16xe spec

[therealnovaboy]

Im after a bit of advice for a mate of mine that’s building a MK2 escort rally car and is planning on running a 16xe on carbs. I was wondering what you would suggest as a solid build to a decent spec. He has a x16xe and a z16xe (i think from an Astra) so the choice of two heads. its my understanding that the blocks are the same. if i list some questions its probably the easiest way.

1. x16xe or z16xe head
2. do you advise any mods to the timing belt idle pulley or bottom pulley.
3. do you require an oil cooler
4. what cam profile would you recommend
5. what pistons and rods do you recommend.
6. what head mods would you suggest e.g porting, valve size, breathers etc
7. do you gain a lot from porting head or would high comp pistons, rods, cams, carbs and ignition management be good enough?
8. any other mods, suggestions he should think about.

Any help would be great. He’s not after an all singing all dancing 16xe as there is a budget. He’s just after a reliable (200hp there about) engine to have some fun in the forest.

[peester]

http://www.sbdev.co.uk/History_files...tantExpert.htm

[therealnovaboy]

Forgot about that article. some good info, cheers

[philip]

1m x14/16 head......sbd claim xel head is better but I've yet too see one being used.

2. I can do an insert to do away with tensioner so you can tension off water pump and also a little trick with the idler so you use a caphead bolt and not the crappy torx bolt

3. Oil cooler wouldn't hurt as they can run quite warm

4. Cam profile depends on rest of engine spec.

5. Can supply steel rods + omega/accralite pistons. Same rods used by bowyer power, pec, etc and personally proven to 8.5k and 200bhp on small blocks and over 600bhp on the 2.0's

6. I'm doing a head now that I've had portbored and inlets were 22.5mm and not 26.25mm and a lot of work on ex ports (pm email and send send some pics of what I've done)
+1mm valve also wouldn't hurt if looking for 200+ again need to breathe higher up the revs.

I'd also be looking into double springs, steel retainers(standards are prone to splitting) and some solid lifters again due to revs and keep valvetrain weight down.

7. You would need too look into having rods, pistons etc to build it reliable and power your looking for. Also steel oil pump gears or even a dry sump setup, depending on if you have to cash. Can see the car taking a lot of **** in an escort and not 100% sure if you can use standard sump or not in rwd app. The standard sumps are quite well baffled to be fair.

Hopefully given you a few answers.

[therealnovaboy]

cheers philip,

He has a RWD sump its basically a modded original that cuts part of the lower point and lowers the higher point.

has anyone got any pics of the timing belt setup without the tensioner?

I think the way to go would be RWD sump, Steel oil pump gear, forged pistons and rods, timing belt pully mods and an oil cooler.

As you say its going to be hard work to drag an old ford about so i suppose a bullet proof bottom end would be the way to go. I Suppose it would be a matter of deciding what needs to be done to the head once you know what cams you go for and what cash you have left.

What sort of power do you get with standard head ports ?

[philip]

There were claims the c16xe heads would do 180+, but the x14/16xe heads are tiny compared. If want to pm an email address I can send some pics of the head I've had portbored and finished compared to a standard head I have, just too see the difference.

Ill see if I can find a pic of my old engine too I can mail you with the tensioner conversion. But your right in building a bullet proof bottom end first as you can easily whip the head off too do any upgrades if budget doesn't allow for a full build.

[therealnovaboy]

Ill see if I can find a pic of my old engine too I can mail you with the tensioner conversion.

Cool, PM sent.

What if we were to build up the engine with the standard astra xel head "as they flow better than a std x16", Could you swap to the x16xe head at a later date or is the CR different between them? Is it a straight swap from astra xel to corsa xe?

[philip]

I'd imagine chamber volumes are the same. Just ballache will be changing inlet manifolds if went with xel head then the xe head.

[therealnovaboy]

I'd imagine chamber volumes are the same. Just ballache will be changing inlet manifolds if went with xel head then the xe head.

yeah your right.