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DOHC in an Indy?
liftarn - 2/6/03 at 11:00 AM

In my quest for a clean enough engine to escape the penalty fee I'm now investigating the DOHC used in 1989 and on Sierras. The plan is to get a resy old Sierra and get the engine from a scrapper.

Does the DOHC fit the type 9 gearbox or should I get a gearbox too? Also does the DOHC fit in the Indy without any bumps?

locodude - 2/6/03 at 05:08 PM

Try a search, there's lot's of old threads on this subject and no it's a bad Idea,stick to the pinto or zetec!

liftarn - 2/6/03 at 05:28 PM

Due to emission requirements I would then have to use the Pinto from the 89-90 Sierra and that is tuned down so when a DOHC is clean enough and give something like 125 hp out of the box it makes sense. Especially since it's not very likley I will tune it.

I have looked into the Zetec, but it would give some problems mounting it.

Leaving Ford altogether would make Volvo an interesting choise. Highly available, more powerfull, smaller than the Pinto and plenty of tuning expertise around. The drawback is in the name. Volvo makes people associate to safe, boring cars and tractors.

James - 3/6/03 at 09:06 AM

quote:
Originally posted by liftarn
<snip>
the Pinto from the 89-90 Sierra and that is tuned down
<snip>


Is it?
Which one?

I'd have thought if Volvos are that easy to get then all you've got to do is find if there's one that's short enought to fit under the bonnet and that there'a a RWD gear box to fit it.
If you can find these things then Volvo seems the sensible (hah! ) option.

Anyway, if it helps, I saw a survey in the paper a while back that said that Volvos now had quite a 'sexy' image.
It was in the Sunday Times so it must be true!

Cheers,

James

liftarn - 3/6/03 at 09:43 AM

quote:
Is it? Which one?


It's what I've been told at the Locost Sverige forum anyway.

Added: Sorry it should be 1988-89.

quote:
I'd have thought if Volvos are that easy to get then all you've got to do is find if there's one that's short enought to fit under the bonnet and that there'a a RWD gear box to fit it.


Except for the 480 series and the very recent models I think all Volvos have been RWD so the gearbox it came with should work. The B23 used in the 740 is a popular choise.

It may need a lighter flywheel as the original is quite heavy.

[Edited on 3/6/03 by liftarn]

liftarn - 3/6/03 at 11:09 AM

quote:
Originally posted by James
Anyway, if it helps, I saw a survey in the paper a while back that said that Volvos now had quite a 'sexy' image.


I can't beleive it. Ok, for a boy racer image as many older Volvos ends up in the hands of people who get them as a first car and then tune them silly. Dod you know the B23 have been tuned to give over 1000 hp?

ned - 3/6/03 at 11:29 AM

old tuned up volvo's aren't really the rage over here i'm afraid.

kiddies like peugeot 205's, nova's and saxos.
bigger kiddies like subaru imprezas, vectras and skylines.

Ned.

auzziejim - 3/6/03 at 02:16 PM

erm Vectra's maybe not in the same sentence as Imprezas and skylines eh Ned?

LOL, Cheers

James

ned - 3/6/03 at 03:07 PM

sorry james shall i rephrase that:

bigger kiddies: impreza, skyline
poor bigger kiddies: vectra, sierra, old bmw

RobS - 3/6/03 at 03:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ned
old tuned up volvo's aren't really the rage over here i'm afraid.

kiddies like peugeot 205's, nova's and saxos.
bigger kiddies like subaru imprezas, vectras and skylines.

Ned.


wow - you don't stereotype too much do you?

I had an integrale at 22, various friends had Integra TYpe s, Sunny GTiRs, MR2 Turbos, sierra saff cossies. One friend has a nova, but with a mid engine rear wheel drive conversion (done himself - which is probably slightly more difficult than assembling a kit) and a C20 LET. Moving up the scale, I have friends who own TVR Cerberas (bought as crash damaged and spent 18 months repairing), old school Mitsi GTO, Mexicos and RS2000s, M12 GTO. A couple do have things like 205s - but with the Mi16 conversion, there's an XE20 mini on 300bhp of nitrous and slicks which will be finished in a month or so and expected to be running 10s quarter miles.

I'd say there is as much engineering experience and knowledge in the 'boy racer' arena as in the kit car arena. Please don't dis what you don't understand.

Thanks.

ned - 3/6/03 at 03:56 PM

robs,
wasn't dissin' as you say, just making a comparison to tuning a volvo!

i don't doubt you need a certain amount of skill and engineering for some of the conversions you mentioned, though personally I'd rather build something better from scratch than spend money on converting something that's still only eg a nova at the end of the day.

Cheers,

Ned
(ps i don't want an arguement, just all IMHO!)

liftarn - 3/6/03 at 04:28 PM

Ok, what about the DHOC. Will it fit in an Indy? What is the size comapred to a Pinto?

locodude - 3/6/03 at 05:58 PM

See previous post:
SEARCH THE ARCHIVES!

liftarn - 3/6/03 at 06:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by locodude
See previous post:
SEARCH THE ARCHIVES!


Did that, but couldn't find the answer to the size question. A lot of people seem to dislike the engine anyway.

chrisg - 3/6/03 at 06:09 PM

Stop Shouting you Maltby musclehead!

Cheers

Chris

RobS - 4/6/03 at 09:19 AM

so you're saying that engine conversions are easy to do right?

that it takes no skill to be the first to do something different like sticking an engine in the middle of a nova driving the rear wheels?

still a nova? how do you define a car? by the way it looks? the way it handles? it's power characteristics? I do it by all 3, and in the cae of that nova, 2 of them have changed considerably, only it's looks have remained the same (well, the rear had to be widened slightly). It's handling and driveability charcteristics are now totally different to how it was before.

I can honestly say, that I have never been on such a prejudiced and ill-informed forum as this one. Even on the boy racer forums, people tend to ask questions rather than make ill-informed statements

of course, Lax Power has a lot to answer for, as all the magazines of it's ilk now tend to promote lower power / big bodykit cars, and the only big power cars are mainly the tuning company's own demo cars. I class a proper boy racer magazine as CCC (although 'Redline' has had a noticeable lack of naked women and more focus on cars for the last few editions).

And yes, I do despise LED washer jets.

ned - 4/6/03 at 09:56 AM

RobS,

I don't want to argue, so this will be my last post on this subject, but:

I did not say:

quote:
Originally posted by RobS
so you're saying that engine conversions are easy to do right?

that it takes no skill to be the first to do something different like sticking an engine in the middle of a nova driving the rear wheels?


I actually said:

quote:
Originally posted by ned
i don't doubt you need a certain amount of skill and engineering for some of the conversions you mentioned


However I wouldn't choose to do a conversion, but would rather build a no-compromise car from scratch, IMHO. (if you don't know, that means, In My Humble Opinion, not the view of the whole forum.)

I agree with you about led washer jets and ccc mag though.

Ned.

*sorry, end of thread hijack*

James - 4/6/03 at 10:19 AM

quote:

Did that, but couldn't find the answer to the size question. A lot of people seem to dislike the engine anyway.


The DOHC is definately taller than the 2.0 SOHC.
1" springs to mind but I can't remember.
There's often one kicking round at college so I'll try and measure one tomorrow evening when I'm there.
Even though it's 'only' 1" taller bear in mind that you can chop down the SOHC by 2" by moving the oil filler cap.
Also, the DOHC sump may be alloy(???I'm happy to be corrected ) which may make it harder to chop. The sump being another place to lose 1" or so in engine height.

The shape of the top of the DOHC is also flat which (depending on the curvature of your bonnet) may make it harder to squeeze it under.

Saying all these things tho, some people have fitted them so it can't be impossible!

HTH,

James

P.S. It'll possibly be harder to fit the MT75 gearbox into the transmission tunnel so you may need to source a Type 9 anyway.

liftarn - 4/6/03 at 12:04 PM

Ok, another inch to an already tall engine isn't going to make anyone happy.

I really don't want any bumps in the hood so perhaps I'll just go with the Volvo engine and refuse to tell what powers the car.

Or perhaps find a mechanic shool or something to do the Saab/Opel combo for me.

Gareth - 4/6/03 at 02:47 PM

The DOHC 8 valve injection engine has a speed sensor on the MT75 gearbox I belive, will the management work with out this connect if a Type 9 is fitted?