Waterbury

True Classic
Well, it's about time I spend some time behind the laptop updating you guys instead of in the garage. Originally I wanted to keep this project a secret, in the spirit of FFO being local this year and wanting to surprise my local chapter with my mischievous behavior. Sorry for lying to all of you saying my car was "broken" when I couldn't make events in the X. . . . I don't think I'll be able to finish the full extent of a write up in one sitting so there may be multiple drafts before the final revision, don't forget to check back for updates!

The first part of this introduction will be regarding the MicroSquirt wiring, the second being custom parts we built for the turbo. Big shoutout to @Matthew for his MegaSquirt write-up that assisted me along the way. (https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/mega-squirt-project-details.13026/) Also my brother Ian, who I couldn't of done this without.

Parts List:
MicroSquirt: $388
Exhaust Manifold: Ali Express (LOL!) Found one that fit the Uno Turbo with slight modifications. Couldn't find factory Uno Turbo manifold at the time.
Fusable Double Relays: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PK7F1MC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($11)
Fuse Panel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000K2MBPA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($31)
36-1 Tooth Wheel for Crank: https://www.diyautotune.com/product/6-3-4-36-1-trigger-wheel/ ($30)
Crankshaft Position Sensor: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AIYMCU8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($17)
Crankshaft Position Sensor Pigtail: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVNR2J6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($14)
Air Intake Temperature Sensor w/ Pigtail: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TD8FFVK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($17)
MAP Sensor: https://www.ebay.com/itm/381190256311 ($43)
Ford EDIS-4: Found used on eBay, paid ($40)
EDIS-4 Accel 140018 Coil: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OZW8PK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($83)
EDIS-Pigtail: https://www.ebay.com/itm/174291462121 ($17)
Spark Plug Wires: Local AutoZone/Advanced Auto, asked for a set from a 1994 Ford Escort.
Capacitor for EDIS: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MU8TMKX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($13)
Crank Position Sensor: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AIYMCU8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($17)
Solder & Seal Wire Connectors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HCNTZ2Z/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($12)
Assorted Heat Shrink Wire Connectors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087QTK1Y2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($19)
Crimping Tool: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WMB61J5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($27)
Wire Shielding: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HGHR3C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($68)
Friction Tape: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CBIAT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ($6)
Fuel Pump: 355 Walbro Inline ($300, this was a gift from my brother. . . . so free.99 for me and way overkill for this build)
Coolant Temp: Factory
Wideband: AEM
Oil Pressure: Mechanical Gauge fitted onto factory low oil pressure sensor ;)
Fuel Pressure Regulator: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Adjustable-Aluminum-Pressure-Regulator/dp/B08MDNLR8F/ref=sr_1_4?crid=QXNT9XCW95Z0&dchild=1&keywords=fuel+pressure+regulator&qid=1629840313&s=automotive&sprefix=fuel+pressure+,automotive,183&sr=1-4 ($46)
Oil Catch Can: eBay
Tial BOV: eBay
Turbo: TD04 out of Saab (origins unknown)
Fuel Rail: https://www.ebay.com/itm/202872125579 ($20 for 2ft)
Fuel Injector Bungs: https://www.ebay.com/itm/202944215713 ($25)
TPS: Bosch, had one laying around and the P/N is worn off.
AN Fittings: Universal AN-6, probably spent around $100 or so in various fittings/hoses

MicroSquirt:

I opted for the MicroSquirt instead of the Mega for a couple of reasons, the main being budget. The MegaSquirt runs around $645 +$85 for the harness ($730). The MicroSquirt cost me $388 with an 8' harness. Half of the cost. The second reason was overall features I did/didn't need. Previous threads have brought up the point of high impedance vs low impedance injectors, the MicroSquirt supports "2 high impedance injector outputs – max peak current 4.5 amps". Our cars from factory use low-impedance, so using stock requires a resistor box (good write ups can be found for making this, but it does require sourcing parts and time to make). Since I planned on using high impedance Honda Accord Injectors (K242A4) this did not matter to me. Opted to use these injectors because 1) I had spares from other K20 builds 2) Can really fine tune pulse/cc 3) I wanted to give myself a headache making a custom fuel rail that would fit our intake manifold.

Step one was ripping out the original Bosch wiring harness, nothing too difficult there except I didn't want to cut it up so feeding through the firewall was fun. From there I removed the ECU and Double Relay. The MicroSquirt will be mounted in the original ECU position and a double relay will be replaced with 2 single relays. Once again, thank you @Matthew for the descriptive write up on the fuel pump and Main relays. The fuse panel will be located just above the double relay. The notes below will be similar to Matthew's with a couple of my personal notes.

Wiring for the 2 relays was as follows:

FROM original Fiat wiring:
Big Red - Straight Power
Pink/Black - Switched Power
Brown - Fuel Pump Fuse
Green - Fuel Pump Positive
Black/Purple - Fuel Pump Ground

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The switched power (Pink/Black) wire goes to terminal 86 on the main relay and the large red wire (Straight Power) goes to terminal 30. Since the large red wire is an unprotected circuit the wire from terminal 87/87a on the main relay it will connect directly to the fuse box that will distribute power to all the devices. Terminal 85 on the main relay goes to ground.

The B+ wire (Brown) from the fuel pump fuse goes to terminals 86 and 30 on the fuel pump relay. I soldered 2 wires onto the existing Brown wire and connected one to terminal 86 and the other to 30. It supplies power to the relay winding and the fuel pump once MS grounds the relay turning it on. The wire to the double relay that goes to the fuel pump can be connected directly to terminal 87 on the fuel pump relay. Since the circuit going to terminal 30 comes from the fuel pump fuse no additional protection is need. Terminal 85 connects to pin 8 (purple) of the mS harness.

I ran the power from terminal 87 of the main relay to a Blue Sea Systems 5025 6 position fuse panel with a ground bus. The Blue Sea Systems fuse panels are the nicest I could find and are much better than anything the auto parts stores sell. These can be found at marine supply store. I got mine from West Marine.

Now that the main Relays were completed it was onto engine compartment items.

Crank Trigger Wheel:

This was purchased from DIYAutoTune. We machined down the center and welded it onto an existing Crank wheel. For timings sake, we did set the motor to TDC and then properly adjusted the missing tooth accordingly before welding into place. Painted black for aesthetics and made a bracket for the CPS, using feeler gauges to properly space out (0.030-0.060").

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The Ford EDIS system took the most time in terms of wiring, I took extra care in shielding as well. Wiring for the EDIS is pretty straight forward using the below diagram.

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  • 4 cylinder (EDIS4):
    • On a four cylinder engine, with a firing order of 1342, that means the coil should be connected so that 1&4 are on coil A (left side when connector is at bottom), and 2&3 are connected to coil B (right side). Other firing orders are connected differently. Basically, you connect #1 and the third cylinder in the firing order to coil A, and the second and fourth cylinders in the firing order to coil B.
    • On EDIS4, coil A is connected to pin 10 of the EDIS module, coil B is connected to pin 12 of the EDIS module. If these are connected the wrong way around, the coils will fire in a different order, and the spark plug wires will need to be rearranged.
    • In TunerStudioMS, set:
      • Trigger offset = (this will vary slightly, depending on the wheel/pickup configuration),
      • Ignition Input Capture to ''Rising Edge'
      • Cranking Trigger to 'Calculated',
      • Coil Charging Scheme to 'EDIS',
      • Spark Output to 'Going High (Inverted)'.
      • Trigger Wheel Teeth to '0' (zero)
    • Set the predictor algorithm option to 'last interval'.

      DO NOT set the missing tooth settings to 36-1 - set the Trigger Wheel Teeth to zero - the EDIS module takes care of the 36-1 wheel - your MicroSquirt® controller sees it as a regular distributor.

See below for Firing Pattern as it's not the most clear on certain references.

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I mounted the ignition here with a custom (albeit amateur) bracket. Tucked the EDIS where the original ignition module was, alongside the capacitor.

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Fuel Rail + Injector Bungs:


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Fuel Pump:

Pretty straight forward here, totally overkill on what I used but I wanted to have visual as well as adjustment. Used AN fittings where I could and an inline filter.


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Had to build a custom hard engine mount with a space for the fuel lines.

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Oil Feed/Return:

Don't have any good pictures of the feed right now, but here is where we placed the return into the pan. We used a sandwich plate between the oil filter/block to get oil feed. This required a smaller filter (**This is a reminder to post the part number for that filter**)

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Turbo/Exhaust Manifold:


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Mocking up the exhaust manifold/turbo. We did have to hammer down some spots to fit the intake manifold/trumpets.

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Intake/Charge/BOV/Wastegate

Decently straight forward here

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MAP Sensor located to the right of the plenum in picture above.


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Notice the IAT welded here above.


Calling it a night, but will update more later. I want to add pictures of the intercooler (mounted in the rear valence) and exhaust (coming out of rear engine lid) at some point. I also purchased those eBay coolant pipes and took pictures to share fitment with y'all, overall very happy with them.
 

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For anyone curious about internals. . . . . currently it is a bone stock 86' with plenty of fun plans for the future.
Very interesting project very similar to what I did to my UT engine. But this is a X1/9 1500? Internals differ between UT and X as well as galleys, oil spraying and cooling so stock internals may not handle the load in the long run. Stock UT internals are good for 250hp. Depending on size of the TD04 you can expect 180-300whp from that thing. I got 205whp/267wNm from my TD04 T14.
I like your manifold and I assume it will flow better and not pulse as heavily as the stock UT manifold does.
I have a Bosch 044 pump (also overkill), it is very noisy so I am looking for an alternative. Is the Walbro loud as well?
Looking forward to see the results from your build. When is it time for Dyno/mapping?
 
Very interesting project very similar to what I did to my UT engine. But this is a X1/9 1500? Internals differ between UT and X as well as galleys, oil spraying and cooling so stock internals may not handle the load in the long run. Stock UT internals are good for 250hp. Depending on size of the TD04 you can expect 180-300whp from that thing. I got 205whp/267wNm from my TD04 T14.
I like your manifold and I assume it will flow better and not pulse as heavily as the stock UT manifold does.
I have a Bosch 044 pump (also overkill), it is very noisy so I am looking for an alternative. Is the Walbro loud as well?
Looking forward to see the results from your build. When is it time for Dyno/mapping?

I don't plan on running stock internals for very long, if at all really. More than anything I wanted proof of concept before throwing money into internals (open to all suggestions).
The walbro is incredibly loud. I am hoping to post some videos in the future of startup/idle/revving.
No Dyno scheduled just yet ;) I was hoping to make the Dyno day at FFO this year but missed out.
 
Waterbury built indeed!

I am a little curious about the rigid engine mount. Does it transmit a notable amount of NVH? Could it have a bushing at the car end of it?

Very cool.

Did I miss the running video?
 
Thanks for sharing your project. I've been slowly working on a similar build. And like you I haven't posted too much about it, waiting until it gets to a more complete state first.

Couple of questions and comments for you....just curiosity as I build mine:

It appears the Ford EDIS will be handling all of your spark control (as was done by Matthew)? Curious why you chose this instead of having the Microsquirt control the ignition?

Building a custom fuel rail is a huge task. Excellent job on yours. ;) I wasn't that ambitious and retained the stock fuel rail. That means I have four low impedance injectors. Therefore I built a resistor pack to bring them up to high impedance levels, as described in the Microsquirt manual. One concern I had was the volume of the injectors so I replaced the stock ones with identical items from another vehicle with about 40% greater flow rates. Just a different approach.

I was able to source a Uno Turbo exhaust manifold and turbo (thanks to @Janis). There are pros and cons to it. I also looked at the same aftermarket tubular header you have. I'll be very curious to hear how it works for you - I might consider going that route in the future. But for now the small turbo from the UT fits my goals perfectly, and it isn't compatible with the aftermarket manifold.
Please tell me more details on how that manifold fit. You mentioned having to clearance the manifold for the intake?

I'll also be interested in your intercooler solution. I considered mounting one in the trunk but ultimately decided to locate it above the transmission. That brings it closer to the turbo and intake, but it sits too high to fit under the stock engine cover. So I'm making a custom cover to clear it. Please post pics of yours when you can.

Excellent job all around. I really think a small turbo on the 1500 X engine is a great alternative to building a high performance "NA" engine. :)
 
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Very interesting project very similar to what I did to my UT engine. But this is a X1/9 1500? Internals differ between UT and X as well as galleys, oil spraying and cooling so stock internals may not handle the load in the long run. Stock UT internals are good for 250hp. Depending on size of the TD04 you can expect 180-300whp from that thing. I got 205whp/267wNm from my TD04 T14.
I like your manifold and I assume it will flow better and not pulse as heavily as the stock UT manifold does.
I have a Bosch 044 pump (also overkill), it is very noisy so I am looking for an alternative. Is the Walbro loud as well?
Looking forward to see the results from your build. When is it time for Dyno/mapping?
I am also using a relatively stock 1500 X engine with my turbo build.

My understanding of the differences between the X's 1500 engine and the UT engine is mostly the lack of separate oil squirters. The X rods have oil squirters by way of small holes in them, allowing oil from the bearing area to spray upward. Not ideal for the added heat of a turbo, but there are many other turbo engines that successfully do it that way. Additional oil squirters can be added to the X's block without too much difficulty; I've considered it but one of my principle goals is to keep mine as stock and low budget as possible. We'll see. Otherwise the X vs UT pistons are a bit different, but not as much as one might think. The X pistons have a really thick crown with a very large top ring landing. Those are what "turbo spec" pistons have to make them turbo specific. So they really aren't too bad for a turbo - so long as the boost level is kept reasonable. Add to that the US spec X head is very low compression, so little chance for detonation (if the ECU is mapped correctly). So the stock pistons may work...again we'll see.

I think it really depends on what the goals are. If you intend to have higher boost levels and a really high performance level (e.g. 250-300 HP), then the stock internals won't do. But if you are seeking a mild performance increase (about the same as a very highly built "NA" engine, around 140-150 HP max) with a low boost, then the stock internals should work. I calculate my engine with a low boost (around 8-10 psi max) should reach around 130-135 HP, and with a ton of torque (something a built "NA" engine won't have). Again, a proper tune is vital with any boosted engine.
 
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That is a BIG project Waterbury. I am impressed with the amount of effort you put into this.

Just FYI: I created a couple new categories in the BOX. Under Engine Swaps I added "UnoT and other turbo builds". Under Engine Related Threads I added "Mega or Micro Squirt related threads". I tagged your thread into those categories.
Thanks for that Jim. I'll have to dig up some of the posts I've made regarding my build and assemble them into those boxes...if I can figure out how. :rolleyes:
 
Waterbury built indeed!

I am a little curious about the rigid engine mount. Does it transmit a notable amount of NVH? Could it have a bushing at the car end of it?

Very cool.

Did I miss the running video?
It looks like maybe the custom fuel rail would have hit the stock style dog bone mount. That was an issue with using the fuel rail from a Uno Turbo intake manifold. So I'm guessing the custom mount wasn't so much about being a solid one as it might have been about clearing the fuel rail?
 
I saw that as well, perhaps some alternate plumbing choices would have obviated it but it is really easy to look at pics of someones hard work and wonder.
 
Waterbury, thanks for showing your build. Beyond my skills but cool to see this developed.

Bjorn, sure wish we had UTs and (parts supplies) kicking around over here!

Also beyond my skill set but Dr Jeff's version is very appealing to me... Even a milder version, say 115-125 whp. Move the weight to whp from 35/1 stock to under 15/1. Sweet Street.

Thanks Jim, for the "Uno T and other turbo builds". Much appreciated.
 
Waterbury built indeed!

I am a little curious about the rigid engine mount. Does it transmit a notable amount of NVH? Could it have a bushing at the car end of it?

Very cool.

Did I miss the running video?
I started with rigid mounts on my build; the amount of vibration was overwhelming. I ended up casing ones using a high density urethane, a great improvemet. There is a thread somewhere with pictures
 
It looks like maybe the custom fuel rail would have hit the stock style dog bone mount. That was an issue with using the fuel rail from a Uno Turbo intake manifold. So I'm guessing the custom mount wasn't so much about being a solid one as it might have been about clearing the fuel rail?
You hit the nail on the head here. The fuel rail was made on the bench and quickly realized stock dog bone wouldn't give us enough space after placing on the block. I will eventually add bushings of some sort.

If you look closely at this picture you can see I have the original dog mount attached to hold the engine in and the fuel rail nipple is extremely close.

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Regarding why I chose EDIS, was a matter of simplicity. The EDIS system is pretty straight forward and wiring aside only required a crank position sensors. I didn't want to bother with fabricating something for the Cam position as well or mess with figuring out other ignition modules.

The plan for this build is around 140hp or so, at 7psi of boost.
 
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Thanks for the info. Sounds like we have a similar approach to the same goals. I'll look forward to hearing more from you, as you are progressing much faster than I am. I set the whole turbo portion of the build aside for awhile when I decided to freshen up the engine with new bearings and rings. It didn't need it, but I wanted to clean out all the oil galleys and check everything over carefully for peace of mind. Honestly I wish I hadn't because that has set my build back considerably. :(
 
I welded a steel tube on the upper engine mount to create space for the fuel rail. Rubber replaced with polyurethane. No vibrations and handles 267 Nm of torque without issues. View attachment 51431
So you under slung the two sides to gain room above. Nicely done. I need to buy a welder.
This was the great example I was trying to remember, but couldn't recall who it was. As Karl said he moved the "rod" portion of the dogbone down by off-setting it. That allowed it to clear under the fuel rail. That pic is a little deceiving due to the angle. Maybe Bjorn has a pic more from the side to show the profile?
 
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My understanding of the differences between the X's 1500 engine and the UT engine is mostly the lack of separate oil squirters. The X rods have oil squirters by way of small holes in them, allowing oil from the bearing area to spray upward. Not ideal for the added heat of a turbo, but there are many other turbo engines that successfully do it that way. Additional oil squirters can be added to the X's block without too much difficulty; I've considered it but one of my principle goals is to keep mine as stock and low budget as possible.

Could you further explain how you would plan on adding additional oil squitors? That may be something I'm interested in.

Also, on a side note. What are your plans for head gasket?

Regarding the intercooler I promise to update soon. My wife and I are currently away celebrating our 1yr anniversary :)
 
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