Rising from the ashes - Valhalla

[Valhalla]

Do you still have the twin 53 series aerochargers?

Yep, still running the 53's. No issues (knock on wood). Before initially installing them on Layla, I sent them back to Areodyne to be completely overhauled and to add the new vane controllers. Add a couple of ounces of their special bearing oil once a year and keep the filters clean and no issues.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Yep, still running the 53's. No issues (knock on wood). Before initially installing them on Layla, I sent them back to Areodyne to be completely overhauled and to add the new vane controllers. Add a couple of ounces of their special bearing oil once a year and keep the filters clean and no issues.

Im also having AC woes with that heater flap issue but I think it’s my control board. Also, I think I bought your old STMPO kit targa bar which I still have. I had the APX kit with High boost (15psi on E85) but I ended up with the aerocharger twin kit like you now haha. Glad to hear they are solid turbos, I am planning to run these for a bit and then build my own high boost kit with the 66 series since DDozier seems to be MIA. I’m running the JGTC diffuser so everything is on display, I may ditch this exhaust for something more eye catching.

 

[Valhalla]

Im also having AC woes with that heater flap issue but I think it’s my control board. Also, I think I bought your old STMPO kit targa bar which I still have. I had the APX kit with High boost (15psi on E85) but I ended up with the aerocharger twin kit like you now haha. Glad to hear they are solid turbos, I am planning to run these for a bit and then build my own high boost kit with the 66 series since DDozier seems to be MIA.

Yes you did! I remember that.

With the 53's, I am able to accomplish the numbers I had in mind so I don't see a need to go with the big frame 66's that Dave Dozier ran. You could pull some more torque, but I'm happy with where I sit. Plus those mothers are expensive. And you will need bigger plumbing than what you are currently running. An expensive build.

FYI, Dave sold off his NSX but is still actively tracking. His turbo kit was beautiful. But mine works and is all I need. It's crazy fast. I'm good where it sits today.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Yes you did! I remember that.

With the 53's, I am able to accomplish the numbers I had in mind so I don't see a need to go with the big frame 66's that Dave Dozier ran. You could pull some more torque, but I'm happy with where I sit. Plus those mothers are expensive. And you will need bigger plumbing than what you are currently running. An expensive build.

FYI, Dave sold off his NSX but is still actively tracking. His turbo kit was beautiful. But mine works and is all I need. It's crazy fast. I'm good where it sits today.

I’m thrilled to hear that! I don’t know if I can step down from nearly 600whp available here on our long straight Texas freeways (plus I now have a built motor) but I drove my friend’s 93 MR2 Turbo with about the same power to weight as the 53s provide, and it was plenty fast and fun. Plus these make boost so early it FEELS fast and torquey at sane speeds, until you’re at triple digit speeds and wind resistance overcomes the available power output. I’ll report back when I have some impressions but I’m glad to hear you’re still satisfied with these 53s.

I think it’s the best designed low boost NSX kit ever made, packed with awesome hardware which can really shine with modern engine management and fueling options. Using the stock injectors and fuel pump along with ECU were the limiting factors in the 90s even though I understand their design goals were to keep it CARB legal. It’s crazy the same hardware 20 years later still seems revolutionary. The variable vane tech and self contained oiling of the aerochargers is still not common in aftermarket turbocharging even today though it solves so many problems. If people didn’t try replacing these Turbos with conventional Turbos in search of more power then this kit would have endured IMO.

 

[Mac Attack]

FYI. Running more than 10-12 psi on the Aerochargers is what kills them, whether it is the 53 series or the 66 series.

Boost is addictive and the main reason these died out a long time ago is people began turning up the boost in search of more power leading to the turbos self-destructing. It was kind of those early-adopter folks to establish their limits. Aerocharger has made some small advances since then, but I didn't dare go beyond 12 psi with my 66 series.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Read that you posted that before and do appreciate the great advice! For my 53s I will keep it around 6psi though if I can run 9-10psi without destroying the Turbos then I would. I have mock ups for the 66 series but would try to max those out with aerochargers blessing. Do you have info on your build somewhere? 12psi sounds great.

 

[Mac Attack]

No problem! It's a great responsive system that will get you to ~500 WHP safely. I would just be hesitant to push it further unless you're prepared to shell out $5k on replacement turbos. Personally, I think 400-450 WHP is the sweet spot on this platform anyways, and I would gladly take a 450 WHP twin Aerocharger system over a 600 WHP single turbo system any day.

No, I don't have detailed info on my build. I would eventually like to offer the setup for sale but it still has a long way to go before I'm 99% satisfied with it. Just takes time and money....

 

[Nero Tenebre]

I think I could live with 500whp safely as the sweet spot for traction for me seemed to be 550whp and that’s only 10% off the mark for keeping the 53’s and saving $10k in building a 66 series kit. I already bought dozier’s WTA intercooler and the SOS kit so if I decide to push for power I’ll be sure upgrade the cooling. Does anyone know how much power or boost these ATA intercoolers can keep up with before they need upgrading? I have an old corky bell article that I think had the calculation even and mentioned there was a little extra room in there with them. No reason to take any chances though unless I go back to E85 to keep temps down. I still have all the flex fuel stuff though. Anyway, I called aerocharger and they did say I could up to 10lbs or boost so I’m ordering 9lb springs and can shim them to 9.5 so thank you for putting that on my radar!! No reason to have a built motor and only run 5.5lbs.

 

[Mac Attack]

I think I could live with 500whp safely as the sweet spot for traction for me seemed to be 550whp and that’s only 10% off the mark for keeping the 53’s and saving $10k in building a 66 series kit. I already bought dozier’s WTA intercooler and the SOS kit so if I decide to push for power I’ll be sure upgrade the cooling. Does anyone know how much power or boost these ATA intercoolers can keep up with before they need upgrading? I have an old corky bell article that I think had the calculation even and mentioned there was a little extra room in there with them. No reason to take any chances though unless I go back to E85 to keep temps down. I still have all the flex fuel stuff though. Anyway, I called aerocharger and they did say I could up to 10lbs or boost so I’m ordering 9lb springs and can shim them to 9.5 so thank you for putting that on my radar!! No reason to have a built motor and only run 5.5lbs.

Well, you heard 10 psi from the experts so just make sure you don't give into temptation and try to go further than that later! It's been a long time since I've looked at the maps, and that was for the 66 series, but I assume you'll be pushing the 53's to their absolute efficiency limits with corresponding temperature rise. I don't remember Doziers WTA intercooler design parameters, but you may want something a bit larger if you don't care about the stealth factor his design had.

I don't have an intercooler or run E85. AEM meth injection only. Of course, that limits my time spent at full boost but it's not a problem for my use.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

I believe his intercooler was designed for 600whp but he never tested it for as much because he was happy with his boost levels on street. I had planned to do it with the 66 but if I keep this 53 kit then I might as well keep the two ATA coolers and just add Dave’s to the system which should be plenty of cooling! I’d monitor temps though of course! Obviously, stealth is not a factor for me since I am running the open diffuser with the whole kit on display!

 

[Valhalla]

I had the ATA intercoolers and they did little to anything to dropping the charge temps. You could literally fry an egg on the ATA intercoolers on a spirited mountain drive. In fact they were also a bit restrictive with air flow too and that was documented by Corky. So I ditched them and plumbed them straight to the main charge pipe.

Dave used to track his NSX a lot and the design of his WTA intercooler was stealth and effective. I am running that same system with the intercooler in the intake manifold, diverter plates welded into the upper chamber of the intake manifold, to force the charge air to pass thru the core twice, and the SOS heat exchanger in the bow, in front of the radiator. Dave claimed his charge temp was only 30F over ambient temperature on the track. I have not data logged it but that seems about right. One thing I did was to replace the OEM intake temperature sensor with an AEM unit that is way more efficient and quicker response. With boost levels I wanted to make sure the engine was safe, regardless of charge temps. My AEM Series 2 takes into account intake temperature to adjust timing and fuel trims. I am also running E85 to keep things cooler and increase power. So damn easy, I just drive the car now. Would do it again in a minute.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

How many pounds of boost are you running on your 53’s?

 

[Valhalla]

How many pounds of boost are you running on your 53’s?

I'm at full boost by 3800rpms. With the 9# springs and one shim we logged it at 10 to 10.5 lbs. of boost, depending upon the run. You do not want to go any higher than that for many reasons.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Thanks! That’s what I’m planning to do as well. Where did you set your vane controller position?

 

[Valhalla]

Thanks! That’s what I’m planning to do as well. Where did you set your vane controller position?

On the old set up with 5# springs I was at one full turn for each controller. But after each run on the dyno with the new set up, we kept backing them out until the power numbers matched the old tune below VTEC. You may end up anywhere between 1 and a half to two and a half. But definitely play with them between runs. It will make a big difference.

 

[Nero Tenebre]

Sorry to ask again, but how much power did you make on e85 with 10psi on the 53 series? I think I’m going with the same so we can compare notes soon.

 

[Valhalla]

445 rwhp and 336 ft/lbs of torque at 2750 with all fluids, half a tank of gas and me in it.

 

[Valhalla]

So finally finished getting the car cleaned up after spending the week in NoCal for NSXPO 2018. Took three days to get there by way of a caravan with Regan, Kuni, William, Mario and our new friends from overseas, Michael, Adnan and Yamamoto. Experienced some beautiful scenery, great drives, food and plenty of laughter. Along the way got to stop and see the Porsche displays of Rennsport at Laguna Seca and also stroll Sonoma Raceway. It was a glorious three days and fun was had by all.

Spent two days at the racetrack in Willows, Thunderhill. What a nice facility. Fantastic track and everything there was first class. Rodger, James and of course Coz leading the track event. So how did the car perform? Flawlessly. Really. No issues with overheating. She pulled strong, stopped really well and only one small damper adjustment to massage a tiny bit of understeer. And she ran strong all eight sessions. No issues. A big shout out to my instructor, Jason Woan. Plenty of patience and some great instruction.

Afterward I got to spend some seat time with Nero Tannebe as he is in the course of building a sister turbo setup to my car. He was concerned there wouldn't be enough power. I think I dispelled that thought with the drive to Santa Cruz and back to SFO. The car was just a pleasure to drive.

The only downside was my front tires that were a little old and ended up flatspotting going into (and through) turn 10. I was left with a little more vibration than I felt comfortable with the rest of the drives, at high speed. But I'll replace them with some new Dunlop Z3's to match the rear and I'll be good to go again. A couple of pictures for you.

 

[Valhalla]

Just got back from a drive up to the rim in Payson. The Bee Line Expressway is one of Arizona's 10 best drives and it is two mile from the house. Four lanes of goodness snaking up and over the rim with mountains on both sides. A very pretty drive. In fact this is the first time the car has been out of the garage since I moved here back in March! The move, fall, EMS ride to a trauma center and overnight stay, broken rib and punctured lung have kind of set me back a little time wise.

So how did the car perform? Flawlessly. Need to clean up a short in my Zietronix gauge that goes on and off for no apparent reason, but that is it. Started right up, runs super strong and handled like on rails.

Only issue I've had in a couple of years was running at a NASA-AZ event at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in February, this past spring. Car was running great then going down the back straight I blew off the cold side charge pipe connecting the two turbos. Must have had a C-clamp come loose and that was it. To say the change in acceleration is an understatement. Couldn't keep a clamp on it for the next couple of sessions so I got a slightly longer section of coupling and double C-clamped both ends. It's not going anywhere. All that wonderful FI is going right back to where I intended it to go. And it just feels wonderful. Felt good to finally drive the car again.

As much fun as it is to work on these machines, it really does feel good to just drive them.

 

[RYU]

Just got back from a drive up to the rim in Payson. The Bee Line Expressway is one of Arizona's 10 best drives and it is two mile from the house. Four lanes of goodness snaking up and over the rim with mountains on both sides. A very pretty drive. In fact this is the first time the car has been out of the garage since I moved here back in March! The move, fall, EMS ride to a trauma center and overnight stay, broken rib and punctured lung have kind of set me back a little time wise.

So how did the car perform? Flawlessly. Need to clean up a short in my Zietronix gauge that goes on and off for no apparent reason, but that is it. Started right up, runs super strong and handled like on rails.

Only issue I've had in a couple of years was running at a NASA-AZ event at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in February, this past spring. Car was running great then going down the back straight I blew off the cold side charge pipe connecting the two turbos. Must have had a C-clamp come loose and that was it. To say the change in acceleration is an understatement. Couldn't keep a clamp on it for the next couple of sessions so I got a slightly longer section of coupling and double C-clamped both ends. It's not going anywhere. All that wonderful FI is going right back to where I intended it to go. And it just feels wonderful. Felt good to finally drive the car again.

As much fun as it is to work on these machines, it really does feel good to just drive them.

meh! no big deal!!! Geebus man! Glad you're doing better big guy!

 

[Valhalla]

meh! no big deal!!! Geebus man! Glad you're doing better big guy!

Thanks for the shout out. I am doing much better, thank you. Still a little sore but it's not stopping me from doing anything. Got a new Arizona tag and it's the same specialty plate I had in California. New insurance with Grundy and it was half the cost of Hagartey. Zero deductible and i was able to insure it declared value for more than I previously had it. The kicker? Because it's over 25 years old and I have collectors insurance, I don't have to have it smogged every two years. EVER! Ah, the good life.....

 

[MexiRicer]

Glad you're doing better JC! Your positivity and "moving forward" attitude is something to be admired. Hope you Pam and Hope have been well...

I am a bit jealous of no more smog ever... say WHAT!? Is that AZ exclusive rule, being that the car is 25+ years old and under car collector insurance?

 

[NSX_n00b]

say WHAT!? Is that AZ exclusive rule, being that the car is 25+ years old and under car collector insurance?

Yup, in AZ if your car is 25+ years you can put a historic plate on the car and if you carry collector car insurance on the vehicle you are exempt from emissions

Here in CO several counties are exempt from smog...mine being one of them :biggrin:

 

[Valhalla]

Glad you're doing better JC! Your positivity and "moving forward" attitude is something to be admired. Hope you Pam and Hope have been well...

I am a bit jealous of no more smog ever... say WHAT!? Is that AZ exclusive rule, being that the car is 25+ years old and under car collector insurance?

Thanks for the kind words. We are adapting to the new state. Hope is loving it and Pam is slowly warming (see what I did there?) to living here.

As to the "no smog", yeah, it's real. 25 years old and collector car status (proven by your insurance policy) and that is it. I could have gone with a collector license plate but there weren't enough characters to spell out my specialty plate. So I went with a standard issue AZ plate. Valhalla rides again!

 

[Valhalla]

So the lift was free yesterday at the WDL Racing Garage, and I took advantage of it. Nothing too serious, just a bunch of maintenance issues that were piling up.As the car was up in the air, got to check everything. Got almost my full list of things done. Checked brakes and ball joints. Replaced trans-axle fluid with fresh Honda White Cap, topped off the turbos with a couple of ounces of Aerodyne Turbo Oil in each, and checked all other fluids. But the big thing was to pull the gas tank and replace the fuel pump which was getting a little weak and unreliable for the tuning I was doing. I replaced the AEM 340 lph unit with a new Walbro 400/450 lph that I got from SOS. E85 compatible too. Replaced the fuel filter also, just to make sure there were no other restrictions. Only thing I didn't get to was to check corner balance and ride height. The springs have settled a little and I wanted to re-check the balance. I'll get to that little project in the coming weeks.

Did a run and pulled a good log this morning. Sure enough, the fuel map needed adjusting at just about every rpm and load. A side benefit is she fires right up.

So this week my new hub, quick disconnect and Sparco steering wheel arrive and I can install them. Just getting the car ready to run NASA-AZ this season and get a head start on prep for NSXPO 2020 in Portland. Damn what a fun car that owns me!