Motor Rebuild – (hot-to-trot)

[Doc Fizzix]

Here ya go, now we can get back on topic.

I got the stock turbo out today and now I am ready to put the T-Bird turbo upgrde into place. I had my T-Bird turbo rebuilt on an Elan center cartage so all I need to do is swap the two turbos and my upgrade will fit right in without any modifications needed.

My goal was to remove only the turbo center cartage without having to take the exhaust side of the turbo from the manifold that way I would not need to replace any gaskets or mess with re-torquing the manifold bolts. I would not recommend this for other trying the same thing only because the bolts will be locked in place and almost impossible to loosen if the turbo has not been removed fairly recently. I knew I could get away with it because I had just completed my rebuild and everything was still fairly new and not seized or rusted up. Once I busted the four bolts holding the cartage to the exhaust side of the turbo loose they all turned easily by my fingers so I had no poblems getting the turbo out. I had to grinde my 13 mm wrench a bit in order to get it to fit on the bottom back side bolt but once I broke it loose it was smooth sailing

[Doc Fizzix]

T-Bird turbo in.

First impressions:
- turbo hits my max boost much faster than the stock turbo. (I run my boost at .8 bar)
- There is almost no turbo lag, very smooth on the boost, and the power is immediate
- When on the boost, it holds very strong without falling back. My old stock turbo would hit my max setting and then fall back a bit, not the T-Bird holds and does not drop off.

I have not gone past the .8 bar for now but that is the next step in the project. First I will have to burn a new chip to eliminate the fuel cut off and then start pushing the boost over the 1 bar mark while checking the fuel ratios.

[tigerdog]

Nice work, Doc! Glad to hear the new turbo is doing what you want. Have you ever replaced the stock exhaust? Uncorking the back will make a bigger difference now that you can push more air into the front of the engine.

[Doc Fizzix]

Exhaust is next

Now I am trying different plugs just to get a feel for how the car responds.

I just got back from running a set of plugs that was one step colder and it felt real good when I was on the boost but when I was running at 3K rpm with no boost or when the car was at an idle the car was a bit jittery and not as smooth

[Doug]

just for the F of it, kill the Ecu memory by removing the battery cable and see if it is any better when it 'relearns' itself again . . .

[Doc Fizzix]

just for the F of it, kill the Ecu memory by removing the battery cable and see if it is any better when it 'relearns' itself again . . .

Good idea, I was actually think about that as I was driving the car on my test run.

[nitroman]

Doc, you can waste a LOT OF TIME trying different heat-ranges/plugs/gaps like I did when I added nitrous, or just buy a set of TorqueMaster plugs http://www.extremespark.com/

Your troubles sound EXACTLY like what I went through. These plugs were a Godsend to me as they made the car idle smoothly but also not misfire at 1.4-bar-boost using NOS. With the NGKs I could only achieve one or the other as a plug-gap that worked at one compression didn't spark at the other. They are expensive, $15 per plug as I remember, but you get what you pay for.

If you decide to buy get the part # off an existing plug (so he'll know the dimensions) and let him know they are for a DIS (distributorless ignition) vehicle. He'll ask other questions as well. Let him know the stock plug for the car & that you've turned up the boost... he'll decide the heat range.

[Doc Fizzix]

Matt

I know youu have enough on your mind to remember everything but I am using the TorqueMaster plugs

I ordered three different TorqueMaster plugs at the same time all for the Elan based on boost that I wanted to run and I wanted to see if the one step colder (TorqueMaster) worked a bit better than the stock TorqueMaster plugs I was using. Some times I get a hesitation or miss when i am at high boost. The coolder plugs took care of that but I did not like the feel at low rbm with no boost. I am going to try and reset the computer and see if that helps with the colder plug.

But yes, I am using nothing but the TorqueMaster plugs

[nitroman]

True, I typed that on the quick at work today.

This represents roughly 1/3 of the object plugging-up your precat. Is it still in there?

[Doc Fizzix]

Nope, that is long gone.

Here is an easy way to add a little more fun to your Elan by remove the pre-CAT and hollow it out

http://www.lotuselancentral.com/forum/v ... .php?t=875

[Doc Fizzix]

just for the F of it, kill the Ecu memory by removing the battery cable and see if it is any better when it 'relearns' itself again . . .

One of these days I am going to start thinking you know what you are tlking about

I put the one step cooler TorqueMaster plugs back in the car, disconnected the battery for 5 min, reconnected the battery, and then took the car out for a 20 min drive.

WOW

She really ran GREAT!

Very smooth at idle, smooth when at 3K rpm with no boost, and smooth at full boost.

The lesson here I think is that it may be a good idea to reset the computer when you change plugs so the computer can re-calibrate itself to the plugs.

Good call Doug

[Doc Fizzix]

Now for more update on the T-Bird upgrade:

I think the big advantage with this upgrade is how fast the turbo gets to max boost and that it holds very strong at full boost but the more I drive the car the more I think that there is just a little bit more lag time to spool the turbo up when compaired to the stock turbo but for how quickly the T-Bird gets to full boost once it is spooled-up the T-Bird well makes up for any lag time compaired to the stock turbo. Also, the "sucking" sound of the T-Bird pulling a higher volume of air is very loud! I hope my air filter does not get sucked into the turbo

Once I get the bigger exhaust we will see what happens to the spool-up time

[Doc Fizzix]

Here is a look at the new T-Bird hybrid turbo instillation

[Doc Fizzix]

One more pic upclose

[Doc Fizzix]

Well, I have some news




I do not know how to say but I will try my best to explain what happen this week.

Several weeks back I received a phone call from a very nice gentleman who had read about my car and the work I had been doing to her and wanted to know if I would sell her. At first the answer was no but then he called back after a couple days and asked me to name my price, I did just what he asked and told him how much it would take to buy my car (lets just say Doug picked a very nice price for his that sounded good to me.) He did something I did not expect, he said that my price sounded fair for what I had done to the car After originally accepting the offer I slept on it for a couple days and I called back and told him that I could not sell my baby at any price, he wrote back and said that he understood and I thought that would be the end of it. Two days later he called back and asked if there was anything he could do to buy the car and I told him I think about it again and that I would sit down with my wife and really discuss the offer.

By chance, three weeks ago my wife and I found our dream home in the hills of Lake Travis (in Austin) and the house has an incredible sunset view over the lake in the evenings and distance canyon views of the Texas hill country. The house is the beautiful Tuscan style home that we have been looking for. The sale of my Elan for the price offered would really give us some good cash to work with as we get our house ready for sale and pay off my wife's Acura MDX so that we had not debt on our credit report as we applied for the loan. With this said, I only agreed on Thursday of this week to sell my car and then I told the buyer that he better come now before I come to my senses and change my mind, so today (Saturday) the new owner drove all the way from Florda and picked-up my baby to take it to its new home. He was a very nice fellow and if the car had to go to someone it was very nice to meet a true British car lover and someone who could really appreciate and love this very special Lotus Elan. It was a very difficult thing watching my car drive away since I never anticipated selling her and I never new it would be so hard to see her go, but now I need to think of my wife and my daughter and our new home. Some times it is tough to be a man and have to think of your family before your toys but I think I made the right decision at this point in for my family.

To be honest the car is a fantastic deal for what it is and I believe that I got a nice price and the buyer got one of the best Elans in the country.

I am not sure if he has registered as a member on this site but I know you guys will offer your assistance to him just as you guys do for all Elan owners. This Elan community is one of the best networks of car enthusiast anywhere and I am so thankful for all the help you guys have offered me over the years. I would like to say that I will have another Elan someday since it is truly the best car I have every had the pleasure to drive but I am not sure I could take Fubar ripping me a new one for getting my third Elan ( LOL) But the reality is that I loved that car and I need to take some time to not think about all that I put into her.

I will not be leaving the site since I know so much about the Elan so I will still be around (just like Doug) but I do what to thank everyone for all the help and support. Even if not everyone here knows that the Mac is the best computer you guys are all good fellows, thanks again.

ps. I do have my eye on a yellow one, if it is still available after my move, who knows what will happen

[tigerdog]

Well, I have some news

Doc, this is news indeed! Having seen and driven your baby, I know this was a very special ride and much more than just a car for you. I only hope the new owner stays around here so we can follow the progress of this fine vehicle. Did he bring a U-Haul truck for the garage full of spare parts, too?

More importantly, congrats on the new home on Lake Travis! Truly the most beautiful place to live in all of Texas. I wish you and your family the best of luck in this new endeavour. If I ever find myself back in Austin, beers at the Hula Hut are on me!

[Doug]

Well, I have some news . . .

I never anticipated selling her and I never new it would be so hard to see her go, but now I need to think of my wife and my daughter and our new home. Some times it is tough to be a man and have to think of your family before your toys but I think I made the right decision at this point in for my family.

Wow

sorry to hear the news, Al!! I can empathize with you completely (now I have someone in my court!)

Best wishes on the house and enjoy the family 200%

[nitroman]

Damn Doc. Is the selling of marquis owner cars in the U.S officially a trend now? Who's next? Dave, LGM, me?

There was a time in the late 1980s when overseas buyers were snapping up old U.S. collectible iron as the weak-Dollar made these rust-free cars attractive. I owned an MG Midget for 6-months & sold it for a 300% profit to an exporter who was shipping it to Germany.

Have any of yous' in the UK thought about whether that is currently economically viable?

[Doc Fizzix]

Thanks all

I may have some news next week on a new ride. I thought I would take some time but I did call on a yellow one that needs some work today and even if I got it I would still have a good amount left for the new house.

Here are a couple pics of our visit today to the new house

[Doc Fizzix]

Damn Doc. Is the selling of marquis owner cars in the U.S officially a trend now? Who's next? Dave, LGM, me?

Hold on to yours bud, I will be back

Let me just say ----- MELOW YELLOW