choupolo

What do you think to the Tom’s kit then?

What problem did @3782mc have with the J hook grooves? Thanks for the list of pads, very useful.

First impressions of the TD NA upgrade (EL manifold, filter and ECU remap) and MTEC shifter spring and bush. Love it! Things I immediately noticed - Slightly more aggressive and louder engine note, not much, but nicely so. (I didn’t go for a catback exhaust) Now extra power between 3-5k revs and linear power delivery, no torque dip, meaning in 2nd and 3rd gear acceleration out of corners much less pedal (probably 50% less) is required to reach the same speeds on the road. The extra acceleration in this range and the more predictable power delivery will be so useful on trackdays. Gear shifter slightly stiffer and stronger to centre into neutral. Worth doing during the NA upgrade but I was fairly happy with the gear shift before, although if going back would feel a bit ‘loose’ I guess. Gearbox noise/whine a little louder in lower gears, but quite subtle. Minor drawbacks - Slightly louder cabin noise, since motorway speeds in 6th tend to keep the revs in that 3-5k band. It wasn’t exactly quiet before though so no issues here. Top end of revs no longer feel as punchy just relative to the mid range. Overall there is objectively more power at the top but maybe now outshined by the mid range it’s not quite as noticeable. I think I just need to readjust to the more linear feel in general and it’ll be fine. Im expecting fuel efficiency to dip a bit since I do mostly motorway driving daily but that’s not why we buy these cars! Here’s the dyno data: Apparently my car already started with decent power so the gains were less. But it’s the loss of the 3-5k torque dip that has made the most difference. Now officially 200hp is also nice! Big thanks to @Mike@TD.co.uk and team at TD!!

Yeah I suppose the DS2500 still felt a bit soft in that they were quick to deposit/rub off pad material. But they never faded and braking force was good enough. I really enjoyed EBC yellowstuff pads in the OEM brakes. I would’ve stuck with OEM but wanted something I could abuse more on sprints. I still need to find the right damper settings on the Flex A - currently have it on 5 clicks front and 7 rear I think.

Thanks Gavin. Hopefully doing a lot more trackdays next year and maybe some sprints too. Yeah the knocking was sorted with adjustable drop links but moreso being able to tighten them properly with a spanner that would actually fit, the one I had, the head was too big! My torque wrench was not enough. The Reyland BBK came with Ferrodo DS2500 pads. Couldn’t fault them on the trackday even after long stints. As you say, the humming went away after a while after bedding in. It came back for a period of time after the trackday and then went away after a few days. I think maybe just the grooves, and I’m not used to how they should behave/sound. On the whole the mods have really improved the experience on track. A little bit more squirrely in the wet since it’s stiffer, but made it more fun! Still accessible and gave plenty of warning before slipping.

Thought I’d share a few photos from Donington last time out. Getting the TD NA tune and shifter springs done next week!

I’ve asked for the EL. I’ve also held off a catback for now as I’m not really after a sound change. Have you had these done? Im curious as to how the gear shift will feel. People often say it’s more ‘positive’ but never understood what that meant!

Just booked in with TD for the NA tune package and MTEC shift spring/bush with the Black Friday deal. This was the final piece of the puzzle I was after, and can’t wait to have it all done! The car has been great so far, eagerly awaiting the next trackday which keeps getting pushed back due to lockdown. On the road the extra grip and stability is stark, but it won’t be until the trackday that I’ll be able explore its limits. The only drawback has been having to be extra cautious with speedbumps!

Msgd

Thanks Church. Yep certainly could be some air in the system, fingers crossed it’ll feel better after the full bleed. I don’t mind the pedal feel but I’d definitely like to get rid of some travel. Wont bother with the master cylinder brace just yet then, which are surprisingly expensive!

Mine was also the drop link. It felt tight when prodding around with the car in the air, but I assume that any play can loosen up with the car back on the ground or with higher forces when driving around. In the end the lower bolt needed another couple of turns to tighten up with an allen key and spanner, and the noise disappeared. Now I can hear that slight creak from the rear parcel shelf again! 😂

With the caveat that I’ve recently changed my brakes to the AP racing BBK, I noticed that my brake pedal travel was long before any bite. Towards the end of travel it was soft but firm enough to modulate/heel and toe etc. In order to get maximum brake pressure I have to press hard but not overly so, to activate the ABS. Certainly harder than other over servo’d cars. And about half of the little brake pressure indicator bar on the dashboard. I plan to do a full brake fluid flush including master cylinder at some point. The fluid is old and may have absorbed a bit of water. I’m hoping this will firm up the pedal a bit. Although I know it will never feel like a race car which can feel as hard as a block of wood! Has anyone tried a master cylinder brace? I’ve heard this can improve the feel of the pedal too.

But am I right in saying Jay’s car isn’t a Blue Edition and has 7.5” wheels? Or the manual is wrong?

(still for sale btw 😅)

I will check my manual tonight and report back on my 2017 car. Sure they were 7”.