S2 NA + Mods

[matt447]

Hi everyone!

Very long time lurker, but thought I should finally introduce myself! I picked up my current Exige S2 just over a year ago and set about fixing up all the bad bits. This is my 3rd Lotus, first being a new 111R in 2004, then an Exige S2 in 2005 which I kept for a few years before needing something more 'practical' and now I'm back in the position to have a track toy again, so bought basically the same car again! There was always something wonderful about the bipolar nature of the NA 2ZZ-GE that I remembered fondly so wanted to find another one. I happened across a low mileage Graphite Grey cable throttle one that was in great condition, so was very lucky...

So far, I've done:
- Stage 2 Piper cams
- Crower titanium valve retainers
- MWR uprated valve springs
- Fidanza lightweight flywheel
- ACT HDSS clutch
- Moroso baffled sump
- Moroso coolant tank (standard plastic tank sprung a leak on the way home from collecting the car!)
- EMU Black
- 2bular 4-2-1 manifold and sports cat
- 2bular H2 thru-diffuser back box currently in transit to me... replacing a Hangar 111 Signature Dual Exit and a Lotus Stage 2
- Reverie Daytona induction
- Nitron NTR40
- 2 sets of wheels and tyres (Exige Y-Spoke with R888R and bronze JR3s with AD08RS tyres - for dry or wet track days, naturally)
- Eltech carbon fibre side skirts
- Odyssey PC625 battery (6KG) and aluminium bracket
- Elise-shop belled discs
- Ferodo DS2500 pads, thinking about swapping to CL RC5+?
- Removed radio and speakers
- New coil packs as they looked like they had been arcing
- Poweflex yellow engine mount inserts (which transformed the gear change from 'good' to 'amazing!', but yes my mirrors do shake at tickover now, lol)
- Spitfire toelinks
- Elise Parts quick release steering wheel boss

Hoping I'm going to stick at that mod-wise for a while and just enjoy the car on track a bit. I'm currently at around 865KG and the car goes better than I have the ability to drive it, so I'm considering investing in my abilities instead

Here's a couple of photos from a recent track day:




Hopefully see people on some track days in the near future!
Matt

[andybond]

Wow! great pictures and a fantastic spec.

I am super curious about your exhaust changes. You have trodden the path I think I want to go down. Which exhaust would you say sounded better so far? The H111sig or the stage2? I will be watching with interest when you fit your 2bular.

Thanks for taking the time to post!

[Fonzey]

Very nice, love the JR3s and the bronze goes really well on that colour car.

As much as I love my Exige S, I really do miss the NA nature of my 111R sometimes. It's a great engine, would probably go down as a legendary one if it wasn't for the K20 existing

[matt447]

The Stage 2 is awesome - but as far as I understand it, you lucky S owners need to use the Stage 3 instead? I must say, that the H111 Signature Dual Exit has been amazing - I loved the way it sounded (not as much drone or drama as the Lotus Stage 2, but a nice note and I got through static testing at Cadwell at 94DB) and the only reason I got rid of it is... Jim at 2bular, lol! After buying the 4-2-1 and sports cat, I told him what exhaust I currently had and he basically sold me his custom backbox... He's fairly convincing on the phone and seems a thoroughly nice guy to chat with

[matt447]

Thanks Fonzey - I was extremely worried about ordering the JR3s in bronze - but in real life they look amazing on the car, and the colour works very well against the grey! They seem quite light too, thank heavens!

[hogarth]

Hi, I am doing a similar set-up with my 2005 Exige, but possibly with a stroker kit, I've already got the 2bular manifold but awaiting the GT3 back box, does the EMU black just 'piggy back' on the standard ECU? Tony

[matt447]

Hi, I am doing a similar set-up with my 2005 Exige, but possibly with a stroker kit, I've already got the 2bular manifold but awaiting the GT3 back box, does the EMU black just 'piggy back' on the standard ECU? Tony

Hi Tony! It's in place of the original ECU - it's a much improved unit, and I've got a Wideband lambda on it so it can tune itself on the go, so I never have to worry about running too rich/lean over any significant period.

Stroker kits did interest me... they may still happen in the future, we'll see

[matt447]

I'd just like to put this advice out there for anyone in the future: If you're ever changing your lift bolts, use a little Loctite 243 thread locker when you do it... I had my cams installed by a Lotus main dealer, he put 2 new lift bolts in for me at the same time (without thread lock) and I had intermittent lift problems... When I removed the valve cover a few hundred miles later, I found... one lift bolt here:


(next to the exhaust valves)

and the other lift bolt here:


(this is looking up into the engine with the sump removed)


The latter bolt was a swine to get at and I needed to remove the timing cover to get at it. Just my opinion, but I'd use a little thread lock just to make sure you don't end up in the same boat as me, lol

[Fonzey]

That's the second post we've had here inside a week where the lift bolts have come out after Lotus worked on the cams.

I swapped mine over winter.... think I'm going to lift the cam cover again and check them!

[matt447]

That's the second post we've had here inside a week where the lift bolts have come out after Lotus worked on the cams.

I swapped mine over winter.... think I'm going to lift the cam cover again and check them!

I think the first post may have been me in 'The Hornet's thread?