When is enough bhp enough?

PostPost by: cudabenefast » Tue Sep 19, 2017 12:08 pm

Rohan, interesting definition of "subtle"! 8)

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PostPost by: Slowtus » Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:25 pm

prezoom wrote:It isn't so much the horse power that I enjoy, it's the torque. My S2 is a standard 105 hp with a 3.9. Climbing out of my driveway with the Plus2 was an eye opener for me. The increased torque was immediately noticeable with the Zetec. I have a tall block Weber engine sitting on an engine stand that needs a complete overhaul. When complete, I had planned on putting in the Elan. As the saying goes: "There ain't no substitute for cubic inches".......... unless you add a turbo.


Late to the party here ( I had to rejoin the forum with this name as it refused to recognise my previous credentials and I had forgotten my username etc etc).

Having decided to get back into Lotus (apparently age does not beget wisdom) and more specifically back into Plus 2s I had a drive in Ed L's recently and well restored Plus 2, complete with 2.0L Zetec with ITBs etc, mild tune, putting out around 180bhp but the difference in torque was the most apparent item.

This for me is probably about where I would like to see that 'balance' in a Plus 2...though I do still enjoy a high revving 4 cylinder with a 9000rpm top end...wonder if I could fit an S2000 drivetrain in there... :D
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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:49 pm

Somebody has done an S2000 installation, can't remember if it's a member on here but here's a link to a short YouTube clip https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AjZdkEFFv74

Seems that oversteer is a problem and that tyre wear is dramatically increased, sounds nice though :mrgreen:
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PostPost by: Sea Ranch » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:51 pm

According to a google search . . .

Owner/builder is Magnus Arnoldsson. Web forum where the car is discussed (in Niuean?) is http://rejsa.nu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1 ... 5321581d2e

Good luck . . . :mrgreen:

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PostPost by: Slowtus » Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:46 pm

Spyder fan wrote:Somebody has done an S2000 installation, can't remember if it's a member on here but here's a link to a short YouTube clip https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AjZdkEFFv74

Seems that oversteer is a problem and that tyre wear is dramatically increased, sounds nice though :mrgreen:


Yes, it does sound nice, I stuffed one in my Mk1 Cortina GT and had similar problems with oversteer and tire wear! :D

I just wondered if it would fit in the Plus 2 without poking through the hood; it is much easier getting a donor S2000 than a Zetec with all the bits on this side of the pond, torque is a little lacking and up in the rev range but it felt just fine and since the Cortina and the Plus 2 weigh about the same...

Those 2 additional gears don't hurt either, the Cortina had a THEORETICAL top end of 148mph with the gearing/wheel/tire size. theoretical indeed, I always ran out of road and courage well before I ran out of revs in 6th.

Now all I need is a Plus 2 sans drivetrain.
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PostPost by: The Veg » Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:54 pm

Another engine that intrigues me and is available over here is the GM LSJ, a supercharged version of the Ecotec.

It can make some real power, and it's fairly compact in size. I saw pics somewhere of one installed in an Esprit, and it had lots of space leftover around it since it's way-shorter than a 9xx and doesn't lean to one side.

Wikipedia describes it thusly:
"The LSJ is a supercharged version of the LK9 Ecotec 2.0 L? 1,998 cc (121.9 cu in)? with an Eaton M62 Roots-type supercharger and air-to-liquid intercooler. The LSJ shares many of its components with the LK9 such as: piston cooling jets, oil cooler, pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft, oil pan, sodium-filled exhaust valves and cylinder head.[3] It is rated at 205 hp (153 kW) at 5600 rpm and 200 ft?lb (271 N?m) at 4400 rpm with a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and a 6500 rpm redline. With the end of the Chevy Cobalt S/C SS and Saturn Ion Red Line, the LSJ was discontinued after 2007. In late 2005 Brammo Motorsports struck a deal with GM for the Supercharged 2.0 L Ecotec for their Ariel Atom. The engine came in various ratings from 205 hp (153 kW) to 300 hp (220 kW).

The LSJ was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2006."

The different levels of power come from the fact that you can leave it stock, or install three levels of factory (yes, factory!) upgrade-kits that are fairly simple, consisting of things like different size injectors and supercharger pulleys, and of course having the ECU flashed for different specs. I think I've read too that at least at one time the LSJ was available as a crate-motor too, since it had so much potential for interesting applications.

Image

Might go well with that T5 gearbox mod too.
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PostPost by: Lotus 50 » Sat Sep 30, 2017 10:37 pm

Mine is stock. Basically a slow old car. I like it a lot.
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PostPost by: Sea Ranch » Sat Sep 30, 2017 10:39 pm

Same. :mrgreen:
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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Sun Oct 01, 2017 8:54 am

The Veg wrote:Another engine that intrigues me and is available over here is the GM LSJ, a supercharged version of the Ecotec.

It can make some real power, and it's fairly compact in size. I saw pics somewhere of one installed in an Esprit, and it had lots of space leftover around it since it's way-shorter than a 9xx and doesn't lean to one side.

Wikipedia describes it thusly:
"The LSJ is a supercharged version of the LK9 Ecotec 2.0 L? 1,998 cc (121.9 cu in)? with an Eaton M62 Roots-type supercharger and air-to-liquid intercooler. The LSJ shares many of its components with the LK9 such as: piston cooling jets, oil cooler, pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft, oil pan, sodium-filled exhaust valves and cylinder head.[3] It is rated at 205 hp (153 kW) at 5600 rpm and 200 ft?lb (271 N?m) at 4400 rpm with a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and a 6500 rpm redline. With the end of the Chevy Cobalt S/C SS and Saturn Ion Red Line, the LSJ was discontinued after 2007. In late 2005 Brammo Motorsports struck a deal with GM for the Supercharged 2.0 L Ecotec for their Ariel Atom. The engine came in various ratings from 205 hp (153 kW) to 300 hp (220 kW).

The LSJ was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2006."

The different levels of power come from the fact that you can leave it stock, or install three levels of factory (yes, factory!) upgrade-kits that are fairly simple, consisting of things like different size injectors and supercharger pulleys, and of course having the ECU flashed for different specs. I think I've read too that at least at one time the LSJ was available as a crate-motor too, since it had so much potential for interesting applications.



Might go well with that T5 gearbox mod too.


Looks a bit like a Ford Duratec, note the inlet and exhaust is opposite to an LTC, starter motor appears to go on the opposite side as well. Super chargers are great for big power and torque without the pesky lag you can get from a big turbo. It would probably be a slightly easier job to put one in a LHD car as you won?t have the exhaust headers routing around the steering column as I have in mine.

Looks fun, can you pick one up to assess for suitability? When I bought my Duratec it was a shot to nothing because I knew I could sell it for what I bought it for if it was too much work to fit.
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PostPost by: Certified Lotus » Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:30 am

Developed by an international A-team of GM engineers and then refined by Lotus Engineering, the DOHC four-cylinder Ecotec is considered by the General to be the small-block Chevy of four-cylinders. A true world- class engine design, Ecotecs use an aluminum block and head and so far have been offered in displacements ranging from 1.8 liters to 2.4 liters. Although the vast majority of Ecotecs are normally aspirated with cast bottom ends, special high-performance supercharged and turbocharged variants have been produced with forged rotating components.

Well, with the engine refined by Lotus Engineering you would have a "pure" Lotus car with one of these engines under the bonnet.
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PostPost by: Certified Lotus » Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:39 am

Certified Lotus wrote:Developed by an international A-team of GM engineers and then refined by Lotus Engineering, the DOHC four-cylinder Ecotec is considered by the General to be the small-block Chevy of four-cylinders. A true world- class engine design, Ecotecs use an aluminum block and head and so far have been offered in displacements ranging from 1.8 liters to 2.4 liters. Although the vast majority of Ecotecs are normally aspirated with cast bottom ends, special high-performance supercharged and turbocharged variants have been produced with forged rotating components.

Well, with the engine refined by Lotus Engineering you would have a "pure" Lotus car with one of these engines under the bonnet.


Looks like you can still buy a crate engine for $6,500. Certainly a real deal over the cost of rebuilding a Ford Lotus Twin Cam!

Here is a link: http://store.custombuiltmotors.com/cbm- ... nes-1.html
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PostPost by: gus » Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:25 pm

The questions with engine swaps are:

"Ow long is it?" [that's a rather personal question]
"Ow tall is it?"
"Ow much does it weigh?"

The twink being only 18 inches long and 17 inches tall[to crank CL] and mid high 200 pound range it is tough to find a useful replacement

If one is positing a replacement engine these dimensions would be useful.

Newer motors have gone back to chains[shorter length], which is good
Newer motors have more vertical valves for tighter combustion chambers, and rockers for vvt functions [taller height]which is bad


I am always on the lookout for compact alloy v6s, since they can be short enough if their intake systems would fit........
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PostPost by: Slowtus » Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:46 pm

gus wrote:The questions with engine swaps are:

"Ow long is it?" [that's a rather personal question]
"Ow tall is it?"
"Ow much does it weigh?"

The twink being only 18 inches long and 17 inches tall[to crank CL] and mid high 200 pound range it is tough to find a useful replacement

If one is positing a replacement engine these dimensions would be useful.

Newer motors have gone back to chains[shorter length], which is good
Newer motors have more vertical valves for tighter combustion chambers, and rockers for vvt functions [taller height]which is bad


I am always on the lookout for compact alloy v6s, since they can be short enough if their intake systems would fit........

Which is why I found it interesting that someone managed to stuff that S2000 drivetrain in a Plus 2 - I had to do a LOT of hacking and whacking to get that drivetrain into (and out of - I had it in and out 5 times before I finally glued it in place} my Mk1 Cortina which has a lot more room under the bonnet/hood.
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PostPost by: gus » Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:25 pm

The S2000 is not what I would consider a viable drivetrain, the car is pretty much destroyed when you are done. Having to trim a body flange in the engine bay, or mod the motor mounts is one thing, ripping up the passenger floor is another

A fun one off project no doubt, but not a Zetec type conversion
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PostPost by: holywood3645 » Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:59 pm

"Definition...... you know you have enough horsepower when;

'Adrenaline meets fear, at 1/2 throttle'

:D
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