Iain's 20XE Trackday Nova

[Benn]

Is like one of them pics with a rally car stripped to bits. Like it.

Good luck on the new build up, sure it will be much better after.

[bazzap8389]

I like how you don't mess about and just get **** done!

I hope it works as it should after it's built mate.

[kevster]

Looks like your getting stuck in mate , hope you get its sorted

[Andy]

wounded.kept the faith proper though mate,sterling effort.tis the only way mind

[Adam]

S**t news that Iain. Good to see youve cracked on with it though.

[Mazz]

awww man...

just thought i'd check in and i find this

Still my favourite thread!

[Iain]

Thanks for the kind words chaps, no point in getting down over these things is there! The only frustration nowa days is having enough time to work on it.

First things first, a bit of a non-update Picked up this 20XE bottom end cheapish:




Good crank, early pistons, but I couldn't clean the rusty bores up to satisfaction:





So that one is for scrap...



And at the other end of the used engine parts scale, House1983 off here kindly said he'd sort me out a new head, figured I'd have some cleaning and rebuilding to do when a 'free head to help out' arrived.... Maybe not!










Fully cleaned, stripped, pressure tested, skimmed and valves cut/lapped in ready for assembly. Thanks mate I owe you an incredibly large pint, will make it up to you!


So cracked on with building it up:





Finished and wrapped up ready for a bottom end, with my old lifters and Kent cams:

[Iain]

Got some gaskets, so a big thanks to Leigh for them!




Was on holiday down south a few weeks ago and happened to message 8v-Craig to say hi on WhatsApp, ended up dropping in on the way home and stripping an XE for it's bottom end! Good plan until it tipped over on the way home and emptied several litres of used oil in my missus's mum's Corsa D Fail!





Back in the garage and the bottom end got stripped down, Craig was nice enough to sell me one with an early crank and forged pistons, thanks sir!





Blocked got cleaned inside and out, never removed the pistons and rods so not to disturb their seal with the bores:





And then painted up:

[Iain]

All this dawdling about took me until Saturday (2 days ago), when I picked up my original early balanced crank from the machine shop after a polish:





Saturday afternoon, the bottom end got assembled...











And the head went back on, complete with standard pulleys so I can't mess up the timing again





Late Saturday night, the engine was complete and mated up to the 'box:





First thing Sunday morning (yesterday), I cracked on boshing it in:





Plumbed up, fluids in, carbs on...





And Sunday lunchtime I ran it up to temperature and took it for a spin. Feels good driving it again!





MOT booked for Thursday, so job jobbed.

[House]

Tidy!!