400 modifying what would you do?
Discussion
Hi all, not sure what to do, I have a 400 with smooth elbow and super flare trumpets and fully de catted and gas golds. I'd like more power but not sure how to get it. Thinking mc1 cam and tornado chip but what about mc1 plus this http://www.lloydspecialistdevelopments.co.uk/canem... Or maybe an sc power supercharger? My only thought is if I supercharge it's still going on a used motor which obviously will need a leak down test but am I likely to blow it to bits =£££££££££. I'm not sure what bhp I'm running at the min but was going to Surrey rr with the Berkshire club. Any ideas? If funds will allow I may respray aswell.
Expect a few replies to this.
There are so many options from leave it alone to go mental.
For me a new management system would be next before you add more mods, then try different peoples or a trip to power. They have turbo and sc for tests I think. Many will say more cc is the way to go. The 4l is so in nice to drive. I've added a turbo and love it.
There are so many options from leave it alone to go mental.
For me a new management system would be next before you add more mods, then try different peoples or a trip to power. They have turbo and sc for tests I think. Many will say more cc is the way to go. The 4l is so in nice to drive. I've added a turbo and love it.
Depends on budget, attitude to man maths and desire to spend money getting it to work properly.
I had a cracking full fat 400 and wanted more power. I ended up buying a car that had been via V8 Developments. The car with more cc's plus all the bolt-on bits and set-up properly (the previous owner didn't do this last important thing) is very impressive but at a significant price different over my old car.
Nitrous also gives a lot of bang for buck.
I had a cracking full fat 400 and wanted more power. I ended up buying a car that had been via V8 Developments. The car with more cc's plus all the bolt-on bits and set-up properly (the previous owner didn't do this last important thing) is very impressive but at a significant price different over my old car.
Nitrous also gives a lot of bang for buck.
The big question is, how much more power? And only you can answer that. You can easily spend 2k on NA top end mods, and then find, after the first few days or weeks of all that extra power, that actually, you still want more.... Invariably, the more power you get, the more you want, but with NA you'll hit a point where you either can't get more out of it, or it becomes prohibitively expensive (which is where I am now).
I would say if possible have a go in some quick cars, you'll soon know how quick you want yours to be, and from there you can determine the most cost effective way of achieving it...
I would say if possible have a go in some quick cars, you'll soon know how quick you want yours to be, and from there you can determine the most cost effective way of achieving it...
ChilliWhizz said:
I would say if possible have a go in some quick cars, you'll soon know how quick you want yours to be, and from there you can determine the most cost effective way of achieving it...
This. Wise words. Decide what you are trying to achieve, set a budget, stick to it.You already have a really quick road car, consider limiting your spend to handling and brakes.
If you want a really quick track car, buy a Caterham R500, Radical or Porsche GT3/Turbo. TVRs are a great compromise road/track car and are wonderful, but all of the above will be quicker.
Finally, give serious consideration to selling yours and buying what you want to achieve. For example, an extra 90 bhp, recent 4.6 V8D engine, Megasquirt, fully sorted suspension, new respray and carpets, Lupo light conversion etc can all be acquired for very little more than your car is worth.....
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
QBee said:
ChilliWhizz said:
I would say if possible have a go in some quick cars, you'll soon know how quick you want yours to be, and from there you can determine the most cost effective way of achieving it...
This. Wise words. Decide what you are trying to achieve, set a budget, stick to it.You already have a really quick road car, consider limiting your spend to handling and brakes.
If you want a really quick track car, buy a Caterham R500, Radical or Porsche GT3/Turbo. TVRs are a great compromise road/track car and are wonderful, but all of the above will be quicker.
Finally, give serious consideration to selling yours and buying what you want to achieve. For example, an extra 90 bhp, recent 4.6 V8D engine, Megasquirt, fully sorted suspension, new respray and carpets, Lupo light conversion etc can all be acquired for very little more than your car is worth.....
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
Nothing you do normally aspirated will feel as good as forcing/injecting the air in or more cc.
If you really do want more power, with the option of increasing that as you get used to it .. go for a light pressure turbo install to begin with, and then when you feel like more power just up the boost.
You could have it all installed with aftermarket management and set up for under 5k i would imagine.
You can also configure the boost character to not only make it a faster car, but FEEL like a MUCH faster car by how aggressive you make the boost spike up. You can also run different boost in different gears. The possibilities aren't endless, but more opportunities to play with teh character of the car than by normal tuning means or supercharging.
If you really do want more power, with the option of increasing that as you get used to it .. go for a light pressure turbo install to begin with, and then when you feel like more power just up the boost.
You could have it all installed with aftermarket management and set up for under 5k i would imagine.
You can also configure the boost character to not only make it a faster car, but FEEL like a MUCH faster car by how aggressive you make the boost spike up. You can also run different boost in different gears. The possibilities aren't endless, but more opportunities to play with teh character of the car than by normal tuning means or supercharging.
spitfire4v8 said:
Nothing you do normally aspirated will feel as good as forcing/injecting the air in or more cc.
If you really do want more power, with the option of increasing that as you get used to it .. go for a light pressure turbo install to begin with, and then when you feel like more power just up the boost.
You could have it all installed with aftermarket management and set up for under 5k i would imagine.
You can also configure the boost character to not only make it a faster car, but FEEL like a MUCH faster car by how aggressive you make the boost spike up. You can also run different boost in different gears. The possibilities aren't endless, but more opportunities to play with teh character of the car than by normal tuning means or supercharging.
If you really do want more power, with the option of increasing that as you get used to it .. go for a light pressure turbo install to begin with, and then when you feel like more power just up the boost.
You could have it all installed with aftermarket management and set up for under 5k i would imagine.
You can also configure the boost character to not only make it a faster car, but FEEL like a MUCH faster car by how aggressive you make the boost spike up. You can also run different boost in different gears. The possibilities aren't endless, but more opportunities to play with teh character of the car than by normal tuning means or supercharging.
This, all day long, this ^^^^
Id only go for a turbo if you junk the 14CUX- you dont want to be messing around with limited mapping options and a clockwork dizzy when running boost.
One of the local 4tr cars was ported (at home) plus an MC1 cam made 249 BHP on the rollers on the 14CUX and stock chip. He also put in a lower ratio diff- it went like stink- but I doubt the MPG was that good.
One of the local 4tr cars was ported (at home) plus an MC1 cam made 249 BHP on the rollers on the 14CUX and stock chip. He also put in a lower ratio diff- it went like stink- but I doubt the MPG was that good.
blitzracing said:
Id only go for a turbo if you junk the 14CUX- you dont want to be messing around with limited mapping options and a clockwork dizzy when running boost.
One of the local 4tr cars was ported (at home) plus an MC1 cam made 249 BHP on the rollers on the 14CUX and stock chip. He also put in a lower ratio diff- it went like stink- but I doubt the MPG was that good.
Not arguing with you Blitz - you have outlined a good normally aspirated option for a four litre, which is what the OP asked.One of the local 4tr cars was ported (at home) plus an MC1 cam made 249 BHP on the rollers on the 14CUX and stock chip. He also put in a lower ratio diff- it went like stink- but I doubt the MPG was that good.
Coming back to my point.....the cheapest upgrade is to buy a different car.
I am guessing, but as a person myself who is without skilled mechanical knowledge and ALL the right tools, I would guess the above would cost:
cam change £1000 inc labour and VAT
porting the inlets say £500 inc VAT (it's a professional job and a black art)
lower ratio diff £1000 inc fitting and VAT, less what you get back selling your standard one on Ebay
Total cost £2500.
Plus endless driving between home, V8 Developments (just beyond the back of beyond near Spalding, Lincs) and whoever does the diff change for you.
Correct me if I am wrong, please do.
I fell down that slippery slope, but have a great car at the end of it. But my car is not worth the close on £20,000 (and the rest) I have spent getting there.
OR, sell your car for £8250 while it's still summer and the market is good
Buy something like the one I linked to for £10,750
Total cost £2500
Get all the other things that are on that car (including the other 60 bhp) or another like it, for free in effect.
Sorry to bang on about it, but shortly after I finished spending £7000 upgrading my £10,000, 70,000 mile 4 litre to 5 litres, I met a guy who had just bought a mint 5 litre car, 18,000 miles on the clock, for £12,500. We went for a drive down the A46 dual carriageway, and the two cars were perfectly matched for speed and acceleration. To say I felt sick is the understatement of the century. So I am a bible basher where thinking about it logically with your eyes open is concerned.
Discopotatoes said:
At a guess you'll be running about 180 bhp at the wheels if all is well, when I had 4 ltrs I got it to 260 at the fly and still wasn't happy, IMHO make sure its healthy and get it turbo'd
Mine is a similar spec but with the MC1 cam, superflare trumpets with thermal gasket, smoothbore induction kit etc and mine is running 210hp at the wheels, 240hp at the engine. TV8 said:
Nitrous also gives a lot of bang for buck.
It does initially.A decent basic set up could cost £600 and give you 100 bhp with no mods to the engine other than maybe retarding the ignition a few degrees.
The gas is getting more expensive. I pay £5.50 a pound at the moment but i know people paying over £8.
If you only use it occasionally it can be a fantastic way to shock most cars on the road.
I use the stuff regularly, mainly for drag racing but can get through 2 x 11lb full bottles in a weekend. Multiply this to a season of race meetings, track days, cruises, and general showing off and it adds up.
l6rth said:
I like the idea of supercharging because I can fit the kit myself, not sure I can do this with a turbo and also what would be the final cost of turboing? I still have the 14cux but what about the canems? If i do change the management will I get more bhp as a byproduct ?
Hi I have the sc supercharger in my 4 ltr Chim and love it 330 BHP but still running the 14 cux and will be going Down the canems route later this year when I have the funds if u fancy a drive out in mine your more than welcome
I'm in bristol
Nige.
spitfire4v8 said:
Nothing you do normally aspirated will feel as good as forcing/injecting the air in or more cc.
You could have it all installed with aftermarket management and set up for under 5k i would imagine.
Is that really doable for 5k? I thought supercharging was 5k (ish) with another 2k (ish) for managementYou could have it all installed with aftermarket management and set up for under 5k i would imagine.
l6rth said:
I'd like more power but not sure how to get it.
Only one way for a serious power hike and thats Turbo or Supercharger.Even if you jump from a 4ltr to 5ltr, initially i`m sure you will think wow great, but even this jump will soon have you looking for more especially if you are one of these power hungry folk you get on here
i include myself in this bracket btw.Now then s/c or turbo s/c or turbo s/c or turbo s/c or turbo
Well as turbo is half the price it makes sense i reckon.
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff