W0rd up

[mikuni]

gordo said:

Let's just say, with ancilliaries, it's WELL into 5 figures
If I was starting from scratch, now, I should be able to knock off at least $4k.
Some of you guys should also give some consideration to the 16XE engine found in some of the Holden Barinas etc. Around 160hp on throttle bodies and a decent exhaust system with stock internals - a nice light, compact engine.

Wow you're going to have quite an engine. Can you share some specs and prices with me as my cars going in for the xev conversion in a couple of weeks and I may need to buy pistons and rods etc. PM if you wanna keep it sneaky sneaky.

Yeah those 1600's are quite good, but in my opinion if you're going to the effort of fabricating an engine into place you might aswell have a biggish one in there.

I love all this talk though. Makes me feel alot better than I'm spending many thousands on my car! ;D

[burntrubber]

Wish I had thousands to spend but I'm now saving for a wedding as well I'm sure I can sneak a few extra dollars without been caught though

[gordo]

mikuni said:

gordo said:

Let's just say, with ancilliaries, it's WELL into 5 figures
If I was starting from scratch, now, I should be able to knock off at least $4k.
Some of you guys should also give some consideration to the 16XE engine found in some of the Holden Barinas etc. Around 160hp on throttle bodies and a decent exhaust system with stock internals - a nice light, compact engine.

Wow you're going to have quite an engine. Can you share some specs and prices with me as my cars going in for the xev conversion in a couple of weeks and I may need to buy pistons and rods etc. PM if you wanna keep it sneaky sneaky.

Yeah those 1600's are quite good, but in my opinion if you're going to the effort of fabricating an engine into place you might aswell have a biggish one in there.

I love all this talk though. Makes me feel alot better than I'm spending many thousands on my car! ;D

not much to it.
Where I'd save the next time would be on the engine purchase and rebuild - I had it sourced through the UK and rebuilt there - that'd be around $6-7k, plus parts. I'd save over $5k doing the Cally engine myself.
Throttle bodies with air filter etc
Notched pistons for a better cam' - still stock ATM.
Rear wheel drive, big wing sump.
Light flywheel and heavy duty clutch - Kevlar friction plate
4.2.1 exhaust manifold

Dyno sheet showed around 204hp with stock cam's - should be good for around 230 with just a cam' change and remap.

Pretty much from these guys catalogue www.sbdev.co.uk/Main.htm

They used to have kits for the ECOTEC as well, may be worth a call to check your options.

Other stuff

Standard Ford T9 gearbox with Quaife quick shift and centre mount slave cylinder - cheap, fairly strong and a gear kit is way too expensive for me.
Piazza Lotus Turbo diff' - LSD, vented discs and four link standard
Vented front discs with four spots.
BMW 6x14 alloys with 195/60-14 tyres
Adjustable pedal box
Quick rack - 2.7:1
Triple core radiator
Some other odds and sods

Haven't decided on spring/dampers yet as it'll be used for hillclimbs/autocrosses etc as well as road use.

Now all(!) I have to do is finish (start ) putting the d**n thing together

[mikuni]

Yeah, that is a pricy way to go about getting an engine. Certainly nice to not have to worry about doing any of the build though. Plus you know your getting a very powerfull, running engine, straight out of the box.

I'm doing everything the cheap way, using single cam block instead of modifying a sump etc etc. Not sure what will happen with the pistons yet, but I'll deal with that when I figure out what the 8v ones look like. I think going with similar pistons as you have used is the answer. Ones that allow crazy cam duration for later on.

Sounds awesome though. That output is very impressive! Going to be quite a car. We'll have to have a race when we're done, just to see how much your kicks my arse haha.

[77vette]

my damn centres wont be back from the acid dippers untill friday also geting them etch primed and then ill have to sort the powdercoating. Itll be worth the wait tho...

[mikuni]

Cool! Do you have to etch before powder coating? I thought those were different processes (painting/powder coating)

[gordo]

mikuni said:

I'm doing everything the cheap way, using single cam block instead of modifying a sump etc etc. Not sure what will happen with the pistons yet, but I'll deal with that when I figure out what the 8v ones look like. I think going with similar pistons as you have used is the answer. Ones that allow crazy cam duration for later on.

For parts, you can also contact Quorn Engine Developments www.qednet.demon.co.uk/ and Courtney www.courtenaysport.co.uk/

Pistons are a little different for the two 16v engines, the valves're further apart in the ECOTEC and pressed into the conrod rather than fully floating.

One thing I forgot - the engine management system is totally distributorless, so the exhaust cam is machined shorter and the head plugged - you won't have to worry about a dizzy but there may be a small sensor housing that'll require clearancing of the bulkhead to get it right back.

[mikuni]

Oh yeah. I was going to ask what you were doing about the dizzy. Thats quite a good option. I'm not sure if what I'm doing is right, but I will be using a link management system and doing things the way we do it here, rather than the uk way.

I thought the pistons might be different. Hopefully they produce some for the ecotec.

You don't know what that sensor is at the back of the engine? I wasn't sure about down there. I saw the coils and everything but it seemed it was all movable.

The guys I'm getting to do it seem to know their stuff and he's quite excited about the conversion. Hes put a 1uz-fe (lexus v8) into a hiace and a vg30dett (Nissan 300ZX twin turbo v6) into a silvia among other things, so they like slightly different projects. Hopefully this will make any problems we run into a little easier to over come and they are letting me have as much of a say on everything as I want aswell haha.

[zep]

Man I wish I just paid someone to do all my nuts, would have taken so much stress out

[gordo]

mikuni said:

Oh yeah. I was going to ask what you were doing about the dizzy. Thats quite a good option. I'm not sure if what I'm doing is right, but I will be using a link management system and doing things the way we do it here, rather than the uk way.

I thought the pistons might be different. Hopefully they produce some for the ecotec.

You don't know what that sensor is at the back of the engine? I wasn't sure about down there. I saw the coils and everything but it seemed it was all movable.

The guys I'm getting to do it seem to know their stuff and he's quite excited about the conversion. Hes put a 1uz-fe (lexus v8) into a hiace and a vg30dett (Nissan 300ZX twin turbo v6) into a silvia among other things, so they like slightly different projects. Hopefully this will make any problems we run into a little easier to over come and they are letting me have as much of a say on everything as I want aswell haha.

Been doing some checking - some sources have the ECO's gudgeons as a press fit, some as floating in the con' rods - certainly be interested to hear which yours are.

Depending on your specific model, as far as I can find, ATM, there may be the following sensors on and around the engine.

Camshaft phase sensor - near the timing belt end of the engine on top of the engine - replaces the one at the exhaust cam' end.
Crankshaft speed/position sensor - behind the alternator, to front of engine on exhaust side.
Throttle potentiometer - at the throttle body.
Hot film mass airflow meter - in the induction system.
Engine coolant temperature sensor - in the thermostat housing.
Air inlet temperature sensor - in the inlet duct between the air cleaner and the air mass sensor.
Knock sensor - haven't found this yet but should be on inlet side of the engine on the block somewhere. It may be a round sensor with a mounting bolt through the centre and a rectangular, two pin connector.
Oxygen sensor - in the exhaust manifold/pipe.
Wheel speed sensor - not sure of what is involved here but may be related to an electronic speedo, cable or wheel ABS sensor and be used for a traction control system.

The electronic management system should be either a Simtec 56.1 or 56.5 unit - but as you're going to using a LINK or similar aftermarket unit, it shouldn't matter.

[edit] A pic' of the bits in question may be a help

[burntrubber]

My Mrs car got backed into at Pack and Save today must have been a ute/truck man its done heaps of damage. Insurance seems keen on paying out just gotta get it assessed tomorrow.

[77vette]

mikuni said:

Cool! Do you have to etch before powder coating? I thought those were different processes (painting/powder coating)

Barry White i have no idea lol. I just went to this acid dipping place and they guy was all like..'bro if you leave it as bare steel it'll be rusty in like 2 days' so i was like ok wtf what do i do then? and he told me to etch prime them then get em painted or whatever. I really dont know whats going on

Also got some parts off crazytim tonight, including the bonnet off gordos old car so matt black will happen but if its gay i can go back to green. Also saw the chevini which is wicked

Will be getting a gemini engine and box this weekend. Crazytim reckons ill need a gemini sway bar as well because the chevette one wont clear the engine... also need a driveshaft which ill also try and get off west.

also im gona pull that mirror off the side, its Barry Whiteing me off with its looseness and it will prob look cooler without. Maybe.

[mikuni]

gordo said:

- you won't have to worry about a dizzy but there may be a small sensor housing that'll require clearancing of the bulkhead to get it right back.

Oh, thats all I was referring to. The one that I will need to modify to get the motor to fit.

With the link, carbs ( ), headers etc in place I will rule out more than half of those sensors you mentioned, so hopefully it will be one of them.

Actually out of those 9 sensors I think I will only be using 4. One of which is the knock sensor. I guess that can be utilised so we'll see if we can find it!

We will be using the cam and crank angle sensors to run a wasted spark system, so it should be pretty easy to set up.

Carbs also have TPS so may run that aswell to get a more acturate 3d map. Should make it easier to tune and run a little smoother, not that I'm too worried about drivability.

Leon, I am stoked that I'm getting someone to do it this time around as the g2w didn't work out quite aswell as I had hoped. The part that you don't hear about is that I have 7 grand sitting in the bank, ready to go to the guy for putting it in. Thats sooo much money. I'm having issues over it, since I've pretty much never paid someone to do actual work on my car before (except welding and those other things I can't do haha).

[77vette]

Me= GOD. haha awesome

[mikuni]

77vette said:

f**k i have no idea lol. I just went to this acid dipping place and they guy was all like..'bro if you leave it as bare steel it'll be rusty in like 2 days' so i was like ok wtf what do i do then? and he told me to etch prime them then get em painted or whatever. I really dont know whats going on

Also got some parts off crazytim tonight, including the bonnet off gordos old car so matt black will happen but if its gay i can go back to green. Also saw the chevini which is wicked

Will be getting a gemini engine and box this weekend. Crazytim reckons ill need a gemini sway bar as well because the chevette one wont clear the engine... also need a driveshaft which ill also try and get off west.

Awesome, sounds good.

Yeah if I was you I'd ring the powder coaters because by the sounds of it you may get there with the etch on and they'll make you go straight back and get it taken off.

Ofcourse they will rust in 2 days if left un touched, but just book them in at the powder coaters for straight after you get them dipped and then it'll be sweet. Thats what I was told to do.

Just check though, they might be able to just powder coat over etch. I dunno.