how does the harmonic balancer work?
Harmonic balancer is a misnomer just like “shock absorber” is a misnomer. A harmonic damper does not balance anything just like a shock absorber does not absorb shocks… A harmonic damper, dampens torsional vibrations (harmonics)…
Still none the wisers LOL, how does it work?
Brilliant. Looks and sounds wonderful.
Keep up the good work.
OK…you know that if you hit a “regular” spring…or drop it…it will vibrate on its own…up and down. Your car will do the same thing. So, you install a “coil-over” damper and it no longer vibrates. The crankshaft shift will do the same thing. Because it has journals, it will vibrate torsionaly. Number 1 piston fires, it twists the whole crankshaft… number 3 piston fires, it twists a much smaller portion of the crankshaft and so forth. That can set up a harmonic and vibrate…torsionaly. So, there is a calculated mass that is let “float” free in a viscous liquid…usually oil.This can be done with a rubber doughnut or springs… that “free floating” mass dampens the torsional vibrations - harmonics.
That’s the best I can do in layman’s terms…
Well it didn’t work for long 
Shaft failed again, again in the same place.
I’m gutted, but I’ve had enough of it now. Going to cut my losses and sell up and get something else that I can enjoy some summer trackdays in. I still have £250 credit with BaT from missing the Anglesey day!
If anyone is genuinely interested or knows anyone who might be please get in touch on here or SELOC or on 07904061484
The engine set-up is really quite good now, the problem is all in whatever strange harmonics are going on between the engine and flywheel/clutch assembly along the transfer shaft.
sorry to all who were looking forward to seeing it finished imminently. I hope someone can take it on and figure out how to get it to work.
regards,
Patrick
No Pat, well done buddy you made a proper decent stab at something unique. I have enjoyed the journey and I appreciate the posts on exiges.com. Good luck and get yourself an R300, cough I mean Lotus but not an S2, they’re crap, just kidding 
Seriously get a track car, join your mates and us and let it go. Best of luck for the future 
Stick around 
Sad news, but Jonny’s hit the right note there( not harmonic, obviously)
Yup well done Pat,…a really amazing effort. I think you’ve amazed us all with your talent and ingenuity. Fair play for knowing when enough is enough.
You can’t go wrong with an R300 if you just want some reliable fun on circuit. A few of us will be at Donny on Fri 17th June, why don’t you come down…
Gutted for you Pat but you got way further than many would have achieved.
Pat, you’re on a different level in terms of engineering and you deserve a track car that equals that ability. I hope you stay with an Exige/Elise platform because this forum is a better place with people like you in it.
Good luck with your next project whatever it may be.
PS i have a spare k20 engine with JDM cams which you can have if that helps in anyway 
Chris
What’s the old adage - “if it were easy, everyone would be doing it”.
It’s a real shame because you have come so far with the rest of the car to effectively let this one issue now make you throw the towel in.
Doing something like this was never going to be easy and I have great admiration of what you have achieved so far with it, far more than most of us would have ever got. I know exactly what frustration can do to your motivation levels but you’d be kicking yourself stupid if you sell it and it turns out to be a relatively simple fix to the problem. You’d have to stand and endure watching someone else at Anglesy next year reaping all the benefits from the rest of the hard work put in and listen to that engine from the pit lane, I couldn’t do it.
Stick with it, I say!! If it had a shit load of issues attached then yes get rid, but surely you must of expected some issues to over come and if this is the only one, well….
I’ve walked away from projects, mainly because of a massive lack of planning from my end and spunking the budget on shit I didn’t need then running dry
However you’re so close, and it’s not like the box and engine you have are an unnatural marriage. Could a stock 355 flywheel and clutch go back in?
Here’s the current spec. 90% of the parts are brand new.
- Ferrari F355 engine. 8x ITBS, trumpet intake system, 5valves per cyl, titanium con-rods, etc etc. Should be easily over 400bhp at the flywheel. Already 50% set-up and running well, just requires final mapping.
Ferrari F355 6-speed manual gearbox with LSD.
Billet steel lightweight flywheel.
Paddle, sprung centre clutch.
Billet harmonic pendulum balancer.
Ferrari F355 gear-lever housing.
William Hill Engineering aftermarket Ferrari shift gate.
Custom gear linkage.
2x Ferrari 360 fuel rails and 8x Ferrari 360 injectors.
Custom braided fuel lines used throughout.
Denso Coil on Plug conversion.
Custom fully-TIG welded exhaust system.
Absorbative single-can silencer.
Straight-through mapping spec exhaust system with provision for twin-wideband lambda.
Custom rear subframe modifications.
Welded in harness bar.
Custom Aluminium 38L Fuel tank with integral collector.
Custom bulkhead with heat protection.
Titanium fuel filler neck.
Sytec 255lph fuel pump. Adjustable billet FPR.
0-5bar fuel pressure transducer.
Custom Aluminium dry sump tank.
0-10bar oil pressure transducer.
Aston Martin OEM Fuel Pump Driver Module with closed-loop functionality (fuel pump speed control already 90% mapped)
Full custom Professional motorsport specification wiring loom.
Cosworth Pectel SQ6 ECU
Cosworth Omega D1 Digital Dash
All BOSCH: TPS, Wheel Speed sensors, Crank & Cam Sensors, Map sensor.
Kubota Denso Alternator. Custom Alternator pulley. Custom Alternator bracket.
2.25L plumbed in fire extinguisher system.
Pierburg E90 BMW 335i Electric Waterpump
56mm Core full aluminium radiator (with fan)
19row Mocal Oil Cooler (with fan)
EliseParts S2 “GT” rear uprights
EliseParts S2 “Race” front uprights
EliseParts hubcentric wheel spacers.
EliseParts full suspension bush kit.
EliseParts throttle linkage kit.
Nitron NTR shocks with helper springs all round.
Pilbeam lower rear wishbones.
Titan 2.25 quickrack.
Extended Wheel Stud conversion.
A number of F1-spec titanium fasteners used throughout the build where appropriate.
Stainless bodywork and external fasteners used throughout.
Japan Racing Volk TE37 rep 16” x9 rear wheels & 15”7.5 front.
Kumho V70A 245/45/R16 rear (new), 205/50/R15 front (lightly used)
Freno Carbon-Carbon brakes front and rear.
Custom VX220 Motorsport front clamshell.
Custom front splitter.
2x YUASA Motorcycle batteries. Anderson jump battery connectors.
Custom S1 Exige rear clamshell. Custom side skirts.
Lightened S1 Exige roof with motorsport scoop.
Custom fuel filler cap.
Custom LED brake, indicator and DRL lights, MSA rain light.
Motorcycle mirrors with integrated side indicators.
Custom Polycarbonate engine cover.
Reverie XRC Pre-Preg carbon fibre driver’s seat.
Corbeau Carbon Kelvar passenger seat.
Custom dashtop with screen 4x electric fan demist.
FIA 4 point harnesses. Schroth harness pads.
Momo style suede steering wheel on quick release.
Custom interior switchgear and hydraulic handbrake.
APR Performance GTC-300 67” carbon rear wing. Custom wing mounts.
Custom rear wing endplates.
Custom rear diffuser.
Dave Mac Props “unbreakable” rear driveshafts with Porsche Inner CVs and standard S2 outer CVs.
I haven’t had a chance to weigh it yet, but I will put it all back together and do so. I’m very confident it’s under 800kg Wet.
I’ll shortly stick up a classified ad for the project as a whole initially. I’ve had it insured by Reis as fully working car since January at an agreed value of £55k which wasn’t even questioned by the underwriter. In it’s current situation I’ll accept under half of that. 
Maybe a silly question, but have you had a chat with Formula GT in Munchen?
No because their shaft is the best part of £2500, and I’m not convinced it can really be any better having material tested the OEM one. Unless you know otherwise?
I also think whatever the issue is it’s more fundamental than the shaft design, based on how quickly it broke this last time.
I was more thinking along the line that they might know what could be causing these rapid and repeated failures.
As you say - something is fundamentally wrong.
I can only echo everyone else’s thoughts and have huge admiration for what you’ve achieved so far but can also appreciate your patience has reached breaking point.
My suggestion is sell it, buy Jonny’s S1 and put something fruity in the back 
God no 
but it is undergoing an Orange respray as we speak, maybe that could work
Ferotus has gone!
Eventually managed to put together a deal which suited me.
Part-exchanged against this with a bit of cash my way.
2008 Westfield Seight with built 4.6L Rover V8.
So now I have something to enjoy for the rest of the summer! Been out in it all day today and it is an A.N.I.M.A.L. Needs no work for road use, but fitting some bigger brakes and a few other bits need tidying up before I’m ready to put it on track. Should only take me a couple of weeks to get ready.
The new owner of the Ferotus has sent it directly to Shiltech Ferrari Specialists in Loughborough
(which is something I would never have been able to afford to do, but I think what is needed to get it finished in a short-term timeframe…).
He’s local to me and I hope to stay involved with the completion of the car. I’m also working out how to transfer ownership of the blog over to him so that everyone can continue to follow progress.
Hopefully see some of you on track soon, it’s been a long time coming!!
cheers,
Pat