Performance News - 16 February 1999

Electromotive Fuel and Ignition

Electromotive is a US-based designer and manufacturer of programmable management and ignition systems. They have been producing engine management systems for many years and have available upgrade kits to suit a variety of cars (including the Chrysler Neon!). In addition, they have a wide range of management software and hardware. You'll find them at www.electromotive-inc.com

PRE-emtive Strike

Australian engineering company PRE Automotive makes a variety of engine and ancillary go-fast bits. These include valve springs, retainers, guide plates, posi-locks, alloy pulleys and oil pump drives. Most of the components are for Holden/Ford V8s and sixes. You'll find them at http://www.pre.com.au/

WRX Turbo Swap

If you talk to someone who has upgraded from an older model Impreza WRX to the '99 spec model, you'll often fine that they are a little less enthusiastic about the new car than you'd expect. While the road tests results for the later models shows them to be as quick - or quicker - than the earlier cars, the turbo size in the later models has actually been reduced. Along with the lift in comp ratio, this gives a quicker spool-up time, but the downside is that top-end urge is a bit diminished.

To overcome this problem, DAT Racing in Adelaide (Australia) recently undertook a simple turbo swap. Having already had a 3 inch exhaust fitted, the owner of the 1999 WRX decided to buy from Subaru Australia a brand new turbo from the 1994 WRX. This is a TD05 Mitsubishi, as opposed to the '99 spec TD04. The TD04 is shown on the left and the TD05 on the right. Not only does the TD04 has a larger compressor, it also has a larger turbine.

Fitting the new (old model!) turbo required that the compressor housing have its cast-in elbow removed (over the years the WRX has changed in the routing of the filter-box-to-compressor duct and so the turbo compressor cover has also changed) with a machined pressed-in aluminium sleeve taking its place. The only other change required was the modification of the water fittings; they required the use of larger banjo bolts and some milling of the fitting itself. The new turbo then bolted into place, with everything else - inlet and exhausts flanges, oil fittings, heat shield fittings, etc - being identical for both turbos. The cost of modifying the turbo compressor cover, changing the water fittings, and fitting the turbo was A$500, while the turbo itself was approximately A$2000. So what did the owner get for this dosh?

The dyno graph (with the dyno'ing carried out on a two wheel dyno and so restricted in maximum power to under 120kW) shows that - as expected - the engine lost power at lower revs but picked up more than sufficient at rpm over about 2000 rpm. At about 6000 rpm the engine power was up by 10 per cent, and the peak power (not able to be read here) would be expected to have been increased by at least this much. John Keen of DAT Racing said that the car was transformed on the road - "It didn't get to 5000rpm and then just stop like it did before. The top end power gains more than made up for the bottom end loss - and when you're going hard, you're never down there anyway" he added.

Contact DAT Racing at turbokeen@aol.com.au

More APEXi ECUs Released

JAP Trading has just released in Australia a further two APEXi programmable ECUs. These are the same type as the one being long-term tested by AutoSpeed in a Skyline GT-R. The two new models cover the Subaru Impreza WRX (MR97 and 98) and the twin turbo Mazda RX7. The cost of the ECU to suit the Subaru is A$2200 and the Mazda ECU is A$2000. In each case the hand controller is A$800. These ECUs plug straight into the factory loom and read all of the sensors of the standard management system. Incidentally, we intend to report on the unit fitted to the GT-R very soon - but we can tell you now that it's performed very well indeed.

Contact JAP Trading on + 61 3 9879 7799.

Holden History

The definitive history of Holden cars in Australia has just been released. "50 Years of Holden" covers the company's products over the last half century - every single model that has been marketed over that time as a Holden is covered in this encyclopaedic book. Rather than adopting a narrative style, author Terry Bebbington has chosen to concisely cover the features of each and every model in mainly point form. A brief background; engines, transmissions and final drives used; model range; prices at release; and the release dates are covered. Black and white photos of each car are shown, with these mostly drawn from Holden archives.

Bebbington runs a workshop specialising in Holden and so brings more of a technical approach to the cars than would be shown by many other authors. He is obviously a total Holden nut - which has some good and bad points. On the 'good' side is the sheer detail than is present in the book. If you want to know that the VN Berlina was not actually badged a "Commodore" you'll find it in this book! On the 'bad' side is that any criticisms or appraisal of where the cars fitted within a global framework are sadly neglected. Every Holden was apparently wonderful. The JE Camira for example, is said to be a very good vehicle when compared with the earlier JB series, but there is no hint of criticism of the JB on the pages that cover that car!

However, my major criticism is that there are almost no performance figures included. Power figures are extensively quoted, which can be very misleading given the way in which engine power measurement has changed significantly over the years. To have quoted magazine test acceleration and fuel economy figures would have levelled this playing field, making the book much more interesting.

But it must be said - niggling criticisms aside, this is a very good book indeed. If you have any interest in Holdens - from being a total Holden enthusiast to just wondering where each model fitted in - you will find this a very interesting book. And if you live outside of Australia and wonder why Aussies get so excited by the unique GM products, this book will also make a very good introduction to the marque.

50 Years of Holden is available through bookstores or by mail order from +61 2 9887 0339. It costs A$45.

Julian Edgar

Thinking Alfa 'Box

The new Alfa 156 is available with an optional Selespeed 5 speed automatic gearbox. The gearbox - which is controlled by buttons mounted on the steering wheel - is a five speed manual gearbox with a dry plate clutch. Effectively, it is a robotised manual gearbox. In normal driving mode, the Selespeed gearbox takes approximately the same amount of time as a typical driver using a manual gearbox, but when the gearbox is used in Sport mode (engaged by pressing the accelerator through more than 60 per cent of its travel over 5000 rpm), gearshifts are accomplished in less than 0.7 of a second.

Gear changes are made by the computer system which also communicates with the electronic engine throttle. When the driver changes gear, the electronic unit controls the gearbox and requests the clutch opening, reducing torque regardless of the accelerator position, and selecting and engaging the gears. Three actuators are used - one controlling the clutch, the other the gear engagement and the third the gear selection. The torque management and fly-by-wire system is the same Magneti Marelli system used in the Ferrari 355 F1. It communicates continuously with the Bosch Motronic engine management system that controls the engine. To achieve this, the fly-by-wire system calls on information from the position of the accelerator pedal, the road speed, engine speed, and the power requirements being indicated by the driver.

The Selespeed system uses a hydraulically run, computer-operated system. The hydraulic system operates both the clutch and the gear selection. So that there is no initial delay while the system comes up to pressure, the pump activates when the driver's door is opened, ensuring that there is sufficient hydraulic pressure the moment the engine is started.

1) Gearbox electronic management unit
2) Selespeed clutch-gearshift actuator unit
3) Engine electronic management unit
4) Throttle with electronic accelerator
5) Gear engaged indicator on facia
6) Down button for shifting down through gears
7) Up button for shifting up through gears
8) City control for activating automatic shifts
9) Gear lever for sequential gear selection
10) Electronic accelerator potentiometer
11) Switch on brake pedal

Wry Smiles

The Canberra, Australia-based Brindabella Motor Sport Club (smee@bigfoot.com) has in their club magazine Spokes a series of tool definitions. They're sure to bring a wry grin to the face of many a person who has bruised their knuckles....

Drill Press - a tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, splattering it against that freshly-painted part you were drying.

Electric Hand Drill - Normally used for spinning steel pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age.

E-Z Out Bolt and Stud Extractor - a tool that snaps off in bolt holes and is ten times harder than any known drill bit.

Mechanic's Knife - Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on boxes containing seats and motorcycle jackets.

Oxyacetylene Torch - Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your garage.

Pliers - Used to round off bolt heads.

Timing Light - A stroboscopic instrument for illuminating grease build-up.

Aviation Metal Snips - See Hacksaw.

Hacksaw - One of a family of tools built on the Ouija Board principle. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

Battery Electrolyte Tester - A handy tool for transferring sulphuric acid from a car battery to the inside of your toolbox after determining that your battery is as dead as a doornail, just as you thought.

Two Ton Hydraulic Engine Hoist - A handy tool for testing the tensile strength of earth straps and brake lines that you have forgotten to disconnect.

Quickies

• Wayne Gardner, Jim Richards and Greg Murphy will complete a 28-car field of identical latest model Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing cars taking part in the 1999 Porsche Pirelli Supercup at the Qantas Australian Grand Prix on March 4 - 7.

• Talking about Porsches, CMW Racing is the home of Porsche engine modifications. Amongst other goodies, they produce the largest flat six engine for Porsches at just over 4 litres! They also have available cylinders, pistons, billet heads, valves, springs, "holey" retainers and multiple throttle bodies. Some of the hardware also looks like it would suit all injected engines, not just Porsche. You can find CMW Racing at http://www.cmwracing.com/

• Chrysler has delivered its first shipment of 120 electric minivans. EPIC (Electric Powered Interurban Commuter) is an electric version of the 1999 Voyager, with a top speed of 130 km/h and a range of up to 160 kilometres. For the 1999 model year, Chrysler will manufacture approximately 2000 EPICs.

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