Identifying engine and down pipe assembly - Evora

[003a]

Hi,

This may seem an odd post but I don't know what engine I have in my Evora. Long story short it's the press launch car and the 'original engine' may have either been upgraded or replaced when purchased by Stratton Motorsport (original engine having been blown whilst being driven by the 'press' alledgedly). Stratton don't have a record of the engine and all I have to go on is a video from JayEmm when it was for sale. 

I have a Plack to fit but the current exhaust is a Stratton manufactured one, a single unit and the downpipes joints are not at the same angle as what the original engine would be based on what I've found in the parts catalogue. So I have the Plack but no idea which middle assembly (ringed in red) I would need to buy. I can't locate the engine number so struggling to even use that to identify what the engine is.

I have uploaded some photos in the hope they'll be of some help to someone more knowledgeable.

Any assistance gratefully received.

[21gg]

If your car is the car from the J Emma video, then they threw a load of GTE parts at it. Hence the Swindon engine and door cards etc. I am amazed that Stratton's can't confirm what they did? Are the exhaust and down pipes not Swindon units like the engine?

[Bruss]

Is it still a Swindon engine if its been replaced?

 

 

[003a]

@21gg, the exhaust and downpipe are all one unit, the flange that would be at the midpoint in a standard exhaust is the braided flex joint you can just see behind the cross member. The Plack would fit on the end of the normal mid flange. The exhaust is also Swindon - you can just see the identifying plate on the pipework that goes into the silencer, lefthand side of the third picture down.

@Bruss, it's a Swindon engine but I can't identify which model the donor engine was from - and not being able to find an engine number makes it more difficult - the Evora manual shows the position of a normal engine number plate but I can't find similar on this engine (or I'm looking in the wrong place)

[21gg]

So it is a Swindon exhaust not a Stratton one. Well in that case you have one of the original GTE engines then. So are you trying to identify the exact specification of the engine? In that case I can believe Stratton's don't know, as I presume they just got them in a create. Motorsport auctions did sell some which from memory listed the spec. If you want the spec then try Swindon engines. @Bruss isn't this what you've got in yours or have I just made that up?

[windymiller]

and stratton can be of no help ?? failing that the lads at es motorsport just up the road will solve any issues (as recomended by kimbers) dropping mine off thursday for some tlc from them 😁

[Bruss]

Not a Swindon engine here. Mine is a Lotus ‘speshul’. Only two were made I believe for development pre 400. One had many miles and one was ‘spare’ and is now in my car. Basically hot cams, slippers, and air intake plus map. The story is that it wasn’t further developed due to heat soak issues with the original sc. Hence the larger sc for the 400.

ES had a stock of Swindon engines at one stage. They may know the spec of the OP’s engine.

just as an aside, doesn’t the Swindon engine have a different ecu to standard rather than just a different map?

[windymiller]

es currently have one for sale https://www.esmotorsport.co.uk/category/vehicles-for-sale

[21gg]

@Bruss Tarmac Terrorist would probabley know better as he did the conversion (suspension and gearbox etc) on his red GTE (not GT350) that still has its original engine. I think you are right in that they did originally have their own ecu but will run off the lotus ecu (but not at the 400+ bhp). I cant remember if TT changed the ecu in the end but was getting 385ish on his lotus ecu.

Speaking to ES is a good shout and probabley easier than Strattons.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Don’t you mean Kevlarkid?

[003a]

@21gg, yes I believe you're correct they just got the engine in a crate, but without finding the engine number on the installed unit I can't confirm whether it matches the original engine number (003a) or was a replacement.

Intention here is only to remove the Swindon exhaust (single unit) and replace with the Plack but since Plack is only from the downpipes forward I need to identify the model of the engine to ensure when buying downpipes that they are the right model.

So replacing one piece exhaust (Swindon unit which includes downpipes) with two part exhaust; Plack end - which I have and downpipes, which I need to buy.

 

[C8RKH]

With the plack that is going to be seriously loud surely.

[21gg]

Personally I wouldn't bother with the plack when you have a Swindon system! Surely it's just cheaper cut the joint and get a flange welded on. As far as I know, but I'm no expert, the manifolds on all evoras are the same, the only difference we as the downpipe as they changed where the join to the exhaust was. So its the downpipe and exhaust that have to match So if the Swindon system retains the factory manifolds then the down pipe you purchase can be either, which ever suits the joint to the plack the best. I may be wrong but I thought the Swindon system replaced the manifolds as well. So you would then need to buy new manifolds and downpipe which I imagine would start to get expensive!

[003a]

Quote

With the plack that is going to be seriously loud surely.

Yes that's the point 🙂

@21gg, I'd like to retain the Swindon, the Plack will be temporary.

Does anyone know where the engine number is? - I can then check which model this is and which manifolds it normally has.

[21gg]

The manifolds are the same for all evoras, or are you looking for the Toyota equivalent?

[TheKevlarKid]

I have to dig deep in the memory bank but iirc Swindon did the following -

Cams

Conrods

Full exhaust system.

Airbox

Ecu tune (on stock ecu).

Not all the original GTE's had Swindon engines in the back of them. Some had what was known as the Lotus 400 engine. This was developed in house by Lotus, cams and ecu tune was about it iirc.. 

The above pictures show a Swindon exhaust system. The bore goes to 3" for the backbox, pretty sure standard Evora pipe is 2.5". If that's the case, a Plack won't marry up. Easy to get something custom made though that does the same.

My advice would be to cut open and remove the wading from inside the Swindon backbox you already have. Sounds amazing (I have one here).

I do have to question the engine though. I'm not sure it is the Swindon engine.  All of their engines had Swindon stickers on the top of each cam cover, the pics above have none. Not sure why you would remove them else? Could it be a Lotus 400 engine with Swindon exhaust system? 

I bet Phil @24-7 Motorsport would know, he probably built the car when he worked at Stratton.

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, 21gg said:

The manifolds are the same for all evoras, or are you looking for the Toyota equivalent?

Completely different on the Swindon engines.

Edited April 27, 2021 by TheKevlarKid

[TheKevlarKid]

1 hour ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

Don’t you mean Kevlarkid?

AKA

Xx

[003a]

There's a couple of local exhaust specialists so will speak to them to see costs of a custom downpipe.

Would still be good to find the engine number. Maybe next time I get the tray off I'll have a more detailed look.

Thanks for the help/suggestions.

Edited April 27, 2021 by 003a

[003a]

So I have found the engine number - it's clearly not the original engine (003a). It's not easy to read the photos I managed to take but it looks like J418811XJC5E.

Does anyone know how to relate an engine number to an engine model?

Edited June 4, 2021 by 003a
Incorrect engine number quoted