BTCC 2 litre K Series bows out with win

The Oily Bits S1 Specific Topics
1

Yesterday Rob Collard won the last race and took the BTCC lap record for the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.

I suspect this may have been the last BTCC race for the MG ZS and the Judd 2 litre K Series.

The win was granted by the reverse grid of the last race and an incident that took out three of the main competitors.

However scoring the fastest lap on a day with three btcc races proves the car was fast and very competitive against Honda, Vauxhall, Seat (Volkswagen engine?) A decent goodbye for Rover before the baton is passed to the Chinese.

Judd and West Surrey Racing seam to have proved the K can compete against Honda and Vauhall on performance and deliver a reliable, a 280 bhp (estimate).

Is it possible to build a reliable 2litre high performance K Series for a Exige/Elise that competes with the Honda/Duratec on price?

What would be a budget price to rebuild a VHPD Exige engine as a reliable good performing 2 litre keeping costs down by retaining as much existing parts as possible e.g. gearbox, exhaust, Euro IV ecu?

I question I guess only DVA, PTP, Judd or Mr Erland could answer?

2

And witness a fight

But personal battles aside, I would say yes, it is possible.
Euro4 ECU? I didn’t think the original ECU was Euro4? But anyway, that’s got to go, you need more fuel in the correct places.

My guess is (and I don’t determine prices) about 4K?

Mine is currently a 1.8 and will only think about 1.9 or 2.0 when this one wears out. And from what I’ve seen 1.8 can run at 220 BHP tune without it feeling stresses.
Will talk about reliability when I get to 50K miles

3

It’s been done to death, but the quick answer is:

Yes… tuning the K is more cost effective.

However, if it goes bang you’re into big money to rebuild it (expensive aftermarket parts + labour etc). With an Audi/Duratec/Honda you’re only looking at �1K-�3K for a new engine as a maximum.

4

Was the original ECU the same or a variation of hardware used on the S1 160?

http://www.efitechnology.it/main_eng.html

I understand that at one S160 owener had it reprogrammed.

http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=60242&page=1

5

i think you may need to define, reliable.

That 2.0 Judd needs a refresh after 3000 track miles.
and at quiet some cost

6

quite.

7

3000 track miles sounds quite good. When I bought my VHPD I was told that it would need a rebuilt every 2000 miles.

I guess reliable for me would mean 50,000 road miles before an obvious need to rebuild or about 5000 track miles. I guess about 70 hours.

8

When I bought my VHPD I was told that it would need a rebuilt every 2000 miles.

Who told you that?

9

Could it be the Honda brigade?


But actually, I think that 3K track miles is a lot.
If one of those engines ended in a road car, how long would it last?

I’d guess as much as any other engine out there.

10

There are compromises you make with a race engine that suit it’s intended use but would prejudice it’s use in a road going car.

Dave

11

recomended revuild every 2000 track miles was the figure quoted in the documentation and quoted by Lotus at the time I ordered the car.

12

That still seems a little steep. BWM reckon a track mile is worth 10 road miles, and a 20,000 mile re-build would be v.poor for a road car.

Ian