If anything is doubled in here from previous pages, I apologize. I'm doing a mass update of build threads on separate forums that are all at different stages of the build :lol:
UPDATES
I bought universal steering rack boots, somehow both of mine were torn. The dealer wanted $60/side and I'm not about to pay that! I haven't had a chance to put them on because.........
The wiring is almost done!
A few people helped out and eventually what happened was:
-Speartech engine harness
-Painless (T-Bucket) chassis harness
-Kept OEM rear end light wiring (tucked--running through the rocker)
Most of it is wired up in the car, all of the front end light wiring is routed but not attached. I still have one bug to work out with the running lights... I have no idea why but they only turn on when the headlights are on (ie: the "running light" setting doesn't work). I'm wondering if it has to do with how the Mazda combo switch is wired compared to the Painless relay/fuse block set up. I gave up on flash-to-pass (I don't think I have ever used it). I managed to get a spare set of o2 harness extenders that I chopped and wired up the o2s finally!
What I'm waiting on:
-Turn signal lights to arrive (tomorrow)
-I need to figure out what size LED running light I can fit in the headlight opening
-How to seal the Morimoto H1 projectors for use in the foglight holes (home depot special)
I cranked it over real quick yesterday (no fuel and coils unplugged) just to make sure all the wiring was correct, and it is. I plan to add gas, flush the fuel lines, fill it with coolant, and then it should be good to go as far as starting it. I put oil in it a few months ago.
For a car running the bare minimum, there are still a lot of wires. XD It will get all tucked up, I was just working with routing stuff last night and this was how it was left. I can't even give you a number of times I had to cut a zip tie, undo electrical tape, or reroute wires, so I stopped making it pretty until it was DONE. :fp:
Everything under the hood got the heat shrink/adhesive filled butt connectors, the ones under the dash are normal butt connectors. I looked into the aviation grade solder-filled connectors but.... the normal kind are more readily available and I don't expect this car to see too severe weather conditions so I don't think there will be a problem.
I
temporarily mounted the gauge cluster as well. I reused a Mazda connector on the gauges so I can unplug them easily.
A few little things here and there, too.... found a lower radiator hose that works (had to splice in a tube in between two pieces after searching through 3 parts stores inventory to no avail), the top one is a clusterf*ck due to how close the rad is combined with how much room I have next to the Mezeire water pump. I'll try and get pics later but it isn't the prettiest thing
Put some heatshielding (Spliced tube--DEI I think) on the fuel lines running near the exhaust as well.
Oh, and the exhaust is done. Still trying to find someone with a booth big enough to allow it to be ceramic coated. :/ I may end up trying some heat shield mat with better adhesive than the real thin gold and silver foils. Neither of those wanted to stick to my heat shield paint in the tranny tunnel, AT ALL.
The tips didn't quite turn out how I wanted, but I can only do so much because the mufflers have only so much area to exist in, so when they are angled like they are I ended up with a tear drop-shaped tip instead of an oval. It's hard to explain but I tried everything, and it took days lol.
This was before I cleaned the hole in the diffuser up and painted the whole diffuser:
Tires and wheels mounted:
Picked up a seat:
Sneak peak at what's to come:
In other news, I picked up a new DD and only modded it a little bit. Just K&N/Borla catback/BBF GT3 4 point bar.