Gone and done it again, but this one you'll know!

[Matt H]

I lost heart with this car pretty much as soon as I drove the white one down to the MoT station after getting it running again. It was actually pretty sweet to drive, just lacked that sparkle, that last ten percent, you come to expect from the Valver. Kind of makes sense looking at that printout.

I do have one thing to say... It was sat around for about a year (failed starter motor) before It was running again, and It wasn't leaking LHM when I parked it up! I did swap and change a few parts between the two cars when I was doing the starter on mine, so just check that everything is plumbed up properly, and that guy with the Toyota rally car (who was saying that you'd scrap it ) did do a few jobs pre-MoT, although I have no explanation for the plugs...

Good to see you're getting stuck in with it anyway... Hope it goes well for you!

[Kitch]

Cheers Matt. If I can't get the sparkle back I'll break it. Can't have a 16v with 135bhp.....it's just not on!

[Paul296]

Cheers Matt. If I can't get the sparkle back I'll break it. Can't have a 16v with 135bhp.....it's just not on!

My TGD was originally rated at 60bhp. After 20 years I think it's probably good for a heart stopping 49bhp. In my view 135bhp is a bit sparkly.

[Matt H]

I'd like to think mine is putting out at least 155bhp. It did a 150bhp (obviously different rollers so it would mean naff all ) run when my dad had it and it's far sweeter now... But if yours is rated at the full 160, I doubt mine would match it.

Definitely want to find out though. Seems to be running slightly rich too, would be nice to diagnose that.

[Kitch]

I'd like to think mine is putting out at least 155bhp. It did a 150bhp (obviously different rollers so it would mean naff all ) run when my dad had it and it's far sweeter now... But if yours is rated at the full 160, I doubt mine would match it.

Definitely want to find out though. Seems to be running slightly rich too, would be nice to diagnose that.

Bring yours down mate - mine are the only benchmarked 16v rollers around

In all seriousness, mine probably wouldn't be hitting 160 (and these are est. flywheel figures so not gospel anyway) if it weren't for the air filter or fancy plugs. It was 155 up until I fitted those Pulstars. And these are DIN figures too, which technically I shouldn't be using but seeing as the 16v was launched with DIN figures I'm using them for comparison. Most RR operators in the UK will use SAE, which my best was 158 but is usually low 150s.

Besides....it's times that count, not figures

[Kitch]

Cheers Matt. If I can't get the sparkle back I'll break it. Can't have a 16v with 135bhp.....it's just not on!

My TGD was originally rated at 60bhp. After 20 years I think it's probably good for a heart stopping 49bhp. In my view 135bhp is a bit sparkly.

135bhp in a 16v feels un-sparkly

Bring the diesel down and I'll tell you what it's got!

[Paul296]

Cheers Matt. If I can't get the sparkle back I'll break it. Can't have a 16v with 135bhp.....it's just not on!

My TGD was originally rated at 60bhp. After 20 years I think it's probably good for a heart stopping 49bhp. In my view 135bhp is a bit sparkly.

135bhp in a 16v feels un-sparkly

Bring the diesel down and I'll tell you what it's got!

I might just take you up on that - are your rolling road days still happening and is it possible to restore lost performance or has an old engine just had its chips?

[Kitch]

The rolling road day idea died on it's arse - same thing that usually happens if I try and organise something. Lots of people say they're up for it.....then go quiet. It's why I never bother my arse

But as I've said, I'll happily sort something out for any BXer. If you want to bring a diesel down, I'm not the man for tuning them (you want to time it when Doc brings his 16v down one day!) but I can certainly show you what you've got and usually highlight any areas of concern. When it comes to winding pumps and turbos out, I'm a bit of a novice!

[MULLEY]

Can winding a pump on a N/A actually do much?

[Caffiend]

Too much choice on dates Kitch - which was actually why I never committed! No one date will ever suit everyone: it'll be someone's anniversary, kid's birthday, roadkill hedgehog's funeral, etc. If you fix a date and just say "That's when it is" I'd bet you get reasonable take up

[citsncycles]

Might bring Timex down for a session, it may highlight why it seems low on power

[MULLEY]

Perhaps arranging another tech weekend & then onto the rollers might be a better idea?

[docchevron]

/\ not a bad idea!

I'd very much like to get my valver on the rollers, it's still quick enough to scare me on occassion, but since I fried the last ECU and fitted the only replacement I had it just doesn't kick at 4500RPM anymore, and seems down on power from 6K to the limiter.. Pretty sure it's leaning out too, and is towards the limit for emissions at MoT at idle... anyhow, I know there's more horses in it than it's putting out, but a RR would be ideal for it, although I'd love to out the TD on the rollers too, more for shits and giggles TBH. I have no idea what this engine is putting out, I've never touched the boost or fuelling on it since I fitted it.. It smokes well though!

Mulley, yes, playing about with the fuelling on an NA can make a massive difference, although the MoT man might not like it if you wind it up too far! and of course there are limits, past a certain point you get no more power but lots of black smoke, so all you're doing is wasting fuel for no gain, but some fine tuning can give decent performance gains

[MULLEY]

Interesting stuff Doc, can an absolute layman like me actually do it if i followed some instructions, or is it more technical than turning a knob, ooohergh

[citsncycles]

playing about with the fuelling on an NA can make a massive difference, although the MoT man might not like it if you wind it up too far! and of course there are limits, past a certain point you get no more power but lots of black smoke, so all you're doing is wasting fuel for no gain, but some fine tuning can give decent performance gains

I wonder if mine's been wound down, possibly to get it through an MOT. Other than start up, when it smokes despite recent looking glow plugs, it seems to run cleanly, but definitely runs out of puff early.