Turbo Diesel tuning help (1.5)

[PE4]

Hi.

I have a nice 20psi of boost now and my TD is chugging along nicely.....but I want more. I have read through the guides and followed them, but that is where they pretty much end.

Will the 1.7td turbo bolt on and make any difference, and what about the 1.7n/a inlet manifold - how does that go etc etc?

Will I benifit from a free'er flowing exhaust, and does the 1.5td actually need its cat? (k-reg)

Also, where can I get a rev counter that actually displays the revs I am doing?

Cheers

Steve

[Welsh Dan]

To get a rev counter for the TD you need one from a TD, as they run the tacho signal from the alternator.

[PE4]

Thought so, will have to check the breakers. Cheers Dan

[Welsh Dan]

You're welcome. :thumb:

Cavalier/Astra/Corsa clocks have been fitted to mk2 nova's in the past, it might be easier to track down a set of td clocks for one of those.

[Fridge]

I'v decided swop the whole engine for the 1.7td in mine and currently have one sat in the back of the van. I'll be fitting it after the 9th of december so i'll let you know how much of a pain it is as thats always an option for you as well. It responds to exactly the same mods.

From what i'v read about exhausts, yes you would benefit from a free-er flowing exhaust, all turbocharged cars do, but i have no idea how much difference it would actually make with your current level of tunning. Also, i havn't found anyone who does an off the shelf exhaust for a nova td so it might be a custom jobby. I'm currently waiting for a few people to get back to me about rough prices

From past threads on here i gather that bolting the 1.7 turbo unit on won't make much difference as the 1.5 turbo will easily make enough power for that engine. And as for the 1.7 N/A inlet, i'm not sure it'll give more power, it's just neater.

One thing you could do to squeeze a little more power out is an intercooler! I brought one from a 4x4 sierra cosworth off ebay for £10 plus £10 p&p. Just need to get some hoses and plumb it all in when i swop to the bigger motor.

Then there's Nitrous, water injection, etc but that starts to get more expensive.

By the way, i was after some clocks as well, i sent a cheque to the guy (GSI-nova) and havn't heard from him since it cleared 3 weeks ago. So be carefull who you get them off.

This is most of the information i'v gathered so far, i'll let you know if i learn anything else and you can keep me updated with anything you find?

Cheers!

[PE4]

Thanks for the info Dan :)

Fridge - The N/A inlet has no safety valve thing, which is a pain in the ass on my 1.5td so I might change that for that reason alone, and then I will be able to remove the 'white ring' cos I have no room under my current inlet.

I will look for an intercooler, are they easy to plumb in? They look pretty cool too :)

Does the standard 1.7td offer more power and torque in standard form over the 1.5td?

[Fridge]

You can weld the safety valve shut, but i'm looking to do the same as you anyway and get an N/A manifold. Don't forget you need to put a pressure takeoff on the back to run from the manifold to the fuel pump otherwise you won't get extra fuel on boost.

The 1.7 is a bigger displacement so you inherantly get more power and torque. 82 bhp @ 4400 rpm and 124 lb/ft @ 2400 rpm, compared to 67Bhp and 97Lb-ft for the 1.5.
I'v been reliably informed on here that you can get up to 120-130 bhp and maybe 180lb/ft of torque from a 1.7td with the boost upped and whit ring mod. I think with the 1.5 you're looking at about 99bhp with those mods.

As for the intercooler, it shouldn't be too hard, and i think it'll be easier with the na inlet, but i havn't done it yet so i'll let you know. Biggest headache is going to be deciding which bends, and how much silicone hose i'm going to need.

[General Baxter]

Then there's Nitrous, water injection, etc but that starts to get more expensive.

just dont lol

project boost was funny,

running 36psi, intake temp 90degress C lol
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/baxters83/IM000401.jpg

running 60odd iirc psi intake temp 65c
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/baxters83/novatd/IM000419.jpg

[PE4]

Does the 1.7td use the same gearbox as on the 1.5td? I imagine the 1.7 td engine shares similar mounts, if not the same as the 1.5?

I have swapped petrol engines over before, so the two diesels should be just as easy - same fuel lines and everything like that?

[General Baxter]

1.7 is a large block box

so will need conversion shafts, gearbox adaptors :)

[PE4]

Hmmm - not as straight forward then lol

I am torn as to what to do, only want a little more go from my smoker really.

[General Baxter]

a cam does wonders lol

[PE4]

I have no idea as to what cam though? How much extra go will a cam provide?

[General Baxter]

problem is no one makes a off the self cam for the TD i have one for my 1.8td but that was just under the £1k mark to have made lol

[PE4]

haha thats 5 times what I paid for the car.

The 1.7 n/a diesels that are in the early corsas, can you just add the turbo bits to that from the 1.7td? The corsa engine and running gear must be fairly easy to get into the nova?

[Fridge]

You can fit it! You just don't use the 1.7td engine and gearbox. What you need is the 1.7td engine then you use bits off your 1.5td to make it fit. You take the flywheel and the starter motor off your origional engine and put it on the 1.7td, then you can use your origional gearbox and drive train.
I think you need to fit the 1.5td alternator as well, or modify the 1.7 one to clear the chassis member. And i believe burgo (one of the guys on here who's a dab hand at this conversion) said you have to change the thermostat outlet, or get a custom one made.

Also, the engine mount on the drivers side is different, but has the same hole pattern so you take the engine mount off the 1.5td and fit it on the 1.7td.

I'm going to do mine in a couple of weeks - before christmas - and what i intend to do is get the 1.5 out, sit it next to the 1.7 and swop what evers different. I'm going to take loads of pics as well so i'll let you know how it goes.:thumb:

With the 1.7 n/a one it'd be a right pain to turbo it; you'd need lower compression pistons, oil ways for the turbo, etc. And i think it's be the same process to fit it to your nova as it would to fit a 1.7td anyway!!!:(

And as for baxter, i think his mods are a lot more than what you were looking to do. He spent over £5k but got over 360bhp.:eek: Worth it but probably more than what you are wanting to do. He knows a lot more than i do about tuning these but i'm not sure either of us would be able to follow in his foot steps!!!lol

[PE4]

Ah, that makes sense, and would be much easier as the running gear can be left in the car :) Changing the flywheel is straight forward enough too.

I reckon I would be able to do that, just got to find a decent 1.7td motor now.

If you take loads of photos you could make some sort of guide, and then that would make it easier for me :D hehe

[Fridge]

I recon i might - In the *How To* section in the articles.
I'v been asking loads of people and you get bits of answers but no one tells you a definate step by step process which is frustrating. And there are a fair few people who seem to do it or want to do it. I just hope it's as straight forward as i seem to think it is.:p
I just posted a how to on there about rear disc conversions, i'v never done it myself i just re-posted somone elses old post in the appropriate section. The problem seems to be (as i'm sure it is with the td swop) that people have asked the same questions lots of times and members have got fed up of answering so they just say "Use the search" and a lot of the time the search just turns up old threads ending in "Use the search":confused:

Can't blame the members, ignorance is anoying.

Will keep you updated:thumb:

[PE4]

I know what you mean mate. I will start finding the bits for the conversion now, so that I will have them all before I start.

If you plan to use the 1.5 running gear you will have to use the 1.5 clutch - will it be happy with twice the power and torque do you reckon?

Will you need to seam weld the engine bay or get higher poundage springs at all?

I just want to do it now, 120 bhp boosting in my little nova will be so much fun :)

[Fridge]

Havn't heard of any gearbox's or clutches breaking with 120bhp and 180lb of torque (Although i believe baxter got through a couple, but thats a different story)
Yeah clutch will be from the 1.5 as well.

I think that it's going to be easier to convert it if you have a front mounted intercooler and the N/A manifold as the boost pipe coming from the 1.5 turbo exits the turbo going upwards and enters the manifold on the pasenger side of the car.
The boost pipe from the 1.7 turbo goes downwards when it comes out of the turbo so i'm going to run it down, into the intercooler, through the intercooler to the drivers side and then run boost pipes up to a N/A manifold. If you look for countvauxalot's old corsa, i'll be plumbing it in like that.

That make sense?:confused:

[PE4]

I am going to go the 1.7 route aswell mate, so will have the intercooler plumbed in the same way. From looking at the 1.7 it shouldn't be a problem really. Can't wait to get it started now - I have started collecting bits so will try and plan the time soon :)

[Balley]

sorry for restarting an old post but i need to know a couple of things, can the engine and box come out from the top
and what do i do about the turbo pipes and inlet manifold, do i use the 1.5 manifold and boost pipe or what??