Slow and Steady Peformance Mods and Results

[TME_Steve]

Nah it'll be right, worst case is 55% more fuel and that's running as rich as 98 and no timing benefit (so there will be less fuel than that used) but that was using googled calorific values and a 5 minute calc while I was eating breakfast so that might not be quite correct either. The volvo thread above has a different calorific value per litre to what I saw but that only helps.
There are plenty of cars running 98 on the road and E85 on the track so unless you're going for crazy power I don't think it will be too bad....

besides, a fuel system is a lot cheaper and easier to fit than a turbo upgrade and maybe needs to be done anyway.... hmmm, excuse for a surge tank....

I know some other guys with a heap of E85 experience so I'll be talking to them first anyway, they talk only 25%-30% more fuel flow so....

Anyway it's early days and I have to do a few more things first anyway so plenty of time to research and so on.

 

[twisted32]

Go the E85 Steve, I think that will be my next step (including injectors of course)

 

[TME_Steve]

Nice list of mods Steve.

Jus reading your suspension mods, you have the swaybars soft front and hard rear and are getting more of a four wheel drift scenario than power slide. Going to 6kg per mm/5kg per mm or even 6kg per mm/6kg per mm instead of 6kg per mm/4kg per mm with your custom springs should give you more arse out slidey action and help with stiffening the rear up.

Also interested to see how you go on E85 as it'll be a mod i'll consider once E85 is more widespread. Read an interesting write up on a Volvo forum of all places: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=73061

Yeah I'm starting to think 6/5 might be right for me....

 

[Harlequin]

its intersting to see how the mods have gained you power, gives me a reasonable idea what to look at to get max gains

 

[TME_Steve]

Thanks Trent, the idea of the thread was to let people know what does what....

 

[TME_Steve]

A little bit more info. I posted up the stock spring and damper rates (here) so given that their ratio is about 30% more stiffness in the front than the rear, 6/4 rates would be a dumb idea (as mac suggested) so I'm thinking at least 6/5 which would be 20% front/rear difference or more likely 7/6, only 16% more front. Should make it a bit more taily.

I have some Bilstein coilovers organised (just need to find the time to go get them) and after my diff breaking event I'm now on the hunt for a SAYC diff.

once all that's sorted back to the power issues (it needs more).

 

[TME_Steve]

Updated My car:
'99 Manual Facelift Type S in Trigger
Interior: Factory recaros, retrimmed momo wheel, retrimmed handbrake lever and boot, momo gear lever, mmcs, factory carbon trim, short shifter, usual stereo stuff, dynamat in the doors, extra sound deadening in the boot floor (can be removed).
Plans: somehow integrate aftermarket GPS into the dash, clean it and new car mats

Exterior: Evo8 Enkei Wheels (The BBS Evo MR wheels will go back on soon, I just need to pick a colour to powder them after they've been re rolled), clark rubber front lip, debadged except for VR-4 logo's, front windows tinted to match factory glass, removed mesh from the front bar, FMIC sprayed gunmetal grey. Sometimes the appearance gets significantly modified with the addition of roof racks and a pod. Transformance stickers on rear wing (drivers side), front door (Passenger side), where it used to say mitsubishi on the back and the tow hook cover.
Plans: Clark rubber sideskirts, twin exhausts if I can make a canon fit around the AYC pump, maybe an evo bonnet but I'm going off the idea, bit of blanking around the intercooler behind the bar to cover up a few pipes.... Metal Mesh on the front bar - the intercooler paint is getting hammered in all the rain!

Suspension: Brand new (well about 5k ago) factory lower control arms & castor arms, urethane bushed upper control arms, Selby swaybars set softest at the front and stiffest at the rear (could still do with more rear stiffness, it kinda four wheel drifts rather than getting the tail out like a similarly modded EVO 9 does), whiteline drop links, gussetted rear lower control arm swaybar brackets (tore the factory ones) factory struts. Rear strut brace. Bilstein Coilovers with 8Fr/6.3Rr kg springs
Plans: Underbody front and rear braces. The rear brace is ready to go in. Needs corner weighting and alignmnet too....

Brakes: Evo8 calipers, DBA 5000 two piece slotted front rotors (you would not believe how much lighter than 4000 series these are), DBA Street or 4000 series slotted rotors rear (Not sure), Ferodo DS2500 pads all round, Endless RF 650 brake fluid. Braided lines.
Plans: Not much, maybe a braced master cylinder but it's not a priority.

Engine: Full 3" exhaust with 2.5" frontpipes (windsor exhaust system) with a triple flow rear muffler for road use, straight through muffler is still here and one day I might put it back on to see if it goes any better with it (might be a kw or 2, that'd be it I think), 600 x 300 x 76 FMIC from Ebay (outperforms almost every other intercooler I see on these), PFL hotside pipe so the intercooler bolts up and no I did not cut the impact bar, factory pipework, EVO X BOV, AC Delco 3 port controlled by the ECU, Ralliart panel filter, Walbro 255lph fuel pump, 3sx fuel loop between the fuel rails additional intake to the bottom of the factory airbox, coil on plug (Naughtika's), Denso IK22 plugs gapped to 0.8mm, flashed (many many times) 7202 ECU with Kenneth's latest ROM mods so extended fuel and ignition maps, launch control with antilag, switched maps with didfferent maps for each gear (1st and 2nd run leaner and with more advance, I also make even more boost in 2nd than I do in 3rd and 5th runs less boost and trails off even more and then runs richer above 160), . I wasn't sure where to put it but it also has a power steering cooler, it happend while changing intercoolers so in here is where it's going.
Plans in order: Custom hard pipe everywhere from replacing the intake to the plastic pipe that connects to the throttle body, blanking plates to divert the air through the intercooler, water spray, water/meth injection, twin stainless exhaust right through with Varex canons and custom dumps, E85 tune (that's a recent decision), then maybe a turbo upgrade, not sure what yet but either TD04 x 2, something else x 2 (could be anything), If I break it by then maybe a new engine with forged bits but thats hopefully not required.

Drivetrain: Custom full face organic clutch with heavy duty pressure plates from Penrith Brake and Clutch (I don't launch and I hate buttons), std manual gear box, Evo 9 SAYC diff .
Plans: maybe ACD, I'd love a different set of ratios, with longer 1st, 2nd and 5th but that's not likely to ever happen.

 

[jungle]

Pics or it didn't happen:cursing:

 

[TME_Steve]

Actually I had a gopro taking pics every 10 secs till the battery went flat but the diff was half back in then, thought id make a guide and time lapse vid....

 

[jungle]

Video or it didn't happen...:cursing:

 

[TME_Steve]

When I get around to it....

Diff now sorted properly - you need a 10mm spacer betwen the subframe and the diff (I had 7.5mm) and decent engine mounts help too....

I'm now thinking about these coilovers and I'm a bit lost, they're posted here but to me they look like the correct sort of front rear damper ratio but stupid springs. Heasmans are telling me to go no less than an 8kg on the front for those dampers or they will over power the spring on rebound which means I could go about 6.5 in the rear. I can probably put the 8kg spring from the rear in the front (and it should end up 12mm higher than what they are set too now, which is fairly low) and then I just buy a set of rear srpings at say 6.5-6.8ish, might as well try it and if it works I'll ultimately get some new front springs at 8 so they can adjust up and down more.

Before I do that I'm going to fit them as they are (hello stiff and understeer I imagine) and see how bad it really is. You never know....

 

[TME_Steve]

Update, the 14/8 springs were as expected stiff as hell and understeered at the limit (did sit flat though) - no surprises there, drove me nuts....

I ended up throwing the 8's from the rear to the front and ordering 6.5's for the back, they came out at 6.3 (near enough) and I'm actually glad, it's all a little too stiff for me, it's not underdamped, just that the whole car feels like it follows every road movement. It needs to be corner weighted and realigned but it's not too bad as far as I can tell on the road, it's sitting close to 350mm from the guard to the centre of the wheel and it's about the right height for me, any lower and I'd be scraping the front bar too much for what I do, besides I notice the struts don't have that much travel left before hitting the bump stops so I'm happy enough with the height.

As I said it's a little too stiff for a road car for me but when you're into it, it does come together, some more rebound control might help it on the rear but I'm not sure, it can stay as it is for now. What I am sure about is how much it's helped get rid of understeer and the ease of inducing lift off oversteer is addictive. On a 90 degree bend at normal joe average driving speeds as late as 10 degrees into the corner I could go, hmm might have a go, give it a squirt for a car length, throw it in, lift off and hello oversteer, nothing lurid but I could never have done that before. And this is with both swaybars now at their stiffest rather than the front soft and the rear stiff like they used to be.

I'm also REALLY happy with turn in, I haven't found the understeer limit yet as I'm now entering corners I think about 20% faster than when it used to start scrubbing and it just turns the corner without any fuss.... So as far as front/rear spring rate ratios go, around the 25% stiffer front works well compared to the stock 31%, you wouldn't think 5 percent would make that much difference.... SAYC probably helps as well.

Updated post #47 above to suit too....

And yes Simon, one day I'll post that video....

 

[jungle]

No you won't!

It is interesting playing with different rates. Going from a 5kg to 4kg rear spring on my Sil80 made a massive difference.

The Tein on my Leggy is quite soft and under damped, but it doesn't push at the limit- quite the opposite it goes where i point it which is really weird with all the body roll it has.

 

[TME_Steve]

Yeah now that I've got used to the 8/6.3 combo, when I go in other VR4's with teins they now feel stock, probably a nice upgrade for those not wanting to lose much ride comfort.

Now, finally got the car the height I want and corner weighted, re-aligned and with new tyres. Wow does it feel different! The rear is still a bit non compliant but it is sooooo much better it's not funny. Alignment specs are now:

Front toe: -1mm both sides (1mm toe out either side)
Front Camber: -0.75degrees
Rear toe: 0mm
Rear Camber:-1.5degrees

Corner weighting results with an 85kg driver, close to full tank of fuel, spare in but no sub or floor liner in the boot was:
Front Left:508kg
Front Right:508.5kg (I guess the left side is heavier but the driver brings it back)
Rear Left:328.5kg (Hey that's where my sub goes - awesome)
Rear Right:382kg (the right side is heavier and the driver makes it worse - AYC pump etc wouldn't be helping that cause)
Total:1727kg - this sounds high at first but when I think about it, it's probably correlating with specs, I would have extra weight due to: bigger battery and intercooler - 5kg, HID's - 0.5kg - had to say it :lol:, amps and cable 15kg, split speakers and crossovers - 2-3kg, dynamat - 20kg, bigger exhaust - 5-10kg, all fluids and almost full tank of fuel- 65kg, recaros - extra 5kg, all that out would be 1521kg dry weight, pretty close in fact probably under.

So now I just need - carbon bonnet, lithium battery, titanium exhaust and hard pipes, different wheels, carbon doors, remove impact bars, remove intrusion bars, remove AC, lightweight seats, ditch rear seat, alloy subframe, custom intake manifold, delete lights, ditch carpet, remove sound deadening etc etc, maybe get it down to 1500 with driver, none of that will happen so clearly I just need more power and grip :lol:

Calculated specs as follows to save you number crunching:
Left total: 836.5 - 48.4%
Right total: 890.5 - 51.5%
(I guess 1 passenger equalises that)
Front: 1016.5 - 58.8%
Rear: 710.5 - 41.1% (Not sure where the other 0.1% went - ha!)
Cross (FR-RL):837 - 48.4%
Diag (FL-RR): 890 - 51.5% (Again I lost 0.1% somewhere)

So it's all within 2% so it's not too bad (apart from front rear but apart from putting a 6G75TT in the back there's not much I can do about that).

Tyres are Dunlop Direzza Star Spec Z1's in 235/45/17, basically as far as you can go before a Semi in the Dunlop range, similar tyre to the Advan AD08. Apparently a lot of circuit guys are using them as wet tyres now.

I haven't given it a real hard time yet as it's been raining since it was done but it feels stable and tight where as it was feeling a bit loose and in need of an alignment before.

Currently the swaybars are both set stiff as possible so based on the guy above's advice I'm going to drop them to soft as possible and play around from there. Fairly happy camper in that it gripped and handled OK before this was all done and that will only be far better and now it rides and steers better

 

[hozza]

Sounds good where did you get this done?
I have wanted to get this done for a while.
The legnum should have a bit more weight on the back.

 

[Jonson]

Jealous. gonna track it?

 

[TME_Steve]

I've got a bit of an old family tie up with heasman steering, so we did it there last night.

Track? Absolutely, skid pan in June first.

 

[TME_Steve]

I'll throw up the graphs when i have a chance but yesterday VR40TT went back on the dyno. Since the last time it went on the dyno and made 188kW (on the mainline, not the hub used at the start) it's got a new set of engine mounts and a new varex rear muffler. Other than that, power mod wise it got some more km's put on it....

It wasn't the smoothest of days (as sees to be usual when my car goes on the dyno), the road bumps started the night before when I went to get fuel and realised the servo was closed. Back home i went.

The next day I went to the servo and filled up 30L worth of Jerry cans with that stuff that smells not like fuel at all.

Back to the dyno, no rush, only doing my car today, why would there be a rush. Hmmm, dyno room is filthy, might clean it out....

Hmm might try water and a mop on the back wall, oops, that made it worse, better get a rag.... Ah well, plenty of time, only my car today....

Now I didn't have one of these super new rear engine mounts in yet so I figured now was a good time. Why put it on one of the 4 spare hoists when I can just do it halfway up the dyno ramps. I can now tell you why, because when you need to get a jack under the car to lift the rear of the engin a little bit, there is bugger all room left between those ramps. Anyway, after much annoyance that was done.

Put the car on the dyno and had a few fuel issues, which long story short resulted in me doing a heap of stuff that achieved nothing to solve a problem that didn't exist. By now it's about 3:30 or something and I'm yet to finalise the 98 tune. Did that then played a bit, here's some interesting results.

Wastegate pressure boost, Varex closed, it made 109.4kW ATW - thought it felt slow!

Change nothing but open the varex, and it made 149.2kW ATW - that's more like it!

Now we can see that wastegate creep occurs though, it made a peak of 7.8psi with the muffler open and only 5.6psi with the muffler closed.... Food for thought.

So enough of that, reconnect the 3 port, and retune again and got to 199.6kW.

This is no good as one of my clients currently teases me that his car has more power than mine (should have turned off the stereo, instead of just tunring it down only needed 400W more lol).

Anyway with the fuel light on (remember I want to put that other stuff in) I thought I'd give it one more try, a little here a little there and with a VERY close eye on the O2 sensor reading I did a run, and at about 5000RPM it suddenly started to run lean and I aborted the run. Best stop there then. At least it made 202.5kW before running out of fuel.

So now Im thinking OK this is nearly out of fuel. it can't supply fuel at full load, I'll just idle it for a minute and it will stop. I've had enough of doing mechanical work today, I'll just pack up some stuff while it idles away.... 20 mins later I came back to find it still idling.... Awesome. Lesson for the day, you can run for an awful long time after you first start running out of fuel. It will probably run lean as hell and destroy your fuel pump and maybe your engine but hey, if you gotta get home that day....

So eventually I got the fuel out of it and I put in 30L of E85, so I probably had E82 or something given the little bit of 98 that would still be in there. the plan was to run that down wiith heaps of tuning time (had the whole day remember) and then drive it down and fill it up when it was virtually empty. The fact that it was now 6pm and I only just put the E85 in meant that wasn't going to happen. Awesome day, heaps of time.

Anyway, a bit of tuning later and it got to 225.4kW ATW. Didnt even need to hotwire the fuel pump.

That is not bad, not bad at all.

Engine wise, essentially this is a car with, full exhaust, ralliart panel filter, fuel rail loop, walbro 255L pump, EVO X BOV, Coil on plug, injectors and that's it. And it's running R spec compound tyres to add some more rolling resistance. On a mainline dyno that is a decent power figure, OK it's not 600Hp or anything but it's a car that standard usually makes about 130-135kW ATW, if you're lucky a stock VR4 will make 140, that's a 60% power gain at the wheels and it was running smooth as silk and really cool. Even coolant temps were better than I'd ever seen it do on a dyno.

It needs more time to sort it out properly so I'm hoping to get it back on before Mick demands his injectors back and finish it off but I don't think there is much more top end in it anyway. So 400Hp at the engine on stock turbos is definately doable, just needs better fuel than 98.

 

[Interloper]

nice one!

 

[Kenneth]

Good results Steve. I have been meaning to get into some E85, but the lack of availability here means that I would need to carry a reserve tank around

Now we can see that wastegate creep occurs though, it made a peak of 7.8psi with the muffler open and only 5.6psi with the muffler closed.... Food for thought.

I wouldn't attribute that to wastegate creep. If your muffler is restricting exhaust gas flow, you will get back pressure down stream of the turbine, ruining its performance.