xe/XEV

[Rexy]

Looking at the engines before i jump in and buy an XE as they seem to be holding value again at about £300ish.

Now, i know the xev is down on power and torque (iirc) but... what simple mods can be made to obtain the same power torque figures to bring the xev to xe figs.

The aim is for a nice quick nible nova without spending ££££££.

My idea behind this is:

Buy a complete xev running with box etc for around £100 hopefully around the 60 - 80k around half the milage of an xe.

Or Buy an xe with high miles £300 with box and loom and then get the bugger rebuilt.

The c/x 16xe isnt for me either as it just isnt quick enough...

Your thoughts ifyou please...

[_JH_]

Have you thought about a 20SEH and CR box also?

[Rexy]

i've not to be honest no... but they are even less power.

I'm used to around 180-185/ton which was what the xsara vts had. So i want something alongthe samelines or power/torque.

But it also has to be drivable everyday, so i need a good engine with little hassle etc.

[draper]

depends how quick you want an engine, you could wait for a XE that you know is low mileage to come up (im thinking donor car from the paper, full service history etc) buy a unknown XE and give it a freshen up or buy a XEV and look into carbs/bodies etc

[Rexy]

The idea matey is to keep injection so its economical, but the need for the power is there.

Its a pain in the **** selecting the engine lol, I've had an xe in the saloon which was gooood fun and i loved it but it was a bollock with the exhaust.

Saying that i will be getting a three Box system anyways, so thats no problem.

I've never been in a nova with an ecotech so i have no idea how they perform against an xe.

It has to be able to keep up with a clio 172as im not having my mate eat me all the time lol then laffing pmsl.

[draper]

get a LET then lol

XEV are 137 iirc pretty much the same if not more as a ropey/smokey old XE

[_JH_]

I think you'd be pleasantly surprised with the 130 8v, but each to their own I guess

In that case, I'd say XE. The XEV is as weak as a kitten top-end wise. It's a 2.0 Nova so you WILL hammer it, and the XEV won't like it lol

[Rexy]

lol... Let makes more sense.

Thats what i was thinking the age etc of most xe's are about the same as a half decent xev but the xev is cheaper.

Grrrrr... i'm guessing its all about the individual engine and how its been looked after.

[draper]

Grrrrr... i'm guessing its all about the individual engine and how its been looked after.

nail, head

and its sods law that if you spend 100quid on an XE an XEV will come up for sale for a fiver the week after lol

[Rexy]

yup... you knows it lol.

I'll just keep my eye out for what i can unless i can get an XEV for like £50 lol winner.

[Will F]

an XE with 160k is still as reliable as a 100k ecodeath imo...

also likely that the XE would have had some kind of rebuild in its lifetime too, so mileage is less important tbh.

I have a 187k XE in my van and its one of the best I have had....

[Dod]

Right, the Ecoscrap. Based mildyy on the XE is basicially ****E and wont take abuse. I have an SRi Cav Ecowreak and I've given it to the missus cuz I'm afraid I'd break it. Also they have the Imobiliser, key chip and transponder all required to run it.

The XE, tried and tested and done to death. £300 isnt bad for then as they do go very very well but some are nearly 20 yrs old now, and bound to be very tired from years of thrashing.

Personally, I'd go with the SE SEH 8v engine as these seem to be bullet proof. We used to buy these in Cavs we took to the Forestry and they very seldom died on us. I do however see the appeal of a 16v engine but why not go for something different and tune it to XE Power? These engines can be picked up for next to nothing and go on and on and on and on!!!! They're fuking Brilliant engines!

[Lee H]

My XE is on 150k and still runs 14.4 second 1/4's, XEV would get beaten by a 172 I reckon.

[Rexy]

you do have a vaild point with the 8v what are the specs of an SEH 8v?

Again tho, they are down on power over the xe lol no wonder the xe is so popular its pointless doing anything less bar a let.

[Adam]

F**K 8v's, whats the point of just starting with a poorer engine? lol
And no they dont make more torque than a 16v

There is NOTHING at all wrong with ecotec engines, and with a decent exhaust/de-cat they can make 142-145bhp, plus they make there torque lower down the revs than a xe. And finally people give them away because there not a "proper bo redtop"

[Clean 2.0 nova]

As for performance upgrades on a X20XEV, well there aren't any at reasonable cost to get reasonable power. The power is a bit less than a C20XE as discussed, and if your happy with that power I see no problems. People say the engine is unreliable but I think they mean is the electrics can break. The engine only has a couple or so extra sensors on it than the red top. There was some question over the crank sensors failing but vauxhall have changed the design of this / it's connector to hopefully remidy this. My engines electrics have been fine apart from being originally sent the wrong type of crank sensor during the re-build, but this was a suppliers fault - not the engine.

At brunters my car was slightly slower 0-60 than the only other std. redtop, but top speed was quicker. My suggestion is if you may want to improve performance later on, avoid the X20XEV, otherwise if your happy with the power it's a suitable alternative to stick in your nova. The immobiliser is'nt a problem if you have the key to use.

[Rexy]

After sitting down and thinking about engine conversions for a good few days i've choose to do one of two things...

Firstly if a very cheap XEV comes along with low miles and proof of this i will buy the engine and fit that just for a comparison.

However if a 20.xe comes up before for just as cheap with again documented miles i will buy that. Milage is not really an indication of condition i know this but my thoughts are lower milage less likly to of been absolutly cained to death. againt tho on that a small contridiction i've always noticed that engines which have been driven and looked after seem to perform better than engines which have been driven extremely slowly. And i dont drive like a nancy.

I'm in no rush for the engine at the moment i was going to try and do this Before PV but i'll stick to the trusty 1.0l and then shop around and see what i can get hold of.

I think if i do buy an XE the head will come off virtually straight away and sent for a quick refresh, new water pump etc just as a matter of course and naturally check on the bores etc.

The engine will mainly be left totally standard with just a simple exhaust an d air filter change. The main problem is a friend with his clio 172 as since being 16 we have always bounced off each other and him having a faster car is just FTL lol.

[Will F]

Best way to 'verify' mileage and condition is buy a Calibra for £250-350.. job done.
Then you will have some brakes, alloys to sell for £150! ;)

[nova258]

i bot an xev it have less malig, less work years and chiper and it can give same power