Kangarooing

[wardyworld]

Hi,

As some of you know by now - i've bought a GSi that has been "unloved".

It has a kent cam, vernier pulley (not yet on rollers - saturday!), 4 branch fanny-mould, K & N, magnex exhaust.

Problem is it kangaroos quite a bit.

Its most noticeable when you lift off the accelerator about 20 - 30mph it jumps, jumps, jumps - always when you lift off.

Sometimes, when you accelerate from standstill, and move slowly (say stuck in slow moving traffic) it does the same and kangaroos forward.

Question is - anyone else had this problem? If so - please help - how do I stop it???

cheers,

Adam.

[Aragorn]

sounds a bit like overadvanced ignition

get the ignition timing checked with a timing strobe

[Snowface]

if its a gsi won't the iginition be controlled by the ECU? or is it on carb's?

[wardyworld]

if its a gsi won't the iginition be controlled by the ECU? or is it on carb's?

thanks both for replies... to answer the questions:

Its on its standard ECU

Its going on a rolling road tomorrow to have the vernier pulley setup properly - which was fitted last week.

Just to let you know, the car was still kangarooing before the vernier was fitted. Im hoping the setup on the rolling road will cure it (wishful thinking!?)

Dunno what else to do - I cleaned out the small pipe from the inlet to rocket cover - inside was coated in crap! I've heard a few stories of suttering E16SE engines - but cant remember what people did!

cheers,

Adam.

[NovalutionGSi]

if its a gsi won't the iginition be controlled by the ECU? or is it on carb's?

But you will still have a dizzy to adjust the timing mate, Carbs or TB's or standard!

Wardlyworld, i've just re-built my GSi's engine adding in new Valve springs and a new "lumpy" cam (prob Kent) and i have got the same problem, we have just set it up so it would hold a tick-over and rev'd freely but i still feel it needs a good tune and set up, when you get it on the Rollers, ask them if they could do a rolling tune for you and see how it goes.... mines got to be done yet! :roll:

[Adam]

if its a gsi won't the iginition be controlled by the ECU? or is it on carb's?
Yeah thats true.
But as above, you still have the dizzy in a set position for the ECU to advance/retard the timing from, the dizzy is still moveable.

Unless the engine is a c16se Dispak engine.

[wardyworld]

if its a gsi won't the iginition be controlled by the ECU? or is it on carb's?

But you will still have a dizzy to adjust the timing mate, Carbs or TB's or standard!

Wardlyworld, i've just re-built my GSi's engine adding in new Valve springs and a new "lumpy" cam (prob Kent) and i have got the same problem, we have just set it up so it would hold a tick-over and rev'd freely but i still feel it needs a good tune and set up, when you get it on the Rollers, ask them if they could do a rolling tune for you and see how it goes.... mines got to be done yet! :roll:

Cheers, thats helpful - i've never done anything like this before - so its all new to me!

Quite looking forward to this now :D

[NovalutionGSi]

Well mate if your unsure on things your in the right place.

and now i'm pissed off....just blown the sodding head gasket, not happy bunny!

[Snowface]

i got you.

[wardyworld]

Hi,

Just been on the rollers at Stealth Racing in Leamington Spa.

Results:

130.5 bhp @ 6012 rpm
118.7 lb ft @5215 rpm

Quite impressed with that :D

They said that the kangarooing is probably caused by the engine mounts - they are excessively warn - he put it on the ramps and showed me - they're split and the engine wiggles all over the shop.

He also said that the throttle cable was not very progressive (you can either mash it, or let go! lol) which is true so that doenst help when you trying to do smooth movements at low speeds.

OK - Questions:
He recommended having the throttle cable changed? Sound good to you guys?
Engine mounts - obviously need replacing - do I go standard rubber mounts from vauxhall or uprated ones? If uprated - where do I get them from and what make?

Sorry for the long post - thanks for your help.

Adam. :)

[Nick]

christ, 130bhp from a cam and pully ?

I think that might be a little over-optomistic but it's still a nice figure.

Hmm i guess the throttle cable would do nothing but good, but make sure he actually has shown you the problem and not just making excuses.

after all, you won't be going back to a rollers to get the repairs done so it there's nothing in it for him by telling you about the throttle cable and mounts.

[Adam]

Is that 130bhp at the fly?
Is the 100bhp standard of the gsi at the fly or the wheels?

30bhp sounds a lot for basically a cam, and a 4branch.
Sounds like a nice power figure tho :)

To make the engine mounts a bit stiffer, buy new standard ones and fill the gaps with silicone, that will stiffen the mounts a bit.

Replace the throttle cable and make sure its nicely greased so it moves freely.

On my dads old car, that used to kangaroo a bit on overun, and that was the engine mounts.

[scott.parker]

Very good resualt there mate :o

Nick he took it to the same place that i and nova neil take are cars too there very good there and the guy wont bullcrap you so if he said do the mounts and throtte cable then i would take his advise.

for the mounts you could do as Long Live The Nova said just std ones and fill with hotglue gun or a sealent called tiger seal,or if your brave and dont mind the vibration splash out the ?150 though i think there 100% worth every peny.

http://www.pro-tecmotorsport.com/listings.aspx?type=new#Engine%20/%20Transmission%20parts

http://www.pro-tecmotorsport.com/photos/XBMJPCRHEKKKASALIQXCDMEF.jpg

Also mate let me know when your free to meet with me and my mate mike.

Scott

[Adam]

If you go the solid mounts route, make sure all bolts are tightened with lock tight, you dont want your sump vibrating loose and falling off :lol:

[scott.parker]

If you go the solid mounts route, make sure all bolts are tightened with lock tight, you dont want your sump vibrating loose and falling off :lol:

Mate i dont think it would make any difrence to the vibration on the engine as that would stay the same,it just increasess the amount you feel back through the cabin etc.

If i dose i best go locktight all my bolts now as they have been on a while :lol:

Scott

[Adam]

Hmm, i sure i read ages ago about someone with solid mounts.
It could have been Olly Hewiit, where he was left with 2/3bolts holding the sump on :o

I may have confused him with someone else tho, sure it was him tho.

And wardyworld, if them rollers are accurate, thats a great result mate :)

[wardyworld]

Very good resualt there mate :o

Nick he took it to the same place that i and nova neil take are cars too there very good there and the guy wont bullcrap you so if he said do the mounts and throtte cable then i would take his advise.

for the mounts you could do as Long Live The Nova said just std ones and fill with hotglue gun or a sealent called tiger seal,or if your brave and dont mind the vibration splash out the ?150 though i think there 100% worth every peny.

http://www.pro-tecmotorsport.com/listings.aspx?type=new#Engine%20/%20Transmission%20parts

http://www.pro-tecmotorsport.com/photos/XBMJPCRHEKKKASALIQXCDMEF.jpg

Also mate let me know when your free to meet with me and my mate mike.

Scott

Hi Scott,

Yeah thanks for recommending them - they were spot on.

I don't doubt anything he said - he put it up on the ramps and I could see the existing mounts were gone (well, they are 14 years old!) and the engine does wobble about a lot.

Plus, I knew from driving the car that the throttle is "on or off" with no progression - so a new throttle cable is in order (i reckon thats probably original too! lol)

And guys, thanks for the replies - :D - I was chuffed to - but a little surprised at the power figures.

Oh - it was 130.5 bhp @ flywheel - it apprently has 96.9 bhp at the wheels. Does this sound more likely?

I dont know if this helps with the figures or not - but the engine has had a considerable amount of rebuilding done. Pistons removed and glaze-dusted??? and new pistons rings, etc. etc list is huge - which I thought might help to bring it closer to factory bhp before the mods. The previous owner fitted the Cam incorrectly and blew engine up. lol - I have lots of engine rebuild receipts in my car folder now...

Scott - yeah mate - must meet up soon - just got engaged, so im up to my neck in party organising at the moment! Will PM you tonight to try and arrange

Cheers,

Adam. :D

[wardyworld]

Is that 130bhp at the fly?
Is the 100bhp standard of the gsi at the fly or the wheels?

30bhp sounds a lot for basically a cam, and a 4branch.
Sounds like a nice power figure tho :)

To make the engine mounts a bit stiffer, buy new standard ones and fill the gaps with silicone, that will stiffen the mounts a bit.

Replace the throttle cable and make sure its nicely greased so it moves freely.

On my dads old car, that used to kangaroo a bit on overun, and that was the engine mounts.

Hi,

Cheers - thats what the bloke said - fill the gaps with silicone and fit new standard rubber - which is what im going to do i think, after doing a bit of research into the subject.

Cheers - that confirms my course of action nicely :D

Adam.

[NovalutionGSi]

Long Live the nova, the standard figure is given at the Fly.

when i had mine RR'd with a fast road cam, filter and 4 branch it gave me 112bhp @fly 80bhp @wheels.

those figures look a lil high but still good results mate.

[Adam]

Long Live the nova, the standard figure is given at the Fly.

when i had mine RR'd with a fast road cam, filter and 4 branch it gave me 112bhp @fly 80bhp @wheels.

those figures look a lil high but still good results mate.
130bhp seeems quite high then for the mods.
But if Scott says the rollers are usually pretty accurate, then its a great result.

[Nick]

a fresh rebuild should only bring it back up to factory power really..

As said 130 sounds a little high, but it can't be massivly far off.

glad to hear you got the problems identified and sorted

[scott.parker]

Well all i can say is mine was around what i though it was going to be...

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/5177/scanalldataedit3od.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/6102/scanbhpdataedit9xx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/5430/scantorquedataedit7wv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Would post the vid of it on rollers but niels site seams to be down and i dont know how to host it.
but you can be sure that for a rebuilt Xe and a full sytem and powercap induction cone filter 165bhp is about right..

Scott