 I probably would have taken the other side and defended it. Just making sure all the cons are put out there with the pros.
12-31-2014, 10:48 AM
#66
If you have proper injectors, pump and PTFE lines or stainless steel hard lines then you have solved the compatibility issue. If there are aluminum parts like fuel rails, surge tanks, etc, have them hard anodized and they are now set to go with E85 use.
If you do it right, the only con now is availability. And a flex fuel setup is the answer to this. Most popular platforms like Adaptronic, AEM, Haltech and such all have flex fuel capabilities.
Now the only con we have is that it will break down faster than gasoline if left to sit for a period of time, say more than 2 weeks in a humid climate, maybe up to a month if in a dry climate. It's not like the second you put E85 into your car everything corrodes and rusts and falls apart.
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