A few more horses... maybe...
Turbo Mini Forums

Hey guys...

I’m currently doing a bit of an overhaul on the mini after doing approx 1000 miles since it’s been set up and just wondering if there’s any tips or tricks to push a few more horses out?

I’m changing the worm and spindle for the speedo as it’s been under reading since it’s been up and running.. everything has been disconnected and the engine is ready to be lifted out tomorrow. Whilst it’s out I’ll check over all nuts and bolts on the body.

What’s your thoughts on changing the intercooler? I’m thinking of doubling it in size but not sure if I’ll see a huge gain... don’t want to spend a few hundred for no noticeable gain.

Also thinking about wrapping the exhaust manifold and maybe putting a blanket on the turbo.. any thoughts on this?

Anything really?

Hi mate,

Sorting the speedo will give you more mph lol 😂

Changing the ic is hard without seeing what you have in there tbh mate.

Wrapping the manifold never ends well, as leads to cracking over time.

Never been a fan of the turbo blanket, my train of thought was you need it to cool not cook it’s self. I know some people use them who knows.

Simon

I have started posting on Instagram also my name on there is turbomk1golf

Nothing is impossible it just costs more and takes longer.

Without knowing how effective your current intercooler is its impossible to know if changing it will have any benefit.
What kind of charge temps are you seeing ?

Phil.

WWW.TURBO-MINI.COM

More boost is the only easy way to more grunt buddy.

Yes changing the speedo drive will certainly help me see higher speeds! 😂

The intercooler is from an escort, core size approx 300 x 120 x 90mm with 2” inlet and outlet... so it’s not that big really....

Actually I don’t have a gauge for measuring charge temps...

Sometimes when driving I have noticed a loss of power when up around 50-60mph.. if I back off the accelerator it seems to clear and then maybe it happens again, or doesn’t... it’s hard to explain really....

Has it been on the rollers Dave? How much boost are you using?

If not, that will gain you some power in the same boost and make it safe.

Ultimately, More boost is the answer.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Hi Gary... yeah I took it to Slarks a couple of years ago.. its running 9psi of boost. I think he had 132 horses out of it on the day.

I used to use the same intercooler, I had two K type thermocouples on the inlet and outlet to monitor charge temps and was surprised how efficient it actually was.

Shane

That’s interesting Shane... how did you connect them to the inlet & outlet? Is it a probe that sits in the airflow or is it possible to get a clamp type? Surely a probe would mean drilling and then making air tight somehow...

I do Tom, but the couple of occasions it happened I had the dash partially installed and as a result couldn’t see the reading as it wasn’t connected properly. Typical...

Really is a piece of pi@@

Thermocoples; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1M-K-Type-Multim...3IAAOSwJppdFfL9

Thermometer; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dual-Channel-K-T...fYAAOSws~Bd-D7v

The thermocouples are small enough to slide under the hose joiners on the inlet/outlets.
Most of the K type thermometers have min/max and Delta T functions, cheap but informative. Also good to use to establish a datum before you make any changes then ascertain the gains made.

Also a smaller intercooler installed with good air flow and a path for the heat to be rejected is potentially better than a massive one installed poorly/no air flow.

Shane

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https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174319592179 saw these if your just testing ?

Outside the box

Sounds like you need another session and go for a bit more boost.

You could possibly get away with adding a bit yourself, but you’d need to know what the ignition timing is like and keep a good eye on the wideband. Obviously more risk involved like this.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Thanks chaps.... good info as usual..

I’ll try the thermocouples as it seems a fairly inexpensive way to see how effective the intercooler is.

I think your right Gary about another session... I won’t mess with the timing as that’s beyond me. I’ll leave that to the professionals...

How have you got your cooler mounted?
Shane

like this...

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Edited by evad1980 on 27th Jul, 2020.

But I need to bring it forward a bit as one of the pipes to the oil cooler is doing this to the back of the intercooler....

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pressure drop across the core is as important as cooling ability.

Doesnt matter if it cools superbly..if it cannot flow any air.

Although there is a simple rule....fit the biggest and best core you can. Because in most cars, the car is the limiting factor on size anyway. And Garrett make the best cores by far.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Have you thought about adding some cowling around it to channel the air through?
Shane

Yeah I’ve been looking at various ones on eBay.. but then you can’t guarantee quality.. Garrett ones can be expensive too.

I’ve actually not thought about channelling air via some cowling, an interesting idea. What about in intercooler that was as close to the size of the whole front grille... that would kind of make up for some cowling I guess as the air would have nowhere else to go...

Like this for instance...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302629824960

Edited by evad1980 on 28th Jul, 2020.

The more air you can get across / through the more heat exchange can be achieved, by adding a cowl or ducting you don't allow the air to "bypass" the core, remember the air flow will take the easiest path.
As for Ebay intercoolers, as Stevie mentioned "fit the biggest and best core you can" I fear you'd be only ticking one of those boxes.
Someone like Concept racing could supply you a decent quality core to your requirements then you fabricate your own end tanks (which appears to have been done on your current unit), alternately they could manufacture the whole thing. I appreciate were getting into the territory of spending vast sums of money here.
Which ever route you go, measuring the inlet/outlets of your current set up will serve as a good datum for any future changes you make.
Shane

Ok... that’s what I’ll do... I’ll start by repositioning what I have. By moving it closer and squarer to the front grille and I’ll look at creating a cowling to channel the airflow too. It does make sense to figure out how effective my current unit is before spending cash on another one.


Maybe a silly or obvious question... but.... going back to your thermocouples.. as long as you take a measurement of the heat either side of the core (like in the pic below) that should be fine? I only ask as I notice one of your sensors close to the plenum. Just checking!

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Edited by evad1980 on 28th Jul, 2020.

Yes your correct, mine were positioned on the inlet to the plenum and the outlet of the compressor housing (can't be seen in the image I posted) only so I could remove the intercooler complete with the boost hoses.
The cooler was installed over the clutch housing.
The other thing to bear in mind is your turbo selection if your thinking of turning the boost up.

Shane

Yeah thought as much but thought I’d ask..

I want to keep the same turbo and wind up the boost if I can...I remember Neil telling me there was room for some more when I was there, how much though I’m not sure. CR is 8.4:1 and I’m running 9psi of boost atm.