fly by wire

[just vaux trev]

ok, just dropped on a cheap astra 1.8 bertone coupe its a bit of a mess but has cracking engine with 80,000 and i have an engineless nova in the garage so gonna stick it in there only thing is it has the fly by wire set up on it iv read some details on the x18xe,x18xe1,z18xe exc and still dont have a clue what engine it actually is on the code on the engine is no help either (x/z18xe)? i need know the actual engine (big/small block) i thought the small block 1.8 was in the later astra f gsi? x18xe? and how do i get past the fly by wire set up? any help guys......thanks:thumb:

[Adam]

Its a small block. Its either a z18xe, and a x18xel. Cant remember which off top of my head.
You need to use a cable throttle because a nova has a cable throttle pedal.....

Astra F GSi had a big block 1800 16v.

[mowgli]

Can't you just remove the nova pedal & fit the astra throttle pedal assembly??

[Andy]

its a z18xe,use the x18xe throttle body and cable

[just vaux trev]

thanks adam as long as it is small block i can work with that, mowgli i would imagine a whole lot of wiring to go with the pedal conversion, ...........next question will i need change ecu wiring to suit the wired throtle?

[mowgli]

isn't the z version a bit higher power?

surely the pedal will be an easy swap, i've fitted a few fly by wire 'throttle' switches on wagons & plant, and they aren't exactly complex & fit on a flat surface.

[Andy]

fly by wire sucks rim though

[mowgli]

its a foot pedal with the throttle pot on it, as opposed to having a cable working the throttle & pot. its the future, like garlic bread & cheesecake

[andy_mk3]

Fly-by-wire is pants, you always get a very slight delay with it, and not cheap when they go wrong either! I much prefer a cable :)

[peester]

Indeedy, as far as we know- if you want the small block 1.8 16v in a nova, on standard inlet - its got to be the x18xe1. Thats the elder version of the z18xe where it yes, was 8-10 bhp down on power, but has cable throttle and no manicat (catalyst in the manifold) - so cheaper for a tubular manifold.. This applies whether or not you run std or aftermarket management. Other wise that engine is virtually indentical (different type of management though)
Can only use z18xe in a nova if you bin all the inlet/t.b and have carbs/itb's - that changes it to throttle cable then; therefore must have aftermarket management too.

[Stuart]

If you didnt know a car had an ETB you'd never fecking know it was fitted!!!
Yes its technology that makes engine conversions a mild pain in the ass, BUT the pros far far far outweigh the cons (no need for those unreliable ICV's anymore, proper cold start control, any throttle mapping you fancy, no bent spindles from retarded setup and so on)


I doubt you can simply swap the ETB off for a normal one with the ETB PCM as it will be expecting 4 analogue inputs in a particular setup which it wont be getting.

[Andy]

Theres a guide on AOC on how to do it iirc,i thought the same Stuart,would it have to be deleted on the ecu or summat??
Im going to have a look actually.....

[just vaux trev]

any more news on this andy and link exc, haven't been on here for a while someone would have tackled this by now!?

[scott.parker]

They have mate, I'm sure Ive read it as Andy said, theres guides on AOC's forums, there technical how too's are very good, the members are useless for help though, as most only know how to fit LED dash lights and wolfrace 19's etc...

But iirc you cna use the z18xe/1 with the early x18xe TB and cabled set up, but you might have to use an after market ecu, or get a standard one from either engine re mapped to suite etc, so not cheep really..

Go see what you can find on AOC about it mate.

Scott