Southern Rolling Road & Tech Day - end Feb/beg. Mar

[Matt H]

Unfortunately, I am going to have to remove myself from this list... I know how much you all wanted to see me etc. To be fair it was probably going to be in the boring Alfa anyway.

And Kitch, sorry mate - family stuff. Ya know... I hate myself for pulling out, but this genuinely couldn't be on a worse day for me now I absolutely need to come down and see you soon though. A nice long run to bed in the Black 16v perhaps

• Hilary BX 16V (I have a modded ECU I can bring along too, would be good to see what effect if any it has on performance...)
• Tom BX TXD Turbo (GT won't be ready by 2nd March)
• Mike S Timex (should be good for a laugh if nothing else - I'll be overjoyed if it makes more than 50BHP!)
• Jaba BX TD estate
• RobC 16v?
• Vanny Pink Valver

[saintjamesy89]

So, is this the final line up then;

• Hilary BX 16V (I have a modded ECU I can bring along too, would be good to see what effect if any it has on performance...)
• Tom BX TXD Turbo (GT won't be ready by 2nd March)
• Matt H BX 16v (The white one) or Alfa?
• Mike S Timex (should be good for a laugh if nothing else - I'll be overjoyed if it makes more than 50BHP!)
• Jaba BX TD estate
• RobC 16v?
• Vanny Pink Valver

Seems like a good spread really, shame there aren't more petrols (a nice 1.4 would be good), but all in all a good range!

Personally i'll be happy with anything over 140bhp, it's always felt a tad low on power, and i'm pretty sure that one of the cylinders is down on compression.


Actually, i bet there is a compression tester down at Southways right

I agree Vanny, a 1.4 and 1.6 would be interesting to observe on the rollers, and listen too aswell! In fact, it'd be nice to see one of each engine on there and their torque/power spreads etc. I am very much looking forward to seeing what the TXD puts out, and compared to Jaba's td too. I'm pretty sure it's been played with, as it idles quite high and has at best done 50.3 mpg so far.

Is your workshop well ventilated Kitch? I'm a bit concerned about how smoky things are going to get... It's not black smoke, it's grey ish, but I only ever seem to see it in the dark, and it only appears when on boost.

What time are we meeting/people arriving?

[Vanny]

I doubt i'll get there much before mid day TBH, 3 hour drive, and prepping the car in the morning (empty stuff, load tools, get out of garage etc). Ah and it's a weekend so sod getting up before 7am!

[Kitch]

Unfortunately, I am going to have to remove myself from this list... I know how much you all wanted to see me etc. To be fair it was probably going to be in the boring Alfa anyway.

And Kitch, sorry mate - family stuff. Ya know... I hate myself for pulling out, but this genuinely couldn't be on a worse day for me now I absolutely need to come down and see you soon though. A nice long run to bed in the Black 16v perhaps

• Hilary BX 16V (I have a modded ECU I can bring along too, would be good to see what effect if any it has on performance...)
• Tom BX TXD Turbo (GT won't be ready by 2nd March)
• Mike S Timex (should be good for a laugh if nothing else - I'll be overjoyed if it makes more than 50BHP!)
• Jaba BX TD estate
• RobC 16v?
• Vanny Pink Valver

No worries mate, some other time.

[Kitch]

So, is this the final line up then;

• Hilary BX 16V (I have a modded ECU I can bring along too, would be good to see what effect if any it has on performance...)
• Tom BX TXD Turbo (GT won't be ready by 2nd March)
• Matt H BX 16v (The white one) or Alfa?
• Mike S Timex (should be good for a laugh if nothing else - I'll be overjoyed if it makes more than 50BHP!)
• Jaba BX TD estate
• RobC 16v?
• Vanny Pink Valver

Seems like a good spread really, shame there aren't more petrols (a nice 1.4 would be good), but all in all a good range!

Personally i'll be happy with anything over 140bhp, it's always felt a tad low on power, and i'm pretty sure that one of the cylinders is down on compression.


Actually, i bet there is a compression tester down at Southways right

I agree Vanny, a 1.4 and 1.6 would be interesting to observe on the rollers, and listen too aswell! In fact, it'd be nice to see one of each engine on there and their torque/power spreads etc. I am very much looking forward to seeing what the TXD puts out, and compared to Jaba's td too. I'm pretty sure it's been played with, as it idles quite high and has at best done 50.3 mpg so far.

Is your workshop well ventilated Kitch? I'm a bit concerned about how smoky things are going to get... It's not black smoke, it's grey ish, but I only ever seem to see it in the dark, and it only appears when on boost.

What time are we meeting/people arriving?

Workshop's got no extraction system at the moment, but it's quite a big unit so the gas dissipates quite well

I'll be there from 10am onwards, probably stripping the grey 16v or one of the other cars there.

[Kitch]

So, is this the final line up then;

• Hilary BX 16V (I have a modded ECU I can bring along too, would be good to see what effect if any it has on performance...)
• Tom BX TXD Turbo (GT won't be ready by 2nd March)
• Matt H BX 16v (The white one) or Alfa?
• Mike S Timex (should be good for a laugh if nothing else - I'll be overjoyed if it makes more than 50BHP!)
• Jaba BX TD estate
• RobC 16v?
• Vanny Pink Valver

Seems like a good spread really, shame there aren't more petrols (a nice 1.4 would be good), but all in all a good range!

Personally i'll be happy with anything over 140bhp, it's always felt a tad low on power, and i'm pretty sure that one of the cylinders is down on compression.


Actually, i bet there is a compression tester down at Southways right

There is a compression tester mate, yes. We did have a leak-down tester, but I think it was borrowed. Might still be there.

You're right, shame there isn't a more varied mix of petrols. But I've only ever put one XUD on there before so it'll still be a learning curve. I've done several 16valvers now, and only one has managed to make the original 160bhp figure *minecoughmine* So it'll be interesting to see how they fare.

[Kitch]

Just as an FYI to all, I'll be there from 10am onwards until about 4pm.

I did also forget to mention we don't have a card machine, for those doing power runs. Cash only please.

For those using a sat nav, make sure the post code (PO14 1AH) doesn't bring up Fort Fareham Road.....some sat navs seem to do this, and it's wrong. You want Fort Fareham Industrial Estate, which is just off Newgate Lane.

Full address is:#

Southways Automotive
Unit C Plot 5 Fort Fareham Industrial Estate
Fareham
Hampshire
PO14 1AH

Tel: 01329 220755.

If anybody has to pull out tomorrow, please let us know on this thread or by ringing us (we don't need to be hanging on for people who aren't coming!)

Cheers

Rich

[Caffiend]

Had to top up the water yesterday (eek), no obvious leaks, so assuming that there's none visible this morning and I don't get the scary red light expect me 11-ish - if I don't post on here again, I'm on my way

[citsncycles]

FAIL! Got as far as Swindon and the oil light came on due to a HUGE oil leak!

I'm currently at Tetbury buying more oil so I can limp the last few miles back home, having already gone through 5lt.

[Kitch]

FAIL! Got as far as Swindon and the oil light came on due to a HUGE oil leak!

I'm currently at Tetbury buying more oil so I can limp the last few miles back home, having already gone through 5lt.

Shame mate, we got your post ok though though. Would have been good to have timex on there, but you're welcome anytime

I'll update the thread later on with some graphs

[Caffiend]

Kitch, I thought you were joining us for late lunch and never said 'bye' and thanks very much. So, um, bye. And thanks very much indeed for being a great host, good day.

Obviously, my car had not decided to be entirely incontinent and I made it just after 11 to hear the glorious roar of a 16v being revved hard. It was LOUD. Unfortunately, owing to Timex disgracing itself, all we had today were 16vs and turbo diesels - spookily, all the 16vs were red and all the turbo diesels green except RobC's hybrid Hurricane shell with 16v engine. Very nice looking beastie it is too.

Some pictures:


Vanny drinking tea* whilst contemplating Tom's TXD. I can't remember why Kitch was lying on the floor at this point.


Tom and Jaba drinking tea whilst contemplating Tom's TXD.


My green machine being set up to roll. I would say it looks apprehensive, but that would be a) transference (please don't show me up or explode ) and b) anthropomorphic and it hates it when I do that.


I didn't think my TZD's results would be too shabby, and had begged the car not to embarrass me after Tom's and Jaba's turbos had both done jolly well. Apparently my horsies have been breeding, because my BX was the turbo winner - Kitch tried to get it into 3 figures and couldn't - sorry, should have fitted that K&N filter before today, but seemed a shame to waste the existing one only having about 10K miles on it.

Good boy



... really should quit smoking though


Vanny does something technical which I think was related to reconnecting the anti-rollbar (RobC's 16v)


RobC recovers from anti-rollbar trauma by drinking tea.


Jaba inspects the welding (tidy work!), whilst drinking tea.


*It may have been coffee: work with me on this one - just flogging the BX Clubbers and inconceivably large quantities of tea line to death.

[hilarystone]

Missed you Mike, sorry your car didn't make it this time.

And great big thank you to Kitch and Southways Automotive for hosting the day. We were all agreed it was a great day. I know Kitch will supply more details later but all four 16Vs performed very similarly as did the three Turbo diesels though Sandre's was perhaps the star just edging more than specced power and torque from Citroen.

[hilarystone]

Missed you Mike, sorry your car didn't make it this time.

And great big thank you to Kitch and Southways Automotive for hosting the day. We were all agreed it was a great day. I know Kitch will supply more details later but all four 16Vs performed very similarly as did the three Turbo diesels though Sandre's was perhaps the star just edging more than specced power and torque from Citroen.

[MULLEY]

Breeding Horsies, excellent, there's hope for our cars then

[Gary]

... really should quit smoking though

Well done Sandre , it proves that smoke = power