With over 3000 miles under my belt now, I am thinking the car is a bit slower that it should be.

Several times I have had run ins with GTI's and the like - I can stay with them but not gain or overtake. I have checked out their performance and it looks like I can do 0-60 in about 8 secs by comparing with other cars.

The compressions in the car are all 190psi, all sounds OK.

On the list of possible reasons
1, My injection system may be slowing the intake airflow
2, My exhaust has the original sierra manifold, but bespoke twin down pipes joined where convenient, not calculated for pulses etc, and the silence was a freebee off a Passat TDI (stainless), very quiet but may be restricting flow
3, I have set the timing for unleaded, if I increase the advance I should get more power.
4, My CO and HC at SVA were 0.15 CO & 56 HC. Lean mixture may be playing a part, and I get a lot of crackle on over run
5, The car weighed in at 700kg's wet at SVA, but there is not a lot I can do about that.

Does the accelleration sound reasonable considering the circumsatances?

I originally thought mine went OK with a 1600 crossflow ,didn't have any problems with GTIs but then I got it set up on a rolling road, what a difference . I suspect you could be right about exhaust .

The only things a rolling road could adjust are the mixture and the timing, the sierra ECU is non adjustable

I'm guessing your motor is standard internally?

If so it was good for about 110 BHP ish when new?

The reason why there are long inlet tracts originally was to boost mid range torque so you may have lost some of that with your mod

Your exhaust may or may not have some effect.

Either way you probably have a power to weight ratio of around 150 - 160 BHP per tonne.

I don't know much about modern GTi's but the Golf has 200 BHP and weighs about 1.4 tonnes which is about 140 BHP per tonne.

This is not a huge difference and the aerodynamics of the seven probably are not helping either.

A further example is my car which has about 180 BHP and weighs 625kg which is about 290 BHP per tonne and hits 60 in about 4.5 seconds.

To answer your question, I think you aredoing ok to keep up with a GTi if you are running a fairly standard motor

HTH

Mark

Mark

Bit of subject i know what engine mounting rubbers have you used

Cheers Gary

All the motor internals are standard, I have not changed the cam yet, but I intend fitting a FR32 at some point. The std sierra should produce 115bhp, but as topgear found out , bhp figures go south with age like womens t*ts

I think a new manifold and exhaust, new cam should make a difference.

Use the age old tried and tested method of making it go faster...............



Keep chucking money at it till it does

Cheers

Mark

I would guess that a gas flowed head, FR33 cam, Bike carbs, and a good exhaust would see you with 150 BHP.

Also gearing makes quite a difference. a lower diff (higher number) will increase accelaration without touch ing the engine.

Cheers

Mark

[Edited on 15/1/06 by mookaloid]

Put a bike engine in it

I use it too much to have a bike engine!

The 205 head is already pretty good on gas flow, I think a FR32 cam with a decent exhaust, octane booster and advanced timing, and enrichened mixture will help things along a bit

nothing personal about your car but your car is probably running fine and perhaps thats all to expect from a standard engine
when I went out in the MK pinto to be honest it was fun but it wasnt the quickest of accelerators!

as above stick a bike engine in it!

then itll be a 4 seconder!

Loud silencer Mark you know you want to

BEC's need to be bare bones ultralightweight racers to be any good, mine is more of a comfortable cruiser, as I said, I do too many miles for a bike engine. I do think I need to 'optimise' my motor though.

Better exhaust to let it breathe perhaps?....Nitrous just for the giggle factor?

What the hell, I might go for that, you only live once

whooooooooosh and make the GTi loons sick when you beggar off into the distance

Mark,
There's a 4age motor here if you want one.

Now there you go Mark....loadsa screamy gruntage

But you have to have a loud silencer or you can't have the engine.......

A bit of a prophesy! ear plugs for the neighbours then!

A good quality straight thru bike can will do the trick

Not too loud but just enough to let people know you are there

I read on here that the R1 cans are the quietest, loads cheap on ebay

Pull the pinto out and stick a Cossie turbo or Duratec in...minimal mods to the bodywork required

You could try to get it optimised on a rolling road with a piggy back ecu to optimise fueling and ignition. You can always remap it at a later date if you uprate the engine. This would help you get the most from any cams you put in. The ignition timing and setting up for optimax will make a difference.

To give you an idea Mark. Mine is std 2.0 bottom end. Headly mildly ported and skimmed 40 thou. FR32 cam. No vernier cam wheel yet so cam timing wont be optimised. Free flowing 4 branch using David Vizard recommendations on lengths. 38DGAS carb - set up to pass SVA. Timing a mile out (pinking and running on a bit). Using DD2 i recorded 0-60 in approx 7.5secs in cold damp conditions, me with no launch experience. Car is similar weight to yours (estimated), driver on the lardy side!
Engine doesnt feel like its revving freely yet and certainly doesnt feel like 100+ bhp, hope to be sub 7 secs when timed up. Ill be upset if i cant get down to around 6 secs when i get better carbs.

Yours does sound to be a bit down but maybe expected with home made plenum and exhaust. I was warned to expect some losses when i planned to use Sierra manifold.

Could your std cam be warn. Mine was shocking - hence change. I fitted FR32 cos i found one cheap.

my 1600 crossflow struggles against many of the cars you mention, i think they just arent as fast as we all hope!

Pinto never was intended a sports car engine -- You could do a few paliative measures such as a cam, some porting, better exhaust and a lighter flywheel but I suspect the only real cure for your dilema is to fit a Zetec. I was driving an old silver top in a Mondeo 1.8 and must say it is the only Ford engine I have every liked to sit behind.

[Edited on 16/1/06 by britishtrident]