REVO STAGE 2 LINEAR REVIEW (MINI).
Ok, so i have had the map on the car now around 10 days or so now and what can i say? It brought a massive smile to my face as soon as it was done and even now. I have to admit i have never driven ANY stage 2 LCR, just been behind them in a convoy or going to a meet. So i had no idea what to expect.
Just to clear a few things up, i had been running stage 1 Custom Code for around 5 years, and the car was never a torquey devil. Always seemingly getting 250 ft/lbs regular, but always high bhp. Think this may be why the clutch had lasted so long (coming up to 7 years). Since Christmas i have been trying to get the car to a level where i could say 'right im glad the car is the best it can ever be, in every single way'. So modifications have been coming thick and fast.
This is a mini Revo 2+
review as if im completely honest i havent been flooring it at all since the file has been put on....well i lie. I have a few times. Reason being? Well i want the cars internals to be bombproof. I went from a stage 1 car that boosted at 1.4 bar and held 1.2 (and this was no slouch) to a car that peaked regularly at 1.8 or 1.9 bar and holding just over 1.5 bar to the red line (this on a 'tame' Boost 6 and Timing 4). It was on Boost 8 but Alex turned it down as it was a bit high.
The car is booked in on the 15th August to have new rods, piston rings, honing the bores,bolts, phenolic gasket, head gasket and anything else that Alex recommends. Initially was going to order the rod kit from INA and manual timing belt kit too, but as some things on the car are quite new, they will be staying. Alex is going to write me out a list of what i may need and they will be getting fitted. Obviously because the car is soooo aggressive (i love it) i will be taking it easy with the way i come on to boost.
The day i got the car remapped.
Of all things it had to be raining the day i got this done 16/7/12 and i was a bit nervous to floor the car in freaking monsoon weather, but secretly i just HAD to. We went out onto the dual carrageway to do some data logging etc and Alex asked me to put the car in 4th and floor it from 2500 rpm to around 6500rpm then change gear. I did and it was FREAKING fast, obviously i was a bit worried as the spray from other vehicles was impeeding our view of the road but we perservered. In the end as it was so wet it was wise to leave the Boost on 6 and Timing on 4, and i was told that if it was boring then in a week or so i could come back and whack it up to 8 Boost.
Driving around town for a week, i could tell the car was getting better all the time. It wa a strange feeling. 1st and 2nd were similar to stage 1 until you got near the end of pedal travel on gear 2 and BANG another kick of power. Now, i must admit on my stage 1 CC i got the guys to take off the throttle plate thing too (so my foot to the ground was full throttle) but as it wasnt very torquey anyway the harder i pressed the pedal (stage 1) i never really noticed much. With stage 2 Revo you really have to think twice about putting foot to the floor as when the first inital 'pull' hits you assume this is it....well you will be wrong. The amount of times i floored second and as soon as the needle was flying up the rpm counter the intense pull saw me gaining on the car ahead VERY quickly. Many times saw 1.8 peak boost spike here.
3rd gear, i think, was absolutely savage. Many times when i was driving around getting used to the power delivery i floored it in 3rd and was thrown across the road almost with foot to the floor. Absolutely hysterically laugh out loud moment. 4th gear much the same, and 5th and 6th regulary held boost over 1.5 bar.
So as you can see the car will be transformed. I also got massive 'bangs' from my exhaust at various points of driving too, but amazingly because most of the time you are driving normal, fuel economy seems BETTER than stage 1. Driving off of boost still gives you a very nippy car, but my god put your foot down in 3rd or 4th and i dare you to not laugh out loud.
Had the boost turned down today.
Well as the above line says really, i had the boost turned down today because im getting my rods and other gubbins done in a couple of weeks and so, this is more for reliability. Im thinking maybe its not wise to put the car on the RR on the 19th because the rods will be 4 days old lol.
We done some more data logging today as it was by all accounts HOT AS HELL. On my dash was 32.5 degrees and tbh the car (well any car) wouldnt like that. We drove up the dual carriageway to try and cool the engine a bit, then i was told to floor it in 3rd from 2500rpm to 6500rpm and change up. As soon as i done this i hear a POP. Me crapping myself that i had broke my car, had a quick look and it was the DV popped a jubilee.
Straight back out and now the car peaks at 1.6 bar and holds just under 1.5 which is fine until rods are done. Alex put Boost on 5 and kept Timing on 4. What can i say? Its a safe way of travelling......but by no means slow. The car is still a ton faster than my stage 1, and its not really trying tbh. 3 weeks of driving like this then hopefully Boost goes up to 9.
Also worth noting. I asked Alex if the intercooler was doing its job. Yes it is.....outside temperature was 30-32 degrees, and the laptop was reading temps of 38 degrees. Which is around 10 degrees more than outside temps which i was told today is "very very good".
So very very happy with the car atm.
Conclusion.
Well tbh there is none atm as when the car is running the full jobby i will update this
review. But in the meantime if you are considering this upgrade please do it. You cant grumble with slightly better economy (should you pootle about more than have quick blats) or the utter ferocity of 3rd and 4th gear. Especially on Boost 8. A worthy map, and to top it all off the car drives so smooth its unreal.
Will update the thread when the rods are in, the engine has been run in...and the Boost is cranked up.
Thanks again to Alex as his advice on the rods was very very helpful.