Scirocco Track Car Development...X-Flow Conversion preparation

On-Track Vids

Think this was my quickest run - 29.26
[YOUTUBE]MmmqZGwluYM[/YOUTUBE]

Nearly binned it on this one - far too ragged - experimental tyre pressures at 23F/40R
[YOUTUBE]ycOxj1bJd1A[/YOUTUBE]

 

I've won these Koni front dampers on ebay last night - Front suspension problem sorted, at least a bit.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....241280&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_500wt_1156

 

The weight reduction continues... bought a pair of fibreglass seats today. Between the lighter seats and the lighter subframes I'll fit to them, I should save over 10kg a side. They're well used, and have a little bit of cracking in the fibreglass round a couple of the inserts, so there's a bit of work to do. they seem a bit on the flexible side too, but the right mounts should stiffen them up. They were cheap though!

More work for the steam cleaner too...

 

Those definitely fiberglass backed and framed Mike? They look like tubular steel ones. Hard to tell without looking at them properly though.

Ive been looking myself. Need to sell my 2x OMP Eco seats to fund 1x new new composite seat.

 

2 seats? WTF, if you are serious about this weight saving malarkey, go solo.

I got a MotorDrive seat in mine. Weighs as much as an empty fag packet.

 

Yup - fibreglass shell, no frame, and about 5.5kg each.

50 the pair. Need a bit of tidying, but they'll do for me, and my fat ass fits in them too

 

5.5kg? Wow. Cant get any that light any more. Most the carbon seats are between 7-8kg. The fibreglass im looking at are Cobra Imola Pro which are 7.8kg.

 

My subframes are about 9-10 kg each too - home made, based on VAG seat bases to keep height and reach adjustment. They're on the way out too, in favour of some ally side mounts.

 

Bump! Not touched the car for ages - It's currently locked up for the winter.

However, I'm starting to pull together the bits for a quick rebuild in spring. So far the recipe includes:

- 1600 X-flow engine bought for the head - In stock - to be ported by the wizard of Plymouth.
- Lumpier cam - exact spec TBC - Current is a piper 285 solid lifter - 280 duration, 11mm(ish) of lift
- Custom inlet manifold - got various bits in stock to have this made
- Pipework to re-plumb around the X-flow head
- Mk3 8v alternator and pulleys - sits lower down.

Management will stay on megasquirt, using a plenum manifold and single throttle body - either ABF of the current Audi one.

Various bits of fettling to move the radiator forward. and may drop it a bit lower by modifying the X-member.

If I get the chance, I want to pull the engine out, fit the quick rack, and strengthen the rack mounts (some worrying clonking noises coming from down there).

Refurb the front brakes - starting to see some hairline cracks on the discs.

Target - about 15 more BHP and extended power band to 7500 rpm.

 

The red marker is the part which needs to be welded up...


Aux belt pulley from the crank is simple pressed steel - has no damper, and is very light... interesting. Did VW decide that their engines don't need harmonic damping, or are they doing it another way? Or do they just treat them as disposable these days. May well be ok for a low mileage track car engine though.


No water outlet on the front of the head. The end one is a very different size shape: Some replumbing to do around temp senders and coolant hoses.



I plan to have a manifold made using the bottom part of the X-flow manifold, and bits of the other manifolds I've got lying around. There's a guy locally who's very handy with a welder!

 

I take it that cam isn't for the x-flow head?

Very interesting about the pulley. I wonder if it's the same on the later alloy engines?

 

It most certainly IS for the x-flow head. Piper 294h is a possible option, plus there's a 298 hydraulic option on the table from South Africa.

I haven't decided whether to go to solid lifters or not.

 

Good plans there Mike. What engine was the head from?

 

The new head is from an AFT 1600 XFlow.

The current spec is still Claire Tippet's old race engine. Pack D head, 285 cam.

 

So you'll need to upgrade the springs/seats? Something like this kit -

http://techtonicstuning.com/main/in...ct_info&cPath=2_13_61_484_124&products_id=123

 

I'm aiming not to upgrade springs and seats, although I may end up doing it.

I bet those are standard VW seats and springs from earlier cars, as opposed to the de-specced modern shee-ite. I'd be interested to see how much lift and RPM they're supposed to handle.

 

Mike, with regards to the pulley I spotted a solid one (in a thread on here) on a MK3/2 engine the other day and flagged it. Think it was ABF? could have been KR?

Anyway, looks like a project to keep an eye on, cross flow power outputs are a little thin on the ground, so a decent comparison completed by a competent chap will make for interesting reading. If you stay twin butterfly it will be more comparable, but the ABF is easier to make a mount for and it will then make you results more copmparable to an ABF enigine.

I appreciate the work and money you will be putting into this, but an ABF could be made close to 200BHP or more with cams and ITB's - theorectically? and probably cheaper. Ported head, not needed!

 

I'm rather enjoying the development on this.

I'm interested in what results the X-Flow head will do for this engine.

Mike FYI, I understand that you will save a small amount of weight from the mk3 alternator setup, the oracle advised me it's a lighter setup. How much I don't know but it's worth while.

 

Not sure who this competent chap is, but I might hire one!

TB will be whatever fits on the donor plenum - I have a choice of 2E, PB, or DX Bits, or even some 16v nonsense

There's a 16v in the wings after this last little 8v project. 200ish BHP on a Plenum I reckon I have all the bits to build it.

 

Marginal I reckon. The old one won't fit any more, so that's driving it.

Still about 10kg of underseal on the outside of the floor.