Painstaking Project

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V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

My project started back in December 2002. I purchased the car from Bromyard, Hertfordshire...totally standard. I kind of knew what i wanted to do to the car even before i brought it, so i began to modify. It included:

Hayward & Scott Exhaust
Aussie Downpipe
Taipen II Carbon Air Filter
Greddy Intercooler
Paul Port Water Injection Kit
Paul Port FCD
Ogura Clutch and Flywheel
Apexi AVC-R
Unichip

I got the car mapped in the summer of 2003 at Owen Developments. All this got me to 325BHP / 310LB-FT. The car was a true monster on the road. The car was mapped so well, there was so much power coming in from down low. It was a totally different machine. I enjoyed the car the whole summer. I was loving it.

About 8 months later, i was coming back from Yorkshire on a wet rainy day. When suddenly i saw my temp needle rise. I instantly pulled over. I couldn't really check for any leaks, since it was p1$$ing down. Called out the RAC and luckily the RAC bloke was extremely helpful and competent. He bled the system for me since i had clearly lost a load of water somewhere. I drove home off boost. About a 1/2 a mile from home, i though let me get on boost again. I wound it upto 1.2 bar and low and behold, the temp needle rose again.

The following day, i re-bled the system and took it out for a blat. 1.2 bar and no sign of overheating. However as soon as i would it up to 1.3 bar the car was overheating again. I ran a compression check, and a leakdown test and everything was as it should be. After speaking to numerous people, such as Dino, Mark @ Owens, Adrian @ Fensport and Ian Ashton, this could only mean a cracked block. I was planning on rebuilding the engine in winter of 2004 anyway, so it just came premature!

I dropped the engine and began stripping it down. I took off a few bits and bobs and then i had other commitments. I was getting married, i was busy with work and was setting up a few businesses. The engine just literally sat there in my garage, rusting away for a few months. In the meantime i was gathering a load of parts. I then one day managed to get my ass into gear and was in a comfortable position to get the engine rebuilt by a specialist. I simply just didn't have the time.

I was recommended by Dino to get it built by Ian Ashton. Who after months of promises to pick up my bits, he didn't bother. I took days off work since he was promising to come down that afternoon, etc etc. Too late, the day he did manage to come down, it was too late my engine was being shipped elsewhere.

I dropped the car and engine off to Steve Hill Motorsport. However the guy who was building the engine had been sacked and they left me with a bill of £6000. I literally laughed at them since all they done was strip the engine down completely and some machining work and a few other bits and bobs. I eventually paid them £2000 and walked away even after all the initial promises they had made. Steve Hill Motorsport are apperently quite reputable, especially in the Evo and Scooby world, but don't even bother taking an MR2 to them, they looked totally clueless! I hired a van went and picked up all my bits and stripped down engine and had the car couriered back to me.

It was around June 2005 now. I had been without my MR2 for a year and a half or so. At this point i was fairly desperate, i was in a financially stable position and was itching to get the car on the road. One afternoon i rang Fensport. And had a long conversation with Tony. I had told him my dilemma and he said drop all your engine bits off to us and we'll send it down to our engine builder. It was only until Tony checked my address details and said you might aswell drop the engine bits off yourself, since the engine builder is in Daventry and i am in Coventry. So for me it was like 20 minutes drive. I arranged one afternoon to drop off all the bits. And this is when i met a chap called John.

The instant i saw his workshop and the cars he was working on, i thought to myself, now this is one guy that is not going to let me down. I had the engine built to my specification with alot of input from John, through Fensport. The initial plan was just to have the engine built and then drop it off to Rogue Systems to do the rest, but after seeing the quality of work John does, i had no choice, but for John to finish off the project.

I soon realised he lived around the corner from me in Coventry...LOL. We arranged to pick up my car on a flatbed and delivered to his workshop. We dropped in the engine, wired it up and got on a Spearco intercooler. Put some miles on the engine and then done some road mapping and we began to make some good power. We reckon we are in the region of 430 odd BHP. However, we can't seem to make any more power. The limiting factor being the Spearco intercooler.

So the current state of tune is...the engine is out and were developing a custom one off chargecooler. While were at it, we are also upgrading the OEM cooling system and making a one off custom wiring harness.

Modifications List is as follows:

Gen III thick walled block
Custom built head with upgraded valve train
Pauter / CP long rod setup (1.65 rod ratio)
TTE crankshaft (knife edged)
TTE Inconel manifold with custom adaptor plate
Garrett GT35R, ported and customised to my spec
Tial 44mm wastegate with custom screamer pipe
Custom downpipe
Hayward & Scott exhaust built to my spec
Piper camshafts
Motec ECU
Kaaz 1.5 way LSD
Rebuilt transmission
Fensport triple plate clutch
Custom fueling system
Fensport triple plate clutch

Bits to come:

Custom chargecooler
Custom cooling system
Custom big brake setup
Custom Reiger Suspension

Still a fair bit of work to do, but hopefully it'll be "complete" "complete" by the end of the year, now that TOTB is a no no for me this year anyway :(

So overall, it has been an extremely painstaking process. Being messed around by two so called specialists. However, my mind is at rest now, knowing the car is with John in Daventry. You just need to see the quality of his work to appreciate it. He delivers on time too and is a straight up guy, at work and away work too. And to top it off he knows a thing or two about engines and race engines in particular. You just need to see the fuel system he developed and installed on an AC Cobra...twin rails, twin swirl pots, quad filters, 4 pumps, all integrated in with a water injection and nitrous setup...its true masterclass.

If any of you guys do want your engine building i can highly recommend John, however, you will have to go through Fensport. Not exactly the cheapest engine builder, but when i say trust me its worth it, its worth it.

When i first heard my car fire up with a base map, it sounded nothing like a 3SGTE...instead it sounded much smoother...much to do with the long rod ratio of the rods/pistons. When we began to map the car it really began to come to life. It just revved so freely and easily, in almost any gear, but sounded WRC like in the process, especially when coming off the gas, it pops and bangs and makes all sorts of weird and wonderful noises!

I can't wait to get it back on the road :D

Thanks for reading ;)
M5
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

Mark Edwards has got me to put some pics up...so here you go.

These are pictures after the engine was built:

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=827

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=826

Muhsin
M5
scotiamr2t
Posts: 538
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 6:52 pm
Location: Falkirk
Contact:

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by scotiamr2t »

good thread it interesting to see how everyone goes from driving a standard mr2 to the mr2 they imagined driving so often before actually purchasing one :D

so what power are you aiming for once the new CC etc has been installed?

if you dont mind me being nosey, how much did it cost to have your build finished by john? also if you are allowed to give his details out pm them my way i've a spare motor + stoker kit sittin in my garage i now dont have time to finish building

get some pics of the motor in the car up!
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

Once the chargecooler is in, were aiming for 500-550BHP on Optimax. The turbo should push 650BHP all day long (on race fuel stuff though) and the engine is capable of pushing 700BHP+ all day long. So if i do get bored, i can just swap to a bigger turbine housing on the GT35R. Plus all my connections use v-clamps and flanges on the exhaust, ie no nuts and bolts so makes it ewasier to swap out.

Having spoke to John lastnight i think he'd rather you go through Fensport.

The engine buildup cost me in the region of £3k. The machining of the block, crank and other bits and bobs cost me another £2k. And the head cost me about £1k, but it is quite extensively modified. And on top of this, the cost off all the parts.

I prefer not to think about it :(
M5
Owen @ Kent Car Craft
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Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:43 am
Location: Ramsgate, Kent
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Re: Painstaking Project

Post by Owen @ Kent Car Craft »

I know what you mean dude,i feel the same,
apparently its worth it in the end! \:D/
Scotster
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Location: Scotland Nr Glasgow
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Re: Painstaking Project

Post by Scotster »

At the end of the day its going to be money well spent. First off if you run it at around 500-550bhp you know it will be reliable as you said you could run it at around 650 all day long without worry.

You have basically got the engine brand new as good as it was reliability wise if not better with slightly more power as a kicker.

MR2 tubby was around 25k was it not? I assume yours has cost quite a bit less than that all in and as long as you plan on keeping it you have got your moneys worth and then some.

I assume your going to be running the quarter? Can't wait to see the time on that beast lol.

I'm in the wrong job! lol

Scott =op
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Rads

Post by V8Killer »

M5
Mark Edwards
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:27 am
Location: Eastbourne
Contact:

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by Mark Edwards »

Most of the links don't work for me Muhsin??
Image
xxxx, AM TUNING, sbITs
craig
Posts: 43936
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2004 3:44 am

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by craig »

Mark Edwards wrote:Most of the links don't work for me Muhsin??


They work for me.
ENSMR2
Posts: 12008
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:35 am

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by ENSMR2 »

only the last one works for me
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

There all from my album on imoc...
M5
EarL
Posts: 6049
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2004 12:18 am

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by EarL »

Work for me dude. Cool project. Can't wait to see it completed :wink:
Sable Grey 2004 MkIII Roadster

Once an MR2 owner, ALWAYS an MR2 owner!
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

This will be a complete bolt on kit guys (hopefully). It will replace the engine radiator with a huge a$$ radiator as in the pics and also a new chargecooler radiator. All lines, pumps, chargecooler etc etc...and possibly a cryogenic tank. The chargecooler will most likely be mounted in the OEM air box position, and an air box mounted in the OEM IC location.
M5
cantfindausername
Posts: 9202
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Location: Crawley, West Sussex
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Re: Painstaking Project

Post by cantfindausername »

Where abouts are you planning on taking a pressure reading from for a boost gauge etc?
Image
***RIP Car13 ***
*** Now in an Evo ***
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

Am running an electronic boost gauge, so it'll be coming off a TTE 4 bar map sensor.

Cheers
M5
cantfindausername
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Re: Painstaking Project

Post by cantfindausername »

So you're taking the pressure from the manifold, rather than the actual turbo?
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***RIP Car13 ***
*** Now in an Evo ***
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

cantfindausername wrote:So you're taking the pressure from the manifold, rather than the actual turbo?


Yup the, intake manifold!
M5
cantfindausername
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Re: Painstaking Project

Post by cantfindausername »

ok cool cheers.

What about the external wastegate. Wheres that get its feeds from?
Image
***RIP Car13 ***
*** Now in an Evo ***
V8Killer
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Re: Painstaking Project

Post by V8Killer »

I've got a diagram of how its setup at home on the server. Instead of me trying to explain it, it'd probably be better if i just post the picture.
M5
cantfindausername
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Re: Painstaking Project

Post by cantfindausername »

If you could that would be great!!

Can you email me a copy please?
Image
***RIP Car13 ***
*** Now in an Evo ***
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