MKIII Cav 1.6 Engine

[Anonymous]

For ages now, I've considered fitting a 1.6 Carbed engine from a Cav, but when I asked about it in the past, I was told it's "big block", which is true of the older version, as in the MKII, but not of the newer one as in the MKIII. (and post 88 Astras apparently)

Anyway, how easy is it to do and what gear-box would I need? Can I use my existing wide ratio 5-speed?
Is the loom any different (different dizzy, coil etc.), and could I fit my Weber 32/34 DMTL onto it using the Nova 1.3 manifold?

What about the zorst....what manifold could I use? Would the Nova SR one fit, or one from a GTE/GSi?

Obviously, being a carbed engine, there's no mucking about with high-pressure fuel lines and electric pump, but is there any type of ECU with this engine.....say one that just controls the ignition?

Are the engine mounts the same as for the 1.3 Nova engine too?

I'm considering this as a quick and VERY cheep way to get more power, without adding weight (or little anyway) to the car, as I can get one of these engines for about ?50 or less.

Cheers ;)

[Anonymous]

Yep I was wondering the same thing after seeing that it?s a "small block engine" in total Vauxhall

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www.perpetualbliss.net

[Anonymous]

yeah it will go in

it shud be very simmiler to the 1.4 sr setup as far as coil and dizzy goes

1.3sr/ exuast shud also fit as will the engine mounts

u should have any problems ith this at all

as far as i can rember its just a gte/gsi type engine with a carb bolted on

u cud also bolt a carb onto a gte/gsi engine if u cud be botherd

Micky@novaload.net :)

[Anonymous]

The best engine you should go for is the SV type, i put one in my 1.3sr about a year ago. Easy job, dunno about the gearbox i used the SV box. Everything fits in fine, just took a bit of persuading but nothing major. Me & a mate had mine done in a day. Use an SR manifold as the GSI one is a slightly different shape. There is some sort of ECU with the newer engines, mine came from a J reg astra but the loom isn't necessary just chuck it away. This job is a piece of piss and is definitely worth doing, let me know how you get on

[Anonymous]

yepits the c16sv as in an astra sx. be carful, my m8 had an astra with 1 in. the vaccum from the dizzy goes to an ECU, and also had a dizy plug like GTE's. Which 1.3/1.4 sr's dont have. All looks exactly the same!

[Anonymous]

Lots of questions.

Yep the lump will go in using the same engine mounts. Use your exhaust manifold and exhaust system. You need the box that comes with the cav engine as it has a bigger bell housing. Your inlet manifold and carb will not fit as the 1.6 carbed engine has small square inlet ports like the 1.4sr and your 1.3 has large cathedral shaped ports. Look into 1.4sr manifolds for it and the carb, might work. With regards to the electrics, think more basic. Strip the engine of any old bits and replace with your 1.3 parts such as dizzy etc. All the engines are basically the same, just some have added extras which can be removed and replaced by basic parts. So just put the engines side by side and swap parts over (thats assuming there is anything different).

If you already have a weber carb on your 1.3
I dont think you'll get much extra power if any from the 1.6 carbed lump as it has a poor head, but there will be room for improvement.

Ickle footer! :P

[Anonymous]

the ecu on the 1.6sv engines it for ignition timing etc

16v Nova - Toolkit, Trouble, Points and great expence all come as standard :)

e reg shell almost gone!!

[Anonymous]

Cheers lads....loads of info for me to digest!

Sounds piss easy....I may just have to do it :)
Just a few more questions though....(oh no, not more questions!)

What alternatives is there for the head, since you say it's not very good? Will a Nova 1.3 head fit? Any other option?
Will my 1.3 inlet manifold physically fit? If so, can I just open up the inlets on the Cav head to match them up?

I see looking at the Vauxhall data (from 88), that this engine is rated at 82PS max power as standard, so what kind of power do you think I'd be looking at with my Weber (if I can fit it....I'm sure I can make the adaptor plate fit the Cav inlet manifold if need be), K&N and JP zorst?

Anyone know how much this engine weights, and how it compares to my current 1.3? It is much heavier (or even lighter?) than the 1.3, and if it's heavier, do peeps recommend any suspension changes?

[Anonymous]

If you go for more power = suspension and brakes become the next weakest links. Xtra weight is small beer - xtra speed is the main prob. G Max uprated spring/dampers= cheap good suspension mod (but if you lower it as well with these they don't provide any camber adjustment). A 1.6 or 1.4 roll bar will help a lot as well. Front brake upgrade as discussed elsewhere on here are a must.

[Anonymous]

The 1.6 lump will weigh about the same, but the gearbox will be slightly heavier as it has a slightly larger bell housing.

From my experience, the manifold will bolt on, but the ports will not line up. Its not just a case of opening them out, and even if you could, u would have to take out so much that you would break through the water jackets in the head. Your 1.3 head will fit, but will ruin compression, and will not run properly. The best bet is to find a GTE/GSi head and use that. The ports are much larger and will line up with the 1.3 manifold. Then you would need to take some material from the head, and weld aluminium into the manifold and bore this out to match the head. Its not easy, but worth it. I did the same (CP actually did it), but to fit a 1.3 twin 40 manifold to my 1600 head. If you were going to do that u might aswell get a GTE/GSi engine in the first place.

Ickle footer! :P

[Anonymous]

Hum.....looks like I'd be keeping the standard inlet manifold then.....sounds a lot of work to get the other to fit, but I've just found that I wouldn't have to swap the manifold anyway.
I've found that the standard fitment carb on the Cav 1.6 in question, is the Pierburg 2E3 and the Weber direct-replacement is the 32/34 DMTL, so I can use my Weber after all :)
I may have to buy a different adaptor plate to fit it to the inlet manifold, but they don't cost much.
There's the jets too though of course......it might be ok with my carb as it is, as the mixture is set very week on my Nova.
I suspect that the jets are too large, so it has to be set very week to run right.

I could always keep the engine standard of course, apart from the zorst and get a K&N to fit the 2E3, and even doing that, it's going to have more power than it has now.

Cheers for all the help lads. I'll get looking for a decent Cav engine I think.
I wasn't going to keep my Nova for much longer, but it's starting to come together now, and I'm more in the mood for keeping it for a while longer (at least 6 months), so in the mean time, I'm looking for quick ways to improve it.

As for suspension...it's already lowered etc, and since you say there's little difference in weight, I'd keep it as it is.
The brakes are ok too....only GTE spec. disks with Cav callipers, but they do the job pretty well. I'll look into getting the larger ones though before fitted a Cav engine.

Cheers again. Oh, one more thing......what's the easiest way to identify the Cav engine? I know the difference between the big block and the small block...that's not a problem, but I don't want some joker selling me a 1.4 instead! Is the engine number in the same place on the block as it is on the Nova engines..i.e. front right corner as you look at it?

[Anonymous]

if you nova is running about 80bhp-85bhp at the moment why swap the engine to a 1.6 with 82bhp?

just a thought ;)


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[Anonymous]

Cos with the zorst, Weber and K&N fitted to the Cav engine, it won't be running 82 will it ;)
If my Nova is currently running 80 to 85 (which is 10 to 15 up on standard), then with the same mods on the Cav engine, surely it's gonna be roughly 92 to 97 bhp.....not far behind a standard GTE :D

Plus, one the 1.6 is in, it's a great platform to build up from to get more power with time.

It's just an option that I'm thinking about...I might just get a GTE, it's just that I'm liking my Nova now since I've spent so much time on it, so don't really want to get another car just yet.

[Anonymous]

also the 1.6 has more low down torue!

[Anonymous]

Well.....cheers for all the help with this guys, but I may be buying a white GTE this week :D
If that falls through though, I may still go the Cav engine route as above.