I must admit, I've had thoughts about making mine a track only car in the past.

The problem I see is that as a track only car, there really are far better ones out there to buy out of the box. You could easily just go and buy a cheap ClioSport 172 for track purposes.

The point for me is that it ticks all the boxes. It's pretty fast for the road, especially A-B with the diff fitted now. It worked well on track recently also, shocking quite a lot of other cars. Then on the other hand it's good for commuting in and does 50+mpg when driven easily, it has 5 doors and a boot. It's pretty difficult to beat as an all-round 'do everything' package!

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

Exactly why i loved my Fabia vrs ^^

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How does Alex's and Kev's cars pull on the road side by side, is there any difference in them?

Great build so far, coming along nicely, I also went from a mapped vRS upto a GTB running 2.5 bar, twas fun indeed haha

How does Alex's and Kev's cars pull on the road side by side, is there any difference in them?

Great build so far, coming along nicely, I also went from a mapped vRS upto a GTB running 2.5 bar, twas fun indeed haha

I think they would be equal,on track at oulton park Alex was only hitting 2.3bar so I could gain on him as mine was hitting full 2.5bar of boost,but if his was hitting 2.5 they would be equal IMO

Thanks guys, taking it fairly easy at the moment and the plan is to do a full inspection this weekend to make sure all is well. I will probably get the exhaust done in a few weeks too as i just had the downpipe welded to the rear section as a temp fix (the step down on the downpipe turned out to the same diameter as rear section, not smaller so it would not slot in). First track day will be march ish so better get logging and get the map spot on- feels great at the moment but we have only taken one rubbish log so far to see if we achieved requested boost nothing else.

It's all a balance really, I really really don't like running long durations (I have my reasons) on stock nozzles so to not upgrade nozzles will limit the power I can make.

 

So you could make 250+hp on stock nozzles, but it's not something I'll do.

 

Getting a turbo spooled, especially one as big and wasteful as a GT2260 (wasteful you say? watch the duty cycles!) is a bit of a task, what it needs is energy - you can either close the vanes for higher backpressure or you can let it breathe and provide the energy with fuel - it almost always ends up being a balance of the two, I do prefer fuel over back pressure, I like my vnt control to gently guide the turbo to the boost level you want rather than control it rigidly but I'd still hardly call myself a smoke lover. 

 

I have tuned a few cars where people have wanted more and more and more power, and earlier and earlier, these can turn into smoke machines if you're not careful, perhaps I should just tell them to be a bit more reasonable with their expectations rather than trying to acheive something which is very difficult even on paper to acheive (smokeless delivery of energy to the turbo with minimal backpressure for torque generation - at the same time!) Oh well. I do what I can, and if you don't keep trying things you never learn new things.

 

I recommend nozzles to Stuart, simply because he could have gone for a slightly smaller turbo if he wanted to stick with stock injectors and we'd have got a similar power output with better lower end characteristics. Nozzles will reduce refinement, and economy to some degree, which is a given - my advice remains the same as before which is to go for the smallest upgrade that will make the power you want. 

 

He has a 2260, so to get value from his upgrades he really does want to be making 250-260+bhp. Even more perhaps (but once again it comes down to smoke and what people are reasonably happy to accept as a tradeoff, people with higher tolerances will obviously settle higher here). As always I'm happy to be flexible here and let people try different levels and see if the last few ponies are worth it.

 

I'm fairly easy and flexible tbh, the only thing I'm really stubborn about is not extending the durations on stock nozzles too much. I know people get away with it but I'm trying to keep incident rates minimal, miles between maintenance high and basically make it so you can have a car with silly power and bray it most days and not even have to think about reliability, and trying to break figures like 260bhp on stock nozzles is pushing my comfort and safety envelope further than I'm really willing, with the above in mind. Problems in such circumstances is unlikely to be immediately obvious, even if it results in a sudden unexpected component failure (for example a turbo pushed too hard is more likely to wear more quickly than fail outright) so I do like to work with a decent margin. Not much good if you want to push the boundaries, but that's what we have development cars for

Edited 7 January, 201610 yr by EKM

It's a shame cylinder pressure data logging is so expensive. This would help on finding the best start of injection for a given duration value.

I do think people's expectations are somewhat mislead. Some think the gtb2260vk is capable of flowing enough air for 300bhp. For me it does not for the AFR I like to run. Run them really really really rich and you might be able too.

I think as long as expectations are reasonable, the GTB2260 is a fantastic turbo, it makes it's max boost a fair bit later than stock but you get enough airflow at lower rpm to make it quite drivable and so they are pleasant to operate in most driving conditions, response is where the big hit is but thats momentary at worst, and anyone who fits such a big turbo should realistically be expecting a small penalty here. It's not admitting defeat, it's just the nature of the beast.

 

I have a development engine from longbridge here - and it's absolutely plastered in sensors checking everything from boost to turbo speed to gas temp on virtually every pipe - it sort of brings home the difficulty of sensibly tuning a turbo conversion because you are always fighting for acquiring relevant data. Tuners do a difficult job and even if a tune takes a while to complete its still a very short time (I know I'm going to say that haha). It comes back to margins though, if you do a bit of groundwork and decide your own rules for whats safe, providing its sensible you can let loose and everyone will have a good time.

 

The downside is the industry is quite competitive and there's always pressure to do more or make more power. I've sort of abandoned this for carving my own stubborn path of what works well lol. 

Edited 7 January, 201610 yr by EKM

Completely agree.

Thanks for the extra info there John and Kris; speaking of data, i've just taken some proper logs and emailed them over Kris

Finally had chance to have a quick tidy up under the bonnet, and give her a quick wash for the first time in months! Also wired in the EGT gauge, although not happy with it under the stereo as i cant read it at that angle, so need a re-think on where i want it to live. Just going to drive the thing now and enjoy it for while - it will be March before anything else happens now. First willl be track tyres for the old VRS wheels, new rear exhaust section (2.75") then possibly injectors. First track day will be Bedford Autodrome on 12th April, then will be heading to the 'ring for the annual trip. So excited for this year! May well get some ATE Super blue brake fluid and some EBC Yellowstuff pads also. 

 

I wouldn't recommend EBC yellow stuff, or come to think of it none of EBC'S pads tbh!

Yellow stuff with 312mm brakes on the front of my VRS were awful on track at combe,kept going through a stage of making my brakes wobble massively once hot,knackered my discs.

Also a second spanner in your works ATE super blue is no longer available :(

I wouldn't recommend EBC yellow stuff, or come to think of it none of EBC'S pads tbh!

Yellow stuff with 312mm brakes on the front of my VRS were awful on track at combe,kept going through a stage of making my brakes wobble massively once hot,knackered my discs.

Also a second spanner in your works ATE super blue is no longer available :(

 

That's interesting! What pads are you running now? not sure i about DS2500's, heard many mixed reports? There is plenty of Super Blue on ebay at the moment?

Ah just read the ebay listing again for that fluid ! its been replaced.

Yes super blue got discontinued due to the colour .. We used it in all the race bikes we build.. But I have had problems with it wrecking seals in master cylinders ! We now use brembo race fluid but it's £30 for 500ml ouch

Edited 10 January, 201610 yr by serafumi

I'm using Tarox pads nows with my 6-pots,they are spot on cold or hot.

Mintex performance pads get good reviews.

I'm running yellow stuff with my taroxs, unit 18 supplied and fitted them. I haven't been out on track yet but spirited driving with them have been excellent.

From what I've read yellow stuff are what the high speed pursuit police cars use.

 

 

 Just going to drive the thing now and enjoy it for while - it will be March before anything else happens now. 

 

Glad to hear you're about there (for now), it's not quite over yet though as I'll want to see how things have settled in - I'll be heading down to Birmingham later in the month, I prefer to go down the M6 which takes me past yours so if you're about I might pop in on the way back for a glance over?

 

It is very unusual this car to be honest, everything has been easy. I'm not complaining but i'm on the lookout for the 'catch'.

Was the stop screw and actuator set up ok from the off?

Glad to hear you're about there (for now), it's not quite over yet though as I'll want to see how things have settled in - I'll be heading down to Birmingham later in the month, I prefer to go down the M6 which takes me past yours so if you're about I might pop in on the way back for a glance over?

It is very unusual this car to be honest, everything has been easy. I'm not complaining but i'm on the lookout for the 'catch'.

No probs kris just txt me when your about. Remember i live in Leamington Spa mon-thurs but am up at te plant in Solihull once a week so could meet there also.

Was fine tbh, though I'll admit I had a look at the turbo before fitment because I've found these more often than not DO require adjustment. (it's one of the things I frequently grumble about because turbo technicians should do turbo technicianing (yet i invented that word) and tuning technicians should be doing tuning/software technicianing)

 

A lot of the time people contact me for tuning after fitting the turbo and a lot of the day then gets spent under the car rather than in it. Much need for  :coffee:

 

 

 

No probs kris just txt me when your about. Remember i live in Leamington Spa mon-thurs but am up at te plant in Solihull once a week so could meet there also. 

 

It'l be weekend as I've to fit it between my own schedule and someone elses, it's not uber critical but I would like to have a look at some point should the opportunity present.

Edited 10 January, 201610 yr by EKM

Only useful thing I have done this weekend is have the tyres removed from the old wheels are they are to be powder coated- thinking bright blue! Then some track day tyres will be fitted.

 

How are you getting on Stu? Not sure if I'm one for bright coloured wheels but whatever you're comfortable with really, lifes too short!

Great build thread [emoji106] have you finished the mapping and stuff would like to see a dyno on standard injectors.

I've also got the 2260 build on my arl polo 9n with 120% injectors, also mapped by john but not had a chance to get a dyno yet because of head issues, I'm looking to get nps cam and arp head studs over the next few weeks then get it dyno'd

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited 21 January, 201610 yr by Kierron JunFan Lee

How are you getting on Stu? Not sure if I'm one for bright coloured wheels but whatever you're comfortable with really, lifes too short!

Good thanks Kris, and lol at the wheels yes bright colours are good for tracl wheels but gunna look a wally driving on road with them! Car running great doen about 1300 miles on the new turbo so far. Just bloody peed off with the gear selection issues- may be taking it to DS next sat to be looked at so i plan to go see dan if your free also we could take some.more logs if you need them?