turbo FTO dead :(

[Daz]

Havn't been online for ages (family stuff) but i thought i'd share this bad news!!

The car started acting up around xmas but thought it was just idle issues again but i was wrong. It got worse at end of march to then die last month. Garage finally got to look at it this week and at the minium its blown the heads. And without stripping it down (at a huge cost) to find exact fault they recomend replacing engine. I have for now taken the car back and i'm trying to decide my course of action.

First course is for me to strip down the engine myself and see it its just the head gaskets and if so get the heads skimmed and fit new gaskets and rebuild (i hope this is the option)

Second course same as first, but find a fractur in the block so take blocks of my other engine i have, get them and heads machined to match and rebuild.

Third course strip everything out fit my other gpx engine and revert back to standard

Forth course would be find damage is to bad so have to switch engine out so i could go down route of fitting my other stock engine in (garage reckons if detuned to under 300 bhp it can take it) with turbos fitted

Fifth course the same as above but before fitting engine get revelant parts forged to take higher bhp.

Sixth course one garage recomends is due to expences involved just bin engine sell remaing turbo kit etc and drop in and EVO 5-8 (Avoiding evo 4 due to thrust bearing weaknesses) they say pretty much plug and play.

Seventh option break it down and buy another car.

Eighth option willing to listen to other ideas??

[Bernard]

Sorry to hear Daz, you mention there detuning to under 300... What was it at?
I can't imagine over 300 going to the front wheels of an FTO made for an easy drive?

[Daz]

Sorry to hear Daz, you mention there detuning to under 300... What was it at?
I can't imagine over 300 going to the front wheels of an FTO made for an easy drive?

We appetently its already detuned to just under 290 it is mapped more for torque but when the garage looked at the map before xmas they reckoned they could remap to over 350 if i wanted it to, and thou the garage lads said the stock gpx engine i have if fitted would take the present map as they say the stock engine is good for 300 bhp if i go down that route of fitting the engine un-forged i would probably get them to remap it to about 250 bhp. And yes even at 290 it could be a female dog to drive if dropping the hammer, the torque steer could catch ya out... i'm just unsre which route to go down

[Bernard]

That'd be my choice, repair/rebuild, and retune to increase driveability while you're at it.
A slightly detuned setup might be more reliable too.

[Daz]

That'd be my choice, repair/rebuild, and retune to increase driveability while you're at it.
A slightly detuned setup might be more reliable too.

Yea i'm gonna do option one no matter what. So i can find what the damage is and hope its just a skim, snd maybe detune then aswell as i probably never use all the horses anyway, apart from the occaisional drive from the lights
I'm just hoping its not gonna become another money pit!! But i doe like the idea that if i am going to throw a tonne of money at her dropping in a reliable evo engine being the way to go

[Bernard]

Fully loaded cars put an Evo engine into their (ongoing) roadster project... worth having a gander at.
The VR4 has a pretty engine, probably more work though.

[Daz]

Problem with the Vr4 conversion is you have to bell out the bulkhead to get it to fit, more work more cost.

[Daz]

Fully loaded cars

Man they like their FTO's on that site... but an FTO pick up...a step to far!!!

[ljk1]

Was this running arp head bolts?

I know the previous owner had a new bottom end and decomp gasket, I wonder if he used the old head bolts.

Mine uses the same kit as this, transforms the FTO nicely

[Daz]

Was this running arp head bolts?

I know the previous owner had a new bottom end and decomp gasket, I wonder if he used the old head bolts.

Mine uses the same kit as this, transforms the FTO nicely

I'm not sure and can't check its been in the garage the last few weeks failing the mot big style, present cost trying to sort north of 1.6k trying to get it thru, if i knew all issues to start i would of sold/striped for parts but i'm in to deep to stop now. Will do a full report when done. To depressing to talk about right now.