Lexus 4,0 V8 in to a 89 Esprit

[rydning]

Hello

I have currenty 450 bhp in my Modifyed 89 Esprit Turbo with a GT3076R Turbo

Here is some of my mods...

http://lotusespritworld.com/EOwners/RobinRydning.html

And now i`m gona build a Lexus 4.0 V8 with 700bhp+ twin turbo and put in my car.

I belive all Esprit deserve a engine like this.Its a incredible unit with stock internals that can handle 800bhp...And the cranchaft can take 1200bhp with 6main bolts....This was the engine Lotus should have put in their car with a gearbox that could take it....More info at http://www.lextreme.com/

I`m looking for a gearbox to handle the torque...6 or 5 speed un1 upgrade or ZF...

I `m not sure at the moment.

I`m very satisfyed with my 4pot.Its a very strong unit you can take 450bhp 1,5bar of boost from with farly smal modifications.Make sure that you not get any detonations.And that is hard with the stock ECU at this levels.

I`m sure its possible to get a lot more power from this 4 pot.But if I want more from this now, its gona be even more turbo lag.And Thats the main reason to put a V8 in it. I have heared that this Lexus 4,0 V8 engines are tuned to more than 2000bhp in US.

Take a look on this video with 750bhp Lexus V8 in a F40 replica....

http://www.f40.co.nz/f40/images/Web%20F40%20Going%20Hard.wmv

What do you think Esprit fellows???

[esprits4de]

Take a HEWLAND SLG gearbox, 810 nm, 6 speed H or sequential for midengine, should do the job.

[rydning]

Hewland?

Where do i get this used?And to what price?

I gess a new one cost like

[ragingfool35]

have you looked into variable geometry turbos?

finally 3rd gen units for gasoline engines are starting to come out.

full boost available probably from 1500 rpm on

just not many choices out yet and of course modifications

for esprit app necessary

[Techspy]

I like the mods youve done. Is that 2 different splitters up front? Do you have some better pictures of them? Did you make them yourself?

[rydning]

have you looked  into variable geometry turbos?

finally  3rd gen units for gasoline engines are starting to come out.

full boost available probably from 1500 rpm on

just not many choices out yet and of course modifications

for esprit app necessary

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes I have a Aerocharger 53 I put on my snowmobile went up from 130bhp to 210bhp on a 800ccm 2 stroke engine.

The only VATN turbos i know about is for diesels.

Do you know of any for gasoline engines?

I will like to know more about whats available of the VATN turbos.

This is gona be the future on a gasoline engines also.

[rydning]

I like the mods youve done. Is that 2 different splitters up front? Do you have some better pictures of them? Did you make them yourself?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No its only som "wing lets" on the side to improve the downforce at the front.

This is not a good looking mod. But for testing purpose it did work very well.

I gona do the outside finish when I`m done with the Engine/gearbox mods.

I have good downforce on my car now,and I have big problem with to low oilpressure in the turns now.I need a dry sump know.

And yes I do everything my self.My hobby is to modify cars and snowmobiles.

[Callaway]

If you don't mind me asking, what are all of the engine modifications you have done to achieve and safely run 450 bhp through the 4 pot? The car looks great!

-Callaway

1994 Esprit S4

[rydning]

If you don't mind me asking, what are all of the engine modifications you have done to achieve and safely run 450 bhp through the 4 pot? The car looks great!

-Callaway

1994 Esprit S4

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I belive we can take more out of the 4 pot than this....

My engine is complete stock internals.

I have run 1.45bar boost on T3/4 hybrid and messuret it to 345rwhp=410bhp

for 2 years now and a lot of track days.And i blew the turbo.

The big evel is detonation...if you get it, the headgasked blows or pistons get melted....Or worse...

I have a very big and efficient IC on it.And 3"freeflow exhaust. To get cold air

in the engine. And NO restiction on the exhaust and bigger A/R turbine.So the hot gas in the engine can escape rapid without to mutch backpressure building up and the head/valves/combustionchamber is cooler. This to avoid detonation/preignition.

And I`m not running stock A/F value 12,6 as all of the stock ecu with chip or not

is running. I`m running A/R 11.5 on the hige torque rpm range and 12.0 at higer rpm to be sure that I have enough fuel to help internal cooling and dont get in to detonation with the stock spark map on the stock computer.

I have build my own Extra injection system to manage this.

Whit a proper Engine management and mapped on dyno I belive we can do 500-600bhp on a stock internals...but safe??? I dont know.And nowbody can tell me how mutch we can take out of this engines.

Lotus did race them with 450bhp for several hours at each time and their engines did last on stock internals.Biggest problem was "cooking the headgasked".Because when they came in the pit, the glowing heat from the exhaust manifoil did enter the head so it cooked, and the headgasked failed.

I dont think many of us is able to put the stress on this engines like Lotus did on the track.And when we know the weeknes we can avoid it.

Remember not many 2-2,5 ltr can do above 400bhp on stock internals.This one can. It have very heavy rods and mahle hige quality pistons,but how mutch can the big cast crankchaft handle??And we have a head that can flow more than the block can take...

As I sayd earlier get a good modern management and map it on the dyno.(or with on the road with a experienced tuner that realyknows what he is doing.)

You will be suprised how safe and reliable this engine can be, at least up to 410bhp.

At the moment i have put on a GT3076R turbo with AR0,82 turbine house whitch have capasity to flow more than 500bhp and turbin/house to let the exhaust escape for 500bhp+.I have also modifyed the IC system and plenum to be able to

flow air for this power levels.

You will know in the end summer if 450bhp was safe i know 400 is safe...If not the gearbox let go...(i have a spare one)

I try to drive smothly.....And the 5th is ONLY for crusing now...

"I LOVE THE ESPRIT....ESPRIT FOR EVER.....If i dont get a lot of money.....Then I mean a LOT"

[ragingfool35]

Yes I have a Aerocharger 53 I put on my snowmobile went up from 130bhp to 210bhp on a 800ccm 2 stroke engine.

The only VATN turbos i know about is for diesels.

Do you know of any for gasoline engines?

I will like to know more about  whats available of the VATN turbos.

This is gona be the future on a gasoline engines also.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

last year Garrett, Aerocharger and BorgWarner anounced them for gasoline engines.

the new Porsche 911 I believe is the first massed-produced car to use one of these

new generation turbos (from BorgWarner I think)

ah, the answer to the 4-banger woes at last!

[Artie]

last year Garrett, Aerocharger and BorgWarner anounced them for gasoline engines. 

the new Porsche 911 I believe is the first massed-produced car to use one of these

new generation turbos (from BorgWarner I think)

ah, the answer to the 4-banger woes at last!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, the twin turbo 911 has these new turbos and they are awesome for the tuners as the computer controls the deflection of the slats they can delay or accelerate the vanes and thus produce almost instanataneous boost!!!

BTW Rydning, do you have pics of your IC? I'm in the process of fitting a Chargecooler from an SE and am trying to figure out how I can fit the assembly and heat exchanger.

Art

[rydning]

Yes, the twin turbo 911 has these new turbos and they are awesome for the tuners as the computer controls the deflection of the slats they can delay or accelerate the vanes and thus produce almost instanataneous boost!!!

BTW Rydning, do you have pics of your IC?  I'm in the process of fitting a Chargecooler from an SE and am trying to figure out how I can fit the assembly and heat exchanger.

Art

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a large air to air Ic in the trunk of my car with a big fan/scoop sucking fresh air thru it with a new engine cower... this is for testing purpose and I get realy cold air in to the plenum.

What I would have done is to put a large charge cooler in the right side of the engine with two 2" pipes to the plenum so they are conected between 1st/ 2nd, and 3td/4th. This to get equal air distribution in the smal plenum to all cylinders.

http://www.turboneticsinc.com/ic_liquidtoair.htm

You will save a lot of work using the stock SE radiator with IC exchanger, and my be use the AC exchanger also...

And also use thin alucooler profiles under the car to even cool the water more.

( simular to the ones used as coolers on snowmobiles)

I think one 911 turbos give 300bhp at max....But I gess there will be more options in the near future.But what is the price?

I would have used a GT2871R witch is rated for 400bhp.And you will get a honest 370-380bhp with incredible respons, with a free flow exhaust system.

At the moment my GT3076R is a litle to big for the ratios in the gearbox..Since the spacing between 2nd and 3rd is so wide.

[DBredS4]

Cooling in the engine bay seems to be a big problem as the manifold and turbo glow and cook everything.

Has anyone fitted one of those turbo thermal jackets and/or a cooling fan to blow air over the manifold/turbo area constantly. This I'm sure would help reduce the effects of the radiated heat and blow some cool air over.

I'm sure a simple radiator fan rigged up somehow to the engine bay cover would suffice, splice the wiring in somewhere and Bobs your fathers Brother...

Db

[Artie]

I have a large air to air Ic in the trunk of my car with a big fan/scoop sucking fresh air thru it with a new engine cower... this is for testing purpose and I get realy cold air in to the plenum.

What I would have done is to put a large charge cooler in the right  side of the engine with two 2" pipes to the plenum so they are conected between 1st/ 2nd, and 3td/4th. This to get equal air distribution in the smal plenum to all cylinders.

http://www.turboneticsinc.com/ic_liquidtoair.htm

You will save a lot of work using the stock SE radiator with IC exchanger, and my be use the AC exchanger also...

And also use thin alucooler profiles under the car to even cool the water more.

( simular to the ones used as coolers on snowmobiles)

I think one 911 turbos give 300bhp at max....But I gess there will be more options in the near future.But what is the price?

I would have used a GT2871R witch is rated for 400bhp.And you will get a honest 370-380bhp with incredible respons, with a free flow exhaust system.

At the moment my GT3076R is a litle to big for the ratios in the gearbox..Since the spacing between 2nd and 3rd is so wide.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am planning on running two small setrab oil coolers with fans on either side of the radiator in series for the heat exchanger and a stock chargecooler. My main interest is just keeping the intake temps down in the summer. I have a WC engineering hybrid turbo on the way so that should help with intake temps anyway but I also have an RX7 with a big front mount IC and know the need for IC'ing is key to engine longevity! I haven't completely worked out how I will fit the whole system to the car but I'm mapping it out for the most efficiency and least complication and least plumbing! I don't really have a wheel hp goal, just a little more power. My RX7 is a rocket so I just want a little more consistant power delivery from the Esprit, as I can tell when it's warm outside the engine power flattens out as the boost heats up past 6K rpm. Thanks for the tips. I'm learning a lot about the car from you guys!

Art

[ragingfool35]

I think one 911 turbos give 300bhp at max....But I gess there will be more options in the near future.But what is the price?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

'3.6-liter boxer engine musters 480 hp at 6000 rpm and 457 lb-ft between 1950 and 5000 rpm. The new variable-vane turbocharger is responsible for both the tall, altar-shaped torque curve and for an overboost function that briefly kicks the torque up to 502 lb-ft."

[f1karting]

Hello

I have currenty 450 bhp in my  Modifyed 89 Esprit Turbo with a GT3076R Turbo

Here is some of my mods...

http://lotusespritworld.com/EOwners/RobinRydning.html

And now i`m gona build a Lexus 4.0 V8 with 700bhp+ twin turbo and put in my car.

I belive all Esprit deserve a engine like this.Its a incredible unit with stock internals that can handle 800bhp...And the cranchaft can take 1200bhp with 6main bolts....This was the engine Lotus should have put in their car with a gearbox that could take it....More info at  http://www.lextreme.com/

I`m looking for a gearbox to handle the torque...6 or 5 speed un1 upgrade or ZF...

I `m not sure at the moment.

I`m very satisfyed with my 4pot.Its a very strong unit you can take 450bhp 1,5bar of boost from with farly smal modifications.Make sure that you not get any detonations.And that is hard with the stock ECU at this levels.

I`m sure its possible to get a lot more power from this 4 pot.But if I want more from this now, its gona be even more turbo lag.And Thats the main reason to put a V8 in it. I have heared that this Lexus 4,0 V8 engines are tuned to more than 2000bhp in US.

Take a look on this video with 750bhp Lexus V8 in a F40 replica....

http://www.f40.co.nz/f40/images/Web%20F40%20Going%20Hard.wmv

What do you think Esprit fellows???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rydning.. Mike Rodregues is busy installing an RBT ZF box in his S3T as we write. He has a Quaife 6-sp sequential box for sale.. but its not a road car friendly gearbox.

Try checking these links:

http://www.rbttrans.com/

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_...rtKeyField=8620

One question about your high HP project.. what are you planning to do about stiffening the chassis? I understand that the Esprit chassis is marginal at best for torsional stiffness, and that even at 450hp the chassis flex causes all sorts of issues with cracked bodywork, suspension tuning and handling... The F40 in NZ has been deisgned for 700hp, not the Esprit though, unfortunately

Skol from a fellow Norske.. Jan

[B33 ENN]

On my project, I am revising the design of the rear and front cooling.

Essentially, I'll be making a new chargecooler, and it will be placed where the airbox is normally. This is the cooler side of the engine. Being closer/part of the plenum, it will reduce volume too from the turbo outlet to the plenum intake. This should help with lag too.

The current quarterlight intakes will be revised to allow greater airflow into the bay for cooling on both sides.

There will be a bay exit cut out of the rear boot separation and vented from the back where the current numberplate surround it.

This will be aided by fans that will suck air in, and draw air out the back. I will be closing the bottom of the car beneath the engine to the back with a diffuser, so the engine won't have the convection that the original design currently utilises. The deck lid vents will be sealed off too.

[rydning]

Rydning.. Mike Rodregues is busy installing an RBT ZF box in his S3T as we write.  He has a Quaife 6-sp sequential box for sale.. but its not a road car friendly gearbox.

Try checking these links:

http://www.rbttrans.com/

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_...rtKeyField=8620

One question about your high HP project.. what are you planning to do about stiffening the chassis?  I understand that the Esprit chassis is marginal at best for torsional stiffness, and that even at 450hp the chassis flex causes all sorts of issues with cracked bodywork, suspension tuning and handling... The F40 in NZ has been deisgned for 700hp, not the Esprit though, unfortunately

Skol from a fellow Norske.. Jan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello Jan

I have done a lot of thinking about the torsenstiffnes.Some times I want to sell and buy an other car.....But I have already done to mutch with this car.

And you dont get mutch of a car in the Norwegian TAX country..............

I did think glue the lightweight sanwich roof I have,mount/glue a roll bar in the front of the engine bay and tiangulate the hole rear suspension/chassi parts to get a complete rigid rearend.And hope that the frontend torsen is stiff enough......

"And sometimes I wish I had the bodymolds to this car, so I could build a new body in composite sanwich constuction and get it fast to the chassi and solve it"

I was in Uk this weekend and bought a 6sp.dog kit to my spare UN1 from Kevin at GTO enginering..

Robin

[Vulcan Grey]

what you need is a rollcage.

http://www.extremeesprit.com/Safety_Mods_/...e/rollcage.html

I've also driven 2 of the '91 X180-R Esprits with rollcages, and the torsional rigidity is very nice compared to my 89 SE Esprit.

[docf]

I'm contemplating something similar for next summers project. What I really want to do though is switch to a transverse mounted engine/trans which gives you so many choices dirt cheap compared to a porsche or zf tranny. For example a 3.2 V6 from a late model acura tl with 6 speed tranny can be had for $3000 in mint condition including the ecu and harness. Add jackson racing supercharger at 6psi you are looking at 350hp easy. This is quite nearly the same powerplant and the NSX and is very tunable even without forced induction. My other choice at this time is an audi 20v 5cyl turbo motor from the old RS2 with an audi trans and a linkage from a porsche boxter. Again a newly rebuilt 20v motor and rebuilt rs2 tranny and turbos you are looking at $3500 and these things will make 450hp with minimal mods on a stock chipped ecu. I have gone over this in detail with a shop that builds audi ralley cars and even equipped their shop subaru with all audi drivetrain. Using the audi trans you can rig up an adapter and mate it to pretty much any engine out there.

Other choices on the list..

-Subaru boxer engine and tranny from late model impreza wrx/sti (lovely packaging should be a snap to install)

-3.1 supercharged V6 and transaxle from late model pontiac (just kidding)

-Northstar V8 on a GM slushbox (these can make a reliable 500hp with lots of $$$)

[Guy W Johnson]

My understanding is that you cannot get a DOHC engine into an esprit unless you are a v8 esprit. The reason is that the frame is not wide enough to fit a DOHC.

The only engines I have seen in an esprit are the old landrover v8s, rotarys, Buick GNX engines.

Guy

[rydning]

My understanding is that you cannot get a DOHC engine  into  an  esprit unless you are a v8 esprit. The reason is that the frame is not wide enough to fit a DOHC.

The only engines I have seen in an esprit are the old landrover v8s, rotarys, Buick GNX engines.

Guy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Lexus 4.0 V8 is 65cm at the widest.And of couse its a lot of work to get it to fit.

As always with engine swapping.

[f1karting]

Hello Jan

I have done a lot of thinking about the torsenstiffnes.Some times I want to sell and buy an other car.....But I have already done to mutch with this car.

And you dont get mutch of a car in the Norwegian TAX country..............

I did think glue the lightweight sanwich roof I have,mount/glue a roll bar in the front of the engine bay and tiangulate the hole rear suspension/chassi parts to get a complete rigid rearend.And hope that the frontend torsen is stiff enough......

"And sometimes I wish I had the bodymolds to this car, so I could build a new body in composite sanwich constuction and get it fast to the chassi and solve it"

I was in Uk this weekend and bought a 6sp.dog kit to my spare UN1 from Kevin at GTO enginering..

Robin

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Robin.. On my project, I am working on a plan to use the floor structure as a sort of composite tub to tie the front and rear portions of the chassis together.. then if I can get some drawings of the reinforcing brace that Lotus produced (superdave had a lead on that) I think I could compliment the work by making some useful improvements to the chassis rear section as well.

If you look at the logical load path from the front clip to the firewall where rear chassis mounts you can see that load sharing can take place from the front shell/chassis mountings thru the wheel arch, sill box and into the firewall. Any flex in the wheel arch and bending at the arch/sill/firewall connections will reduce the load sharing capacity of the tub structure. My plans are to reinforce the inside from foot box, thru the inner wheel arch, the arch to sill connections, sill, and the sill to firewall connections using a build up of carbon/kevlar hybrid vacuum bonded to the existing FG body structure, laminating in some foam buildups and cormat trussing in the layup. I bet that will add some stiffness. Ill take pictures along the way for anyone interested.

My other idea is to do the same carbon/kevlar/truss buildup on the backbone itself... focussing on the gear lever opening in particular.

Stiffness could be added with very little weight gain!!

The target weight for my car is about 2200# which will also reduce the load inputs.

Just some ideas.. Jan

[rydning]

Robin.. On my project, I am working on a plan to use the floor structure as a sort of composite tub to tie the front and rear portions of the chassis together.. then if I can get some drawings of the reinforcing brace that Lotus produced (superdave had a lead on that) I think I could compliment the work by making some useful improvements to the chassis rear section as well. 

If you look at the logical load path from the front clip to the firewall where rear chassis mounts you can see that load sharing can take place from the front shell/chassis mountings thru the wheel arch, sill box and into the firewall. Any flex in the wheel arch and bending at the arch/sill/firewall connections will reduce the load sharing capacity of the tub structure.  My plans are to reinforce the inside from foot box, thru the inner wheel arch, the arch to sill connections, sill, and the sill to firewall connections using a build up of carbon/kevlar hybrid vacuum bonded to the existing FG body structure, laminating in some foam buildups and cormat trussing in the layup.  I bet that will add some stiffness. Ill take pictures along the way for anyone interested.

My other idea is to do the same carbon/kevlar/truss buildup on the backbone itself... focussing on the gear lever opening in particular.

Stiffness could be added with very little weight gain!!

The target weight for my car is about 2200# which will also reduce the load inputs.

Just some ideas.. Jan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We need to do some with the stiffnes,its not nice in 120mph 1,5g turn with downforce and a little bit uneven surface.The car is not stable as it should be.

But I`m realy satisfyed with the suspension geometry,so if we could solve the torsen stiffnes this car would be very good.

I do think to glue the roof this summer to see how the difference are.

They are talking about the gear lever opening and how week this is,But if the car should take torsen torque in the smal ironframe back to front,It needs to be incredible stiff....I belive that we should use the cabinstucture more to achive what we are aiming for.I like yours ideas.What about making the floor in alu/sanwitch composit and glue/skrue the botom together.I gess we are not gona separate the body from the frame in neer future after this mod....

[rydning]

I was down in Uk last weekend and Drowe a Elise back to Norway.

And i was at Kevin in GTO Racing.Quite a impressing woork shoop/ and people with hige knowledge. So I bought the 6 speed dogbox internals to my spare UN1 box.When I get time I will put I together,he told me that it would take 30h+ .....But I think this will solve all the issues regarding the gearbox.....Slow shift and strenght. Later this summer I will be able to tell how this is woorking in the Esprit.