ECUs...

[Mikie711]

Thanks folks.. interesting reading.

Background here is that I have a standard head with Rog awaiting his KR1 magic, but he's struggling with so many people putting demands on him that I thought I'd see if there were other options out there that I could use as either a stop gap or permanent solution. Obviously it's impossible to have too much powerrrrrrrrrrr /clarkson.

Just thinking outside the box basically to see if there is an option I've not considered that might get my car back on the road a bit quicker, without sending Rog to an early grave with stress in the process!

VVC head with solid cams conversion.

[campbell]

Can you locate a std head for now?

At least you can then enjoy the summer with it while your own head moves up Rog's queue.

/pragmatic low cost faction

[steve_weegie]

An Emerald and a wideband o2 sensor will be all the hardware you'll ever need, no matter what head or engine build spec you end up with.

A sound investment & always easy to sell on if you go Honda power

PS. I have a good 135 head if you're in need of a loan

[robin]

Mike, for the power he's talking about S1 injectors will be fine at standard pressure.

Solid cam conversion on a VVC head always sounds cheap until you add up all the niggly things, like the blanking kit, the distributor needs to be made to work somehow, the standard timing belt cover and spark plug leads won't fit, etc., etc. Slightly less hassle on S2 as it was already wasted spark.

I did wonder whether you couldn't just wind the variable inlet cam to a fixed position - i.e. more or less max duration - and then lock it there. Though that brings its own problems.

I ended up buying woody's VVC head which I then didn't use - so sitting fully assembled in my garage if you do decide to go that route. If you mate it with an Emerald then the emerald can drive both the wasted spark ignition and the VVC mechanism so then no need to do anything but bolt it together, add in a VVC coil pack and a few extra wires to the loom (I have the wires on the S2 ECU connector) for the VVC solenoids and oil temp sensor, VVC position sensor and second ignition driver. Somebody (Emerald?) can probably even supply a stock VVC map and a wiring diagram.

If you want approx 160BHP and you're prepared to buy an emerald then this would be the easiest approach IMHO.

Cheers,
Robin

P.S. There is a pikey route to the same thing - use the MEMS3 ECU to drive it - I have the matching ECU and know somebody that can clear the immobiliser code on it - but there is then more work to do in making a suitable loom - so less money on ECU, but more money on loom construction and less well trodden path.

[Shug]

Emerald would provide a stock VVC map no problem, and IMO the VVC I had was about the best compromise in reliability versus torque versus power for not a lot of coin. Made 189bhp (dynoed by Steve after I sold it to him and he got it properly mapped) with bags of torque, no peaks or dips - mega-drivable. That was with throttle bodies and a 4-2-1 manifold. So, you could bung the head on with an Emerald - get a nice 160odd BHP with torque, then buy more shiny bits later for even more power.

If I was to do it again, exactly what I'd do.

[Stephen]

Dave there is a complete 160 engine on eBay at the moment for £1000.

[robin]

Thankfully Dave's car is now running once more, so whatever he did, it's now done!

[woody]

Dave there is a complete 160 engine on eBay at the moment for £1000.

I bought an entire low miles TF 160 for less than that!

[DDtB]

Yup... car is now running sweetly thanks to the boys at MMC and a chunk of £'s.

:->