Energy Turbo

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

Right, I have another twist in the ongoing saga that is deciding what to do with regard to performance after the cosmetics are sorted.

I was just thinking on the bus to Uni this morning, as you do, as to what turbocharging the Energy lump could be like. At first I just discounted it as crazy, but then I got thinking....

Assuming that the E6J was designed and developed a long time after the C1J Turbo, would the designer of the 5 GT Turbo have picked the C1J or the E6J to turbocharge and be the powerplant in the GT Turbo if he could go back and have the choice of the two?

My current viewpoint is that the E6J Energy is one of the more reliable engines and better performing as standard over the naturally aspirated C1J. The two reasons I have hypothesized as to why Renault elected to use the C1J is that either;

(a) The E6J wasn't around at the time, or;
(b) There is a clear advantage to using the C1J that I am unaware of

Other than this I can't come up with a reason as to why Renault would use the C1J over the E6J - everything I've seen and read about the two engines seems to suggest that the C1J is pap and the Energy's are good.

This may sound loony yet again, but I am interested to know everyone else's opinions and if it's a viable thing to do then I could well be interested.

My main plan is that a Valver conversion will sort me out with decent power, but then again I'm always up for taking on a challenge in the interest of originality! Hell, I could even patent the conversion and sell the idea to all the Clio RT boys on RSC....

Gay Rights Activist Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 1268

just stick a volvo 1.7 turbo lump in it

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

My argument is that the Energy engine is reliable and could stand a low boost conversion!

The Volvo lumps are not that tuneable and not that good - they only make 120bhp as standard, same as a GT Turbo! That's according to a friend of my cousin who did the conversion in his Clio, anyways.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

well somewhere I think europarts used to do an energy turbo conversion on the megane lumps.

The reason theres no energy turbo, turbo cars fellout of favour after the 80's no need for it. The GTT engine was tried and tested so there was no need for a replacement.

Its not hard I was goign to do it but then I asked no one wanted it so there was no point in me developing it as I would be seriously out of pocket.

Also theres 2 ways to do things, the correct way or the way to merely make it work. Both are possible, both have very different price tags.

Forum Moderator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 1356

The biggest difficulty you will face will be getting a manifold and getting the exhaust system right. Once you have a manifold your half way there (you know what I mean)

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

you can make an adaptor in about half an hour like SST did for the saxos. The manifolds not the problem, its easy to plonk a turbo on the stock one.

Like I said though there 2 ways to do it.

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

So what actual components to you need to convert a car to forced induction?

Turbo (Obviously!)
Intercooler
Manifold
Custom Pipework

Anything else? I'm sure a Wastegate and and Actuator should be in there as well? What does an actuator do?

I'm assuming smaller turbos are better suited to running low compression and also have a shorter lag period. Can someone suggest a suitable turbo that could be used - I was thinking maybe the Renault 5 GTT one?

Also would the internals be able to handle the power hike that a low comp turbo will impose?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

if its fuel injected you also need a new map sensor and remappable management (or an off the shelf chip, but that's a bit gash)

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

It's carburettor mate so no worries there.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

If your retaining the stock carb then you will need to seal it of, you need to box the carb in so the turbo pressure doesn't escape through it and so the thing will actually work.

No need for a cooler if its a low boost effort with a correctly matched turbo.

Internals will be fine, the energy lump is quite strong and the engine can make big power for their size.

Turboing the stock effort retainign the stock carb etc will make it run pretty shit. Dunno if you have driven a GTT but they are pretty crap. Fine when on boost off it they are crap, the response is slow (bear in mind any turbo car will respond slower than a NA car) its not helped by the carb.

You will also need to re-jet the carb, which is ok if you can find somewhere that has jets suitable. They are a fiver a pop as well so by the time you have found the right jet you may have spent 150quid on them.

Then you have the fuel pump, if your reating the carb you need a pump that can excede the boost pressure which shouldn't be to hard this is the only way the carb will work. Very 70's TVR!

The reason the GTT is ok is its pressure sealed the weber isn't. The GTT is also a single barrel carb.

The better choice for it is EFI. Even using the SPI energy remapped will be a better bet as you don't have as many worries and it will be easy to map.