Mods for 1.8T - Page 2

Gman2 · 7th September 2007, 18:06

Simon thanks for that. Just noticed your handy ZT data on your sig....

Mike · 7th September 2007, 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by tony_fry

Does any one know if the KV6 2.5lt and the 2lt airfilters are the same, in all the searchs I have done, it always seems to list the 2.5lt but nothing about the 2lt?

Yes it is the same. PHE100460 Element air cleaner In fact the same filter element is common to all the petrol engines, 1.8, 1.8t, 2.0 KV6 and 2.5KV6

hth

MartinW · 7th September 2007, 20:42

Gman, yes, the K series was originally designed for and went in the Metros and 200s in 8/16V format and the 1.4 16v MPi puts out a respectable 105bhp.

Roger Parker at the MGOC reckons breathing has been the biggest issue with the K series and the original 1.8VVC was offered initially at 143bhp, and later at 160bhp by improving the head designs. I am not 100% familiar with the inlet system of the 1.8T but most K Series cars seem to share a common size air inlet housing and restrictive throttle body. Larger t/bodies are available and ITG et al do panels to replace the std filter. However, the cold air feed kits are also available, have a look on the Demon Tweeks site or similar such websites. The exhaust often benefits by just opening it up to let the turbo spin up. Don't forget that MGR were retsricted on the design by the then current drive-by noise regs. So long as your mods do not make it over the top in noise terms once the car is in your hands the choice of exhaust is wide open.

Several specialist tuning houses offer upgrades on the K Series, such as Scholar, and I know of a 1.8VVC in a classic car running individual throttle bodies and Emerald ECU and with no CAT, it has been on Dave Walker's rolling road at around 180bhp.

The turbo was offered in 150bhp (75) and 160bhp (ZT) and as Rob says, was probably detuned to minimise impact on the then top of the range ZT 190 2.5 model. The 1.8T is a very different engine to the VVC in terms of its power/torque delivery and is better suited to the bigger bodyshell of the 75/ZT.

I am sure with some tweaking of the ECU it would easily get more power but as to reliability, it might mean using a higher octane fuel all the time as you are theoretically squeezing more charge into the cylinders so detonation is a problem.

That said, the engines appear to have had few HGF - there have been some, but not as many as one might imagine and Roger Parker is confident that the previous problems were resolved by the launch of this engine.

As a footnote, the K series has been campaigned in the BTCC since 2004, IIRC, maybe even 2003, as a 2.0L. Not bad for an engine that started as a replacement for the A Series in 1.1 and 1.4 size! Had there been investment in a proper replacement for the T Series the story of MG Rover might have been different. And, Rover have a history of turbo charging work, having done the A series and got in excess of 130bhp (albeit detuned to 100bhp to avoid breaking the gearboxes). Also, the 90s saw the Vitesse cars with the T Series Turbo, often called the poor man's Cosworth as this engine can make 400bhp when properly tuned but was often sold in std format at 200bhp.

7th September 2007, 18:06	#11
Gman2 Posted a thing or two ZTT+ 1.8T, mgf 1.8 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Warrington Posts: 1,550 Thanks: 28 Thanked 65 Times in 42 Posts	Simon thanks for that. Just noticed your handy ZT data on your sig....

7th September 2007, 20:42	#13
MartinW Newbie MG TF LE500 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chester Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Gman, yes, the K series was originally designed for and went in the Metros and 200s in 8/16V format and the 1.4 16v MPi puts out a respectable 105bhp. Roger Parker at the MGOC reckons breathing has been the biggest issue with the K series and the original 1.8VVC was offered initially at 143bhp, and later at 160bhp by improving the head designs. I am not 100% familiar with the inlet system of the 1.8T but most K Series cars seem to share a common size air inlet housing and restrictive throttle body. Larger t/bodies are available and ITG et al do panels to replace the std filter. However, the cold air feed kits are also available, have a look on the Demon Tweeks site or similar such websites. The exhaust often benefits by just opening it up to let the turbo spin up. Don't forget that MGR were retsricted on the design by the then current drive-by noise regs. So long as your mods do not make it over the top in noise terms once the car is in your hands the choice of exhaust is wide open. Several specialist tuning houses offer upgrades on the K Series, such as Scholar, and I know of a 1.8VVC in a classic car running individual throttle bodies and Emerald ECU and with no CAT, it has been on Dave Walker's rolling road at around 180bhp. The turbo was offered in 150bhp (75) and 160bhp (ZT) and as Rob says, was probably detuned to minimise impact on the then top of the range ZT 190 2.5 model. The 1.8T is a very different engine to the VVC in terms of its power/torque delivery and is better suited to the bigger bodyshell of the 75/ZT. I am sure with some tweaking of the ECU it would easily get more power but as to reliability, it might mean using a higher octane fuel all the time as you are theoretically squeezing more charge into the cylinders so detonation is a problem. That said, the engines appear to have had few HGF - there have been some, but not as many as one might imagine and Roger Parker is confident that the previous problems were resolved by the launch of this engine. As a footnote, the K series has been campaigned in the BTCC since 2004, IIRC, maybe even 2003, as a 2.0L. Not bad for an engine that started as a replacement for the A Series in 1.1 and 1.4 size! Had there been investment in a proper replacement for the T Series the story of MG Rover might have been different. And, Rover have a history of turbo charging work, having done the A series and got in excess of 130bhp (albeit detuned to 100bhp to avoid breaking the gearboxes). Also, the 90s saw the Vitesse cars with the T Series Turbo, often called the poor man's Cosworth as this engine can make 400bhp when properly tuned but was often sold in std format at 200bhp.