A trip to the rollers!

[Boogie]

I’ve booked my westfield in for a run on the rollers at the end of sept. The plan is to give it a run and see what she puts out. Then the discussion of what needs to be done and what is worth doing. I’m running a red top with SBD throttle bodies, so it’s going to be interesting. 

[NigelO]

The anticipation is great, isn't it? Mine is booked in with Northampton Motorsport on 10th September to see if there's any more power to be had and to sort out a couple of minor fuelling issues (dodgy cold start and spitting back through the throttle bodies)

 

Be careful though - chasing power is an extremely slippery slope - on my last car, I took it from a stock 220bhp to just under 500 - it's dangerous (as well as expensive) to never be satisfied with what you've got...

[AdamR]

EFI Parts for the dyno session, I hope?

[Boogie]

I’d be happy with 220bhp! It’s a 1998 engine (no CAT required) so I am weary of the age. 

[Mighty Mart]

Good luck mate - hope you enjoy.

 

If you havent been to a dyno before, it can be quite disconcerting watching you pride and joy strapped down, squirming whilst getting a bit of a thrashing though....

 

Great to see the final power outputs, but not so good in the admittedly rare event, of it going bang....

 

Mart.

[wizzer]

43 minutes ago, Boogie said:

I’d be happy with 220bhp! It’s a 1998 engine (no CAT required) so I am weary of the age. 

What's the engine spec.👍

Tony 

[Boogie]

It’s got a SBD 208 throttle body kit and upgraded con rods. To get 220bhp I’m looking at cams and head work. 

Pete

[Rory's Dad]

Standard xe should make 185bhp and 168ftlbs of torque with throttle bodies and a decent exhaust. The torque is the important number on a predominantly road going machine - no need to change gear so often!! 

[wizzer]

16 minutes ago, Boogie said:

It’s got a SBD 208 throttle body kit and upgraded con rods. To get 220bhp I’m looking at cams and head work. 

Pete

Mine's standard sbd 208 be interesting to see what it makes. 

Tony 

[the stoat]

On 21/08/2019 at 14:39, wizzer said:

Mine's standard sbd 208 be interesting to see what it makes. 

Tony 

From my experience unless the map has been tweaked less than 208. 

 

On 21/08/2019 at 14:20, Boogie said:

It’s got a SBD 208 throttle body kit and upgraded con rods. To get 220bhp I’m looking at cams and head work. 

Pete

Again from my experience you do not need headwork for around 220 bhp, but you will need cams with enough lift to need standard pistons pocketing for valve clearance.  On my old set up I got 224 bhp with a hydraulic cam and higher compression pistons, which when I moved to solid lifters went into my friends engine with a SBD 208 kit and pocketed pistons made 220.  Only point to note is both cars have SBDs exhaust and manifold.

 

If you want to stay with hydraulic lifters let me know and I can let you know the part number of the cams mine had.  

 

On 21/08/2019 at 14:23, Rory's Dad said:

Standard xe should make 185bhp and 168ftlbs of torque with throttle bodies and a decent exhaust. The torque is the important number on a predominantly road going machine - no need to change gear so often!! 

 

I completely agree, but would add not just on the road.  Do not get hung up on bhp, torque and driveability are massively important.  On my new solid lifter and forged piston and rods I only have 225 bhp and it seems to go rather well on track.  For a NA setup it has quite a bit of torque form not too many revs and Northampton Motorsport spent a lot of time on all areas of the map and as a result it is predictable, so easy to drive.

[Arm]

Fully service the car before the rolling road. Do plugs and leads etc. Shame to otherwise waste expensive dyno time doing minor corrections.

 

To get the best from the XE get high compression pistons and decent cams with standard head valves with wasted stems. They respond really well to that. Head work not really necessary and can cost useable power without an engine spec that can use it.

[SootySport]

You can use QED 42H cams with standard pistons and standard valvegear, although double valve springs should be used.  I know that as one of my springs broke 2 weeks after I fitted the cams. 😀.

Four years later and all is well, touch wood 

[maurici]

On 22/08/2019 at 22:11, Arm said:

Fully service the car before the rolling road. Do plugs and leads etc. Shame to otherwise waste expensive dyno time doing minor corrections.

 

To get the best from the XE get high compression pistons and decent cams with standard head valves with wasted stems. They respond really well to that. Head work not really necessary and can cost useable power without an engine spec that can use it.

 

Redtop God  spoke here.

 

[Boogie]

Thought I’d let you know how I got on. I didn’t change anything before hand, just ran some additive in the fuel for 2 tanks. We did 2 runs, with and without the air filter as we discovered the filter is touching the horns after the first run. The reading was taken from at the wheels with the rpm limit set at 7k but the power had started to drop off at 6.7k. 150bhp with and 158bhp without filter but 366lb ft torque. 

Over all I’m happy as it’s around 180/190 roughly at the flywheel from a nearly syd motor. If I cam it now it’s going to get expensive with parts and possible labour charges. For what I will use it for the guy said spend it on foul and enjoy it!!

I would like to say that Adrian at AB garage (in sandycroft) was great and I would recommend him. 

[Kingster]

10 minutes ago, Boogie said:

but 366lb ft torque. 

Typo? I’m guessing that’s 166 😁 - good result for a largely std engine