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Thanks friend. As far as how well it's working - honestly, better than expected. Since the whole point of this (besides the fun and challenge) was to help keep the charge temps down so I can achieve consistent stock boost levels (10 psi with this engine, high octane fuel and AID mod)even on the hottest of days, as of yesterday I can confirm that achievment. It was the first scorcher of the summer and I had to drive right into the heart of it. Considering that it's been just one day since the final curing of the last f'glass layer, I wasn't about to push my luck with heavy boost. While tooling about in everyday traffic, hot as it was, it behaved as I would expect under much cooler temps.
Then on the way back, which includes a long upward climb at increasingly steeper grades (the exact route where the original engine died), I couldn't help myself and decided to give it a test. Hot as it was, I got it up to 8 psi in 3rd without a problem. And that's as far as I would let it climb. Then later that night with temps in the high 70's, this time I let the boost guage climb. A quick smooth climb past 10 and up to 12 psi, and that's when I eased up. I've never seen the guage go past 10, so that was an achievment for sure. I'll guess in even cooler temps there's even more psi to be found.
As far as time involved to mold the end tanks - I first shaped them using a foam which comes in a dried brick shape that can easily be carved and sanded. That took a half day, considering I had to make sure they were large enough, yet of a size that would fit where they had to go, and end up where the ports needed to be. Then I layered two coats of JB Weld over the foam molds, which was a three day process since that epoxy takes at least 18 hours to cure, and I could only do one side at a time since you have to lay it down and leave it sit until it cures. Once it sets up enough to touch it, a heat source (work lamp, spot light, sun) helps it cure faster.
The layering of fiberglass (resin and woven glass matting) is easy, but you have to be aware of the catalyst mix ratio, and the speed of how fast it sets up depending on the ambient temperature. In other words, you can't mix up too large an amount of catalyzed resin assuming you'll be able to layer both sides evenly and without air pockets before the resin begins to harden. I've been working with the stuff since I was a kid, so I'm now quite familiar with it's timing. Once the resin begins to harden (usually within 15 minutes max, depending on temps), and if you use a heat source, it'll harden enough within an hour so you can handle it and file/grind and reshape to prepare for the next layer.
posted by 205.188.116...
, Tue, 13 Jul 2004 13:51:41, Mon, 12 Jul 2004 21:18:18
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