Duratec Conversions for Elise

[Victor Meldrew]

have you sold one to colin yet

Ouch..

[campbell]

There's a simple question of economics here. If the Duratec offers a sizeable saving over a Honda (looks like ~50% from what I have read here) then some people are going to choose that purely on affordability.

Mapping out the "bang for your buck" chart might be a useful exercise, of course, because all our needs / wishes for our cars are different. But as we all know it is certainly possible to pour thousands into an engine change/upgrade with diminishing returns at the margin.

Engine character and "soul" are a different matter of course and I realise the Honda has quite a signature. But the K is relatively soulless so if a Duratec is the same, what's to lose!

But I imagine people shouldn't be scared/persuaded into thinking that a Duratec is the only way to go if their K lets go...I get the impression K bits will be available for some long time yet (although I'm not clear if the K itself is being manufactured anymore...I'm told you can get one in a crate from PTP but is that just run down of stock?)

[Gourlay83]

1

[Gourlay83]

Although im still a Honda Man i have been looking at the FORD conversion and it does look good.

Anyone know what you actually get in the kit ?

Alan

Shug did mention on the first page, but basically:

ECU / Alternator / TB's / Fuel Lines & Filter / Manifold / Engine Mounts / Adapter plate for the gearbox / Fly Wheel / Silicone hoses...

http://www.sinclairemotorsport.com/upgr ... ratec.html

£3.7k plus VAT for the DIY option - You'll need to add a 2 litre Duratec engine to that, but they can be had for £6-800, apparently...

Can be done for sub-£5k if you're handy with the spanners - Uses the cheap & cheerful PG1 box...doesn't have the drive shaft issues the Honda can suffer from...And is easily reversible, if need be...

You wouldn't have the ultimate grunt of a Honda, with 'only' 190bhp to play with...But it's a torquey beast, so unlikely to make that much odds on the road...

Everyone seems to think a Honda Conversion costs £10,000 ????

Don't mean to put down the Fordie KIt but I did my Honda Conversion for a little over £5000. Its a much better option all round.........In My Opinion of course.

And most decent Honda Conversions are reversable.

Alan

[tut]

Sure as hell will never be reversing my two.

tut

[mwmackenzie]

Sure as hell will never be reversing my two.

tut

I find reverse particularly handy in supermarket carparks

[thinfourth]

Sure as hell will never be reversing my two.

tut

Well you know what they say about OAPs and parking

[tut]

Too much wine, not enough driving.

Reverting from reserving.

tut

[tut]

Bollocks!!!!!! What is wrong with me tonight.

Reverting from reversing.

tut

[Victor Meldrew]

Bollocks!!!!!! What is wrong with me tonight.

Reverting from reversing.

tut

"tonight"?

[Jacobite]

Sure as hell will never be reverting my two.tut

With you on that one Tut even in N/A form the second cam is quite addictive even if I don't use it as much as some as well as being more involving to drive in a nice way
~probably explanes a reasonable fuel consumption and minimal oil consumption

Although I do see the sense in the Duratec given the cost and engines availabiltiy

[campbell]

Everyone seems to think a Honda Conversion costs £10,000 ????

Don't mean to put down the Fordie KIt but I did my Honda Conversion for a little over £5000. Its a much better option all round.........In My Opinion of course.

And most decent Honda Conversions are reversable.

Alan

[/quote]

But I'm guessing you did a lot of the work, and many just don't have that skillset. Then the costs shift back upwards very fast!

[philthy]

Engine character and "soul" are a different matter of course and I realise the Honda has quite a signature. But the K is relatively soulless so if a Duratec is the same, what's to lose!

I'd strongly disagree with that, the K sounds great on full beans and with a lumpy idle. Compare this to the honda's monotone drone at idle it is a joy.

Its probably the only thing that is better with a K over Honda

[roadboy]

Engine character and "soul" are a different matter of course and I realise the Honda has quite a signature. But the K is relatively soulless so if a Duratec is the same, what's to lose!

I'd strongly disagree with that, the K sounds great on full beans and with a lumpy idle. Compare this to the honda's monotone drone at idle it is a joy.

Its probably the only thing that is better with a K over Honda

Agree with Phil. The noise of the K is infinitely better than the Honda but that's about the only thing it wins with in Top Trumps.

Dan

[campbell]

Well there you go, that's what I get for taking Tut's word for it!

I have driven two VTEC-powered cars (one an Elise, one a Honda) and the post-VTEC noise did seem quite F1-esque. I certainly don't get that from my K. As for lumpy idles, I'm all for smooth I'm afraid but OTOH I know what you mean...I remember sitting behind Alan Bonas' Sport 160 in kermit green when they just came out, and the rhythm was almost infectious