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MG MGF Technical - POWER MODS...test results

Hi all, I have modded my 1997 1.8i VVC MGF (with just a little assistance from Mike Satur!) to the following spec:
Piper Viper induction kit with cold air feed and the Satur 52mm alloy throttle body. I also swapped the exhaust for the Satur Daytona quad tail pipe system. The induction roar of the Viper combined with the true sports note of the Daytona just has to be heard to be believed!! Bliss!
After allowing time for the Modular Engine Management System to adjust, here are some 'race track' test results at 6000 rpm:
Gear MPH
1 30
2 50
3 70
4 100
5 140 (estimated of course!)
Interestingly the max speed of the standard VVC is reported as 125mph. I were surprised at the power gains achievable by these relatively simple and inexpensive mods. The engine is so lively and free-revving that the official MG 0-60 time of 7sec is easily slashed to 6.2 and perhaps even more!! That is with 'double-clutching not granny-shifting' at 5,500 rpm, the point at which my car begins to power out. Sorry about the street-racing techno jargon!
I have also had the Satur big brake kit fitted: 280mm drilled discs with FX motorsport pads up front and his drilled and grooved discs with green kevlar pads on the rear. To go fast you need to have good brakes and these are simply superb!
Some increased traction was also obtained by swapping to the Uniroyal Rallye 45V tyre, 205/50/15 on the rear and 185/55/15 on the front. I have initially stayed with the MG tyre spec because of front end lift/wobble at speed and maybe a misconception that a 195 tyre on the front would reduce traction and worsen the wobble? Basically the MG setup of 10' front toe-out and 10' rear toe-in is an ode to disaster! (Ref. workshop manual) Mike Satur sets his the opposite way round: toe-in front, toe-out rear and this may actually be the way to go. I have had the knuckle joints lowered and so set mine to neutral all round. With my setup the front end wobble doesnt start until 130mph so if you have this problem at lower speeds I suggest you get your tracking sorted first and then maybe the tyres.
At max speeds the rear also starts to wobble and I suspect this can only be sorted out with upgraded shock absorbers, Spax would be my choice. At the moment I'am waiting for the Satur Trophy style front splitter and F1 rear spoiler. Hopefully this will sort out the front lift/rear wobble problem, if not then new shocks! By the way, the Satur lowering knuckle joint kit dramatically improved the cornering stability and handling on my car as well as filling those cavernous wheel arches!
Also have to mention the Satur slick-shift gear system. Quick precise gear changes with minimal effort...knock 1sec off the MG 0-60 time...no problem! Will let you know the BHP gain when I get it on a rolling road.
SATUR ROCKS!
Bye for now, Billy (Street racing scene not MG enthusiast as such!)

Billy

<<SATUR ROCKS!>>

Couldn't agree more!

Modded 'F's the way to go...
chris

Billy, all sounds good but my completely standard mpi:
1 35
2 50
3 70
4 100
5 128 and still going (up a hill on M1)

Sure your car is faster but it’s a VVC and so should be. I really doubt the performance gain given by many of these ad on induction kits and exhausts. What you gain in bhp is often only at the top end, at the detriment of torque.
There is often more room for driver skill improvement than induction performance improvement.
Ian

Why would the max in gear speeds be any different (with the exception of 5th)unless the gear ratios have been altered?
Neil Stothert

Billy,
Glad to hear you are pleased with your mods, but as Neil has said, unless you have changed your gear ratios then the rpm against speed will be exactly the same as before the mods!
Jason
Jason H

Even a grandad can get 90 in third in a '97 VVC

Brian

See the other thread on Rolling road to see exactly what you have done to the engine.
Sound like you have a nicely set up car there, Mike has some really sweet kit (lots of fans here). Also have a look in the archives for threads on TechSpeed, It seems that they are the next people you ought to meet ;-)
Will Munns

You are quite right Neil, unless gearing has changed, you would have exactly the same speeds at 6000 rpm in each of the ratios with 100 bhp or 1000 bhp (assuming that you could pull 6000 rpm in top gear with the lower power).

It's the rate at which speed is acquired that indicates how powerful the car is...

But having said that, great to hear that you are delighted with your car now Billy. To my knowledge, you are also the first to have the MS big brake conversion fitted! Glad to hear that they work so well. Scarlet's having them fitted (has it been done yet Andy?) so look forward to a demonstration! :o)
Rob Bell

>> I have also had the Satur big brake kit fitted: 280mm drilled discs with FX motorsport pads up front and his drilled and grooved discs with green kevlar pads on the rear. To go fast you need to have good brakes and these are simply superb! <<

Hmmm, sounds like Mike's old big brake conversion to me.

According to Mike at Silverstone, the first set of his Fx 4 pot alloy and titanium calipers went to a chap in the EU, as i understand it Scarlet will be the next set (on Tuesday) and the first with the Mintex pads. More news on Tuesday evening and a demonstration (all being well) on Thursday Evening at the Half Way House Essex Roadsters Meeting!! :-)

SF <-- Also a MASSIVE Mike Satur fan! :-)
SF

On the subject of power vs gear ratios and the relative max speeds in each gear, i agree with the statement that the ratios govern the speeds rather than the power of the engine, the amount of power available will only affect the time it takes to reach these speeds.

However, since having the Stage 1 head work done, Scarlet pulls right the way up to the red line in each gear including 5th. Therefore the max speed achievable in 5th HAS risen merely because before the engine would 'run out of steam' at around 5000rpm thus affecting the max speed. Other gear ratios are as stated previously, quicker in each gear but the max speed of each is the same.

SF
SF

You can change tyre diameters, thiss will effect speed in each gear.& accelleration

I thought the standard F could do 60 in 2nd and i'm sure i can get 90 out of 3rd

Next step for you Billy is to book your car in at techspeed and get them to sort your suspenstion out.

Going and stopping are all very well, but there are many corners on the roads :)
Kingsley

The Rover figures for the MGF are as follows:


FINAL DRIVE
Manual gearbox - MPi
Gearbox code
1.6 MPi G4 BP
1.8 MPi C6 BP
Ratio 3.938 : 1 .....................................
Road speed at 1000 rev/min
Fifth 35.6 km/h ..................................... 22.2 mph
Fourth 26.4 km/h ................................... 16.4 mph
Third 20.8 km/h .................................... 13.0 mph
Second 14.8 km/h .................................. 9.2mph
First 8.6 km/h ..................................... 5.4mph
Manual gearbox - VVC
Gearbox code C4 BP
Ratio 4.200 : 1 .....................................
Road speed at 1000 rev/min (Vehicles with 205
tyres)
Fifth 33.4 km/h ..................................... 20.8 mph
Fourth 24.8 km/h ................................... 15.4 mph
Third 19.5 km/h .................................... 12.1 mph
Second 13.9 km/h .................................. 8.6mph
First 8.1 km/h ..................................... 5.0mph
Road speed at 1000 rev/min (Vehicles with 215
tyres)
Fifth 32.9 km/h ..................................... 20.5 mph
Fourth 24.4 km/h ................................... 15.1 mph
Third 19.2 km/h .................................... 12.0 mph
Second 13.7 km/h .................................. 8.5mph
First 7.9 km/h ..................................... 4.9mph
Steptronic (EM-CVT) - MPi
Gearbox code VT1-11A
Ratio (Manual mode) 4.05 : 1 .........................
Road speed at 1000 rev/min (manual mode only)
Sixth 35.2 km/h ..................................... 22.0 mph
Fifth 26.8 km/h ..................................... 16.75 mph
Fourth 21.6 km/h ................................... 13.5 mph
Third 16.24 km/h .................................... 10.15 mph
Second 12.0 km/h .................................. 7.5mph
First 7.36 km/h ..................................... 4.6mph



Spyros
Spyros Papageorghiou

One quick and easy way of assessing torque/power is the good old 30 to 50 mph in 4th test (substitute any values you like for start / finish speed and gear - within reason). Simple to carry out, just find a suitable length of relatively clear road, start 5mph lower than the start speed, open throttle and (get your passenger to) time how long it takes to reach the finish speed.

If everyone carried out the same test then we'd quickly amass some comparitive data on the effective performance of the various modifications on offer.

Spyros's values would suggest around 45-60mph for 3-4000revs in 4th, and 60-70mph for 5-6000 in 3rd.

Comments?
Al
Alan B

Nice and simple Alan, and with some practice, could be pretty accurate too...
Rob Bell

<<book your car in at techspeed and get them to sort your suspenstion out>>

Nothing against techspeed, but I am extremely impressed with the suspension sorting Mr S did on my car.

And his alloy rear adjustable tie bars are a superb handling mod.

I hope a car so equiped is going to be in the forthcoming MG World TF and F handling feature.

Not just the obligatory TF sp options and a techspeeded F. Like I say, certainly not criticising techspeed, just there are other great suspension / handling players!

And might there be a modified TF?...slammed real low...and on 17"s...
Chris

Chris - no a MS modded car wasn't tested (we already had four cars present) - but there may be grounds for a rematch...

MS modded MGF versus standard TF versus modded TF...

Sounds like fun! :o)
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 08/08/2002 and 13/08/2002

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