Iain's 20XE Trackday Nova

While investigating the dripping water I noticed some cracked paint near the tiebar bracket on the left hand side (not the overlapped metal seam, next to it!)

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/913.JPG

Bit of a tickle with a wire wheel, not looking too good:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/914.JPG

Tiebar bracket off, oops that's quite serious lol

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/915.JPG

Cracking around the top bolt holes also:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/916.JPG

Welded it up for now but I'll be making a custom crossmember over winter:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/917.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/918.JPG

Will be at RRG 2014 tomorrow if anyone wants to say hello :)

So your suspension set up is that firm the only give is in the shell. thats scary lol

Regarding the dipstick popping out all the time is it just a lot of back pressure then or a dodgy dipstick? If not the dipstick I'd be concerned about that tbh.

It feels like the rubber bit sits in nice so I can only assume it's pressure. My trackday mate has had it before too and has also put a spring on his.

It burns a bit of oil anyway so its probably suffering from the abuse over the last 3 years.

Been offered a gearbox with a Quaife 4.2 FD which I'm tempted by as my third gear synchro is knackered again.

If your happy so am I, just don't want your engine spitting a rod out when flat out ;)

Its all good if it happens I'll laugh it off on the day lol will need build a new engine for it at some point anyway

First off dude, don't worry about the dip stick, a few people have had this issue, I'm sure Will Foy has a spring on his, that oil should... I hope help mate, as I ran the mobile1 fully synthetic stuff and it was brilliant in mine..
Did you never fit the plate kit to the cross?

Turns out the Millers oil smells nice when burning, forgot to put my oil filler cap on properly and lost it half way to RRG lol Cue massive oily mess in the engine bay. Made it the rest of the way with a coffee cup cable tied over the filler hole which luckily got me there.

Never fitted any plating kit, foolishly deemed it overkill. Live and learn! All will be fixed.

Sounds like a blender with the cap off lol

What oil do you use out of interest? I used to use Valvoline but tbh I cannot remember what ratios it was maybe.

As pic in previous couple of posts, I've just moved to Millers 10w50 CFS. Previously ran Valvoline 'Turbo' 15w50. Couple of weeks until I put it to the test on track and I can report back.

I found the valvoline pretty good thrashing about but that was on my old bikecarbed 1.4 engine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Iain

Been offered a gearbox with a Quaife 4.2 FD which I'm tempted by as my third gear synchro is knackered again.

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Please say you bought this.

It's not a full straight cut box, just a standard F20 with Quaife 4.2 straight cut final drive. Been doing some number tweaking and with a F18WR fifth gear fitted I'd retain the same RPM for motorway cruising and get quicker 1-4 gearing.

Yep, my mate has a WR final in his Astra GTE. Just for motorway driving, at 70 its revving at 2.3k.... It's lovely. Wish i knew of it before fitting a F28.

Interesting, so an f18wr is wide ratio? is it an easily sourced part and easy to fit to an f20?

iirc you just need the 5th gear out of it and bang that in an f20 and you've got the best of both.

Sam detailed the 5th swap in his diesel astra wip

Update Part #1

So I bought a new gearbox as I've knackered the third synchro in my current one too lol Its still fine for road use but graunches on track giving it the beans.

Got myself an F20 with known history including a full rebuild/inspection 2000 miles ago, complete with Quaife straight cut 4.2 final drive on standard F20 helical gearing.

First off, I was a bit concerned with the higher FD and the maximum speed, so I've notched the chassis so I can change 5th gear without dropping the gearbox:

No access to 5th cover bolts here:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/919.JPG

Chop chop grind grind:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/920.JPG

Weld weld, grind grind:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/921.JPG

Paint paint, good as OE lol

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/922.JPG

Update Part #2

On with the box swap. Harvey brought me round some goodies and started unwrapping my pressies:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/923.JPG

Nice and clean so saved me a cleaning job there:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/924.JPG

Meanwhile I was whipping off the engine mounts to get the box off:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/925.JPG

Slight mishap with removal, the input shaft stayed in the clutch when we dragged the F20 off, wtf happened here lol Not investigated the old box yet.

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/926.JPG

Brokened lol

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/927.JPG

Swish new box doesn't look anything special here lol

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/928.JPG

Or here, standard gearing inside:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/929.JPG

Update Part #3

We swapped the selector turret, diff, diff bearing races etc over to to the new box so mine got stripped down:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/930.JPG

This is where the differences are, my 4.2 final drive vs old 3.55 one:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/931.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/932.JPG

Old pinion in old box:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/933.JPG

New pinion in new box:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/934.JPG

Harvey fitting up the crownwheel to the Quaife ATB:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/935.JPG

Many other Vauxhalls run a spigot bearing to stop flex on the input shaft within the end of the crank, so I figured why not fix one on the XE, can't do any harm. Remove the clutch to reveal the crank:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/936.JPG

INA bearing part number:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/937.JPG

Fitted with a tickle of the hammer in:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/938.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/939.JPG

Update Part #4

New box all done:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/940.JPG

New box has a neat idea for anyone who's smashed off the clutch cable retaining casting, seems to work well:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/941.JPG

Filled up with Millers 75w90 fully synth oil which costs a bomb lol

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/942.JPG

As another aside, I've given my slicks some Grip tyre softener to hopefully make them super sticky for Oulton Park in just over a week's time:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/943.JPG

My missus also drew on the raised bits of the slick which I thought looked quite funky so I had her do it on the Toyos too lol

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/944.JPG

'twas fun fun fun playing with gearboxes and I’m so glad you like the grin factor of the new none crunching one. I loved touching your knob...gear knob people, gear knob! The liquid gold Millers 75w90 smells so nice, I use it as aftershave on a daily basis.

In gear speed comparison between a stock 3.55 and 4.2 final drive at 6,000rpm.

With a 3.55:	With a 4.2:
1st = 32.1mph	1st = 27.1mph
2nd = 52.8mph	2nd = 44.6mph
3rd = 77.0mph	3rd = 65.1mph
4th = 100.9mph	4th = 85.3mph
5th = 128.1mph	5th = 108.3mph

Double post

Nice work guys, very good and informative, the new FD looks perfect for 1/4 mile times, but will you be topping out at 115-120 v max on track?

It will be topping out at just shy of 130 at 7000-7200rpm in 5th.

I hacked the chassis leg out a bit so I can fit an F18CR fifth in it (0.744 I think) which would bring it back to the 150mph area but I'll see how I get on with it on standard F20 fifth (0.89) first. Might stop me sitting at a tonne everywhere (on private land) which is a good thing

I would like to try one of these F18wr boxes as there meant to be good for 20let engines without the 6th a f28 offers.

Looks like fun!

Scott, having fitted a F28.. I'd keep the F20 and fit the WR 5th gear. 80mph at 2.6k rpm is way better than 3.5k... No messing with mounts either.

Been quite lucky with my trackdays so far but only managed half a day at Oulton, breaking it just before lunch which is a shame.

Couple of pics when I was out there...

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/945.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/946.JPG

On track with some mental stuff, this GTR was out spitting flames and destroying everything:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/947.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/948.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/949.JPG

Then just before lunchtime, limped it into the pits in third by rev matching it into gear. Clutch would depress but wouldn't disengage the clutch so I couldn't change gear, gutted:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/950.JPG

Something's tried to escape the bellhousing via the inspection plate:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/951.JPG

Quick piccy of the clutch, you can see the snapped clutch cover plate metal (not sure what it's called) which has departed and ran off somewhere after smashing around the bellhousing causing cosmetic damage (only, I hope):

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/952.JPG

Still yet to investigate fully but I am hoping I can just put a new clutch cover plate on, may look into uprated ones which are beefed up in the area of failure.

Video is currently uploading but it's not that interesting apart from my new gear ratios and noise...

Pressure plate is the term.
Good effort lol

Is that the term for just the bit that's snapped? I'm told the Helix etc ones have more metal there to increase strength?

Here's a lap with my new box before things went wrong, didn't really have enough time to do some flying laps after learning the track, waa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpRz...ature=youtu.be

It sounds like a race car now. and it goes like ****e off a shovel

Good effort, see what you mean about the shifter moving about. Did it stay in gear?

Definitely crying out for more power this one too! Are a set of bodies on the cards any time soon?

Well done, good killing there! lol sounds awesome dude, loved Oulton, just gutted I didn't get a dry day there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 8valve-craig

Good effort, see what you mean
about the shifter moving about. Did it stay in gear?

Definitely crying out for more power this one too! Are a set of bodies on the cards any time soon?

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Just about to say, all you need now is ITB'S, as imo you've got to it's limit now, so definitely need extra performance power.

Very nice driving, cars looks almost easy to drive out there...

Yeah it's pretty easy to drive in all fairness.

Didn't jump out of gear Craig but you can see it move can't you!

Power would be nice, the Astra I went with feels lovely that's running about 220bhp. Nice amount of power to pull you out the corners a bit more!

The Miller's oil is lots more stable on track but I still saw pressures drop so I'll probably be going down zlet pump route also before more power.

Damn your hard on those boxes and transmissions :-)

The current car has always used a std cover and a paddle cluch plate but I suspect I will need to go for the uprated one on the new car as well.

Paul..

That makes a sexual noise now! It does look almost effortless to drive actually, have you got power steering on it now?

Paul that reminds me I should pay Harvey for the box. Good job it survived the day ha ha. Yours will probably warrant a posh clutch as no doubt it'll have some tasty parts on upping the power somewhat!

Yes mazz that might have something to do with it actually. I put in epas and straightened the column when I first prepped the shell.

Ah yeah, i remember now :) Thought for second you were just double hard, obviously i was wrong ;)

Not sure why you'd think that, you have met me lol