Read the FAQ's and still have a few questions on tuning

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 1st, 2006, 9:13 am

We are about to start a rather large project on a 3 we have gained.

We will be using the stock 1.8V6 for the project as it is already with the car.

My question is however 'what are the common routes for modifying the 1.8ltr?'
I know the 2.5 will fit straight into place but as we are doing the project as a technical excersise and fun we don't want to start sinking more money into it untill its done

Already on the books are the usual suspects being 2.5" exhaust, possibly tubular headers, sealed cold air ram induction, adjustable fuel pressure regulator and a deep head skim to increase the compression ratio.

These are simply parts we have laying around or are easy for us to fabricate, though is there anything else we've missed that is actually possible on budget???

We may go for a turbo conversion but tis alot of work to add to the project!!!!!

Thanks in advance

mxmaz · Post by **mxmaz** » October 1st, 2006, 9:28 am

Just go klde, you should be able to find the engine for less then $400. Dont even waste your time trying to make decent power with a k8.

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 1st, 2006, 9:38 am

Again this is a technical excersise and abit of fun.

The 2.5 may be something we will look at later on BUT at this moment in time the 1.8 is what we have and what we will be working on.

If there are no other mods that are budgetable then thats cool, just best to ask obviously. It has been thrown about (jokingly) that we should do a twin turbo setup as we would have the space available but thats a way off yet.

So anybody got any ideas??

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » October 1st, 2006, 10:39 am

You can switch to kl31 cams. From what I have heard they get about 10 extra hp on the 2.5. I dont know how they would affect the k8 but it would be an easy mod that would help.

Nate

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 1st, 2006, 11:46 am

Thanks

What are the kl31 cams and wat vehicle can i take them from or are they after market?

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » October 1st, 2006, 4:46 pm

kl31 cams are from straight neck 2.5 klze motor. You can easily source them off of probetalk.com from guys parting out. They usually can be had for about $200 bucks.

Nate

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 1st, 2006, 5:41 pm

Superb cheers buddy

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » October 1st, 2006, 6:42 pm

uh well honestly.. i spent around eh 700 dllrs on my car, headers, flywheel , clutch this and that.. on the k8.. it was not worth a dime. The car was still slow. even if you get the ze cams, it will still be slower than a de. If you are lucky it will be as fast as a kfze (and thats not fast believe me)

The only true mod that would make your car a true project car and make it a nice show at the track is to klze. Think about it? the cams around 200 dllrs, headers? hmm, over 200, underdrive pulley like 8o, lets say a heard porting job like around 300 or even rebuilt them. You can get a klze or for around less than 500 you can get a klde. Trust me.. i have been trough the k8 and kfze. For performance they are NOT worth it. Unless you spray them it would be ok but you can only spray so much on a k8.

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 2nd, 2006, 10:56 am

hgallegos915 wrote:uh well honestly.. i spent around eh 700 dllrs on my car, headers, flywheel , clutch this and that.. on the k8.. it was not worth a dime. The car was still slow. even if you get the ze cams, it will still be slower than a de. If you are lucky it will be as fast as a kfze (and thats not fast believe me)

The only true mod that would make your car a true project car and make it a nice show at the track is to klze. Think about it? the cams around 200 dllrs, headers? hmm, over 200, underdrive pulley like 8o, lets say a heard porting job like around 300 or even rebuilt them. You can get a klze or for around less than 500 you can get a klde. Trust me.. i have been trough the k8 and kfze. For performance they are NOT worth it. Unless you spray them it would be ok but you can only spray so much on a k8.

Hi and thanks for your input but please please please read the thread.

We have this car and are building it as a technical excersise it will be road worthy at the end but it is not a money pit design its based on what we have around us raising the performance is apossiblity if we can do it at extremely low cost, the cams we can get for about $80 so will be bought (maybe)

For the last time though the car will not be fitted with a 2.5 lump please accept and understand this. It is not out and out performance we're after, personally I have a 420hp GTO twin turbo for that not to mention a 320hp S14 turbo and several other vehicles aswell.

So back to topic KL31 cams look to be on the list as does a twin turbo setup (as I said we're doing to show we can nothing else) which I read only a few have managed

So any other basic mods know of or used??

andy · Post by **andy** » October 2nd, 2006, 12:25 pm

UDP
Lightened flywheel
bored out Throttle body
phenolic spacers.
lighter rim and tire combo.
reprogrammed ECU

or my personal favorite, Turbo.

Andy P. 93 GS 1.8T

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 2nd, 2006, 1:28 pm

Turbo...... like your style

what sort of power you get from your tubby setup and what arrangement are you using?

Our plan is a twin TD035, relitively small tubro's but with only 900cc's to play with its quite a limited field

ECU will be an SAFC2 as we already have a spare one

Has anyone taken the custom inlet manifold route?? Look a bit flasher and with the turbo added it removes alot of the flow test issues associated with makingone for an N/A setup

Cheers for your input

andy · Post by **andy** » October 2nd, 2006, 3:26 pm

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=54685

This thread has a picture of my K8 setup.

I have not dynoed this setup, so I don't know what I'm making for power.
I've been at 10psi for about 6 months.
Last time at the track I managed a 14.5 @ 103.3mph.
The manifold you see in the picture is not the stock K8 manifold, it is the
millenia intake.
The hot pipes for the setup were from twm motorsports. You can't get them there anymore but you can still get them from Ebay.
I tried the N/A route for power prior to the turbo but was dissappointed with the results.
I'm like you, I thought I would play with the K8, learn what I can, maybe blow something up in the process and then move on to a klde or klze. I have to say that at 10 psi I'm very happy and will drive it like this until it dies.

Andy P. 93 GS 1.8T

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 2nd, 2006, 5:39 pm

Pictures are great thanks, gives me some idea on space well too.

That looks like a t3 with a t4 compressor??? What sort of spool per gear are we talking??
At that size and with the gas flow I'd expect full boost at about 4-4500rpm in first and 3-3500 in each gear after, would I be correct???

We had an interesting meeting tonight and the general concensis on the matter is that we will probably build a custom inlet manifold for the setup as it will allow greater positioning for us in the new bay and make pipe work easier too!!

If I may ask what fuel system, injectors etc and management are you running to keep control of 10psi ??? We're planning a timing change, Nissan 370cc injectors and an SAFC2 (all dyno setup)

You quarter time is fantastic for the fact its still the 1.8!! guessing you suffered alittle wheel spin though!!

I think with the engine in the boot and wider tyres we should be able to stop a large amount of that spin. ***he says with fingers crossed!!!***

Think we may move to a 2.5 if we keep it for a while but like you really, tune it till it blows then worry about it!!
Mean really alot of parts are transferable anyway so whats the problem !!

andy · Post by **andy** » October 3rd, 2006, 7:57 am

It is a T3/T4 T04E 57 trim. A little lag for my 1.8L but I always figured on moving to a 2.5L in the future. Spool up is a little latter than what you have mentioned, 200-300 rpm. makes for one heck of a high revving monster.

There are custom intakes around, and some are better designs than others. They can get costly if you can't weld it yourself. As of now I'm not aware of anyone boosted running a custom intake like the CZT intake.

fuel system: 220cc inj, stock FPR,Stock fuel pump, 8:1 FMU,always 93 oct. gas. stock ECU, stock timing, I have a walbro 255lph fuel pump on order that will be going in shortly.

Launching is tricky, I can do it on the street with no pressure but always seem to get lead feet at the track. not enough rpm's and it bogs, to much and you get a smoke show. Not to mention I take it easy on the shifts.
I try to shift at redline but that comes and goes so fast I ussually find myself hitting fuel cutoff. So it obvious I just need more track time

I would say all the parts are transfereable, That alone is reason enough to experiment with the K8 and move on to the klde when you need to.
I should mention that I once turned the boost up to 12psi running some race gas and the stock clutch would not hold this power level. So should you or I want to go much higher in power levels you will need a better clutch.

Andy P. 93 GS 1.8T

Big G · Post by **Big G** » October 3rd, 2006, 4:13 pm

Well won't going abouve 10psi then !!!!

Thought I recognised the turbo from the pictures, if you're going to stick with a single turbo arrngement it may be a good concideration to get a GT2850RS or there abouts as spool will be much much better whether on K8 or the ZE.

Can't believe the stock fuel system, with the exceptions of the injectors, is holding so well. Am quite impressed!!

Must admit though I have no idea what you are one about when mentioning an "FMU" its not a term I've ever encountered though alot of the abreviations are different across waters to be fair.

We're decided on the twin turbo route now so thats going to be an interesting line to follow! we have the turbo's aligned and the measurements for the engine to boot transfer are done so give it a few weeks and hopefully we'll have the spare time to make a start!!