Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

[ghoul]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

I think what's been suggested is that horsepower figures can be extended from the current reliable figures of around 105 to 110bhp to over 120bhp at the flywheel.
The charge cooler should improve efficiency and lower engine temperatures enough for a more powerful remap to be applied.

good job i already have one then

[Massive]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

It is intreasting when comments drive the understanding behind what is on offer.

When alternatives are put forward, I do wonder what these people are thinking. No one else has considered the options before doing it?

The charge cooler has been discussed since the BRABUS roadster came to market. The Italians had designed one for the fortwo race series. Convert for roadster as well as fortwo. Combined with custom map, go faster.

A company do not want to fit secandhand products, or pay over the top price from smart, while needing a reliable supply from a proven manufacture....

OH, I just hit the grumpy old man button

[bus_ter]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

Has anyone noticed how much quicker the standard Roadster is from cold? (I know you shouldn't drive hard from cold, but I'm sure you've all done it once...) Once the engine is up to temperature the power is reduced. Do you get the same effect on the Brabus with the charge cooler? Or does it keep this extra cold performance when it's upto temperature? If so then I would say the Charge Cooler would be really worth while.

[ghoul]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

actually thats one of the things i noticed on my brabus when the viper was fitted after the venom - the power now stays constant, whereas before it did lose a little as it got hot (both with the standard filter, the itg and the venom)

interestingly - i've passed 2500 miles since the remap now, and nothing has broken yet - how long do you folks reckon i need to go before declaring it reliable (whilst touching a large piece of wood of course)

[madDan]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

Intrestingly I am suprised no one has come up with a way of cooling the throttle body and air inlet manifold!

[Messerschmitt Owner]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

the thing about all this, IMHO, is the cost - now a bonalume clutch and flywheel is £9 more than a standard clutch kit and it makes sense to fit that - I know I will when my clutch needs done - but for fitting a chargecooler to an everyday using car, green goddess is right - £1500 - that's a year's fuel.

I personally don't think the money is justified - there are things I could buy that would make my driving experience better - or even another car! - and that I would rather have.

Campbell

[Northern Roadster]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

- how long do you folks reckon i need to go before declaring it reliable (whilst touching a large piece of wood of course)

only when the wing mirrors haven't leaked for more than 12 months

[Koul]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

the thing about all this, IMHO, is the cost - now a bonalume clutch and flywheel is £9 more than a standard clutch kit and it makes sense to fit that - I know I will when my clutch needs done - but for fitting a chargecooler to an everyday using car, green goddess is right - £1500 - that's a year's fuel.

I personally don't think the money is justified - there are things I could buy that would make my driving experience better - or even another car! - and that I would rather have.

Campbell

A lot has already been done to a suprex engine to make it quicker and this happens to be one of the last options.
Heat suppression is the next logical move and, unfortunately, because of what's involved it comes at a price.

Hats off to the suppliers who have introduced this bit of kit because it allows the smart customer another choice and direction to go down.
I'm guessing it will sell to the enthusiast who has already reached a high level of performance with their smart.

We'll have to wait and see the dyno results to see if this charge cooler makes a big difference but if a smart is already tuned to over 100bhp then it's going to get harder to make appreciable gains thereafter.
I'll guess that hopefully an increase of between 15 to 20bhp will be achievable and this will make a lightweight car such as a smart even more annoying to those BMWs out there that think they own the road .

[Messerschmitt Owner]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

A lot has already been done to a suprex engine to make it quicker and this happens to be one of the last options.
Heat suppression is the next logical move and, unfortunately, because of what's involved it comes at a price.

Hats off to the suppliers who have introduced this bit of kit because it allows the smart customer another choice and direction to go down.
I'm guessing it will sell to the enthusiast who has already reached a high level of performance with their smart.

We'll have to wait and see the dyno results to see if this charge cooler makes a big difference but if a smart is already tuned to over 100bhp then it's going to get harder to make appreciable gains thereafter.
I'll guess that hopefully an increase of between 15 to 20bhp will be achievable and this will make a lightweight car such as a smart even more annoying to those BMWs out there that think they own the road .

I can see your argument but quite frankly, for the cost of the work, you could have traded the roadie and bought a decent or even new brabus roadster/elise/vx220/focus ST/Austin Healey 3000/Ferrari 308/328/Honda NSX/porsche 911/928 or a myriad of other vehicles. Now I know the smart is exclusive but there are half the number of VX220s on the roads of the UK than Roadsters. Doesn't seem logical to me to spend so much money on a smart when you can just simply buy the performance you crave for less - and have as much if not more fun.

Frankly - 100bhp or 120 - doesn't make a jot of difference to me - and 20bhp on a car with a **** gearbox that kills the acceleration don't make much difference in the real world.

Edit to Sy: Forgot to mention that the SMart is not a light car in relative terms - take the unnecessary electrical and electronic **** away and it would be a light car!

Campbell

[k_o]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

I can see your argument but quite frankly, for the cost of the work, you could have traded the roadie and bought a decent or even new brabus roadster/elise/vx220/focus ST/Austin Healey 3000/Ferrari 308/328/Honda NSX/porsche 911/928 or a myriad of other vehicles. Now I know the smart is exclusive but there are half the number of VX220s on the roads of the UK than Roadsters. Doesn't seem logical to me to spend so much money on a smart when you can just simply buy the performance you crave for less - and have as much if not more fun.

Frankly - 100bhp or 120 - doesn't make a jot of difference to me - and 20bhp on a car with a **** gearbox that kills the acceleration don't make much difference in the real world.

Edit to Sy: Forgot to mention that the SMart is not a light car in relative terms - take the unnecessary electrical and electronic **** away and it would be a light car!

Campbell

you surely have not tried a remaped tuned Brabus

[Massive]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

Campbell,

You base your argument just on your own kowledge. Koul and I have 100+bhp with torque to match while running the fast sports clutch. We experance the joy of driving a fast, smooth smart which is our car of choice.

You are welcome to your opinion but don't tell us its not worth it, or those that will happly spend 1000's on the car they love.

Why do people spend big money on fast cars only to loose big time when they sell up. Because thats there choice.

You cannot dismiss this compenent if you are pushing for power.

Oh, if I took all the ICE, clever-end and big wheels of my car, it would not stay on the ground.

For those that want to drive a standard smart fine, that how I started.
Nothing wrong if thats what you want.

Experance a tunned smart and then think again.

Grummpy hat off....

[Messerschmitt Owner]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

you surely have not tried a remaped tuned Brabus

nope - from what I have seen, a remapped roadster with mild extra tuning is fast enough for most eventualities, including losing one's licence or one's life.

I have driven an elise, an Aston DB7, and a nice fast Ginetta that had been tuned - I still prefer my roadie for the comfort - if not the speed. But I still maintain and always have that taking 100kg in weight out of your car can have as good an effect as all the extra mods for much less cost.

Try it - remove the carpets, change the big alloys to steels, dismantling the aircon, removing the passenger seat - and that'll have pretty much the same benefit as an extra 20bhp

[RobbySmartyPants]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

Or lose weight I did....seriously i went from 18+ stone to 15 and my god the difference it made.. I kid you not

[k_o]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

nope - from what I have seen, a remapped roadster with mild extra tuning is fast enough for most eventualities, including losing one's licence or one's life.

I have driven an elise, an Aston DB7, and a nice fast Ginetta that had been tuned - I still prefer my roadie for the comfort - if not the speed. But I still maintain and always have that taking 100kg in weight out of your car can have as good an effect as all the extra mods for much less cost.

Try it - remove the carpets, change the big alloys to steels, dismantling the aircon, removing the passenger seat - and that'll have pretty much the same benefit as an extra 20bhp

That's ok. But try it on a circuit. Then power is well needed. And more power is not less safe, quite the oposite if you're responsible.
I now can take over pretty much in any situation, and that' evn not doing it much, it's safer than it was before!
Also, I love to have all the comforts and the performance too. You really can't price being really comfortable all year round and still have thrilliung performance in a safe way. And on top of that, if I ever loose the abovementioned weight it will just fly! Eventually as I get money to have a second car, this one will be dismantled, lightened to as much as I can and bettered with better suspension, smaller lighter alloys, some Cf parts. And you'll be looking at something that weights about 700-750kg with about 130 bhp. And I tell you the gearbox feels not so crappy... Have you seen my 0-62 times?

[Messerschmitt Owner]

Re: Roady with Performance Clutch and Charge Cooler

Campbell,

You base your argument just on your own kowledge. Koul and I have 100+bhp with torque to match while running the fast sports clutch. We experance the joy of driving a fast, smooth smart which is our car of choice.

You are welcome to your opinion but don't tell us its not worth it, or those that will happly spend 1000's on the car they love.

Why do people spend big money on fast cars only to loose big time when they sell up. Because thats there choice.

You cannot dismiss this compenent if you are pushing for power.

For those that want to drive a standard smart fine, that how I started.
Nothing wrong if thats what you want.

Experance a tunned smart and then think again.

Grummpy hat off....

I have a tuned smart - thank you - I also know that it will never be a fast car and therefore there is not much chance of trying to take it beyond what it is sensibly capable of at a reasonable cost. My opinion still stands , personally I would rather spend extra and buy the performance already built in - and I have no compunction about buying secondhand.

FWIW I totally agree with your sentiments but they are not for me. I am happy as a lark with 100+bhp without the need or desire for 120+. I am a firm believer in not replacing things until you have to so am not gonna rush to get a bonalume clutch until mine is nackered - but when it is I will. However, the intercooler can stay. I'd rather spend no money stripping the car of weight before I spend huge sums on extra performance.

Also, my berkeley has a stage five blueprinted engine which should throw out 75-80bhp (55bhp standard) and my messerschmitt has a rebore and bigger piston, polished ports, skimmed head etc and now pushes out a heady 12bhp instead of the standard 10.9, so I am no stranger to tuning or its potential. My only gripe is that the cost is prohibitive, although perfectly good value for the level of work and effort that has gone into it.

So, to sum up - if you wants to - it looks like great value and a worthwhile mod, if you don't it's ******-off expensive!