My "S" and the quest for more power

The Oily Bits S2 Specific Topics
1

After owning my S for a while I wanted more noise and to try to get it back to the same performance level of my old S1 Sport190 so the modifing had to start.

My first item was an exhaust after a while and a few phone calls later I decided to use Jim at 2bular, his passion and knowledge swayed me, he also wanted a bit of a car to test with, so my long suffering guys has now fitted and removed the exhaust several times till a happy medium was found a 24 x 8 gt3 exhaust and a sports cat, with the rear grill cut to fit

[image]http://www.thenortystep.co.uk/adrian/ex1.jpg[/image]

Next was a replacement panel filter I chose a “Green” panel filter and installed it.
This certainly seemed to have a good effect the combination of the 2 gave a better throtle response and a perception of it being faster.

I went to a rolling road day and was pleased with the result but now can’t find the dyno showing 235hp at the flywheel.

So my quest continued but with no obvious path I tried one company who took the car for a week to take some figures and check out stuff but never came back to me so I had to look else where. How to get more power? Well whatever I do it needs to have better induction cooling so a charge cooler must be the way to go.
More phone calls and the deal is done Wayne at Proalloy is the man to do the work and Wayne at Sinclaire assisting.
Off goes my car first to have a power run, then to Proalloy. My car is gone a while but it is to be expected as this is the first one they are making but when I get the car back what a work of art.

[image]http://www.thenortystep.co.uk/adrian/cc1.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.thenortystep.co.uk/adrian/cc2.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.thenortystep.co.uk/adrian/cc3.jpg[/image]

So back to the dyno after having the car back for a few days over Xmas and the results are great way better than I ever could have expected the charge temps are greatly reduced, Wayne (Proalloy) has those but it was at least 20C I think.
So back to the dyno it goes and the performance gain is now on paper.

Standard: Unknown (why does everyone forget?)
Exhaust Sport CAT Panel filter: 203whp 150 lb/ft torque

  • Charge cooler: 222whp 168 lb/ft torque

Am I pleased? you better believe it
The car feels so much more resposive and quicker Now all that leads is to what next??? But before that…

Many thanks to Jim (2bular) Wayne (Sinclaire) and Wayne (Proalloy)
The charge coolers are availble as a kit from either Proalloy or Sinclaire and full fitting service from Sinclaire

What next? well my ECU is soon to have the attention of Sinclaire’s and Charlie, a Gotham tune soon?

2

Looks good quality, can we ask how much?

3

Looks good quality, can we ask how much?

Give either of the Waynes a call depending if you want it fitted or just a kit.

Proalloy 0845 226 7561
Sinclaire 01708 343904

4

Wow, so this 222whp / 168lbft was achieved with just bolt-on mods like the drop-in filter, sports cat, cat-back, and the charge cooler, without any ECU tuning? Can’t wait to see the results after some tuning!

By the way, could you please post dyno charts, including AFR?

5

The ecu upgrade should make a massive diference now the temperatures are under control.

6

I will post the dyno charts this evening, but it has only had power runs so I don’t have the data on AFR, they might have taken them but as I wasn’t there so I’m not sure.
Yes this has all been achieved with no ecu tuning and there is no real reason why it would need it to make these gains. The airbox is still standard, the charge temp has been reduced and a better flowing exhaust.
I now can’t wait for the ecu tune as I think the results will be eye opening

7

Wow impressive stuff Adrian. I’m very interested in this for mine. What was the power at the flywheel? Also, can you give us some idea on costs. Ballpark figures will suffice for now.

As for the ECU, isn’t this pretty much locked at the moment apart from a few who have cracked it, e.g. Komo-tec? Isn’t one option to simply swap for a Lotus MS 240R ECU and Injectors, i.e. as now fitted as a part of the 240hp Performance Pack? With your exhaust, induction and Charge Cooler this would proabably easily make 255 hp as a Cup Car if not a lot more? Maybe even as much as a 280 Komo-tec?

8

Kev

I don’t have ball park costs for this as mine was the first one made and I’m sure the pricing will be different from what I paid, so contact Proalloy for a kit or Sinclaire for a kit and fitting.
As for flywheel HP there was no coast down test done but I believe rule of thumb would be a conservative 12% transmission loss so

222*12%=26 + the origianl 222 = 248 flywheel HP

As for the ECU you can’t use the 240R one as this is not fly by wire so the only choice would be a Cup 255 one, which I’m sure will be very hard to get

9

Lotus quote 218 bhp and 159 lb/ft for the S.

The PP version is 239 bhp and 179 lb/ft (I think).

I had assumed that these figures were real wheel measured anyway?

At 218 bhp less 12% (192 bhp) and say 950kg, the power to weight ratio would be less than my e46 M3, yet the car is easily as quick as my 997S, which was much quicker than the M3 and had around 245 bhp/tonne - ish? I think Lotus quote 233.2 bhp/tonne for the Exige S?

10

Kev

I don’t have ball park costs for this as mine was the first one made and I’m sure the pricing will be different from what I paid, so contact Proalloy for a kit or Sinclaire for a kit and fitting.
As for flywheel HP there was no coast down test done but I believe rule of thumb would be a conservative 12% transmission loss so

222*12%=26 + the origianl 222 = 248 flywheel HP

As for the ECU you can’t use the 240R one as this is not fly by wire so the only choice would be a Cup 255 one, which I’m sure will be very hard to get

The PP 240 ecu must be fly by wire since it’s a 08 upgrade option so surely that ECU would work? The 255 has a charge cooler so guess this could be the same ECU.

Who are you considering for an ECU upgrade BTW?

11

Manufacturers always show flywheel hp I also don’t believe HP to weight gives you a true reflection on what performance will be had by differing cars as you are not comparing apples and apples.

However 997S

355hp\1420kg unladden gives you 250hp/ton

Exige S

218hp\935kg unladden (full tank of fuel(no options)) 235hp/ton

Not sure what if anything to read into this

12

The PP 240 ecu must be fly by wire since it’s a 08 upgrade option so surely that ECU would work? The 255 has a charge cooler so guess this could be the same ECU.

Who are you considering for an ECU upgrade BTW?

As yes the PP240 might be an option but would need to check injector specs I believe the 255 Cup cars still retain an air to air I/C however it is a bit bigger than the S & PP one.

As for my ECU upgrade first UK Gotham upgrade

13

Isn’t the Gotham reflash for the stock Exige S? Or are you referring to a one-off special tune?

14

The PP 240 ecu must be fly by wire since it’s a 08 upgrade option so surely that ECU would work? The 255 has a charge cooler so guess this could be the same ECU.

Who are you considering for an ECU upgrade BTW?

As yes the PP240 might be an option but would need to check injector specs I believe the 255 Cup cars still retain an air to air I/C however it is a bit bigger than the S & PP one.

As for my ECU upgrade first UK Gotham upgrade

Never heard of Gotham. Is that as in Batman…

15

The Gotham tune will like the standard tune work from specific parameters one of which is charge temp so having a lower charge temp will be fine.

16

Cool… Will be eagerly awaiting the results!

17

Never heard of Gotham. Is that as in Batman…

Look over at Sector111’s website

18

Never heard of Gotham. Is that as in Batman…

Look over at Sector111’s website

Interesting. I assume the dyno charts on the website are wheel hp, (230hp)?

Also, are you running standard injectors? Plans told me even a 240R ecu needs new injectors.

Cheers
K

19

Kev

I believe that to be correct their dyno runs are whp and they are estimating the loses to give a flywheel power of 265hp hnce the name.
Whatever I do next I’m sure will need new injectors as UK cars run 330cc injectors and US cars are 430cc or 440cc.

20

For now the only real ECU upgrade is from Sector 111, done by Charlie…Once the injectors are upgraded to 430cc and the throttle body opening 100% the car will smoke a Komo-tec setup or any BS/Bemani… This is what the car should have had in the beginning …