C20LET in bits?

[Nova_Tek]

As I continue on the quest to find a running LET I can hear and drive for the Nova, I have come across another option.

Would buying a LET in bits be worth doing i.e. for cost saving and reliability or should I just find one to my liking as a whole?

I know a couple people that either have the block, bottom end etc. If for exmple I buy the block and bottom end which are in solid condition would the costs of buying the other bits be the same as getting a whole engine or work out less? I'd need things like pistons, head, manifold and turbo etc.

Don't forget that I'm only looking for solid reliable standard power.

So is it worth it?

All opinions welcome :thumb:

[djbrowney]

if you pm steve boy slim he will sell you a fully rebuilt engine with new bearings/rings/belt kit/ ect as a complete engine ready to bolt in your car !

[Nova_Tek]

[Edit] I have spoken to him on MIG.

[16v Nova Kev]

i would buy an xe and make it into a let.

[Nova_Tek]

^ Thought about that aswell. Would that not work out as much as buying a LET?

[16v Nova Kev]

depends if you look hard for good quality used parts.

[Nova_Tek]

TBH I could probably get half the stuff at trade price, and I'd prefer to buy new for the internal bits.

How much work would an XE need to get it to be a LET?

[bazil]

I've bought a let bottom end to build up but in the long run it will cost me more than buying a full engine. But I'm going the steel rods and pistons road.

[16v Nova Kev]

pistons/inlet/management/turbo and manifold/oil feed. plus other bits it is doable tho like this one.
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg8/16vnovakev/30032010115.jpg
mazda 1.6 16v turbo the guy built it for under 1k.

[Nova_Tek]

Would it cost more coz you're going uprated?

Like I said, I want the LET I put in to be standard, so if I go for building one I buy in bits, it'll be pretty much OE spec. Of course, if I started uprating everything I know it'll easily cost more than buying one whole.

[bazil]

Stick in a xe, get used to it while building up a good let, over 250 bhp in a fwd car ain't easy first time out lol

[muzzy]

I suppose if you weren't in a rush and you kept looking for all the bits over a period of time you could end up getting it all slightly cheaper than a built engine. Although if you are just running standard internals I would say your better off buying one complete.

[Jon_nova1]

pistons/inlet/management/turbo and manifold/oil feed. plus other bits it is doable tho like this one.
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg8/16vnovakev/30032010115.jpg
mazda 1.6 16v turbo the guy built it for under 1k.
but thats running RWD, even if he used the 4WD box it'd be impossible to get FWD with the engine the way it is:wtf:

[bazil]

I think the point was that the guy built that engine for less than a grand, so in theory you could let an xe on a small budget.

[Sloth]

there isd a local lad who has an xe corsa who is converting it to a let, he has used pec pistons, and bought a let loom and ecu and sensors off ebay for 100. he bought a tubular mani and a t3 aswell. all he needs is a let exhaust cam and the inlet and throttle body. his xe cost 150 so for around 500 he has a let.

[let_nova]

full running LET her......

[MattBrown]

To me, if going for a "Standard" engine, just buy one complete.

If I build one, it will have all steel pistons, rods, bolts, diff turbo, inlet, manifolds etc.

Headwork etc.

So It would be cheaper for me to buy a block and go from there, simply because Id be ripping apart a complete engine, and not using half of it.

Theres an amazingly cheap deal on egay, lad off here, C20let engine, 2 f28's, one fubared, a quaiffe diff, and 4 speedlines £1500 the lot.

If cash wasn't an issue, i would have bought the lot!

[Nova_Tek]

A lot of different opinions and what not.

I know that when pepole buy LET's they tend to rebuild them for piece of mind, so I thought buying one in bits already or just the block with internals missing could kill two birds with one stone: pay a similar cost, maybe slightly cheaper and have a LET that's been rebuilt.

May need to speak to my mechanic (mate) about what he thinks. He'd be the one rebuilding it if I choose this option, he should be able to give a rough idea of cost aswell.


Stick in a xe, get used to it while building up a good let, over 250 bhp in a fwd car ain't easy first time out lol

It's not about me getting used to the power, I've driven a couple hardcore Corsa's Nova's etc I don't really wanna stick in an XE and then wait a bit before I go LET. Plus I'm keeping it standard so most I'll see is 210BHP.

[alan b]

start with an xe block and build one up. dont mind the std turbo. go for a t3 or something. if you only want std power then just run low boost through it. no point buidling it from an xe and not using the benefits of doing so i.e. not being stuck with the ****ty std bits.

[Nova_Tek]

Would the block actually need any work done to it or is it just the internals to be replaced and put on a LET ECU?

[Sloth]

oil feed and return.

[Nova_Tek]

Right ok. I'll have a word with the mechanic and see what he says.

[garethcolley]

If you get a decent bottom end and buy a complete coscast head then do the following:

GM Oil and water pumps £200
New belts/rollers £80
Pressure test head £25
Skim if required £25
Valve seats re-cut and new stem seals £75
KKK Turbo £150 - £550 (new core)
Bolts and gaskets and some shiny parts £150

Total = £700 based on cheap turbo.

Providing you get a decent bottom end which you can check then it will be half way there. If you have an extra £300 then get a hone, rings and new bearings and your done.

I did the above on a 70k + bottom end and it makes the exact power my chips state.

Other things to consider are loom £100 and ECU £100.

If you were to buy a LET for say £1000 then you still have to add the price of all the machining work and parts should you want to rebuild it so will probably cost you a bit more. Advantage is that you have a turbo, loom and all the other bits.

[steveboyslim]

I can do a complete standard spec LET which has had new rings, bearings, seals, valves lapped, sealed GM head (would need belt kit) with ecu, airflow, pipework, coil etc for £1200.
Uprated parts can be included at extra cost.
Once the three engines I have are gone I will only be doing rebuilds to order.
I have a complete running calibra turbo car which can be had for £1600.
If you are going to build a high spec engine, then converting an XE is probably the way to go, although using the standard managment to get the engine up and running, has an advantage.
Any decision on what engine to start with should be based on the condition of the cylinder bores, as most XE/LET engines need boring and a new set of pistons which will cost the best part of £500-£650 depending on what pistons are used.
Some parts for the LET are obsolete, this is the main reason for only building engines to order

[mowgli]

from my humble observations, buying a LET in bits is probably the best way, because if it hasn't just been rebuilt, it will soon be in bits.

[Mike]

from my humble observations, buying a LET in bits is probably the best way, because if it hasn't just been rebuilt, it will soon be in bits.

Also buying it in bits you can visually & mechanically inspect every single last nut & bolt & build it up to any spec you wish (wallet permitting of course) & get the overall satisfaction of the finished article being your own work :)

[Shaun]

Also buying it in bits you can visually & mechanically inspect every single last nut & bolt & build it up to any spec you wish (wallet permitting of course) & get the overall satisfaction of the finished article being your own work :)

The whole car from steve is a decent price.

i did similar, then sold the leather, alloys etc all off it and got quite abit back from it. I drove the calibra before i took the engine out which is a big plus!

When i took it out the calibra i then stripped and rebuilt it anyways though lol

only thing i found once i had stripped mine, a few valve guides had snapped so needed replacing so i did it all in the end.

peace of mind though i had a decent turbo etc etc and now a let with f28 etc that didnt cost that much prob only £7-800 once the bits had sold

Edit- thats not including rebuild