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Author Topic: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri  (Read 15284 times)

Rocketman

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2014, 07:07:03 AM »

I am surprised you kept the auto assembly and just added the clutch pedal to it - the manual assemblies have a much narrower brake pedal to fit in the middle. What that easier to do?

Nice valvecover! I am hoping to have a re-designed trim plate available soon to cover the plug wires
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1.8L Turbo All Wheel Drive Capri... the "GTXR2"


94daves

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2014, 01:36:03 PM »

Great pictures and descriptions.  I enjoy reading about your project and seeing it progress.  I like how you're taking the time to clean and improve as you reassemble.  Your valve cover looks great.  How did you clean it?
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #17 on: March 29, 2014, 10:41:55 PM »

The pedal box or whatever it's called is a bit time consuming and irritating to remove. The auto pedal box is the same thing, even has the mount hole drilled. When I pulled the clutch pedal from the junkyard Capri I pulled everything I could involving the pedal, but didn't even thing about the brake. I'm used to it now but I need to cut the brake pedal down so people don't smash the brake when they go to shift... Although it is funny.

Thanks for the kind words 94daves! I used aircraft grade paint stripperand a wire wheel on a drill. There were a lot of splotches left and I had to spend about 45 minutes with a paint scraper. I sprayed high temp paints; primer first, metallic aluminum second then lightly speckled it with gunmetal grey and coated in clear.

Rocketman I am interested in the spark plug cover plate. Have pics? I like a clean engine bay and mines a work in progress, lmk price and info please!
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #18 on: March 29, 2014, 10:50:40 PM »

Interior light switch. For anybody curious the advance auto parts touch dimmer switches fit right into the dash like factory. Unfortunately they work like crap, so I ripped the guts out of mine, drilled a hole through it and mounted up a rocker switch.




Here's my all metal high current headlight switch to replace the broken factory one.



;)

« Last Edit: March 29, 2014, 10:52:23 PM by ReedStemen »
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #19 on: March 31, 2014, 11:19:17 PM »

Before:



After... still not washed, but it's getting there.





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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #20 on: March 31, 2014, 11:38:22 PM »

So I've been experimenting with high performance economy mods and driving styles with the Capri. I went from around 24 MPG with the auto to 28.5 average MPG on a tank with the new manual. I also surf around on ecomodder.com... check it out if you haven't, good info. My daily drive consists of about 60+ miles so I've been practicing more economical driving. Shifting at 2000 RPM every gear, coasting when possible, and some aero mods. I recently completed a front air dam made of modified lawn edging and full stainless hardware. Helped 55-70 acceleration power and off power coasting distance noticeably. Also blocked off small grill/driving light inserts with some duct tape but fiberglass is planned in the future. I also bent the license plate and mounted it up in front of the grill to stop some airflow (no temperature issues... N/A love lol). I have been coasting 4-6 miles on the daily, and that adds up. Last tank without air dam got 31.5 MPG average. Hoping to be around 33 with air dam and aero mods. Ecomodding turns into a competition. More mods planned.






Another aspect of the car receiving treatment is the interior. The back seat was useless so I ripped all that junk out including the seatbelts. I'm in the process of making a compartment area out of wood and I'll be carpeting everything. Also the spare tire will be moved to the cargo space for the in-floor subwoofer box.



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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #21 on: March 31, 2014, 11:58:42 PM »

Here's an important tip for anybody swapping a five speed. The auto trans had a park ignition lockout that will cause the car not to start without it plugged in. Simply strip these two wires and twist them together to complete the electrical circuit and get the car to start. These were attached to a white three-prong plug by the airbox/cruise control module. There's a third wire there that does not have power, you can let that chill and chop the plug.



I have not yet figured out how to get the "manual shift" light to stop flashing on the gauge cluster.
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Rocketman

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #22 on: April 01, 2014, 02:15:46 AM »

Did you pull out the automatic's computer out?

You should be able to get significantly higher than 33mpg. Russ's blue 94 (he's since sold) we had a high-comp N/A engine with a turbo, XR2 trans with .717 5th gear swap and bubbletop/F40 wing which aren't exactly beneficial but he/we got just under 40mpg with it.

My old modded XR2 achieved 36mpg at one time on the highway. And my AWD capri with a bigger engine somehow managed an avg of 33mpg over a 1600 mile trip, figure that one out lol.

You can play with the TPS a bit, it will cut fuel sooner but it makes it jerky to drive as the power comes on/off suddenly. Tires & wheel combo make a difference, the smaller & narrower the better. Lowering makes a decent difference as well

Nice work, I'd like to do a front lip or air damn & some underbody paneling on my red XR2
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #23 on: April 01, 2014, 11:56:33 AM »

My funds are limited currently but I would like to lower the car, replace the oxygen sensor, fabricate a fiberglass bubble top, and put a tubular header on to help with efficiency. I need to adjust my timing too which might help. My trans has .820 5th gear ratio so it's running a little higher RPM on the highway which might not help. fueleconomy.gov rates the car at 21 city, 26 highway, 23 average so I'm well above that atleast. I'm not sure how yours are so high? That's impressive. Either way it's better than my Supra's 14-18 MPG! Haha.

Oh an no I have all auto electronics. I tried to find a circuit to bypass to trick the ECU into shutting off the manual shift light, but I think it's integrated into the ECU's programming. I'll just pop the light out of the gauge cluster.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 11:58:46 AM by ReedStemen »
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #24 on: April 01, 2014, 12:26:22 PM »

Here's the first test pull with the capri after the clutch break in period, much better acceleration than the auto provided. Seat of pants dyno says atleast a 5-10 HP gain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prUDKmA3keg&feature=youtu.be
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Rocketman

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #25 on: April 01, 2014, 12:46:44 PM »

The XR2 not only has a taller 5th gear but a taller final drive too, 3.85 vs the F's 4.105. My numbers are a little high but not unusual.

The N/A has shorter gearing to make the car feel peppier at the cost of top end, and it does have a small effect on overall economy it seems.
The ECU's & ignition timing are the same between both N/A engines, so that's not affecting anything.

Since your car was originally an auto, you have 9.0:1 CR (n/a manuals had 9.4:1, autos were 100hp and manuals were 116hp) and a different exhaust camshaft tailored specifically for low end torque. Grab an exhaust camshaft from a manual car and drop that in there, your powerband will feel a lot better and more natural with the 5spd, and your highway speed volumetric efficiency will shoot up and increase your MPGs as well.

I have a line on a tubular header, if you're interested PM or email me
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 12:48:46 PM by Rocketman »
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #26 on: April 01, 2014, 01:21:58 PM »

That's some good knowledge right there, thanks for the info. I'll see if I can source one. Wouldn't a higher compression N/A have better fuel economy and power than a lower compression N/A? Or is the power difference and economy difference in the head? Is the block and rotating assembly the same?

PM sent.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 01:26:11 PM by ReedStemen »
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #27 on: April 01, 2014, 01:34:23 PM »

I might be thinking backwards... is 9:1 considered lower compression ratio than 9.4:1 because there is less air being compressed? If so then my engine is likely losing efficiency because of a lower compression ratio and being naturally aspirated correct? would a manual B6 head swap increase compression ratio and improve MPG?
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Rocketman

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #28 on: April 01, 2014, 05:11:51 PM »

9.0:1 is lower than 9.4:1 It's not a huge difference, by comparison the XR2 is 7.9:1 CR Going to n/a pistons or custom higher CR pistons in the turbo motors is quite popular now, it improves off-boost economy and power

The heads are all identical. The compression ratio difference is in the pistons - The pistons have more or less of a dish in the center, meaning it breathes the same, it just doesn't 'squeeze' it as much. Higher CR does mean more efficiency but the difference isn't much between the two.

I'd say grab the camshaft from a manual B6D and call it a day. You could grab one from a 1.6L manual Miata engine too
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ReedStemen

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Re: Project Personal - Reed's 1991 Capri
« Reply #29 on: April 02, 2014, 12:06:27 AM »

I've got some miata buddies, I'll try to source one. Thanks for bringing that up and thanks for the lessons! This tank of gas currently with the front air dam is looking promising, can't wait to fill up and check mileage. Ecomodding is a competition!
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