How do i put a 2.0 engine into MY nova?!

[james_the_twin]

Right, just to start i'll let you know i'm pretty **** with cars when it comes to mechanics, i just let the garage do everything for me. So any replies anyone has to offer please treat me dumb, because i am when it comes to my car knowledge.

I've got a 1.2 nova merit, 5 door 1988. Ive seen all over the place that you can get a 2.0 redtop engine into a nova but i know you need to change a laod of other stuff as well. So if i was to buy a doner car like an astra, would it be possible to get all the bits i need off that then take them all down the garage with my nova and say "please make my car faster mr mechanic". Or would they laugh at me and say piss off do it yourself?

I realise it would be a really costly job, but i'll deal with that hurdle when i get there i just want my nova faster.

Am i dreaming an unforseeable dream..? :tard:

[gaznovalet]

hello mate you will find all the answers on" how to "on here with regards to fitting a redtop into your nova, i wud personally buy a complete redtop and gearbox make sure it has complete wiring loom and ecu, you only then need to sort out wich driveshaft option your going to use, then simply buy a front engine mount, if car is in for a hard life its more than advisable to stitch weld up the engine bay to cope with the bit extra weight and power.chassis leg mod required. you arent too far from me if you get all the parts id do the work for ya no problems.

[Leeboo]

Read the articles section. I'm not trying to be nasty, but alot of the info is in there so read it first.

A donor car will not provide you with all of the parts, but it would be better than buying just an engine, as the donor car would donate bigger brakes etc.

edit- gaz has it covered :)

[MK999]

Buy a ready built 2.0 nova, it will be considerably cheaper than buying all the parts and paying mechanics labour wages to fit it

[james_the_twin]

cheers for info, and sorry for putting this in wrong section... oops.

so i need:
redtop engine
gearbox to match
front engine mount
driveshaft
bigger brakes

I wouldnt have the foggiest idea how you know if it has complete wiring loom and ecu though, as i said i know little about car mechanics.
Dont really know what you mean by 'driveshaft option', fill me in!
And are bigger brakes a must, or just really a safety issue?
Annnd whats a chasis leg mod?
Sorry, i really dont know much about cars at all haha.

Where abouts you at gaz, cos any help at all (if i do go ahead with this) would be much appreciated!!!!

[gaznovalet]

again as stated by the lads above you also need to modify suspension and brakes along with an exaust system. . . .oh and then evryones favourite part
INSURANCE. and if you look around can pick sum cheap nova valvas up but at end of day if you like your car and want to valva that then i say go for it as alwas better and a good buzz seeing the work being done on your own car and good fun converting them from start to finish and seeing the big difference in all aspects.

[gaznovalet]

for drive shafts on a nova you have 2 options mate, either use nova gte 22 spline shafts with mk2 cavalier 1.6 inner cv joints this allows use of big block gearbox and your original hubs and outer cv joints. or other option is fat shafts or motorsport shafts wich are bigger and stronger but also need machined hubs for the larger outer cv joints.

[gaznovalet]

im in durham pal, send an email to
colinesmith@aol.com
he will im sure give you a price on parts for evrything you need.

[Adam]

No offence but if your not hugely familiar with cars then a xe conversion i wouldn't attempt....
If its a 1200 then start with a 1.4 or 1.6 swap.

Also check insurance quotes BEFORE swapping the engine.

[james_the_twin]

Oooooo this is suddenly sounding a hell of a lot more complicated than i first thought. Im a complete newbie (even tho ive had my nova for a year now...) and im probably goin into the deep end a bit here.

Maybe i will just find one n buy it when ever money allows!

Actually ill email that address youve given me just to find out. Try i might, dont i wont!

[napalm_27]

not really much point in bothering if your not going to insure it as what it is
stick with the 1.2 and wait till you can afford it

[james_the_twin]

hang on. adam, when you say to try 1.4 or 1.6, will that be a hell of a lot easier..? Im not that bothered about it being a 2.0, 1.6 will still be pretty nippy in a little nova wont it..?

[wwmnw]

I am doing a 1.6 16 valve, Easy as piss and alot cheaper than an redtop, don't even have to change the mounts, I think.

[james_the_twin]

Sweet. So what will i need to change then do you know? I can probably get myself a 1.6 astra engine easy enough, but what about the things mentioned before like gearbox, driveshaft etc?

[novasaloon1984]

hang on. adam, when you say to try 1.4 or 1.6, will that be a hell of a lot easier..? Im not that bothered about it being a 2.0, 1.6 will still be pretty nippy in a little nova wont it..?

i run a 1.6 8v out of a nova gte and i have loads of fun in it.
and i wouldnt worry about putting yourself in the deep end of a project as probably 80% of people on here would have learnt about there cars by putting them self in the deep end. thats the fun part

8v are piss easy to put in on same mounts shafts and box if you like(not 4 speed)

[james_the_twin]

i run a 1.6 8v out of a nova gte and i have loads of fun in it.
and i wouldnt worry about putting yourself in the deep end of a project as probably 80% of people on here would have learnt about there cars by putting them self in the deep end. thats the fun part

8v are piss easy to put in on same mounts shafts and box if you like(not 4 speed)

Ive only got 4 gears. So will i need a new gearbox? what kind of other problems will that arise, if any..?

[novasaloon1984]

is your engine a carb?
yeah just get a F13 or F10 box

[james_the_twin]

sorry if this makes me look really dumb but i dunno.... how can i tell or find out?!

[wwmnw]

If its injection it will have a big black airbox on top of the engine if its carb it wont, S1mplez.

As for my engine i may need to change the mounts actually cant remember now,

As for what im changing,Only the brakes need changing (except obvious engine bits like exhaust etc), You can use the shafts you have already got as well.

[Lee]

If its injection it will have a big black airbox on top of the engine if its carb it wont, S1mplez.



Not so simplez as you got it back to front lol

Carb engine will have the big round airbox on top of the engine, an SPi will have a smaller inlet.

Gaz has offered to do the job for you, id take him up on his offer, it will be much much cheaper than a garage doing the work, plus you can get stuck in yourself and learn as you go.

[james_the_twin]

Yeah its got a big black circular thing on top of the engine so no carb. Do you need to change your mounts cos its a 16v? I want little hassle as possible really, so if i got an 8v would i be right with the mounts ive got?

And as for the 'obvious engine bits', what would they 'obviously' be?? haha, i really couldnt know any less about cars D:

Edit: Ok, in that case i DO have a carb then. That bad or good?

[james_the_twin]

Oh yeah i forgot he offered, id love him to help! Just trying to gauge out what needs doing tho first. And if a 1.6 isnt all that complicated then im willing to give it a go, but need to save up for various parts first so it wont go ahead for a good few months yet!

[dougie_boi]

is your engine a carb?
yeah just get a F13 or F10 box these boxes fit straight on any small block but check and make sure the drive plate from clutch fits it and you will need to modify your gear remote to accept a 5th gear as well matey ;)

[wwmnw]

Not so simplez as you got it back to front lol
Carb engine will have the big round airbox on top of the engine, an SPi will have a smaller inlet.


Really? Mine is a 1.2i and has the black airbox :confused:

[james_the_twin]

yeah i think mines 1.2i and it has the big black box as well. what difference does it make?

[MK999]

spi will a big 'button' thing with a red wire going to it on the intake end of the airbox

[wwmnw]

C12NZ is a single point injection, But anyway don't worry about that worry about putting a 1.6 in as a redtop is alot of work and money, worth it if you can afford to insure it though.

What I am doing is a x16xel block with a c16xe head as the c16xe block is underpowered (so i was told on cs anyway) and the c16xe head is good, F15 gearbox, some engine mods corsa gsi ecu and loom, spending about £1000 on mine and should see about 140 bhp all going well.

[Paul]

I'll do it!

[james_the_twin]

i would absolutey love you to do it! gaz also offered to help as well, but the more the merrier ey!!! anyways, as i said beofre its just in the pipeline at the moment, might not be arsed goin ahead cos ill be out of a car and ive just been without a car for about 2 months and its bollox!!! Also i mentioned id rather have 1.6 than 2.0 cos its hell of a lot more simpler by the sounds.

aaaaaaaanyways, think ill just let this thread go and if i ever do get all the various parts i need then ill repost again. Cheers for everyones help!!!!!

[novasaloon1984]

i would buy a three legged horse and rid it round town with a jestwers outfit on and give your car to me for a day thats all it will take

[james_the_twin]

sweet, 3 legged horse will be tuppence, most get put down poor buggers!!

...hang on, why not f*ck off the nova and try get a 2.0 in the horse?

[Jack]

as i said beofre its just in the pipeline at the moment, might not be arsed goin ahead cos ill be out of a car and ive just been without a car for about 2 months and its bollox!!!
A 1.6 would be cheaper and easier to do than an XE, although with the right parts collected beforehand its possible to do either over a weekend. Assuming everything goes to plan lol


And are bigger brakes a must, or just really a safety issue?
Standard Nova brakes are not even good enough for standard Novas :D

[Stuart]

hmmmm James, yorkshire, bit of a mechanical numpty, not knowing what he wants........... sorry but all fingers point to Gaskell lol

[Lee]

If it were 'G' then the 2.0 would already be in, and he would have seen Jensen Button out in his Aston and smoked him on only 3 cylinders.

[james_the_twin]

oh dear, im a numpty....

YOOOOOOOORKSHIRE!!!!! YOOOOOOOOORKSHIRE!!!!! YOOOOOOORKSHIRE!!!!