I thought I might copy this here. Although I still have my training wheels on I think it's more appropriate here.

Took the TAT turbo out to Willowbank last night for it's maiden voyage.

First run 20.094 @70.53mph Bogged at the start and only had 4000rpm dialled in. Turbo didn't have a chance to kick in...forth gear is a waste of time

2nd run 27.32@72.79mph....next time don't turn the fuel pump off while your winding up the window....

3rd and best....17.96@78.86mph....rpm dialled in at 5200. Went thru the end in 3rd gear.

the other two runs were 18 secs at around 78mph

What did I learn for next time......More aggression at the start. The turbo needs more revs and I need to get over my fear of dropping the clutch. I lost so much time to the engine bogging at the start due to the lack of revs. Turbo's need to rev to spool up.
Also leave on the second yellow last light and not wait for the green.
Theres no need to push the clutch to the floor during gear changes.

All in all it was an absolute hoot. I got 5 runs in and apart from the starts and the first run flooged the crap out of it and it didn't break or leak. This to me was the best part. I've never built an engine before, had anything to do with turbo's or been in a legal drag race.


Thanks to Dave Pete and Col

[ Edited on 21-4-2007 by Stanley ]

Having a hoot is what its all about!

sweet bonus is not breaking it

Well done mate! It is so much fun....I got hooked at warwick - and although my best was only 10.5 in the 1/8th mile, it was enough for the drag bug to bite me hard!

With some more 'seat time' I'm sure those ETs will drop quickly!

Sorry I missed your maiden runs Andrew. Good to see another Volksy going down the quarter. I had a look at your build thread and like the look of the car.
Rod.

[ Edited on 15-3-2007 by RAZ34 ]

Super effort for first time out!

The first time I raced I ran in the 20's and was hooked.

The main thing is that you had fun.
No turning back now its an addiction

Nice one mate. Still remember the first time I ran my Kombi at Willowbank at Jamboree a long time ago. Cousins egged me on for a big burnout so I didn't let them down. With my rear brakes nearly stuffed I gave it some serious curry and smoked em up 1st,2nd,3rd till I couldn't see out the back window and the car started to fill with smoke.


Then I rolled up to the line and ran a 17.89 at 110km/hr. 2.1 to the 60ft thanks to 1600 kombi box. Rest of the run was pretty much take in the sights as the other car ran 13.0.

Can't wait till the next time I get out there in the old girl....

With the turbo,a 2step will help you off the line,lets you build boost and yet not over rev it. Mike

Yeh a two step would be good in my case, but as it was my first time out I'll persavere and try to get consistant. I have a few things to try before the next run like stopping the dissy at 22deg and maybe some different SU jets. I also have no idea as to how the mixture setting is going. But i'm having a blast. Thanks all

:thumb

Good fun, isn't it?!

A pic of me and Col...thanks to boostcruising

Nice pic of Col's car launching!

Congrats dude.
Methanol/water injection and boost, that will make it reeaaaalllyyyy fun.

Funny you should mention that. I'm keen to give that ago next. You don't have any info on a TAT setup. Have read all sorts of stuff but there seems to be many different and varied ways.

Zoom did an article years ago on a cheap methanol water injection system.... used a windscreen washer bottle setup from an EF - EL falcodore from memory..... sorry but I dont have the mag any more..... believe nozzle selection is critical to its performance tho.

cool...i've been eying off the spare windscreen washer bottle for a type3 I have. Boost in the top liquid out under pressure from the bottom.
Yes nozzle size would be critical but i'm thinking as long as you could get the right amount to atomise at the right pressure it would be ok.
Still, sounds a bit crude, but that's what they talk about in turbomania. Don't know about what effect it would have squirting into the turbo.

50/50 methanol/water
play with about 50-80mm per ten sec into front of the turbo.Just squash a bit of brake line so it restricts the end to get your flow.
Try to bring it in late, if you run 7psi bring it in at about 4-5 psi.
set the total advance around 25 deg.
play with how much and when to bring it in until it falls off then go backwards.
The more boost you run the more it will burn.

Don't forget about fuel pressure with blow through. try to run a rising rate fuel reg and always run 5 psi more fuel pressure than boost or the boost will fight the fuel pressure and push the fuel from the carb back to the pump.

Thanks Nick...also mines draw through

Was allowed to play with the car today after being forced to have a Volksy free weekend last weekend and the fact the mini jam is on next weekend.

Anyhow I am in the process of limiting the 009 dizzy to 24deg as recomended by turbomania and others. I was checking to find out what it was currently set to and discovered that the timing must have moved during the T&T as was set to TDC. This could help to explain the rough idle and maybe the trouble getting off the line.
All fixed now though. Dizzy lilited to 24deg total advance and 8deg and seems to be running sweet. Just have to wait a few weeks to take it out for another run. Still keen on water/alchol injection. Going to play with some nozzles through the week.
I also think the lightened flywheel is hampering the starts and contributing to the bogging. I think it misses the momentum of the flywheel to help make up for the lower hp. I thought the lighter flywheel would spin up quicker amd inturn spool the turbo up quicker. Who nows...maybe I have it all wrong. Live and learn

Top stuff Andrew.... Now that racing has you, there is nothing that will suffice....

And as usual, the advise is of the highest order.... Surely this car will be moving down the quarter much, much quicker in the near future....

Took the TAT turbo out to Willowbank today for a T&T. Drove it 45k's out to the track had 4 runs and drove it home and the temp didn't go over 95deg.

Only things I changed since the debut was I restricted the advance on the dizzy to 24deg and made a bracket for the clutch pedal so I didn't have the urge to push it to the floor during shifting. Broke one of the welds trying to push myself up into the seat before the first run.

Quickest time was 16.84 @ 80.67mph going through the end at 5500rpm in 3rd gear

Quickest MPH was 81.05mph on a 16.92ET

Slowest run (apart from my first cherry) was a 17.01 @ 76.88mph

Previous best was a 17.96@78.86mph

Also managed to spin the wheels on the last run.

I still think there is more in it with more practice and some decent tuning.....and of course more boost

Man that is awesome!
Over one second improvement is amazing!
Sorry I missed your run, I will have to get there earlier in future!

What was max boost at full steam?

[ Edited on 21-4-2007 by dangerous ]

good stuff mate. nothing like PBs to make you feel good. :thumb

Forgot to look at the boost gauge on all 4 runs.
I think my boost line/gauge is not reading right.
I've always thought i was losing/not making boost so I took the carb off and pressurised the intake manifold to 10psi by the boost gauge....no leaks but the wastegate hadn't opened (set at 7.5psi) put it all back together and checked if the wastegate was working and it was but not sure of the pressure.
Driving it out there the boost didn't leave 0.
I did put my boot back into it after I'd gone through the end and noticed 5.5psi by the gauge. I think it might be reading low. I have about 10+ foot of line between turbo and guage. Shouldn't make a difference but maybe I've crimped the line with a zippy tie.

Top work with the TAT.... Gott a love the an improvement like that!

Good stuff Dude!
persistence is the key.

keep up the good work.

I have a standard set of beetle headers (thunderbirds) with the merge finishing below the crank pully. I then have about 4 foot of 1 3/4" pipe running up via a 180deg bend and 2 90deg bends to the turbo which is mounted roughly where the carb would sit.
Would I see results in the running the pipes up to the turbo and merging them at the turbo inlet and if thats the case what would the best pipe size be?

A pic from Saturday

Nice stance.
What did it weigh again?

top stuff mate.... any car into the 16s is starting to get truly brisk

I rmember being astounded when my brothers hot 1835 baja only ran a flat 17.... it felt like a rocketship to me when I was only 20.


Then I bought a Liberty RS Turbo......

But seriously, a whole second drop is massive, especially before you have really got the beasty tuned properly and all