View Full Version : what engine?
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:16 PM
what engine would be ideal if i had ?1000 to spend tuning, no big blocks tho
Whatever you want.
You can tune a 1200/1400/1600 8v/16v for that money....
A tuned 1400(spending almost a grand) would give about the same power as a std 1.6 16v tho, might be worth bearing in mind.
Why no big blocks?
140/150bhp as std from a ?150 engine, then tune that, makes sense really....
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:26 PM
because i dont want to drive a car which feels like it has an elephant in the bonnet around the track
Oh dear, not going through this debate again lol
because i dont want to drive a car which feels like it has an elephant in the bonnet around the track
im biting my lip because you are obviously either ill informed or narrow minded. :)
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:29 PM
unfortunately. and bearing in mind im only 19 and i dont really want to try and insure a 1.8/2.0 nova aswell as having striped,caged,buckets etc and i dont want to not insure the engine as ive done that b4
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:30 PM
its not that im ill informed or narrow minded, its because ive drove one and didnt like it compared to driving my sr
im biting my lip because you are obviously either ill informed or narrow minded. :)
Lmao i bet u wanna write a hole essay about this(you probs are now)lol
theres nothing rong with a nova and an xe(2.0) if all the other rite componants(sp) are there and set up rightly
Probably because whoever built it couldnt be ****d to sort the chassis out, so someone else drives it, namely yourself, and says it handles like it has an african animal under the bonnet. Tell him thankyou from me.
Spend 150 quid on the engine, and the rest of your money on the chassis and i promise you will have a better car than if you spent a grand on a small block engine.
But fair enough if the insurance is a problem, but say that to start with, not just that its because they allegedly handle badly!!
With sorted suspension, it will handle fine.
You might want to consider insurance too, they wont like it when you tell then you've almost doubled the power of your 1400/1600 engine...
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:37 PM
bottlethroddy - what kind of insurance group would a xe be and also what chassis sorting would be ideal im new to the vauxhall side of things and strethening chassis as i havent gone this far before with tuning
Stitch welding the engine bay/ inner wings etc to strengthen it.
And weld cost's basically nothing if you have a mig welder.
Most insurance companes use the original cars insurance group as a guide, so a xe from a cav gsi(group 14 iirc) would be a group 14 in a nova.
Normally the insurance is grouped from the donor car, so thats Astra or Cav GSi, but due to it being an engine transplant, youll need specialist insurers such as CIS or Adrian Flux. Give them a bell for a quote, prices will vary due to area / age / no claims / convictions etc.
As for the chassis, stich weld the engine bay, pop a valver in, fit minimum 2.0 ATE front brakes on 256mm discs, and then concentrate on spending some money on suspension, thats the key. Front springs should be 300lb rated, and dont go for budget kits which bounce all over the place. If your doing a lot of trackdays, consider coilovers, but they will shake your teeth out on prolonged road use.
great minds and all that lol
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:46 PM
okaaaay thnks people but would steering still be heavy?
steering gets heavy from fat ass tyres, not XE's lol
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:48 PM
lol
Big tyres, bit rims = Heavy steering
You could always fit EPAS...
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:50 PM
i only want a cheap track weapon and i dont like power steering anyway, i like a car when its just the driver doing everything now electrical wizardry
now im beginning to like you chris! lol
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:54 PM
not*
Philsutton
31-01-07, 08:55 PM
because i dont want to drive a car which feels like it has an elephant in the bonnet around the track
lol, a badly set up small block will feel actually the same, that feeling like your coming to dock up in port.
I have no power steering, a bigger gear box and much more weight than most xe's over the front wheels yet still i ca turn the wheel without popping a blood vessel.
Youve driven a seriously **** one, thats it really
no, im serious, you took the info we typed on board, and i agree with you on the power steering thing.
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:55 PM
well also from being only 19 i am an oldskool retro boy lol
london_chris
31-01-07, 08:57 PM
yea well i have a lot to learn, as a kid i used to sit and watch the locals tearing up the tarmac in what was then xr2s,r5s and mk1 novas and now ive grown up i wana do just that but on the track lol sounds stupid lol
Stupid? Far from it, youve decided to do it on a track rather than on the road, and you also chose a nova over an XR2 or an R5GTT, so also, not stupid in the slightest lol
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:01 PM
well i drove an xr2 but couldnt insure it at 17 so i got an si and stuck the 1.8 16v xr2i lump in and that was ****
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:28 PM
i got a quote on 2litre 16v astra for ?1200 is that similar to nova with 2.0xe?
Yeh, nova might be a touch more tho.
might be better through companies I mentioned above, but its a good guideline, Unless it was a company who likes to rape young drivers on premiums.
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:34 PM
you rekon about 1500?
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:35 PM
i just looked at quote for turbo cav 4x4 and thats less thats only ?1100 lol and im only 19
Probably because theres only about 5 left alive lol lol
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:43 PM
lol true very true
i just looked at quote for turbo cav 4x4 and thats less thats only ?1100 lol and im only 19
LOL, are you sure it was a cav turbo?
that seems insanely cheap.
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:46 PM
whats the 0-60 roughly on a standard 2.0xe in a nova
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:47 PM
LOL, are you sure it was a cav turbo?
that seems insanely cheap.
yes im certain, i was suprised
london_chris
31-01-07, 09:48 PM
and that is with standard alarm/imob and parked on driveway
14xe or 16xe might suit ya
i have a 1400xe with kent cams, 4 branch,filter etc
as much as the 20xe is a bargain and a f-in toy,i (myself) found a smaller engine a bit more balanced as i have stripped/caged nova and its 700 quid to insure with no no claims and a crash at 22! cheap fun
(no offence to the big engined lads tho-each to their own but if we all had em it would be a bit bland eh)
14xe or 16xe might suit ya
i have a 1400xe with kent cams, 4 branch,filter etc
as much as the 20xe is a bargain and a f-in toy,i (myself) found a smaller engine a bit more balanced as i have stripped/caged nova and its 700 quid to insure with no no claims and a crash at 22! cheap fun
(no offence to the big engined lads tho-each to their own but if we all had em it would be a bit bland eh)
london_chris
31-01-07, 11:35 PM
got any pics of that car mate
on ma bros laptop-from shell to now-ill try get em on 2moz-i had the setup the same in my corsa coz was sick of not finding a clean nova...until recently-mine originated from a 1.2 so was happy with the quote i got
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