Time to modify

[RICHARDL]

Advice needed please ...
Got an early S2 and am thinking about a sports exhaust. I know this subject has been done to death but Iam still in the dark. More noise is needed - what exhaust options have I got through the dealer (formula one, Newcastle). Will the rear grill need changing, if so this may be good as mine has the "chicken wire" one and a think the current drilled ali sheet looks better.
Also will it affect my insurance too much (currently with tesco).
Cheers.

[Spining-v-grid]

I too have an early S2.

So far I have fitted a Janspeed Stainless steel exhaust from my local dealer. The engine tune is better at first, but wait until the system is run in.....its loud a performance increase is noticable

2 weeks ago I fitted the Hurricane Induction kit, this has put an even bigger on my face ( noise and power must be up by at least 10bhp with both components fitted )

So for me, next stop is a sport CAT from PTP, this will set you back about £300. Does anyone know what these are like and are the larger throttle bodies any good - lean burning being a concern ?

SVG


>> Edited by Spining-v-grid on Tuesday 18th February 09:26

[RICHARDL]

Cheers for the info.
just phoned the dealer today and been quoted £286.60 plus labour plus vat. which sounds in the right ball park.
But just checked with tesco insurance and its going to add another 100 quid to my policy for the rest of the year! Bollox.
Did it bump yours up this much?

[Spining-v-grid]

This is not advice.Read into this as you may.

How can you tell the two exhaust systems apart.....sound and part number.

I think £100 for an exhaust takes the p*ss, it's not like adding a set of 2k wheels to you car that will attract criminals. Performance parts make the car move quicker, I agree, however the 6-10bhp gained boosts your premium at a guess 10%? So how much would it cost to insure a factory 135, probably the same as your current car less exhaust mod....get my point ?

However the flip side to this is an additional £8 per month which isn't a drop in the ocean.

It's a mod that is certainly worth considering

SVG

[RICHARDL]

it has to done.

then its better speakers... but thats another thread.

[bogie]

Im with Tescos - IIRC its a band system and a % of your existing premium...so if youre already a high risk you pay more when you mod. I pay around £100 more on top of a £900 premium for +10% bhp (first band) ..if you pay the money for the band and do more mods you pay no more unless you go over the band. Works the same for cosmetic mods which are done on value.

I also have the sports cat fitted to my S2. Have ITG induction and Magnex( Lotus) exhaust ...car made 137bhp/136ft-lb at the Emerald Rolling Road a few months ago so worth while doing ...dunno what mods gave the increases though. On the same day std S2's with Janspeed/Hurricane were doing 132-134bhp. Just with Janspeed was 128-130bhp. No 2 engines are the same...and it also depends a lot on mileage etc too. Sports cat makes it pop a bit on the overrun, and also a more aggresive sound over 4K revs ;-)

cheers
bogie

[Spining-v-grid]

Silly question - but has anyone gone the NOx route ?

[Bonce]

The K series isn't strong enough for Nitrous. It wouldn't last much longer than one sprint down Santa Pod.

[stove]

I reckon you'd be OK with a 50bhp kit on the K-lump. Anymore than that and cylinder pressures become an issue - especially with the ally block and cast pistons (i think they are cast)....

Just dont press the trigger in a bend..

[Spining-v-grid]

Cheers for the advise, Nox is not for me

Changing the subject from a power issue, how about slicker gear shifting...

What are the results like from the Elise Parts gear linkage bush kit? My previous motor was a MR2 roadster, yes a hairdressers car i here you cry, but it was my way of introducing the "women" to the realm of two seaters.....and it workedl

The gearchange in the MR2 was superb, unlike the Elise...

SVG

[Bonce]

Before I fitted the kit the gearchange was my biggest gripe about the car, sloppy, vague and difficult.

Geary's gear linkage kit is brilliant. I fitted it last year and while the gearchange will never be able to match anything the Japs can give us, it's now much more positive and dare I say fun to use. Highly recommended.

[bogie]

I have gearys short shift stick on my S2 - combine that with gearys linkage kit (about £150 total) and it transforms the gearchange to something that feels like the action of a bolt action rifle ;-0

[jfrf]

dont bother declaring the exhuast
the lotus manual and janspeed website say that you should not got any power gains unless you change the cat.
people who think you can notice a difference by adding an exhaust are probably just kidding themselves

[smeagol]

dont bother declaring the exhuast

Bad advice there mate, even if you don't get a performance change you have to tell the insurance company. They then determine whether or not it requires an additional premium. A classic example is the change from a normal to a stainless steel exhaust. Another is changing alloy wheels (yes even from other alloys). I fitted a stainless rear exhaust box to the Elan. No major performance change but it was noted in the insurance document as being on the car (nb as there was no performance change the premium did not change, for me anyway).

The problem is if you don't declare it and you need to claim. The insurance comp. can get off the hook by claiming you kept information from them.

The rule of thumb is if you make a change from the standard car contact the insurance company, even if they say it makes no difference they have to record that it was discussed.

>> Edited by smeagol on Thursday 20th February 13:10

[Spining-v-grid]

Going back to the gearchange - what is the kit like to fit ? Once upon a time a was a car technician for 6 years or so, the task doesn't worry me but I would like to be prepared.

and where the hell do you jack the car up safely?

SVG

P.S. any decent performance exhaust(full system)will give you a power gain but I agree a race manifold and Cat will achieve more.

[jfrf]

i still dont buy that argument on telling the insurance company. They just look for any excuse to rip people off
Surely that would mean telling the company when you use a non standard tyre???
Tyres can make a much bigger difference than any 10% power mod.
Yet I bet no one declares them to insurance companies

[DanH]

How can you tell the two exhaust systems apart.....sound and part number.

Hmm size & material are pretty bloody obvious.

By not declaring something they demand info on, they have every right to invalidate you. Pretty stupid not to declare, as if you can't afford the insurance buy a Fiesta.

[Arno]

Spining-v-grid said: Going back to the gearchange - what is the kit like to fit ?

Easy as pie: www.eliseparts.com/gearlinkage.htm

and where the hell do you jack the car up safely?

You can jack up either side of the car about in the middle. There's a sticker under the car where you have to place the jack.

The rear can be jacked up under the rear (steel) crossmember where the diffser is bolted on and the lower wishbones connect. (diffuser has to be removed!)

Another point at the back (used for a 4-point lift) is on a chassis crossmember. (removal of diffuser and engine panel required!)

Front jacking is tricky.. There are also 2 spots marked under the car right behind the front wheels, but that's about it.. (also used for a 4-point lift)

*never* use a 4-point lift on both 'sticker' locations as the weight in the back of the car will make it tip over backwards.

Also always use a buffer (eg. slab of rubber) on jacks and axle-stands or you will damage the ali chassis.

Most of this is described in the user manual BTW..

Bye, Arno.

[smeagol]

Surely that would mean telling the company when you use a non standard tyre???

Don't laugh I've heard of bikers not getting insurance claims because of exactly that. (ie they put on a cheaper non-standard tyre without notification, they were not recommended by the manufacturer so....)

Indeed I have today swapped tyres to Yokos but I rang a while ago asking about it. They have it on record that I have asked and that they told me as long as they are on the standard rims then thats okay. You are quite right I have made a performance mod (and with my a car a significant performance mod), as tyres do seriously effect the performance and probably more than an exhaust but that doesn't ditract from the fact that it is non-standard and the insurance companies ask you "are there any modifications from standard made to the car?" if you say no, and they find out, bang goes your insurance.

Rememeber that insurance companies will try to rob you blind in two ways 1) the premium and 2) when you need to make a claim. The second IMHO is far more serious, if they can get a way out of it they will. The choice is simple, either £8 extra per month or £15k loss in the event of a claim.

[NightFire]

You'd have to be a mug (or rich) to keep it from the insurance company, a few years back I had an almost new XR3i, managed to roll it and get trapped in a ditch, wrote it off. My insurance company refused to pay me any money because it had RS Turbo style wheels on it, despite them being on it when I bought it from the dealer, I had to pay them £90 that it would have cost extra for those wheels on my policy before they would pay out on the car, they will rip you off at every opportunity, don't give them the rope to hang you!!
I'm having the new Janspeed supersport exhaust and Hurricane induction kit fitted by Sinclaires this coming Thursday. It took me ages to find someone who would insure me with mods, (was with 'More Than', they won't insure any mods whatsoever), finally got Elephant to do it, for £120 a year more than I pay now (from £600 to £723 including protected no-claims). I don't like it, but it needs that exhaust and filter!!