Worth tuning engine in 1.3 SR?

[SeanWR1]

Is it worth doing anything with my standard 1.3 sr engine or would it be better to replace with x16xe that i've got?

Would prefer to do something with the 1.3 :)


Cheers

[bazil]

How much are you willing to spend on the 1.3 ?

[SeanWR1]

Totally depends what my options are, if it means spending a bit on the 1.6 or alot on the 1.3, i'll probably change it for the 1.6.

What sort of options do i have with the 1.3?

[marc69]

A good cam, exhaust, either uprated carbs or try modifying the existing twin choke, does make a difference.

My 1.4 track car has this and a 1.6 head, fast for a 1.4 but still no redtop beater!

[turbojolt]

depends on what your after i guess

my next nova wil be staying 1.2 and im going to mess around with that for a laugh, people might say its a waist of money but thats just a load of tosh

[bazil]

I was quoted around £450 - 500 for headwork on my 1.6 8V head

Then the price of cam and lifters, then cost of new carbs, exhaust etc etc

So in the end it comes down to cash,

Personally I'd build a 1300 that can scream its nuts off and have a laugh that way,

[Calamity Josh]

and keep your insurance down...

[bazil]

and keep your insurance down...

With a highly modified engine?

[paul james]

With a highly modified engine?

You'd be surprised, my tuned 1.3 has never been expensive to insure. I had a standard GSi at the same time at one point, and that was a fair bit more, then theres the cheaper tax too.

As for tuning a 1.3, it depends on what you want to achieve. A cam, Twin 40's and the cost of setting them up, exhaust, it all adds up. But its lovely when done :)

[philip]

Few lads are getting cheaper qoutes for tuned small cc engines than for changing the engine to a larger cc, insurance companies may see if that the larger engine isn't designed or fitted as standard in the car so bump prices right up.

Bazil - that seems quite expensive for an 8v head, even with new guides, modified valves.

[leggattr]

Tune the 1.3 and sell the x16xe. The money will get a cam and exhaust so your half way there.

[pottersrebel]

i paid £1200 for my 1300 stock car engine which revs its head off, its had a crank shaft regrind, new shells, oil pickup pipe modified in the sump, flywheel lightned, bored out block and new pistons and rings. the head is a completly standard (not allowed to touch that) apart from skimming to the max that the rules allow and i run the pierberg 2e3 carb setup to run both chokes
and the cam is a standard vauxhall cam but is the better cam to use on track.
ive been really tempted recently to buy a nova and stick a 1300 in with the same spec for twisty road use and track days

[mowgli]

if you keep the original engine, and play with it, you can get classic modified insurance

the x16xe will cost more to insure

[SeanWR1]

Cheers for the replies :)

Was planning on turning nova into a track day car, Do's anyone know what sort of money x16xe engines go for?

Car already has alot of money spent on it running gear wise so main focus is the engine now.

Cheers

[mk1nova_rich]

250-300 on a good day for the X16XE if its complete with ancilliaries, box and loom

Give us a shout if you need a hand with owt, Im not far from you

[SeanWR1]

Cheers mate, might have to hold you to that. Not an expert with engines, the most i've done is helping a mate with 40 year old diesel tractor engines lol.

[paul james]

Is the Nova an SR? and does it still look like one? if so then theres even more reason for keeping the original 1.3 engine.

[SeanWR1]

Yeah its an SR, cars only done 40,000 miles so should still have a good strong engine. No interior in it, ill put some pics up.

[SeanWR1]

http://imageshack.us/a/img819/9230/26112011221.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/819/26112011221.jpg/)http://imageshack.us/a/img80/4563/26112011220.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/80/26112011220.jpg/)http://imageshack.us/a/img839/8635/26112011219.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/839/26112011219.jpg/)http://imageshack.us/a/img7/3334/26112011218.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/7/26112011218.jpg/)

[paul james]

Definitely keep the 1.3 then, and I wouldn't go changing the car up too much. There aren't too many SR's around now, it will have much more value and appeal if kept looking standard.

[SeanWR1]

:/ Getting a bit late for that, gonna be totally stripped inside with probably a roll cage etc. exterior im gonna keep pretty standard but its had a bump on front left so need to replace wing, indicator and probably bumper. Should have bought another nova to play with but its too late now.

[mk1nova_rich]

PM'd mate