Top End Intake Pipe Upgrade

[Elanlover]

Hi folks, just thought I'd share the results of installing this upgrade. For those of you not familiar with it, its a package sold by Top End that includes a replacement turbo intake pipe, K&N filter, throttle body pipe and blow off valve. The link is below

http://www.racetep.com/lotus.html

They have a couple of packages and I opted for the "full" package LESS the boost controller (will let Alan's chip handle that later). I recorded an ElanScan run prior to installing the upgrade. This Elan has only 1,950 miles on it so its as close to "new" as is likely to be seen right now. The scan recorded a max HP rating of about 141. I'm told that ElanScan's HP reading is at the wheels and that 141 is pretty good (anyone concurr?).

After installing the upgrade and taking the car for a spin I have to say that I do notice a slight improvement in performance, particularly at the top end when the turbo is fully engaged. I did get some odd (in my books) readings for HP when I ran ElanScan again after the install. It showed a max HP of 156. Seems to be a lot of power gain from that upgrade. Don't know if anyone else has done this (or similar) upgrade and seen increases like that.

With the exception of the stutter/whooshing sound heard when you take your foot off the gas, I like the upgrade and do notice a difference. Seems to have a bit more umph. Would dearly love to reduce/eliminate the noise from the BOV though. I've got other readings from ElanScan if anyone's looking at doing something similar and wants more information.

[F1 LOTUS]

Does seem a lot from what is essentialy a filter change
Has anybody done a back-to-back Elanscan run with the K&N drop-in filter (stock airbox)?

[ESM]

I reckon it just a miscomprehension about the accuracy of the power data from ElanScan - you need to squint till it goes blurry and then pick a point somewhere in the middle of the colourful bit.... I've looked at the logs and any improvement looks lost in the noise to me I hope the chip does better

[Elanlover]

I was driving the car a bit hard today on the highway and I think I can dscribe the performance increase a bit better. What I've noticed doesn't really seem to have much of an impact in gears 1 and 2. But, I must tell you when shifting from 3rd to 4th and from 4th to 5th there seems to be a noticable difference. What I sense is that the turbo really does spool faster (as is advertised by this upgrade). Seems the turbo kicks in much faster after a gear change. I find it very noticable in fact.

To be honest, as a pure performance upgrade, its a lot of money to spend on what's likely to be only a few more HP. That's aside from the reported benefits associated with the BOV and decreasing turbo wear and tear and a faster spooling of the turbo leading to the same power hit but a bit sooner after changing gears. But, I did get a kick out of flooring it and feeling virtually no turbo lag after a gear change (had to actually grab the wheel with both hands! )

[Doc Fizzix]

Did you also get the Turbo-XS MBV from them as well? This is a must! Then the fun really begins. (I have tried both - chip and MBV - and the chip never worked as well for me as the MBV) I like the feel of ther turbo kicking in at .9 bar right away not with the lag I got from the chip.

Top End Performance is one of the long time Elan after market manufactures and I have always been impressed with their stuff.

[davidjt]

As posted elsewhere, one of these should solve the noise problem:

http://www.2linc.com/air_tools_silencer.htm

[Elanlover]

Did you also get the Turbo-XS MBV from them as well? This is a must! Then the fun really begins. (I have tried both - chip and MBV - and the chip never worked as well for me as the MBV) I like the feel of ther turbo kicking in at .9 bar right away not with the lag I got from the chip.

Top End Performance is one of the long time Elan after market manufactures and I have always been impressed with their stuff.

I didn't. I have Alan's chip which I will install shortly and see how that goes. I'd prefer to stay away from a MBV if I can. Need to get the gear cables in befroe upgrading anything else though...........

[Doc Fizzix]

I know there has been lots of discussions on the chip versus the MBV but keep in mind that for years before the chips were avalible we were all using the MBV without any problems. My CA version car just did not like the chip on its own and we never could find the problem. Since my rebuild I will be try the chip on its own again and see if there was anything durring the rebuild that changed things but so far from my experiance I really like the MBV over the chip, the cool thing about the MBV is you can dial it in on your own to any level of boost you want (up to .9 bar) so you have more controll with the MBV. I actually use the MBV with the chip and the car had a very nice feel to it.