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Nemesis Project Is200


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I'm aware that there are various stories flying around about our IS200 project car. So I thought I would start a proper thread to keep you guys updated on the progress.

The base car is an UK IS200 SE. This car was the first one in the country to have the TTE compressor kit fitted but when this melted the cats and blew the engine up after 500 miles we decided to go for an engine transplant. Originally we planned to use a SR20DET derived Tomei race engine for the project, however it was then decided to use that motor for a drag car we are building. Looking around for other options we decided on the 13b turbo mazda rotory engine from the RX7! The benefits are its weight (or lack of), small size, and tuning potential. The block is street ported with apex ceramic seals. We are running a modified hybrid T4 turbo with large front mount intercooler. We are using the 5spd manual RX7 gear box with custom one piece prop shaft. As I mentioned before we are ditching the power steering and using a motorsport derived manual quick rack steering conversion. The ABS is being ditched in favour of a motorsport biased pedal box with no servo, but fully adjustable bias. This means adjustable braking forces front to rear. The car now has custom AP big brakes front and rear. The standard ECU will be useless so the car will be run on a fully mappable stand alone engine management system.

With the 13b being so small and sitting so far back the car will be practically mid engined. In terms of progress, the engine and gear box are in the hole and the custom engine cradle and gearbox mounts have been fabricated. The steering rack is under construction as is the prop shaft. I will try and post some photos in the near future.

Here is one of the engine in the hole although we have done quite a bit more since this was taken.

workshop_03.jpg

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Obviously the rotary engine is not famed for it's reliability. However this engine is brand new, not even run in yet. It is built with far stronger parts that the standard 13b and is capable of handling up to 40psi. We have already seen 486rwhp from the same spec block running at 1.2 bar (15psi) in our project RX7 on the dyno. Granted with a much larger turbo. So the tuning potential is definitely there. We only plan to run around 400hp (at the flywheel) on the low boost everyday setting on the lexus so reliability shouldn't be an issue.

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im afraid to inform you, that that car wasnt the first TTE supercharged car in the country, as lexus had 5 built for reliability testing, one ended up in a ditch a few years ago, the other 4 are all still owned by lexus.

the only UK car not owned by Lexus that was officially the first UK cat supercharged, was mine :)

a small fact, but a very important one at that :) :)

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Oops let me pick that toy up for you Mat! :lol: :D :unsure::ph34r:

Sorry if the info is wrong, just going on what the owner of the car told me.

Maybe I should rephrase to 'one of the first TTE supercharged IS200s'!

However it was before TTE recommended the lowering of the rev limit to help protect the cats.

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The base car is an UK IS200 SE. This car was the first one in the country to have the TTE compressor kit fitted but when this melted the cats and blew the engine up after 500 miles we decided to go for an engine transplant.

How does a Supercharger melt the cat and blow up the engine ? Surly if this happened, some of the Supercharger owners would have the same issues..

I have had loads of trouble free miles from mine now :unsure:

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Steve, wasn't it something to do with the old ECU cutting the fuel at 6,250 rpm which causes accelerated breakdown of the pre cats whereas the new piggyback ECU just dropped the limiter to 6,200rpm which bypasses the problem?

I've got the old ECU in mine, think my precats were ****** after my accelerator got stuck on the way back from Japs :o

If not they're the hardest pre-cats in the world :)

And Fargo, lol @ 0wn3d! "All your base are belong to us" was another good one!

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the destruction of the pre-cats is not a result of supercharging, many precats fail on N/A cars in Germany due to the higher autobahn speeds, the probnlem with the precats is there design...its crap, there made in a way best described as that like a rolled up piece of paper.

the problem occures when the centre of the cat is started to push down the manifold. (like a cone) the surface area is increased, thereby generating more heat............the more heat geerated, starts to melt the cat material, and it starts to break up the cat..........

TTE in Germany now as part of the Supercharger fitment install steel cats.

the only engine failure i know of (other than chris's) was a guy who had a "custom" exhaust madse, that was badly made, after damaging the exhaust it created so much back pressure it basically destroyed the engine.............i think this is the same car Jon(bloofire) has at Nemisis

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think there was some kind of problem with the exhaust trying to exit the engine and not being able to, and the engine being ragged to destruction at the same time... allegedly

It probably also had a lot to do with the exhaust system being almost bent in half by the car being driven over something, and then trying to dive flat out :duh:

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Obviously the rotary engine is not famed for it's reliability. However this engine is brand new, not even run in yet. It is built with far stronger parts that the standard 13b and is capable of handling up to 40psi. We have already seen 486rwhp from the same spec block running at 1.2 bar (15psi) in our project RX7 on the dyno. Granted with a much larger turbo. So the tuning potential is definitely there. We only plan to run around 400hp (at the flywheel) on the low boost everyday setting on the lexus so reliability shouldn't be an issue.

Sounds like an interesting project guys, I hope it works it out ok for you :)

Who's dyno did you see 486hp at the wheels on?

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How many problems have this project thrown up so far, cant wait to see it finished. Its definately different so props for that fella.

It will be interesting to see how the engine fairs in a different chassis, i assume that the extra engine space will be looking nice and tidy, a nice racey stripped out look?

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whos dyno did you see the 486 at the wheels on?

Abbey Motorsport's dyno.

Our car is coming along well but don't expect to see it driving around for quite a while! Projects like this and Mat's supra engined IS200 can literally take years. Especially when you are trying to do them around the paying work.

Re. problems, nothing too much so far. However I'm sure the engine management will be 'interesting'!

The extra space in the engine bay will be partly filled a rather large intercooler and radiator (very important as the owner is not famed for his light right foot!!)

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