nova 1600 blocks

[shanemc]

just wondering are the blocks the same on the nova gte bottom end as the x/c16xe?
im reshelling/rebuilding my gte(currently on hold till i return from travelling next year)with the idea of eventually rallying it so i want to stick with a 1600,but im probably going to fit a 16xe,but my gte engine has a lightened and balanced bottom etc etc and i was just wondering are the 8v and 16v heads interchangable,if this is possible itd save me buying a complete xe,just buy a head and fit it to my gte engine and build it up from there.
thanks

Shane

[ck]

the heads are interchangable, but you'll need pistons and im sure other stuff, i did look into it myself a few years back, a c16xe and e16(nova 1600) headgasket match up perfectly. i know a few ppl used to use a 16xe bottom end with an 8v head fitted...

[tom_beverley]

The blocks are different but internals are interchangable if that makes sense i.e. you can use your 8v block casing and stick in the 16XE crank in (as its stronger).

The 8v rods (and therefore pistons) will also fit the 16XE crank as it has the same bearing journal and lift dimensions as the 16SE. Whilst your at it you may aswell give the whole engine (or at least the bottom end) a rebuild/freshen up.

The heads are not interchangable IIRC as the water ways or oil ways do not match. Again I've 'heard' about people (especially in the rallying scene) that have done this, but never actually seen one for myself.

Its quite a bit of work for nothing really, so unless your keen on building an engine it would be much simpler to just use a whole 16XE or 16SE IMHO.

[ck]

like i said, ive heard alot of ppl run 8v heads on 16v bottom ends as there stronger. And the fact that i've had a e/c16se head gasket against a c16xe head gasket and every oil/water way matched identicaly ...

[meritlover]

if the gaskets are identical would suggest the water/oil ways are the same also. you would have to change the bottom pulley and idle bearings too and due to the belt tooth profile being different, probably the water pump pulley will need swapped (change pump)

for the price of shells and bearings you are as well rebuilding the 16V engine and it will be better over all in the long run.

[tom_beverley]

if the gaskets are identical would suggest the water/oil ways are the same also.

Would seem so, I stand corrected! lol

If thats the case then its just pistons you'd require and possibly some machining to fettle the compression ratio.

[shanemc]

cheers for the info lads,it looks possible so,but ill decide for sure when i get back home,if i can get a cheap 16xe when i get back ill prob just build that up,and keep my 16se and freshen that up and either keep it or sell it,shane to scrap it because its a good lump with a nice spec,lighted balanced,flowed head and fast road cam etc,unless i can get a very cheap or free xe cyl head locally.
cheers again

[craig green]

Its not worth the hassle. You could use a XE bottom end/short motor to build a high comp 8v or otherwise use a complete 16XE & sell the 8v to fund it.

Yes the heads swap accross but I dont fancy fitting all the extra tensioners & pulleys to the 8v casting, depend on the 8v too as they vary. I couldnt use my late 8v cam belt setup on an earlier GTE engine. Lots of small differences.

[ck]

i beleive the pistons wont need machining as it will build up into a high compression engine.
from what i can gather say u had a complete 1600 8v, all u would need is a bare 16v bottom end i.e block/crank/rods/pistons/oil pump and u would then use all the ancilarys off the 8v, i.e the head/complete cambelt set up ect..


have been looking into a few things. another one is an peugeot MI16 head will physicaly bolt onto a c20xe bottom end :D the MI16 head is very very good at flowing apparently. only a minor oil way mod for it to fit...
wierd hey..

[shanemc]

i think im better off leaving the 8v as is alright,if its that much swapping over involved to make up an xe using to get away with just buying the head then i think ill just pick up a complete xe for all they cost anyway,and keep my 8v intact and freshen it up and either sell it or store it away.
cheers for all the info lads.

ck if you can mate an mi16 head to an xe bottom end make sure you put up step by step pics!

[ck]

yeah, been looking into it as a few friends are into their 205's and have about 3 mi16 engine laying around lol. there plans are a mi16 turbo.. they've allready done a 1.9 gti turbo (8v)

the heads are very well designed on an mi16, on the exhuast side it has an inidivual port for each valve (8 ports) and think, they are 160hp standard from only 1900cc...

anyways if it were me i'd leave the 8v as it is and find a complete 16xe at some point, not worth the hassle imo using bits off the pair to build something which the 8v wll do anyway lol.

think you would be very very suprised anyway with just a standard 16xe :D they bloody shift, bigs was extremely shocked when he took his out for the first time when i finished his x16xe conversion

[shanemc]

ya im prob well better off leaving the 8v as is alright,especially seeing the prices 16xe´s can be picked up nowadays.and 16se`s are only getting rarer aswell!
a spare c16se will always come in handy,i´d like to buy a mk1 sr at some stage for knocking about in so it´d be nice to have a 16 8v sitting in the corner for something like that
what power was the 1.9 8v turbo putting out?

[craig green]

have been looking into a few things. another one is an peugeot MI16 head will physicaly bolt onto a c20xe bottom end :D the MI16 head is very very good at flowing apparently. only a minor oil way mod for it to fit...
wierd hey..

A lot of the info you need is in the archives on MIG.

Basically it routes the exhaust out back, the head has larger valve area than the std XE. Been done though. :thumb: