152 replies to this topic

[Anarchy]

I am not reading I will be very happy with my 200BHP stage 1 thank you

[G-Bob]

I am not reading I will be very happy with my 200BHP stage 1 thank you

Does no-one read the thread.
It's a stage1 conversion going for 200-220bhp. So conversations about maxing at 250-260bhp shouldn't be an issue.

[jimbob]

Are you ready to start yet then ? Good luck!

Edited by jimbob, 15 July 2011 - 10:23 PM.

[Anarchy]

After going to the National and seeing plenty in the flesh and asking lots of noobie questions, there were simple things I just did not understand like why some had two MAP sensors and how the pipes were re routed etc. but it makes a lot more sense now. I also arranged to get a few more parts I will need off people there. My plan now is to start towards the end of summer so I can still use the car now and will coincide with my insurance renewal. Also having a few passenger rides, admitedly stage IIs but I now have an idea of what I hope get from it. Basically third gear in them was so much more exciting and I tend to use second a lot at the moment so hopefully third gear will become my new favorite gear and I will be happy.

[Anarchy]

Update 1


Progress has been a bit slow so no update till now, summer has been too distracting and then I decided to get the MOT out of the way which is now done and passed no problems, including having HID lights fitted which I thought may be cause for failure.

Be warned this will be a slow project! I tend to do it small bite size stages because one; I want to keep using the car as much as possible and two; I come across jobs which needs specific tools and parts which I just do not have so have to go get them. I made a start a few weeks ago but not the supercharger conversion directly, I have some parts collected up like injectors, plugs, brackets but there is more still to get.

I have been doing preparation work by changing the exhaust manifold which requires a lot of similar work up front, basically rear clam off job and I would be surprised if mine has ever been removed since the day it was on the production line and knowing what a nightmare of a job it can be to remove 10 years old rusted bolts this will save a lot of time later on.

I made a start by removing the insides of the car, seats came out relatively easily even the awkward bolt front left passenger side, next the centre console/cup holder etc. came out not that they really need to but I will take this opportunity to tidy them up(maybe a vinyl wrap?). Next speakers, seatbelts and rear parcel shelf, the parcel shelf really was well glued down and needed prising off with a long screwdriver to the point where I thought I would damage it if pulled any harder, in the end brute force was the answer. All that just to get to four bolts which hold the clam on.




Clean and vacuum... . .



I refitted the seats so I could use the car and get it through its MOT. Having driven around with no sound proofing fitted the engine really is loud in the cabin so it obviously has quite a good noise reducing effect, I decided to buy some extra sound proofing self adhesive tiles from Ebay with the hope it will be even quieter, especially for when the noisy supercharger is added.

I also checked the clam bolts in the boot to see what state they were in, two snapped straight off and two just spun continuously, so I thought I would save this for another day.



It does not look like a lot but this took me a whole day, like I said, slow

Edited by Anarchy, 30 August 2011 - 10:30 PM.

[Seb.F]

Nice work, I made progress on mine too the other day, I managed full interior, boot carpet, rear parcel shelf then all rear clam bolts out in about 1 hour 40 minutes! Which for a first time wasn't so bad I thought... getting the arch liners off was the worst part.

[techieboy]

Having driven around with no sound proofing fitted the engine really is loud in the cabin so it obviously has quite a good noise reducing effect, I decided to buy some extra sound proofing self adhesive tiles from Ebay with the hope it will be even quieter, especially for when the noisy supercharger is added.

Plumb the supercharger into your existing airbox (i.e. don't bother with a silly cone filter setup) and it'll barely make a noise at all, on a stage 1 conversion.

[G-Bob]

Good work so far. I'm like you, it takes me for ever to do anything on the car.

[Kieran B]

I am not reading I will be very happy with my 200BHP stage 1 thank you

Famous last words.. i bet when we chat again at next years National, you will be thinking about more power..

i said the same thing when doing my stage II, its a slippery slope

good luck with the conversion.

[Anarchy]

Having driven around with no sound proofing fitted the engine really is loud in the cabin so it obviously has quite a good noise reducing effect, I decided to buy some extra sound proofing self adhesive tiles from Ebay with the hope it will be even quieter, especially for when the noisy supercharger is added.

Plumb the supercharger into your existing airbox (i.e. don't bother with a silly cone filter setup) and it'll barely make a noise at all, on a stage 1 conversion.

I am going to use the existing airbox, to be honest I am not sure if I like or dislike the SC noise but I think I would rather have the engine, which is not the nicest sounding engine, a bit quieter in the cabin anyway.

Edited by Anarchy, 31 August 2011 - 04:44 PM.

[Bargi]

Having driven around with no sound proofing fitted the engine really is loud in the cabin so it obviously has quite a good noise reducing effect, I decided to buy some extra sound proofing self adhesive tiles from Ebay with the hope it will be even quieter, especially for when the noisy supercharger is added.

Plumb the supercharger into your existing airbox (i.e. don't bother with a silly cone filter setup) and it'll barely make a noise at all, on a stage 1 conversion.

I wouldn't think you'd get much whine with a stage 1 unless you were really mashing the pedal all the time. At 3 inch pulley I don't even notice any whine unless giving it beans.

[Anarchy]

Update 2


Last weekend being the bank holiday I thought I would get a lot more done maybe even finish the manifold but got off to a bad start when I went out on Friday and had about ten pints, I took it for the MOT Saturday morning though and it passed no problems, then napped in the afternoon!

So I made a start Sunday morning, I knew the arches were going to be a problem and had to Dremmel most of the bolts/screws off except ones I had previously replaced.


Most of the clam bolts came out relatively easily, a few issues were the previously mentioned ones in the boot that had snapped off or just spun so they needed grinding off, getting used to it now! The four in front of the wheel arch were very rusty but came out easily, the four in the cabin were obviously rust free and no problem apart from access.


The ones under the roll over cover were awkward, tight and two broke while removing them. Not sure what to do with the one with the flap which broke off. I managed to raise the roll over cover enough without removing the roof seal which I am glad because I did not want to have to stick that back down.


Once all the bolts were out and wires into the boot loosened, lock and fuel hose disconnected I shuffled the clam about to make sure everything was loose, slid it forward a bit, everything seemed surprisingly easy.


Then it started raining so I had to move into my garage. Is it safe to use power tools in the rain


I slid the clam off enough to access the manifold bolts and repair the clam bolt holes in the boot, I did not want to have to undo the wires so positioned it to the side but still connected. I was very surprised how rusty everything looked under the clam, the spacers, bolt holes etc a bit of a mess really.


The reason for all this work, you can see the crack in the manifold very clearly, it has been making a very annoying ticking/whistling noise while warming up for months now and at first I thought how can a cracked manifold tick but hey there it is.


Upon inspecting the manifold one bolt was missing, first thing I thought was broken stud, the last thing I wanted, I really was not keen on drilling studs out of the block. The nuts/studs came out quite easily after being soaked in release oil for an hour or so but another one snapped on the way out right next the missing one which turned out to be broken as well. I had no choice I would have to repair the holes so boxed every up, put the clam back on and packed up for the day.

Edited by Anarchy, 01 September 2011 - 07:41 PM.

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

good progress, i dont understand how a cracked manafold can tick but anyway

[G-Bob]

Any updates Anarchy?

[chris_uk]

i hope thats not the manifold that i sold you

[Anarchy]

There has been some progress will update soon. Chris your old manifold looked like new, is now on and engine smooth again

[Anarchy]

UPDATE 3

I slipped the clam off again and got stuck into drilling out the broken studs, I had two to repair both on the far right outlet one of which was pretty easy and the other in the corner a bit more difficult to access with the gear I had but managed to drill and tap them both. I thought the stud may have hardened a bit with all the heating/cooling but new drill bit and lubricant soon had it drilled.


Fitted it all back together with a nearly new manifold, new manifold gasket and the existing flange gasket, the old ones looked fine to be honest but with the manifold one being hard to get to I thought it best to replace it. Started it up and was nice to hear it run smooth and quiet again, I let it warm up, burn all the oil and grease off and nipped the bolts up one more time.


Next I set about repairing the clam/arches mounting holes, I wanted to rethread them all but they were knackered. If I had better equipment I would have drilled and tapped a larger bolt and bolted it in place of the hole (ie a bolt with a threaded hole straight through the middle) in the end I made do with a threaded stud sticking out.


Everything went back together nice and easy with new St.St. nuts n bolts where appropriate.


I got some sound proofing off Ebay and stuck this inside the cabin behind the parcel shelf, pretty surprised by the effect really, I have not put the parcel shelf and foam back in yet but it sounded similar with just these tiles fitted. It is nice to drive a quiet car again, though instead of the noisy engine and ticking noise I am now back to hearing suspension and steering knocks and squeeks, you cant win.


It makes the SC a much easier proposition now, I reckon in the next few weeks I will have all the parts and make a start. With hindsight I wish I had checked the alternator bolts would come off and check for certain which model it is, is it possible to tell from this photo?


While it was all in bits I tried to firm the diffuser a little, I never liked the way it wobbled so got some long threaded bar hoping to replace the exhaust bracket bolts with them leading all the way down to the diffuser but the bracket bolts would not remove so temporarily I just screwed them in until they hit the rear sub frame, it has not really worked because on the passenger side it rubs the exhaust and squeeks, oh well I will try something else.

[Rosssco]

Anarchy, I like you are going start a Stage 1 SC (this weekend hopefully), but what are your thoughts on either retaining the laminova cores or removing them? I'll probably remove them, but I don't think either way will make an appreciable difference to performance, and removed leaves an additional sealing issue.. Ross

[bunsenburner]

Excellent thread. I love all the pics

[Anarchy]

I was told to leave them in as people are getting upto 300bhp with them in place so they cant be that restrictive. Plus I think one day I may plumb them in for better cooling.