MarkJHarris Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Hi, does anyone have experience of Alan and Martyn Jeffrey's work down in Plympton? I read his column in Total Impreza and was only down the road last week so popped in to visit. I found them very friendly, knowledgable and helpful, and may very well give them my business unless I hear any bad reports. Loads of Scoobies and Evos plus a few Cossies about the workshops. My head gaskets have gone and I have to drive with the boost solenoid disconnected for safety right now. I know they are the other end of the country from me but close to my works' headquarters so do-able. £3,500 to drive in and collect three weeks later. Engine out, rebuild with Wiseco forged pistons/rods, ACF bearings, Cosworth cometic gaskets, head studs, valve and head rebuild. All gaskets, engine in, run it in and then dyno and RACEROM map and set up. I could get the lump out myself. They charge £1850 all in for the short but it's about £1000 for everything else to do it myself plus I have to go on the ferry across to get it mapped correctly afterwards anyway. Very tempted. Their 2.5 cars usually come out with 500bhp once they change the turbo and FMIC them, but it future proofs the car really. Opinions? Link to comment
oohaohh Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I've not used them in a while, but I was very pleased when they set up my mini several years ago. Though that was a simple rolling road session to sort out the fueling on my SU carb. Living in Torbay it would either be them or Rowleys in cullompton. Both of which have given me good service. Though only used either a handful of times. If it helps any I am planning to take my Mini Clubman to Alan once complete as soon as it's finished. I'm hoping they can get my V8 singing. Cheers James Link to comment
phil r Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 used both currently using rowleys been very pleased phill is a really nice bloke Link to comment
jd Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Take the car to Alan and Martyn, you wont be dissapointed. Been using them for the last 4+ years and wont use anyone else. Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Thanks for the feedback. Car booked in so over and driving down tomorrow..... Link to comment
spect Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Just had mine remapped there with Racerom. Good results for my WRX. Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Thanks again folks. On the ferry tomorrow morning so should be with Alan by 3-4pm. Getting this done is a bit like a marriage vow...can't sell the car for a long time now.....but at least it will be ready and willing if I want to upgrade the turbo, etc later on. Just got to work out how to get home now.... Link to comment
jd Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Say hello to mine whilst you are there. Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Which one is yours and I'll pat the roof for you....? Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 err, ok. It'll be quite late in the afternoon when I get there so I'll try not to wake it up if it's resting. What work are you having done if I might be so bold to ask? Link to comment
spect Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 You will not see it as Martyn will be ragging it up the A38, lol Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Running in as it's called I believe.... Link to comment
phil r Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 You will not see it as Martyn will be ragging it up the A38, lol l have seen it out and about a few times now must be being used as a curtasy car Link to comment
stum450n Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Hell of a courtesy - saw it just outside Birmingham recently when I was up there... Must've been doing at least 120 through the camera zones Link to comment
spect Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Blimey, must have run out of the go go gas then, cos that was slow Link to comment
spect Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Dream on Steve, u are the only one NOT doing that in yr car, lol Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 JD, Alan says hi, and your car is tucked up in the back of his garage under a cover, not at the workshop and kept well away from Martyn. Nice way to store your UK car, eh? 4 weeks to wait till I can go and get mine back. I'll just have to enjoy the bikes for a bit. Link to comment
jd Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 JD, Alan says hi, and your car is tucked up in the back of his garage under a cover, not at the workshop and kept well away from Martyn. Nice way to store your UK car, eh? 4 weeks to wait till I can go and get mine back. I'll just have to enjoy the bikes for a bit. :lol: :lol: :lol: Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Well, Alan sent me the pictures of the rods, pistons and block, so I'm properly eager to get her back now! Hopefully ready for me on the 28th to run in overnight..... Full spec is K1 forged rods, Wiseco Pistons, ACF bearings, balanced standard 2.5 STi cranks, AP organic clutch. That lot is good for about 700hp if needed.... Standard turbo and air filter, etc with de-cat downpipe and Prodrive back box. RACEROM mapping hpefully on the 29th after a few laps of the M25 overnight.... One with all the bells and whistles, one for commuting/shopping about town. A WRX could blow me away with that map running.......but I'll have petrol left when he runs out... Link to comment
MarkJHarris Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) Well that was an interesting two days....... Train from Exeter to Plymouth after work and a nice two hour walk up to Alan's for exercise. (Fail due to inability to pass the Mcdonald's nearby!!). Got the car at 4pm and went back to Exeter for a rest then set off on LeGrandTour to run it in a bit for the Dyno. A30-A303-M3-M25-M4-M5...yawn. Sunset to sunrise then a few hours kip and back to Plymouth for the Dyno. Hmm. Hapy bunny. The Vibration it always had right at the bottom end which I put down to it being a 4wd tractor was actually a cracked spark plug. Doh. The engine smokes a bit, quite oily, but is turbine smooth all the way and quite eager. The Clutch is hardly any heavier than O.E. and futureproof. So, Standard map- 276bhp. (It was 1020mb pressure on the day so the dyno reduces raw figures by 4%- important on comparisons). Softened the boost as it comes in to make it slightly smoother but otherwise standard, but leaned out from the Subaru (safety) ratio as I run on V power. 309.2bhp. Nice. Second map is basically boosting at the turbo's maximum capacity. 1.5BAR trailing down to 1BAR. First run was 319, then 323, etc. Bearing in mind the old engine was Dynoed with this boost at 362 bhp and 390lbft, but at a pressure of 980mb, then my final run peak of 344.5bhp and 375lbft was pretty similar if not slightly better. As Martyn said, it's got 750 miles on it and running on mineral oil...plus it used to have a Scoobyworld 3" system and now has a standard half rotten mid section and prodrive back box on. VERY glad to have it back. Now up to 1050 miles and smooth but still quite oily. At least it's cheapo oil... I have to say I like the RACEROM. I have the launch control, and flat foot shifting options in, and they work very well. The shifting keeps the rpm within 100rpm of the point you touch the clutch and only works on full throttle. There's a slight clunk but it works perfectly when changing down(if your chosen gear isn't enough) or up. Launch control holds it at 4,500rpm and i didn't have the downshift blipper option set, because I can work both feet perfectly well myself thank you. All in all, an expensive way to fix a leaky head gasket Am I tempted to check the price for the headers, full 3" system and SC46 turbo and perrrin stealth FMIC? err...... Oh, and JD, your car needs a wash! Looks similar to my R/C 1/10th scale blobby body- can you get all those stickers made up in 1/10th scale by any chance. Edited June 30, 2011 by MarkJHarris Link to comment
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