athens7

Those 'aha' moments when your car feels RIGHT (usually after significant expenditures of time/money) sure are great!

On the Avon ZZ3s that came with my car, the fellows on Blatchat say that even at 18 psi the center rib will wear out before the shoulders (a common occurence with over-inflated tires).

Several trips to the tuners and $$$$ later, here I am again, a VERY happy camper! http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/2092993627_Feb 11 2008 simple chart.jpg This is the final run in February, after 7 hours of adjustments to the ECU programming. Our goal was to optimize the air/fuel ratio, and maximize timing wwithout detonation. We were also hoping to eliminate the dip in the power curves between 2500-3500 rpm. We discovered certain things: -Adaptive fuel programming sucks. In my car's case, short term fuel trims were all too lean, leading to a gradual leaning out of the air/fuel mixture. Eliminated by resetting the ECU, the problem can reappear in as little as 200 miles. Eliminating the adaptive fuel programming eliminated the problem. -The MAFS map in the ECU in its stock form doesn't fit the demands of the Seven. Changes to the air/fuel ratio settings didn't translate to real changes in the air/fuel ratio, until the MAFS map itself was changed. -Heat soak in the engine prevented replicable runs. The second run was always down on peak power. The engine coolant temperature would get as high as 212 degrees. The a/f ratio graph was smoother and more ideal, but persisted in being too lean at the torque peak. After the session, I found the car to have much better performance at both part and full throttle. A couple of SVT technicians had advised me to install a 180 degree thermostat in the car, as opposed to the stock 195 degree unit. Thinking it would help with the heat soak issue, as well as durabilty, I did so, and returned to the dyno on March 18th. We also wanted to adjust the exhaust cam timing, and change the switchover point on the intake runners, as I had lost some midrange torque in the last session when we dropped the switchover point to 4100 rpm. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1847002569_Mar 18 2008 before & after +2deg exh cam timing.jpg This chart shows the first run of the visit, with the only change from February being the addition of the new thermostat. The later run is with the exhaust cam timing advanced 2 degrees and the intake runner switchover point moved to 5500 rpm. There is a HUGE gain in midrange power, and the elimination of the over-lean condition at the torque peak. We were actually able to increase the air slightly from 4500 rpm up. The dip in the power curves is also narrowed by about 400 rpm. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/226029952_Mar 18 2008 3rd & 4th gear.jpg This last chart shows runs in 3rd and 4th gear. I show this for the "which gear yields the most efficient power" discussions. All my runs were completely replicable in sets of three. I have gotten much feedback on the drivetrain loss issue for determining true engine output on a chassis dyno, most of it conflicting. Regardless of what loss exists, I know this: my motor puts out 3 more lbs-ft torque at the wheels than a stock SVT makes AT THE CRANK, and does it at 500 fewer rpm :hurray: ! Intake air temperature is also important; there was a noticeable difference in power at higher intake air temperatures. This is a problem with the SVT intake location. A cold air intake solution may be the next item on the to do list.I have now seen some other dyno runs for SVT motors with hot cams, and they all have a dip at some point in the power curve. The consensus among my sources is that the Cosworth/SVT head flows all the air it can, and volumetric efficency problems can crop up with more aggressive cams. The car goes like a scalded dog, and I believe it will be more durable with cooler operating temperatures and a more optimal a/f ratio. My motor sure has come a long way since October of last year! These mods are easily duplicated, and my tuner has the data to install the tune using a Diablosport Predator. Also necessary are the 180 degree thermostat and an adjustable exhaust cam gear. Your results may vary, but I would encourage SVT owners to watch the a/f ratios on your cars, if you are using the stock ECU. Hard running and lean operation can be an expen

On my SVT with the Caterham USA sump, just a hair under 5 quarts.

My strap broke in the first 5 minutes, but the watch has always kept good time. Not a prospect for another, though. I'd rather have a club specific decal than a generic one.

The ad copy says "cosmetically needs a little improvement". :lol:

I wear these: http://www.wileyx.com/EcommSuite/ProductDetail.aspx?ActivityCode=MOTORCYCLE&SeriesCode=166&ProductLine=236,SG1&ItemCode=71 They have been very satisfactory so far.

69 and sunny here. Fill up, then out into the country for some data logging. Nice to have the top AND doors off.

"Magnum' Ferraris, as well as 308GT4s, and Mondials are certainly cheaper than a new Caterham, but the maintenance costs are exponentially higher on the prancing horse cars(or should I call them "other European exotic":d )

Sorry Mazda, but what is the right way to take being called 'somewhat insane', Deman?

I'd want my 2 days of instruction in Caterham's car, not mine (could be an expensive learning curve).

Ok, that's funny! Perhaps a case of "other track car" envy? In my house, Caterham is only a bad word when the credit card bill arrives with this month's upgrade reconciliation! :7fume:

Wonder what I can get on a trade? http://cars.uk.msn.com/News/car_news_article.aspx?cp-documentid=7638280

How many years, if ever, will it take to heal the damage this schism has caused to open wheel racing in this country?

I use a Wix 51374 oil filter, fwiw.

HB 950 passed the full House yesterday by a vote of 159 for, 0 against:hurray:. It now goes to the Senate; if approved, our right to title assembled cars and custom motorcycles will be restored. Thanks to all who supported this legislation through the House. We now need to make our Senators aware of our support for this bill. Please contact your state Senator and keep attention on HB 950. We're not far from preserving our hobby in the Peach State!

My car (and its driver) will be in Buford Monday, Feb. 11 at Balanced Performance Motorsports. I'll be available shortly after lunch time, if the tuning goes well.

:thumbs: almost too nice to drive.

The bill is in response to a policy change by the Georgia Department of Revenue, who oversees DMVS. This policy, according to my representative, is the result of fears of litigation against Revenue if someone is injured or killed in an accident involving one of our non federally compliant cars. It WILL apply to previously titled cars coming from other states as well, that is to say, you will NOT be able to get a Georgia title for a car previously titled in another state, unless this bill is passed. So, we are in FAVOR of passage of this legislation, which should also eliminate the tendency of Georgia DMVS to try to put rebuilt brands on the titles to kit cars. My last car was a 2003 Beck 550 Spyder; it was titled in California as SPCN (special construction-a Georgia DMVS story for another day), then re-titled in Georgia with a 'special construction' brand (after initally getting a 'rebuilt' brand, in spite of promises to the contrary). I had even better paperwork this time, including MCO's for the car and the engine, as well as assembly paperwork. I was told by the supervisor of the relevant DMVS section that, under the old rules, my paperwork was without flaw, but, due to the new policy, they would not issue a title for my car. In the absence of specific legislation, our hobby's continued existence in Georgia is up to the whim of non-elected bureaucrats and lawyers.

Georgia has quietly become the only state in the Union to outlaw (by refusing to issue titles for) all kit cars, custom motorcycles, and any other cars that aren't OEM, fully EPA, NHTSA, & DOT certified :banghead: . Legislation is currently making its way through the Georgia House of Representatives to address this injustice. Please email or phone your Senator or Representative and ask them to support our right to own & drive specialty automobiles and motorcycles! You can find your representatives at: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/

The only mechanical change might be a long 1st gear 5 speed. My car was built when I bought it, so it was take it or leave it, and it had all of the other 'must have' items on my list. Several months later, on the dyno, I found that the standard 1st-2nd shift drops revs 1500, with all other shifts dropping 1000; it would be nice to keep the revs up a little more on the 1-2 shift. I would definitely NOT change my ZF lsd, it is great for putting power down in curves, and, as they were no longer available from Caterham even last year, it was then or never. For probably emotional reasons only, I also wanted an Arch frame. Whether bought new or used, expect a sorting out process, and set aside some $$$ for same.

The 'quality' issues seem to come from running a top at all at 120 mph. I've driven a couple of Lotus' current offerings, and I wouldn't score them high on build quality. Of course, this was never a priority for Colin.

Wow, an $8000.00 buy it now!

My car's only got 1800 miles on it, and it is garaged and covered, and only driven in the rain once. Other than a wipe down of the body after every drive, I've not had the car cleaned since I bought it. I'm not much of a fan of pressure washing, fearing damage to the electrics, but I expect some compressed air now and then can get rid of some of the debris in the chassis.

Considering all the Sevens I see advertised with 200+ hp Zetecs (I have yet to see a dyno chart to support one of these), and the representations made by the sellers as to power, my primary goal was to ascertain whether or not my engine had a problem or problems, and to solve the cut off issue. I can certainly live with the power my car produces, especially if we can reduce the size of the torque dip. It's much more fun to drive the car than to throw money at it (I'm not a do it yourselfer like Mazda). Btw, 68 degrees and sunny yesterday and today. It sure was nice to get the top off and go for a couple of blats!:7fume: Nice smiley, too!