197 engine

[George K]

I finally have just had a look. Main visual changes are to the inlet manifold - fatter and shorter, which is obviously intended to help the top end - looks like the lower half may be the same as the 182, coils built into plug caps and modified head casting/cam cover to accommodate more sophisticated cam timing changes, which I believe means that it runs slightly more ambitious valve timing. New air box system - hard to tell but still seems to have two inlet pipes, one with a/v. Exhaust manifold looks the same.

Conclsion, might be possible to use top half of inlet manifold to help at higher rpm, but would need a custom re-map - anything else would be complex/expensive and would probably require the 197 ECU.

Comment - as most of the mods are aimed at the top end of the rpm scale and the 197 is at least 15% heavier, no wonder in the real world it is not so quick, even with 6 speeds. The full package in a 182 could be quite good and probably more amenable to further tuning.

 

[shiftspark]

Hi George

I think the only problem would be the price of using the 197 manifold as they are quite new and hard to find at a breakers yard.
Are the angelworks one's as good do you think?

I think I am going to stick with the trophy for next year but need a magic wand to get 200 + bhp for little outlay also need to get the weight down a round 100-150k to keep with the 205's which I dont think is poss even removing aircon carpets etc

Hows the Honda?

 

[George K]

Shiftspark - Honda is hard work - makes you realise what a handling dream the CT is!

The angelworks inlet is a tidy up but does not change the geometry at all. It is possible that the later heads have significantly smaller exhaust ports (I hesitiate with this second hand information) but are also limited by the inability to run aggressive cams becuase of the idle problems. I have never looked into it, but do wonder if it would be possible to increase the amount by which the inlet cam advances as then it would be possible to retard the idle setting and run a more duration/overlap when advanced.

Virtually anytihng else needs a new mangment system etc, etc, etc.

I did an analysis of the cars at Wiscombe and to be competitive you need to be under 800 kg - no way for a modern car. in the class bleow us there is a mk1 Golf - 700 kg and 190 real bhp!! you can do the rest of the sums - which is why I baled out.