PAH

Hi Guys, Here's a stir for all the died in the wool Ford Freaks!! yep I celebrated EVERY Brock victory at Bathurst. I never envisaged the day when I'd be caught in a Ford!! So my mobile phone number is all GM V8 engine sizes - and now I drive a Ford?!?! Who's got 0428 351 302?? 1970 GTS Monaro 253 V8. The BIG BIG insult is that it's worth more now than my current 2008 FG XR6T. 1973 Torana GTR. The BIG BIG insult is that it's also worth more now that my current 2008 FG XR6T!! 1978 Datsun 200SX 5 speed with after market Garrett Turbo. Quick enough to dust off a few 351's - especially pollution XC's. 1982 Commonwhore 253 V8. 1993 VP Commonwhore V6. The model with VL width front track and built-in understeer. 2003 VY SV8. The model with the LS1 that rates a mention at www.pistonslap.com. 2008 FG XR6T. There's a few omissions in the list - utter dog boxes that I had to drive when I bought my first house. PAH

BJC, Thanks for the advice. The water injection I ran on my 1978 Datsun was a windscreen washer bottle pumping through a 10 thou jet. As I could hear detonation, I opened up the orifice!! The car used to pull xxx kmh over the top of a local hill (in a different state and 35 years ago) but this dropped 10 kmh. I noticed that the compressor blades had worn at the edge and suspected that this was caused the impact of the strong water jet. Coming to your point - a fine mist sounds like a damn good idea. Who makes an injection kit? How much? How much extra power? if it enables a bit more boost or spark advance, that might be why it enables more power?? I started this thread because my FG felt a bit doughy on the few hot days a week or two back. The cooler days in Sydney had it feeling crisper again. The PW stepped cooler has helped but hot days still knock the edge of grunt ;-) Even so, I'd like at an easy to install turbo that offers a broader spread of power (as recommended above). I wonder if a windscreen washer b ottle squirting onto the PW Cooler would help with hot weather power? PAH

Hi Guys, I have a dyno chart in hard copy format. Spiro sent me a soft copy but I can't find it and apart from that, my connection to this forum stops me from attaching files or copying and pasting text! And I have no doubt that Spiro has set the boost to its optimum level. I a Datsun with an after-market turbo many years ago. It used water injection to enable it to run 9lb of boost on the old pink Super fuel we burned back then. How is methanol set up these days? What gains does it offer? Aquamist sells kits but there may be cheaper ways to set up methanol injection. Thanks for the info on E85. I envisaged E85 cars burning only this fuel. It's still a less than optimum solution as (I would imagine) it involves running the tank just about empty before an E85 refill - and E85 remains hard to find. I wonder if a variable geometry turbo is available and if it would produce a broader power band? Wikipedia has a page on this topic. PAH

Hi Guys, And DON'T forget that there is a SEPARATE oil filter in the turbo oil line that may need to be cleaned. PAH

Hi Guys, Yeah the dump pipe has been done and the waste gate has been modified to suit. Bigger fuel pump too. As stated, I think the GTX3576 shifts the power up the rev range a tad when compared to the factory blower. Does that sound right? If I was merely chasing numbers, I'd go for a GTX3582. But I am after streetability. If my perception is correct (the GTX3576 shifts the power up the rev range a tad), a turbo that broadens power delivery would be of interest. A criticism of the factory turbo was that it run out of puff just over 5000rpm. The new GTX3576 solves that problem. I guess I've been wondering if there is any other obvious bottle neck that (if removed) allowed the car to make a bit more grunt up high. Something like inlet manifolding or induction? And that's a suggestion above - thanks. I see there's a Garrett alternative advertised on this web site. I'd be interested to know if it makes much more grunt in the low to mid range, and if so how much. Also if it's as reliable as the Garrett that's been around for a few years now. Variable vane turbos - what do we know about them? Given that exotic variable vane turbos may be a bit expensive, a bit more top end is probably the easiest thing to target?? A Flexi Fuel option (enabling the use of either E85 or 98 RON) would be nice. Opening the engine to play with cams and heads - any benefits there? An XR6 Turbo with plenty down low and up high? Sounds like I am greedy? Or maybe it sounds like I need an FGX XR8?? PAH

Hi Guys, I had a GTX3576 turbo and PW stepped intercooler fitted last year. What next based upon the following criteria? I don't want to use E85 as it's too hard to find. I don't want to go to a GTX3582 turbo as I want torque low in the rev range. In fact, I suspect that the factory turbo had more torque low down than the GTX3576. The car now runs the GTX3576 turbo, PW stepped cooler. Bosch 1000 ID injectors, big cat and exhaust, and an XR8 snorkel on the factory airbox. Are there any logical mods from this point that will work with 98 RON fuel? PAH

Thanks Rab, I've also had trouble trying to paste pics PAH

Rab, If it is an IE issue, how come I am able to copy and paste on the Whirlpool Forum without any issues at all? What's the best way to get help from Support? PAH

Hi Guys, See the URL I typed in at the top of this thread. Yep I had to type it in manually. I have been looking everywhere for the trick required to paste things such as URL's into responses such as this one. NO LUCK yet!! I've attempted to enlist the support of moderators but have not heard back yet. Can anybody tell me how to activate copy & paste on this forum? I've just jumped out of the Whirlpool forum a few minutes ago. A thread I started there allowed me to copy and paste into the thread I started so I assume that the problem is exclusive to this forum. PAH

Hi Guys, A suggestion. Zip off to Bunnings and buy one of these for $39. DANG AGAIN! Can't paste the URL! Google +bunnings +sandleford +safe to see this $39 safe. I understand that modern anti theft systems mean that cars are more frequently stolen using keys from the house, so a safe for any spare keys is not a bad idea. It's not hard to lift an engine start relay from the fuse panel under the bonnet. That's likely to stop the average knob car thief out for a joy ride. PAH

Hi Guys, When I spend $50k on a car, I baulk at revving the ring out of it at Wakefield or Eastern Creek etc. So a track car would be a handy toy. How about this one? And it's got a Expensive Daewoo pushrod V8 engine YUMMIE!! ;-) www.absolutepace.com/images/brochure_pace_skeleton.pdf The brochure says that the car can be road registered. I'd be interested to know how easy (hard?) it is to register in NSW and QLD. Anybody done it? Or know somebody who has? This car might be ideal for bank robbers. One of these in the area would have EVERY cop for miles around focused on it and nothing else wouldn't it? What a diversion! ;-) Can you imagine being stopped by a cop and one of these zaps past? Looks like it would be lots of fun but TC and ABS might be useful I'd imagine. PAH

So why don't they put aerials on their Divvy Vans? I guess they're worried that they might die of . . . VAN AERIAL disease? So this guy gets stopped near Casino NSW by an unmarked VN SS with illegal window tint, Brock stickers and Rola surfboard racks. The copper asks - how did you know I was a copper? And the driver says . . . I had my window down and could smell the bacon. PAH

Hi Guys, I've been working as a sole trader for years. The crowd I work for now demand Pty Ltd status. I was directed to this crowd and found them very helpful. www.incorporator.com.au I found their services to be very reasonably priced and Neil has given me very good help on a number of occasions. If you need a Pty Ltd Co, check these guys out. PAH

Hi Guys, What's the most unusual unmarked cop car you've seen? On the way home from work this week, I saw a black Nissan X-Trail. Not hard to spot as he had nabbed somebody and his lights on. A dumb mistake. Accelerating down the onramp onto James Ruse, I saw a blue Hyundai vacate the left lane (that I needed to merge into). I didn't spot the almost identical blue buzz box behind him (who had decided not to vacate the left lane). One more. Hearing the sirens, I slowed approaching a green light to let the ambo through. And then I proceeded. The cops came barrelling into the intersection close behind the ambos. I assumed one emergency vehicle not two. Oops! PAH

Hi Guys, I have to sort some brake shudder after just under 80k kms. I'd like to do an upgrade if at all possible. A few questions: * Will bigger rotors fit inside the factory XR6 Turbo 18" rims? * What rotor upgrade will fit inside the factory 19" rims if I do a wheel upgrade? * DBA lists 355mm "Police Upgrade" rotors (PN: DBA 42102) as an option. Will they fit into the 18" rims? * If I am stuck with the standard rotor diameters for the 18" rims, are the DBA 4000's the best option? * Is it possible to fit a larger rear rotor on the FG XR6T and still keep the factory calliper or do I need to change callipers too? PAH

Hi Guys, I drove the car to Coffs and back for the long weekend. 8.4L/100kms. I can live with that - more than happy to be honest!. Thanks Spiro! PAH

Spiro's tune is a good one. Around town economy on this tank of fuel has dropped into the 10's (10.9 L/100kms) using my rat-run to get to work at Ryde (Sydney). Admittedly, I worked late last night so drove home after the peak hour and the roads were quiet today - Saturday morning. In heavier traffic, fuel consumption increases into the 12's but I can live with that. Some of the current crop of buzz boxes burn as little as 5 / L 100 and that's better than my ZRX1200. Keeping the XR6 for weekends and wearing out a buzz box sounds like an idea. So what buzz box do I buy? They reckon the Suzuki Alto is the cheapest of the crop. Or . . . . Build a Lotus 7 replica! www.prbaustralia.com.au Another nice weekend car! If fuel costs go through the roof, I'd look at liquid injected LPG. PAH

Grimie, The car has a heavy duty clutch that was fitted some time ago - in an effort to reduce rollover noise. If my memory is correct, it's rated to 400kw. I hope that's rw kw's. What does Autotech use? Exedy clutches? They are going to know the type of clutch required to handle the power. I might have to replace the clutch again but there's no sign of slipping so far. The car also runs Superpro poly bushes in the diff and the control blades. I started out with the Superpro Comfort bushes but have no upgraded to the heavier duty items. Pat at Wholesale Suspensions sells Superpro bushes and looks after forum members. Autotech uses the red ones - Nolathane perhaps? I asked a Ford mechanic if anything can be done to make the factory rubber bushes last longer (mine chopped out at about 25k's and under warranty). He said "stay off boost". A mate has a non turbo Territory that chopped out the diff bushes somewhere around 60,000 km's. 60,000 km's is more that 25,000km's but it doesn't sound fantastic to me. He fitted poly bushes too - and noticed a slight increase in NVH. Apart from that, the driveline is stock. Anybody - what problems might I encounter? After each mod, I told myself it's enough and I won't have to do anything more. But this time!! Yeah this time I might just make sure I remain satisfied. It's difficult to use what I've got without a 100kmh zone. I stopped on a motorway to make a phone call. Accelerating back into the traffic, the power felt VERY STRONG. PAH

Hi Guys, I saw the Woolies Insurance advert. A couple of questions: Do they offer insurance for XR6T's with mods? Do they do agreed value or do they work on market value? If none of the above, it might be worthwhile checking out the house insurance polices. PAH

Lennox, You might need to factor in the costs for the following: * Injector upgrade - I am running Bosch 1000ID's * Flapper mods - easier to do when the turbo is in bits to fit the GTX3576. Probably essential. * Clutch upgrade. * Intercooler might - not sure if it's essential or just very helpful. I grew tired of hot weather power drop-off. * Exhaust and cat upgrade. * Fuel pump upgrade - you might find this is essential. Guys - you can see my use of the words "probably" and "maybe". Let's know what's essential when fitting a GTX3576 turbo centre. Lennox - Í could have saved a couple of thousand by getting the turbo upgrade and intercooler done the first time. The lack of puff over 5500rpm and the hot weather drop-off have always bothered me but I thought a cat upgrade and bigger injectors would keep me happy. Biting the bullet and getting it all done once means you will save the cost of the 2 or 3 tunes before you decide to go for the turbo and intercooler upgrade. Yes this turbo from MTQ comes with a new inlet housing that requires an adaptor to fit it onto the Process West intercooler. I'd contemplated having a go at fitting it myself. Glad I didn't when I saw the work that Autotech guys did. PAH

Pat, I am listed as a SENIOR Member. They have figured out my age mate!! Old Petrol Heads never die? I won't hold my breath waiting for respect from the Junior Burgers!! PAH

Stazza, Years ago, I had a (don't laugh) Datsun 200B with an aftermarket turbo. I can't tell you when because you might figure out my age and suggest that I need a hot-rodded electric scooter! Early 1980's! Back in those days, the retro-fitter had no interest in intercoolers. They fitted a crude water injection system to their kits. It was a windscreen washer bottle that squirted water through a fine jet straight into the carby. In cool weather, the water spray turned to ice and blocked off the carby - no joke! I had to shift the injection point downstream of the carby and that meant it was in an area of high vacuum with closed throttle (so the windscreen washer bottle would have sucked dry in a few seconds first time the throttle was shut! I sourced a 12v solenoid controlled valve that allowed me to shift the water injection downstream of the carby and just before the turbo. The installer back in the 1980's had specified a 15 thou or 20 thou hole (can't remember which). It didn't allow enough mist (read waterfall) to prevent pinging. I opened up the hole a few thou and all seemed fine and dandy! I had a favourite test hill and the car would pull xxx kmh over the crest. Over the few years that I had the car, I noted that this dropped off 10kmh. I had the turbo off the car (probably because it had blown another zorst gasket) and noticed that the tips of the turbines looked like they had been chewed by rats that ate metal! I suspected that it was the impact of the (copius quantities of) water that I was injecting. This is not a tirade against water injection. It worked wonders at controlled ping. The windscreen washer kit system was cheap and it was activated by a switch in the inlet manifold that triggered at 2 psi. I certainly knew when the windscreen washer bottle was empty - pings galore! And the first bottle ran dry before the petrol tank but I fitted a 5L bottle. If I ever fitted another injection system, I'd make sure that I was injecting a mist not a waterfall. After I sold that car, I noticed an advert by this crowd and wondered how well their product would have worked on my Datto: www.aquamist-direct.com/ Their system might work well on XR6T's. What injection systems are people using? PAH

Stazza, I asked and he said it would be good for around 400kw on more suitable fuel. I am running 98 RON so I guess he means E85. How many of you guys are running E85? I am in North West Sydney and NEVER see it at any of the servos I use. If you're using E85, how do you cope with its lack of availability? Your car is used only at Eastern Creek? You have a stash of 200L drums in your garage? You have a 98 RON tune and an E85 tune in you SCT and toggle back to the 98 RON map when you can't get E85? The VF SS has a PCM that automatically adjusts to either fuel - that sounds nice. LPG! Ford factory fits LPG to its N/A 4L engines and they pump out more power and torque and gas is WIDELY AVAILABLE and it's 105 RON and it acts like NOS Nitrous Injection! AND it's 80 cents / litre. If 98 RON ever goes to $2.50 (a few more wars in the Mid East and we might get there), LPG powered XR6T's might be the go? PAH

Hi All, I had a few issues with the diff bushes in my FG XR6T. That's been sorted with the help of Pat at Wholesale Suspensions. 02 9831 8825. The heavy duty Superpro diff bushes have sorted out the axle tramp issue. And I am surprised that NVH levels are very good - I thought they might transform the car halfway to a Formula HQ. No NVH complaints at all. I am happy to hear that Wholesale Suspensions still sells direct to forum members. I might fit a set of Kings Springs. I am going to guess that the least amount of lowering with Kings Springs is 20mm - correct? How much do they improve cornering. I don't want the car snagging its exhaust on servo driveways or its front bumper on kerbs in front-to-kerb parks. PAH

Hi Guys, First up. THANKS SPIRO - the car pulls like a woolly bull AND around town ECONOMY is in the low 12's so far. That's OK by me. Yeah I bought the GTX3576 turbo guts complete with compressor housing for $1450 at MTQ in Wetherill Park. That's trade - my cousin is a mechanic. Spiro fitted it into the factory exhaust housing. The new compressor housing has a bigger inlet. The Process West intercooler kit included the piping. I wonder if it breathes any freer than the factory piping? PAH