The Shugmobile Conversion Thread

Post by **Shug** » Mon May 08, 2006 9:57 am

Finished it this weekend....

Oh, it's a goodun

.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Mon May 08, 2006 10:04 am

nice!!!

can't wait to sample some pax action

Post by **Shug** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:27 am

Right - more in-depth info, as I posted earlier while I was catching up with the weekends posts (oh, yeah, and work emails too, yawn!)

Saturday and Sunday were spend doing the wee finishing jobs that always seem to take too long! We fitted new discs and pads on the front, tidyed and secured the loom, pit on the airbox & filter, put on the rear clam, bled the brakes & clutch and flushed the coolant system.

One of my front wheelnuts had stripped (horrible tin-plated pish) and it required all of Hambo's considerable experience with WMD's to remove. Ended up drilling & splitting it off the stud, after reverse-thread tools and a variety of different sized sockets being hammered on, failed to shift it.

All cheapo nuts are now replaced with decent quality stuff, so it shouldn't happen again....

After doing all of the spanner checks and testing the cooling system for leaks, checking fluid levels - I finally got the chance to take it for a quick burl. Was very much in 'bedding-in' mode (helped by the fact that the roads round Hambo's were incredibly slick and I'm on maxsports with a fairly track-biased geo setup) Only slight problem was dropping onto one coil (found to be a loose connector) and a wee stumbly spot in the fuel map.

After a bit of richening up, the supplied map appeared pretty spot-on, judging by the car's lambda probe, but I'll probably get a power run booked at a RR in the near future, just to make sure it's fuelling okay at full bore.

Funny - it doesn't feel as manic as the last engine, but it's definately as quick as (if not quicker) judging by some known bits of road and the previous known speeds. It's like it's got bigger lungs on it - the benefits of the VVC technology. Sure it'll make it quicker on track too....

So, all in all, a happy boy

Final bunch of pics will be uploaded when I finally get my finger out and whack them on photobucket.

Cheers for everyone's suggestions, help and good wishes - the Shugmobile rides again!

Post by **Shug** » Mon May 08, 2006 12:01 pm

Oh, and as a wee tech update for those who don't know the VVC system on the Rover engines - it's quite a clever wee setup.

Basically, the Toyota and Honda methods use it to get more power, but raising the lift and modifying timing at a point in the rev-range, determined by the ECU. It's either one profile, or the other.

The Rover system does not alter the lift of the valves - so it doesn't give the same peak power gains as the japanese systems. However, it does have a constantly variable inlet cam. It doesn't effectively have two profiles, it's got two extremes of timing and varies in between them by advancing and retarding the position of the cam lobes on the inlet cam (with oil pressure) This is also totally tunable by the ECU - so you don't get a switch point like the Japanese engines, it just nicely swells out the torque curve.

Clever, clever boys.... In action (with the throttle bodies on mine) it means I should be getting in the mid 180bhp range up the top end, with in-gear flexibility of a standard K.

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:46 am

Just try not to blow it up before Mexitowers...

For someone who isnt that up to speed with the gearbox side of things, I take it there was no problems mating the the engine with your original box or did it come as a package?

I assume youve got the low ratio box in there?

woody · Post by **woody** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:51 am

I take it your using the car this week then shug? I had a look for it last night on the way by, but could only see what i take to be the nose of the pimpmobile (a fetching shade of metalic beige?

)

Post by **Shug** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:51 am

Ahhhh, gearboxes....

Still got the standard intergalactic S1 box in there. Budget didn't stretch to the CR box, much as I really wanted it. That's definately next on the list though.

There were no hassles mating the box to the new engine, largely because it was on the garage floor at the time. With the engine still in the car, I'm sure it'd be more of a struggle.

Post by **Shug** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:54 am

woody wrote:I take it your using the car this week then shug? I had a look for it last night on the way by, but could only see what i take to be the nose of the pimpmobile (a fetching shade of metalic beige? )

Yup - fiddling maps on the drive into work and making sure nothing is chafing thruough anything else. And it's bloody sunny, innit?

And the correct colour code for the Merc is 'PimpAssGoldMuvvaFunka', H'mkay?

Post by ed » Tue May 09, 2006 10:02 am

nice one shug, glad she lives again.

looking forward to seeing her in action sometime soon!

woody · Post by **woody** » Tue May 09, 2006 10:18 am

Its bloody sunny indeed - and there was a VXT with the hard top on in Prestwick yesterday

I thought it was that other early '90's merc colour - 'Metallichearingaid'

If your about Troon this week give me a shout for a look at the new engine

I'll not be far, got the week off.

Post by **Shug** » Tue May 09, 2006 10:20 am

woody wrote:Its bloody sunny indeed - and there was a VXT with the hard top on in Prestwick yesterday

I thought it was that other early '90's merc colour - 'Metallichearingaid'

If your about Troon this week give me a shout for a look at the new engine I'll not be far, got the week off.

Sweet. Could go for a wee blat on Weds night, if you're up for it?

woody · Post by **woody** » Tue May 09, 2006 10:32 am

Shug wrote:
woody wrote:Its bloody sunny indeed - and there was a VXT with the hard top on in Prestwick yesterday

I thought it was that other early '90's merc colour - 'Metallichearingaid'

If your about Troon this week give me a shout for a look at the new engine I'll not be far, got the week off.
Sweet. Could go for a wee blat on Weds night, if you're up for it?

Sounds like a plan

Baggy · Post by **Baggy** » Tue May 09, 2006 10:46 am

If you're going for the cr box, might be worth consider getting the fifth gear swapped out for the standard ratio.

I've got a standard 111s & it really could do with a longer fifth. There was a thread on Seloc about it. I think it was the guy black potato who was talking about it. I suppose it's down to personal choice and how many road miles you're doing.
WRT on track, I don't have much experience at all but iirc you don't get into fifth at knock hill. I suppose the faster tracks are different.

It's a mod I'll probably go for at clutch change time (which I hope will be a long way away).

Post by **Shug** » Tue May 09, 2006 10:53 am

The Eliseparts box also has a longer 5th (although I don't think it's as long as the standard box) It would probably be my preferred option, as I think there would be a pretty big hole between a CR 4th and a standard 5th - I plan to use the car on longer circuits too....

tut · Post by **tut** » Tue May 09, 2006 11:42 am

I think from experience that the C/R 5th is the gearboxes main strength.

I realise that it is not as relaxing as the standard box on Motorways, but I only used those when absolutely necessary.

For track use on an upgraded engine it is far more usable, and on road runs 5th becomes a much more useable gear, both at lower speeds, but even more so when you are looking for acceleration above 90 tuts.

tut