Hands up if you have modified your Noble!

[GTSnooze]

I know this topic has probably been done to death but from my searching, I havent found a definitive source of opinions on the best route to take for modifying a standard 3R/M400 in terms of cost, effect on the reliability of the car etc..

A few Q's if I may:

1) Do each of the Noble tuning co's in the Noble wiki specialise in different routes of modification?
2) What is the most cost effective method of uping the power?

3) It would be awesome (if you can be arsed), if each of you who have modded your cars, could just drop a quick line on:

i) what work you have had carried out;
ii) the before and after stats;
iii) who did the work; and
iv) how much it cost.

Thanks in anticipation of your comments.

Dan

[caccobra]

The most cost effective modifications are:

1. Get rid of the stock exhaust and change it to a true dual exhaust.
2. Get the ECU remapped to take advantage of the improved exhaust flow.

This added over 100 h.p. at the wheels for my 3R (now at a little over 400whp).

You will find that 400-450whp is about as far as you need to go on an M12/M400 unless you want to reinvent Lee Noble's handiwork. Going beyond that will require a stronger transmission and clutch as well suspension modifications because you will be overpowering the chassis and transmission. That's when things start to break and you start running into diminishing returns on your money. With these cars, it isn't about how much horsepower you can squeeze out of the engine. It is about taking advantage of the superb chassis handling characteristics without going beyond the power it can handle. You could have a 600 h.p. Noble, but unless you change a lot of other things, all you will be doing is spinning your wheels a lot and replacing broken parts, IMHO.

Edited by caccobra on Sunday 6th January 23:43

[F.C.]

I suggest getting your chassis geometry sorted to start with then If you intend to use the car in a hard environment (trackday etc.), Brakes upgrade pads and if you have the budget move on to grooved discs.
Then once you have the standard power well and truly tamed by your god like driving ability... go get the engine sorted.

I had the exhaust, fuel pump mod and re-map by Roush, geometry set up at Plans motorsport and then went the "whole Hog" and had all the uprights machined and shimmed for camber adjustment (camber is not adjustable as standard).
Well worth the money IMO.

Other work carried out in order of priority....
Tunnel cooling mod (stops cabin heating up when windows are open)involves re-routing a fresh air feed to heater from a front air intake in clam to a spigot attached to the central chassis tunnel cover(under heater box).
HID light conversion. Standard lights are piss poor when you need them at night!
Big intercooler with a couple of fans to reduce heat soak issues.
BOV to reduce turbo stall at high rev gear change.
Hard pipe kit.
Wheels Dymag carbon.(not a given, but nice if you have the budget).
Future, possibly uprate to Nitron / Ohlin dampers.
Hope this helps.
F.C.

[Ash M400]

Yup, moi.

Just about everything engine related.

When I have some time I will post up what work I have had done, off to work now.

[obes]

yep

Engine rebuild and internal rework by JEMS motorsort.
Omex 700 series ECU.
AEM tru-boost switchable electronic boost controller.
Uprated motorsport fuel pump and wiring.
Custom exhaust.
Track sump.
Factory front fan upgrade.
FP Intercooler.
FP BoV.
Defi engine monitoring system with digital display. (Monitors oil temp, oil pressure, water temp & EGT.)
Omex shift light pro.
Lifeline electronic plumbed in fire extinguisher system.
Sparco suede steering wheel (Nice!).
Front turbo and tunnel cooling modifications plus Cooling fan override switch.
Dymags.
Running nicely at about 405bhp at the mo.

[joust]

I've been in Owen's and it's a serious bit of kit!

If you have a 2.5 it's well worth following what he did.

J

[Twerlie]

Exterior
• Clear Indicators
• Afterburner Rear Lights
• Custom Plates
• Drip tray under front wipers
• Trafficstar RTS 3-piece forged 18” Alloys
• Stainless rear wing nuts, bolts and washers
• Custom rear mesh template


Interior
• Pistonheads Stickers
• Metal Tax Disc Holder
• Carbon Fibre Kick Plates
• Audi TT Dash Vents (x6)
• Alpine Head Unit
• JL Audio XR650-CSi Component Speakers
• Alpine iPod Adaptor
• M400 dash and steering wheel pads
• 4 Black Floor Mats edged in Blue
• M400 Centre Bezel
• Oil Gauge, line and adaptors
• Roll Cage Padding

Performance/Engine
• T28 Turbo's
• M400 Cams
• Track Day Sump
• Ceramic Coated Roush Exhaust System
• Up-rated Fuel Pump and wireing
• Thermo Shield Heat Barrier for IC Box
• Hard Break Lines
• Break cooling upgrade
• M400 Manifolds
• Pace Radiator
• Flexible intake ducting for centre tunnel cooling
• Thermo Wrap around front and rear exhaust pipe
• Pro Alloy Intercooler
• Pro Alloy Header Tank
• Pro Alloy Oil Breather/Separator
• Pro Alloy Hard turbo and inlet pipes
• Turbosmart Recirculating Dump Valve
• Valeo Um660 & Um622 wiper blades
• Rolling Road & ECU set-up by Trevor Jasper

Currently at 450bhp with tourque capped at 405 to protect gearbox etc.

Edited by Twerlie on Monday 7th January 11:44

[mgbond]

Engine 2.5
• Track Day Sump
• Up-rated Fuel Pump and wiring
• Break cooling upgrade
• Front Fan upgrade
• Exhaust Wrap (when I put it on)
• FP Dump Valve
• Valeo Um660 & Um622 wiper blades
• Under wiper drip tray
• Stonbe chip guards
• Haltech ECU
• Fan added to IC (controlled by ECU)

Have changed indicators and some mats. Boomerang front splitter

Currently at 350bhp.

Bondy

Edited by Twerlie on Monday 7th January 11:44

[/quote]

[NobleGuy]

obes said:

...tunnel cooling modifications...

Am I right in thinking this is just redirecting 2 of the existing air intakes at the front to force air through the tunnel? Did you do this yourself? If so, how hard was it?

[obes]

NobleGuy said:

obes said:

...tunnel cooling modifications...

Am I right in thinking this is just redirecting 2 of the existing air intakes at the front to force air through the tunnel? Did you do this yourself? If so, how hard was it?

yes, one duct to the front of the tunnel and another up the tunnel to the front turbo.

I did it while the car was in the air and the engine was out ! That made it very easy ! It's not impossible to do with it all in, but you would need it up in the air, preferably with the bottom off.

I have never properly tested how much air actually goes down the ducts. There are some practical results though. When a few of us went to Donington and ran for the same session time, I saw much lower peak oil temps than the other cars. I know some had more power, but they also had oil coolers...which i don't.

[NobleGuy]

obes said:

NobleGuy said:

obes said:

...tunnel cooling modifications...

Am I right in thinking this is just redirecting 2 of the existing air intakes at the front to force air through the tunnel? Did you do this yourself? If so, how hard was it?

yes, one duct to the front of the tunnel and another up the tunnel to the front turbo.

I did it while the car was in the air and the engine was out ! That made it very easy ! It's not impossible to do with it all in, but you would need it up in the air, preferably with the bottom off.

I have never properly tested how much air actually goes down the ducts. There are some practical results though. When a few of us went to Donington and ran for the same session time, I saw much lower peak oil temps than the other cars. I know some had more power, but they also had oil coolers...which i don't.

Hmmmm. Intersting. Sounds like a good mod - cheap and effective, but it does sound like it's a bit of a hassle. Someone mentioned it's possible to do this from the top with the heater out, but either way sounds painful.

[NobleGuy]

obes said:

NobleGuy said:

obes said:

...tunnel cooling modifications...

Am I right in thinking this is just redirecting 2 of the existing air intakes at the front to force air through the tunnel? Did you do this yourself? If so, how hard was it?

yes, one duct to the front of the tunnel and another up the tunnel to the front turbo.

I did it while the car was in the air and the engine was out ! That made it very easy ! It's not impossible to do with it all in, but you would need it up in the air, preferably with the bottom off.

I have never properly tested how much air actually goes down the ducts. There are some practical results though. When a few of us went to Donington and ran for the same session time, I saw much lower peak oil temps than the other cars. I know some had more power, but they also had oil coolers...which i don't.

Hmmmm. Intersting. Sounds like a good mod - cheap and effective, but it does sound like it's a bit of a hassle. Someone mentioned it's possible to do this from the top with the heater out, but either way sounds painful. Maybe if my engine does need to come out (pending US method) for my broken diff it would be worth doing at the same time.

[obes]

NobleGuy said:

Hmmmm. Intersting. Sounds like a good mod - cheap and effective, but it does sound like it's a bit of a hassle. Someone mentioned it's possible to do this from the top with the heater out, but either way sounds painful. Maybe if my engine does need to come out (pending US method) for my broken diff it would be worth doing at the same time.

[mgbond]

....I know some had more power, but they also had oil coolers...which i don't...

Obes I was looking back at some pictures of when you put the engine back in (was trying to get a mate to buy your car) and I'm sure I notice a pic of a Oil coiler in the drivers side air pod?

I want to do the cooling mod at some point, does this prevent getting any air to the AC or the internal heater box. On the front there are 2 intakes per side I've got one going to the brakes (as you have) and I supposed the other 1 is what you used?

Bondy

[Jim O.]

NobleGuy said:

Hmmmm. Intersting. Sounds like a good mod - cheap and effective, but it does sound like it's a bit of a hassle. Someone mentioned it's possible to do this from the top with the heater out, but either way sounds painful. Maybe if my engine does need to come out (pending US method) for my broken diff it would be worth doing at the same time.

I've done the mod of redirecting two of the HVAC intake hoses into the tunnel on a few cars. Did it from the top by removing the heater box - wasn't too bad. The only painful part was getting to the four bolts that hold the heater box in place. You really need a helper to hold a wrench on the back side (under the dash), while you remove the bolt from under the front clam.

Unfortunately, I just can't see any savings in doing this mod at the same time you change the diff. No redundant labor, no parts savings. About the only thing is that it would be a convenient time to do the work...

Jim

[Biggriff]

Twerlie

You list the interior mods as:

Interior
• Pistonheads Stickers
• Metal Tax Disc Holder
• Carbon Fibre Kick Plates
• Audi TT Dash Vents (x6)
• Alpine Head Unit
• JL Audio XR650-CSi Component Speakers
• Alpine iPod Adaptor
• M400 dash and steering wheel pads
• 4 Black Floor Mats edged in Blue
• M400 Centre Bezel
• Oil Gauge, line and adaptors
• Roll Cage Padding



Any photos of the interior with the TT vents? Where did you get them from?

Richard

[Zack1]

Twerlie, I noticed your post on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvnVKOudkyE .. nice work! Im assuming that was your Noble post modification?

Also noticed this absolute annihilation of a Gallardo by a 3R http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEwZLAJ16rU Wow!! Even if he did bounce of the limiter for a while in 2nd, that was a comprehensive trouncing! Does anyone know who owns this car and is it really a 3R???? If so Id be very interested to hear what work has been carried out to produce that sort of performance.

And anyone know who owns this one giving a Challange Stradalle a good run for its money http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSK4aSePX3M Again, Surely not a standard 3R??

Cheers

Dan

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

Zack1 said:

Also noticed this absolute annihilation of a Gallardo by a 3R http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEwZLAJ16rU Wow!! Even if he did bounce of the limiter for a while in 2nd, that was a comprehensive trouncing! Does anyone know who owns this car

Me!

Zack1 said:

and is it really a 3R????

Yup.

[Zack1]

Phil - Great car.

Can you point me to any threads which detail what you've had done to your motor?

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

Zack1 said:

Phil - Great car.

Can you point me to any threads which detail what you've had done to your motor?

Have a look via my profile at some of my threads about 9-12 months ago.