bstark

Can't help a great deal, other than to say my car went through the same engine upgrade when I bought it 3 years ago - again, with the standard rear exit exhaust. I don't have any problems on trackdays at Brands Hatch (105dB) but I wouldn't even attempt a 'quiet' day with this setup. Sounds good, though, doesn't it! 😬 BTW, the carb setup does make quite a difference to the level of (and tunefulness) of the noise made, if mine is anything to go by... Bob Stark Supersprinter Edited by - bstark on 6 Feb 2004 13:09:00

They don't just do full systems - Dave sorted my VERY warped Xflow manifolds out for just £40. Whilst I was there they were fitting a lovely looking system to an insane supercharged Rover V8 powered Ford Pop van... Bob Stark Supersprinter

Thanks Mark Bob Stark Supersprinter

Can anyone recommend a good engineering / machine shop (not sure of the correct terminology) in Kent - ideally near either Maidstone or Sittingbourne? I'm after someone who can flatten the flanges on my XFlow exhaust manifold to sit true to the block. One of them doesn't have much meat on it and is very warped - it may need some material welding to it before it can be flattened. Any recommendations? Bob Stark Supersprinter

If you're talking about a pop / bang noise from the exhaust (ie. flaming on the over-run) then that sounds pretty normal. Mine was originally set too weak (incorrect jets) and used to spit a lot from the carbs - once correctly jetted and set up by Redline, the spitting went to be replaced by the pop/bang on the over-run. Bob Stark Supersprinter

I'm with Julian here, the 4 speed Escort Sport box really suits the Supersprint - and mine's happy enough at 80 on the motorway. The engine is torquey anyway so at somewhere like Brands Hatch I only ever need 3rd and 4th and it never feels like it needs another gear. Bob Stark Supersprinter

R Phillips, That's interesting (you're the first person with a straw that I can clutch at! ) - as it is very unlikely a de dion would give an identical noise to a live axle if the problem were axle / diff related. Question is, can someone diagnose what it may be? Bob Stark Supersprinter

The idle was around the 900 - 1000rpm mark before (it may not be related, but is obviously indicative of a problem somewhere...) Mike - no vibration at all - the car doesn't feel any different. Another reason why I thought it may be a carb noise of some kind. The noise doesn't noticeably change pitch when it occurs within that rev range - it just appears when you hold a very slight throttle opening (ie. enough to prevent any load on the drivetrain). R Phillips - out of interest, was your old crossflow live or de dion? Bob Stark Supersprinter Edited by - bstark on 11 Sep 2003 09:19:32

If so, any idea what it would be? Car is a 1700 xflow on twin 40s. Since a hot trackday a few weeks ago, my car has been making a whining / whistling noise (loud enough to be annoying, but not drowning out other noises) in 3rd and 4th gears, between around 2500rpm - 3000rpm - but only if on a very light throttle, or slightly backing off. As soon as any load is applied - either accelerating or decelerating, the noise goes away. It also now idles at about 1500rpm once warmed up, but drives fine and behaves itself in traffic etc. I did think this was the diff, but I'm less than convinced now as I can hear it much more easily than the passenger, and all I can tell is that I hear it more with my right ear (ie, not obviously in front or behind - when the A-frame bush goes on hard cornering I can really hear and feel where that comes from). Adding molyslip and extra oil to the diff also made no difference at all to the sound. It also didn't happen on the motorway the last time I drove it, but reappeared after 10 minutes driving on an A-road in traffic... If you think its the diff, then I know the score there, but if this sounds like some kind of carb noise (inbalance, leaking inlet manifold etc.) I'd be very interested to hear your views. Bob Stark Supersprinter

I use 185/70 AO21Rs on my live axle xflow, and the handling is excellent on uprated springs front and rear - I haven't tried 185/60s for comparison though, and it isn't a track car, but recent trackdays have shown the rear axle to be the weak spot of the car now on these tyres... Bob Stark Supersprinter

Took an expert from Arrowstar 10 minutes to do my car at a trackday recently - having watched carefully, here's the procedure: Jack car up at rear, support on rear chassis rails with stands. Remove A-Frame diff mount bolt (may require a hammer and centre punch!). Loosen the other two A-Frame mounts, enabling you to pull down the frame at the diff end and remove the old knackered bushes. Clean everything up! Fit new bushes in A-Frame, then carefully re-insert into diff mount (this is a very tight fit, and the bushes need to be compressed as close to the top as you can to avoid damaging them on the way in (adjustable pliers were used) - this was the most fiddly bit! Once a sensible way in, a hammer can be used to gently knock the A-Frame back into position, then use a long screwdriver or simliar to align the holes up, before re-inserting the bolt (this was surprisingly easy). Now the tip - Do the bolt up so it is effectively finger tight (I know its a nyloc but you know what I mean), then jack the car up off the stands under the A-Frame mount to get the axle to normal ride height. Now fully tighten up all three mounting points - the reason for this is so the bushes aren't under constant strain when the car is just sitting there (which would be the case if tightened with the axle at full stretch). Lower car and away you go Bob Stark Supersprinter Edited by - bstark on 29 Aug 2003 12:55:18

Otherwise, use the "Wanted" page on Blatchat - I got one within a day after breaking one at Brooklands earlier this year... Bob Stark Supersprinter

😬 I had considered that possibility, but it also happens without the other half being inside . She was also one of the passengers on the day - so perhaps its her fault Bob Stark Supersprinter

They're sticky-ish Yokohama O21Rs - but it was a very hot day, and I had a passenger each time out. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Not yet - but I am thinking that changing the oil completely would be a good idea if I have cooked it. Still doesn't explain (to me, anyway) why it seems to be engine speed and not road speed related... Bob Stark Supersprinter

Sorry - I forgot to mention the spec! 1700 xflow Supersprint with Ital Live Axle. The axle itself was very recently rebuilt with a new bearing and healfshaft by Redline. If it is the axle, how come it is engine speed related and not road speed? Bob Stark Supersprinter Edited by - bstark on 22 Aug 2003 11:23:05

And surprisingly, it wasn't from any of the passengers, who seemed to really enjoy themselves On the way back from the exceptionally hot BHGP trackday a couple of weeks ago, the car started making a whining noise (loud enough to be annoying, but not drowning out other noises) at around 60mph - but only if on a very light throttle, or slightly backing off. As soon as any load was applied - either accelerating or decelerating, the noise went away. I used the car for the first time since the trackday last weekend, and the noise is still there, but it seems to be engine speed related rather than road speed related (3rd and 4th gears, between around 2500rpm - 3000rpm, and only when on an extremely light throttle / backed off the throttle very lightly - again if any load is applied the noise goes). I can't tell for sure which direction the noise is coming from - gut feeling is behind (passenger certainly thought so), but it appeared to be louder to me than the passenger and its hard to tell. My first thoughts were that I'd cooked the axle, but as it also happens at same revs in a different gear I don't know now. Is it some sort of carb noise? Any ideas? Bob Stark Supersprinter

Eric - I find Mintex 1144s great for the road, powerful and with loads of feel, but having just come from BHGP trackday, my feeling was that they weren't great on the track (I certainly never got the feeling of being forced against the harness straps with the pressure!) Bob Stark Supersprinter

Just checked the manifold with the engine running and, yep, plenty of gases coming out there, then. Cheers for the diagnosis, guys - Chris has found 'the last set' and has posted to me so hopefully all will be sorted on Monday. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Just spoke to Chris - what a nice bloke! Bad news is that they're out of stock 🙆🏻, but he's going to have a root around and see if he can come up with anything that's hiding in the workshop. Well impressed with his attitude (and multitude of free tips) - if first impressions are anything to go by I'd recommend him already! Bob Stark Supersprinter

Michael - if you're right then you've just made my day! (an exhaust gasket is a much happier thought than some of the maladies I've had visions of). If itis the gaskets, can I use exhaust repair paste as a temporary fix until I have time to get and fit new gaskets? Will it blowing in the meantime cause any serious problems (I'm very keen not to miss the track day that I have just spent £££ on!)? Thanks Bob Stark Supersprinter

Thanks Brent - I'm near Maidstone, so I'm probably an hour and a half from you. If it's a straightforward job to do, then I'll ask around work to see if someone has something I can use, ortherwise I may well take you up on that (If it is pinking, I'd like to sort it before Brands on Wednesday, and this weekend's already looking a bit full...) Bob Stark Supersprinter

Sorry to sound like a dunce, but how do I do that? Bob Stark Supersprinter

I'm trying to work out if this noise is something I should be worrying about (right now, I am) or if it's a normal TADTS noise - I may just be over-sensitive after my well-insulated tin-top. The noise itself sounds like a loud ticking noise (a bit like a tappet noise, but less frequent compared with engine speed, and louder, I think), that gets louder under load. It's worst (ie. louder) in a high gear at low speed - eg. accelerating with traffic from 40 in 4th, and can't be heard at all if the engine is under no load. I think it is slightly worse when the engine is cold. At higher revs (say accelerating hard over 4500rpm in second) I don't notice it at all - but it may just be being drowned out by the far nicer carb & exhaust blare . The engine itself starts and runs fine, is smooth (as xflows go), runs good oil pressure, normal water temp, doesn't use any oil and seems to be performing well. Redline have had the car in a couple of times in the last few months - once to re-jet the carbs correctly and fit the correct trumpets, and the other time to fit stiffer springs and rebuild the back axle - and haven't mentioned it (they strike me as the sort who would tell me if they saw something wrong). I'm using super unleaded / Optimax plus a Castrol Valvemaster Plus. Am I just being paranoid, or does this sound like a symptom of something? Bob Stark Supersprinter

Preferably Hi-8, but must be in excellent working condition - I need the AV-in for a bullet cam. Bob Stark Supersprinter