The Great Rolling Dyno engine rebuild

[ostaylor]

That's quite the build Keith. Have you ever had it on a Dyno or any estimate from Specialty on what that is making for HP and torque?

[bertvorgon]

While it is easy to throw numbers around...Andy estimated that my last engine made around 300 at the crank.

We did a dyno day at Rocket Motorsports in Squamish in 2007 (engine was 6 years old), where the motor made 250 HP/ 240+ torque. basically to the rear wheels. For whatever reason, the fellow running the dyno kept fiddling with dyno control stuff, heating my car up and ultimately fouling the race plugs I had in. At the same time, when he did a pull...he said my car accelerated too quickly for the dyno....WTF!!!

So, we put new plugs in where again he seemed to not be able to get his stupid dyno to read my car, with the one run showing 248 hp. I have the dyno sheet somewhere buried in my computer. I said enough, did not want to barbecue the motor.

Talk is cheap but based on that, Andy said it would have be more than 250 with that last motor.

This one will be well within the same range I would think, hair more compression and bigger turbine housing, for what that is worth.

I do not want any more power! One of the strengths of my car was the balance between power and traction, especially back in the race days on slicks. I was never a "stop light" Gran Prix guy either, too hard on power trains. In our more serious Canyon carving last thing I wanted was to worry about the rear end stepping out due to traction loss as boost came back on, just a nice roll on of power.

So again, I would think it will make that 250 and some HP to the rear wheels. The potential is there for more, as I have what I call my BIG camshaft, where the motor will more than breathe to 8,000 RPM.

We built this 2.2 with the idea I had stopped racing and was just going to do track days at Mission. I had to stay with the 2L while I was racing as that was legal for the Hillclimb with a 1.4 multiplication factor for the turbo for my class. Then the cost for Mission got expensive, people started to disappear from the 90's heyday of 510 track days and those days drifted off into history...I have some great video of the 510's at Mission.

[ostaylor]

Thoughtful response. Was more of a curiosity as I think about my build and what I have just given up. I have asked for my engine builder to target 325 to 350, but also realize that an SR build is a very different beast. I know I will miss the sound of the naturally aspirated Webers and hope I don't experience the dreaded turbo lag but I'm looking forward to the reliability, raw horsepower without pushing boundaries, and my long standing desire to "do" an SR20DET build :^)

[BEO 510]

Some years ago you posted a video of you chasing a RX7 at some race track.
Happy to se more like that.

[bertvorgon]

I wish I could post up some of the 510 track days, files are so large. Maybe I need to pay a bit to download more for all to see on my Vimeo account.

Many years ago when I talked to BAZ, he said the entry level horsepower with the SR for his customers was 350, with many at 450.

Lag for response becomes a function of compressor/turbine housing size, and, the whole intake system that has to be pressurized...equates to TIME. You will benefit from way more efficient turbos than mine. That being said, when I solo'ed, I ran a small turbine housing, as I needed FAST response to be competitive with super strong NA cars in my class. That is why my intake/inter-cooler to air box have very short runs and not a massive inter-cooler, was just not needed in that time period. Even the hillclimb's were corner to corner acceleration runs. My inter-cooler works well enough to keep my intake temps at a reasonable temp.

I did a test pre-intercooler, at Knox one year. Temp was 350F going into the motor at the top of the straight. Next year, with the inter-cooler it dropped to about 150F. A 200F drop, which equated to about + 20 HP, that was seat of the pants noticeable. For every 10F degree drop = 1HP.

I used to get "ribbed" about all my gauges...they all were there for a reason! Lets call it analog data logging. Only way I really knew what the temps were was to put a probe there, I had a fuel problem for a few years, car would die on long pulls, turned out the fuel bowl was drained. WHY! Two gauges went in which showed my fuel pressure was the same as air pressure...NOT the 3 lbs difference it should have been. Turns out that I had TONS of fuel pressure...but NOT the VOLUME!! SO...bigger fuel line went in, problem solved.

Blast from the past..here is my RX7 3 rotor ( dynoed at 300 HP)chase video...wow has video quality come a long way. You can see the boost gauge and how quickly it comes up to 16 PSI

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/4858412

[510rob]

This guy has you beat Keith

[bertvorgon]

JEEEEZUSSSS...wow, I am not worthy.

Must try Harder.

They must work at an airport..... skimmed the dash out of a B-52.

I pale in comparison and might be ditching a temp gauge or two, as they are not relevant anymore.

[bertvorgon]

Morning World!

I have not been to the shop in a few days, Tracey sent me these pics, sure progressing along now.

I must get in to setup some of my subsystems, Sure Andy will be close to potential fire up soon.

[510rob]

Nice and clean. I particularly like Andy's use of Datto alternator bars as end-pieces on the engine chain-strap.

Also, is that turbine exhaust v-flange the original one from 1972?

[bertvorgon]

No, it is not. That flange was fabricated along with the full 3" stainless exhaust system in the winter of 1996, along with the Inter-cooler, helped with my 1997 sub 2 minute run at Knox.

That year I also stopped running those super cold spark plugs, they were just too cold for the short run up Knox.

The wastegate flex line was from an Audi turbo, has worked very well and hung in there with no issues.

[bertvorgon]

Morning World!

At the shop yesterday, engine in and intake manifold on. Exhaust in and squared to down pipe. A slight mod at the cross member to more easily facilitate the removal of the front section.

Andy had changed the turbo feed line to be more away from the exhaust heat, as the previous line looked like it had suffered some heat stress. A new water bypass line installed, old one was 40 years old.

Also new heater lines, glad those still available! I am sticking with my 160F thermostat.

I changed a line fitting for my methanol to be easier for re & re down the road.

Andy noticed the wire for my fuse able link had actually broken...FIXED THAT! Yikes..Time and vibration.

I will finish running my inter-cooler spray line once radiator is in place.

I was going to pop out my grounding screw at the front, for all my systems, Fans, Solenoids, etc, but upon arrival Andy had already done that. I pulled out a temperature prob that is not needed any more and may pull the gauge. I may put in an oil temp gauge, as I have never had one.

I have to replace the foam in the shift lever area, it helps deaden some of the sound that comes up through the shifter cut-out.

Very close to fire up I would say.

Hopefully I may actually attend the May 510 day WITH the 510!

[ostaylor]

Looking great Keith! I can't wait to be close to startup but that's several months away.

[bertvorgon]

Small update.

My main fuel hose did have a leak, after Andy hooked it up and hit the fuel pump! Seems the 30+ year old Aeroquip line had had enough. I am SOOOOO lucky I did not have a fire in 2021, as it must have been leaking then. I noticed a decrease in fuel economy, silly as that sounds, but I know my car. The leak was right above my down pipe, which runs nuclear most of the time. Andy has changed the other fuel lines too at this point.

Rad is back in and the small stuff getting hooked up. He had re-run my water line for the inter-cooler spray, which I had left till the rad was in.

Getting close to fire up now.

[bertvorgon]

IT LIVES!!!!!!

Andy fired car today, it lit right off! I was not there, feeling a bit under the weather.

He phoned me to get our last timing check specs. Told me he has changed oil, re-torqued head, manifolds, etc.. The usual. He is going to re-adjust valves also.

My mission soon will be to hopefully help my son-in-law to clean up space in the garage where my car sat.

Seems like so long ago I have driven the thing, almost like a dream that it is mine.

[RONSLYCHUK]

Great news Keith. Happy for you!