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Ultimate engine ????


Peter T

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Consider a budget of 20K for an engine, 5K for the Box, and say 5 K max for sundries, what given your theoretical fitment in a 7 would you go for ?

Please don't answer with stupid options of rocket/ Turbo power, as i am looking for genuine comments . Really looking for 320bhp +, but not huge amounts of torque. V8 bike derived engines are begining to look feesable, *confused*

Has anyone heard such cr*p as this new Cryogenics claims to be *eek*

 

Founder Member of The Twisted Prop Club.

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Peter,

 

Ignoring v8 bike engines until they're proven in terms of power/reliability and concentrating on a 2lt capacity i'd suggest in this order....

 

BMW 12/7 2lt F2 engine - There was one for sale via a blatchat thread recently that was just rebuilt for £16k - 300-320 bhp apparently. Mike Barnby runs a genuine 270 bhp Hart420r in a single seater which isn't at the highest state of tune but he says that the BMW engined cars go past him like he's going backwards on the straights and he can't hear his own engine over their induction noise. Trouble is there are only two reputable engibe builders in the world apparently and one's in France the other's in Italy. Other drawback is that these engines use an iron 2002 block which isn't the lightest.

 

Hart420r - c 300 bhp - although you may have problems fitting it.

 

2lt Ford Cosworth BDX - 280-290 bhp.

 

Home of BDR700

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Suggest a HONDA s2000 engine drivetrain ..240 hp at 8300rpms.. while meeting ALL emmisions regs and (in the Honda Car at least a 5 year 'no questions asked' warrantee) Plus the 6 speed shifts a LOT better than the Cat thing.
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Suggest a HONDA s2000 engine drivetrain ..240 hp at 8300rpms.. while meeting ALL emmisions regs and (in the Honda Car at least a 5 year 'no questions asked' warrantee) Plus the 6 speed shifts a LOT better than the Cat thing.
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Why "not too much torque" *confused*

 

For £20K I'd get one specially made, non of this adapted/modified/compromised stuff. I'd specify a wide angle V6, dry-sumped, so that it has really low centre of gravity. As it would be short, you could jack it backwards and forwards to alter weight distribution (mind you, it would be so light you mignt not notice 😬)

 

 

I will be on the road by Christmas. Photos here

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You may consider talking to QED about the KV6 they are building . I understand it fits in the bay and will make around 280bhp reliably .

 

Has anyone any thoughts on a Millington Diamond 2.3l ?? . These go like the clappers in Mk2 Escorts ?? , believe the power to be around 275 bhp ? in mild tune .

 

In order to get 320bhp + from an engine that fits in the engine bay , then I think forced induction may be required ?? . But then this brings its own packaging problems .

 

Nice problem to have on your hands though Peter 😬 *thumbup*

 

 

 

Lotus 7 Club Speed Champion 2003 *eek*

South Wales Area Organiser *smile*

C7 TOP *tongue*

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Alex, it's not BHP that rips diffs, props and other mechanicals appart, only torque and lots of it, when engines are forced inducted torque is multipliead vastly compared to bhp, as the 7 is very light it does not need an hammer to get it going, so huge amounts of torque are not required.

 

Founder Member of The Twisted Prop Club.

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6k will get you a 340HP NA 13B rotary. A little more could get you up to around 380 at 12000RPM. There was one at the 340HP spec running in a W* a few years back. Was too fast and so was banned.

 

With a dry sump the engine is rediculously low in the chassis.

 

Minus points. Louder than a loud thing. Chugs gas like a tank, ermm, not much else really.

 

Or you could go for lower RPM and a 3 rotor engine. Again about 6K will get you to around 320HP, but at much lower RPM.

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I've often wondered what makes the E30 M3(S14 from memory) BMW engine unsuitable for a Cat. The 2.5 M3 sport evo engine is fabulous - powerful, compact, OK a bit heavy I guess, but dry sumped I'm sure it would easily fit in. 238bhp as standard with the restrictive induction/ecu. They'll go to 275bhp without too much spend (cams and porting) and the factory gpA race engines were good for 375bhp.

 

J351 TPE . . . battered old X/Flow

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Peter T: Some E30 M3 were converted to RHD so there's no problems with the exhaust. The steering was never as good though because conversions had to use standard racks - the E30 motorsport rack only came in LHD. E36 M3 RHD motorsport racks can be modified to fit though. . . . anyway, back to Caterhams....

In a Cat you'd fabricate a manifold to clear everything so it wouldn't be an issue.

The exhaust comes out the drivers side with a Duratec remember.

 

 

 

J351 TPE . . . battered old X/Flow

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I think i might have solved it,have found a very nice unit, good capacity, all alloy very strong, light ,good output in standard form and probably not to expensive, can't say to much yet, as what i have seen is not for resale yet, and i should not have seen it as it is the only one in the country *eek*

 

Founder Member of The Twisted Prop Club.

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