Ex works Vauxhall Astra BTCC track car
Discussion
snowen250 said:
andy97 said:
I believe that to be this car here:http://www.touringcarregister.com/register/200/
and here it is before in happier days:
http://www.touringcarregister.com/register/254/
Simon
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/llJHa6xH.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/rWaBP0is" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/rWaBP0is.jpg)
Sorry it’s been a while there’s been a few delays on this and that but I now have a running car with the 2.4NA engine build 
Pistons and rods all balanced to 0.1g with rings gapped for application.....
Installed into block....
New AP twin plate BTCC spec clutch....
Engine build complete......
The most horse power this trailer has ever had in it......
Ready to load into car.....
Loaded in the car first fire of the engine, this was scary - like being at birth of children scary....
https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
and a little test run - nice driving bro ......
https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
Pistons and rods all balanced to 0.1g with rings gapped for application.....
Installed into block....
New AP twin plate BTCC spec clutch....
Engine build complete......
The most horse power this trailer has ever had in it......
Ready to load into car.....
Loaded in the car first fire of the engine, this was scary - like being at birth of children scary....
https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
and a little test run - nice driving bro
......https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
VX BlackRat said:
Loaded in the car first fire of the engine, this was scary - like being at birth of children scary....
https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
and a little test run - nice driving bro ......
https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
Those links take me to my own videos.https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
and a little test run - nice driving bro
......https://www.youtube.com/edit?ar=1&o=U&vide...
Oops! Yes these are the links.....
playalistic said:
Not sure if this helps but race engines need quite a specific bedding in process.
I guess you have missed the opportunity to bed in the cams as that is what you do when you first start it.
For the rings you need to warm it up then drive it on variable load, variable revs, progressively rasing the limiter and throttle use. After about an hour you should be on full power and using the engine to the max.
Never let it idle, even when run in.
Keep an eye on oil pressure plus leaks etc.
Enjoy!
I guess you have missed the opportunity to bed in the cams as that is what you do when you first start it.
For the rings you need to warm it up then drive it on variable load, variable revs, progressively rasing the limiter and throttle use. After about an hour you should be on full power and using the engine to the max.
Never let it idle, even when run in.
Keep an eye on oil pressure plus leaks etc.
Enjoy!
I'd love to think ive built a race engine but really it's a modified road engine. Hope I haven't done any damage? It's run for about 30mins with 2 real heat cycles, upto 85c water temp. Oil pressure good.
I kept all the oil clearances oem, I've retained the hydraulic lifters for now, hoping this will help bed in cams. The bores didn't need honing but the rings are new but aren't too racy.
It's running a safe map for now until I've done a full shakedown / running in on track, then plan rolling road session to optimise map with solid lifters and adjustable cam gears.
I kept all the oil clearances oem, I've retained the hydraulic lifters for now, hoping this will help bed in cams. The bores didn't need honing but the rings are new but aren't too racy.
It's running a safe map for now until I've done a full shakedown / running in on track, then plan rolling road session to optimise map with solid lifters and adjustable cam gears.
It is not about damage and I am sure there is no damage done. Race engine running in is about trying to maximise the power and longevity of the engine in a race situation. This is especially important with the piston rings where you want a nice seal with the cylinder and you only really achieve this by placing load on them (hence the not idle rule).
When you need to warm it up, progressively rev it until warm but again when you do leave the pits remember the diff and gearbox is cold (this is why you see teams put a car on stands and warm up the car in gear).
When on track or the rolling road (the best way to run in a engine) then start of with light load and don't labour, progressively moving up to full power after about an hour. If your car hasn't been mapped, I would get the mappers to run it in for you and then map the car. It will be much easier for you and it is what I have done in the past.
Your engine builder will be able to advise you the best and should have given you strict instructions on how to run the engine in when they delivered it to you.
Finally, the only difference between road and race is how expensive the bits are. The run in process should be the same just with different chances of seeing the bits inside again anytime soon!
When you need to warm it up, progressively rev it until warm but again when you do leave the pits remember the diff and gearbox is cold (this is why you see teams put a car on stands and warm up the car in gear).
When on track or the rolling road (the best way to run in a engine) then start of with light load and don't labour, progressively moving up to full power after about an hour. If your car hasn't been mapped, I would get the mappers to run it in for you and then map the car. It will be much easier for you and it is what I have done in the past.
Your engine builder will be able to advise you the best and should have given you strict instructions on how to run the engine in when they delivered it to you.
Finally, the only difference between road and race is how expensive the bits are. The run in process should be the same just with different chances of seeing the bits inside again anytime soon!
Thurbs said:
It is not about damage and I am sure there is no damage done. Race engine running in is about trying to maximise the power and longevity of the engine in a race situation. This is especially important with the piston rings where you want a nice seal with the cylinder and you only really achieve this by placing load on them (hence the not idle rule).
When you need to warm it up, progressively rev it until warm but again when you do leave the pits remember the diff and gearbox is cold (this is why you see teams put a car on stands and warm up the car in gear).
When on track or the rolling road (the best way to run in a engine) then start of with light load and don't labour, progressively moving up to full power after about an hour. If your car hasn't been mapped, I would get the mappers to run it in for you and then map the car. It will be much easier for you and it is what I have done in the past.
Your engine builder will be able to advise you the best and should have given you strict instructions on how to run the engine in when they delivered it to you.
Finally, the only difference between road and race is how expensive the bits are. The run in process should be the same just with different chances of seeing the bits inside again anytime soon!
OK thanks, not too concerned about loosing a few bhp as not racing anyone, main objective is to have a useable solution I.e no long winded warm up procedure, get to track and get going with minimum bother. Good point about warming up the gearbox though.When you need to warm it up, progressively rev it until warm but again when you do leave the pits remember the diff and gearbox is cold (this is why you see teams put a car on stands and warm up the car in gear).
When on track or the rolling road (the best way to run in a engine) then start of with light load and don't labour, progressively moving up to full power after about an hour. If your car hasn't been mapped, I would get the mappers to run it in for you and then map the car. It will be much easier for you and it is what I have done in the past.
Your engine builder will be able to advise you the best and should have given you strict instructions on how to run the engine in when they delivered it to you.
Finally, the only difference between road and race is how expensive the bits are. The run in process should be the same just with different chances of seeing the bits inside again anytime soon!
I am the engine builder so I'll give myself a good talking too regarding run in
Edited by VX BlackRat on Wednesday 21st November 21:04
Bright Halo said:
This is all coming together nicely!
What sort of power are you expecting out of it?
Cheers!What sort of power are you expecting out of it?
I hear that the original 2.0l engines were putting out 270-280 bhp @ 8.5k rpm.
with the extra 20% capacity of the new 2.4l build but with lower 7.5k rpm limit and less aggressive cams but larger valves I hope to be near the original.
VX BlackRat said:
Bright Halo said:
This is all coming together nicely!
What sort of power are you expecting out of it?
Cheers!What sort of power are you expecting out of it?
I hear that the original 2.0l engines were putting out 270-280 bhp @ 8.5k rpm.
with the extra 20% capacity of the new 2.4l build but with lower 7.5k rpm limit and less aggressive cams but larger valves I hope to be near the original.
Roll on first track test day.
Ace project.
I have a friend who has an ex 888 Astra but there is a 500+bhp turbo engine in it. He uses it for time attack and it’s a regular winner.
He used to have an ex BTCC Golf which I have had the pleasure of riding in at Snett. They are amazing bits of kit, and that is coming from someone who tracks a 500bhp Impreza.
I have a friend who has an ex 888 Astra but there is a 500+bhp turbo engine in it. He uses it for time attack and it’s a regular winner.
He used to have an ex BTCC Golf which I have had the pleasure of riding in at Snett. They are amazing bits of kit, and that is coming from someone who tracks a 500bhp Impreza.
Wow, what an awesome thread!
The competition engine builders i assist at sometimes does quite a lot of those engines, normally for drag racing where the guys using them are doing 1000+hp, this tends to mean fitting darton sleeves, or for lower power applications, machining out the water ways at the top and pressing in a machined deck plate.
They also run some old touring cars, Mazda 323 super tourer, old group a 635csi etc.
They are quite overlooked engines considering the base engine can be found in a Frontera! Im glad there's people buying and running cars like this, keep it up!
The competition engine builders i assist at sometimes does quite a lot of those engines, normally for drag racing where the guys using them are doing 1000+hp, this tends to mean fitting darton sleeves, or for lower power applications, machining out the water ways at the top and pressing in a machined deck plate.
They also run some old touring cars, Mazda 323 super tourer, old group a 635csi etc.
They are quite overlooked engines considering the base engine can be found in a Frontera! Im glad there's people buying and running cars like this, keep it up!
seiben said:
Can't tell from the pics, but is that ^^^ Astra now blue? If so I've met the owner a few times - it was flying around Donington a couple of weeks back!
Yeah it’s a solid blue now and he was at Donny about 3 weeks ago.It’s had a few owners over the last few years. Bo had it a while then sold it to my friend Matt, he ran it for a couple of years then sold it to another guy and bought the Golf above last year. The golf ended up being too much hassle to run so sold that to the guy who bought the Astra and bought the Astra back. Just given it a bit of a refresh with the new paint scheme. Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff