Lovely looking Elise!! Welcome.
[quote=Bu1979][quote=pete757][quote=Bu1979][quote=Mr Pesky]Raphael, yes my car is now Gulf colours. I’ve owned it since new in January 2001, done approx 102k miles incl approx 100 trackdays. Engine/gearbox changed to Honda in 2005 at circa 36k miles.
Rob
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I suppose that the VHPD motor reliability was discussed on this forum frequently. I’m going to try to find these info through the huge postings number 
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I would offer that the VHPD is actually (potentially!) a very reliable motor! One of the biggest problems is it was not fully developed, rather a merged assembly of various bits, added to which it is terribly unbalanced… that is a root of many evils!
Those motors that have expired at an early age, when re-built and balanced properly are indeed a wonderfully reliable and sweet sounding motor, so much lighter than anything else too… ‘performance through light weight’ as some chapy once said!!! 
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Pete , absolutely.
This is what I meant. I know that this would be a mess to rely on the original VHPD because of its early age development. But after a proper rebuilt it could be a fantastic motor.
However I have a small question : is it right that the 190bhp upgrade could lead quicker to a VHPD problem compared to the 177bhp ? or is it a combination between this upgrade and a heavy trackdays use ? … .
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That is a good question!
The 177 ECU would give a RPM of 7,600. The 190 Upgrade ECU RPM was 7,800. So I guess in theory if you revved the nuts of it to the limiter all the time, then the 190 would stress the unbalanced engine more!
However, how many peeps rev run a VHPD well past the peak torque? Once you get to about 7200 RPM, not a lot of difference! Unless you are competing for silver, what difference would it make! I swapped my 177 ECU for a 190 ECU late last summer… there was a noticeable ‘overall’ difference! But I still up-changed at about 7,200 RPM on track days!
IMHO, either motor can be shit at either 177 or 190 ECU spec! You may be lucky with a good out of the factory motor… or have one that expires after 12,000 miles! My first S1 Exige had a motor that let go at 28k. IT was fitted with a ‘new engine’ built (sourced) by PTP and ran well with a 177 ECU. I then had the head flowed by DVA, fitted Piper 1444’s and had an Emerald fitted and mapped at Dave walkers. The BHP went from 176 to 201!!! I sold it with 38k and as far as I know, it is still going strong at over 50 k miles!
So, simple, get a VHPD properly built, balanced and mapped and all day long you would get a reliable 220 plus BHP! And a LOT lighter than any other lump too!
Plus… the best 4 cyl sound out there too!
Good advice, but somewhat over optimistic on the bhp figure, old boy 
P.S! Shreks motor has 12,400 miles with the last 500 on a 190 ECU. It also has the double filter and the CAT removed, plus runs a totally brilliant Jim Valentine exhaust!
I think my VHPD ‘feels’ very balanced as there is very little vibration and it feels so smooth all the way to 7,800 rpm. I hope I have a ‘good one’! But when finances allow, I will deffo get a full re-build like ‘Esprit’ has done to get a really silky smooth light weight powerful VHPD! Nothing will beat that!
[quote=ade]nice looking Elise, love
the colour scheme [/quote]
Thanks
Thank you
Good looking elise indeed!!!
[quote=Mr Pesky][quote=pete757]
So, simple, get a VHPD properly built, balanced and mapped and all day long you would get a reliable 220 plus BHP!
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Good advice, but somewhat over optimistic on the bhp figure, old boy [/quote]
Do you think so Rob!!!
Esprit is getting about this from his DVA ‘K’ motor in NZ… reliable so far too!
Cheers old boy!
Pete
One swallow does not make a summer, Pierre
But it does put a smile on your face
[quote=Mr Pesky][/quote]
Good advice, but somewhat over optimistic on the bhp figure, old boy [/quote]
Build a nice engine here in the UK then have it on the dyno stateside 265 bhp easily!
[quote=Mr Pesky]One swallow does not make a summer, Pierre [/quote]I’d heard you spit not swallow ?
Good advice, but somewhat over optimistic on the bhp figure, old boy [/quote]
Build a nice engine here in the UK then have it on the dyno stateside 265 bhp easily![/quote]
On the VHPD Rover motor ? A little bit optimistic no ?
Except if the motor is re-built with a 2.0l cylinders … (or maybe a turbo but I assume that it will be very expensive upgrade)
Nah its a US dyno thing. I reckon if we used Franks dyno we could get 400bhp out of a 1.8ltr k
Spelt that wrong Sean, It should be BDP (brake donkey power)
I’m just back after a long reflexion on my lotus and what I’d like to do with it.
I was interested by many exiges s1 , but unfortunately if I sold my current lotus s1 I would have lost a lot of money on my 2 years long project.
Consequently ,and although I think that a time I will buy a lovely exige s1, I started a big engine upgrade on my s1 111s.
In few words :
- VGK 1l9 engine
- Piper VVC , non VVC conversion
- All new parts forged
- Huge work on the cylinder head for flows increase
- Camshafts 285H
- Airbox roadelise kit from Autoteknix
- 42 Jenvey Throttles
- 90mm long trumpets
- and UCR quaife gears
I hope that the engine behaviour will be totally changed , that I will not recognize it , and that I will take the time to enjoy this new upgrade.
Normally the delivery is scheduled for end of month. I will post some photos of the curves.