2013 Exige EX460 in Norway: Returning from a complete engine failure

[Stoelen7]

Hello everyone,

After lurking here for several years I thought it might be of interest to start my own build/upgrade thread.

First, some backstory to the car. Back in 2017-2018, I used to own an Opel Speedster Turbo (LHD version of VX220 Turbo). A fabulous car in many respects, and a good way to get acquainted with the Elige platform. It was mildly upgraded with ca. 230-250 hp, making it more than swift enough for my needs.

Being a Nordschleife nut, I had to take it there and try some laps. I had done so many times with other cars, both FWD, RWD, AWD and mid-engined. I had also tracked the Speedster several times and felt that I knew the limits of the car and its turbo specific handling characteristics. However, I didn't anticipate how it would react to mild thottle modulation mid-corner, where all the boost is momentarily released despite you not letting of the throttle that much. Long story short, the rear snapped out in one of the worst places, with no runoff at all, at around 140-150 km/h (90 mph). It did a full 360 spin and a reverse 180 before planting itself in the barriers. The incident can be seen here:

Luckily, after some intense debating, my insurance company agreed to cover it. The car needed a new rear clam and suspension bits, which thanks to Jon Seal was doable. After some months it was back in business, looking and driving just as before. However, the experience left me with quite a scare. I never felt safe pushing the car after this, and finally I agreed it was better to let it go and replace it with something I felt more secure with.

I also saw this as an opportunity to correct some of the few things I didn't like about the Speedster: The engine noise, the performance, and the design. First of all, I'd had so many I4 cars I'd grown completely bored with the sound of them. I needed more drama, more presence. Secondly, even though the Speedster did 0-100 km/h in 4.5 or less, there was no doubt the chassis could handle much, much more. Thirdly, I never quite loved the Speedster/VX220 look. It seemed too short, too angular, too anorectic, if you know what i mean. The lines didn't flow and I particularly never loved the bit behind the cocpit. The flat engine lid was a problem if parked during heavy rain (draining and drying the coils due to misfire is a pain).

This is when the Exige V6 popped up on the radar. I remember reading the EVO group test back in 2011, but never thought it could actually be a future option. The reason was simply that I thought I'd never fit properly. After testing and buying a Speedster and realizing the cockpit is identical, the Exige V6 reappeared on my radar. 

On paper, it ticked every single box. Stunning looks with a more cohesive, grown-up design, epic engine noise, lots of performance, linear power delivery and a next-level ESP system, making it "billy-proof", as Chris Harris put it in his own test of the car. Only problem: I live in Norway. We didn't even have a single official Lotus workshop here, let alone a dealership. At the time there was one Exige V6 in Norway, a 2017 model imported in 2018, but the owner had no intention of selling it. However, its existence on Norwegian plates proved it was possible to register it here. So then I put the Speedster up for sale and started looking for nice examples in Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

After several months during the winter of 2019, I finally found the car of my dreams in Sweden. An early 2013 Exige S with the Komo-Tec EX430 upgrade. I checked it out, test drove it (was blown away), bought it and imported it to Norway. At that time it looked like this. (More posts to come...)

Edited January 14, 2023 by Stoelen7
Removing empty lines

[C8RKH]

Welcome and great looking car.

I have an Evora 410 and a VX220 that I have supercharged (much better drive than the turbo) and love them both.

[Stoelen7]

3 hours ago, C8RKH said:

Welcome and great looking car.

I have an Evora 410 and a VX220 that I have supercharged (much better drive than the turbo) and love them both.

Thanks! Yes, I haven't driven a supercharged Speedster, but I suspect they hit the sweet spot. 

[Stoelen7]

Continuing the saga...

Previously, I used to be a strict coupé only kind of guy, and didn't really get the convertible thing at all. That was until I got the Speedster. It made me appreciate those spirited fairweather open-top drives. So one of the first things I did upon getting the car registered, was to do the Roadster conversion. 

Then I went to my first trackday at my local track for a shakedown and an opportunity to get to know the car on the limit. It became quite obvious that the limiting factor was the Pirelli P Zero wheels, which were promptly swapped for Cup 2s. 

Then, the first disaster struck. The auxiliary belt snapped while driving to its first major service at the "least unofficial" Lotus workshop in Norway. Then, just weeks after swapping for a new, the alternator seized while driving on track, causing the belt to snap once again.

A refurbished Denso alternator unit was installed and new Gator-style belt put in place, after which the car worked flawlessly for quite some time. This was rewarded with small trinkets and gifts for the car, including...

A custom indoor storage cover...

A Komo-Tec 70mm exhaust to compliment the Komo-Tec headers and downpipe...

A nice cup holder from On Rails Engineering...

A front tow eye...

Professional detailing and ceramic coating...

And to top off the visuals, forged Signature SV104 wheels.

Entering the summer season of 2022, everything seemed totally perfect. The driving experience, the drama, a growing reliability record, the looks... Then disaster struck...

More about that in a future post  

[Stoelen7]

Since acquiring the car, I have been attending 2-3 annual trackdays, making sure to change the oil and brake fluid each year. The season of 2022 also opened with a trackday in April, where the car performed flawlessly.

Then, an opportunity to take the car on an epic road trip presented itself in June. Even better, it was work related, so I would have all my petrol costs covered. What was not to love?

I live in the capital of Oslo, but have family scattered around the fjords and mountains of western Norway, where all of the greatest driving roads are found. There were some detours on this worktrip, I can tell you. Some highlights:

Again, the car performed flawlessly, apart from an occasional engine light, which showed the same code each time (P0420, catalytic converter low efficiency). Oil, temps, noise, everything was as normal.

Then, as I was exiting a roundabout in a small town, something happened. The road surface was wet, so it struggled for grip as I gave it the beans in 2nd gear. The DPM, in “Sport” mode at the time, kicked in, cutting throttle a couple of times. Then, while the DPM was busy doing its job, all hell broke loose. A loud BANG from behind the seats, smoke bellowing out from the rear. Surprised and startled, I managed to pull out on a side road after just a couple of seconds, cutting the ignition well before the wheels stopped rolling.

I called a tow truck as I tried to piece together what had happened. The engine bay showed no evidence of carnage. On the face of it, there were no clear indications of anything having gone wrong, apart from the loud bang and the smoke. But after inspecting the piece of road from where the BANG happened, to where I had stopped the car, I found a small but even trace of what looked like oil drops. Uh-oh. And at the exact place of the BANG, i found this:

Then I found some more pieces.

Pieces of engine block and pistons. Total disaster.

The car was transported to Cartech, the "least unofficial" Lotus workshop in Norway, where they could indeed confirm that the worst possible thing had happened. The block looked like this.

Then, as I drove home to Oslo in a wretched Golf hybrid rental car, I contemplated my options. I am by no means a wealthy individual. The funds for the car have been scraped together from years of buying and selling classic cars with a profit, as well as writing automotive content for some car magazines and outlets in Norway. I managed to buy the car outright, but had to expand my house mortgage to cover the costs of import and registration. In short, I did not have the funds to complete an engine rebuild, which (in Norway) would easily cost the equivalent of £20K or more in parts and labour. What do do?

Well, as they say, when life gives you lemons...

Daniel at Komo-Tec was quick to reach out and present some alternatives that would make the costs seem less terrifying. It involved some serious man maths, but in short, this is what became the solution:

I would ship the car from Norway to Komo-Tec in Mendig, Germany. Then they would strip it down and assess the damage. Assuming that the head was unscathed, swapping the shortblock for a fresh one would be the easiest solution. But in order to sweeten the deal, I would bake in some of the work that I was already planning to get done over the next 5-10 years, including:

EX460 upgrade 

Evora 400 clutch upgrade

Baffled sump

Quaife LSD

This was supposed to be the complete list. But then again, when I'm already replacing the block... why not go fully forged for peace of mind?

Doing all of this work at once would drastically reduce the overall cost, to the level of actually being reasonable. If would stretch my funds to the absolute limit, and a bit beyond, but I figured it would be worth it.

But first, let's see the carnage that was unveiled by Komo-Tec as they opened the engine...

First, evidence of internals exiting downwards, through the oil baffle and into the sump. The sump also had holes. 

And inside one of the cylinders, complete mayhem. It seems like a conrod has collapsed, destroying itself and the piston. Look at those scratches on the cylinder wall...

The block was a complete loss, as expected. Luckily, the head had survived without a scratch. Then the building of the new engine block commenced.

Now we are up to speed. The car and engine is currently being reassembled at Komo-Tec in Mendig, whilst I'm counting the days and hours back here in wintery Norway. I wouldn't be doing much Lotus driving this time of year anyway

Can't wait to collect it when it's done... Updates to come  

[jerzybondov]

Wow, what a thread - thank you for sharing!

Impressed at how calm you remained during the spin on the Ring - thats a high speed section and you very nearly got away with it without damage! Could have been a lot worse eh?

[El-RGB]

I was thinking to give big thumbs up on the SV104 wheels, but then the reading went on was a bummer. Sorry to hear the loss, and I wonder if you shared the same post on the facebook Exige V6 group? Which the engine failed because of the oem oil pan?

I was on the same shoe as you, which been through the incident dinging the previous cars that didn't have a bumper (they only have clams), and it was a heart fainting experience to get over with.

This is a great car that you chose here, and definitely a good chance and upgrade the engine as how this car should deserve. Making it in a better form, and I say that you wouldn't regret it (I am doing the same too). Would it be a better solution if you buy another salvaged 2GR motor and fix the motor at the local shops?

Best wish to see it comes back soon!

Frank

[Stoelen7]

21 hours ago, jerzybondov said:

Wow, what a thread - thank you for sharing!

Impressed at how calm you remained during the spin on the Ring - thats a high speed section and you very nearly got away with it without damage! Could have been a lot worse eh?

Thank you!

I've gone through that situation a hundred times in my mind. The car was going to spin no matter what, but had I applied opposite lock just a tad earlier, it would probably have sent me straight into the right side wall and pinballing between the barriers down the straight. Even if I got a small knock on the right rear, I consider myself lucky. No more mid-engined cars without ESP on the Nordschleife for me, that's for sure.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Stoelen7
Formatting

[Stoelen7]

15 hours ago, El-RGB said:

I was thinking to give big thumbs up on the SV104 wheels, but then the reading went on was a bummer. Sorry to hear the loss, and I wonder if you shared the same post on the facebook Exige V6 group? Which the engine failed because of the oem oil pan?

I was on the same shoe as you, which been through the incident dinging the previous cars that didn't have a bumper (they only have clams), and it was a heart fainting experience to get over with.

This is a great car that you chose here, and definitely a good chance and upgrade the engine as how this car should deserve. Making it in a better form, and I say that you wouldn't regret it (I am doing the same too). Would it be a better solution if you buy another salvaged 2GR motor and fix the motor at the local shops?

Best wish to see it comes back soon!

Frank

Thank you!

You're quite right, I've shared my experience on the Facebook page as well. The OEM oil pan seems to be the culprit. 

If I had opted on fixing the car locally, I would have to deal with Norwegian labor costs (about twice that of other countries) as well as not having an official Lotus workshop with the right experience (bar perhaps one, Cartech). It would have cost the same or more, almost regardless of the engine option, and would potentially have left me with a worse result. So the Komo-Tec option made sense from the start.

Regarding the car in general, I am completely over the moon with it. I've fallen in love with the clean look of the early cars with body coloured roofs, the S/350 rear wing and the glass rear hatch. To me, it's peak Exige V6. Combined with the SV104 wheels and the EX460 package, it will be a perfect blend of all the best pieces. *Chef's kiss*

[jerzybondov]

2 hours ago, Stoelen7 said:

Thank you!

I've gone through that situation a hundred times in my mind. The car was going to spin no matter what, but had I applied opposite lock just a tad earlier, it would probably have sent me straight into the right side wall and pinballing between the barriers down the straight. Even if I got a small knock on the right rear, I consider myself lucky. No more mid-engined cars without ESP on the Nordschleife for me, that's for sure.

Having spun my Evora (on cold tyres, sport mode on so less/no TC), I’m with you on the snap potential of mid engined cars!

By the way, as a Nordschleife fan - you may appreciate this video i made of attacking it in my DeLorean last summer

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by jerzybondov

[auRouge]

@Stoelen7 great thread and a hat tip to your VX220 save on the Ring - Skills 👌🏽

Unfortunately I can’t see any photos? There’s blue box and “?” On every photo.

@Bibs Can you do anything? This is super informative and useful for those thinking about engine upgrades.. 

On 15/01/2023 at 09:14, jerzybondov said:

Wow, what a thread - thank you for sharing!

Impressed at how calm you remained during the spin on the Ring - thats a high speed section and you very nearly got away with it without damage! Could have been a lot worse eh?

Never ever give up is the story here. Keep calm and work it. Love the handbrake action going backwards.. @Stoelen7 would make a good pilot! 

[Bibs]

They're links to pics on Facebook and we don't have control of external content, they may have been removed or Facebook has otherwise broken them. Best plan is always to upload images directly to TLF and then they stay. 

[auRouge]

Ahh ha, understood. Thanks mate. 

@Stoelen7 do post photos if you’re still on here and have time, fascinating stuff.
It’s something my brother and I are considering with our car. It’s already got the correct Komotec exhaust.. just need the map, 200cell flow cats, carbon air box and a sprinkling of Komotec wizardry! 

[Stoelen7]

4 hours ago, Bibs said:

They're links to pics on Facebook and we don't have control of external content, they may have been removed or Facebook has otherwise broken them. Best plan is always to upload images directly to TLF and then they stay. 

This seems to be the issue, yes. The pictures still exist, but the links don't work for some reason. I'm not able to edit my previous posts, so I cannot repare the links, unfortunately. May be that I'll just delete the thread and repost all of it with pictures uploaded directly instead.

3 hours ago, auRouge said:

Ahh ha, understood. Thanks mate. 

@Stoelen7 do post photos if you’re still on here and have time, fascinating stuff.
It’s something my brother and I are considering with our car. It’s already got the correct Komotec exhaust.. just need the map, 200cell flow cats, carbon air box and a sprinkling of Komotec wizardry! 

Will do, but it must wait a bit - there might be an Absolute Lotus Magazine story in the works, in that case I will let them have the exclusivity of publishing the photos of the new setup first  

[Bibs]

Pop me the pics by email or pm and I'll get them reinstated for you 👍

[auRouge]

Thanks @Bibs!
Car looks epic and will inspire others.