Nova GTE - turbo

[mowgli]

Has anyone checked the aftermarket piston suppliers ( KS Winston etc )???
I would think that somewhere in the world, GM does a 1.6 OHC (small block) with low compression for use with cheap fuel (South America would be about right). This would be a cheap mod for turboing.

If you get pistons for a 1979 Astra 1.3 ohc, the comp. is about 8.2 to 1 these would be great in a turbo conversion on an sr.

Also, Has anyone tried using bits off the Isuzu 1.7td as fitted in the Astra/Vectras? Outwardly it looks very similar to the 1.6 petrol lump.

[_Ben_]

What's the basic outline for the parts?

I used to own a Courtenay converted 1.6 GSi and in my opinion its not worth the hassle of fitting a turbo to the 1.6.

The option is far too expensive, a classic example is how much a replacement special build T2 is...mine cost ?750 and that was a cash price!

For similar money you could pick up a nice 1.6GSi 16V lump and fit a Mantzel Power Box to it...you'd similar power and it'd be far more reliable.

The bottom end on my motor was starting to get a little noisy when I sold it (an 86K miles engine) and that was only running 8psi boost MAX. As a point of reference that was 26k miles after the conversion....

IMHO.

[cmatty]

Yeah this is the dilemma I am facing at the moment. Do I rebuild the engine with forged pistons and run about a bar of boost or do I just wait a while and save for a c20let conversion. I am unsure but I think the fact that parts for the 1.6 just arent available, will sway my decision towards the 2.0. Also I reckon my gearbox is on the way out, can anyone advise what choices do I have apart from another F13CR?
Matty

[Fester]

f15 Corsa?

[_Ben_]

If you are going for the high power option i.e. more than 150 lb/ft of torque I'd go for the Quaife gearkit which will fit into either the F13 or F15 housing...

Its not the cheapest option but by far the most reliable---the part no. is GKE15CK from www.quaife.co.uk (I think its about 1500 qiud)

Its this kinda cost which makes the 2.0 16V option more attractive...

[Fester]

the whole idea was I thought it could be done, giving comparable performance to a valver, for less money and less hassle, and I still stand by that... just got to make it happen, struggling to get fine detailed information, going to start ringing around a few people

[_Ben_]

I see where you are coming from on that one, that was kinda why I bought the 1.6 turbo over a 16v turbo.

Turbo'ing the 1.6 can be a cheaper option, but only if you're gonna stick with low boost...say 5 or 6psi. That way costs would be kept to about ?1500. But who wants low boost?

One thing that the 1.6turbo conversion has over the 2.0 16v one is that you dont have to change the log book and insurance is a million times cheaper...in fact on my old Courtenay car it was about 400 quid cheaper than an Escort RS Turbo.

There's a guy named Spankee on migweb.co.uk, he would be a good person to talk to as he was mainly responsible for Chris_W's car. I think he had a bit of help from Dave Franczak (V-Tuning?) with regards to compression ratios and the required thickness of decompression plate...

[Sleeper]

ello chaps well if i was going to build another 1.6 unit i would def go for low compression pistons and engine mangament the reson why i did not do this first ...as i was was expermenting with things to find out what can be done on this engine regarding boost i have tired this once at a set 14 psi and car went like a rocket but with in a few mins....head gasket poped that was the last ever run it did at that boost .......but found between 5-8psi the car can handle it with no probs even with hard driving a never had a prob with engine apart from the adapter that was made which could have been made better..my other thought was a Rs turbo manifold cutting the flanges off and wellding some new ones to suit the nova head on the thing i like about this engine is cheap loads of spares easy to maintain ...regarding brake i would say 140-150 as never put it on the dyno never that brave

[NovaNeil]

The reason I had the 1.6 Turbo over a 16V came down to one simple factor. Handling. A 1.6 Turbo'd Nova can absolutely waste a valver thru the twisty stuff. It also has more torque and less weight. But your right about the reliablity, im trying to find a stand alone fuel management system for mine, as the "Bodge" set up mine and most others use is useless. I've been looking into Dastek (Unichip) but I've been informed this wouldn't work. Does anyone know of a system that would? Just a piggyback ECU would do, with a pressure sensor and a fifth injector, so that its smoother and not on or off like it is at the moment.
You can't beat the kick of a Turbo!!!

[Fester]

What reasons were cited for the Dastek not being suitable?