The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I randomly found a pic of a sprint engined spitfire on google but it was turbocharged. Does anyone know about this or any other boosted sprint engines?
http://cook1e.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/new-clutch.html


Tony

I know of a supercharged Herald belonging to a local TSSC member. I've also seen the first turbocharged Avon Acclaim.

With a sprint engine?

Tony

The Herald was just the normal 1200 engine with a supercharger bolted on. I know they're not Dollies but they're the only Triumphs with forced induction that I know of. I've never heard of a turbocharged Sprint before. I would imagine that it would be quite fragile if you just stuck a turbocharger on a Sprint engine.

Yes but as in the link i posted it was done to a sprint engine and im interested to find out more (only on sprint engines)

Tony

I saw that last year. I think I spoke the the owner years ago, and there was mention of SAAB, which would make sense. But it really was years ago. I had my sprint engined spit about 23 years ago....and sold it about 20 years ago. That would have been the sort of period I am referring to. I think it was being built, somewhere in Essex, at the time.
Sorry for being so vague!

Thesedays, it should be rather easier to pop a little supercharger on and EFi.

EDIT of course, space is at a bit of a premium in a sprint, but it could be done. Fancy a go?

Thanks for that. Yes I'd fancy doing it as long as the internals would stand up to the boost. Space is a problem in the dolly chassis, but the pic with reverse ex manifold with turbo got me thinking I do have an M45 supercharger here but again fitting space is limited. I wouldnt want to cut the chassis or any panel if I did try something

Tony

On the Spit he's been able to use all the space down the front for the reversed zorst manifold and turbo. Looks a neat
job does that but I wonder what he's done to the diff, which barely copes with 110 bhp...

I cant see how you'd do a turbo on a Sprint. You may manage a supercharger, but I cant see a turbo.

Jonners

Yes plenty of room on the spit, looks pretty neat there. I intend to do a mock up when ive got some spare bits i need to see where i can place a blower, but unless I put the radiator in the boot the turbo install will be a no go.

Tony

Plus a turbo normally implies a bigger radiator AND an intercooler to find space for in an already crowded bay, might be safer to stick to supercharging if forced induction is your aim and even then, the Sprint's nasty and restrictive exhaust manifold is going to limit power increases achieved that way. It would probably be easier and cheaper to fit a Nissan C18DET like Knightriders or an Astra Turbo unit like I am considering.
At least they have been designed to cope with the power!

Steve

I've recently taken to wondering if, in this electronic age, one could use an electric fan supercharger, it could be controlled by a TPS and a small ecu, would not be subject to lag like a turbo is and could have variable boost levels at the touch of a rheostat in the cockpit! And the business part could be put almost anywhere.

Yes it may be just a pipe dream to boost the sprint engine but if I decide on an engine swap it will be a mx5 engine (with boost) and Im currently working on grafting an engine onto the sprint gearbox Gotta keep the overdrive or its not a triumph to me .
A friend is doing some prototype electric supercharger stuff ill see what the outputs are these days.

Tony

Given the sort of horsepower that's needed to generate pressures needed for forced induction it tends to be a waste
of time doing this with electricity.

On a typical supercharger you loose about 25bhp to gain the sort of extra that makes it worthwhile....as on a Jag XJR or similar.

If you want 25 bhp out of an electric setup it tends to be better done with a motor driving the axle and not a blower - hence the Prius and its kind.

If it was that easy - car makers would already do it. It isn't so they don't.

Jonners

Indeed. It takes loads of power to do the forced induction bit. Even 10hp electric motor would need over 600amps at 12V. It ain't gonna happen.

With the sprint engine I reckon the best bet is stay conventional and blueprint it. And if you were going to make a manifold, make a 4 branch to improve things more.

The modern engine is the way to get reliable hp at sensible costs.

EDIT Rather than the old MX5 engine, why not the duratec ford version. Easy to get 200bhp na, I know of a 300+bhp version (not cheap) and it is being developed to 700+ (for rallycross, so longevity may be an issue, and the expected 6 figure costs)

Engine height is an issue with dollys and i dont know the ford height to compare, plus i like the mx5 motor for cheapness reliable and easy for upgrades. Dont want to set the world alight just 160 hp will do for a road car. My sprint engine has been blueprinted by me and is quite quick, but im waiting for the day when it fails through one of many areas and ill have a drop in conversion ready

Tony

cliftyhanger wrote:
With the sprint engine I reckon the best bet is stay conventional and blueprint it. And if you were going to make a manifold, make a 4 branch to improve things more.

The trouble with a Sprint engine in a Sprint (or one of them) is that there is absolutely NO space for a decent 4 branch manifold! For sure I have seen some artistic and exotic up-and-over types but they are not really practical and tend to raise underbonnet temperatures uncomfortably, besides being mega expensive.
A stock mkV Astra Turbo unit produces somewhere around 220bhp, is easy to source, relatively cheap to buy and build and mates to the equally cheap and simple to fit Omega gearbox (which in MV6 form is already backing 217bhp out of the box)What's not to love?
The Mazda unit is light, powerful, reliable, easy to tune and has a wealth of go faster goodies available off the shelf. the only real drawback is the Mazda gearbox which is too long and necessitates (to me - and DVLA) unconscionable shell mods. It might be quite a lot of work to marry a Sprint O/D box to a Mazda engine, but at least that will get round the problems caused by using the Mazda box.

Steve