Red - National Champ X1/9 Autocrosser gets Another Shot

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

You got this!

I don't know how I missed this until now. This car is so cool!

Found the caliper leak today.

I had assumed the issue was the piston itself, but that looks suspiciously like installer error to me...

Anyway, I had already ordered the new piston and seal, so on they went and they are back on the car. Next is bleeding the brakes.

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Updated todo:

• Swap back to stainless steel braided fronts? - I think brakes are bled
• Re-attach intake grates - done!
• Change gear oil
• Tune computer (Dyno day?)
• Replace under engine cover panel - done!
• Set ride height (corner weight?)
• String alignment
• New bottom engine mount? - determined I will not do this right now
• Install passenger seat
• Finish check engine light wiring - done!
• Finish radiator fan wiring - done!
• Replace unused distributor with plug?
• Install harness bar?
• Battery terminal covers - done!
• Change engine oil
• Tie wideband O2 sensor wiring up - done!
• Nut and bolt suspension and check bushings - done!
• Fix rear brake fluid leak - done!

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Nice work. That is a lot checked off. 

I'm just stopping in to say that I support this.  

The distributor was not doing anything (the standalone now handles spark timing based on a crank wheel), but it was plugging a hole in the block. 

While it wasn't really bothering me, I didn't love the idea of having a distributor on a car that doesn't need it. 

Enter a distributor plug from a DOHC fiat engine. These do exist from SOHC engines too, but they are more rare in the US. The DOHC version can be modified to fit the SOHC engine by simply removing about 5mm from the end that sits near the oil pump drive gear.

Plug is on the left (and the photo is before I trimmed the end). This thread has a lot more detail on this stuff if you're curious: https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/wanted-distributor-block-off-blanking-plug.35779/

Distributor = 2 lb 2 oz, Plug = 3 oz. Distributor FMV is about $75. Plug cost $28.79 (and could be purchased cheaper). 

Simpler, lighter, cheaper, win, win, win!

Is the old distributor functional? I may be interested in buying it from you. I'm going to convert to a cam mounted distributor on my spare X motor, but could use a spare distributor for the current motor.

Under certain circumstances it turns out you can actually bend the internal triggers and screw up your timing during a race. Probably due to a money shift by one of your drivers, but that's why it's better to not review their footage...

TheTallOne17 said:

Is the old distributor functional? I may be interested in buying it from you. I'm going to convert to a cam mounted distributor on my spare X motor, but could use a spare distributor for the current motor.

Under certain circumstances it turns out you can actually bend the internal triggers and screw up your timing during a race. Probably due to a money shift by one of your drivers, but that's why it's better to not review their footage...

I'm not sure I'm ready to sell any parts from this one yet (insert Gollum meme here), but I did just buy a couple things from this guy and he was great to work with. He lists 'distributors' for $20 each, though the picture looks like coils to me. Might be worth an ask. 

https://sites.google.com/view/budzinsk-fiat-parts/home

Long time with no updates here either, but I did do a little work this fall toward the goal of getting this back on track.

I was able to get it started up again, and tweaked the tubing a bit more, and drove it around the block again. 

I'm confident in the spring I'll be able to get it fully autox ready and take it to an event next season!

In the meantime, I spent entirely way too long fixing the glovebox door. This is the second one I've done and I did a better job than the first one. I'm reasonably confident this is how they are supposed to work when brand new. And the hinge is made of metal now so I'm not worried about it breaking again in short order. 

Plus, I had fun adding the sound to this little video. Hahaha.

Well from Jan - July I did nothing on red, but I still wanted to get red to an autox in 2024. So on July 7 I moved red back into the primary work bay:

the first thing I wanted to do was to get the non-fixed back seats into position. So I started mocking up a way to mount fiat sliders to the bottom of these corbeau seats I have.

much tacking, fitting, greasing, hammering, refitting and swearing ensued. Finally I achieved something that I think is good enough.

it required relocation of the slider lock handle.

got the rails quite close to the seats

and got them to a place where they slide far enough back and still sorta slide on the sliders.

We'll call that done for now. Except I still have to do the passenger side.

then I changed the oil and the trans fluid from my list from before. My next major step was tuning. Except I had a very annoying rattle. I thought it was from a dipstick seal that was old and brittle and allowing the dipstick to flop around. So I replaced that and didn't fix the rattle.

after a bit more poking and prodding, accurately diagnosed the rattle as the heat shield above the header below the intake. Bent it down slightly and had the leave and quiet I've been searching for.

So into the tuning! I decided to drop the e85 idea for now and just stick with 93 octane for the moment. Much learning was had, but I have to say the more I learn about electromotive, the more impressed I am with their technology from the late 80s/early90s. They really thought of everything it seems.

I can data log, I can update parameters, i have the power!

the one thing the electromotive doesn't do well is work with the wideband data. I'm not sure wideband o2 sensors were even a thing back when this was developed, so it doesnt have a provision to data log the wideband value. It does datalog the narrowband value, but that only goes so far. 

Anyway, I WAS able to get around this a bit for WOT tuning by simply taking a video of the tach and the wideband voltage while doing WOT runs. That way I can go slowly through the video and read the tach value and the lambda value and adjust based on that. It only took me 4 runs to get to this video, which I am pretty happy with. the engine is around .8-.9 lambda for most of the rev range and then does go lean at the very top end, but I think I am running out of injector over 7k RPM

for all other fueling, the electromotive has a mode where it does "auto-tuning" by taking the narrowband feedback into account and adjusting in steps towards lambda = 1. then in the data log it tells you how much "offset" it was applying in order to achieve lambda = 1, and then you can go back to your maps and just add or subtract that exact offset and you get pretty darn close.  Of course you need to try and do this for multiple different RPM vs MAP points, but there really arent that many where lambda = 1 is critical. As long as WOT and cruise and idle fuel is good, the other areas of the RPM vs MAP tables are so rarely used you just need the fuel to be on the safe side.  
 

so now I've got it running and driving pretty darn good for a total hack! 

Next up was to sign up for an autox.

September 14th was my day.

here's a beauty shot the night before

then a stop at McDonalds for breakfast on the way to the event

a few from the paddock

and finally back home with a smile on my face!

I believe that this was Red's first autox even in 25 years. TWENTY FIVE YEARS! I will try to check in with the previous owner but if I am remembering the story correctly, the last autox for Red was in 1999. That is cool on its own. But to add to the coolness, Red drove 2 hours to and from the event, competed competently (except for the driver, I think), and made it home with no significant issues. I even drove from the airport to get tacos during the lunch break. 

Lessons learned and fixes needed from the autox:

1. The current suspension needs fixed. It is WAAY too stiff currently. This may have been ok for a nationals type course, but it was too much for me. Also I think the advanced design dampers may be toast. More on this later. Also, I heard a few clunks while cornering and transitioning which I think may have been a lack of helper springs (these shocks can extend further than the springs can, leaving the whole system slack - which is probably not good). 
2. Cruise fueling at 4000 RPM which is where you are on the highway in Red still needs work. Most of my tuning worked on 1500-3000ish, but highway cruise is above that. 
3. There was difficulty getting the top to sit in its rubber mounts at the front of the frunk in order to drive home topless. I want to look into that since that's like the best part of the x1/9. 

A Red update is a good update 

Love seeing Red out there performing! Remind me: are you running any swaybars front or rear? 

The wideband video is such a great example of these cars. Wrung out to redline, did not even close the gap between you and the car in front. :D

It looks phenomenal!!

Good to see it out playing in the cone field!