My 380 Sport with TVS1900

[steveoexige]

OK - final update. The SSC map has now been uploaded to the car, I had to do a hard reset on the handheld device and some fettling but it worked in the end. When the key goes in the ignition the dash shows a code to confirm its running a custom map (other TVS Exige owners take note - if your dash doesn't show a numeric code when you put the key in, its running the OEM ECU map).

Having gone for a blast I would say the car is quicker - not night and day different but a good 25% quicker. The pull in 1st and 2nd is ridiculous and the torque in general makes the engine feel like a small block V8 and if I'm honest, a bit out of place with what I've come to know as normal in other so called track type cars. Bear in mind that my previous 2 Exiges were both tuned, inline 4 screamers....this new world of silly torque and lower revs squeezed into a mid engined lightweight will take some getting used to especially in the wet. My reaction times better improve......

I've already enquired with SSC about a slightly smaller pulley and to the only exhaust guy worth his salt, Jim about a better flowing manifold back system. Once the hardware is in place I'll be speaking to RRR about a custom map. I know form experience that running a map that was programmed on a different car can show fairly significant differences to a custom, live dyno map. 450bhp and a mountain of torque at reasonable boost pressures (under 9psi) is definitely achievable. With every conceivable OEM Lotus carbon panel, Lithium battery and forged wheels I certainly cant make the car any lighter so it should make for a decent power to weight ratio.

 

[Mark030358]

37 minutes ago, steveoexige said:

and to the only exhaust guy worth his salt, Jim about a better flowing manifold back system

Yep, agreed. I fitted Jim "protection kit" to my 380 when my KT 460 upgrade was done. Better torque curve for sure and with the standard box it sounds marvellous!!!!

cheers

[C7steve]

On 08/08/2019 at 18:03, Mark030358 said:

Yep, agreed. I fitted Jim "protection kit" to my 380 when my KT 460 upgrade was done. Better torque curve for sure and with the standard box it sounds marvellous!!!!

cheers

Did you pay Komotec to fit the headers and cat that comes with the 460Kit and then replace them afterwards with the 2bular ones?

Interested to hear why you done this.

 

Steve. 

Edited August 13, 2019 by C7steve

[Mark030358]

2 hours ago, C7steve said:

Did you pay Komotec to fit the headers and cat that comes with the 460Kit and then replace them afterwards with the 2bular ones?

Interested to hear why you done this.

 

Steve. 

Hi Steve,

No I just bought Jims stuff and he shipped it to KT where they fitted it all up. Jims work is quality, bought his stuff in the past, good price good delivery.

cheers

mark

 

[C7steve]

Thanks for that. 

I did not know that Komotec had mapping for Jim’s exhausts. 

 

Steve. 

[Kristof Thys]

4 minutes ago, C7steve said:

Thanks for that. 

I did not know that Komotec had mapping for Jim’s exhausts. 

 

Steve. 

It's an exhaust.

[C7steve]

And they are not all the same. 

 

Steve. 

[alias23]

Depends how you define exhaust.

If it’s just the back box then it’s neither here nor there...

If it’s a full exhaust setup inc manifolds etc then Komotec will map but you have to go visit them to make you a custom map live. 

Alternatively you can go to RRR who will custom map.

[Mark030358]

Interesting now that RRR are doing mapping. My KT upgrade is fabulous, however for the first mile or so (5 minutes of running from cold) my car is not as good as stock. Be interesting to see what the RRR setup is like when starting a car from cold.

The 380 ECU is vastly different from the 350 and in reality I am told much harder to set up.

cheers

Mark

[Hangar 111]

For clarity, RRR are not mapping the stock ECU, only the EMU Black.

Dave

[steveoexige]

9 hours ago, Mark030358 said:

Interesting now that RRR are doing mapping. My KT upgrade is fabulous, however for the first mile or so (5 minutes of running from cold) my car is not as good as stock. Be interesting to see what the RRR setup is like when starting a car from cold.

The 380 ECU is vastly different from the 350 and in reality I am told much harder to set up.

cheers

Mark

Interesting to hear that a KT mapped can runs a little rough until warm - I'm told it's the same with an RRR mapped car too. Nothing major, just not as sweet as OEM until warmed up.

Apparently RRR will be doing the mapping for KT and SSC at some point in the future. Due to the geographical constraints I'll hazard a guess that means its RRR's Master Black ECU setup. It would be good for us customers if there was a well supported, well invested after market ECU system available that can be mapped by different suppliers and work with different hardware configurations (TVS1900 for example). It'll make it cheaper for us all as we continue to mod our cars 😁

[Hangar 111]

47 minutes ago, steveoexige said:

Interesting to hear that a KT mapped can runs a little rough until warm - I'm told it's the same with an RRR mapped car too. Nothing major, just not as sweet as OEM until warmed up.

Not had any problems with KT mapped cars beyond the initial closed loop running - and have seen that same behaviour on standard cars anyway.

The two RRR mapped cars we have are not great on cold start, but they are race cars on a control map.

The 2ZZs we have mapped on the EMU are as good as stock, if not better.

Dave

Edited August 14, 2019 by Hangar 111

[Mark030358]

On 14/08/2019 at 18:03, Hangar 111 said:

Not had any problems with KT mapped cars beyond the initial closed loop running - and have seen that same behaviour on standard cars anyway.

The two RRR mapped cars we have are not great on cold start, but they are race cars on a control map.

The 2ZZs we have mapped on the EMU are as good as stock, if not better.

Dave

Good to know, thanks

 

[steveoexige]

On 08/08/2019 at 18:03, Mark030358 said:

Yep, agreed. I fitted Jim "protection kit" to my 380 when my KT 460 upgrade was done. Better torque curve for sure and with the standard box it sounds marvellous!!!!

cheers

Mark, I'm soon to pull the trigger on buying the rest of my new exhaust system but worried about the noise levels. What do you have, decat, sports cat or resonator? I have the decat manifold and the rest is OEM 380 Sport and the car is WAY TOO LOUD. I don't mean slightly sporty - it is truly obscene and I cant drive it anywhere past 5k rpm without feeling like my head will explode .

My worry is making it too quiet so bearing in mind your 380 is tuned too I'd love to know what you are running. 

[Jcx]

is yours running properly now Steve?  All fixed?

[steveoexige]

Yes, running really strong now thank god. I won't lie, I did start to get that sinking feeling but it was worth it in the end. I've had lots of silly fast cars over the years and this is definitely the quickest of the lot.

[Jcx]

Great news. Well done for finding the truth and hanging in there. 

[Mark030358]

4 hours ago, steveoexige said:

Mark, I'm soon to pull the trigger on buying the rest of my new exhaust system but worried about the noise levels. What do you have, decat, sports cat or resonator? I have the decat manifold and the rest is OEM 380 Sport and the car is WAY TOO LOUD. I don't mean slightly sporty - it is truly obscene and I cant drive it anywhere past 5k rpm without feeling like my head will explode .

My worry is making it too quiet so bearing in mind your 380 is tuned too I'd love to know what you are running. 

Hi Steve,

I took the full 2bular “protection” kit and kept the standard 380 back box, and yes its loud with the valve open, amazingly so. Imho the best exhaust noise from an Exige I’ve heard, visceral is the word I would use, I love it when the valve opens as you floor the car. When I did my Alps trip in June, gunning the car down the German Autobahns the exhaust note is there, but the wind noise was worse with the roof off, to be fair I didn’t feel it was too loud. But each to their own. For sure its no track day system.

What might be interesting is that when I had my conversion done there was another 380 at Komotec, an Essex blue one, the press release car the owner told me. He had Jims “protection” system and Jims back box and for sure was not as loud as the standard 380 box I’m running. In fact I was going to fit one but it didn’t get shipped to KT due to me faffing about.

At the end of the day it depends what you want, either 🤫 or 😈

Here’s mine on the KT dyno, sounds great 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈

cheers

Mark

 

 

[NANO]

@Mark030358 ... its very very AMAZING

[steveoexige]

10 hours ago, Mark030358 said:

 

 

Thanks for the reply Mark. Your car sounds great....but honestly, it isn't half as loud as mine (!)

I can see your 2bular setup has a resonator (pic above) whereas mine doesn't hence my bleeding eardrums.  Hearing yours I know exactly what to go for now

[Kristof Thys]

It's a cat, not a resonator. 

[Mark030358]

2 hours ago, steveoexige said:

Thanks for the reply Mark. Your car sounds great....but honestly, it isn't half as loud as mine (!)

I can see your 2bular setup has a resonator (pic above) whereas mine doesn't hence my bleeding eardrums.  Hearing yours I know exactly what to go for now

Yep, its a CAT, 

[NANO]

6 hours ago, steveoexige said:

Thanks for the reply Mark. Your car sounds great....but honestly, it isn't half as loud as mine (!)

I can see your 2bular setup has a resonator (pic above) whereas mine doesn't hence my bleeding eardrums.  Hearing yours I know exactly what to go for now

Hi Steve, sorry ... it would be interesting to see and hear the sound of yours in a video ... so you can better understand the difference with that of Mark030358.

Do you think you can do it?

[steveoexige]

Quick update:

Driving Impressions now I've had the car a month or so: seriously rapid and so, so planted in the bends, I'm loving it. I didnt realise how much I missed the steering feel of an Exige. I know I'm preaching to the converted but genuinely....wow - its telepathic. One small oddity  that keeps catching me out - my experiences of a car created with track work in mind have always been of very high rev'ing, very low torque engines that mean you get left behind by a diesel fiesta if caught napping in the wrong gear.......not in this car. I'm sure its the same with or without the TVS1900 - the V6 is a torque monster that runs out of puff very early and totally at odds with this type of car. Not a deal breaker but I cant help thinking that it would be even better had Lotus fettled with the drivetrain to increase the rev limit worthy of a track car.  My 6.3 AMG engine had a higher rev limit!

In other news: I ordered a downpipe with a silencer from Jim to go in place of where there would normally be a 2bular sports cat. This way I keep my switchable OEM backbox whilst toning down the unbelievable shriek  it makes at the moment. I ride v loud superbikes too and honestly, nothing can come close to this car in terms of ear splitting racket. I will try and get a clip uploaded before the 2bular silencer is fitted just so you know I'm not being a lightweight,

Car went into B&C for some warranty work; 2 tyre pressure monitor sensors and a gearbox oil cooler O ring (it was leaking). It ended up needing a brand new gearbox oil cooler pump which explains why the transmission became difficult to select 3rd and 4th after a bit of spirited driving. Whilst waiting to pick it up I had a wander around the showroom and looked at a 430 cup. Whilst it is beautiful and very aggressive/race car like I don't think it warrants the huge pricetag over a decent, older model V6 Exige with £10k thrown at for tuning. Throw another £10k at some suspension, forged wheels and carbon body panels and you have a quicker, much cheaper 430. Incidentally I had a quick look at the engine of the 430 and couldn't believe how heavy the carbon engine lid was compared to the carbon lid on my 380 Sport....I can literally open and close my 380 lid with 2 fingers and yet the 430 Cup needed both hands. 

One quick technical question for those in the know: does the 311 Chargecooler setup have the radiator in a side scoop/vent rather than at the front (as in the 410/430 Exige) ? I'll explain why I want to know once someone provides an answer!

[Seriouslylotus]

3 hours ago, steveoexige said:

 

One quick technical question for those in the know: does the 311 Chargecooler setup have the radiator in a side scoop/vent rather than at the front (as in the 410/430 Exige) ? I'll explain why I want to know once someone provides an answer!

The 3Eleven has the charge cooler radiator up front in the nose along with an additional main cooling radiator. The Engine oil and gear oil are cooled by the engine coolant, Hence the additional rad in the nose