Newbie with a performance question

[CMF_TorchTheRed]

Hey everyone...

In the UK I had a 1994 1.0 Micra that was bloody brilliant - I did 70k in it over 3 years, it cruised happily at 80mph on the motorway, ran on the smell of a mechanic's armpit and cost me about £30 for each service. It was a bog standard manual.

So, I get across to NZ and go out looking for a replacement - found a tidy 1997 1.0 Collet (Jap import) at a good price and snapped it up. Its a standard auto with electric windows (luxury), air-con (what!) and power steering (in a car that weighs a quarter of my Landie, the mind boggles!).

Now I figured that a later model DOHC should give me the same, if not better, performance on the 100-or-so kms I do to get to and fro from work every day. Not the case - it battles with hills, the auto is up and down the whole time and I don't seem to be able to get much above 100 kph (shh, don't tell the coppers!) downhill with the wind behind me.

Has anyone got any cunning suggestions how I could raise the performance without spending a huge amount of money (hey, immigrants aren't paid much here!). Its just that I don't really want to replace it with something with more grunt if I can avoid it.

I'd appreciate anyone's advice... thanks in advance.

 

[CMF_Yom]

I can see your problem right now!

Powersteering and aircon adds a significant amount of strain on the little motor. Coupled with the very basic 3spd automatic tranmission in your car it makes for what I can imagine as a painfully slow example of a K11.

If your old K11 was an auto as well it was probably the CVT automatic which is much better suited the low power output of the 1.0L engine.

Unfortunately there's not an awful lot you can do to free up a few ponies from the old girl (lets stay realistic and appreciate that its just a 1.0L). Intake modifications and some extractors to improve the bottom end would be about as far as I would go on a daily driver to be honest.

Goodluck anyway.

 

[CMF_TorchTheRed]

The old one was a manual... far better drive I reckon. Although the aircon stays off, will it still affect the performance? Can I revert to standard steering in any way?

Hmmm... perhaps I should just find one with a straight-forward manual box, no PAS and no AC and just do a swop

 

[CMF_nz_aj]

I'd agree, sell it & buy one with a manual box. There was a 1L 5spd K11 on trademe 2 weeks ago with 113,000km where the owner was negotiated to $1700. It had a knackered throwout bearing that made lots of noise. I got my 1994 1L 5spd K11 for $1990, 131,000km about 8 months ago.

I have a manual K11 super S steering rack in the garage, still have to get around to fitting it. According to the spec sheets, the power steer models have a tighter turning circle, that's the only downside I forsee.

Another way is to remove power steer pump & hoses, remove all fluid from the rack by turning from lock to lock quickly with the front wheels removed. The ports of the rack can the be connected with part of the tubing that used to supply fluid to one end. The ports that go into the steering column should be plugged. A friends N14 has had this done although I don't know if it was picked up at WOF time.

The AC is only adding 20kg of weight & is disconnected by the electric clutch on the pulley. The AC can be nice in the summer & handy when the windows fog up in the winter.

I would say mine crusise happily at 128km/hr 80mph but it won't go faster than about 85mph.

 

[CMF_TorchTheRed]

Thanks for the info everyone - going to keep an eye on TradeMe, then! A mate owns a garage here so I'll have a chat with him about whether removing the pas would make it through a WOF... thanks aj.

 

[CMF_Yom]

I wouldnt bother removing the power steer. It wouldnt be a huge difference. Removing the aircon will bring more of a gain (going by the effects on performance by adding powersteering and afterwards adding aircon to an otherwise bare k11)

 

[CMF_m-hayes]

If you just want to get rid of the power steering,why not just take off the belt which drives the pump? That way if you don't notice the difference you can put it back on. You may also find the steering a bit heavy as power steering racks tend to be lower geared. Useful for the tightr stuff when going quickly ;-)

 

[CMF_TorchTheRed]

Is there any safety issue if I whip the belt off?

 

[CMF_Yom]

Yes because suddenly your waterpump has no belt to turn it.

 

[CMF_TorchTheRed]

Sorry Yom, just got back on and seen that... gave me a good laugh