Power upgrades - Menu options

[Lucozade]

Just a thought, but since a number of you fine chaps on here have gone down many a route to achieve "safe" power upgrades. I wondered if it was time to put up some kind of power upgrade menu choices. It would certainly be helpful for me and a few others sniffing around for extra power and torque. Maybe this could become a sticky if we all manage to put enough data into it.

Shall I start with some kind of structure and see where it goes (the figures could be wrong so don't flame me):

2.5
Standard power: 310bhp
Standard torque: 320lb ft


3.0
Standard power: 344bhp
Standard torque 340lb ft


3R
Standard power: 352bhp
Standard torque: 385lb ft

Upgrade option 1: 400bhp
Parts needed with costs: Intercooler, hard pipe kit, fuel pump wiring, Remap at Trevor's place!
Useage: road or track

Upgrade option 2: 450bhp
Parts needed with costs: Option 1 plus gearbox cooling
Useage: road or track

M400
Standard power: 425bhp
Standard torque:

[Scooby P1]

I'm on upgrade 1 minus the intercooler and hardpipes but got nowhere near 400bhp. Did get 400 lb ft though!

What does one need to do for 500bhp? Not that i will go there.....but would be good to know!

[Blu3R]

Scooby P1 said:

I'm on upgrade 1 minus the intercooler and hardpipes but got nowhere near 400bhp. Did get 400 lb ft though!

What does one need to do for 500bhp? Not that i will go there.....but would be good to know!

Starting with a standard 3R you'd need:
Fully dual exhaust
Fuel pump plus wiring
Uprated IC
Uprated injectors
Stronger valve springs
Modded T28s (standard ones will be blowing past their optimum) or preferably GTs
0.7Bar actuators
Cam timing mod
Remap

That will get you a reliable 500bhp, then you just need to spend money on making sure you don't spit all your gears out during or immediately after the mapping session so:

Rebuilt gearbox possibly with new gearset depending on mileage
Uprated casing bearings
Cooler unions fitted plus all associated equipment (pump, hoses, rad)
Clutch plate & cover

Nice to have's at this point:
Extension on mortgage
Oil pressure gauge
Oil temp gauge
Underdrive pulley
Fidanza flywheel
Engine oil cooler
Replacement wife
Alloy oil breather
Alloy header
Cooling mods
Lobotomy
Aero mods


Probably more that others could add

[951]

Blu3R said:

Scooby P1 said:

I'm on upgrade 1 minus the intercooler and hardpipes but got nowhere near 400bhp. Did get 400 lb ft though!

What does one need to do for 500bhp? Not that i will go there.....but would be good to know!

Starting with a standard 3R you'd need:
Fully dual exhaust
Fuel pump plus wiring
Uprated IC
Uprated injectors
Stronger valve springs
Modded T28s (standard ones will be blowing past their optimum) or preferably GTs
0.7Bar actuators
Cam timimg mod
Remap

That will get you a reliable 500bhp, then you just need to spend money on making sure you don't spit all your gears out during or immediately after the mapping session so:

Rebuilt gearbox possibly with new gearset depending on mileage
Uprated casing bearings
Cooler unions fitted plus all associated equipment (pump, hoses, rad)
Clutch plate & cover

Nice to have's at this point:
Extension on mortgage
Oil pressure gauge
Oil temp gauge
Underdrive pulley
Engine oil cooler
Replacement wife
Alloy oil breather
Alloy header
Cooling mods
Lobotomy
Aero mods


Probably more that others could add

The big debate at 500 is whether the pistons are up to it.

There have been cars running close to 500 on the standard pistons with no problems. However, there are many (eg Yellowshed) who say that's right on the limit, depending on the torque level, and asking for trouble at some point.

I would therefore suggest that 500 may be the tipping point at which it is wise to go to forged pistons.....

[Scooby P1]

Seeing as I made 360bhp at Yellowshed's, i should aim for 450 and stay safe and a bit cheaper!'

Might be a while before i start some of those mods though....

[simonx50]

What did yours have before remap lawrence as i am also looking into having mine done.
Did you notice much of a difference after?

Scooby P1 said:

Seeing as I made 360bhp at Yellowshed's, i should aim for 450 and stay safe and a bit cheaper!'

Might be a while before i start some of those mods though....

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

I would and that the only thing hard pipes do is look shiny.

[snuffy]

Are not the 3 and 3R power and torque figures exactly the same ? Which I think are 352bhp and 350lb ft.

[Scooby P1]

snuffy said:

Are not the 3 and 3R power and torque figures exactly the same ? Which I think are 352bhp and 350lb ft.

In reality those figures are not real - i.e. rarely are standard Nobles putting out those figures.

So in answer to Simon's post above mine is a standard GTO-3 and with fuel pump wiring upgrade and nothing else I manged 360bhp and 400 lb ft.

And YES Si, i can so feel the difference!

[simonx50]

I guess that figure was after he tweaked it up can u remember what it was before?as I was told around 320 330

[simonx50]

I guess that figure was after he tweaked it up can u remember what it was before?as I was told around 320 330

[TuxMan]

Great list Rob although i found renting the wife out a better option than exchanging


i did my power upgrades in 4 stages that way i got used to the power and spread the exspense over 3 years !!criticle things to address are

1 gearbox and clutch
2 cooling
3 handling
4 general condtion ie ball joints ect
5 power upgrades

a stage one map is a good idea mainly because the map you might have fitted could be a old map and Trevor has moved them on a bit , if you have a std car then upgrades should be :
fuel pump + relay
pro alloy intercooler
exhaust
remapp

thats a great place to start and you will see quite a difference in a std car and it will performe well even when hot , i would not do any more until the gearbox and clutch are uprated then it would be

cam timing
valve springs
turbo upgrade
oil cooling for box and engine
injectors
remapp


should see 450 to 500 i ran this setup for 2 years with no problem and the car was awsome !!!

keep working guys

Tux

[Scooby P1]

Gearbox and clutch sounds expensive!

Might stick with what i've got for now....just change the intercooler at some stage. Which is also NOT cheap!

[snuffy]

Scooby P1 said:

snuffy said:

Are not the 3 and 3R power and torque figures exactly the same ? Which I think are 352bhp and 350lb ft.

In reality those figures are not real - i.e. rarely are standard Nobles putting out those figures.

So in answer to Simon's post above mine is a standard GTO-3 and with fuel pump wiring upgrade and nothing else I manged 360bhp and 400 lb ft.

And YES Si, i can so feel the difference!

If the are real or not (i.e overstated by Noble ) is one thing, but the 3 and 3R are still the same.

Mine was 320bhp ( can't remember the torque ). After a new exhaust, intercooler and fuel pump and wiring, then a remap by Mr Y.Shed, it came out at 375bhp and 390lb ft.

[Scooby P1]

What exhaust have you got?

[Fett]

Scooby P1 said:

Gearbox and clutch sounds expensive!

Might stick with what i've got for now....just change the intercooler at some stage. Which is also NOT cheap!

Have been speaking to Pro-Alloy about a group buy, just waiting for some figures back before I put a post up to see if there's enough interest.

[wessexrfc]

Scooby P1 said:

Seeing as I made 360bhp at Yellowshed's, i should aim for 450 and stay safe and a bit cheaper!'

Might be a while before i start some of those mods though....

Your not far off my car, but we capped @ 430 ftlbs to save the gearbox and clutch.

Mine has uprated s/s exhaust
Andy's old rebirbed 28 turbo's (with everyone looking for max power, plenty of spares on offer)
Valve springs upgraded along with cam timing
Intercooler
Fuel pump + wiring
Remapped by Mr Y

Once you go passed this point it really starts to get expensive, with gearbox, oil cooling, clutch, engine etc etc, won't stop me though

Edited by wessexrfc on Monday 18th June 20:53

[D_G]

snuffy said:

If the are real or not (i.e overstated by Noble ) is one thing, but the 3 and 3R are still the same.

Mine was 320bhp ( can't remember the torque ). After a new exhaust, intercooler and fuel pump and wiring, then a remap by Mr Y.Shed, it came out at 375bhp and 390lb ft.

My standard 3 made 375 bhp / 371 lbft (with pump mod and 0.7bar actuators) and would have made more was was capped due to open 5 speeder. Was tested prior to this and was 319bhp / 316 lb ft. It does drive a million times better as well!

[snuffy]

Scooby P1 said:

What exhaust have you got?

A Hayward & Scott one.

[snuffy]

D_G said:

snuffy said:

If the are real or not (i.e overstated by Noble ) is one thing, but the 3 and 3R are still the same.

Mine was 320bhp ( can't remember the torque ). After a new exhaust, intercooler and fuel pump and wiring, then a remap by Mr Y.Shed, it came out at 375bhp and 390lb ft.

My standard 3 made 375 bhp / 371 lbft (with pump mod and 0.7bar actuators) and would have made more was was capped due to open 5 speeder. Was tested prior to this and was 319bhp / 316 lb ft. It does drive a million times better as well!

I've got the 6-speed box in my 3, but my problem was the actuators were worn so would not hold enough boost. I'd certainly agree that it drives infinatley better after being remapped. It picks up much earlier on, I think that's the biggest thing that changes.