Wot to drop in under the bonnet

[locky]

Im not sure wot to put under the bonnet, ive got a few options that i want to do but not sure, so here goes:-
a 1.4 carbed
a 1.6 gsi
a 1.4 16v
a 1.6 16v
I wanna do this as cheaply as possible but i no that its gonna cost me a pretty penny anyway!
I can get the gearboxes to suit the engines, but wot else would i need?
i know that the driveshafts out of my 1.2 will fit the 1.4 carbed boxes, but wot about the others?
Any info given will be very much appreciated
Thanx in hand

[wisewood]

have you considered asking CP if he would consider selling his engine to you? probably wouldn't... and if he did it would not come cheap - but worth asking :D

make him a silly offer and see what he says :lol:

[Will]

lol, thats a 7k + engine i think

Locky 1.4 carb u know u wana, then tune the bitch to 120bhp @ the fly ;)

Makes sense

Will

[brian]

tune the bitch to 120bhp @ the fly
whats the point in that unless he's gonna bolt a wheel to the flywheel!!!
only pullin da Pi**.
anyway Locky why not go the 1.6 16v way? you will pick one up for around ?350 and everything you need to know is on www.valvers.com that's the option i'd go for.

[locky]

Well, im open to all opinions, thing is, im terrible at electrics and id have to wire up the managment system on the injected lumps
nova nutter, im very tempted to go for the 1.4 atm, it seems the easiest option, plus i can get alot from it!
More suggestions please !
Thanx

[mikeoxford]

install a hamster cage with oversized wheel (to aid top end speed)

feed the hamster some drugs before setting off on your journey (hamsters dont take keen to an injection of nitros oxide, so try carrots for good results)

lol dunno where that came from

locky go for the 1.4 8v and tune it - thats what me and nova nutter r doin!

[Matt Finary]

Go for the 1.6 16v if not go for 1.4 16v(just look at CP's :o )

Matt :)

[locky]

The thing is matt, i aint 2 good at the lectrics, im just seeing wot options iv got, wot bout the driveshafts from the 1.2? can i donor them into ne of the above engines? i no they will go into the carbed 1.4!
I can honestly c myself dropping in the 1.4 carbed it seems alot less hassel!
Thanx 4 comment, v much appreciated!

[Chris LR]

Becasue of the things that are being done to 1.4's at the moment I'd go for a 1.4 16v and play with it a little.

You probably won't find many 1.4s in good nick, I'd imagin they've all been thrashed by wanna-be 1.6 owners like myself.

[Matt Finary]

Shame you weren't nearer to me I have a 1.4 sr lump, gearbox and drive shafts in my garage.

Matt :D

[locky]

I can get the lump n box real cheap near me mattt, thanx ne way!
Can i get twin carbs for the 1.4 16v? i'd expect i would!

[Matt Finary]

I sure they do make a inlet manifold for twin 40 for 1.4 16v, I know that
http://www.motorsportdirect.co.uk/ do one for 1.6 16v.

Matt :)

[brian]

well locky ya said you aren't much good with the electrics side of the 16v engines but have you looked at the valvers site that i said above. they explain it all really well. im def with Matt on the 16v option anyway!! i have had 1.4 8v, 1.6 8v, 1.8 8v, 1.6 16v and 2.0 16v(currently) and im gonna go back to the 1.6 16v because it's the best engine all round in a Nova i reckon. but that's just my opinion.

[locky]

Yeah iv looked at the valvers page thanx alot brian,
i'd have to ring a few people up to see bout twin carbing the 1.4 16v,
just confused as wot to drop in atm,
Cheers

[Nova-Flair]

i would say go for the 1.6 16v because of the power to weight ratio and the tuneability of the engine.

but having a 1.2 and going to a 1.6 16v will be very costly on the insurance so go for the 1400 16v carbed option if you can and then tune it to have as much power, if not more, than a 1.6 16v

good luck

[brian]

the twin carbed 1.4 16v would be good option. can't tell ya anything about it though. what i plan to do with a 1.6 16v when i get one again is run the Mantzel intake system. 22bhp after bolting it on. as you might have read in Total Vaux the 1600 16v ecotec engine had to be tamed down before selling so as not to make it as quick as the 2.0 red top and this was done by the crazy long route the air is forced to take. that box, a four branch and a bit of remapping would give a nice bit of power.

[Fester]

I think the mk3 cavalier 1600 carb engine is a small block engine, with 90bhp

might be worth checking out

what about f15 corsa sri 8v gearbox as well :)

[ainsley_brader]

If the twin carb manifold you have seen is for the x16xe then it will fit the 1.4 16v as the heads are the same.
If its for the c16xe (corsa gsi engine) then it still might although the ports on this engine are slightly different (and better).

Carbs on a 1.4 16v should be good but for ultimate power (and better reliability) the only way would be throttle bodies.

The small block 1.6 8v engine will go straight in and will undoubtedly be the cheapest conversion to give you good performance.

Any of these engines will fit your F13 or F15 box as they are all small block and your driveshafts will fit, although if nova gte ones are thicker/stronger then it would make sense to upgrade them (spline wise they are all the same).

Ainsley

[locky]

Thanx 4 all this feedback lads, its gr8,
Just 1 last question, wot if i took out the cylinder liners in the 1.4, and go them bored out to 1600 cc, i'd have to change the piston heads, but wot bout the gudgeon pin sizes, and the conrods, thus leading to the crankshaft?
ne info much appreciated!

[brian]

well as far as i know the 1400 and 1600 blocks are the exact same bore already. different stroke so you would need crank, conrods and pistons in which case why not just use a 1600 block!!

[locky]

Ok, iv read alot of things, and now decided on wot im gona do!
Will this all work when put together tho?
:- 1.4 8v,
1.2 head (as MC sed in tunung the 1.4 thread)
lightened balanced crank,
lightened balanced flywheel,
twin carburettors,
camshaft,
(im gonna do an overhaul on the engine neway)
exhaust,
and theres more, but just cant think atm!
wot dya reckon?

[Fester]

i think u could get more out of the 1600 for the same money

[mikeoxford]

locky mate go down the planned route you have!

come play with me and give me a run for my money!!!

[jon_boy]

he he, what do you think of the engine im getting. only 1.3 cosi wanted to keep insurance down a bit.

Genuine Martin Bowyer 1300 8V engine running on irmscher injection and MBE. Bowyer worked head, rally cam, vernier, pipercross air filter etc. Recently rebuilt at Dom Buckley's. sound slike a laff in a stripped out nova dont ya think.

[Matt Finary]

I agree with Fester, you would be better get a 1.6

Matt :)

[neiloakley]

electrics is not a reason to not have the injection. The ecu and loom are self contained and the plugs are all resonably easy to find. there will only be four wires to actually play with. One will go to the fuel pump, one will go from fuel pump to earth. One from loom to coil, one from rev counter (coil) to loom. And thats it!!!! You might have to extend wires for water temp sender, oil pressure sender etc but you might have to do that for any engine.

[brian]

why not just use a 1.6 as a few others have said. or at least 16v 1.4???