nova 1,6 8v

[carcrazymart]

hi looking to build a 1,6 8v rally engine whats the best bhp you can get ive had 150 before but what can you get with reliabilty in mine cheers:)

[craig green]

Approx 150ish is near max for the 1600 8v. Cutting corners on parts or build costs will hamper the reliability as may the max revs you wish to run.

Its all tried & tested stuff, assuming you will run carbs (T 40's) you will want some headwork & bigger valves, a cam to suit the power you need & a 4 branch exhaust header etc.

[carcrazymart]

hi thanx yeh done solid lifters big valves enem cam carbs just wondering if there is another level for a bit more dont fancy the 16v route seems silly money

[craig green]

Seems like you have the right bits, is it setup to its potential?

Maybe mapped ignition would be next step. Is the cam fully suitable for the 1600. Only Enem cam I have heard of is for 1300's, they developed the optional Irmscher 'sport' cam.

[Stuart]

Enem are kinda like piper/kent in sweeeeeeden, so they make 'any' cam really.

A good setup will see the best gains, as having all the gear might not yield the answers till its all setup nicely

[carcrazymart]

hi it wasnt set up with mbe just a standard dizzy set up

[Stuart]

so the carbs are just 'whatever they arrived at yours' then? oh dear.....

[craig green]

Lots more potential as it is then really. Get it to an old skool tuner/magician.

[carcrazymart]

twin 40s set up on rolling road but thinking 45s or throttle bodies

[Stuart]

40's will do fine on a the 1.6

Big russ ran 45's on his 1.6 8v with mappable spark and was 'only' at 160bhpish and that needed a rebuild every few events as it was so on the limit.

a GOOD set of carbs WELL setup with GOOD headwork and a decent cam (kent AST2 or Piper BP300 are two good ones to get a spec near to), with a 1650 overbore will see you at 145-150bhp very reliably

[carcrazymart]

thanx for your comments sounds like thats about it or 16v engine

[Dan]

yup thats about it, but you can have a fast 1.6 8v, then you can mess with the gearing slightly and lighten a shell to a limit and have an even faster one.

Doesnt sound much but is generally over looked and vastly underated. Twin 45's are only really required over 7500-8000rpm, dependant on the engines requirement of air mass as the 40's would struggle in certain cirmustances imo

[carcrazymart]

that sounds spot on going to go mbe and 45s i think there still cracking engines and cheaper to play with than 16v engines

[puss puss]

i noticed a few times you keep saying cheap cheap cheap :)

surely tuning a 1.6 8v engine to its limit basicly isnt going to be cheap :(

if you dont like the c20xe (redtop 2l 16v n/a) (150bhp there abouts all day long) then have you thought about a c16xe or x16xe out of a corsa? There 16v's but can be picked up for pennys near enough as all the corsa boys are putting big xe's or let's in theres :)

Just my thought as i am a big block big c*ck sort of guy :) join the clan :)

[Stuart]

that sounds spot on going to go mbe and 45s i think there still cracking engines and cheaper to play with than 16v engines


tbh the cost of 45's and mbe for the 'gain' on the 8v is a bit kak... do the same to the 16v and you will have a bucket load more power etc. The engines arent that expensive either.

[Slippy]

If I was you I'd put your money into a 16v mate but thats just my opinion and probably not worth much lol

[Stan Wrecked]

Put £1000 into a 1600 unit to get 150bhp or Change to a red top for around £500 and get the same power but more torque. Im going down the red top road after looking the price.

[carcrazymart]

i here what your saying what good is 150bhp in a redtop when your rallying against cars with 200 easily im on 1.6 engine to stay in class

[Stan Wrecked]

I see, you need lots of head work and twin carbs to make 150bhp. Look after the oil and water cooling to stay in shape. Good luck with the build

[carcrazymart]

cheers for the comments

[bazil]

i here what your saying what good is 150bhp in a redtop when your rallying against cars with 200 easily im on 1.6 engine to stay in class

follow the group A clubman build manual then will have the same engine power the works cars had, the hardest part to find would be the ecu but the other part should still be readily avalible.

[comptoncj]

My uncles last nova was a 1600 8v he ran some sort of managment on it and 45mm bodies, ast9 cam, blydenstein head, steel internals and that was rolling roaded at over 180 bhp

[mowgli]

a 1600 16v on throttle bodies or carbs & spark management could probably manage 200hp, a 8v will not.... put simply, its 20 years out of date compared to the 16v.

what are the class rules???

[dj_wudgey]

a 1600 16v on throttle bodies or carbs & spark management could probably manage 200hp, a 8v will not.... put simply, its 20 years out of date compared to the 16v.

what are the class rules???

im with that id wouldent say youd get more than 160 from the little 1600 8 valve!!

[mowgli]

any n/a 8v making much more than 100hp/litre is pushing the reliability/cost envelope.... i'm not saying a 1600 8v won't make more than 180hp, but it will need all steel internals, expensive pistons, crazy cams & rebuilds after every event........

if you are getting 150hp reliably, then spend money on decent suspension,tyres & brakes

[jackerts]

1600 16v imo

i run a modified 1600 8v in my nova (bike carbs,worked big valve head,bp300,4 branch) fully set up by old man boggy, did do 140hp atw but their rollers are for tuning not numbers

brother was running a 1600 16v (mild head work,modified inlet box,4 branch)

and tbh theres bugger all in them on the road apart from about 1500 of someones hard earned cash (not mine)