My new XE engine is nearly ready!

[dumpycorsa]

Hi. I've been putting together my much needed 20xe engine. It's nearly finished now so it can be fitted shortly. Just waiting for a new set of core plugs. This is how the engine stands ATM -

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e251/trish26gordon/DSCN3688.jpg


http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e251/trish26gordon/DSCN3693.jpg


http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e251/trish26gordon/DSCN3702.jpg


Can't wait to find out how it'll run. Been driving around for nearly a year with an xe that uses ALOT of oil. Good old xe's though still keeps goinglol .

Here's a brief description of the engine specs.

Re-built bottom end (new rings (86.5mm),shells, re-bore,ARP rod bolts,new gaskets,oil pump and water pump).
Autosprint big valve head (1mm over-sized stainless one peice valves,large ports, gas flowed, duplex springs, bronze guides).
Autosprint 288deg duration cams with new lifters,
Vernier pulleys.
lightweight fly wheel (3.6kgs)
Weber 45 dcoe's with pipercross ram air pipes.
Sbd inlet manifold.
Sbd breather plate mod
Piper cross crank case breather
Webcon mappable ecu (uses a throttle position sensor, crank sensor and air temp sensor).Kit comes with complete new top end wiring harness.
QED dizzy blanking plate (ecu uses dis-pak ignition).
BTB 2 1/2" ceramic coated high torque manifold (using a 2 1/2" ashley system).
Re-built using genuine GM gaskets.

I'm hoping to reach the 200 bhp milestone. Do you think it'll make it?

Cheers Dave:thumb:

[Adam]

Looks sweet mate, nice spec too.
190 to 200bhp imo

[vaughanmc]

Nice looking engine mate - Will go well to :)

200bhp would be awsome from it

[Lee]

Are your pistons pocketed?

[dumpycorsa]

Are your pistons pocketed?

Yes they are but aparently you can use these cams without deeper pockets. You need to get the cam timing spot on though hence the verniers.

Thanks for you comments guys. Most people normally start by saying why aren't you using throttle bodies. Yes, in an ideal world and if I could afford them I would. Got the whole kit - carbs/mappable ecu/loom and sensors for £500. Came off of a caterham kit car and it's like new. Was listed as caterham on ebay probably why it didn't make alot as no-one saw it. Ideal for me:thumb:

[Will F]

Yes they are but aparently you can use these cams without deeper pockets. You need to get the cam timing spot on though hence the verniers.

Thanks for you comments guys. Most people normally start by saying why aren't you using throttle bodies. Yes, in an ideal world and I could afford them I would. Got the whole kit - carbs/mappable ecu/loom and sensors for £500. Came off of a caterham kit car and it's like new. Was listed as caterham on ebay probably why it didn't make alot as no-one saw it. Ideal for me:thumb:

Nice spec - although I would be scared fitting a 288 cam without pocketed pistons... what are yours? Milled standard GM pistons?

[Lee]

Yes they are but aparently you can use these cams without deeper pockets. You need to get the cam timing spot on though hence the verniers.


That would worry me, as if it dets, you have next to no adjustment :tard: All youll have is ignition timing to play with. Hope all goes well mate, fingers crossed!

[NOVA_LEE]

i want :D sexual that mate

[novacabrio]

Nice looking motor and nice spec, bhp depends on the rollers, i'd say 190-200bhp but think you'll be lucky to tip the 200 scale by more than 1 or 2 bhp

[dumpycorsa]

Nice spec - although I would be scared fitting a 288 cam without pocketed pistons... what are yours? Milled standard GM pistons?

Yes, these are machined GM pistons by Autosprint. Wanted to use the car on the road aswell as on the track/strip.So needed a fairly mild cam that pulled through normal road driving revs. I've got stage 3 track day cams in my current xe and they haven't really affected the tick over etc so thought I'd try the next stage. Also any higher and I'd have to convert to solid lifters.

[dumpycorsa]

That would worry me, as if it dets, you have next to no adjustment :tard: All youll have is ignition timing to play with. Hope all goes well mate, fingers crossed!

Yes it worried me to which is why I got Autosprint to machine my pistons. Gives me a bit more tolerence to play with.:cool:

[dumpycorsa]

When I started to collect bits I set a target of 200bhp from a N/A engine. If I can achive it without throwing any more money at it I'll be chuffed. I'll be sure to post up the rolling road results when it's up and running.

Although I'm really happy with how the engine has turned out I still think the best thing to go on to it is my BTB manifold.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e251/trish26gordon/IMG_0105.jpg

What would you recommend for the next level of tune? Keep saving and buy tapered throttle bodies?

[Lee]

Theres a lot to be said for looking at the transmission to get gains as well. A TB setup will cost around the same as a good condition used SCCR box, and if I was in your situation id be aiming for the box first.

[dumpycorsa]

Theres a lot to be said for looking at the transmission to get gains as well. A TB setup will cost around the same as a good condition used SCCR box, and if I was in your situation id be aiming for the box first.

I've just bought an ATB quaife diff:roll: . I'm going to put it into an f16 box that I've got. I've got an F20 in my nova but with the lower ratios thought the F16 would be the better box to convert.I didn't think the F20 box would last on the new engine (with the difff being the weakest part) so purchased the diff. Not fitted it yet but heard some good feedback and some bad like trying to go straight on when you turn on round abouts at average speeds. The chap I was speaking to though had a trans x diff in his F20 box and it was in a mini!

[Lee]

You wont get that problem with an ATB because it is torque biased. IE, at average speeds with no loading it will act like a standard diff. Its only when you load the power on it begins to feed power to the inside wheel, hense why an ATB is the best choice for a road car. Your mates diff is a plate variant and will be set at a particular setting constatly :)

[dumpycorsa]

You wont get that problem with an ATB because it is torque biased. IE, at average speeds with no loading it will act like a standard diff. Its only when you load the power on it begins to feed power to the inside wheel, hense why an ATB is the best choice for a road car. Your mates diff is a plate variant and will be set at a particular setting constatly :)

Well thats good to know.cheers. I started to panic when he told me he wished he'd never had it done and to a certain degree he found the car dangerous!

The chap I spoke to was someone I lined up next to at a RWYB drag day from the 16v mini club. He was using an xe powered mini on carbs and the tran-x diff. As I assumed he'd smoke my nova xe thought I'd best make some small talk so he'd go easy on me!lol

This was the result -

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w91/LEE_69/smeatharpe/kegs_vids/th_Movie11.jpg (http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w91/LEE_69/smeatharpe/kegs_vids/?action=view&current=Movie11.flv).


It obviously worked!!

[Adam]

If you get the carbs well setup and the ecu map is good i see no reason to switch to bodies (peak power will be VERY similar, just tb's give better driveability/cold starting)

Like Lee said, upgrades to the transmission aid getting power to the wheels, which is what afterall, drives the car...

[dumpycorsa]

I've had a look on the T2performance website and browsed through the used rally spares ads.Found one on there but already sold. I must admit though the ratios are just a load of numbers to me. What would be an ideal set up? Just change the final drive ratio of the F20 and change the 5th gear ratios for cruising? Or just use the final drive ratio from an F16w box?

Code:
Gearbox 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th rev FDR
================================================== ======
F10/F13 3.55 1.96 1.3 0.89 0.71 3.31 4.18
F16w 3.55 1.95 1.28 0.89 0.71 3.33 3.94
F16c 3.55 2.16 1.48 1.13 0.89 3.33 3.55
F18w 3.58 1.87 1.23 0.92 0.74 3.33 3.55
F18c 3.58 2.14 1.48 1.12 0.89 3.33 3.55
F20(3.55) 3.55 2.16 1.48 1.13 0.89 3.33 3.55
F20(3.72) 3.55 2.16 1.48 1.13 0.89 3.33 3.72
F23 3.58 2.02 1.35 0.98 0.81 3.31 3.84
F25 3.38 1.76 1.12 0.89 0.77 3.17 3.82
F28 3.57 2.16 1.45 1.1 0.89 0.74 3.32 3.72

[corsakid]

i reckon youll make your 200 bhp, my current set up is around 192 bhp on carbs on a standard xe what size jets etc and chokes are you running, i am using an f20 gearbox with an 80% locked plate diff it is abit interesting when i do take it on the road and loves snapping shafts on track to! what will you be revving to obviously will depend on your cam timing and when your cams start making power, glad you went for pocketed pistons would have given you hardly any adjustment otherwise. mine has limiter set at 7k becasue it made peak power at 6.8k its still on standard cams etc will be watching your progress closely mate engien looks very smart

[dumpycorsa]

i reckon youll make your 200 bhp, my current set up is around 192 bhp on carbs on a standard xe what size jets etc and chokes are you running, i am using an f20 gearbox with an 80% locked plate diff it is abit interesting when i do take it on the road and loves snapping shafts on track to! what will you be revving to obviously will depend on your cam timing and when your cams start making power, glad you went for pocketed pistons would have given you hardly any adjustment otherwise. mine has limiter set at 7k becasue it made peak power at 6.8k its still on standard cams etc will be watching your progress closely mate engien looks very smart

Thanks for your comments. So, you're running a standard xe with 45's and it made 192 on the rollers! Thats good power. Is it still on standard rods? What engine management are you using? 2D or 3D?
I've not been too optimistic with regard to what power gains I'll get from this engine (saves disappointment later on)as it's a combination of loads of things. My friend has a JREengineering engine in his mk2 escort. It's running 48's rally cams solid lifters and MBE management. His engine was dyno'd at 228bhp. SBD say a standard xe head will flow enough air to reach 220bhp so i may not gain a great deal from the Autosprint head. Time will tell. The carbs are jetted for a standard xe ATM. What about yours? I phoned the nearest webcon dealers and told them the spec and asked about jets etc. They said it would be impossible to state what chokes and jets I'd need over the phone. They suggested getting it running on standard setup (which it will run on) then bringing it straight to them for setting up.The nearest place to me is in Redruth, Cornwall. It's called Richards Bros Ltd. They need to re-map the ecu anyway because it's only set for a standard engine.

As this car is going to be on the road aswell as the track I went for the ATB Quaife diff. It's been suggested that for the next stage of tune to purchase a better gearbox. Is yours running standard ratios? I'm going to keep an eye out in MSN weekly and jump on a box if one comes up.Trouble is though I think most boxes that will come up forsale will probably have a plated diff which aparently are tricky to use on the road plus need annual servicing.