C16XE rebuild advice

[mk1nova_rich]

For those that don't know, I am taking my modified C16XE out of my Mk1 to fit into my newly purchased rally car shell. I'd like to give it a freshen up before fitting as it was smoking on overrun and had developed a leak from the water pump just before Christmas.

The bottom end is standard bar a set of ARP rod bolts so the plan is to refit the bolts into another bottom end I have. Is there anything else I should check/get checked at the same time?

The head has had work done so I want to keep this and refit after a freshen up - what should I get done/replaced on the head? Will it need a skim?

I will be fitting new gaskets and headbolts, waterpump and timing kit...anything else I should add to the list?

Cheers, Rich

[Dayle_]

Although ARP's are re-usable i would check the stretch or for the sake of £60 just replace.

Head skim, people will say yes people will say not. Have a look at the head for excessive pitting but the main one is to check that it is level you can do this with a straight edge. I re-fitted our C16XE head with slight pitting but was flat and its done 5k no problems.

Check the valves for pitting and valve seats if only light you will get away with re-lapping, Check guides for any wear and replace valve stem seals as they are shiote on these engines.

Double check the dowel on the bottom pully, They can be made of chocolate and can cause a great deal of issues with timing slipping!!!! This happened to a friends rally car he spend aegis thinking the top verniers were coming loose and close inspection it was the woodruff key! People who use these to rally and rev to 7500+ tend to drill the pulley and fit a second locking mechanism similar to the dowels on the cams.

If using the standard tensioner you really need to change this to solid and use the water pump to tension the belt and the other plastic pullys, see SBD, Billy Falconer or Martin Bowyer if you can get in touch with him. They tend to throw the belt at anything over 7200rpm and you can guarantee that being a competition car it will throw the belt normally on the start line. there's something with rally cars when them number plates go on and you sat on the start line with someone counting down they really don't like it no matter how much testing you do on the road!

Hope this helps you!

[Andy]

Strip the bottom end,get the crank inspected and measured-polished if still within tolerance,ground if not.New big end and main bearings,new rings and a hone would be ideal aswell.

[mk1nova_rich]

Cheers Dayle, I appreciate your advice but I'm happy with its current spec rather than blowing loads of money on unnecessary mods - it revs happily to 7200rpm all day long which is enough for now

Andy - where did you get your bottom end done? Was it a Pug specialist?

[dstevenson]

Hi, I think the plan you have sounds fine. Just check everything is ok and rebuild and you've great fun for little money. Once you start mods to these engines the money just get silly. It's all down to revs - as the rev limit goes up the money goes up exponentially to keep it all together and reliable!! Unfortunately, as with all things in life, revs is also were the power is to be had from these wee 16v engines.

I have rallied a similar budget spec 1400XE for the last few years and had massive fun doing it. Have now increased to full race spec with all the SBD, etc. stuff and the money is silly. The power is great though, and a bit addictive, lol!!

Head skim would also help raise compression and give you a bit more torque.

David

Good luck with it.