MartinT's BRZ

[MartinT 514]

I'll start this thread here and recap.

White 2017 BRZ bought as a dealer demo with only 2000 miles on the clock.  I love the purity of the design, all based around driver enjoyment and a few creature comforts but no additional thrills.  Nice engine, great chassis, comfortable seats, crap radio.  As I said, it's all about the driving.

Mods to date:

TD UEL NA package, TD full catback exhaust with Super Resonator.  I have left the 2nd cat in place to remain vaguely legal.  TD inlet pipe, HKS inlet duct, sound delete.  Rota Blitz 17x8 ET35 wheels with 225/45 Michelin Pilot Sport 4s and replacement TPMS sensors.  H&R Super Sport springs with about 33mm lowering.

[MartinT 514]

Today I have booked a supercharger install and have selected the Harrop with an expected power increase to around 280bhp and a large dollop of torque across the rev range.  Abbey Motorsport will be doing the work in early October.

My reasons for choosing the Harrop are:

• Torque and driveability of superchargers (I have previous experience)
• Simpler installation and near-OEM look and feel
• Reliability?  Moot, maybe
• Road use only (I don't track the car)
• The Aussies have a lot of experience tuning Japanese cars
• Harrop are a known company with a good reputation

Feel free to chip in and tell me I'm wrong, but very approximately I tend to think turbos for outright power (track) and 'chargers for midrange grunt (road).

[Subota Boy 402]

There is no wrong and right with personal choice.  Happiness with the end result is more important.  You will love your car even more!!  Not too long to wait either!!  Enjoy!!

[matrixprotein 33]

I call shotgun

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[MartinT 514]

Interesting tidbit: Mark wants to change the oil and filter as they recommend 5W 30 for use with the supercharger, not 0W 20 that Subaru use in their servicing.  My next service at Subaru Bulldog Twyford is going to be fun!

[BRZ-123 174]

Interesting tidbit: Mark wants to change the oil and filter as they recommend 5W 30 for use with the supercharger, not 0W 20 that Subaru use in their servicing.  My next service at Subaru Bulldog Twyford is going to be fun!

Bulldog are great at handling modified cars. Every Impreza / WRX STi had it's own mods and their staff are enthusiasts. Speak to David / Kelvin and let them know. Also 5W-30 is a recommended OE oil for our cars anyway

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[BRZ-123 174]

Image from user manual

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[MartinT 514]

Thanks for that, and I agree that Bulldog are a good bunch and didn't bat an eyelid at my TD NA kit.  It amused me that I could hear every time they started my car from the waiting room upstairs.

Last service, they had cause to remove the super resonator and send it down the road for a weld repair (it had taken a knock by a stone or something).  They then started the car to move it and I thought the world had come to an end.  The noise!

[Ade 517]

Some of the guys in the states use W40 oil and the TMG race card use 15W60. However they warm the engine up before driving.

Toyota recommend 5W30 for hot climates.

I would recommend 5W30 if you want to do tracksdys and don't have a strong oil cooler.

[MartinT 514]

Quite interesting having a discussion in the Naturally Aspirated Facebook group.  I posted a humorous thread starter about going forced induction, thus breaking the group rules, but to my surprise it unearthed quite a few owners with FI.  What is perhaps less surprising (the internet being what it is) are the number of members telling me I should have gone turbo, clearly not having read my post or my requirements.

I know turbo is an option and the obvious contender would be the TD seeing as I have their NA kit and catback system.  However, I believe two criteria affected my decision: road car not track car, and being a daily driver not a weekend special.  Plus, I intend keeping it until I retire in 5 years' time so I don't want to break it.  Also, it gets wet a lot and snows here.

Alternative viewpoints welcome!

[Ade 517]

Quite interesting having a discussion in the Naturally Aspirated Facebook group.  I posted a humorous thread starter about going forced induction, thus breaking the group rules, but to my surprise it unearthed quite a few owners with FI.  What is perhaps less surprising (the internet being what it is) are the number of members telling me I should have gone turbo, clearly not having read my post or my requirements.
I know turbo is an option and the obvious contender would be the TD seeing as I have their NA kit and catback system.  However, I believe two criteria affected my decision: road car not track car, and being a daily driver not a weekend special.  Plus, I intend keeping it until I retire in 5 years' time so I don't want to break it.  Also, it gets wet a lot and snows here.
Alternative viewpoints welcome!

Big turbos lack low end torque and throttle response is not as sharp. Centrifugal SCs are belt driven turbos and also lack bottom end but sharp throttle as they are always spinning. Smaller turbos are better too.

On plus side (big laggy) turbos can do big power, give better fuel economy on motorway and often have less complexity. E.g. air to air intercooler vs air to water to air that the roots chargers have and having to take manifold off ect...

I'd go for a small turbo if you don't ever want more that the 280hp Rob lottery territory. Placement of some of the turbos in the kits concern me too.

[MartinT 514]

6 minutes ago, Ade said:

Placement of some of the turbos in the kits concern me too.

1

Yes, I did consider that.  It's all the exhaust and intake re-routing that makes the pipework complicated, too.  Superchargers are generally an easier install (I installed my Sprintex on the CR-Z and it was a day's work but not too tricky).

[Subota Boy 402]

1 hour ago, MartinT said:

  What is perhaps less surprising (the internet being what it is) are the number of members telling me I should have gone turbo, clearly not having read my post or my requirements.

 

 

I had a similar experience on a forum regarding "should have gone turbo" as if I didn't know what I was doing. 

Having explained that I had experience of TD04, VF34, Garrett etc through 13 years with turbo'ed Subarus, and just wanted something different, and that I liked the word "supercharged", and had never had one, and wanted a different sort of power delivery for a change; they still thought generally I was off my head.  That will teach me for not running with the herd.

The term "each to his own" was not understood either.

[BRZ-123 174]

I keep thinking long and hard about going FI and restrain myself primarily for budget reasons. But having said that, i think more than the real turbo vs supercharger , the desire to modify and make the car personalised and unique is the key driver for most people, unless its a track car. And UK still being a part of EU, the use of Turbos has always been a common manufacturer driven approach here (for CO2 reasons)  and hence most people gravitate to that as a known approach. Super is very much an American concept and quite alien here as very few come from the factory with it (Range Rovers, Jags are the only exceptions i remember, but they were owned by Ford and have inherited that from there). 

I still struggle with real life use cases where more power (Turbo or SC) will be beneficial on a public road (except the emotional use case). 😀 

[MartinT 514]

Mercedes use superchargers (the Kompressor cars) and I believe the Mini Cooper S uses one.

Is using forced induction necessary?  No, I can make pretty good progress in my tuned NA car.  Is it an emotional desire for more power?  You bet, and it would be silly to claim otherwise.

[BRZ-123 174]

 

The latest from Engineering explained on why not a Turbo...Just having a bit of fun as this was posted yesterday.

[Varelco 211]

I would be in the supercharger camp if it came to it. The H4 layout and the fact you are retrofitting a FI system makes superchargers a nice neat package plonked on top of the engine. The power delivery keeps with how the car was intended too. I've only really felt the need of a charger when on the motorway, which to be fair this car wasn't designed for and is boring anyway.

 

 

[Subota Boy 402]

4 hours ago, Varelco said:

I would be in the supercharger camp if it came to it. The H4 layout and the fact you are retrofitting a FI system makes superchargers a nice neat package plonked on top of the engine. The power delivery keeps with how the car was intended too. I've only really felt the need of a charger when on the motorway, which to be fair this car wasn't designed for and is boring anyway.

 

 

Agree about power delivery being harmonious with how the car was developed.  If I can refrain from dumping the right foot, the car drives just as it did when N/A, and you can go for a moderate tootle and the car still feels right at home.  If you want to travel at a fair old lick then it does that as well, like it was engineered to cope easily with the extra power and the more gentle delivery that the S/C provides.  Two cars in one.  Charger is very useful on the motorway and I feel a lot safer carrying out certain manoeuvres with the S/C back up.

[MartinT 514]

I've just checked with Mark at Abbey Motorsport and they're ready for me to drop the car off tomorrow morning.

I should be picking it up Wednesday evening.  Exciting!

[BRZ-123 174]

Excellent news and exciting time ahead. Look forward to your write ups after that!

[MartinT 514]

[nerdstrike 186]

That's a very attractive crate!

[MartinT 514]

The installation is done and the car goes on the dyno tomorrow morning.  I should be able to collect it in the afternoon.

[matrixprotein 33]

I'll see you at abbey for that shotgun. Ah so pleased for you haha.

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[BRZ-123 174]

The installation is done and the car goes on the dyno tomorrow morning.  I should be able to collect it in the afternoon.

Am sure there was not much of sleep last night The exciting day has arrived. Drive safe!

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