Vmaxscart SC on an SPI car - anyone running one?
Turbo Mini Forums

Hey guys

I posed this question in a few ways on TMF, but I didn’t get much of a reply except other people interested too.

I emailed Stuart @ vmax a few times and have begun to get the jist of what I need for a 100 whp S/C setup on my 1994 1275 rover mini spi. It's a strong low mile (20K) engine, and it dyno'ed for 57whp just a few weeks ago. I want more power but not so much that it affects drivability. I've S/C a lotus elise before, it was a perfect addition to the motor. There when you need it, just a cool noise when you don't.

Vmax feels that I am ok with the basic kit, and can keep my SPI for the 1st 100hp. I would want to use a rising rate FPR, need to retard the ignition a bit, and need an opened up head (turbophil, already sent an email)or decomp plate. All told, about under 2k gbp.

This seems all well and good, and fits my budget ok. What UI am looking for is people that have theirs built out - how is it working for you? What's the effort like moving the reluctor ring? Stuart claims it can be done in situ, but to me, it looks like an engine-out affair.

So, what are actual operator opinions? Will this work, work well, not be worth it, be the best mod ever? Will it blow out gaskets like snot, or will it be the best thing I've ever done to my car?

Whacha think?

Where does the extra fuel come from?

The FPR you have is a rising rate, albeit a 1:1 ratio. I am doubtful that this will provide all the fuel you need.

At the very least, purchase yourself a wideband O2 sensor so you can monitor and be sure.

Fuel and timing? How will it compensate with a standard spi ecu?

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

Edited by almichie on 21st Jun, 2011.

i dont see the standard spi fueling enough for the charger though even with the ignition sorted.
although i may be wrong and missing something

one day boost will be mine!

The spi pump can deliver upto 1.2 bar pressure, so as long as boost is less than 0.8 bar (13psi) he'll be fine.

what i meant was is the level of air flow that a sc delivers within the set parameters of the standard spi ecu, if not then it wont fuel right.

one day boost will be mine!

whoops, sorry guys. I forgot to write that I will use the FPR and a new pump.

In the mini mags it seems like these chargers are all over the place. I want to talk to someone that's got one before I spend anything.

I did a blackwatch racing charger on my Elise a few years back. A little grinding here and there, new ECU tune, new manifold and presto, +60hp. I wish ther was something like that for the mini!

There is! A turbo!!!

I understand the theory and to a degree, can see it working, but I have yet to actually see one, and see one working at that.

Mounting the throttle body and injector housing before the charger, with the MAP sensor reading the post throttle pre charger pressure, carefull set up of an FSE rising rate regulator refferenced to post charger pressure, could be made to work, but dyno tuning will be required to get it set up somewhere near right. The ignition advance is catered for by retarding the reluctor, but you can only go so far with this before you start suffering starting problems since crank advance is 5 degrees as standard, retarding the reluctor 10 degrees will result in a -5 (ATDC) degree caranking advance. Thats 10 degrees off the whole ignition map, so idle advancie is now 5 degrees +-5 and instead of 47 degrees at cruse, its 37, and full throttle adavnce will be 24 instead of 34 degrees. Not really the best idea.

To be brutally honest, don't waste your time, and just spend the extra and get the Emerald programable ECU for it, you will get far better results.

The only 'SPi' Vmax kit I have seen used an MPi throttle with a single new injector.

Edited by Sprocket on 21st Jun, 2011.

hi dma550 iv an omex 500 ecu with my kit been told itl work!!.

if you find anyone with a sc spi let me no! :)

Buy a sc 12 kit from Australia they seem to run right ask Graham and you will see some change I have not heard of one vmax kit run right at all?

Not knocking him, seems a common complaint then people go turbo lol.

Ps Sc kit looks nice and works with a mpi

Hey, thanks guys

Just spoke with Stuart. You are all right and I think Stuart agrees - Emerald ECU and an MPI T/B is now the way we're leaning (no reluctor move, thanks Sprocket). Going for 115 bhp. I'll post back when I learn more.

tell me more Nick, whose is that?

Rather than re-invent the wheel, I suggest you contact Allen from Long Island - he has done this and spent a lot of time (and money) getting it right.

Contact him and ask his thoughts. At least he has had direct experience - something few of us on here have (with the vmax supercharger setup).

You can contact him through his website in his sig - or I can send you his email if you PM me...

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=384078

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=384078

Edited by turbodave16v on 22nd Jun, 2011.

Thanks TurboDave

I've spoken with Alan, and he may have the contact of someone that helped him for me. He went a much different route, (deeper pockets) - he did a Canems and some other things that I won't be doing and purpose built the motor. Along with those came some challenges I hope not to face in going with Stuart's recco's, but we'll see.

his name is ben,

you can it directly from him for about $800 Australian

the sc12 is about 300au

http://www.minisport.com.au/prod1732.htm

it's smaller fit, grahams is the lovely green one :)

Edited by NickG on 23rd Jun, 2011.

I have one of Ben's SC12 kits. Lovelly bit of engineering. I'm putting the specialist components 5 port efi kit on mine.

there is a good look at a sc12 kit on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n74314IRIls

Edited by NickG on 23rd Jun, 2011.

apbellamy, SC 5 port would be perfect for me. Do you run a decomp plate? An SC12 is low boost, right?

Have you considered a Megasquirt ECU? You can get one cheap in the US and it would allow you to use the standard reluctor ring to control the ignition (with the distributor) and fueling. That would require an MS2 with MS2/Extra (or MS3 but that would be overkill for that setup).

Jean

http://www.jbperf.com/

Edited by apbellamy on 23rd Jun, 2011.