1600 Supersport Tuning

[bl0498]

Guys/Gals,

 

I am sure this is a boring old topic but I need some help from you experienced techies!

 

What is the recommended sequence of steps to improve the performance (power/torque) of a 133bhp 1600 K series supersport (6 speed box/LSD already)? Given that the engine/gearbox is out of the car at present are there any basic steps to do now?

 

Being new to the K series are there any recommended books on tuning this engine that are applicable to its application in a Caterham?

 

Many thanks,

 

Brian

[Red SLR]

Minster have to be the people to ask.

 

X777CAT

[Geoff Dixon]

Brian, have you seen Dave Andrews web page (hometown.aol.com/~dvandrews).Dave is a guru on how to go about tuning K Series engines.

Many have followed his guidelines

The programme goes:

(1) replace electronic managemmmment unit with Emerald M3D unit

(2) replace existing injection equipm,ent with individual throttle bodies

(3) port the head with or without larger valves

(4) change the camshafts

I am currently embarking on this programme and additionally replacing the standard head with a VVC head without the VVC gubbins. Expected BHP around 200. You can do this all in stages. However one of the problems is that the exisitng ROVER MEMS unit is very difficult to reprogramme so in effect has to be replaced ( approx cost £500 with software).

Throttle bodies from QED are around £500.

If you want give me a ring on 07836 608970 and I will go into further detail.

[Roger King]

Brian,

 

The K-series is proving surprisingly amenable to tuning - to the extent that it might even be a preferable starting point compared to a BDA.

 

Throttle bodies and an accompanying replacement engine management system would certainly be my preferred first step, but be aware that many aftermarket systems cannot cope with running 'closed loop'. This is where the engine management communicates with the sensor in the exhaust system and alters the fuel/air ratio as necessary. The reason for doing this is that the catalytic converter requires very precise control of this ratio in order to function correctly. Correct functioning of this is checked in the MOT and can lead to failure. At the moment, amateur built cars are exempt from this test, but many testing stations seem unaware of this. It is also possible that this may change in the future. If you are certain that you will never need a catalytic converter for legal reasons in the future then don't worry about this, but personally I feel that it is good insurance to cover this point, especially bearing in mind that it is required for SVA.

 

Any further tuning is likely to lead to piston failure, so the next step would be forged pistons for extra strength.

 

After this, my preference is to convert to solid (non hydraulic) valve gear with suitable cams and gasflowing of the ports.

 

The head works better than it has any right to do with such tiny valves, but there is no doubt that the VVC head with bigger valves and ports works even better. Certainly, if you want 200bhp this is the way to go.

 

There are other items that are advisable to deal with at higher power levels, such as strengthened liners, valve springs etc.

[Tim Seipel]

Roger is right and the best order to follow.

 

Same process for most modern 16valve engines also!

 

K Series is reacts the same as most other engines.

 

Edited by - Tim Seipel on 1 Sep 2000 00:36:48

[Peter Carmichael]

Wherever you go with the 1.6 Supersport, sooner or later you will be running on throttle bodies with a mappable ECU. This is £1200 you can easily spend without getting much significant gain in performance - however the noise gets much better and there is a slight increase in power (maybe 140-145bhp) and people will coo appreciatingly when you pop your bonnet.

 

Once you have these goodies, the real gains are up for grabs with a gas flow job in the head and cams to take advantage. This is where the original Dave Andrews conversion is incredible value and vision, with 180bhp and VHPD performance. Any further than that and you have to start upgrading the strength components, pistons first of all.

 

None of this works without a decent exhaust, by which I mean the Caterham 4-1 as a baseline standard. A 4-2-1 exhaust only gives limited results with the 1.6 engine and isn't really worth the bother.

[Red SLR]

How reliable is the 1600 K at 180Bhp?

 

I have been told that a mappable ECU + throtte bodies will bring the std 133Bhp 1600 Supersport to about 150Bhp, is this not true?

 

Simon

 

X777CAT

[Peter Carmichael]

Forgive me for being a cynic, but tuners (and proud owners) tend to quote in terms of brake shetland pony power rather than full-sized horses.

 

I have reviewed a stack of comparative rolling road runs from various tuners for the k-series and the results seem to show the restrictions much above Supersport level are in the head. If the restriction on breathing is in the head then no amount of bolt-on gubbins is going to help.

 

Having said that, I have tried throttle bodies on a Supersport myself and it was definitely perkier at the top end. However the ports in my head had a minor cleanup courtesy of Dave Andrews when the head was being recovered from a head gasket failure. Have a look at:

 

Banshee wail (sevens list)

[bl0498]

Thanks Guys for all the advice so far. I have looked at the vast amount of information on Dave Andrews web page and there is clearly a lot that can be done and a reasonably well defined order to tackle it.

 

Given that my 1600K superlight is just about to be on order from the factory (hence the engine is out!) are there any specific options on the engine or ancillaries that I should worry about at this stage given that tuning will be done on the engine in future?? I am assuming dry sumping already.

 

Eg - Will the factory supply the engine without the injection system and ready for throttle bodies? Ditto for the Rover MEMS system?

 

Are there any specific choices of exhaust system/radiator etc that are recommended other than the standard fitments?

 

Many thanks for the help.

 

Brian

[Peter Carmichael]

About the only thing you will be able to get the factory to agree to is to supply a non-Supersport engine saving you £1000. Obviously you will be without the revvy Supersport power until you have gone through with the more involved modifications. Remember that the DVA approach is really an experimental one and everyone going through it gets their result at the cost of a lot of bloody mindedness.

[Pierre Gillet]

Am right to say that that the "normal" collector is already a four in one? When people here see it their reaction is that it may not really be worth it to upgrade it , I mean for a 115 ps engine.

Pierre

[Mike Bees]

The standard Caterham exhaust these days will probably be a 4-1 with the collector inside the engine bay - very short primaries, not good. The 'competition' 4-1 is much better, with longer primaries and the collector outside the body, but I believe it's not compatible with the cat-equipped silencer.

 

Mike

[Pierre Gillet]

That's correct Mike. So you need to keep the catalyst exhaust and to refit it for each MOT test.

Pierre