Twin Spark Swap Owner's Satisfaction Survey

[Biba69]

The swap being you removed an Alfa engine to install a TS.

I'm just curious as to how many would do it again, knowing what they know now?

On a personal basis I like what I hear regarding the low end torque being stronger. What would you say, a bit stronger, much stronger, a whole bunch stronger?

What about the rest of the rev band? Stronger?

I assume the engine is smoother running than the nord engine. A lot smoother, or just a bit smoother?

While I'm not planning on doing it, but I am wondering if perhaps any of you regretted not hotting it up a bit since you're not noticing that much difference?

Yes, terribly scientific survey.

If the person with the TS swap into a 2600 convertible is on the BB, I'd be curious as to your reaction. You obviously lost more than a few cc's.

One more thing, when filling out the 'form' please include what fuel management system you are using. If aftermarket, please also include the brand.

Biba

[Max Banks]

Hi Biba,

Great thread topic!

Honestly... best thing since sliced bread! I would really never fit anything but a twin spark in another of my cars. I have run my current 2.0 T/S for 15,000 awesome miles now and am completely hooked. I run mine on 45mm Webers and 3-D mapped ignition - ultimate beauty and driveability. Low and mid range is amazing, you can put your foot flat from 1500rpm and it will pull cleanly through to 7,200rpm... not bad considering its got 198BHP! When I go to trackdays such as at the Nurburgring Nordschleife I have genuine BMW E46 M3 and Porsche 996 Carrera 2 performance. (Attached is a photo of a 996 GT3 about to get gobbled up at the Ring!)

A nord couldn't dream of the mid range, or quite frankly the maximum output of a t/s. Even with all the cleverest head work you really cannot get within 15BHP of the equivalent t/s, added to the fact that you then have nothing below 4,500rpm either - its really a no brainer choice for the ultimate fast road/trackday motor.

We have now swapped to a t/s in our race car as well - the Dutch Alfa Trofeo and French Modified Historic Saloon Championship that we race in allow such an engine, honestly its the single greatest lap time upgrade we have ever made - including moving to slicks! In race traffic its streets ahead of a Nord, the mid range punch just nails you past anything this side of IMSA 75s. We have more power all the way from 5,500 -through to 7,200rpm than we have seen as an absolute maximum output from a Nord... imagine that on track!

Anyone else as over excited as me?!?!!?

[Biba69]

Max, to be honest I was envisioning folks that have installed a TS in their street car replying. However, it is also good to know they hold up well in racing mode. Did you by any chance use Jim Kartalamakis's book as a reference guide when bringing your engine up to 198BHP? I have his second (and first) book and he really is a Weber fan.

Do you care to 'share' any of the specs of your modifications to get the increased HP, or at least point to the general area of your major modifications? It seems to be pretty much a given the head gets the majority of attention on a nord engine set up for racing. Of course you made mods to the head, but I have to assume far fewer than one would on a nord engine - or not?

While not the stock Motronic, but I'd think fuel injection would be one of the ways to increased HP, even more so than 45's. But hey, I'm here to learn.

One of my goals with this thread is to take TS swaps out of being a secret society - with each TS owner/modifier being their own secret society. If I had one in a race car I might be relunctant to share detailed info, but for the non-race folk, why not give details of yours so others 'in the same boat' can benefit?

Biba

[Bruce Colby]

I have 2. One is for the street and I drive it daily. It is a stock Motronic setup in a '69 GTV. It's GREAT! The other is for the track. It was carburated (Weber 45's and slightly hotter cams) but it s now a "chipped" Motronic car. It's a '65 Sprint GT. In that I changed from carbs to FI, you can assume I like the FI better. Frankly, I'd put a TS in my Jr Z if it would fit.

[Paradiso]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Colby ... but it s now a "chipped" Motronic car.

[Max Banks]

Never read Jim's book but I am aware of his work. Key to t/s power is in clever cam design. IMO the only way to get more power on injection that carbs is to use throttle bodies, I still haven't been able to justify the cost of a good throttle body system, a cheap one is worse than carbs. Especially given the drivability that you get by using a 3-D mapped ignition system with Webers. Its not all racing stuff.... the 198BHP version in my GTA Replica (whith white screen banner) is my road car, very definately not a race car!

[Bruce Colby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradiso Squadra????

[mbrann]

I've had a twinspark in my 74 GTV for several years now. And I have absolutely no regrets. The low end is noticebly stronger and it pulls smoothly up to redline. My TS is mostly "stock" in that I used the stock FI and igntion. I do have slightly hotter cams and chip but that only improved the upper rpms slightly I'd say. I'm not sure the cams and chip were worth it for daily driving though.

Overall, I'd say that the car drives the way I always thought it should. My car wasn't particularly stock when I bought it and I've continued to have lots of fun with it since.

[han]

My experiens with ts transpant with 40mm carbs and C@B camshafts is that it is a nice car too drive but i like the old nord engine both my nord and ts engine have 150 bhp and the nord with almost 200Nm and the ts with 185Nm.

But i feel that if you are running close too stock you realy need the injection because you need the camshaft adjuster for good torque, my problem is that the ports are too big for carbs, if you drive with 2000 rpm and you go on the gas due too the total calaps off vacuum the car stumbles.


For absolud bhp the ts is thet best.


.

[sfourza]

Great thread, Biba, and I look forward to more comments. I'll give my opinion after I get my TS GT Jr back on the road. The original rebuild before installation before I bought the car left a lot to be desired and I blew a head gasket (probably due to detonation) on the track last month. We don't know if the head had been shaved too much, but we're going to try a copper gasket. Mine is a 75 engine with 45 Webers and a Steck 8-wire distributor. It definitely has torque but I wasn't that happy with the top end. We'll see what a proper rebuild and fine tuning produces before considering non-stock cams ala Banks.
Sfourza

[mbrann]

Just an additional little comment.

I went into this conversion a little blind and naive perhaps but I had to do it. When I did my conversion no one was making any parts for this swap. Jim Steck hadn't yet done a TS and there was no conversion bible at that time. My very talented mechanic (Bob Vollner) did a great job sorting through it all and I continue to enjoy every minute in the car. The only real question was the header and the good people at Ricambi were very helpful to me in realizing my conversion.

I would think by now this conversion would almost be "straight forward". Again, I might be a bit naive.

[Biba69]

I'm sure there those who are considerably more intuitive than others when it comes to swapping. Also, if they are familiar with electronic fuel injection, know how to trouble shoot it, and are retaining it when installing, I would assume it is pretty 'straight forward' for them.

One of the reasons I phrased it - "...would do it again, knowing what they (you) know now?" - is for those where the installation wasn't straight forward. Meaning was the struggle worth it? I'll be installing my TS in an Alfetta GT which has some different problems than for someone installing one in a Spider or GTV. 'We' can bolt up the exhaust using the stock TS exhaust manifolds and can retain the TS sump pan, however there is a hood interference problem with the front of the engine.

Mostly I want to hear if its worth it but certainly wouldn't mind if there was some exchange of 'tips'. I gather most are not too happy with the choice of aftermarket air cleaner (I agree) and wouldn't it be great if someone came up with an air cleaner which physically fits in both 'types' of Alfa and looks like it belongs there?

But, please, keep the 'owner satisfaction' comments coming in.

Biba

[Insoc]

Any chance that you have done a search here?

There are many people who have already described the merits of doing it. Not one that I recall was negative.

It is good to see in your last post what specific areas you have questions about, that should get you answers.

[Dino246]

Mine was just a trial engine as I now fit them for willing customers. It has stock internals linished polished balanced, gas-flowed head etc etc and now runs 45mm Webers.

I carried out all the work myself, that is converting the intake manifold to host the Webers, modified a datsun distributer, and removed the variator on the inlet cam and welded it completely advanced. This was all hugely labor intensive!

By no means a cheap exercise, but yet what is...

Mine is in need of some dyno work, it has a flat spot at aound 2000rpm, im not sure if this is a result of what 'han' stated: 'But i feel that if you are running close too stock you realy need the injection because you need the camshaft adjuster for good torque, my problem is that the ports are too big for carbs, if you drive with 2000 rpm and you go on the gas due too the total calaps off vacuum the car stumbles.'

I am also getting the distributer tested soon as i have no idea of what the curve is doing, in fact i haven't had the cap off it since modifying it and starting her up. It is probably pretty soft at the moment, and with modern fuels you can get a lot more advance in early. Probably if i did another for myself i would look into programmable ignition, however i do like the look of the 10 lead monster!

The TS now with the 45's and almost run in, is very responsive, i guess the 4.5kg flywheel helps! It pulls very hard and is so willing to rev, it really does just want to keep on going... Torque is phenomenal throughout the rev range and for a road going motor you couldn't get near it with a nord.

Maybe with all the time and effort put in, it may have been worth while 'warming' it up a bit more, but for a road going car its a super driver, and if nothing else, I think it looks pretty good (if she dont go, chrome it!)

[Biba69]

James, I've not done a search but have been trying for some time to make a point of reading anything regarding the TS on this forum. However, it could be listed in one of a myriad places and often regards asking for advice on a problem (nothing wrong with that).

While I'm not trying to start a Twin Spark register here, but felt it would be nice if those who have gone through the swap list it on one thread.

Unless I'm missing something, the two main differences of these swaps is which model it was installed in and what fuel system is being used.

I did assume most are pleased by the results of the swap, but wanted to get a general idea of 'how pleased'.

If someone has listed this info elsewhere and perhaps included a photo, or several, what's wrong with also listing it here?

Dino246, thanks for going into some detail regarding your labor of love. It is truly a work of art. I have to say, once all of the Motronic items have been stripped away, it sure looks purty. Actually with those angled air horns, it looks a lot like a 'somewhat' very trick vintage race engine.

What surprises me is that it appears as if most TS swappers have used the 45's. To my way of thinking this makes it a modern version of the GTA engine - no bad thing. But I do continue to feel that a well sorted out aftermarket EFI system would be the ideal for these engines - though I don't know a thing about them, let alone which one works 'best' in the TS.

Years ago a group of us were at a fellows Jaguar shop. If you've ever seen one of the engine bays on a mid 80's Jag V12, you know what a nightmare of hard and flex lines there is. He'd installed a V12 using an aftermarket EFI in a hot rod and it was extremely clean under the hood - as opposed to an engine that the engineers kept adding peripheral 'stuff' until they got the engine to run right and 'pass smog'.

What's neat about photos of these engine bays is no two are exactly alike. I'd sure love to see one with a supercharger installed.

Biba