I've been thinking some more about the strange performance that I've been getting from my car. I had another read throught the manual that came with the E-Boost boost controller and figured that I might not have the sensitivity set up correct, so I'm slowly increasing it each time I drive the car until I notice some "wobble" on the boost pressure, at which point I'll knock the sensitivity back a little.
It could be that the boost controller is not responding quick enough with the wastegate control to maintain effective operation of the turbos, but I doubt this since I'd expect to see the boost pressure drop off in this scenario. But I'll try adjusting it nonetheless.
To see if my modifications make and change to performance, I've ordered a G-Meter to do some on the road diagnosis. Hopefully this should arrive in the next couple of weeks and I won't have to make frequent trips to Rica anymore.
I also had a look in the engine compartment yesterday, seeing if there would be space for charge coolers or increasing the size of the intercoolers. Looks like there's a couple of options that I could persue... including something interesting I read about candle wax... But whilst looking I noticed that the hose to the left intercooler has deteriorated quite badly with some nasty crack in the ninety degree elbow. It could be leaking, so I'll ask Jorrit to change it out when I next see him.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Ghibli versus BMW M3
I was sent this article a while back from Jarle in Norway, but never got around to posting it... until now!
Click on it to make it bigger.
Click on it to make it bigger.
Latest dyno results
I finally returned to Rica Engineering yesterday to get my car back on the dyno to see how it's performing. If you recall, I have previously mentioned that the car feels to be driving well, with good mid-range torque. Well, here's the results (appologies for the faint colours... seems the printer at Rica is running out of toner), which you can enlarge by clicking on the picture:
To be frank, I was a little disappointed with the results. The good news is that, as I suspected, the mid-range torque has improved significantly since the last time I was at the dyno, with power and torque shifting down the rev range and maximum torque now accessible at 4100rpm (where before it was at 5000rpm). This performance correlates directly with the set up of the boost controller, with the boost limit of 1.20 bar achieved at 4100rpm and held steady to the rev limit at 7200rpm.
But what happens after this is a little odd and I'm finding it difficult to determine what is causing it. From 4000rpm onwards, the rate of increase in engine power drops significantly and the torque curve drops away. The result is that the maximum engine power is 30hp less than it was previously, peaking at just under 300hp, where in the past I've had it running at just under 330hp.
I asked Roel at Rica to plot the air/fuel ratio, since I know from the last time I visited them that the mixture was running a bit rich. Indeed, at high revs the ratio was running below 0.8, so after a bit of convincing, I got him to lean it out a little. As you can see from the chart, the ratio is now maintained above 0.8 throughout the high rev range, but unfortunately this made no significant difference to the curves. As a side note, Roel seems reluctant to run the mixture any leaner than this, preferring to err on the side of caution and keep the mixture slightly rich so as not to over stress the engine and to help cooling a little at high revs.
I discussed the curves with Roel and it was his opinion that either the exhaust or the inlet temperature are constraining performance. I've given this some thought overnight and I'm not convinced.
On Enrico's pages there's a chart of a stock Ghibli torque and power curve (the torque is in different units, but just multiply by 10 to get approximate Nm values) which I've attached above. On these curves, there's no sudden change in gradient that I'm seeing on my curves. There seems to be a bit more inertia with my turbos spooling up too... mine have a bit more lag, but once they start spooling up they do so much quicker than the stock ones appear to do.
So, things are looking ok up to 4100rpm. At this stage, the boost controller opens up the wastegates and starts bypassing the compressors and suddenly there's a drop in the rate of power increase and a drop in torque. On the stock curves, the torque stays flat until about 5000rpm and on the Ghibli Cup, this is extended further to 6000rpm with more efficient bearings, as illustrated below.
I'd expect my results to be more akin to the Ghibli Cup ones, since my turbos have roller bearings and are "geared" for greater flowrates and should therefore be more efficient with higher revs. I also have a sports mufflers fitted which should flow better with high revs over the stock car.
For reference, here's an old dyno chart.
You can see that the car used to spool up much slower, which has been rectified by installing a free flowing inlet system and optimising the boost controller settings. However, the car used to produce considerably more power at the top end?
I don't think the inlet temperature can be the cause for the change since nothing has changed that could have increased the inlet temperature unless the efficieny of the intercoolers has changed since last time, which is unlikely. There may be a problem with the exhaust since I know one of the cats is not working and may be causing a restriction? But then I'd expect this to effect performance through the entire rev range, not just from 4000rpm and above?
I was thinking that it was maybe the timing that is out, but this hasn't been changed since the last dyno run. So I'm confused now to explain the difference. Any ideas?
To be frank, I was a little disappointed with the results. The good news is that, as I suspected, the mid-range torque has improved significantly since the last time I was at the dyno, with power and torque shifting down the rev range and maximum torque now accessible at 4100rpm (where before it was at 5000rpm). This performance correlates directly with the set up of the boost controller, with the boost limit of 1.20 bar achieved at 4100rpm and held steady to the rev limit at 7200rpm.
But what happens after this is a little odd and I'm finding it difficult to determine what is causing it. From 4000rpm onwards, the rate of increase in engine power drops significantly and the torque curve drops away. The result is that the maximum engine power is 30hp less than it was previously, peaking at just under 300hp, where in the past I've had it running at just under 330hp.
I asked Roel at Rica to plot the air/fuel ratio, since I know from the last time I visited them that the mixture was running a bit rich. Indeed, at high revs the ratio was running below 0.8, so after a bit of convincing, I got him to lean it out a little. As you can see from the chart, the ratio is now maintained above 0.8 throughout the high rev range, but unfortunately this made no significant difference to the curves. As a side note, Roel seems reluctant to run the mixture any leaner than this, preferring to err on the side of caution and keep the mixture slightly rich so as not to over stress the engine and to help cooling a little at high revs.
I discussed the curves with Roel and it was his opinion that either the exhaust or the inlet temperature are constraining performance. I've given this some thought overnight and I'm not convinced.
On Enrico's pages there's a chart of a stock Ghibli torque and power curve (the torque is in different units, but just multiply by 10 to get approximate Nm values) which I've attached above. On these curves, there's no sudden change in gradient that I'm seeing on my curves. There seems to be a bit more inertia with my turbos spooling up too... mine have a bit more lag, but once they start spooling up they do so much quicker than the stock ones appear to do.
So, things are looking ok up to 4100rpm. At this stage, the boost controller opens up the wastegates and starts bypassing the compressors and suddenly there's a drop in the rate of power increase and a drop in torque. On the stock curves, the torque stays flat until about 5000rpm and on the Ghibli Cup, this is extended further to 6000rpm with more efficient bearings, as illustrated below.
I'd expect my results to be more akin to the Ghibli Cup ones, since my turbos have roller bearings and are "geared" for greater flowrates and should therefore be more efficient with higher revs. I also have a sports mufflers fitted which should flow better with high revs over the stock car.
For reference, here's an old dyno chart.
You can see that the car used to spool up much slower, which has been rectified by installing a free flowing inlet system and optimising the boost controller settings. However, the car used to produce considerably more power at the top end?
I don't think the inlet temperature can be the cause for the change since nothing has changed that could have increased the inlet temperature unless the efficieny of the intercoolers has changed since last time, which is unlikely. There may be a problem with the exhaust since I know one of the cats is not working and may be causing a restriction? But then I'd expect this to effect performance through the entire rev range, not just from 4000rpm and above?
I was thinking that it was maybe the timing that is out, but this hasn't been changed since the last dyno run. So I'm confused now to explain the difference. Any ideas?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Zagato's Maserati GS
I received an email from Enrico this week with pictures of Zagato's concept Maserati GS with the following text:
"Fashionable Italian custom car builder Zagato, which is based in Milan, is to unveil a dazzling two-seater at the Concours d'Elegance Villa d'Este.
The Maserati GS by Zagato is set to be a real showstopper.
It is based on the Maserati GranSport Spyder but is about 25cm shorter.
According to Zagato the GS has "excellent handling and stability on curves, with extraordinary torsional rigidity".
The car is striking with its all-aluminum bodywork and prominent logos: the trident on the bonnet and the Z on the wing.
Zagato said the vehicle was commissioned by Italian entrepreneur Paolo Boffi. The company said it proposed a vehicle "that evoked the historical Maserati A6 G Zagato of 1954."
I read in a magazine article the other week an interview with Maserati's chief designer, who hinted that Maserati were going to releas a third car in their line up which would be of a more sporting nature, to complement the GranTourismo and the executive Quatroporte. Could this be it?
It's certainly a stunning looking car, with a nice blend of creases and curves, but it doesn't sit well with the current family styling shared by the Pininfarina designed GranTourismo and Quatroporte. My guess is that the third car will come from Pininfarina, since they seem to have forged a bit of a relationship with Maserati of late, with the two current cars and also with last year's concept Birdcage 75th.
Leather Care
Following some advice I received from a fellow Maserati enthusiast, I decided to perform some maintenance on the interior of my Ghibli at the weekend (plus it was a good excuse to get outside and enjoy the sun!).Last week I purchased some AutoGlym Leather Care cream (there's a local AutoGlym stockist and if it's good enough for the British Royals, then it's good enough for me!). I was a bit hesitant, since the interior of my car has been pretty well maintained and is not exposed to heavy use or to prolonged exposure to ultra-violet light. However, I soon realised that after 15 years the leather had dried out considerably and was sucking up the cream as I applied it liberally throughout the interior of the car. It also drove home the abundent amount of leather that is utilised in the interior of the Ghibli... it took me a good couple of hours to treat all the leather surfaces in the car!
Overall, I was happy with the results. There's not a big impact on the appearance of the leather, but it certainly feels much better, leaving a much smoother surface texture!
The manufacturer recommends re-applying the cream every two months. I think this is a bit overkill and will probably do it once a year instead. It was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours though... it's doing things like this that really help you appreciate and acquire a better general understanding and feel for the car.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Record sales for Maserati at AutoRAI
My wife was browsing through the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf and spotted a short report on Maserati, reporting that they sold thirty-two cars at the motorshow this year, twenty-nine of the new GranTurismos and three Quatroportes.
Looks like the future's looking rosy for Maserati!
Looks like the future's looking rosy for Maserati!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Jonny's Ghibli is on the map!
I noticed that the Maserati community has started tracking the loction of its car owners on the internet, so I couldn't resist adding my car to the list.
Why not add yours!
Why not add yours!
Monday, April 09, 2007
Ghibli nice and clean
Since moving house last year, I have to admit that I've neglected the Ghibli a little. Well, today was a holiday, so I took the opportunity to give the car a wash. It certainly needed it... I was pretty suprised how quick the water in the bucket turned black. But it was well worth the effort... it brought a smile to my face to see the car looking so good... the car's coming up to it's 15th birthday this year and the car is still on its original paint, but it still has a nice deep shine. In fact, one elderly gentleman cycled past and commented that it looked as good as new!
Here's a picture...
To dry the car off a little before putting it back in the garage, I went for a quick drive (well, it was a good excuse to go for a quick drive... I'm really enjoying driving the car at the moment since it's running really well since its 60k service). On the way I drove past another Ghibli driver in a silver GT. Needless to say, when I gave him a flash of my lights he responded with an enthusiastic wave... It's great being a member of the Maserati community!
Anyway, I'm getting some new bolts for the wheels tomorrow (longer ones on the front and maybe some locking bolts all around to stop the temptation for anyone to steal them) and in a week or two I'll be getting new bumpers and the bumps rolled out. So plenty to keep me busy for a few weeks...
Here's a picture...
To dry the car off a little before putting it back in the garage, I went for a quick drive (well, it was a good excuse to go for a quick drive... I'm really enjoying driving the car at the moment since it's running really well since its 60k service). On the way I drove past another Ghibli driver in a silver GT. Needless to say, when I gave him a flash of my lights he responded with an enthusiastic wave... It's great being a member of the Maserati community!
Anyway, I'm getting some new bolts for the wheels tomorrow (longer ones on the front and maybe some locking bolts all around to stop the temptation for anyone to steal them) and in a week or two I'll be getting new bumpers and the bumps rolled out. So plenty to keep me busy for a few weeks...
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Amsterdam AutoRAI
Of course, there were some other cars at the Amsterdam AutoRAI motorshow apart from the Granturismo, such as the oh so pretty Alfa 8C Spider pictured below, which the soft top version of probably my favourite modern production car.
I've uploaded some pictures of non-Maserati cars (including the lovely Alfa) which you can view below. I should take this opportunity to thank my lovely wife for getting me a free ticket to the show, since I probably wouldn't have gone otherwise (instead putting the money in the piggy bank for either a new GranTurismo or an Alfa 8C, but most likely the former since the Alfa is limited edition and I think they're already sold out).
Enjoy the pictures!
I've uploaded some pictures of non-Maserati cars (including the lovely Alfa) which you can view below. I should take this opportunity to thank my lovely wife for getting me a free ticket to the show, since I probably wouldn't have gone otherwise (instead putting the money in the piggy bank for either a new GranTurismo or an Alfa 8C, but most likely the former since the Alfa is limited edition and I think they're already sold out).
 |
| AutoRAI |
Enjoy the pictures!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Maserati at the AutoRAI
Well, I managed to get onto the Maserati stand at the Amsterdam AutoRAI... rather easily in the end. I asked if I could enter the stand and was told it was by invitation only. So I told them that I'd been invited the Geneva show but couldn't make it and they let me straight on!
I'm glad I did... since the GranTurismo is far nicer in the flesh than it looks on the pictures! Maserati have come a long way in build quality and the car looked and felt very solid and well put together. The car is a little larger than I anticipated, much wider than my Ghibli and certainly a lot longer. I think the majority of this extra length is at the front of the car, with that very long bonnet. The front wheels are set very far forward, leaving very little overhang at the front of the car.
Inside, there's undoubtedly more space than in the Ghibli, but not as much as you'd be led to believe from press articles. Since I'm pretty tall at 1.99m, I had to have the seat all the way back, which only left 15cm of so behind the driver's seat and the rear paseenger seat. Still, that's 15cm more than in my Ghibli, where the drivers seat is right up against the rear passenger seat!
When I first saw pictures of the new Maserati, I was a little uncertain as to whether I liked it. I left the AutoRAI with good impressions of the car though and if I had the money I'd certainly be considering getting one. It's a class above a Porsche 911 and offers much more value... it's an exclusive brand and won't fail to turn heads when driving down the street. I'd love to have heard the engine... will maybe have to pay a visit to the dealer just for that I think.
Anyway, as promised, here's some exclusive pictures of the car!
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| Maserati GranTurism |
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Bumpers Ordered
I phoned Jorrit at Auto Forza a couple of days ago and arranged for him to order me some new bumpers. So as soon as they arrive I'll book the car in and get the bumpers replaced and have a couple of dents rolled out of the body. The car will then be looking as good as new, so I'll be able to post a few more more pictures, hopefully within a couple of weeks time.
In the meantime, I've been looking again at installing a data logger on the Ghibli, probably PLX Devices R-500 unit, pictured below.
I'd like to tie this into some of the Ghibli's electrical devices so that I can get a snapshot of the car's current performance so that I can monitor it and get an early indication of when things are not running smoothly. I'd also like to use the data as a reference for making future alterations to the car, in order to gaugue more accurately the impact that they're having on the performance of the car.
However, I need to find some "current thief" devices that I can use to clamp onto existing electical lines in order to prevent having to break the insulation on these wires to tap into the electrical signals. So I'm doing some research on this... but if anyone has any experience on this I'd love to hear from you!
In the meantime, I've been looking again at installing a data logger on the Ghibli, probably PLX Devices R-500 unit, pictured below.
I'd like to tie this into some of the Ghibli's electrical devices so that I can get a snapshot of the car's current performance so that I can monitor it and get an early indication of when things are not running smoothly. I'd also like to use the data as a reference for making future alterations to the car, in order to gaugue more accurately the impact that they're having on the performance of the car.
However, I need to find some "current thief" devices that I can use to clamp onto existing electical lines in order to prevent having to break the insulation on these wires to tap into the electrical signals. So I'm doing some research on this... but if anyone has any experience on this I'd love to hear from you!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
AutoRAI
Appologies for not writing for so long! Things have been a bit hectic and I was away on holiday for a couple of weeks.
The bad news is that I missed the Geneva motor show and the unveiling of the new GranTurismo last month. The good news is that it looks like I'm off to the AutoRAI in Amsterdam this weekend, so I'll take my camera along and see if I can get some good pictures of the new car to post here. Assuming that Maserati will let me on their stand that is... I've written to them asking for access, but I've not heard anything back yet. So I'm hoping that if I take my keys along with me that they'll see that I'm an owner and let me in!
I have managed to drive the Ghibli since my last posting. It's running well, but there's a couple of things that I need to get sorted over the next month or two. First of all... the bumpers still need replacing. Might just give Jorrit a call and ask him to sort it all out, including rolling out a couple of dents.
Also, the pin that sits in the hinge mechanism of the door on the passenger side of the car has fallen out, which means that the door makes a lound crack/bang noise when it is opened. It's not causing any damage, but it worries me so I need to get that sorted.
And I stil need to get some new bolts for my front wheels. The current ones are a bit too short and are on the limit with only a couple of threads (the minimum amount) holding the wheels to the hub. Assuming that the local wheel dealers are open on Friday (since it's Easter holidays), I'll try and get this sorted then.
In the meantime, one of my friends did make it to the Geneva show and managed to get a few pictures of the new car, which I've attached below (thanks Martin).
He also got a picture of what is probably my favourite car at the moment, the Alfa 8C (although he seemed more intent on photographing the ladies on the stands rather than the cars).
I actually saw the concept of this car unveiled at the Frankfurt motorshow a couple of years ago (a deep red colour) and fell in love with it then... I have a picture of it somewhere that I'll have to try and dig out.
The bad news is that I missed the Geneva motor show and the unveiling of the new GranTurismo last month. The good news is that it looks like I'm off to the AutoRAI in Amsterdam this weekend, so I'll take my camera along and see if I can get some good pictures of the new car to post here. Assuming that Maserati will let me on their stand that is... I've written to them asking for access, but I've not heard anything back yet. So I'm hoping that if I take my keys along with me that they'll see that I'm an owner and let me in!
I have managed to drive the Ghibli since my last posting. It's running well, but there's a couple of things that I need to get sorted over the next month or two. First of all... the bumpers still need replacing. Might just give Jorrit a call and ask him to sort it all out, including rolling out a couple of dents.
Also, the pin that sits in the hinge mechanism of the door on the passenger side of the car has fallen out, which means that the door makes a lound crack/bang noise when it is opened. It's not causing any damage, but it worries me so I need to get that sorted.
And I stil need to get some new bolts for my front wheels. The current ones are a bit too short and are on the limit with only a couple of threads (the minimum amount) holding the wheels to the hub. Assuming that the local wheel dealers are open on Friday (since it's Easter holidays), I'll try and get this sorted then.
In the meantime, one of my friends did make it to the Geneva show and managed to get a few pictures of the new car, which I've attached below (thanks Martin).
He also got a picture of what is probably my favourite car at the moment, the Alfa 8C (although he seemed more intent on photographing the ladies on the stands rather than the cars).
I actually saw the concept of this car unveiled at the Frankfurt motorshow a couple of years ago (a deep red colour) and fell in love with it then... I have a picture of it somewhere that I'll have to try and dig out.
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