1.6 8V Race Engine Specs & Info

[MiniManDan118]

Hi All

I am going to be building a 1.6 8V for my Nova over the next year or so, so I can compete in it on track eventually. I'm getting an engine that has a Kent rally cam of some kind but otherwise standard and I'll be doing a full build on it.

I'm just after some specs of people's engines, power outputs, reliability and any issues people have had. Some general advice on the do's and don'ts of these engines.

Cheers
Dan

[garyc]

If your racing, what is allowed in the rule book?

[MiniManDan118]

Well if I go into the CSCC Future Classics regulations state the engine must be for that model of car (ie, I can't run my redtop in a Nova, or a 16v engine) but are otherwise open. I want to keep it under 1600cc to stay in the same class so a rebore is a no-no.

[novarally]

The 'works' Nova competition build manual is a good place to start (I think there used to be a download of it on here?).

The GTE/GSi factory Nova rally cars made good reliable power from the 1600cc 8-valve engine. I seem to recall the best of them were around 140-150bhp.

[Southie]

This is what Colin's on about.
http://www.opel-blitz.lv/files/NovaCompetitionBuildGuide.pdf

[MiniManDan118]

Very interesting to read, thanks for that.

[mowgli]

good luck finding the modified ecu & group A competition parts these days..

if you find a class that allows aftermarket ecu's, then it might be a better bet, kbf71 (iirc) won the stock hatch championship in a gte, and c612dnm has tons of nova racing experience going back for ever

[MiniManDan118]

Yeah I don't think there's many of those parts left now. I'm considering running it on carbs with a mapable ecu. Its mainly things like which cam shaft would be most suitable, compression ratios, valve sizes, which pistons etc that Id like some info on. I can start looking out for parts then.

[mowgli]

the group A kit included high compression cosworth made pistons, as for the rest, its all down to what the championship will allow

[MiniManDan118]

As far as I know the CSCC is open. A friend races a Mini in the Swinging 60s and is allowed to do anything he wants to the engine as long as its the same configuration that came out the factory - 8v single cam, 5 port head.

Also, does anyone specialise in these engines? Like MED do for the Mini engines and SBD for the 16v Vauxhalls

[mowgli]

get the biggest valves you can, and good porting, then high compression pistons. then decent fuelling.. if you are not limited to group A then you should be able to get close on 175hp as a guess, but obviously it will have a fairly short mileage between rebuilds

[philip]

Balanced bottom end, arp's, headwise modified stock valves, double springs, solid lifters + newman tarmac cam on tbs and decent ex manifold and system mate ran 115bhp@wheels from 1.4 in his mrs' class 5 grasser. Revving too 8k. Wouldn't go much more than 12mm lift as aren't much to be gained other than wearing engine quicker. Some of the grasser lads run 13mm+ but the cams literally last a race meet maybe 2 max.

I'm just in the middle of a c16se head build with modified standar valves, single spring kit and newman cam for pete gsi and a full 16se build with a kent competition cam + spring set with headwork and going on 40's. So will be good too see what both make once built/fitted. Both staying hydraulic though.

[MiniManDan118]

Thanks for the info. What do you mean when you say modified stock valves? Are you limited on valve sizes in class 5 grass cars? Just wondering the reason behind not going for larger valves.

[philip]

Just radius'd standard valves. On a class 5 your limited to 1.4 iircand the 14se have big valves as standard compared to other heads available. I'm keeping standard valves on both heads I'm doing as there not wild enough to warrent big valves + imo I think there a waste on the 8v. Maybe go wasted valves on inlet, but other than that the valves are large enough. I know other will disagree but everyone has own opinions.

All depends how wild you actually want to go with your build, reliability + budget. I know the spring kits kent sell claiming they will work with cams above 12mm lift are crap, friend bought a set with the newman tarmac cams with 11.8mm lift iirc and was suffering with coilbind before full lift, spoke to kent and they reckoned the head was wrong.......mate tried 4 heads and all the same. So had to machie spring platforms too get required fitted length etc. Just something to be aware of.

[garyc]

The top class 5 engines are doing 190hp though. I would go for Ivey wasted stem valves. I think finding a decent block may be your hardest challenge unless you can get a low mileage one that's been looked after and not ragged to death.

[Andy]

z16se block..........

[Stuart]

The top class 5 engines are doing 190hp though. I would go for Ivey wasted stem valves. I think finding a decent block may be your hardest challenge unless you can get a low mileage one that's been looked after and not ragged to death.

190 bhp on the 1600 8v? Wow that's going some...
Big russ spent a pissing fortune with Jre and bowyer on his 1600 which did about 175ish and to go a over that was double the budget again which was already over double the cost of a 150bhp 1600 build lol

Sod carbs if you are going for management on the ignition anyway. Well calibrated injection will reward you endlessly.