M30 Turbo Engine & Other Modifications / Enhancements
My car was purchased already turbocharged but needed some attention. The fuel system was running at very high pressure with a rising rate FPR and was 'all over the shop' in terms of drivability. The Haltech E6k was having a very hard time controlling the show and low speed drivability was very poor, heat was a major problem, wastegate was worn out, cooling system was not good, ignition was poor and could not handle boost too well, ignitors used to shut down intermittently, downpipe was leaking at turbo, AC lines degraded by heat, very shoddy heat wrapping drenched in oil, intake manifold and throttle body needed attention, etc, etc. So what was essentially a good set up was let down in a lot of areas.
The car's saving grace was the motor was built very stout with low compression 7:1 forged pistons, aftermarket rods of some unknown origin but likely from a German tuning house and a very well ported and specially cam'd head (by Wade Cams, WA).
I decided that the following needed to be done:
The sections that follow describe the 5 steps above in more details. Note that after all this lot was done, I had a major problem with the head. Both rockers on #4 had broken. The cars history shows that rockers had broken previously. I put this down to the fact that the original tuner set a 7000rpm limit. There is no need for this motor to be seeing 7krpm as it starts dropping power at 5500rpm and the stock valve rockers had probably seen 7000rpm far to often. Just when I got into tuning the Autronic, it was all stop for a major head re-build. This allowed for some further enhancements 'while I was in there'.
The car's saving grace was the motor was built very stout with low compression 7:1 forged pistons, aftermarket rods of some unknown origin but likely from a German tuning house and a very well ported and specially cam'd head (by Wade Cams, WA).
I decided that the following needed to be done:
- New, more modern sequential engine management system.
- Take off the 4 plate 1000cfm V8 throttle body and gas hat and convert to a cleaner, simpler large single plate.
- Address downpipe leaks and ceramic coat manifold, turbine hsg and downpipe.
- Come up with a proper electric fan solution.
- Rework exhaust system (ongoing).
The sections that follow describe the 5 steps above in more details. Note that after all this lot was done, I had a major problem with the head. Both rockers on #4 had broken. The cars history shows that rockers had broken previously. I put this down to the fact that the original tuner set a 7000rpm limit. There is no need for this motor to be seeing 7krpm as it starts dropping power at 5500rpm and the stock valve rockers had probably seen 7000rpm far to often. Just when I got into tuning the Autronic, it was all stop for a major head re-build. This allowed for some further enhancements 'while I was in there'.
1. Engine Management Overhaul - Autronic SM4 V1.09 and R500 CDI
Out with the old Haltech.....................
When I purchase the car, it ran a Haltech E6K, and I found it to have significant shortcomings for my set up. The main problem was it ran wasted spark and in that particular configuration could only run group fire injection as it has a limited number of channels that can be assigned. It ran 770cc injectors in group fire and had very poor control over AFR's at small pulse widths (like at idle and cruise). It ran good under power, but ran like shit everywhere else. The fuel pressure would pulsate really badly with all 6 injectors firing at once. It used a Malpassi rising rate regulator but this only added to the lack of consistency in trying to tune it. To me, a properly sized fuel delivery and injection system should not have to rely on somewhat inconsistent rising rate regulators. There is just too much at stake, a fixed pressure stock regulator and properly sized injectors is all you should ever need. The E6k used 2 x 3 channel output M&W igniters to run 6 coils in wasted spark. Boost was controlled with a check valve type controller and had no control by the ECU and idle control was marginal at best using a GM stepper motor.
I did a bit of research and was looing into a MoTec M600 but they are very expensive. I ended up deciding on an Autronic SM4 and R500 CDI. This was installed by Glenn Campbell at Hyperdrive in WA and has been tuned by me. I can't say enough about the drivability of the car with the SM4, its transformed. It now uses Delphi 85lb injectors and a stock 2.5 bar regulator (no more rising rate FPR). It feels like a much more modern car in terms of engine control and consistency. I also run a TechEdge wideband. The SM4 runs full closed loop road speed based boost control, sequential injection, launch control and a brilliant traction control system. I have ABS sensors feeding a reluctor to hall adaptor sending driven and non-driven wheel speed data into the ECU. Idle is stock quality using a 2 wire bosch valve.
Advanced Functions.
I am running the latest version 1.09 firmware with dash adjustable traction control and the latest fuel transient handling refinements (much better drivability). V1.09 also has much enhanced starting fuel control.
When I purchase the car, it ran a Haltech E6K, and I found it to have significant shortcomings for my set up. The main problem was it ran wasted spark and in that particular configuration could only run group fire injection as it has a limited number of channels that can be assigned. It ran 770cc injectors in group fire and had very poor control over AFR's at small pulse widths (like at idle and cruise). It ran good under power, but ran like shit everywhere else. The fuel pressure would pulsate really badly with all 6 injectors firing at once. It used a Malpassi rising rate regulator but this only added to the lack of consistency in trying to tune it. To me, a properly sized fuel delivery and injection system should not have to rely on somewhat inconsistent rising rate regulators. There is just too much at stake, a fixed pressure stock regulator and properly sized injectors is all you should ever need. The E6k used 2 x 3 channel output M&W igniters to run 6 coils in wasted spark. Boost was controlled with a check valve type controller and had no control by the ECU and idle control was marginal at best using a GM stepper motor.
I did a bit of research and was looing into a MoTec M600 but they are very expensive. I ended up deciding on an Autronic SM4 and R500 CDI. This was installed by Glenn Campbell at Hyperdrive in WA and has been tuned by me. I can't say enough about the drivability of the car with the SM4, its transformed. It now uses Delphi 85lb injectors and a stock 2.5 bar regulator (no more rising rate FPR). It feels like a much more modern car in terms of engine control and consistency. I also run a TechEdge wideband. The SM4 runs full closed loop road speed based boost control, sequential injection, launch control and a brilliant traction control system. I have ABS sensors feeding a reluctor to hall adaptor sending driven and non-driven wheel speed data into the ECU. Idle is stock quality using a 2 wire bosch valve.
Advanced Functions.
I am running the latest version 1.09 firmware with dash adjustable traction control and the latest fuel transient handling refinements (much better drivability). V1.09 also has much enhanced starting fuel control.
The panel on the left (where the useless stock computer used to be) is where the advanced traction, boost and launch functions are controlled. There is a potentiometer on the left for boost with a green LED that comes on when the boost solenoid is armed. The Autronic only arms the solenoid when the engine is at operating temperature. The pushbutton in the middle activates launch control and lights up red when armed. With Launch enabled and at full throttle when stationary, the engine is held at ~3000rpm and timing is retarded burning fuel in the exhaust, spooling the turbo. The Boost builds with the car stationary and when the clutch is dumped, all hell brakes loose. The system uses an RPM ramp to a certain ground speed allowing limited wheel slippage. The dial on the right is 3 position switch for traction control, left position is off and a red LED light comes on warning that traction is off, middle position is DRY setting and lights a blue LED. This mode allows some slip as programmed in the Autronic dry settings. Basically slip thresholds and control ranges can be set up per gear. Right position is WET setting and wheel slip is more aggressively controlled. The Autronic has 2 completely independent set ups for WET and DRY.
The videos below show the system in action. The first one show the traction control keeping the car straight when the boost hits it in 3rd gear. The second is mostly 2nd gear starts and roll ons with one 1st gear start.....the traction is working hard in this one!
When the car is pulling power to control traction, the middle LED above flashes just like a stock car. The large ultra-bright LED on the right is the shift light. Note that the RPM limit and shift light are temperature dependent. In a dead cold start, the shift light will warn as a low as 3000rpm and the engine is limited at just above. The shift light and RPM limiter are controlled via temperature.
I have to say that the single most significant transformation on the car has to be the Autronic, I would strongly recommend it to anyone on the hunt for a premium ECU. Its not cheap, but not ludicrously expensive (like the MoTec) either. The 2 units were placed in the E-Box.
I have to say that the single most significant transformation on the car has to be the Autronic, I would strongly recommend it to anyone on the hunt for a premium ECU. Its not cheap, but not ludicrously expensive (like the MoTec) either. The 2 units were placed in the E-Box.
Autronic SM4 and R500 CDI take pride of place in the otherwise empty E-box (no cruise / ABS)
2. Intake Manifold Re-Work
What the fu*k's going on with this.......??
The original tuner had a very strange intake manifold set-up. The stock manifold rear plenum was hacked up and an adaptor plate for a V8 4 plate throttle body was welded on. A gas hat as used in gas conversions was used to make a 90 degree turn and then all manner of adaptors were used to get to the intercooler outlet pipe. My car featured in Zoom Magazine and in there, they said it was to 'offer greater throttle control'. I had to cringe when looking at all the odd geometry, leaky throttle shafts and half-arsed adaptors (see pic). The whole assembly rested hard up against the oil filter housing; oil changes were unnecessarily painful. I can't imagine what all that odd geometry and cross sections were doing for intake flow and turbulence, but it couldn't have been good.
The original tuner had a very strange intake manifold set-up. The stock manifold rear plenum was hacked up and an adaptor plate for a V8 4 plate throttle body was welded on. A gas hat as used in gas conversions was used to make a 90 degree turn and then all manner of adaptors were used to get to the intercooler outlet pipe. My car featured in Zoom Magazine and in there, they said it was to 'offer greater throttle control'. I had to cringe when looking at all the odd geometry, leaky throttle shafts and half-arsed adaptors (see pic). The whole assembly rested hard up against the oil filter housing; oil changes were unnecessarily painful. I can't imagine what all that odd geometry and cross sections were doing for intake flow and turbulence, but it couldn't have been good.
Before - Whacky V8 4-plate throttle body set up had to go
To remedy this, the plan was to cut off the adaptor plate on the back of the plenum and put on a new thick aluminum plate over the back, with a nice single hole for a Nissan V8 throttle body purchased off eBay. These are massive 3.5" and used by the big horsepower supra fraternity etc. It can support massive flow and is a progressive plate that is OEM quality. Revised piping would be 3" all the way to the intercooler. The restrictive end tank was also opened up on the intercooler. The GReddy type R BOV was relocated and the crossover pipe in the above pic removed all together. Would you believe the original shop hacked up the fan blades so the BOV cross over pipe would clear them!! (did I mention cooling was a problem......)
Here is the re-worked intake and inlet piping all in the car, this was done at Hyperdrive, WA while fitting the Autronic. The intake was powder coated black. I am very happy with how it turned out. Now this set up looks like it belongs here.
Here is the re-worked intake and inlet piping all in the car, this was done at Hyperdrive, WA while fitting the Autronic. The intake was powder coated black. I am very happy with how it turned out. Now this set up looks like it belongs here.
After - Re-worked intake using a Nissan 3.5" V8 throttle body
UUC motorwerks oil center
3" piping to the modified intercooler outlet
3. Hot-side work
With the cold side all good, attention turned to the hot side. The very early version of this car used a set up with the wastegate located up top per the Zoom article. This was subsequently changed to below near the AC compressor to allow access to plugs. This left the turbo pushed way out against the fender. The plan was to modify the manifold to tilt the turbo in towards the motor as the turbo was killing all the AC lines and wiring hanging out there. The original design just threw some heat shielding over the AC lines and had them running right past the turbo. These were completely roasted and were replaced and re-routed properly over the top of the fender using some custom plumbing. Turbo water lines were done in braided hose and routed properly. The manifold was re-fabricated and the downpipe altered to suit. Everything was then ceramic coated
Original manifold location and A/C lines, note poor heat lagging work.
Modified manifold and piping, all ceramic coated. A/C lines relocated to upper fender, old water lines (right) were re-done.
Revised manifold, note space between turbine and fender and proper oil and water lines.
4. Electric Fan
I got rid of the molested stock fan and tried a Davies Criag 16" mounted to the radiator, but temps would creep up on hot days in traffic. The fan was a piece of shit and used to vibrate when running, it was nowhere near balanced and was a complete waste of money. Glenn Campbell at Hyperdrive suggest BA Falcon units as they really moved some air, were OEM quality, did not vibrate the whole damn car when running. The other major plus is that they have a built in shroud as we suspected the absence of a shroud was not helping matters. After some measuring and modification, they were grafted onto the stock radiator. These have proved to be amazingly capable. Glenn modified the shroud to perfectly fit the radiator so it looks and performs like an OEM set up. Temps are never allowed to climb above 90 degrees C. The fan comes on and pulls off 5 degrees easily before cutting out at 85 degrees C. They never stay on struggling to cool the car like the Davies Craig unit. The motor can sit in traffic all day with the AC on the the fans just keep cycling in and out. Perfect.
Ford BA Falcon fans do the business and look great thanks to some custom shroud work.
5. Rework Exhaust
The exhaust system on this car is a 2 x 2.5" system with small Magnaflow 4" mufflers, one pair forward, one pair middle and one pair rear. Its pig heavy and boomy. Its built to a very high standard by Andy Butler in Carlise, WA, but I reckon the design could be better.
Old 2 x 2.5" system, rear cans on left, middle and front (middle and right pics).
The old system was replaced this with a single 3" stainless system. One of the overriding reasons for a dual 2.5" was ground clearance as the car is quite low. The new system uses an oval 3" Magnaflow muffler to achieve the same results as the round 4" cans presently used but is it a little lower and hangs up on the odd speed bump. Props to for some awesome welding work.
New single 3" system built by Dom at Prestige Exhasts & Mufflers, WA (superb welding)
New Turbonetics Racegate