96 Eagle Talon TSI AWD: The Gold Digger AKA Rust Bucket (Resto Mod, Wire Tuck, etc)

[Blurred Talon]

Index:

Post 1: History, Bringing Her Home.
Post 2: Summer-Fall 2009
Post 3: Winter 2009 - Black Housing headlights and HID Retro #2
Post 4: Spring 2010 - Rusty Strut Towers Repaired, Retro installed and Smoked Tail Lights.
Post 5 & 6: Summer 2010: Maintenance, Mods and a Road Trip!
Post 11: Interior Strip Down, Dying to black and S2000 cluster swap
Post 12: More interior dying, rewrapping the door panels, arm rest and privacy cover, HID Retro #3 and Finding The Rust
Post 13: Evo 3 16G Rebuild and more HID Retro Work
Post 14: Repairing the Rust!
Post 15: 97 Talon Bumper, IM gasket change, EDM Mirrors
Post 16: Fall/Winter 2011 - Starting the wire tuck, Electric water pump, Speed Density, JMF SMIM, Electro-Hydraluic Power Steering
Post 19: Wiring Harnes
Post 20: Chasebay's Firewall Plug Kit, LED stuff
Post 21: CF Wrapping Interior Pieces, Soda Blasting Center Tail Light, Cannon Plug Mock Up, S2000 Cluster Bezel Fabrication
Post 29: I'm still alive! Cleaning the shop and starting to mount the fuse box
Post 39: Fusebox Mounting
Post 40: Starting The Wire Tuck: Mocking Things Up, Mounting Firewall Cannon Plug
Post 47: Fender well Cannon Plugs
Post 48: Engine/ECU Wirng Harness
Post 53: New Parts!
Post 59: S2000 Cluster Electronics Wired, Switches and a Dry Erase Board
Post 71: Shop Clean up, Remote Mount ISC, Q45 TB Mods, More S2000 work,Push Lock Vacuum Lines, Terminating Engine Cannon Plug
Post 72: Engine Harness Ready For Final Fit, F6 Sleeving arrives, Catches For Airbag cover
Post 74: Testing The Engine Harness For Electrical Issues, Test Fit Of Chassis Harness, Battery Tray Mount Fab'd, Engine side harness Sleeved
Post 82: ECU Side Wiring cleaned up and Cannon Plug terminated, COP parts, Tial BOV and Polishing
Post 83: Finalized Fuse Box


Informative Articles/DIYs I've Written:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-chassis-rewire-tuck-fuse-box-relocation.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-electrical-wiring/415531-oem-relays-mr122409-pin-outs.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...r-panel-inserts-arm-rest-cargo-cover-etc.html

Other Projects:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/app...lighting-96-talon-tsi-awd-led-conversion.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/appearance-interior-exterior/382910-s2000-cluster-swap.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/appearance-interior-exterior/399836-dying-your-interior-black.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/appearance-interior-exterior/342224-my-hid-retro-fit.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/app...381573-hid-retro-number-3-2ga-headlights.html

To Do:
Wire Tuck
Eletro-Hydraluic Power Steering (MR2 OEM System)
HID Retro
LED Conversion - Every bulb on the car will be LED, no more incandescent lighting!
Speed Density Conversion - have the parts
Turbo set up - Either the 16G or something....more.......
Lots of other plans that I don't feel like sharing yet.

History:

I bought my DSM in May of 2009. Prior to owning my DSM, I owned a 93 Integra GS-R with quite a bit of suspension work done to it and I had almost all the parts to turbo charge it. Then some dumb bi*** back into it (long story) and the car was deemed a total loss. So between the insurance money and selling off all the parts I decided to buy myself a DSM finally (always wanted one). I looked at many sketchy examples before finally deciding on my car. It was completely stock down to the OEM CD Player apart from being lowered.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Shortly after buying it I bought an Extreme PSI Intake.

O2 dump

Megan Downpipe

Megan Cat Back

Removing the old stuff.

New hotness

Video of my buddy ripping through the gears.
o2 dump 0001 - YouTube

Idle and rev.
Megan Racing Cat Back - YouTube

I also installed a bunch of gauges at this point in time.
AEM Tru Boost and Wide Band O2, Dakota Digital Water Temp, Pro Sport Oil Pressure and Temp and Fuel Pressure.

After that I put an Eclipse bumper on.

Then I repainted my window trim.

I bought a Symborski shift kit and RTM shift cable bushings.
Old and busted

New Hotness:

Soft and flaccid.

Like a rock!

 

[Blurred Talon]

Over the winter I worked on a few various small projects.
First was I painted my headlight shrouds black.

At the same time I was working on doing HID Retrofit number 2, what happened to number 1? Well it was a horrible failure and will never see the light of day. After now doing 3 retros on 2Gs I will say this much, our headlights are VERY small so choose your projectors wisely. Quad projectors like I attempted here will not sure in OEM housings and to work in aftermarket one you will need to make a custom bezel/shroud.

I made a jig to aim the lights on.

Pretty much ready to go on.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Before I put the retro on though, I wanted to take care of the strut tower rust on my car. A visit to a fellow Club DSM Canada member and some multi colored bills later, no more rusty strut towers.

Rusty...

Driver side fixed!

Passenger side

I then smoked my Tail lights.

Lots of sanding, prep work is key!

Done!
Not too dark, just a nice light smoke. Exactly what I wanted.

I also pulled apart my center section and did the Tarantula mod.

Then the retro went on the car.

And the tails of course.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Around the Summer of 2010 my gf and I decided to move back to Newfoundland from Ontario. Before I could drive it around 1500-2000km across the country I needed to do some maintenance and of course I squeezed a few mods in too.

Timing belt, BSE, Gasket kit, VC gasket, plug wires and front brakes rounded out my maintenance.

My clutch was also starting to slip so I decided to replace it. I got a good deal on a lightly used ACT 2600 PP, bought a brand new street disc and Fidanza flywheel. Plus OEM TOB, shift fork and pivot ball along with a new master, slave and SS line to connect the two.

Found a 14B for cheap, got a new manifold to replace my cracked stocker, new 4 layer gasket and studs and 14B install kit.

Picked up ECM Link V3 Lite.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Also brand new lifters, ARP headstuds, Prothane mounts and HKS 272 bump sticks

Since I was living in an apartment, I couldn't do any of this work so another Club DSM Canada Member to the rescue and he did the work for me.
Motor pulled.

T25 and cracked stock manifold.

AC Parts.

Motor going back together.

Ready to be dropped back in.

Her heart is beating again.

This is when I've had the most fun with my car; the 14B and 272s REALLY woke this thing up. It was completely awesome to drive; power all over it felt like and not to mention a really sweet idle.
2G DSM HKS 272 Cam Idle - YouTube

She looked pretty sweet too.

However, when doing all this I also found out about the rust. Due to excessive rust I couldn't bolt my front motor mount back in, the bolt holes on the lower rad support where rusted away. I was told not to beat on it and it would get me across the country. Of course, I didn't listen
Shortly after getting in New Brunswick, the car started to shake violently. I pulled over and looked the car over; couldn't find and anything. Started to slowly move it forward when BANG! Still running though so the motor was ok . Turns out that since the front mount was not there is was causing excessive stress on the other 3 and the driver side motor mount bolts sheared off which allowed the engine to drop and the axle came apart. So there I stood on the side of the road over 200km away from family that I was going to spend the night with and I was stuck. I had no road side assistance, nothing. Thankfully a gentleman stopped for me and used his CAA membership to get me towed to a garage he knew and my family could pick me up since it was in Fredricton; there's still good people out there.

I only took 1 picture in my entire drive across the country of the car but I think it's pretty cool.

I've still got a TON more to post but I've got to head out now. I will put more up here later on.

 

[stuckwithgsx]

Pure sexy! I love your car, as well as all the work you've done, and doing

 

[Boostinsideways]

Probably my favourite street build. Slowly but surely I am trying to get my car as clean/nice as that.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Pure sexy! I love your car, as well as all the work you've done, and doing

Probably my favourite street build. Slowly but surely I am trying to get my car as clean/nice as that.

Thank guys! Means a lot.
I've still got so much more to do with the car, I'll upload more stuff this afternoon.

 

[stuckwithgsx]

Thank guys! Means a lot.
I've still got so much more to do with the car, I'll upload more stuff this afternoon.

I'm excited! Now please correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't this the car you were doing an s2k cluster swap into? Or am I spoiling the future pics? Lol

 

[Blurred Talon]

I'm excited! Now please correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't this the car you were doing an s2k cluster swap into? Or am I spoiling the future pics? Lol

When I got the car home I headed to my parents place. They had some room so I could store and work on it there.

This is when I decided to start dying my interior over to black so I stripped out some of the interior and loaded into the Tracker.

I used all SEM Products for this, the color I'm using is Landau Black.
Here's some videos I made recently talking about and showing the process; they are long!
Part 1
Dying My Talon's Interior Part 1 - YouTube

Part 2
Dying My Talon Interior Part 2 - YouTube

Part 3. This focuses a lot of prep work and my door panels. Prep work is KEY....Prep work, prep work, prep work, prep work, prep work. Also this was shot with my Galaxy S2 so sorry.
Dying My Talon's Interior Part 3 - Talking About Door Panels - YouTube

Here's some of the stuff when I was first starting to dye it.

Couple weekends after I went and pulled my dash out.

With the dyed air bag cover.

It was around this time I decided to do this.

The cluster swap was certainly something else. I had to make my own pin outs for the Talon cluster; which I lost in a hard drive crash
Size difference.

Starting to wire it all up.

Once this was done I could go and test it on the car.

Video:
S2000 Cluster Test In 96 Talon - YouTube

Here's all the various electronics to control it; A Modifry ECT Converter, Speedohealer V4, Autometer Tachometer Adapter (Hondas use a regular tach output and DSMs don't. Now I think an Ignition Box like the ARC-2 or MSD with the tach output will put out the correct signal therefore making the Autometer unneeded. I haven't tested this yet though), 12V to 5V converter for the Modifry chip. The fuse blocks powered it and the big box was a shift light. I have since scrapped this set up, the wiring was a nightmare and I'm completely redoing it.

Here's what the dash and cluster looked like installed in the Summer of 2011, it's out again now though because I'm redoing it.

 

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From their I moved on to more interior work.
First I dyed my door panels and dash.

I also rewrapped my arm rest, door panel inserts and privacy cover with some new fabric.

I also picked up all the parts to do a 3rd and final retro on my Talon. This is to be the be all end all of retros for my car, using nothing but the best parts.
Acura TL Bi Xenon Projectors w/ clear lenses installed. No other mods.
E46-R Extended Shrouds (might change these)
Bosch AL Gen 2 Ballasts - these are modified by none other then azdave himself; they are adjustable via a rotary switch from 35W to 70W
Phillips Lumileds in Amber for turn signals - I've got some ideas floating around in my head for these.
Osram Cool Blue Intense D2S bulbs - I still need to buy these.

I started to do the retro but I buggered it up. I got some 50k OEM housings from a friend and started a new but that wasn't until the spring of next year.

The next thing I start to do was poke around the shell to find rust and well the pictures will do the talking.
Wheel wells.

Hatch

Trunk pans.

Rad support.

Floor pans.

Thankfully the floor pans were pretty good, just surface rust so I used a wire wheel to knock it down and repainted it all.

 

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This brings us to the Winter of 2010.
I had picked up an EVO 3 16G before moving to NL, I was told it had very little shaft play. I've come to realized when people say no shaft play they mean 'It needs a rebuild but I just want to sell it.' So I bought a rebuild kit and thanks to jusmx141 posts, rebuilt it.

I then started to work on my retro again, my buddy had set of mint 2Ga headlights with only about 50k on them so I scooped them up.

I then had to do something about my ballasts not being water proof so I picked up some MG Chemicals Two Part Potting Compound and potted them. This will keep them from crapping out in the rain.

Before potting.

After potting.

Now when I first mounted these projectors I used epoxy, bad idea. It couldn't stand up to the stress and shook a lot. So I decided to go with the JNC method: JnC's Mounting Method (with Rotational Adj Capability)
I was nervous about this because of how big these projectors are but it worked great.
To anyone wishing to copy my TL retro don't. It's a complete PITA, these things are huge and don't fit in the headlights as you will see later on.
Mounted.

Rotational adjustment screws and pitch screw.

I think started to trim the shroud.

I cut a lot off.

Then I moved on to fitting the OEM shroud and lens.

Hmmm....I see a problem.

More cutting!

I also had to trim the OEM shroud.

Since it was spring and it was warming up, I could test fit them on the car.

I will use some thin lexan that I can heat and mold to the solenoid to cover them once the retro is finally done.

 

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Spring/Summer 2011

It was time to dive into the body work.
I picked up a lower rad support from an ECM Link member.

A buddy of mine locally had a less rust hatch then mine.

I pulled the side skirt off.

And found this on the driver side.

Not as bad as I feared. Time to cut!

Patches in place and seam sealed.

Painted and rocker guard.

The trunk.

The passenger side was done too but I didn't take pictures.

Time for the rad support.
No wonder my motor mount broke!

Old one chopped out.

New hotness!

I also shaved the new hatch of the spoiler holes.

 

[Blurred Talon]

The year before I picked up a 97 Talon bumper from a friend. The paint was rough but I'd have to repaint it anyhow. The thing that bugged me most was the Eagle emblem was shaved! I couldn't have that.
After repeated picking at it with a screw driver.

I then decided to bust out the DA, I was told I wouldn't be able to rock the emblem and I was determined to prove people wrong.

Emblem recess uncovered.

I gave it a quick crappy rattle can paint job and put it on the car. I'm going to have it professionally done next spring.

I then pulled my IM to change the gasket and plug the EGR hole.

Installed an EGR block off plate.

Then put the whole mess back on. I swore to never touch this again then I went and bought a JMF SMIM FML. Here I am putting the damned thing on again.

I traded a set our stock mirrors with a guy in Germany to get me some EDM mirrors.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Fall/Winter 2011

Getting almost completely up to date now.
I decided I wanted to rewire my Talon to suit my needs.
First I pulled the harnesses out of the car.
All tagged.

Engine harness out.

Chassis harness out.

Looks cleaner already.

I'm doing my tuck quite a bit more complex then most people usually would. I've deleted things people don't normally delete and I'm incorporating my aftermarket accessories into my OEM fuse box. The harness itself will be completely modular, I'm using Deutsch connectors and a ICC Cannon Plug at the fire wall. Any and all new wire will be mil-spec copper wire, all splices will receive 3:1 dual wall adhesive heat shrink and the whole thing will be wrapped in Flexo F6 Braided Sleeve.

Here's a list of all the things I've removed from my harness:
Everything AC related.
Everything ABS related
Cruise Control
Fuel Pressure Solenoid
EGR Control Solenoid
Brake fluid level switch
Theft Alarm Horn
EVAP Solenoid
Front and rear O2 Sensors (I have a wideband and via ECM Link I can simulate narrow band functions)
Fog Lights
Oil Pressure Gauge (dash one, replaced by an aftermarket)
Hood Switch
MAF connector (leave the wires needed for IAT sensor for Speed Density)
Fuel Pump Check Connector
Engine Speed Detection Connector
Ignition Timing Check Connector
OEM Fans

I'm moving the follow plugs/devices to the interior:
Ignition Power Transistor
Engine Fuse Box (mounted where the passenger air bag use to be)
Fuel Injector Resistor Box
Wiper Motor Connector
Front Chassis Harness Connector
Transistor

The Reverse light connector will be moved to the chassis harness.

I'm adding a bunch of systems to the Fuse Box for a few different reasons but the main one is cleanliness, everything will be in one location. Systems that are being added to the car are:
Gauges
SD
Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering from the MR2
Meth Injection (not sure if I'll get it done but the wiring will be there and ready to go)
Manual Trans Cooler (Again not sure if it will be done but the willing will be in place)
Fans For Oil & Trans Coolers
Electric Water Pump

Here's some of the pieces I've gathered for these additions:
EHPS Pump and Res (not sure if I will keep the OEM res or have one made).

Electronics for the EHPS, missing the steering sensor as the person I bought it from sent me the wrong piece.

Rack fittings for the EHPS conversion.

Speed Density Sensors (AEM 5 BAR MAP and GM IAT) along with my JMF Race SMIM.

Davies Craig Electric Water Pump.

In comparison to my 16G.

 

[silentscreamer]

Great work so far, glad to see another canadian dsm saved from the rust plague. i recently cut the whole rad support off my car, it was almost about to rip apart as yours. good luck with the build

 

[Blurred Talon]

Thanks man!

I've got more updates just need time to put it all together and post it.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Once I got the harness home it was time to strip off the old loom and tape.
Engine harness on the bench.

Day 1 of stripping the chassis harness, I made it to the DRL/Headlight relays (might move those inside).

Removing the loom around the fuse box.

Keeping notes is a very good thing to do.

Chassis harness all stripped down.

Here's all the junk I removed.

Remember how I said I didn't like how I had the S2000 cluster electronics laid out.
Pulling the messy dash harness again.

On the bench.

All the S2000 electronics removed.

Here's the fuse box as it sits now with all the OEM stuff removed.

As I said in my last post, I'm using all Deutsch connectors. Here's my collection so far

F6 Flexo Braided Sleeving, Hot Knife, 3:1 Adhesive wall heat shrink, Scotch Super 33 Electrical Tape (This stuff is the shit!).

Started crimping pins on the fuse box harness. A nice automatic wire stripper makes this super easy, I picked up a Klein Tools one.

Quick mock up in it's new home, I have to build a mount for it.

 

[Blurred Talon]

I'm also going to be running a cannon plug on the firewall, 1 connection to remove when pulling the motor vs many. I bought the kit from Chasebay's but I'm sure if you spent some time looking at a catalog from Deutsch or Glenair you could get one for much cheaper.

I followed Eric (turbosax) DIY on changing my HVAC control over to LEDs, just using a simple LED Strip. I also pulled the AC switch and put in a plastic plug to block the hole.

Here's some parts that are just sitting around for now.
All the LEDs to do my various conversions. I've got 1200 Phillips Lumiled in Amber (turn signals, some of the interior lights), Over 700 Phillips Lumiled in Red-Orange for my brake lights, 1 tube of Nichia Super White LEDs for dome lights and license plate lights plus the copper clad board for etching all my own PCBs.

I also picked up a pair of auto leveling motors. Most new cars with HIDs have these, I'm going to see about possibly retrofitting them into my Talon.

 

[Blurred Talon]

Dec 9 2011

Here's some updates on some recent projects.
I bought a Carbon Fiber overlay kit on eBay to wrap a couple things.
First I did my center gauge pod since it's nice and flat, still needs more resin and sanding.

Second is I did my door boxes, they came out alright but there are raised up in a couple areas so I need to get some new ones and redo them.

I was out at my parents last weekend to pick up my DD. I wanted to get some work done but by the time I got there it was dark and by the time I woke up on Sunday I had a couple hours before I had to go to work. I did get more of the sound deadening mat pulled off the fire wall though. I need to get the actual tar off and I'm not sure how to do that without dry ice.

I hooked up the soda blaster and cleaned out the paint on the bottom of my tail light center section, this is in preparation for my LED tail light conversion. I still need to take off the old Nite Shades on it.

I also mocked up where I want the Cannon plug to come through for the engine harness. Hopefully I can start on this over the Christmas break. Pull the heater core if I have to, drill the fire wall and start shortening the harness.
The location may change from this but it will be in that general area, nice and hidden from view.

I also test fitted my EHPS ECU and driver under the panel that all the ABS stuff goes, located in the passenger foot well. It will all fit here and I'll have to run 3 wires out to the pump; power, ground and sensor.
Nothing is mounted in this picture but I'm gonna work on that this week.

Last update for now, I started working on my gauge cluster bezel for the S2000 cluster.
I picked up a glue gun and cheap t-shirt at Micheal's. I then cut the shirt and glued it to the bezel.

I traced the outline of the S2000 cluster on to the shirt and then I coated the shirt with fiberglass resin.

Once it was hard I cut it out. That's when I decided to do something else. I've fallen out of love with my A pillar pod. I feel it's kind of a younger/boy racer mod, draws attention and is a bit of a blind spot. So I decided to make some gauge pods in the bezel. Little bit of 2" ABS pipe, some Popsicle sticks and hot glue and they wire mocked up. I need to start laying some fiberglass now. My boost gauge and wideband will live here, the AEM Volt and Prosport gauge are for mock up.

I bought another chassis harness so I can extend all the wires that I will be extending with the correct colors. Hopefully it will be here before Christmas.
Next things to order are more wiring stuff (Deutsch shells and pins, braided sleeve, heat shrink, Mil-Spec ETFE wire in various gauges, through panel battery cable connectors, etc). Hopefully I can get the bulk of the chassis harness done over my Christmas break from school and then it's just a matter of wrapping it up with the braided sleeve.

I also threw my old cheapie Chinese branded soldering iron into the garbage and replaced it with a Weller WP35 Soldering Iron (Catalog No. WP35 Product Detail). This will now become my field iron for working in driveway, garage or just quick jobs.
After Christmas I'm picking up a Weller WESD51 which will be used for circuit work.

Till next time!

 

[stuckwithgsx]

I love your work. You're doing everything I dream of doing Just little differences like placement and such. I personally don't really like the s2k cluster, but there's a few others that would look amazing in there too!

Keep up the good work man!

 

[Blurred Talon]

Thanks man.
The S2000 cluster is a love/hate thing for most people.

I worked on the dash harness a bit today but no real updates to share yet.

 

[NWHTanK]

I have had good results using panel bonding glue making my dash parts. And it sand easy and is black.

 

[buhay6]

Looking good! I love how thoroughly you explain and show how you do your mods wish everyone went to the length you do. kudos to you!
Oh and how much you pay for your lifters? and where you get them, I'd like to redo mine. Maybe you could give me a ball park figure? thanks man!