Mind made up I'm going turbo

[PhilH42]

I've been toying with changing up for a cerb (as posted on here before) and as much as I want one I can't warrant it without selling my Chim 400 "Biddie" at this present time! The more I think about selling her the more I think I'll regret it....so the Cerb is on the future shopping list for now! I've spent a fortune getting her sorted and she's in good order so I've decided I should sort out some extra oomph....so she's more baddie than biddie!

So after thinking about engine upgrades or SC....I've decided on one of Eann's turbo's as a pressie in the early new year... I need to call him to arrange a date for fitting but I like what I heard from the couple of emails sent a few months back.

Eann gave me a good rundown on what I can expect but It would be good to hear what the other guys on here think of the performance difference if the basic turbo kit is used. I will eventually ugrade the injectors, ECU and add an intercooler.

Anyone just go for the basic kit or in at the deep end?

Exhaust note?

Cheers all.

[QBee]

You may want to discuss it with your TVR specialist.
He may want to check the health of your engine.
Forced induction can find out weaknesses in your engine.
Better to sort it ahead of visiting Euann.

[SILICONEKID345HP]

What is the price difference between the Turbo and supercharger ?

You will need injectors and probably a new ECU .

[sapper]

Good advice from Anthony, get your engine health checked first. Upgrade your clutch or you will be doing it shortly after fitting your turbo. You can run it on th 14 cux and Eann did but to get the most you will need a new Ecu I had mega squirt and soon shifted to emaerald as I struggled to find a tuner locally for mega squirt. (Some strange web sites come up on google).
I've also up rated my injectors, twice. Eann fitted larger ones but when I moved to emerald and had mapping done by jules they were at max so he up graded again.
Exhaust note, mines awesome as I have ACT cherry bomb system and a loud map by jules. And a quieter one if needed.

[QBee]

Noise - don' t see why it should be any different.
Beware of loud exhausts if you fancy doing track days - they all have noise limits. Fail and you are booted off.

[PhilH42]

Thanks fellas.

My engine's sound...Bottom end has been checked, heads in good order and I had a new cam and sundries 6 months ago. Clutch good and slave cylinder just changed.

I took a trip up to Joolz recently and shes putting out 235bhp, oil usage next to nothing and pressure good so I'm confident that she's ready...she lapped up the stress on the RR.

The only thing I'm not so sure of is the diff and drive shafts, not because theres anything wrong but its one of the only things I've not touched.

Yep the injectors, intercooler and the emerald upgrade is the plan. I've read stay away from megasquirt although I know some who used it with ok results in the past, can't comment myself as I have no experience with it.

Its really a case of will the basic kit keep me happy for a bit, then I can retrospectively fit the rest?

[Pupp]

QBee said:

Noise - don' t see why it should be any different.
Beware of loud exhausts if you fancy doing track days - they all have noise limits. Fail and you are booted off.

There's plenty of reasons why it will be different - a turbine right in the exhaust stream loaded by a compressor the other end can do nothing except alter aural and flow characteristics.

Doesn't mean 'worse' by any means; mine is not a kit so is not the same turbo housing and turbine as Eann's but sounds fine to my ears and others - might be as much to do with the cam 'though; but that can't work with a turbo apparently

[Pupp]

PhilH42 said:

Its really a case of will the basic kit keep me happy for a bit, then I can retrospectively fit the rest?

The 'right' answer is that, putting aside fuelling, forced induction will need ignition control that the OEM dizzy will not support (Megasquirt is as good as any provided it's installed and set up appropriately) - the reality is that up to half a bar of boost or so (maybe beyond but that;s a good threshold), it can be made to work well enough and there's many getting good results. You will certainly be happy with half a bar (and less).

[PhilH42]

Pupp said:

The 'right' answer is that, putting aside fuelling, forced induction will need ignition control that the OEM dizzy will not support (Megasquirt is as good as any provided it's installed and set up appropriately) - the reality is that up to half a bar of boost or so (maybe beyond but that;s a good threshold), it can be made to work well enough and there's many getting good results. You will certainly be happy with half a bar (and less).

Thats what I was after Gary...I've experience of turbos but with fuel and spark taken care of and on 4 cylinders.

If it'll work on moderate boost with a little advance tweaking and regulator control, and the drive is a real improvement I'm sold! Well I'm already sold but just a bit more now

I'm seriously excited about it and the further improvements that can be had in due course. Not that I doubted Eann one little bit, just nice to get other peoples take on it on their own cars.

[Deebeezee]

Keep us updated on progress Phil, I have been thinking of going down the same route with the basic kit and upgrading later.

[Tangoed]

I've got one of Eann's turbos fitted, a little warning. The Turbo fitted to mine had no ceramic ball bearings, only had phosphor bronze bushes internally. I did purchase an upgrade from China from Ebay to correct this. Just check what he is now supplying internally, the cost to upgrade is about £280.00 for the kit. The last thing you want is a turbo failure!

[ITVRI]

Can any one advise if it it possible to fit a turbo without cutting a chunk out of the lateral crossmember? I would be happy with a small turbo that could make around 7-8psi.

[Pupp]

ITVRI said:

Can any one advise if it it possible to fit a turbo without cutting a chunk out of the lateral crossmember? I would be happy with a small turbo that could make around 7-8psi.

With clever and pretty involved manifold fabrication it would just about be possible to avoid the cross-member but it's not straight forward as you're juggling achieving adequate height for turbo oil drainage with preserving clearance to plumb the air inlet and the exhaust exit (there's nothing to say the turbo absolutely has to be on the longitudinal axis of the car; I've been waiting for someone to mount a single in there on a lateral orientation - if the runs can be made to work, that could avoid the cross member) ... to be honest, the cross member can be notched quite happily if needs be or you can do what I did and bridge it with a hefty ally strut (Engineer John on here got it water cut to my design and used the original brace to make up some stubs that picked up the chassis points - I'm sure he would remember and I still have the drawings if anyone wants to go that route). I certainly wouldn't compromise turbo selection just because of that

[N7GTX]

PhilH42 said:

Thanks fellas.

My engine's sound...Bottom end has been checked, heads in good order and I had a new cam and sundries 6 months ago. Clutch good and slave cylinder just changed.

I took a trip up to Joolz recently and shes putting out 235bhp, oil usage next to nothing and pressure good so I'm confident that she's ready...she lapped up the stress on the RR.

The only thing I'm not so sure of is the diff and drive shafts, not because theres anything wrong but its one of the only things I've not touched.

Yep the injectors, intercooler and the emerald upgrade is the plan. I've read stay away from megasquirt although I know some who used it with ok results in the past, can't comment myself as I have no experience with it.

Its really a case of will the basic kit keep me happy for a bit, then I can retrospectively fit the rest?

You can see mine in my profile and while it is not the same as the one you are going for, a read of the specs might give you some help. http://www.powersperformance.co.uk/upgrades/rv8-tu...

The standard injectors are perfectly okay up to 420 bhp (flywheel) as mine prove. Beyond this then upgrade to the bigger ones. To get to 450+ (flywheel) I would need larger ones.

You will almost certainly need the clutch from a 500 but depends on the final power output you will be looking for. My clutch handles 420 well but beyond this probably something like a twin plate.

The diff on mine is a GKN and I had concerns but Powers said it would be fine and not to touch it. I haven't and so far so good. I did uprate the CV joints though as they were knocking anyway and fitted the Prolinx heavy duty ones.

The chassis rail was cut on mine and all the others I have seen including an Eann Whalley one at Chatsworth
have the same modification. One of these engineering geniuses will have a solution for you.

The exhaust will be quieter if you do not alter it but you will still get the V8 rumble. IMO mine is just about acceptable on the motorway and does not drone or harm your eardrums.

Warning!!! once you start on this performance upgrade, it will not stop and your wallet will empty at an alarming rate.

Edited by N7GTX on Sunday 23 October 10:09

[PhilH42]

Nice one Fella's.

All good advice much appreciated, I was aware of the chassis slicing and dicing to squeeze it in but I'm confident with the knowledge and experience on here that it will be fine and there's strengthening solutions available.

Thats interesting about the injectors, mine have all been refurbed so I was hoping they would be sufficient up to 350BHP but over 400BHP has really surprised me.

I'll check with Eann on the guts in his currently used turbo and will def keep you updated on progress...fitting date and results.

Slippery slope chasing performance I know but what a way to blow money...excuse the pun

Cheers

[davetripletvr]

Eann fitted mine in June this year and didn't cut into the crossmember, he has just slightly adjusted it. I went for the full package, ECU, intercooler, bigger injectors all fitted by Eann. He did a fantastic job, all very neat and tidy and i am very impressed and i got the power i wanted.
There is a guy on Facebook who is running the 14cux with one of Eann's kits and is getting fantastic results with the help of Joolz fantastic mapping and set-up, he is getting 400bhp and 450ftlb torque at the flywheel on a pretty much standard engine.
Can anyone tell me what 400bhp and 450ftlb torque at the flywheel would equate to at the wheels ?

Hope this helps

[QBee]

Reduce by 18%, so 328 bhp and 369 torques

[TV8]

davetripletvr said:

Can anyone tell me what 400bhp and 450ftlb torque at the flywheel would equate to at the wheels ?

At the wheels.... wheel spin in 2nd, 3rd and maybe 4th in the dry and ultra cautious driving in the damp!

Lots of grins as well, obviously.

[robmarrs]

Eann fitted mine in May last year and he didn't have to cut into the crossmember, I used the midsize cool side turbo housing, as it appears to be this part that will foul the crossmember, Eann was offering 3 sizes iirc. I went for the full package, Megasquirt ECU, intercooler, bigger injectors all fitted by Eann. Changed the clutch for a Tuscan Race Clutch and uprated half shafts at the same time. It was fitted to a bog std 50k 400 pre serp engine. I already had an alloy rad fitted to help cooling. Also fitted a 4 pot brake kit to the front so it will stop. Had to fit new ACT manifolds as one of my cats had started to walk....... I did not have the time to do anything myself so it suited me. Result was 350BHP and 370lb/ft @ 10 psi.

The biggest problem I have had since fitting it is getting the manifolds to seal succesfuly, I have blown 2 sets of gaskets, then had the manifold face machined and run metal to metal, all to no avail and all in less than 600 miles from having the lot installed! Gets epensive too as it is 6hrs labour to change them everytime! Finally got hem sealed using metal gaskets, but now I have a leak on the manifold to Y-Piece clamp that is letting fumes into the cabin still.... happy days.

Having said all that the shove when it comes on boost is fantastic and the grin factor enormous, and you still get that V8 rumble with added dump valve woosh!

Edited by robmarrs on Sunday 23 October 17:04

[davetripletvr]

QBee said:

Reduce by 18%, so 328 bhp and 369 torques

Cheers