Road Rally Build

[iety2004]

Just coming to finish building my 1.3 SR Nova to do some night events. Whilst building it, i managed to snap a few exhaust studs, then cracked the casting of the head with a easy out.

Trying to find a new head for it was a nightmare. In the end after phoning around 8-9 scrappies i found a 1.2 head i think, but the port sizes were much smaller and the combustion chamber in the head was smaller, but the valves were the same size. The new head also has a small hole which my inlet manifold doesnt cover.

I want to stay under 1400 for the class, so am i better off tunning the little 1.3 8v or going x14xe or even something like a swift gti engine? Both of these are good for around the 90-100bhp i belive.

Also bear in mind, i cant run twin 40's due to the road rally rules, but i could run a single or splits if someone made a manifold for it. For the 8v i was thinking better carb, port matching, higher compression ratio, worked head, 3 angle valve seats, worked valves, 280 deg cam, lightened and balanced flywheel and paddle clutch, 4 branch manifold and a similar exhaust system. But once i've done all of that, i think it would of been easier, more reliable and economical to got 1.4 16v.

What do people think i should do engine wise

[Sturge]

1.4 16v is a good engine with loads of potential

but if you want to stick with the 13, i think there's a couple of heads for sale in classifieds

[greg1.4]

it depends what you want out of it tbh..

the 8v would probably be my choice for road rallying, cheap and reliable. can get 120 bhp if wanted but in my experience you dont need alot of power for road rallies.

i am doing a suzuki conversion just now in my rally car, it seems like a good little engine until you start modyfing things. they can go wrong easily. i am just wanting to compete in the 1300/1400 class. they have just over 100bhp standard. another thing is that if you put the swift in, it would be a good idea to run it on twin webers/bike carbs, just to save work/wiring of injection. you also need a custom radiator/re-route pipes and get a engine mount and gearbox adaptor plate which are very rare.

the 1.4 16v would be a good engine to start with also imo. fairly powerful and a fairly easy conversion.

either the 8v or 1.4 16v would be my choice for road/road rallying.

[iety2004]

Hmm the 1.3 Swift Gti engine is pretty trick when you look at the spec of it, but probably more work than its worth for me, as im dame sure there be less spares about than for the Nova.

I dont know weather i should start getting the 8v valve up to spec and get tunning or go 16v 1.4 and be 1/2 way there. I dont know what envoved all together with fitting the 16v.

Your right about not need much power down the lanes. The last one i did was in a XR3i with only like 110bhp i think, and pretty much cooked the brakes cos a 306 GTI-6 was holding me up.

I also was building a Talbot Sunbeam with a ST170 Zetec engine to go in for road rallying. Till i deemed 220bhp/ton down the lanes a bit excessive. But once seen a MK2 with a S2000 running gear doing the Cilwendeg.....awesome!! haha

[iety2004]

Right, sorted out a head from the classifields on here and it arrive today, so thats something i can do this week.
But whilst browsing also on a popular auction site, i also purchased a X14XE engine + box + loom + ECU from a 95 car. Wont be going in straight away, will use the 8V till i get the brakes and the suspension up to spec.

But what i would like toknow;
How early did the Corsa's ECU's come with a built in immobiliser's?
Whats the best option's with regards to fueling? MPI tank??
How difficult is the conversion? Is there any Post on here covering this?? I have looked but cant find any.

[Rexy]

i used to road rally with a 1300 Mk2 golf i was naughty and ran coilovers :D

Get the setup right and you dont need to have big power.

[iety2004]

Oh yeah, Im not looking for big power. Just trying to find something more reliable, more economical being fuel injection and easier to get parts for. Cos 1.3 8v was a nightmare when i needed something last minute.

Are the Corsa GSI vented brakes and the Nova GTE's the same? or the Corsa bigger?
And will 13" steel or 3 spoke alloys fit over?

Sorry for asking so many. But this is the 1st time i've fettled with a Nova.

[garyc]

1.3 parts arent that hard to find, its just that you need to look in the right place. These engines are used in lots of small oval racing so getting new parts is quite easy. There have been several 1300 heads for sale on here in the past couple of weeks.

[iety2004]

Yeah, i sorted a head earlier this week. And i too was under the impression that these engines were easy to find. So i dont know if its a case of these engines being in car's which simply aren't around anymore due to rust and being weighed, that the 8 or 9 scrappies i phone just dont see a market for keeing parts for cars of that age or i was just unlucky.

[jarjar]

hi bud not rain on your parade im not sure you can put a 16v in the nova as it was never made in the uk at least with a twin cam lump ! well thats how i interpret the blue book i may be wrong you just bare it in mind before all the work regards jarjar;)

[chimp007_uk]

yay... Alright Garfunkel.

Good to see you posting a wip thread... I'm going to be back in Cardiff onthe 5th December for more shoulder surgery :( You'll have to bring me in some grapes :p

[iety2004]

hi bud not rain on your parade im not sure you can put a 16v in the nova as it was never made in the uk at least with a twin cam lump ! well thats how i interpret the blue book i may be wrong you just bare it in mind before all the work regards jarjar;)

(H) 102. In addition to complying with section C(b) all cars competing in Road Rallies must comply with the appropriate part of the following:

Engine
106. Vehciles must have
(a) A maximum of four cylinders.
(b) Two carburettor chokes (two single or one double).
(c) One camshafter per bank of cyinders.
(d) Engines with more than one camshaft per bank of cylinders may be used providing that they were originally fitted with fuel injection and that the fuel injection system complete with plenum chamber and body is retained unmodified.
(e) Forced induction is not permitted.

107. Fuel injection may be fitted where it was standard equipement by the manufacture for that engine type and where the original plenum chamber and throttle body is retained for that engine type.

So from that. I can put any Twin cam, 4 pot engine in the world in my Nova aslong as its got Fuel injection, original plenum and throttle body. This also means i can run any management system i like. Which might be easier

But cheers Jarjar, i had to double check:thumb:

I already bought and picked up a X14xe engine, box, loom ecu etc on Sunday. £50 dont sound bad does it? Alright i'll rebuild it, ut Ebay still has a few bargins.

[olienova1]

im not sure if the x14xe has the same sump, bit the c16xe has a baffeled sump! my c16xe was easy to fit but i know the wiring is different on the x14xe/x16xe!:thumb:

[chimp007_uk]

Gareth wants to run the x14xe for the 1400 class ;)

Thanks for keeping me up to speed with whats going on, just because i've moved away you cut all ties :(

[iety2004]

Think you'll find i moved out first Chump. Then you went and got a job......

Well from what im reading on here and the internet, it seems that the c16xe, x14xe, x16xe & x16xel are all pretty much interchangable. With the later xel having the better flowing head. So wouldnt be suprised to see that the baffle sump on that engine may well fit mine...or be made to fit. Im sure i'll find out when i stripped it down this weekend.

[iety2004]

Got the brake end suspension thing sorted out.

Gonna keep the SR 14" 3 spokes because i already have tyres, so will be running Corsa GSI discs and calipers with DS3000 ir 2500 pads with super dot 4 fluid.
The suspension am i running Bilstein fixed platform shock with 200lb front springs with rose jointed top mounts,

But being as the SR only comes with 69bhp is it as standard, i was thinking of having a play with the standard 8v engine. Sourced a Piper 300deg cam, but for fueling would i be better off running weber 40's or a Irmsher injection kit?

Cheers