My Bottom End Dillema - oh er

[Ash]

As you may of seen I melted a piston on the way to PV, this week I will be removing the bottom end from the car and have to decide what to do.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1703/10062008679fw4.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)

My options are:

1. Buy a 'new' used 1.6 8v bottom end.
Just bolt all my sexy bits to a standard block.

2. Buy a 'new' used 1.6 16v bottom end
Buy the stronger 16v block, with the nice ally sump and make it 8v as the rally boiz' do it. Any details?

3. Have my current bottom end re-bored
Take mine out to the next size up and fit uprated pistons (standard ones are £125 a piece!!!) Any recommendations on brands?

I've noticed since I've taken the head off I have a bit of piston slap, so a hone and my group A/cossie piston won't do the job :(
Also IIRC a new short engine from Vauxhall (recon) is about £600. Could anyone give me an idea of the cost in machining the current block?

Moneys not too much of an issue as the car will not be used again till March '09. Just means coilovers, seats and a diff will be on hold longer...

Your thoughts please :D

[AlexW]

Knowing only some of the other work youve done i think keep it orignal, i think your block re-bored.

My 2pence.

[Welsh Dan]

More displacement! :D.

[jimbob-mcgrew]

any idea the cause of the problem ?
could you not just replace the liner and source a replacement piston and run it how it was ?

[adam c]

option 2 if i was in your position.hope you get everything sorted on it!should be a little beast when you've finished!

[tom_beverley]

Some rough prices for you:

Bore and hone is about £90
Crank grind and polish and L+B [with fly, clutch etc] £150
New rings, mains and big end bearings £150

I've got Mahle pistons, although I was lucky enough to get mine second hand off CG.

[ck]

i would personaly use a 16xe bottom end, do a re-hone, new rings, new big end and main bearings and a re-grind on every journal. (localy this is £170 or £200 with uprate acl bearings)

then a set of arp's at around £55 and a lighten and balance £80ish

[Adam]

Its the 16xe pistons and rods that are stronger than 8v items.
Blocks pretty much identical.

Id rebuild another block(just need new rings and a hone if its a good one)
OR try and find a replacement piston and just fit that to your block

[Ash]

Cheers for the input guys, leaning towards a proper re-bore and sexy pistons. Crank and fly have already been lightened and balanced and I already have ARP's.

So I'm looking at:

Re-bore - £90
Sexy pistons - £???
New bearings and bolts - £80ish if I remember right.

Probably get an SBD oil pump too - £100ish
Weld baffles in my steel sump??? Good idea? Or is that overkill? The car will eventually be sprinted and hillclimb'd.

Does the 16v sump fit with an Ashley 8v manifold?

As AW said (great initials BTW) I'd like to keep it sort of 'period'/original - what they would of done back then...

Can anyone point me in the right direction for pistons, of the 'go faster' variety please? :D

The great plan is too start building a 1.8 16v with a 'charger but thats years down the line, when everything else is sorted.

[Mike]

Buy a used bottom end to ravage for spares. My 1600 complete engines cost between £60 and £75 lol

[Ash]

I don't need spares tho.... I need new shiney bits :D lol

PS: This engine cost me £20 with everything (as standard):p ;)

[Mike]

Ah, you dont need the spares but people on eBay always do :thumb:

[brucer]

ive got a set of +0.5mm ae pistons for sale out of an x16xel,im getting forged pistons so arnt needed now.the block there out of was owned by a man called dave sterling,he said they cost 200pound new.

pm me if intersted,

[Ash]

Interested, but have a feeling they won't work as there 16v pistons and there pocketed IIRC. Any pics?

[brucer]

yeh they are pocketed,not sure how they would work with your set up already though.they run a 10.5 to 1 comp ratio an th 1.6 8v is 9.5/10 to 1.i was also told they have only done 5000miles.

heres pics,if i was to sell them they would come with the rods(which were balanced with my assembly) and arp rod bolts.got a reasonabel price in my mind but let me know
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z24/bachilds1988/DSC01389.jpg
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z24/bachilds1988/DSC01391.jpg