K series modding and tuning

A mate of mine was looking at my engine the other weekend.. He thought it looked 'really nice'







So I thought Id start a 'discussion' thread about mods for the K series..

My mate recently paid to have his head 'ported and polished' .. There is often talk about this..

Personally Id go for one of the known names if you plan to have this done

My head was done by Hellier performance.. Its more than just enlarging and smoothing the inlet and exhaust ports..

The water ways too need cleaning out of the casting marks to allow better water flow through the head..







The head was chemically cleaned (hence the as new look) then the valves all made back into the head and checked carefully
Before porting and polishing Hellier check the hardness of the head



Note the water ways all now cleaned out


The water ways before




Another before pic



We've already looked at his exhaust ports and they look standard.. so this weekend we are going to remove his inlet manifold and have a look.. Has the head seen any work? Guess we'll find out Sunday

The standard oil rail was junked.. and an uprated Elise parts item fitted.. this limits head movement and reduces the risk of HGF

The block was chemically cleaned by Scholar Engines

The block was then machined to make it a 1.9

New pistons and new liners

Again the block tested before any work was done on it

Once the EVO2 block was finished the whole engine went in bits to Hellier Performance

Mr Quick_Spiders sump baffle got fitted.. This helps to minimise oil movement in the sump during hard cornering


The crank (standard one) was then balanced.. as was the brand new EN24 fly wheel and clutch cover.. this minimises the vibrations at high RPM.. so the redline can now be raised from 7,400 to 8,200

The engine was then assembled (by Hellier) and the uprated Elise Parts water pump was fitted



The older type VVC belt is used as its apparently 1mm wider than the new VVC belt



Manual tensoner used insted of the auto one.. which can let go at higher RPMs



The TF 160 VVC engine has been converted to non VVC and some light weight Vernier pullies used to ensure accurate timing is achived



The alternator too gets a lightened pulley (weighs one third of the standard item)

The standard manifold is ditched.. in favour of Titan independant throttle bodies

Interesting project, I suppose you are saving a lot using your labour, but knowing how the costs mount up, was wondering if the mod would be cheaper to fit a KV6 engine.

What bhp/torque you expecting???

KV6 seems very difficult to get around or above 200 bhp.

The other end of the head now blanked off (non VVC now)



Janspeed Sports CAT



Janspeed large bore 4-2-1



12.9 bolts with loctite used throughout



Vibratechnics mounts used



Greabox mount seam welded and Vibratechnics mount



Clutch slave mount cross braced and gussets added



Spheres on custom made hoses

The standard TF160 oil cooler is pretty poop... so its not going back on

Instead a Laminova oil cooler will go on..

The anti roll bars are custom too (80% stiffer).. as are the drop links and the drop link mounts



The subframe was seam welded

The subframe mounts are all solid.. and the smaller ones beefed up

petetf160 wrote: Interesting project, I suppose you are saving a lot using your labour, but knowing how the costs mount up, was wondering if the mod would be cheaper to fit a KV6 engine.

What bhp/torque you expecting???

KV6 seems very difficult to get around or above 200 bhp.

I spoke to Hellier prior to getting him to do the engine.. Asked about the KV6.. He reckons a properly sorted K will leave it for dead..

I paid Hellier to do the head and to build the engine as Im no engine builder


My mates head has 'apparently' been ported and polished.. by someone unknown.. Its anyones guess what we will actually find..

Personally if anyone wants some head work done.. go for a reputed K series tuner

Dave Andrews
Sabre Heads
Hellier Performance

The water ways need doing during the work

My engine is not 'the ultimate' K series.. far far from it

Im running 633 cams.. If I ran better cams Id see more power.. but want the car drivable around town

The Emerald ECU will need setting up to get the most out of the engine

Looks fantastic DD. I bet it will go well too.

Hi D D I had my head done by Sabre 1 1/2 yrs ago good man