1.8SS Upgrade

[David Hopkins]

I have recently completed the build of my 1.8K std car . 6spd box , SS susp , Suretrac , uprated frt brakes .

 

I am now contemplating the SS upgrade , is the £999 money well spent ? How much of a difference will I notice .

 

Any other options??

 

 

[Mike C.]

There are, no doubt, many options and you will receive valid advice about putting the £999 towards more effective power upgrades.

 

However,I think that the Supersport mods are worth the price. It is a reliable, recognised, 'factory' upgrade and, if you are using the car on the track, coupled with the change up light and your 6 speed box (and Super-Unleaded), the improvements are very noticeable.

 

Mad Manx

[Dartmoor7]

If it makes as much difference on the 1.8 as it does on the 1.4, it's like a new car!

[L777 CMB]

I upgraded my 1.8L engine to SS (like you I already had the other SS bits)and it felt like a different car; much better acceleration, great sound. Well worth the money IMHO.

 

Carlton

[John Vine]

I upgraded my 1.8 to SS after about a year. Instead of an engine that ran out of breath at 5000rpm, I now had one that just went on and on. Much more fun to drive, too, especially if you're willing to throw your mechanical sympathy in the wpb (as Len Unwin advised me to do at the time). Definitely worth the money, IMHO. What's more, the car retained all its low-speed manners, and even managed that rather appealing, slightly lumpy tickover reminiscent of some of the old Ford specials I used to mess about with. And the change-up light is quite something at night!

 

JV

[robmar]

I guess it all depends if you are planning to go further than the 140BHP odd that the SS upgrade will give you. From what I have been lead to believe the SS package has to be junked if you want to go further.

 

rob

 

PS I have a new 1.6 superlight and I love it

[Bangers quotNquot Mas1697456953]

Did you do it? If so is it any good?

[Flying kiwi]

Robmar, interesting to read that i will have to throw away my S/S bits in order to increase the H/P further.

 

I have enquired re upgrading, I can`t believe that to upgrade we need to spend around

5k to increase from 140 to 200ish bhp. Surely there is a cheaper option, and no i don`t want a w.......d before any body answers.

 

Mark.

[robmar]

Kiwi Mark - for less ie 2K I would expect 160-165 (ecu, tbs, exhaust manifold, cams), but it depends on how much of the work you want to do yourself when you want to go higher

 

Oily hands will be along in a minute to give you more detail that is regularly repeated on this site and on his excellent web page about tuning k sereis

 

for me I am going to spend most of my budget this year on track days and having fun, the SS kit in the Sl still makes it a very fun and fast car.

 

maybe next winter I will upgrade the engine bits

 

but possibly may be tempted this year into an ecu and new exhasut manifold, but that is likely to be the equivant of 3-4 trackdays so who knows

 

rob

[oilyhands]

As stated earlier, the SS kit is *reasonable* value although you could achieve a similar result by simply buying some Piper cams direct and fitting an airfilter together with an increase in fuel pressure for a lot less. Alternatively an Emerald M3D programmable ECU, a pair of cams and a mapping session would cost similar money but provide a better upgrade path and the flexibility of a programmable ECU. which you wont have to throw away when you go to the next level.

 

Cams, TBs / airbox kit and a programmable ECU together with a mapping session will get you 165ish for around £1800.

 

TBs and airbox kit 710

ECU 600

Cams 250

Verniers 120

Mapping 120

 

To get 190-200BHP add the following

 

Big valves 210

Bronze guides 100

porting/fit guides/valves cam shim etc 450

Sundries 100

Exhaust manifold 400 (if you dont have the long 4-1)

 

That would come out at around at just over 3K inc VAT, you'll need to add something for fitting unless you are prepared to get your hands dirty.

 

See here for more info.

 

If you want the security of forged pistons add £500 to the above.

 

Oily

[Flying kiwi]

Rob, I will change the manifold for something like the superlght R, and will look at a new ECU, However this will only give a few more BHP, i agree with oily and will invest in the whole package and go for 190 to 200ish BHP, I would of thought that in addition to the engine bits i will need, new flywheel,clutch, & LSD.

 

I like many of you will have to wait for the funds [ie] the sharemarket to rise.

 

 

Mark.

[CHRIS CLARK]

Mark.

For info., new SLR TB's are the Power Train Projects ones.

 

www.ptp-ltd.co.uk

[Roger King]

Personally, I reckon that if you feel you will be happy with the SS power output for some time, it represents good value and would be the way to go.

 

If you will fairly soon want to upgrade again, it would be worth buying the cams separately and fitting the Emerald ECU; this will give greater flexibility for the future.