Wicked Red - Turbo VTS - Sri's 'more boost' project

[sri_130]

Updated: Nov 22 - Spec list is now:

ARP head studs
Cometic 5 layer WRC head gasket
ACL main + journal bearings
ZRP forged rods
Arp rod bolts
Wossner 78.7 forged pistons (new rings and bore glazed - 2021)
Ported & Polished head (rebuilt and stem seals 2021)
Garrett GT2259 Turbo NEW (AET 2022)
Milltek (CiTuning) turbo manifold, heat wrapped
MK2 Toyota MR2 Alluminium single-pass intercooler
GMC radiator & SPAL Fan (from the combo kit - pace)
Saxo Diesel header tank
Forge silicone hoses
Mocal oil cooler + Thermostatic sandwich plate
Clio 172 oil filter
Evin Twin dump valve
Gizzmo EBC
ASH intercooler piping
De-cat, 2.5" custom stainless exhaust by Topgear, with custom downpipe. Piper backbox
K&N
LC-2 Innovate Wideband Lambda (+ OEM lambda to allow closed loop still)
Wallbro 255 in-tank fuel pump
3bar cosworth map sensor
Megane 225 390cc Injectors
Hi-spec brakes 285mm grooved discs
15" speeline turinis
MA Gearbox + Satchshift
Helix 6 Paddle Clutch and pressure plate
Skimmed flywheel
C.Taylor billet crank pulley
Upgraded ball joint pinch bolts
Gaz adjustable Coilovers
Gaz Gold adjustable rear dampers
Stud & nut conversion
Powerflex wishbone bushes (front & rear)
Powerflex lower gearbox mount + solid fork bush
Top Strut brace
Powerflex black anti-roll-bar bushes
Red rallye carpet
OMP trecendo suede wheel
Cobra Suzuka Pro seats
TRS Magnum harnesses
Half cage
106 door bins
306 80degree thermostat
20mm hubcentric front spacers
15mm hubcentric rear spacers
Turbo blanket
Digital Oil temp gauge
Earls inline turbo oil filter
Door pulliers
Catch Can
*Powerflex rear beam bushes

*to fit

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Original post:
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I bought this after the previous owner (and mate) fell out of love with it.

Apparently it was originally a chap called 'Crabzy's' (http://www.saxperience.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=348110) and along the way it had a female owner, previous owner and now, me.

The spec is:

Running 7 PSI atm - 181 BHP
16 vts engine
VTS box
new pistons
de comp plate
Evil twin dump valve
ported and polished throttle body
miltek stainless steel turbo manifold
GT17 turbo
mapped on standard ECU by Chipwizards
ASH blue silicone hose kit
OMP strut brace
miltek down pipe
supersprint midsection
piper backbox 3 inch
small front mount intercooler
490cc injectors
twin slim line fans
3bar cosworth map sensor
walbro fuel pump
206 GTI brakes
OMP trecendo
106 Rallye red carpet
black headlights
VTS alloys
Satchshift MA
lowered 60mm - spax and spax dampers
autogauges boost gauge

Originally built for Crabzy by RickyP, then rebuilt by lady owner, then again by French sport tuning and soon to be again.. by me.

It did come with 106 GTI interior, but as it will be road and track, they were removed for a pair of Cobra Suzuka Pro's.

My early tasks included:
- PAS Pump replacement, as it was knackered
- Driverside shaft
- Water leak (suspected at water pump plastic housing, but wasn't there.. needs more work)
- Satchshift install (never again)
- weight loss
- track/road prep, seats, wheel etc...

It had previously had the belts done by FST, so they're good for now.

Pic of it when arrived:



I've had only a bit of time to crack on with it, so the changes are sporadic! but a few bits done:

Pump swap:





Then set about selling the interior, took dash and sound proofing out + tar on floorpans...



Wired in a new boost gauge whilst dash was out



Re-positioned the air filter by using a 90 degree pipe I had spare (it was previously up at the side of the engine



and made a new window switch location... before the satch arrived



Carpet out, pre-clean:



After:



Interior was sold, so set about prep' work for buckets

Subrames were just tatty (came with seats... thought about binning them, but they're actually OK).



wet sand and primer:



Finito (after a couple of coats):



Made an outdoor spray booth for other parts...



Water leak next (and driveshaft):



gave me chance to inspect for rot (as foolishly I'd not done this prior)... turns out its a really tidy shell. Just a slight beginning under the ECU try, which is easy enough to sort.

Suspected the leak was from the water pump plastic housing at the back. Not an easy location.



swapped for one off of my spare engines, with a better O-ring..



Fitted back up and it still leaks... but not from that location! so suspect its the thermo housing or a pipe... will sort it further into summer.

Satch arrived, so went about fitting that + dash, carpet and drivers seat (will do passenger next week)



Safe to say, I wont ever fit one of them again. Not easy with the engine still in.

[sri_130]

When I first got the car, I fancied going further than the GT17. After seeing a pals GT25 enabled 106 Rallye... I set about finding one, with no success.
The GT17 is a cracking turbo though, the car genuinely feels like its N.A and whilst it might not do a great deal more in terms of horsepower, I think I'll end up keeping it + ECU to either put on another or revert back if the project doesn't go much further.


I then did a bit of reading and located a GT2259. This appears to be a good middle ground from the 17 to 25 and so I bought a new one pretty cheap. The problem being is that the compressor housing is enormous and I'm pretty sure it will foul the block and radiator when fitted onto the milltek manifold... so that might need to be changed or a custom one made. Anyway, pics...









Oh... 3 Plug Predator + paddle clutch also obtained, but not fitted obviously, as the current one at this power level is fine.

You can see the turbo's exhaust flange is an odd 4 bolt design. I've struggled to get a flange to create a downpipe, so had my helpful cousin take the gasket and make me some on the laser cutter Next issue is a 2.5" V-band pipe to mate to the intercooler pipework... .currently looking into that - along with a custom exhaust manifold.

Plans are to up the power to circa 250bhp on the current engine (even though it is a bit tired) and build up another engine to wait in the wings. The current unit is smokey on idle and whilst I can't see too much evidence of the oil seals on the GT17 going, It does look like the valve stem seals are screwed. As its not causing too much heartache, I thought I might as well leave this engine in situ and get the new turbo adapted, so I can just swap over when I'm sick of the smoke!

Immediate plan though, is to fix the water leak & starter motor. As it appears the solenoid is not receiving a feed from the ignition.

#boost

[Rossp]

excellent work

[Pugdjw]

Good progress so far mate Iv got a 160bhp throttle bodied rallye with s1 box, what's it like running a 180bhp boosted setup with regards to traction ?

[Rossp]

180hp is for pussies. Shouldn't be issues

[sri_130]

No issues, the GT17 comes in really low, as mentioned its like having an NA car. No silly spikes etc, so traction is spot on.

My mate has a 180bhp pug1off engine in his s1 rallye and this is exactly the same pace. They're both great fun. In fact, his is about to be magazine featured.

[craigyt]

Boooooost!

Whats your mates gt25 rallye like?!

[sri_130]

Originally Posted by craigyt

Boooooost!

Whats your mates gt25 rallye like?!

He's a clownshoe, but his car is ok.

[iSlayeR]

Love this your right about the gt17, my vtr is such a pleasure to drive with only 160hp, power comes in so smoothly

[leeds_182]

Booooooooost!

[djx11b]

Nice looking car :-).

Sure I seen this up for sale a short while ago on Saxo Facebook page was tempted.

[sri_130]

Minor/Major update...

Source of not starting was confirmed to be:



Bird poo solder had turned brittle. As I took the dash out, I must have disturbed it behind the electrical tape. Connector block fix and it was back up and running.

My cousin kindly cut my flanges, so collected them. Will need a custom downpipe making, but that's a fair way off.



Irronically discovered that the turbo I've bought is oil cooled only, so will need some OEM water pipes to put mine back to normal (GT17 is both oil and water)...not sure why I didn't notice earlier, but no biggy.



Also, the compressor outlet V-band with O-ring turned up from Darkside developments, so barring the downpipe, I think I have everything to fit the new turbo on.


So thats the minor ones out of the way...


The major issue has always been the water leak. After replacing the rear plastic water pump housing (and re-sealing) the leak was still there.

I thought I'd re-seal everything else, just to rule them out (pipes already checked)...

Thermostat housing was ok, but re-sealed:



The O-ring was missing on the plastic housing take-off, but there was enough gasket seal to make up for it! Cleaned, re-sealed and O-ring purchased.





Put them back on and zero difference. The leak is still there.


So, I'd originally identified that the water was mysteriously running down the block, near a core plug on the rear. But I assumed, it was because it was dripping onto it from somewhere else - but with my helpful comedy friend Jim kicking around, I cleaned the block with some old rags and then watched it instantly bead as if from nowhere on the block itself.

It would appear the block has cracked

I do have 2 engines awaiting fettling, but I'd hoped to have them as a side rebuild project rather than having to get them out now. The plan was always to get this engine (standard internals) up to where I want it with the new stuff (turbo, pipe work, radiator etc) and then extract it all and make it nice and shiney + replace the engine oil seals or engine and re-install with an engine bay make over.

Comedy Jim had an idea:



As my new turbo isn't water cooled, I thought I might as well give it a bash, to at least stop coolant pissing all over the garage floor.

Unfortunately I was too hasty to see if the kseal had mixed into the water and undid the radiator cap to an erruption. LOL.

Results at the weekend.

[sri_130]

Originally Posted by djx11b

Nice looking car :-).

Sure I seen this up for sale a short while ago on Saxo Facebook page was tempted.

Previous owner bought it via facenet.....



.....and then I was swindled into buying it.

[leeds_182]

K seal

[sri_130]

The K-Seal didn't work, which was a long shot.



Hopefully drag the two old engines out of the garage to strip down this week

[ldavies]

Car looks really nice mate.
Think I remember commenting on it when previous older had it.
Hope you get the problems sorted out.
Whereabouts in Doncaster are you, I'm in Doncaster too.

[djx11b]

Thats a shame it didn't work.

Are you going to do a forged rebuild on the new engine ?

[sri_130]

Originally Posted by ldavies

Car looks really nice mate.
Think I remember commenting on it when previous older had it.
Hope you get the problems sorted out.
Whereabouts in Doncaster are you, I'm in Doncaster too.

I'm not really in Doncaster. I think I'm classed as Selby, basically in the middle of nowhere - near Eggborough.

[sri_130]

Originally Posted by djx11b

Thats a shame it didn't work.

Are you going to do a forged rebuild on the new engine ?

It was a long shot, but it doesn't matter. Obviously it would have been nice if it wasn't leaking at all....

No forged for me, I've got another 2 engines to use up first!
If I see the bits up for cheap enough, then maybe...

[ldavies]

Originally Posted by sri_130

I'm not really in Doncaster. I think I'm classed as Selby, basically in the middle of nowhere - near Eggborough.

Ah ye I no eggborough it's around 20mins from me .