TT supercharged conversions
TT supercharged conversions
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Discussion

NDT

Original Poster:

1,766 posts

286 months

Wednesday 17th March 2010
quotequote all
I'm tempted as they don't seem massively expensive compared to Honda or Audi conversion.
Are they really as unreliable as legend suggests?
How does the performance / reliability / cost compromise work with these?

bogie

16,887 posts

295 months

Wednesday 17th March 2010
quotequote all
I did over 30K miles in a TT230 Elise no probs

however, a turnkey, warrantied TT230 conversion was £9K and that was 8 years ago - are they doing them cheap now or something?

If you can pick up a car already done, for not much more than a regular Elise of the same year/condition, I would have no problem in owning one again

the TT190 usually made about 200bhp with a custom map, sports cat etc ....my "TT230" actually made 220bhp ish and to be fair, probably wasnt worth the thousands extra cost for the big modified head/hot cams etc

Personally I think a lot of the "unreliable" myths were down to them being misused and not looked after correctly ...the TT260 WAS a step too far ...ive only heard of a few of the 14 cars that didnt go bang LOL wink ...but the TT190 and TT230 were much better ...IIRC many hundreds were converted over the years, before the HOnda/Audi conversions came out ..and for similar price conversion, with standard production engines versus the tuned K series, it was no contest really which to choose then...that killed off the TT conversion

the main problem for many owners that tracked them was the overheating of oil frown

the Rotrex supercharger used, needed the oil within a certain temp range to produce max boost - if it got too hot, you lost power. They did fit an oil cooler as standard to cool the SC oil feed ....but not the rest of the engine ...so you had people using 200bhp K series engines on track with no oil cooler for the sump ...a recipe for disaster frown

..I saw 150-160 degrees on my car once ...then I got a 2nd oil cooler plumbed in - Sinclaires did a kit for the TT cars at the time, and a few of us had them fitted ...it got the oil down to 120deg on track, and I never had a problem after that

so all in all, they were a well engineered conversion for a road going Elise ...but needed a bit of extra care for long track use, but ultimately too expensive ...

NDT

Original Poster:

1,766 posts

286 months

Thursday 18th March 2010
quotequote all
bogie said:
helpful stuff...
Thanks for that.
I was considering getting one that's already been done.

Nick

bogie

16,887 posts

295 months

Thursday 18th March 2010
quotequote all
well I would have no probs in buying a TT Elise for a bit more than a regular one ...all depends on what spec the car is etc..and how its been looked after

esey1

35 posts

221 months

Thursday 18th March 2010
quotequote all
Have owned an S2 TT190 (Turbo technics own car) for the last 3 years and it has been great. Have tracked in feb and it is way faster than the boggo toyota S2...and showed the skylines a clean set of wheels. Buckets of torque and it really picks up nicely.....have never had temp issues but it has the additional oil cooler.
SC makes a bit of a racket...but thats all part of the appeal but in all other respects they are very drivable, economical and smooth.

I have been toying with selling up.....if you are interested drop me a U2U


fatwomble

1,389 posts

237 months

Thursday 18th March 2010
quotequote all
esey1 said:
Have owned an S2 TT190 (Turbo technics own car) for the last 3 years and it has been great. Have tracked in feb and it is way faster than the boggo toyota S2...and showed the skylines a clean set of wheels. Buckets of torque and it really picks up nicely.....have never had temp issues but it has the additional oil cooler.
SC makes a bit of a racket...but thats all part of the appeal but in all other respects they are very drivable, economical and smooth.

I have been toying with selling up.....if you are interested drop me a U2U
DON'T SELL IT!!!!

esey1

35 posts

221 months

Friday 19th March 2010
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FW - is that you lurking on another forum - slow day?
Been on a bit of a downer and selling up everything that has money tied up in it - As usual you are the voice of reason...dont worry tho ,the moment has passed...its just that I have never owned a car so long, being a total car pimp, and sometimes I cant help myself!


fatwomble

1,389 posts

237 months

Friday 19th March 2010
quotequote all
esey1 said:
FW - is that you lurking on another forum - slow day?
Been on a bit of a downer and selling up everything that has money tied up in it - As usual you are the voice of reason...dont worry tho ,the moment has passed...its just that I have never owned a car so long, being a total car pimp, and sometimes I cant help myself!
I lurk on quite a few forums smile

Glad you've seen sense it's likely to be one of the irreplaceable cars as there are so few about.

cabbron

416 posts

240 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
bit late to reply on this but just sold my tt230 after 4 years-no probs at all,222bhp,184ft lb torque,extra oil cooler and always always warmed up carefully and cooled down plus used the tt reccomended shell helix plus.

NDT

Original Poster:

1,766 posts

286 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
cabbron said:
bit late to reply on this but just sold my tt230 after 4 years-no probs at all,222bhp,184ft lb torque,extra oil cooler and always always warmed up carefully and cooled down plus used the tt reccomended shell helix plus.
thanks
might start looking unless I suddenly change my mind to a Honda again....

esey1

35 posts

221 months

Wednesday 5th May 2010
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Right...probably going to regret this but after 3 years I have decided to sell my S2 TT190.....now listed in the classifieds.
Its not a rational decision but at least its a decision.
Have already sold my daily drive and once I have a meaninful pot of money I will make my next decision...whatever that may be.

...off to cruise adverts for shiny metal things..

E

fatwomble

1,389 posts

237 months

Saturday 8th May 2010
quotequote all
esey1 said:
Right...probably going to regret this but after 3 years I have decided to sell my S2 TT190.....now listed in the classifieds.
Its not a rational decision but at least its a decision.
Have already sold my daily drive and once I have a meaninful pot of money I will make my next decision...whatever that may be.

...off to cruise adverts for shiny metal things..

E
Well I hope it will be something even more silly. Your not getting all sensible are you?

esey1

35 posts

221 months

Sunday 9th May 2010
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No driving for me...had to surrender my license to the DVLA on health grounds - so my daily drive a civic fd2 type r has gone (gutted also as only owned it 5 weeks) and have a chap from OOP north flying down Friday to buy the car and take it back. So I may be carless by the end of the week and more than a little bit gutted...I love that car but head says its got to go.
So totally shafted.
When I get out of this mess and get my license returned i will be back...and you are probably on the money about something mad and lotus.
In the interim I will have money in the bank, living in hope and promising myself something shiny and fast - something to look fwd to.
Until then I will overdose on car porn.
E

fatwomble

1,389 posts

237 months

Sunday 9th May 2010
quotequote all
Sorry to hear that frown