Turbo charged Track Car

[Andy_L]

Why do people build N/A track cars when dropping in an F28 with Phase 2 LET will give the same if not more than a highly tuned 1.8 or 2.0 XE.

Is it cost, noise, driveability, reliability??

[Welsh Dan]

F28's dont like lots of fast hard gearchanges, and F28s along with turbos, intercoolers etc.. add weight.

People like Dar and Olly use fairly standard XE's with bolt on bits like cams, management and tb's that can be easily transferred to another engine should the worst happen, and XE's are cheap. LETs arent so cheap and have more to go wrong.

[mikey14sr]

Driveability, reliability and cost I'd say. Driveability from having to learn to negotiate around the point at which boost comes in, Reliability from the point that it'll be running a lot hotter than a N/A engine would, and things like turbo's are fickle when it comes to being looked after. Cost from the point of view that there's a lot more to go wrong, and quite a bit more expense if it does, for example, if an XE goes bang, you can slap another one in for a few hundred, if a LET goes bang, you need to find the best you can, then give it a rebuild just to make sure it's alright!

[Mike]

Becuase XE's are cheap as chips, so when you crack the block or throw a rod repairs dont cost the earth.

Cost effective budget motorsport :thumb:

[craig green]

In a budget sense, sure a LEt is more effective than an Xe at wasting peeps down a straight & generally having more fun no doubt, however balancing the throttle through a bend as fast as you dare isnt easy in a boosted FWD car. As the boost begins to kick in (yo) you would have to back off & on & off to keep the understeer in check & just end up looking like an idiot.

N/A is far easier to balance on throttle, almost as effective in a lightweight bodyshell, likely more reliable & not as thirsty.

If you are talking racing & rallying, many classes outlaw turbo's etc & you would end up racing against Dodge Vipers & 911's in a 2.0 Nova....

[Andy_L]

It got me thinking with the debate on MIG about the need of a decent handling LET for TOTB.

[meritlover]

Is it cost, noise, driveability, reliability??

yes

[craig green]

It got me thinking with the debate on MIG about the need of a decent handling LET for TOTB.

That thread is funking rediculous. Chip really knows how to make himself look like a grade-A **** at times.

[Will F]

That thread is funking rediculous. Chip really knows how to make himself look like a grade-A **** at times.

Read as ALL the time!

Main reason is what Craig said... throttle balance, you would be forever coming on boost too early/late out of corners

[craig green]

Chip has great knowledge & is an asset to the Vauxhall community most of the time, however when he rips into perfectly knowledgable people like Lee303 or Olly danker purely because they arent power crazed, or live in a shack @ santa pod like he does, he assumes they must be stupid...

Anyhow, my old 1600T was sometimes tricky to balance mid bend, quite fun at first & probably more fun if I had a dump valve. Turbo's dont cope too well with being down shifted at silly rpm's either.

the way I see it, weight is the enemy of the race car, in a light enough car, the extra torque from a turbo charger isnt necessary.

[MARTIN KELSON]

I would say its more down to driveability.
Would also depend on your local track.
Dar's local track for example is the Coombe where normaly asparated is perfect. If your local track was Silverstone say and the full GP track then maybe a LET would be better suited.
Anyhow its down to personal preference. I would say that a LET with minor mods and a XE on throttle boddies would come out on a similar budget.

[lee 16v]

i dont like turbo cars, more to worry about, in a N/A car you can just kane the tits out of it and not worry so much. most of my mates that have had turbos have been always setting something up of having to do this that or the other, i just want to get in mine and drive