cav engine what cam?

[Dave]

me mate has just got hold of a nova that's had a 1.6 8v 2e3 carb cav engine fitted.
he wants to know what the best cam to go in it is to make it go a bit better and knowing him he won't want to spend loads on it
anyone got any suggestions what a good one would be?

Dave

[Gunzi]

I have a ported and polished head for this engine for sale for ?100.
gunzi

[mikeoxford]

before he pi$$es about with the cam, get the head changed for anything other than whats on it! itll have tiny square ports like the 1.4 SR did.

fit anything to it and itll be better! get the inlet manifold to suit too.

he may as well do this at same time as cam as the cam carier have to come off.

if on a budget, opt for a 1.4SR camshaft 14NV engine code.

mike

[mc_hawkings]

is it an sv, mike i thought the head had round imlet ports on those.
The sv cams got lower duration & the 1.4 cam is higher so it will be better
right

[mikeoxford]

is it an sv, mike i thought the head had round imlet ports on those.
The sv cams got lower duration & the 1.4 cam is higher so it will be better
right

afraid not.

the very first 1.6 engine i had was a 16SV it has square ports. so i can say for deffo if its a 16SV it will.

yes the 14NV cam will be more sportier.

even a 16GTE cam would be better as it will be mroe peaky and sportier.

im unsure about any problems you may have with fuel pump drive or alternator drives, so go with the 14NV 1.4 SR cam if u can as its a carb model same as the SV

[Dave]

right the engine came from a j reg 1.6 cav so it should be the sv engine.

so i should tell him to just go for the 1.4sr cam an try to swap the head.

will the 1.4sri head bolt straight on? as i've got a spare 1.3sr inlet manifold in the garage an should be able to find a head somewhere

[Ste_Nova]

sri are round ports

1.3 are arched

[mikeoxford]

trouble you will have is the inlet manifold. as the 1.4sri and 1.6 are both roud port, of which i doubt you will get a manifold for - unless there was astras etc with the same style four branch into one thing and round ports? hrm there might be

anyway

dont raise the compression too much by using a 1.2, go for the 1.3 if you cant do nothing else. but you need to loose that SV head !!!

[Dave]

i can get the head 'adjusted' to fit the 1.3 manifold at work so that won't be a problem, have had this done for my nova :twisted:
just wanted to know if it was interchangable and would fit!

[mikeoxford]

everything is interchangeable, any 8v head will fit an inlet / exhaust manifold, they would all fit on any capacity block etc. its the question of things lining up like ports that woudlnt, but if you can get this sorted then hell yeah go for it

[Dave]

so if we get a 1.4sri head with the 1.3sr manifold made to fit an wack a 1.4sr cam in it then slap it on the block all should be well?

[mikeoxford]

yep :D

and as an addition to my previous post, before i get pickedup on it :twisted: i meant small blocks. obviously the big block 2litre 8v head wont fit :lol:

[mikeoxford]

jus make sure its all port matched nicely will you :twisted:

[Dave]

and as an addition to my previous post, before i get pickedup on it :twisted: i meant small blocks. obviously the big block 2litre 8v head wont fit :lol:
damn an i was gonna try it! :lol:

yup will make sure it all fits. cheers mike!

[mikeoxford]

the 1.4sri head will probly be best cos from pictures it looks like they have similar piston dishes. the 1.3 is difrent all together as is the 1.2

[Dave]

am gonna be using a 1.6 head gasket, is that the best one to use or is the 1.4 gonna be better??

[mikeoxford]

id have gone with the 1600 personally