Re: 8000 rpm/300 bhp 3.2 rebuild
Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 3:21 pm
Maybe this will promote a few thoughts.
I bought the system from Clewett based on it being simple, no computers to sort it, and the kit was tailored for the 3.2 twin spark, and the $ price was 1500, or £1500 landed, about 1/2 the price of an ECU etc and all it's overkill for this simple engine and computers involved.
I also knew 2 people who have the system on a 6 plug 911 and they were happy, so all good.
It went downhill from the start, a 4 week delay in shipping, an increase in shipping price to about £200 for express delivery and 4 days in the UK for the shipper to clear customs and deliver.
The product looked great out of the box and all custom tailored parts were really nice.
The string of emails to Richard Clewett about installation, at one point about 1 a day where responded to quickly (in hours) and I sent lots of pictures.
It ramped up when the XDi lights did not work and the request for why there is a red light was not answered several times.
At every step, it was something I had done was the reason it did not work and culminated in I had damaged the XDi by having high voltage wired close to the crank sensor wire which has damaged the XDi circuit. Clewett is the principle trouble shooter for Electromotive, the supplier/designer.
£380 later I had my tested XDi back and a new Hall crank sensor.
I advised Clewett and Electromotive the engine started and asked why the kit is not provided with the Hall sensor instead of the 'sensitive' VR sensor.
Clewett never answered (first time ever) and Electromotive said they were happy and to have a Nice Day.
I ran the rebuild of this engine on 5 forums, 3 Porsche focused, one hillclimb focused and one car focused.
Nobody has run this kit on a twin plug, most had had no issues with 6 plugs, one had a duff XDi and one had a result with the Hall sensor. In all not many responded to my calls for help, esp on Pelican.
The responses with Electromotive were very protracted as the designer, tester, techie only worked 1 day a week. They also had stopped repairing units, but Clewett pulled some strings (30 years their customer). If he had not done this, I would be no further forward, they sell a product and refuse to back it up unless pushed.
The total cost to me has been close to £2500 and 4 weeks lost re-wiring the engine, the car, and waiting for parts/services, and considerable frustration.
If Clewett had been less responsive I would now be after my money back and will have lost the hillclimb season probably and be further out of pocket.
I had never done this kind of thing before, was partially ignorant of the sensitive areas of proximity of parts, but had skills in wiring and getting the right wire in the right place.
The whole content of this engine has left a very sour taste, and I will never do anything like it again as a result.
Whether that is right or wrong is irrelevant, it is my take on the whole experience.
As a supplier of a tailored kit, I feel Clewett should have been better and supplied the Hall sensor at least in the first place. The red light was never explained, but led to the XDi being sent back at my cost both ways, and the $149 Hall sensor tacked on too.
I believe the XDi was faulty and cannot prove it.
Maybe I am a typical customer, enthusiastic, only one eye open, and wanting it all to work. Clewett must have seen lots like me over the 30 years.
An experience over and done with.
I bought the system from Clewett based on it being simple, no computers to sort it, and the kit was tailored for the 3.2 twin spark, and the $ price was 1500, or £1500 landed, about 1/2 the price of an ECU etc and all it's overkill for this simple engine and computers involved.
I also knew 2 people who have the system on a 6 plug 911 and they were happy, so all good.
It went downhill from the start, a 4 week delay in shipping, an increase in shipping price to about £200 for express delivery and 4 days in the UK for the shipper to clear customs and deliver.
The product looked great out of the box and all custom tailored parts were really nice.
The string of emails to Richard Clewett about installation, at one point about 1 a day where responded to quickly (in hours) and I sent lots of pictures.
It ramped up when the XDi lights did not work and the request for why there is a red light was not answered several times.
At every step, it was something I had done was the reason it did not work and culminated in I had damaged the XDi by having high voltage wired close to the crank sensor wire which has damaged the XDi circuit. Clewett is the principle trouble shooter for Electromotive, the supplier/designer.
£380 later I had my tested XDi back and a new Hall crank sensor.
I advised Clewett and Electromotive the engine started and asked why the kit is not provided with the Hall sensor instead of the 'sensitive' VR sensor.
Clewett never answered (first time ever) and Electromotive said they were happy and to have a Nice Day.
I ran the rebuild of this engine on 5 forums, 3 Porsche focused, one hillclimb focused and one car focused.
Nobody has run this kit on a twin plug, most had had no issues with 6 plugs, one had a duff XDi and one had a result with the Hall sensor. In all not many responded to my calls for help, esp on Pelican.
The responses with Electromotive were very protracted as the designer, tester, techie only worked 1 day a week. They also had stopped repairing units, but Clewett pulled some strings (30 years their customer). If he had not done this, I would be no further forward, they sell a product and refuse to back it up unless pushed.
The total cost to me has been close to £2500 and 4 weeks lost re-wiring the engine, the car, and waiting for parts/services, and considerable frustration.
If Clewett had been less responsive I would now be after my money back and will have lost the hillclimb season probably and be further out of pocket.
I had never done this kind of thing before, was partially ignorant of the sensitive areas of proximity of parts, but had skills in wiring and getting the right wire in the right place.
The whole content of this engine has left a very sour taste, and I will never do anything like it again as a result.
Whether that is right or wrong is irrelevant, it is my take on the whole experience.
As a supplier of a tailored kit, I feel Clewett should have been better and supplied the Hall sensor at least in the first place. The red light was never explained, but led to the XDi being sent back at my cost both ways, and the $149 Hall sensor tacked on too.
I believe the XDi was faulty and cannot prove it.
Maybe I am a typical customer, enthusiastic, only one eye open, and wanting it all to work. Clewett must have seen lots like me over the 30 years.
An experience over and done with.
Just wondered (too late) if there was an Alfa route given they have mass-produced twin plug. Living my motorsport dreams vicariously through DDK