12 November 2010
30 October 2010
Elise Trophy 2010 - end of season stocktake
So, the end of the 2010 season didn't go so well. After missing 2 race weekends due to the engine oil leak, and being constantly frustrated by lacking power to the fast section of the grid, Stu decided to get the engine rebuilt in time for the last race he was registered for - Silverstone National.
In addition to the rebuild, slightly fruitier cams and a better exhaust manifold were fitted to try and up the grunt. Along with an Emerald ECU, we were hoping for above-the-limit figures that could be tuned down to be exactly legal. Didn't exactly go to plan as apparently it only really made an extra 5bhp.
Qualy wasn't too bad as it was cold and wet but the engine still felt pretty piss-poor. Made things interesting though, several incidents to enjoy! Couple of pics from other sessions give you an idea:
I decided that 12th on a grid nearly 30 was frankly amazing after I went and watched race 1, Stu was literally getting butt-fucked on the straights. He'd make up anywhere between 3 and 10 car lengths on the brakes and through the corners, but even with a run on people out of the exit he'd get left behind. It looked ridiculous.
A new alternator had also been fitted after the rebuild, which failed during the first race so I set about swapping it for another new one and rewiring the diode. It was tight getting to the grid as I had to re-tap the thread in the block for the bracket as well. Thankfully it didn't fall off, but he still went backwards during race 2.
It also made it down to TDi a week later - who dyno'd the car at the start of the year for series regs - so we could compare figures. Despite a proper ECU, rebuild, Piper cams and pullies, proven exhaust manifold and a 4mm larger throttle since the start of the year, about 24bhp and 20lb.ft had disappeared (if memory serves).
Still, at least we know roughly where the problem is, and hopefully a cam timing tweak will sort things out. The rest of the car is great thankfully so with any luck it will be mainly small jobs over winter. Then with the missing horses back in the stable it should be consistent top 10s next year, potentially a podium in the mix somewhere. Fingers crossed for better luck in 2011.
As you can see, I have linked the photos in this post from www.snappyracers.com - because they are great, and what I take with my phone is shite!
In addition to the rebuild, slightly fruitier cams and a better exhaust manifold were fitted to try and up the grunt. Along with an Emerald ECU, we were hoping for above-the-limit figures that could be tuned down to be exactly legal. Didn't exactly go to plan as apparently it only really made an extra 5bhp.
Qualy wasn't too bad as it was cold and wet but the engine still felt pretty piss-poor. Made things interesting though, several incidents to enjoy! Couple of pics from other sessions give you an idea:
I decided that 12th on a grid nearly 30 was frankly amazing after I went and watched race 1, Stu was literally getting butt-fucked on the straights. He'd make up anywhere between 3 and 10 car lengths on the brakes and through the corners, but even with a run on people out of the exit he'd get left behind. It looked ridiculous.
A new alternator had also been fitted after the rebuild, which failed during the first race so I set about swapping it for another new one and rewiring the diode. It was tight getting to the grid as I had to re-tap the thread in the block for the bracket as well. Thankfully it didn't fall off, but he still went backwards during race 2.
It also made it down to TDi a week later - who dyno'd the car at the start of the year for series regs - so we could compare figures. Despite a proper ECU, rebuild, Piper cams and pullies, proven exhaust manifold and a 4mm larger throttle since the start of the year, about 24bhp and 20lb.ft had disappeared (if memory serves).
Still, at least we know roughly where the problem is, and hopefully a cam timing tweak will sort things out. The rest of the car is great thankfully so with any luck it will be mainly small jobs over winter. Then with the missing horses back in the stable it should be consistent top 10s next year, potentially a podium in the mix somewhere. Fingers crossed for better luck in 2011.
As you can see, I have linked the photos in this post from www.snappyracers.com - because they are great, and what I take with my phone is shite!
14 October 2010
29 September 2010
Trophy Daily Driver
I've got Stu's Elise to pootle about in this week, give the engine a run in before it goes on the dyno for mapping. I'm sick of my Mazda as a daily but this is just ridiculous!
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