Simple engine mods...

[Gander]

Re: Simple engine mods...

If they hadn't already been done then getting the injectors cleaned will potentially restore some missing factory horses.

[richie00boy]

Re: Simple engine mods...

Standalone management uses some existing sensors and maybe some new ones, aftermarket management may have been a better term to use.

[Austinspace75]

Re: Simple engine mods...

Thanks Kev. Yes, I don't doubt SBD's knowledge and the quality of their stuff, I was just looking for an incremental approach rather than the radical rebuild they only seemed interested in selling me.

That list sounds very sensible. Ta!

[KEV]

Re: Simple engine mods...

Good advice so far. For your engine I would think a good list of bits for more power and reliability retention would be:

• Aftermarket ECU and management(as richie said-get rid of the AFM system).
• Exhaust Manifold
• ARP Rod bolts and fresh bearings (then you can safely raise the rev limit)

As it's a race engine I would upgrade the standard sintered oil pump inner gear too, it's a known failure. SBD sell these £90ish, and a GM new outer gear supplied through them is £25ish. Fast road cams are a waste of time/money until you get to 200-220bhp as the standard head will flow well enough until then.

I can understand why you would want other opinions but all in all SBD offer a quality service and product's for XE tuning, even if it is expensive. I've ordered lots from them now and I've never had a single problem.

[Austinspace75]

Re: Simple engine mods...

hmmm.. this is the kind of stuff I'm after. Thanks for the advice.

Richie, the standalone management, forgive me but I guess this means that the ECU is replaced by something that doesn't require any sensors/inputs? i.e. it just delivers a map to the injectors and plugs according to its own programme 'blind'. Can you point me toward a suitable system currently available?

Thanks for your help guys.

[richie00boy]

Re: Simple engine mods...

Having done some tuning myself (albeit on an 8v, but the principles are the same) I would go for standalone management and ditch the airflow meter as my first tuning step. This will net you at the very least 10BHP and gives you further scope should you start with mechanical mods. Also the manifold suggested by James is a good way to go.

[James C]

Re: Simple engine mods...

Gains can be had by using a exhaust manifold with larger primaries. I think the SBD A and C allow this.

My current XE has piper cams 'fast road' I think, again with the standard lifters etc I believe. This recorded 138bhp at the hubs (where my previously owned GTE now using a SBD manifold and pretty much standard else where recorded less - low 130's IIRC).

[Austinspace75]

Evenin' all..

Having consulted SBD and been offered several thousand pounds worth of kit to radically upgrade my 16v GTE race car, I'm after some more considered, (and less self-interested) input from you guys regarding engine mods for these cars if you'd be so kind.

Mine currently has (as far as I can tell) a completely standard red top in it. The performance is pretty excellent frankly, but I know these engines can be upgraded relatively easily and I'd like to get a bit more out of it if possible. I don't mind spending some money on the right bits, but I'd like to do it knowing that I'm not going to be screwing up what has been a fantastically reliable race engine to date (20 races, 4 of which were 30 minutes of flat out racing at Silverstone GP and Spa Francorchamp, without missing a beat). I'm a big fan of leaving things OE wherever possible (there's always a good reason why the manufacturer did things the way they did) and to have a race car that behaves itself like a road car is a big plus believe me. My rivals are sometimes a few tenths quicker, but I regularly find myself passing their steaming wrecks later on in the race!

So, what I'm after is 'fast road' mods that are proven to get a bit more out of it without introducing vastly more stress to the engine or ancillaries. A modest 10 bhp increase would be just fine.

What's worth a try boys?

Thanks for any advice.