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Lotus in the Peak
28th - 30th June 2024

S2 Exige S vs S3 Elise S/220


DanP

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Hi all

It's been a while!

Last year I decided I needed more power, and parted company with my NA S2 to get something SC'd. It was fantastic in the traffic, but on the track there was not enough power for me to ever worry about breaking traction. And I wanted more things to worry about :-)

After getting some funds together, Im now in a position to be able to get something supercharged. I fancy one of those modern S3 Elises. There is also the S2 SC, but Ive heard that SC can overheat on the track. That's something that shouldn't happen to an S2 Exige, with its great big air scoop, but you might imaging that could also happen to a super charged S3 elises, such as the Elise S or the Elise 220/250/etc. 

So my question is: whether the supercharged variants of the S3 elise have any overheating issues on the track?

Thanks guys!

Dan

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13 hours ago, DanP said:

Hi all

It's been a while!

Last year I decided I needed more power, and parted company with my NA S2 to get something SC'd. It was fantastic in the traffic, but on the track there was not enough power for me to ever worry about breaking traction. And I wanted more things to worry about :-)

After getting some funds together, Im now in a position to be able to get something supercharged. I fancy one of those modern S3 Elises. There is also the S2 SC, but Ive heard that SC can overheat on the track. That's something that shouldn't happen to an S2 Exige, with its great big air scoop, but you might imaging that could also happen to a super charged S3 elises, such as the Elise S or the Elise 220/250/etc. 

So my question is: whether the supercharged variants of the S3 elise have any overheating issues on the track?

Thanks guys!

Dan

Hi Dan, 

Having had a s2 exige s260 and doing allot of research I hope this helps you.. 

 

First off it's not the supercharger that overheats, its the induction air that gets hot causing what's referred to as heat soak. Elise's don't have a intercooler and run a smaller supercharger the mp45 unit which is capable of 220bhp. 

In the s2 exige the unit is a mp62 fitted with a intercooler mounted over the engine itself, which isn't ideal. The more it's pushed obviously the hotter the engine gets, heating the metal intercooler itself. 

Several very in depth tests show that the roof scoop system, small and large scoops do assist in the cooling, the larger option only over around 110 iirc. The smaller scoop was actually more affective upto that is better as its not taking the hot air from the radiator straight off the windscreen into the scoop. 

The biggest issue is the scoops feed directly into a letter box which is very constricted, hence why if you stay the intercooler route, the bigger proalloy unit with side scoop additional feeds. 

 

The best all round is to go charge cooled and negate all the above issues.

 

Back to the elise front... Also bear in mind that the s2 sc and s3 sc are 2 different engines... You either get the s2 with the rev happy 2zzge or the newer 2zrge which dosnt have the high rpm scream which I loved on second cam.  IIRC  the higher powered s3 variants also run a charge cooler system but I may be completely wrong on that. 

Another Option is to find a very rare S3 RGB Elise, which had the very last of the 2zz engine in an s3 body.

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Hello Dan,

I've also previously owned an S2 Exige S260  with the 2ZZ engine but currently have an S2/3 Elise S Cup (220) with the 2ZR engine, Both are different mainly down to the power delivery and rev range.

The Exige S260 probably has more character and all hell breaks loose when the power band kicks in just below 5K rpm right up to 8K where as the Elise with 220 2ZR has a more linear power delivery from below 3K rpm through to 7K.

Which one is better, I'm not sure..... Both have pro's and cons. The power delivery of the Elise is definitely more usable and requires less gear changes on track but as said lacks the character and the explosiveness of the 2ZZ.

In regards heat soak, I definitely experienced this 1st hand with the Exige at Le Mans and few years back but had no such issues with the Elise this year at Le Mans in 35c temperatures, This is due to the Elise being charge-cooled.

Also, 2ZR has more torque :tup:

Andy.

PS - There's a few of us on track at Donny on 29th Oct, your welcome to a PAX lap in mine and I'm sure there will be a Exige S that someone will be happy to take you out in.

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For anyone interested and with a spare half an hour, here's the thread I was referring to in my earlier post.

https://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f157/2007-exige-s-intercooler-air-flow-study-59117/

 

The max reading was 1100 fpm at about 80mph, that implies a flow of around 715 cfm. With just fettling and the Cup roof, only about 275 cfm flowed through the I/C at 80mph. So if this data is accurate, I've increased the flow through my intercooler 2.6x, over a fettled clam with a Cup roof only.

EH_fettle.jpg

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Thanks guys. Im a lot clearer now. Heat soak - that was the word I was looking for! 

The S2 exiges have more character, and command a strong price because of it. Consequently a S3 elises couple of years old look like good value, and the ones with a charge cooler are a technically a better solution. So S3 elise looks like the best bet for me. I'll have to think whether to go for one with/without a charge cooler. Of the current range, its the cup 250/260 that have the charge cooler, the 220 goes without. 

Im away on the 29th Oct, but thanks for the offer. 

Dan

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38 minutes ago, DanP said:

Thanks guys. Im a lot clearer now. Heat soak - that was the word I was looking for! 

The S2 exiges have more character, and command a strong price because of it. Consequently a S3 elises couple of years old look like good value, and the ones with a charge cooler are a technically a better solution. So S3 elise looks like the best bet for me. I'll have to think whether to go for one with/without a charge cooler. Of the current range, its the cup 250/260 that have the charge cooler, the 220 goes without. 

Im away on the 29th Oct, but thanks for the offer. 

Dan

Dan ,

Are you sure the s3 s220 dosnt have a charge cooler??

 

Deroure lists it as having one 

 

 

46_11.gif

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2 hours ago, kieranexige said:

Dan ,

Are you sure the s3 s220 dosnt have a charge cooler??

 

Deroure lists it as having one 

 

Kieran, 

Lotus' web site doesn't mention it (for the 220 sprint/sport). I think there was once a 220 cup, which was charge cooled.  

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2 hours ago, DanP said:

I stand corrected! Maybe it was the s2 SC that didn’t have the charge cooler.

where is the charge cooler radiator - next the side air scoops?

Yeah the s2 didn't for sure. 

I'd say front left under the headlight looking at the pipes how they lift and drop for the wheel arch

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