Bigs 300 bhp xe project

Well might aswell do a thread and show you what im up to. It started off when it was a 1.4 sr looking like this


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...126475315l.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...ltr/My2ltr.jpg

And i blow up far to many engine's up so decided to go big block. First step was stripping the car and putting it into the garage ready for the work to comence



http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...7204141l-1.jpg



Then i took every bit of paint off the front as you would get better welds and can see if any rust was there that shouldnt be. but luckly enough it was quite mint

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f.../My2ltr001.jpg

And by this time ive taken most of the sound deading out and all of the underseal. And the first thing i wanted to do was sort out the box section for the alternator

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f.../My2ltr002.jpg

Then started to seam weld the front end.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f.../My2ltr004.jpg

And in this pic you can see the strengthing plates have started to be welded in place

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f.../My2ltr003.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f.../My2ltr005.jpg

Then found out that weld through primer is very good and helps with welds so sprayed the front with a few cans. and in this pic you can see ive taken out the firewall, as ive decided i wanted to go down the thottlebody route so it would be better for cooling plus abit more weight has been taken out:D

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...ingdone004.jpg

And you can see where the firewall was it has been grinded right down to a smooth finish. after welding right along the whole seem inside and out to give it the strength it needed and gave me metal to make it all look like it was from factory. Then i started adding more strengthing plates

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...ingdone009.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...ingdone007.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...2ltr/66046.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...2ltr/66045.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...2ltr/66044.jpg

very nice but.........

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2006/06...06_175x125.jpg

sorry lol

how do you plan on getting 300 bhp from a xe?

gonna be hard without nitrous or a turbo

i know someon who can get just over 250bhp for you but your looking about ?16k lol

Then i looked into what power i wanted to go for which was a very hard decision for me. But after abit more info was looked at and relised the 300 bhp has been done i decided on that. Then i started buying the bits that would help me on my way

Starting with the thottlebodys which are a 52 mm bore to a 47 butterfly and a 42 taper which is almost the same as the sbd 300 bhp kit apart from the butterfly and bore are bigger.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...8025093l-1.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...8024926l-1.jpg

And then i bought a astra mk2 gte which had the coscast head that i wanted so got it back and took the engine out

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...163819341l.jpg

i hope it looks like this 250bhp xe

http://www.wilcoxengines.demon.co.uk...vaux-eng03.jpg

alltho fitting a dry sump is going to be tight fit lol

Then i seen this for sale and would be perfect to help get the power i wanted. Its a whole system off a 1993 cavalier touring car driven by John clealand which being and earlyer model the didnt have the swindon reverse head so now this exhaust could help with the head in the normal place.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...163819341l.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...906589827l.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...906538858l.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...6600783l-1.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...6512253l-1.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...etothe2ltr.jpg

One slammed Nova in the background lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by General Baxter

i know someon who can get just over 250bhp for you but your looking about ?16k lol

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Well not that much ive priced it up and it comes to 12.5 k

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ste L

how do you plan on getting 300 bhp from a xe?

gonna be hard without nitrous or a turbo

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To be honist mate its not that hard to do. just a really lot of money

the sdb 300bhp kit WONT make 300bhp...


just the same as the 200+ one does make 200 makes about 170/180ish

Quote:

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Originally Posted by General Baxter

i hope it looks like this 250bhp xe

http://www.wilcoxengines.demon.co.uk...vaux-eng03.jpg

alltho fitting a dry sump is going to be tight fit lol

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Dont worry it will look something like it but much better colour and plus a drysump

Yea i know ste think there kit is more like 280 ish

Then thought about what seats i wanted then i sat in these and fell in love with them, wasnt happy there wernt that light but they were so comfortable i had to get them

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...3218110l-1.jpg

then i thought about the strength more and noticed the inner wings were rubish so cut them out

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...section004.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...section002.jpg

And put box section ontop of them

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...section003.jpg

After being in my mates 6 speed astra turbo i really liked the feel of a 6 speed. So went a bought a recondtion one from VTS

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...tr/bits026.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...tr/bits028.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...tr/bits030.jpg

Then it was time to take off the old gearbox mount ready to fit the new 6 speed one

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...ftosell001.jpg

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...the2ltr001.jpg

you wont make 300bhp on pump fuel!

oh and awesome work by the way. but im guessing that exhaust is gonna be running through the car? its going to be a mission to get it down past the f28 and under the car!

I know it will be close using pump fuel but as my mates uses racing fuel in he rally car i can get better fuel cheep anyway

Quote:

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Originally Posted by elgan

oh and awesome work by the way. but im guessing that exhaust is gonna be running through the car? its going to be a mission to get it down past the f28 and under the car!

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Na not at all was really surprised that it just makes it over the f28 and goes right over to the bottom of the bulkhead leaving about 1/2 - 1cm gap. So can still go under the car. Got more room to play with as im using a corsa m/c servo so thats not in the way, and all the header tank and washer bottle is being custom made to go where the heater used to be all in one alloy box so leaves even more room.

Interesting build, I hope you've got deep pockets as your going to need them

dont worry there big enough. and dont spend my money on anything else so dont really matter

got a full spec list for the engine build?

lol dan its gonna be massively unreliable

but i'll help in anyway i can of course!

an interesting build, will keep an eye on this one methinks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ste L

got a full spec list for the engine build?

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Na i havent as yet, Still got to decide on what degree cams i want. But here is a quick list to give you an idea:

2.2 bottom end from a frontera
steel crank and rods
88mm omega pocketed pistons
drysump
stem valves
vxr injectorsdont know if astra or vectra ones yet
double valve springs
solid followers and lifters
steel head gasket
management not sure on which one to go for yet
thottlebodys 52mm bore, 47mm butterfly and taper to a 42mm
head work done by autosprint
lightened flywheel
balanced
and a 3 ince system with high flow manifold

Cant really think what else on the top of my head but if i do ill change it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SRimon

lol dan its gonna be massively unreliable

but i'll help in anyway i can of course!

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Any help is appriated, plus there be a few bacon sandwich init aswell :D

good luck

you'll want to add a secondary injector system to your list at 300bhp mate.

well im using hayabusa tb's so there is talk about using them aswell but not 100% sure yet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stu16vT

good luck

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Thanks im going to need it

Be very interesting to see if what power this makes once its done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BIGS

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f.../My2ltr002.jpg

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does the alternator clear the chassis leg with what you have done there?

I hope so lol it the same as what someone else has done and there's was fine so no reason why mine wont be

not being funny or piccy but i wouldent put 300bhp through that sort of welding imo tbh it looks a little poor

Yea you are right, most of the bad welding will be cut out when i cut out the inner arches. and that was a mates welding in the last pic. got someone else doing it now which is alot better, and aslong as it penatrates through it dont really matter what it looks like as im not going to be winning as shows with it

300 from an XE eh?:roll:

Dont mean to sound pessimistic but with the 'spec' you posted up will be nearer 230-240

Like Elgan said you will need an 8 injector set up (not GM either btw) and some mentalist cams and rev to over 10k.... It will cost you WAYYYYYY in excess of ?12.5k, unless you know someone who builds race engines and can get parts at cost.

The BTCC cars were 270 ish and needed a rebuild every day, so dont blame me for being a little sceptical!:D

Head will need A LOT of work to flow that much and valves will need to be huge....

All the bestlol

As Will said, I hope you like rebuilding engines as it will probably be once a month job for you :)

You dont need 300bhp in a nova. 230 is plenty and a lot more reliable.

Touring cars were 290ish at the XE's peak of development in the early Vectras. But they were limited by the BTCC rules to 8500rpm.

But as Will says, to get near that power, you are going to need a huge amount of work on the cylinder head (lots of money) not to mention best to lose the belt driven water pump, dry sump system, under drive pulleys & a low resistance competition alternator etc.

I'd seriously think about settling for a power output somewhat lower, if only to enable you to have a more driveable, reliable & useable engine as a result.

At 300bhp the engine would need/deserve a proper comp spec gearbox too. Have you got ?xxxx's for a sequential box?