handling VS power!?
Turbo Mini Forums

hi

im wondering weather once you have put your turbo or highly powerd engines in your mini, does it have an effect on handling?
a good one or bad one?

at the moment i have a na 998 with the suspension sorted by scruffy.
it handles like a dream but on a long roundabout for example i run out of gear! (due to lack of power and gear ratio)
like to night my mate wanted to see how much better mine was compared to his fast na 1275 estate. he has 1.5 fixed neggy camber front which he thinks is shit, and kyb front dampers, and decent tyers.
now i went in front first time and i was in 2nd gear flat out (dernt go to 3rd) i let off the throttle a bit to unsettle it so it was sliding slightly and then back on the throttle etc, and i was going as fast as the engine would let me, he was behind me, but was all over the place were as i was holding a decent line.

now would you say that it is good for a 998 VS a 1275 mini that has a powerfull engine compared to the 998? and he is a more experianced driver aswell.

2nd time was the same as the first but i went behind and he wasent getting away atall! i do have a vid if anyones interested! lol

the question is, will i be able to go round corners and rondabouts faster in my mini but with a turbo lump in it? or would it be uncontrollable compared to the 998?

sorry for the long post but im just curious (SP??)


cheers
josh

Edited by JT on 9th Mar, 2007.

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

well josh look at the link at the btm

and iam only running 12 psi of boost!

granted this is a straight line but.......

other peeps have a lot MORE power than mine

my motors is in the breaking in period
anyway!. .... place another 4.5 engines under your bonnet at the same time and think about it!

i run 1.25 neg camber front +...
5.5 deg caster
and 0 camber on the rear
for now
EDIT: avo shocks all around set at 2/3rds front
rear 1/2 setting

sprint to sort the barry boys out rear shocks set at FULL!
standard suspension

Edited by BENROSS on 9th Mar, 2007.

so your saying it will have a bad effect on handling?
i thought with the torque it would/could make it easier to do what you want it to? as in unsettle it easier, but keep control? if you know what i mean
or am i missing somthing here?

just watched the vid again and you took the roundabout prity quick! lol

cheers
josh

Edited by JT on 9th Mar, 2007.

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

the roundabout i was very...... steady josh
the torques the ruler
notice i whent in the roundabout COOL!

suspension ?....other peeps have MASS ! experience than me

please comment gents

Edited by BENROSS on 9th Mar, 2007.

The turbo engine, unless it weighs more than your 998, will not effect handling.

Your friend was probably having a hard time getting away from you because he can't drive as well as you, has tires that are more worn or older than yours, his suspension isn't set up as well as yours, and/or he has a long wheelbase car which is heavier and doesn't handle as well. Chances are the difference is mostly in the suspension set-up and the tires.

Given identical cars, suspension and tire set-ups, and equal driver skills, the only variable should be the engine hp. If you have more hp, you should be faster in the straights, and in the corners if there is enough grip in your tires to handle it.

Edited by Lance Link on 9th Mar, 2007.

61 Austin Seven; building a 1275 'over the clutch' turbo, R5 T2'd, custom intercooled, megajolt electrified, canyon carver

www.motorlust.com - The Online Magazine for Car Guys Like Us

In theory, more power will not affect the handling at all. However, in reality this isn't quite true.

More power will highlight any defficiencies in the cars dynamics. Also, how the new engine delivers power will affect the way the car feels (which is what handling is).

A poorly designed turbo engine can make your car feel crap; this is because of the way it can deliver power. If the turbo is right on its boost threshold in the middle or on the exit of a corner you can find no-power then loads of power can really toss you around.

So, yes, the chamge from the very linear power delivery of a 998 to a 'peaky' turbo will affect the handling i.e. the way the car feels.

Wil

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

i was suprised at how close he stayed reliy! but then he couldnt getaway atall either!
i reckon if i had the same engine as hes in mine i would have pulled away from him. as i was doing full revs in 2nd and had to change to 3rd as i flung it to come off the rondabout.
if i post the vid you can tell how much more powerfull his car is compared to mine as he gets away quicker.
you will have to excuse my passenger who who was recording as he was getting a bit excited! lol

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Basically, if you run any decent level of power from a turbo, you need to learn to drive again.

If i hit high boost in my car, it will spin the wheels whatever gear its in, and thats on a straight.

If I were to boot it half way around a bend, I wouldnt be here writing this now. With the torque steer it creates, sometimes I dont even have to steer to overtake someone. ( on a private road of course)


Its all about being sensible and knowing how your car will react.

Edited by Kean on 9th Mar, 2007.

only to the nearest banana

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

t2 clubby would you say it handles well though? and could beat a lot of things on the twistys etc?

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Left foot braking is the only thing that annoys me in my 998 as it just stops the car as apposed to upsetting the rear, it works ok in the wet but there is not enough power to overcome the brakes on the front if that makes sense.

never tryied left foot braking!
usally the engine brakes enuff for me when i let off the go pedal!

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

thats the key thing i think and thats know your limit!! and the car of course
trackdays help out alot with that imo.

my mini as it is, is not powerfull enuff on the long rondabouts and long corners, but the smaller ones its perfect, i can keep it in its powerband (if you can call it that!!lol) so i probly would loose my mate easy on a smaller rondabout!?

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

That is another reason I don't like big boost and do like high CR for a road car, just makes it so much nicer to drive on the road, a tall final drive also helps tame things a little too.

What T2 says about torque steer is so true ....... I learnt by experience and am now very careful about the wheel / tyre combination, wide and high offset are bad IMHO. You are never going to totally remove the torque steer from a powerful Mini but there are lots of thigns you can do to minimise it.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Swapping your 998 to a 1375 turbo lump would have no effect on the cars handling at all. The difference in weight is so small. Change the brakes or other bits and it's a different story. It's simply not going to change the mechanical grip.

The problem occurs due to the right foot being applied to the accelerator !! It's a lot easier to over do it and go understeering of. Due to the car being faster you will most likely bge trying to go through corners quicker, this will show up your cars weaknesses.

It's all down to the weight of that right foot !! lol

:)

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

what i was saying though i could be flat out in 2nd gear going round a corner and i have enuff grip to go faster, but iv run out of gear! so with my turbo engine i should be able to go faster round a longer corner with the longer ratios. im going to use a t2 with a 3.1 fd and jk ratios, which i think are the st ratios? somthing like 65mph in 2nd on 10s at 6500rpm? sound right to you?

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985