Special K

Thanks all Saw my neurosurgeon this morning and the MRI scan has confirmed his best (worst?) prediction. I have to undergo surgery. His opinion? - whilst the majority of the current problem is down to arthritic degeneration since he last replaced a couple of disks in my neck (2009) the additional stress of motorsport (G-force with helmet weight) has not helped. If I was a pro rugby player it would signal the end of my career - if I was a pro football player I would be out for the rest of this year. His initial recommendation was fusing three neck vertebrae and thereby limiting all neck movement. My initial recommendation was that, if he wished to retain his manhood, he should reconsider his recommendations. This is known as 'negotiation' (as Keethos will aver, being a management guru) However, iIn this case we don't need to go to ACAS. When the patient is wide awake and weilding a gelding threat/23inch kukri matters tend to focus a little closer to home . . s'funny, that . . A third disk will be replaced with a titanium implant. As previous. Full (normal) mobility will be regained if all goes well. However, he is insistent that I do not compete for at least three months, my protests fell on deaf ears in his respect . . operation will - I hope - be scheduled for early May so in August I hope to be in a position to join you guys in the TSS. But you'll see me at a number of the rounds before then as a spectator. Spec K

Merely to keep this Forum - and those who are interested - updated with my efforts to try and get some idea of what the autotrans that Toyo put into the GT86 is capable of . . I have had this trans torn apart, inspected, analysed. It has cost me in excess of £10grand over the past 12months. And it is crap. Even at 240bhp rating it will not handle circuit work, merely dragstrip. If you want to handle 240bhp on the road - or track - you will need the sump/pickup upgrade from Fensport or you risk oil starvation under sustained g-force. That is fact. If you want to go 280bhp you will need an uprated torque converter/ autotrans from SSP in the States. Even then you will still need to trans sump/pickup mods from Fensport. I've gone through four of these so-called SSP 'upgrades' - they are for drag events, not circuit where g-force is a major issue even on road tyres . . and I've learned of other track racers outside the US that have had the same problems. I have now given up and sold my current (400+ bhp) engine, as I would need to spend a further £15grand+ on a dct replacement that was reliable at this input and can be used on the road. My stroked HKS engine (with turbo) has been acquired by Stan Hawrylak. I am taking Stan's n/i for my car. I may or may not compete in TSS this year - a rebuilt SSP box arrived from the States last week and, if time permits, Fensport may or may not have it ready by April, time is no big issue for me . . (I no longer care about competing in TSS in a GT86, ... I may wander along to enjoy good friends' company, or have fun in a guest drive now and then. .) Spec K

Hi Ed, Rob, Not too bright at the moment as I am due for an operation, seeing my neurosurgeon this Saturday and hope to fix a provisional date. A disc has gone in my neck and is causing partial paralysis of my left arm (spondylosis), hence I cannot compete at present. Off to States next week for 12 days, when I get back we can hopefully have a beer . . Spec K

Yes - 280whp on 0.9bar boost and just under 320whp on 1.05bar boost. 400+ is achievable - it is what Adrian was running last year without the stroked kit. Thanks for the Starlet offer, Jay - really would like to take you up on the offer. I'll be out of action for a little while. Subject to an MRI scan this afternoon I have to undergo on operation on my neck due to spondylosis and I've been told not to race, my Consultant was insistent. Fortunately the recovery time should be only a week (replacing the C2/C3 disk with titanium implant, I had it done on C3/C4/C5 disks six years ago) and I'm hoping he can do it end of March when I get back from States. Spec K

240whp is getting on for 80whp more than the standard setup, Tareim. That's one third more than the normal setup and is pushing the envelope. There are two issues that I encountered - the torque converter and the dog clutches. Both were dealt with by the upgraded SSP trans but the key issue was the oil surge robbing the dog clutches of lubrication. It was this that burned my box out at Woodbridge, hence the sump/pickup conversion. My current trans (used for two sprints and road use at 280whp since Woodbridge) will be going back to SSP for stripdown and evaluation when the car is ready. Might be worth waiting until I get some feedback, which I will pass on. Spec K

An interesting step forward - keep us informed please. Pleased to hear that HKS are accepting responsibility for the engine pop - they could have blamed the engine builder. Lauren - flat planes have a habit of hitting high mountains. Spec K

Thanks for your appraisal. I'm not planning to go 2.3 Cossie (at the moment). Merely give me a bit of the grunt that the std GT86 is so sadly lacking. I'll take it as it comes - 300WHP is pushing my auto boundaries. Spec K

I meant 'n/a', Lauren. A slip of the finger . . I may go Cossie s/charged with Stan's engine - the modded autotrans will handle that power. I've been running 280bhp in road mode (map2) without hassle since Woodbridge last year - map 4 (a mere 320bhp) was available but track conditions never allowed a real trial and without my spare box in the UK I was unhappy to risk it. I'm not saying the problem is unsolvable, Smudge. It's merely that I've exhausted my personal commitment to it. And, as you know Smudge, once you've got the taste of more power in the GT86 you're addicted . .at my age point and squirt is about all I've got left . .) Spec K

I have a Milltek s/h system for sale in four weeks time. I have absolutely no idea what the spec is - but Fensport know, as they are taking it off the engine I've bought. I know it's from a n/i car . . Ask them the questions, not me. Spec K

No clutches on the torque converter - they are in the autotrans box. If you are having issues with 'snatch' on your autotrans you should take it back to your dealer. You should not have to use 'snow' mode to provide a seamless takeoff, it is an issue. So address it with your Toyo dealer before thinking about remapping accelerator responses. (Unless you have replaced your autotrans with the SSP upgrade . .) Spec K

Dunno about others but I wouldn't object. One could argue technically that, as Lexus is a Toyo brand and a home-built engine, same as Subaru, it's legit . . just change the name to TLSSS . . might even encourage more competitors . . Spec K

A great idea, Jordan . . If it's the Lexus lump it's a really good (and cheap) engine when compared to the New Zealand offering. And I really do hope it goes well and you have it in shipshape order for this year's TSS - if that is your plan. It will be a bit of a challenge, methinks. The engine management issues have no doubt been considered by you/Mark carefully - I was not filled with confidence by the advice I got on this - and then there's the non-engine GT86 control parameters. Get those put to bed and you'll lead the way, pal . . awesome! Spec K

A sad day, Smudge . . I had hoped you'd take on the mantle of beating Mas this year . . Spec K

Yes - it's taken some organising due to the rear spoiler. Not cheap but if it's gonna be sitting up at Fensport for a few weeks I'd prefer it not to fill up with snow . . I've sold my forged engine and if I compete this year in TSS it will be in a different class. Spec K

Sorry, cannot make this one , I have a function in Harlow to attend. (And my car will be at Fensport by then . . waiting for its new car cover to arrive. .) Spec K

Respect. (I am from a different world . . may the froce be with you . .) Spec K

Good for you, Adam ! Glad you honoured the creed . . Spec K

Ii did some testing on this two years past - I found the answer (as recommended by Hayward & Scott) was to use a 200cel HFC, anything less will probably cause a problem. Keethos is right - you have to persuade the tester to get the car well and truly hot as the lamda sensor is usually repositioned further away from the manifold and the ECU will adjust AFR if it feels left out in the cold . . unwanted . . cast off like a well-worn seaboot. It sobs itself to sleep - I've heard it, honest . . Spec K

Looks good, Ross - I like silver wheels as well. A set of bold bad upsized disks/calipers have to be a must-have, yes? Spec K

There I was . . gently motoring down the M6/M1 yesterday morning from Cumbria. . . left at 7.45am, dropped off the end of the M6 Toll and, at Watford Gap at about 11.00am , caught up with a Ninja '64 plate . . Hmm . . dunno . . flashed my lights as I overtook, glanced left . . it was Carla . .! We had a great hoon from Watford down to M25 . . she's a b*gger for overtaking on the inside (but legit, outside lane was >70mph ). She has proper lane discipline and, being a gentleman, I adopted my surrogate role as shepherd, giving undertake and gently flashing my headlights to suggest "GET A FSCKING MOVE ON !!" Respect, lady. I enjoyed it and you broke up a really boring journey . . Spec K

Yet I endure vindictive personal criticism on this Forum for doing exactly what you propound (with my auto GT86). And, unlike anything so far propounded from the UK, my mods will be offered on sale shortly and improve the breed. What the word that comes to mind . . ? Perverse? Hypocritical? No . . it escapes me at the moment . .

I never liked shopping at Tesco's anyway . . Yesterday I was at my local Tescos store buying a large bag of Chum dog food for my loyal pet and was in the checkout queue when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had, an elephant? So, since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Chum Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't because I ended up in hospital last time, but I'd lost 2 stone before I woke up in intensive care with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IV's in both arms . . I told her it was essentially a perfect diet and the way that it works is to load your pockets with Chum nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the queue was now enthralled by my story . .) Horrified, she asked me if I ended up in intensive care because the food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off the kerb to sniff an Irish Setter's arse and a car hit me . . I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. . I'm now banned from Tescos. Better watch what you ask retired people - we have all the time in the world to think of daft things to say. . Spec K

Nescafe chief finally gets an audience with the new Pope.. "Your Holiness - we would like to donate 100million Euros to the Church" "A gracious gift" says Pope Francis, nodding benevolently.. "Err, we would like you to change one word in your Liturgy - Lords Prayer - from ".. give us this day our daily bread" to ".. give us this day our daily coffee.." "I am sorry my son" says he Pope " .. this is the Lord's words and cannot be changed.." "Holiness" says Nescafe, ".. we anticipated reluctance on the Church's part. May I increase the offer to 300million Euros, if you will change the word..?" Francis smiled benevolently. "My son... beloved of the Church.. you must understand that the word of the Lord is sacrosanct. It cannot be changed.." Nescafe - "My spiritual Leader and Leader of my daily devotions... our 'Liturgy' was translated off ancient Aramaeic hologryphs, then into Latin. No way can we verify or justify 'bread' as the translation .... " "... our final offer - 500million Euros.That's HALF A BILLION EUROS. Every year. Please will you consider our offer..?" and he left.. Pope calls a Convocation of the Vatican and all the Bishops turn up.. "Holy Brothers - I have good news and bad news" says Pope Francis.. ".. the good news is that we will be receiving half a billion Euros into the Vatican coffers.." "What's the bad news?" as Bishop Abernathy. " We will be losing the Hovis account..." Spec K