SPI conversions

[db_1.2]

What would be the easiest option for a conversion in a 1.2spi, i heard that some other 8v will fit with same mounts and looms, what engines are these and is it worth doing the conversion? Would i need to get a different tank or fuel lines? Also where could i find the engines, i think most of them that fit the mounts and looms are out of chavaliers? i dunno you tell me! :thumb:

[SuperNova!]

Alright mate I have a 1600sv carb small block engine from a cavalier,

Most people on here will knock them but in my experience they are good engines,

All I have is a 4branch manifold, and rolling road tuned and I got 96bhp and 106ft/lbs torque while the engine was burining 4 litres of oil per tank full of petrol and now it feels much more powerful than before, I changed the rings and ran it in for 1000miles and it has never played up at all since and I dont drive it slowly.

The engines are pretty easy to pick up and are simple to put in,

Take your old 1.2spi engine out (which I had) fit the 1600sv in the same mounts as its a small block engine, then swap the distribitor from the 1.2spi engine to the 1600sv and use the 1.2spi ignition system (no wiring), take up the back seats and undo the plate underneath the seats which gives you access to the fuel tank and pump then take the pump out a bit potchy but easily done, take out the pump and fit a bit of 8mm fuel hose where the pump was, ie from the filter at the bottom to the top about 10inches of hose,

and thats pretty much all done

but while your at it you may aswell get a 4branch manifold and you will need to get an exhaust from a 14sr.

:thumb:

[alistairolsen]

just modify the spi unless you want more than 70ish hp, in which case 1.4 spi. If you want more than 90 odds then start thinking 16se or 16xe.

[nova~norm]

just put in a red top mate save u gettin bored lol

[SuperNova!]

It will cost a few quid to get 70bhp out of a 1.2spi, they are only 45bhp standard and to increase that 25bhp some substantial and costly mods would need to be carried out.

[johnny27]

if your car is old enough to legally run without a cat, then the most power to be had with the 1.2 spi, is to convert to carb(s). Use a 1200 carb head, preferebly get it worked, get a 1300sr inlet manifold, and use a 32/34 weber or if your stuck the 2e sr carb would just about do. You can also use twin 40s if needed. You can pick up 2nd high lift cams from ebay pretty cheap, and also 4 branch manifolds.

[SuperNova!]

Red top all the way if you fancy, seam welding your bay, buying coilovers or higher load springs to take the weight of the XE, and still have poor handling, buying and fitting the XE a good few hundred.

lol

[johnny27]

also, these mods listed are'nt really that expensive unless you buy brand new parts or choose the t40s

[SuperNova!]

TBH I think 40s on a 1600 is a no go, let alone 1200,

[db_1.2]

thanks for all the replies, i think ill go for the 1600sv when i got time, but still need more information about tank and dizzie, other than that it should be no problem, cheers for the info supernova:thumb: would like a little more tho! lol

[Martin]

TBH I think 40s on a 1600 is a no go, let alone 1200,

y'd you say that?

[SuperNova!]

Because you dont need twin 40s to fuel a 1600 engine unless it is rally spec made up from scratch with the engine matched to the 40s,

Db just pm me with anything you need and Ill get back to you asap, what are you unsure of?
:thumb:

[Martin]

so whats rong with a 1600 cammed, 4 branch & decat & a set of 40s? ardly rally spec isit

[Stuart]

Because you dont need twin 40s to fuel a 1600 engine unless it is rally spec made up from scratch with the engine matched to the 40s,

Db just pm me with anything you need and Ill get back to you asap, what are you unsure of?
:thumb:

someones been on the crack today.... lol


a std 1.6 will benefit form a well setup set of T40's let alone a mildy worked one , then a silly spec one.....
1400's run T40's lots too, as does the nova sport which was a factory spec item.. :wtf:. and im currently (slowly) building a 1200 on T40's

i think you have the horn too much for the 16sv engine lol its a bad head on a decentish bottom end... granted you cant get any other 1.6 head that will take a single carb but at the end of the day modding a 16sv is pointless unless your in some kind of restricted motorsport.

[Adam]

It will cost a few quid to get 70bhp out of a 1.2spi, they are only 45bhp standard and to increase that 25bhp some substantial and costly mods would need to be carried out. Lol.
My 1.2SPi is estimated to be about 65ish bhp, and i've spent ?150 if that on it :thumb:
There so restricted as standard, its quite simple to get 10-15bhp extra from it without spending more than ?50.
With a head swap and a few other mods, i belive maybe 70-80bhp is quite possible, and around the 90-100bhp mark from a 1.4spi engine.

I wouldn't be fitting a 1200carb head to a SPi block, as it will mess up compression etc, the bore of a 1200carb block is way different than a 1200spi block.

You can run 40s on anything, as long as you get the fueling setup for the engine size etc, even a OHV 1L if you could fabricate an inlet etc.

Tbh, fitting a 16sv would be my last resort, as your faced with higher Tax charge, higher insurance etc. A 1400MPi engine would give almost similar power with a 4branch/exhaust etc, and cheaper to tax and insure.

[Martin]

what he said lol would i beable 2 get similer power figues with an sri engine on 40s and a decent cam n exhaust system?

[Adam]

90bhp should be possible on a standard SRi engine, with a de-cat, full exhaust.

A sri engine on 40s, cam etc, around 110 ish bhp is possible, depending how well the carbs are set up etc.

[Martin]

nice1, and a lil bit more for a gsi engine?

Which 1 would b best?

my mate in a saxo VTR says he'l beat any 8v engine i put up agansit him, so i wanna prove him rong

[Adam]

Saxo VTRs are only 8v, about 90ish bhp iirc.
Go get a 2L 8V on t45s ;) lol

Probably be around 120-130 for a 1600 with 40s etc etc.

[Martin]

kewli cheers, i wana get him 2 race keith robinsons nova hahah

[alistairolsen]

now ive got it properly sorted im making the best part of 90hp out of an utterly std looking 1.4 spi engine wired into the original loom the lot. The engine has cost me under ?150 to tune, and has very nice midrange torque. I certainly wouldnt fit a 16sv engine with not a lot more power and have to phone my ins co and tel them it was a non standard engine. i simply changed my car from a 1.2i merit to a 1.4i merit with the dvla and then declared the mods as normal.

[SuperNova!]

Okay lads I am sure we can have a debate about the 40s without it getting sour :thumb:

Right heres my side,

A 1200 engine is incapable of using enough air to draw the air & fuel in from the 40s because the bores are too large which means a good venturi cannot be made and a drag occurs.

The same with a 1600 unless it is modified to use enough air, which basically dictates the power of the engine.

The 40s would only be needed if the engine was powerful enough by whatever means modified small displacement or by large displacement, to use enough air as it is not only the fuel you need to consider.

I know your all going to try to rip this thread apart but some of it is correct and I am sure you can agree.

Further-more, why does everyone hate the 16sv engine so much?

[Stuart]

thats why the 40's have chokes to create the right venturi for the fuelling............

the 16sv is basically a 1400 carb engine with a bigger bottom end. Its got a poor head design and small valves for a 1600. It was a cheap torque upgrade for the range so that the cav could have a little engine that wasnt completely cak. in essence its not an awful engine, but seeing as there are soooooo many other better engines available at same cost then its a tad pointless unless like yourself you deem it vital to prove a point

[Adam]

Further-more, why does everyone hate the 16sv engine so much? I dont hate it, its just a poor choice of engine imo, considering the extra costs involved in fitting it, and the quite poor performance for the a 1.6 engine.

[johnny27]

many people on here including myself have ran 1200 nova's on 40s, and had quite good results when the engine had std(ish) mods like 295 cam, headwork, exhaust, manifold and so on, providing the 40s where setup correctly. And i had no problem running my 12nz block with the carb head, it also had been worked and was a good power gain along with the other mods.

[Ash]

TBH I think 40s on a 1600 is a no go, let alone 1200,

my dads running twin 40's on a hillman imp 998cc - to be fair it is a hill climb engine, but 120bhp from a 30+year old 1ltr aint bad. (it off the road at the mo so his carbs might go 'missing' soon)

ash

[johnny27]

my dads running twin 40's on a hillman imp 998cc - to be fair it is a hill climb engine, but 120bhp from a 30+year old 1ltr aint bad. (it off the road at the mo so his carbs might go 'missing' soon)

ash

The little imps are a lovely car. I used to buy a magazine called retro cars, last year there was a featured imp. It was absoubletly crazy, the guy was using the orignal all alloy engine which is super lite. He had a lightened steel bottom end and all the usual precautions like the strenghted rod blots and shells and alot more, also a steel fly wheel.
But he had the cylinder bore capaicty well bored out, proper racing pistons and so on. He had the cylinder head of a absoubtly amazing spec, could'nt even start listing the work on it. He was running twin 40s, but here's the bit i found amazing,
"130bhp" now get this "at 12800 rpm!" Absoubetly crazy revs, i've seen racing bike's not reving out that far. Just thought i'd mention this since you where talking about imps, sorry for the hijack

[Ash]

yep sounds simular to dads, thats balanced to 14000rpm! crazy for a car engine, its in a ginetta G15 kit car btw. sorry for the hi-jack again