ACVW Speedster 356 Shoehorn Installation

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Speedster
MegaSquirt Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:31 am
Location: Wichita, KS

ACVW Speedster 356 Shoehorn Installation

Post by Speedster »

Having followed some of these posts for 2 years now, and having just completed my MS-II v.3 installation, it is time that I shared my build with the forum. My goals in the build were several:

1. Construct an intake system that would fit under the deck lid of my Speedster replica, and that would supply the air volume necessary for a 2180cc developing approximately 150 h.p.
2. Construct the intake system using commonly available materials and easy fabrication skills.
3. Have an engine that would run in a superior fashion to the Weber 44 IDFs that were installed. I was after the drivability of a modern FI engine.


If you want to see pics of the engine, send me a PM to the address at the bottom of this post. In a few days, I will attempt to post a few pics following this post or in another forum on this site.

The common problem in converting large ACVW engines over to fuel injection is in obtaining a runner and end casting system that is large enough to handle the air volume needed. The btlmex castings are too small since they were designed for a 1600cc motor. The CB end castings are likewise too small and need some serious modification work to make them flow. My solution was to use 1.25” ID copper water tubing and related fittings. They are smooth as glass on the inside, and easy to assemble. Each runner has 3-45 degree elbows, in addition to some straight tubing. With the 3 elbows, I could make them snake around the fan housing with no problems.

The shop tools necessary to fabricate this intake system were a 1 h.p. drill press, table saw with a non-ferrous metal cutting blade, oxygen acetylene welding outfit, arc welder, metal cutting composite blade on my circular saw, rotary files, and assorted hand tools.

I rebuilt the motor in the process. Following are the motor specs, with many parts replaced and upgraded:

· New aluminum super block, clearanced for 82mm crank and 92mm pistons. Machine work performed by Rimco.
· Rev-Tru 82mm, forged, fully counter-weighted crankshaft with Chevy journals
· Chevy rods
· Total Seal rings. Cylinder PSI ranges 150-165
· Pistons match weighted to within 1.0 gram of each other
· Full flow oiling system
· 1.5 quart extended sump
· 8.1:1 compression ratio
· Engle V-26 camshaft with new lifters. 297 degrees duration.
· 1.4:1 High Lift ratio rockers
· Hi Torque starter
· Chromoly push rods
· 35.5 x 40 valves
· Silicone bronze valve guides
· Ported and polished, welded-up VW heads, cc’ed to match
· MegaSquirt-II programmable fuel injection
· Large diameter “J” tubes
· 8 Pin flywheel
· Ford EDIS ignition
· 52mm Holley TB
· 20.8 lb/hr. Bosch injectors
· Innovate LC-1 WB O2 sensor


The motor runs cool at a steady 180 degrees, without an after-market oil cooler, while producing an estimated 150 h.p. My goal in building the motor was reliability and cool running, not high horsepower. I am getting to the point that I would rather drive it than work on keeping it together! Also, there are a host of other modifications to my Speedster that are in the planning stage.

Assembling, installing, and tuning a MS-II is not for the faint of heart. It is a frustrating experience for those unfamiliar with computers and fuel injection. There is just so much to learn!! What I thought would take 3-4 months has taken 12 months, and I am still in the tuning phase. The work was very part time, with other work and cold winter days taking their toll. The second time around, it would be a whole lot easier. I had no soldering experience with electronics, and still managed to assemble the stimulator, MS, and relay board with no faults. The only fabrication problem I had was in wiring the EDIS unit. A simple lapse of concentration (must be getting old) caused me to ground the SAW wire to the engine through the shielding, resulting in no ignition advance. It took me 6 weeks to figure out the cause.

The most difficult parts for me, since I had little understanding of fuel injection systems and no tuning knowledge, was in attempting to understand the MS manuals in regard to the various assembly options and tuning. There is sooooooooooo muuuuuccchhh to read and then comprehend!! Until the flashes of insight start to go off in one’s mind, it is quite impossible to tune one of these systems. Having said that, as with any great endeavor, the feeling of satisfaction that comes with comprehension is wonderful! A positive attitude, reasonable fabrication skills, the patience of Job, helpful squirters, and an understanding wife are all that is necessary. Actually, my wife got a little frustrated because we could not use the car for evening cruises this past summer, and other honey-dos got put on the back burner. Getting an engine successfully MegaSquirted becomes an OBSESSION!

Although I am still tuning the AFR and VE tables, the throttle response is simply unbelievable compared with the Webers. There is no stumble on take-off and drivability is going to be all that I had hoped for. The engine is easy to start in all temperatures and smooth reving. I love the fact that I am no longer spewing clouds of unburnt fuel into my garage when the engine is started from cold.

I screwed around with the GM IAC for weeks, until it ceased to function at all. Rather than waste more time and money, I decided to go manual control with the air. All beetle VWs have heater control levers and cables next to the emergency brake. I mounted a 3/8” ball valve on a bracket where the cable exits its tubing near the clutch. From this valve I ran a length of 5/8” heater hose to a connection I fabricated and that screws down where the IAC valve went. I blocked off the venting passage in the TB where it drew air through the air filter. I also fabricated a small air filter for the intake side of the ball valve. Now, I simply use the cockpit heater lever to control additional air to the TB until the engine heats up. It works great and should never fail!

For you folks who have an interest in my intake manifold dimensions, they are: 1.25” inside diameter runners, 22” long. Plenum inside diameter is 3.8”, with an interior length of 7.65 inches.

I want to thank Bill Steele for his advice and encouragement in this project. He kept telling me that I almost had it completed, no matter how deep I was in frustration at times. Thanks to those truly skilled and knowledgeable individuals on the Fuel Injection forum in Shop Talk Forums, there is a wealth of design and component selection information accessible in search mode. The gurus on the MegaSquirt forum are vital when problems are encountered with that system. Gearheads rule!!

I hope that my success as a newbie encourages others to embark on such a project with their ACVW. These timeless designs will keep getting better as long as there are people willing to adapt the newest technology to them.

Chuck Roach
Wichita, KS
blackwatch40@hotmail.com
Speedster
MegaSquirt Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:31 am
Location: Wichita, KS

Link to Photos of Fab and Install

Post by Speedster »

Here is a link to the writeup and some pics on ShopTalkForum

http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=105567

Hopefully, this will get you there.

Speedster
Speedster
MegaSquirt Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:31 am
Location: Wichita, KS

Pic of Speedster

Post by Speedster »

My CMC J-LO Speedster, now MegaSquirted! More mods to come.

Speedster
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