UP YOUR PIPE!
In the never ending search for more power from mine (and others
superchargers) Mik Parslow arranged for a trip to Collins Performance
Engineering in Congleton, Cheshire. Collins’ are a distributor for Mongoose
Exhausts and specialise in Ford RS tuning and the owner has two RS200s (!) one
of them being an Evo version with 720Bhp!
The main reason for going though is because there is a lack of a performance
exhaust designed specifically for the supercharger. Most of us have either
custom systems or are using a Magnex or Mongoose which is designed for the
normally aspirated UK model. It is widely known that the supercharger has a
different exhaust system than the NA as apparently the rear box is designed to
flow more air at lower revs due to the simple fact that if more air is being
forced into the engine then there is more exhaust gases to be forced out.
When we arrived at Collins’ Martin (the man in the know and a total nutter!)
was there to greet us. We though were pouring over the two RS200s sitting in the
workshop (Mik was positively dribbling!). After Mik had finished with the
Kleenex it was back to business and Martin whisked us down to the warehouse
where there were rather a lot of Mongoose systems for the ‘2’ stacked in neat
piles. Worth noting from the piccies is how the later systems have a shorter
flexipipe as this has been known to be a weaklink in the system. Now some of you
may have heard that I like to get the most out of my car and with nearly 200Bhp
under my right foot the concern is that a 2” system may be restricting breathing
at high revs. Martin thought that I really should have a 2.25” or 2.5” system
with this kind of power. I also mentioned that I was unhappy with the twin
tailpipes as surely a single exit must be more efficient.
We were also enquiring about the possibility of a tubular exhaust manifold
being made as this can release 10Bhp if designed correctly with equal length
primary and secondary pipes (4-2-1 configuration). Currently there isn’t an off
the shelf manifold available in the UK or in the US that anyone is aware of. We
are still waiting to hear if this is likely to be made and at what price, though
a small run of 15 units may be possible. I can tell you that Mongoose have
offered to make a one-off 2.25 or 2.5” system with a 4” single exit pipe for my
car for £350. This would involve a visit to the factory so that they could make
it ‘on the spot’. I am not sure whether it would release any more power and I
would estimate that a 1-2% increase may be the result.
Of course I had to take Martin for a ‘spin’ in my car and I think he was
fairly impressed with the acceleration and handling. Next up he returned the
favour with a spin in his RS1600i and let me tell you this guy can drive and
after a few sideways moments at 85mph on very tricky looking roads I was quite
relieved to get out alive!
We were then taken to look at some more goodies in the form of Ford
Motorsport cylinder heads, steel connecting rods and crank for a 2.3 Cossie
engine, though by this point Kleenex was getting in short supply so to avoid a
terrible mess I had to drag Mik away!
Big thanks to Mik Parslow for organising the ‘behind the scenes’ trip and
also to Martin for spending the best part of a day with us.
LAUREN BLIGHTON
