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Well I cant comment on the type r marlin cars as have not been in one at v-tec engagement. Mine is drivable but nowhere to try it properly.
What I can comment on is the type r elise which is as about as similar in weight as we are going to get.......v-tec came in quite hard and with a relenting surge.
You could most definately feel it kick in esp in 2nd and 3rd gear as the wheels would immediately start to scrabble (spin in 2nd) and that is with 225 tyres on the rear. Think from memory v-tec was set at 4k which i have been told to set mine too due to the lightness of the car
Well whoever is the first to get a good run up and down a road, with the k20 fitted please let me know how you got on. Ill be running mine up the road end of october, once the suspension work has been done. Is any1 looking to get there before me or does it look like im the ginny pig,
Well as we're heading off topic pretty fast, I might as well keep the momentum...
If Rich's talk of SVA is anything to go by, his car will be roadworthy before Craig's, or mine. Where Jerry is with his, is a mystery, but he can't be far from finished from what I've heard.
Define proper drive. I've hit vtec in first, which was a bit of a non-event, as all that happened was that I got masses of wheelspin. I've had my car up to about 40 in 2nd, totally legally.
Going back on topic... ever wondered why Elise / Exige / VX220 have an open diff? Going on John's experience, imagine how quick you'd have to be to catch a car with an ATB diff!
If Rich's talk of SVA is anything to go by, his car will be roadworthy before Craig's, or mine.
Well, I've somewhat optimistically booked my (first!) SVA for next Thursday in Shrewsbury. Being ready is going to be a bit of a challenge (worked through till 11 tonight!), and there will certainly be things to finish afterwards - mostly final bodywork fettling and paint-job. I'm desperate to get it on the road though!
alackofspeed wrote:
ever wondered why Elise / Exige / VX220 have an open diff? Going on John's experience, imagine how quick you'd have to be to catch a car with an ATB diff!
There's often discussions about this on lotus forums. The conclusion seems to be the LSD makes the car a bit slower round a track, but with an advantage on autocross. I've seen some comments that the handling on the limit becomes less delicate with the LSD but may well just be that LSDs get fitted without other adjustments to the alignment.
Going back on topic... ever wondered why Elise / Exige / VX220 have an open diff? Going on John's experience, imagine how quick you'd have to be to catch a car with an ATB diff!
Mine is open diff with no torsen as it's a normal NASP box from a 2.0. But don't even think that would have help me. Have a gearbox that needs bearings with a type b torsen diff (latest Rover fitted to the 620 TI.) Was going to be a winter project. But might get it done sooner rather than later now.
John, this conversation has yeiled quite the opposite to what I expected. I understood road going Elise's and VX220s don't have any form of limited slip, as with a LSD / ATB diff, when traction breaks, both wheels do so at the same time. This makes for a much quicker change in rear adhesion that if the inner wheels spins up, as is the case with an open diff.
Curious.
Rich - good luck. I reckon I could get mine to SVA standard in a couple of weeks, but I know if I put it for SVA "unfinished" (in my mind), I'll be too busy driving to bother tarting it up! So I'm getting everything nailed, then I'll put it in for SVA. 2 months should do it. I HOPE!
I understood road going Elise's and VX220s don't have any form of limited slip, as with a LSD / ATB diff, when traction breaks, both wheels do so at the same time.
They don't! I think that we are talking about the Jdm elises which come with lsd but everyone I have spoken to about the Jdm engine in an elise confirms what Rich stated. They are very unsteady on the edge with the lsd kicking in quite abrubtly on corners, causing spins etc
I may be wrong but I dont think any of us so far have purchased a Jdm engine? If anyone has they will probably also find the gearing crap in 5th and 6th as this is much lower in the Jdm
Im looking at a sequential gearbox at the moment with LSD for the new engine, not sure on ratios or what it is likely to be like, hoping it will be good, well for the money atleast, but it cant be that bad if its used in BTCC and Britcar?
Im still trying to work out if LSD is need though, some say its a must others say maybe or no.
Jon I suggest you do a search on seloc as there is not much positive comments on there about the Jdm lsd most that dont track their car dont notice but those that do track them notice very unsettling characteristics when pushing around corners
From memory I remember something about car being so light that the lsd kicks in sharply
Thanks Craig, I'm going to keep saving well i look as I dont have a spare 15k to go and buy one from Italy. I'm going to wait and see what the motorsport guys come back with from Honda, A) they are just down the road, B) they do the gearbox for all the racecars C) few mates work there so are asking people to look into it.
Most people think I shouldn't need to fit it because of the weight of the car and the power etc but they want tell for sure if it does or not.
They don't! I think that we are talking about the Jdm elises which come with lsd but everyone I have spoken to about the Jdm engine in an elise confirms what Rich stated. They are very unsteady on the edge with the lsd kicking in quite abrubtly on corners, causing spins etc
I may be wrong but I dont think any of us so far have purchased a Jdm engine? If anyone has they will probably also find the gearing crap in 5th and 6th as this is much lower in the Jdm
Craig
Rich said the opposite - it's more stable, which I found very very odd!
Having driven open diff, and lsd equipped RWD cars, the open diff cars start to wheelspin earlier (but only spinning the unweighted wheel), while the lsd equipped cars keep gripping for longer, but when they go, they whole back end goes as one, and things happen much faster.
The JDM lsd is meant to be a bit aggressive, which further adds to its ability to make driving on the limit pretty hard to balance.
Curiously an ATB diff on a FWD car is a god-send however, as it reduces understeer, and makes anything with an ounce of poke far faster and more stable leaving corners.
There's often discussions about this on lotus forums. The conclusion seems to be the LSD makes the car a bit SLOWER ROUND TRACK, but with an advantage on autocross. I've seen some comments that the HANDLING ON THE LIMIT BECOMES LESS DELICATE with the LSD but may well just be that LSDs get fitted without other adjustments to the alignment.
Richard
John, what you have said about the front wheel drive is correct and having just refreshed my memory on seloc, what they are saying is that the JDM engine was designed for a front wheel drive car and does not work well in rear wheel drive as previous comments but another type would prob work well given the money
I read in to Rich comment in that he meant not as much feel and composure maybe read into it wrong
That's exactly what I was getting at Craig, yes. I should make it clear this is all from browsing around and reading up - not from personal experience. I don't think I've ever actually driven a LSD car myself, front or rear wheel drive. And I've never been on a track...
I know I had a nitro-engined radio controlled car once with a *zero* slip diff (or, ahem, no diff) and it handled like a mad dog
