hey guys, after reading the now infamous article by king k, i have decided to do the two most advised mods to the VHPD - the remote thermostat and the emerald ecu upgrade. As i understand, eliseparts offer the ecu with a pre programmed map? Does this mean i can just plug it in and not have to go to a rolling road for a set up? Also, will i see much of a power increase? I already have the 192 factory upgrade so can i still use the emerald?
thanks for any advice guys
Check that Emerald do a plug-and-play loom, as the socket on the ECU is for an Elise, not Exige.
People normally do a few other things when they fit the Emerald, so proper tuning can be achieved (anybody?).
You’ll probably better your bhp but I don’t know of anybody for which the Emerald had been a ‘1 hour job’. Also on the remote thermo, you may want to consider the Freelander version that some people are currently trying.
Ian
Emerald will supply it with the base VHPD map, which you’ll (roughly) have the correct cam timing to run.
However AFAIK there’s still no plug and play plug for the Exige, so you have to cut out your old loom to your old ECU and splice in all the wires into the emerald plug. It’s not a hard job, just takes about 4 hours hunched up inside the cabin so have a new spine on order to
I’m gonna try the Freelander PRRT after Brands this month… That’s if my engine doesn’t explode before then
I don’t th ink that will increase the power a lot on its own, but rather open the door for further modifications that will, like another manifoild, or bigger valves, or porting, etc.
If you foresee that you’re going to be seduced by the modification craze, you might as well install the Emerald now, you’re going to need it anyway.
I’m gonna try the Freelander PRRT after Brands this month…
Good Man!
Let us know how you get on.
Ian
I would get Emerald to do the job, they charge next to nothing for the fitting and as has been stated you have to chop the loom and solder an Elise type plug onto the end.
Dave Walker mapped my car and we got 206 BHP. OK I do have quite a few other bits and bobs on the engine, but in my opinion if you buy the ECU you are shooting yourself in the foot not having it mapped and set up corrcetly
Plus Dave Walker is a top bloke and you will pick up loads of useful tips and stuff with using the software.
Sean…
Sean can I ask what other bits you have to make 206bhp?
I have quite allot of work done to my k-series and “only” make 196bhp mapped by Dave walker. Spec as follows…
196.1bhp @ 7797rpm / 146.1 lbft @ 5821rpm
Spec:
DVA Big valve Head, 29.5mm inlet valves 26 exhaust.
VHPD cams, Solid followers, Piper verniers, jenvey direct to head throttle bodies, bernard scouse airbox, Omega forged pistons, VHPD(PTP) Rods, VHPD (ptp) crankshaft, eliseparts lightened flywheel, ap racing clutch, Eliseparts Ultimate bore manifold, Emerald ECU, Close ratio gearbox.
The bottom end has all been balanced and the engine has been mapped by Dave Walker
Video of my car doing 0-100 reckon I should of given it a bit more revs at the launch so could maybe go quicker!
Bloody hell you have done far more than me.
Mine is a standard 190 VHPD apart from:
Jenveys, QED airbox, Eliseparts full exhaust sytem including manifold and silenced CRP.
It did three runs at 206 as well as Dave couldn’t quite believe it himself.
wow u must have a good engine!!? how many miles it done, must be nice a loose!!! Might get mine put back on the rolling road sometime. Here is my emerald power graph
[image]http://www.rs-turbo.co.uk/emerald.jpg[/image]
![http://www.rs-turbo.co.uk/emerald.jpg[/image]](http://www.rs-turbo.co.uk/emerald.jpg%5B/image%5D){kind=link}
Sean can I ask what other bits you have to make 206bhp?
I have quite allot of work done to my k-series and “only” make 196bhp mapped by Dave walker. Spec as follows…
196.1bhp @ 7797rpm / 146.1 lbft @ 5821rpm
Spec:
DVA Big valve Head, 29.5mm inlet valves 26 exhaust.
VHPD cams, Solid followers, Piper verniers, jenvey direct to head throttle bodies, bernard scouse airbox, Omega forged pistons, VHPD(PTP) Rods, VHPD (ptp) crankshaft, eliseparts lightened flywheel, ap racing clutch, Eliseparts Ultimate bore manifold, Emerald ECU, Close ratio gearbox.
The bottom end has all been balanced and the engine has been mapped by Dave Walker
Jamos,
I think I see why, your quoted “big valve head” is not really big valve.
The VHPD has as standard 31.5mm IN, 27.3mm EX.
Is it a std Elise engine you started from? (hint is the “solid followers bit”, as all Exiges have solid followers, Omega pistons, VHPD cranks, light flywheel and CR box as standard )
To me, you just need to up the valve size if you can, as if it’s an early std casting you may not be able to.
In that case you would need to start from a VHPD or VVC cast.
Hi Uldis, Thanks for your reply! Yes its an Elise I have! Was just intrested why my power wasnt as hight as others but I think you have answered my question well. Goes fast enough for me rev limit is set at 8,100rpm with larger valves would the rev limit be even higher?!!?
Thanks
James
Not necessarily, rev limit depends on other things and big valves flow well from lower revs.
Just keep an eye on the classifieds for a VHPD or VVC head.
You’ll get loads more.
Whats the spec off the VVC head?
Thanks
James
I’m gonna try the Freelander PRRT after Brands this month…
Good Man!
Let us know how you get on.
Ian
Will do, they run at 88C so seeing if I can find one that’ll run at 82C as I’m now used to seeing that on my Stack
But if not a stable 88C should be fine really…
Whats the spec off the VVC head?
Thanks
James
AFAIK, about the same casting than the VHPD, but with the provision for the hydrulic cam control, which you have to blank off anyway.
Speak to dave Andrews, he’s the man to tell you all about it.
So going by this chart & calculations - I recently had my Exige dynoed and it was putting out 146.8bhp at the wheels (x by 30% gives 190.8 bhp as per the Emerald chart above). It is a standard car with the 190 upgrade. Is it this simple? The rolling road I was on suggested it was only putting out 178 bhp at the flywheel.
30% loss sounds abit high through a 2wd transmission I would say more 18% maybe less!!! 4wd is more like 30% think that was what my escort cosworth lost.
“So going by this chart & calculations - I recently had my Exige dynoed and it was putting out 146.8bhp at the wheels (x by 30% gives 190.8 bhp as per the Emerald chart above). It is a standard car with the 190 upgrade. Is it this simple? The rolling road I was on suggested it was only putting out 178 bhp at the flywheel”
30% transmission loss is WAAAY too high. More like 15%, so yes 178bhp is about right.