Changing To Vauxhall.

[Guest Bazwaz]

After reading Simons and Jims reports about fitting the 2.0 16 valve Vauxhall engine i've decided to take the plunge and yesterday took the first step by buying an engine. It's from a mk2 gte and was rebuilt 12 months ago. The head was pressure tested and skimmed so thats one thing out of the way. He also gave me a bare block which Simon recommends using when making new engine mounts. I also got the exhaust manifold. All for £250 which i reckon is pretty reasonable. I intend getting all the other relevent parts over the summer and fitting the engine in the winter. Here is the first of many questions, Do i really need to get a new sump? as the overall height seems to be very similar to the Pinto and i,ve always managed with the original sump on that.

Cheers Barry.

[Big Jim]

you will need to change the sump, but it depends on which car (model) you are putting the engine into. If it's a 2B, then you can either get a "pucka" Ally sump from SBD or QED (£216) or a tin one from Yukspeed (£160) or the Opel Manta sump will fit. The problem with the standard one, is that it's designed for the engine to be tilted over at 7º.

 

Welcome to Vauxhall Power, you will not be disapointed!

[Guest Bazwaz]

Thanks for your reply Jim, all being well i'll be going to Newark so perhaps i could look at your car and pick up a few tips.

Barry.

[Guest Bazwaz]

I forgot to say that i'm fitting it into an Exmo.

Barry.

[Big Jim]

Right then Barry, you will have all the problems that both Simon and myself had, the biggest headache that I found was the pedals. I assume that you can do a certain amount of metalwork & bracket making?

 

Go to the "newsheet" on our northwest site, in one of the postings, there are 3 links to web sites, put them into your 'Favourites' and check them every day, sooner or later the bits that you want will turn up on one of those sites, but be quick, they don't hang around!

[Longboarder]

I'm sure I've seen somewhere an alloy bellhousing that is designed to mount the engine at 7 deg on a type 9 box. Can't remember where and I have no idea if that is possible for RH cars. Probably tilts the carbs or something.

 

Nigel

[Richard Grove]

Barry,

 

Like you I have also been bitten by the Vauxhall Bug. I just bought a complete Cavalier GSI for £400. By the time I have cashed in the tax disc and sold a few bits off the cavalier I hope to have got the engine cost down to £250.

 

I am planning to strip and prepare the engine and get all the conversion parts ready to drop it into my 2B during the winter. My Dad is not impressed as I am supposed to be helping him finish his Banham Bat ready to take to Donnington in September.

 

Are you going for Weber 45's? The SBD Taper Throttle bodies look fantastic but at nearly £2000 a tad on the expensive side.

 

Richard

[Guest Bazwaz]

Yes i'll be fitting 45's and initially taking the route Simon recommends (fitting the ignition from a mark 11 Cavalier' unless Santa comes early ). I don't fancy inclining the engine 7degrees as it cocks up the exhaust manifold. I've looked at the problems you had Jim and hopefully i'll achieve a similar result. I work in the maintenance dept of a local hospital so have access to a fully equipped workshop ( and skilled engineers, one of them is a first rate welder) who will help me with any problems. The NHS does have its advantages

Barry.

[Big Jim]

Ok then, yes you will need a sump, the original one is no good as it's at 7º, and the Manta one won't fit the Exmo, unless you cut off the "big wings" and weld it up, Not recommended. The Manta sump will however fit the 2B. you do not want the engine tilted at 7º you may want to put those bloody expensive big end bolts in, £64 set of 8 bolts!! but it does give you an extra 1000 rpm to play with, you'll need a pair of sump gaskets. start looking ror the correct Cavalier ignition, they are like rocking horse poo up this way. you will need (according to Simon) the coil & amplifier, and dizzy (it's the one with a vac advance unit on, but you don't actually use it) I could never find one that was in one piece, so I finished going Mapped.

You will also need a clutch plate (although you can use the sierra one, but it's a bit small on the O/D) try one from a Sierra Diesel estate (get the man to check the OD size & compare it to the Vauxhall, I think that it's right to within 2mm)

[Guest Bazwaz]

I've got the week off work so i thought i'd take a tour of the local scrapyards for the distibuter bits, i struck lucky at the fourth one i visited and managed to get not one but two distributers and coils for £25!. When the time comes i shall be asking how to wire it up. Spent the rest of the day painting up the engine and other bits and pieces. Begining to look forward to the end of summer already.

Barry

[Guest Bazwaz]

Almost forgot. I know you don't need the vacumn advance so can i remove it and just blank off the hole or does it have to remain in situ .

Cheers,Barry

[Big Jim]

the ones that I've seen using this dizzy, just leave it on but don't use it, but it might come off and be able to be "blanked" over, it would certainly look better.