Category Archives: Driving

What is an ECOTEC Powered TR4 Like?

In my post the other day about the ECOTEC TR4, I mentioned a video.  Got one to share – it is short and wobbly, but you’ll get the idea.  Now, before we get started keep in mind a few things:

  • Note how quiet the TR4 is.  Video was made with the windows up and the aluminium hardtop in place.
  • The engine has a redline of about 6500 revs.  You can hear the engine spool up and the powerband is indeed very sweet!
  • Some sorting out of the rear springs has to be made.  The car is a little bouncy.  The front is dead on, but a new set of rear springs has been ordered that will certainly make things even nicer
  • The ECOTEC has a handmade header.  It dumps into a 2.5″ pipe attached to a single baffled muffler and at the end a special made adapter with Supertrapp discs.  The Supertrapps really are nice and enable fine tuning of how much exhaust noise you want.  I think this one is spot on.

Well take a look…

I made this video with my iPhone4; it is not exactly great but you get the idea.  Hopefully I’ll post a better video in the next few days.

Hope you found this interesting.  The ECOTEC is indeed a very viable and excellent performing engine.  You have comments?  Questions?  Sure would like to hear from you, just fill in the “Comment” box below.

Riding and Driving the ECOTEC TR4

We have been riding and driving the ECOTEC TR4 on the road and it is quite simply amazing!

Today, I had a chance to finally ride and drive it.  As with every project it will need some debugging, adjusting and fine tuning but out of the box I can tell you it is one awesome ride.  Quite frankly, I can’t wait to get the 4 mile crate ECOTEC in bowtie6.

So what is it like?  The powerband on the ECOTEC is quite impressive.  Add to that a very lightweight body and you got yourself a very nimble sports car.  The 2.4 litre version is the way to go – the extra torque over the 2.2 is very pronounced and the extra hp’s are very welcome too.  The gearbox is quite amazing.  This is an Aisin five speed and it shifts very quick – the gear spacing will take some getting used to.  Another thing that will take some getting used to will be the clutch.  It travels very little before it engages.  It is not bad, just different.

The ECOTEC is fly by wire.  This means the gas pedal is not connected directly to the butterfly in the throttle body via cable.  Instead, the pedal is wired to the ECM and then the ECM tells the throttle body how much to open or close.  This is the exact same setup in my wife’s Chevy HHR.  This is very nice indeed!

I know all these words mean nothing unless they are backed up with a video.  No.  I don’t have one today, but maybe next weekend if the weather cooperates I’ll be able to make one and post it here.  So stay tuned…

Folks, the days of the 3.4 V6 as an option in British cars are over.  I can’t explain how awesome this four cylinder engine really is.  This engine revs to about 3500RPM’s very tamely.  The fun really begins around 4000RPM’s when the variable valve timing kicks in.  From there up to about 6500 (where the rev limiter jumps in) is just awesome – it really pushes you back in the seat.  Of course, the rev limiter will be coming out as soon as we can hook up a laptop and make a few ‘adjustments’.  That will be fun!