chazrad

Hi buddy, Yup, hoping to get to Stoner in June. Not sure what else I can get to. Looking forward to moving back over to Wiltshire so we can do a few more local meets again...

Having completed 1200 miles of running-in, the car was back at the The Phirm for a check over last week. After an oil and filter change and a sump-off inspection for swarf, Matt for C2 Motosports took the car out to check the mapping at various boost settings. I'm delighted to report that it 'performed as he'd hoped', so once again, we're off having turbo fun... Looking forward to the VR6OC RR day at Stealth this coming weekend.

I've got an oil catch tank fitted which returns oil to the sump via a custom pipe. It vents to atmosphere via a pipe that runs down under the car. I don't appear to get any oil vapours/smells inside the car.

I'm pretty sure that the fuel economy on the Ed30 GTi is pretty poor too. Tbh you don't really by either the Ed30 or the ST if you want a fuel efficient car. I know they're a bit chavvy but I just love the sound of the 5 pot engine. Like Karl says, with some stainless pipes they sound ace!! And with a Mountune remap, they'll out pace a standard Focus RS. What I really want right now is the engine out of a TTRS (with a Revo remap) in my Mk3!! 410 bhp and similar torque anyone? ;)

I'm all paid up and looking forward to the day...

Agreed Wendy. A good day out. Great to catch up with some familiar faces too.

I don't think it'll work with me trying to meet up with you guys on the way up. I will be heading M25 - M40. So I'll see you there - about 11.30 I reckon. Anyone else going from London and fancy meeting up?

Hmm, I don't think so. Its some way short of show and shine standard at the moment. My paint is in an awful state. At the very least I need the front end respraying. Its got serious gravel/stone chip rash! which I pretty much given up touching in. No, its for cleaning up (because I like to see it clean) but also for driving at the moment (once I finished running it in again) then maybe late next year, I'll get it resprayed. For me a place on the club stand would be perfect. Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow at the AGM...

I still can't get access to the members only section. I registered two days ago, paid my subscription by Paypal, and it says my application has not yet been approved, so I can't register for Stoner. This is pretty frustrating.

Eric, I've tried logging on to the site and it doesn't recognise me anymore: username, password or indeed my email address to send a reminder of both of those to. Seems like I'm locked out and unable to register for Stoner again. Can you help?

Hi Eric, I had been given a place on the Stoner Park stand too. Can I reconfirm that I am still able to have one, please. Thanks. Charlie

Hi John, Yeah will be good to catch up again. I still recall you busy chatting to someone last year when I was walking passed, then I didn't see you at all for the rest of the afternoon. John M - Don't worry about your paint, mate. Mine's getting pretty scruffy now too..

I'm doing Stoner. Hoping I'll have a place on the CCGB stand.

Give someone like Tim at The Phirm or Vince at Stealth a ring. I'd trust Tim to give you some pointers, matey...(contact details for both on the web)

Happy Birthday, matey.

Yup, its the noise that does it for me too. I'd have a late S2 if I had the space to keep the 'Rado as well. A friend a few years ago had the 2.8 V6 coupe which was a heavy barge and understeered badly. I'm sure they're much better with the 4WD and the 50:50 torque split. If this is what you end up with, you could have done a whole lot worse and I look forward to hearing about the ownership experience.

I'm planning to be there this year. Looking forward to catching with a few people I've not seen for ages...

I'm not sure I agree with you, John. Firstly what are these police that you speak of that will enforce motorway speed limits? They're simply aren't the coppers on the roads anymore to effectively police the Queen's highways. Cuts several years ago put paid to them: when the police - encouraged by the Home Office - had to prioritise their budgets to neighbourhood policing over enforcing traffic regulation. They were replaced by the more cost effective but essentially powerless highway patrols that you see about. I reckon the raising of the motorway speed limit tacitly suggests to drivers that it is now 'alright' (read unlikely to be pulled over) to do 90mph whereas before we have probably all thought that its 'alright' to do 80. I have to admit to not having seen anything on the lowering of other road speed limits so can't comment on that. On the issue of variable speed limits, I have to say I think they generally work, when enforced by average speed cameras. I hate to admit it but they do seem to ensure that the traffic flows because everyone basically accepts that they can't really go any faster than anyone else over that stretch, so there is less tailgating and idiotic behaviour (unnecessary braking leading to bunching etc.) The other thing is such enforced limits save everyone fuel. Experience on the hateful M25 at morning rush hour - when I am unfortunate enough to need to use it - is what I am basing this on. Hmmm new signs: don't know who'll pay. Possiby a hike in road tax will cover it!!

Totally agree with you here... and those Delta S4s are so rare as well.. Except actually I'd want the UR quattro too...

This is great stuff on the interior refurbishment! Well done. What is the name of the colour of the refurb kit that Gliptone sent you to carry out the seat restoration, and what did you use to clean your headlining? It will make such a tremendous difference to the inside of your car...

Well it does indeed sound like you've invested a fair bit getting your car up to a good start point for taking the power further. I'd seriously consider bigger brakes but I know of some VRT owners who haven't bothered... My suggestion would be to leave your car as it is for the moment whilst building up the money to do the turbo conversion properly once. I wouldn't bother converting your current engine if you are at the same time going to be converting your 2.8L block. You could spend £3-4K on good quality parts, but in your situation, I would seriously be tempted to save up and get someone like Vince to turbo the car. His stage 1 kit seems to be very well put together and everyone seems to be very happy with it - around 370bhp to boot.

When my 8.5:1 compression engine was first dynoed without the spring in the wastegate to get it running sweetly before mapping with the turbo, it produced 148bhp..... So yeah, a low comp engine will definitely produce less power but depending on how long you intend to run around without it being FI and how much you use the car, I'd say it would be ok. Just don't try and take anyone on at the traffic lights!!

Like Coullstar says, the 2.8L is fine when you go turbo. Being a slightly smaller capacity, it also means the cylinder wall thicknesses are greater so the block is a better starting point than the 2.9L, as I think a number of us have found. I too now run a stock displacement AAA 2.8L albeit with 8.5:1forged Wossners. I am also now running OBD2 on my turbo setup, so the setup you plan to do is as per mine. If you've driven a stock OBD2 VR6, you'll know that with the electronic throttle, the car is smoother from the get-go. Also, off boost, the car behaves as smooth as stock too. I am also using a 4in MAF with an aftermarket chip in the ECU to control my setup; I imagine this is what you will do. As Coullstar says, the best thing to do is strip the block right down first. You'll need to have it machined to fit perfectly with your pistons anyway so it'll have to be done. I reused the crank from the AAA block but all my ancils were carried over from my ABV block as most were new or pretty new. You'll need new bearings, shells, gaskets, probably chains and tensioners as well. Re the gearbox, it is the same 02A regardless of whether its connected to a 2.9L or 2.8L engine. I would say a diff is pretty essential when going FI, and you'll find the grip out of tight corners and away from junctions will improve considerably. Whilst there, a full rebuild is sensible - as the gearbox has to come apart anyway, so budget for approx £1300 for the diff and a rebuild. Interestingly, I personally wouldn't recommend a 3.68 FD, simply because you won't need it with the turbo. My limited experience so far tells me that a bar of boost in a VR with standard gearing is more than quick enough! Also, the car will be juicy enough petrol-wise as it is with the turbo, and all the lower final drive will do is mean you are running at higher revs at any given road speed. It probably will aid acceleration slightly, but when you're on the motorway just cruising, the extra revs - and extra noise - might just be a nuisance you can do without. If anything, I am considering putting in a longer top gear (5th) from a diesel just so I can regain a little fuel economy when I'm not caning it; which, let's be honest is 90% of the time. You'll love the turbo conversion. Its 3rd and 4th gear acceleration that always blows me - and 95% or all other road users - away. Its also the ability to hit the loud pedal in any gear and accelerate hard without having to change down that I adore - big torque is addictive. If you've driven a powerful turbo diesel recently, you'll know what I mean. Re the build up, I think you'll at least need help with the down pipe. If you're talented like some on here, its all in a day's work. Me: I let The Phirm do it all. Mine was built onto the car and fabricated from 3in steel pipe. There is not alot of clearance down the back of a VR lump in a 'Rado to fit passed the steering rack and gear cables so it is timeconsuming to get right. There are also different ways to mount the turbo up. Many seem to use the turbo manifolds that you can buy off ebay, which mounts the turbo high up behind the block. Others like mine mount the turbo lower down and more out of sight. In which case, the standard 'crows feet' are used then a manifold is made up onto which the turbo is bolted. After the turbo comes the clever and intricate pipework which passes down under the car and mates up with your cat bypass or sports cat. Other costs that you've not mentioned: Don't forget air cooling - intercooler and pipework (which will probably need manufacturing), wastegate, quality blow-off valve, oil cooler and pipework, perhaps an oil swirl pot, inlet manifold - short runner or standard, camshafts (Schimmel 263s are highly regarded) very good brakes, (and possibly bigger wheels to fit), bigger injectors (probably 440cc or bigger), plugs and leads, oil feed and water cooling for the turbo, fuelling (consider a race pump in line with the standard in-tank pump (Walbro, Sytec and Bosch are common), uprating the engine and gearbox mounts, renewing the suspension bushings (polybushings or R32 bushes that some use), uprating suspension and top mounts, anti-roll bars, boost gauge, possibly an in-car electronic boost controller and EFR gauge etc. The list is extensive and you'll find that to do a turbo conversion properly is considerably more expensive than you think. Actually, on second thoughts, the best advice is to save a chunk of money and buy a VRT with all the work done!! Albeit whilst sacrificing the satisfaction of doing it all yourself (or having it done for you) ...

Kev, It was an S60 I had rather than a P8 Pro. Alan Warburton himself recommended it to Tim at the Phirm when we were researching ECUs; and we went with the DTA in the first place because that was what Steve G had recommended and what he was sure he could map well on the car... No, I never did run an ISV and I can now imagine that it would have made cold starting easier. Actually, on a couple of occasions Tim threatened to retrofit it to the engine when it was up and running, but as it was events somewhat overtook us. You are kind to have offered your maps and I know you ran a GT3071 at one stage. I was aware that you had extended that offer previously, and with hindsight it would possibly have been a good starting point; although to be fair Tim got the car running well enough for the running-in period, and then it was off to Steve G at Track and Road anyway. So it never really occurred to me to ask you. You are right about the quality of idle on OBD2. OK, mine was never good from cold on the S60 (down to mapping deficiencies as discussed) but it is a world apart now. I took the car to work today - to give it a run and get some miles on it - and it started straight away and fast idled perfectly for a minute or so before dropping down to a steady idle, just like the Golf I've got. I know you run a 2.8L block too; and as you've said before there is no discernible difference in output over a 2.9L when you strap a turbo to it anyway. but now - like you - I have the benefit of a more robust block as a starting point. The last time I saw my old block, it was languishing in the corner of Tim's workshop looking sorry for itself...RIP . The other bonus is that I've managed to sell a fair chunk of the surplus OBD2 and old Corrado 2.9L OBD1 engine parts and ancils (eg. gearbox, alternator, head, drive shafts etc) on to recoup costs of buying the complete OBD2 setup in the first place, so that has helped offset another sizeable bill for new parts.... Like you say, now to enjoy it; and with any luck it'll be run-in in time for Stealth's RR day in May.

Yeah, I'd like 1 set too please, should you get around to doing another group buy. Many thanks. Charlie