Well, after months of searching for Sierra/mx5/Omega I've finally found and bought my donor car! A Sierra Azura 1.8 CVH with type 9 gearbox. Funny how it's only AFTER buying the car that I now realise what a mammoth task is ahead of me
I've been going back and forth on whether to stick with the CVH or change it to zetec/duratec after the IVA but I keep coming back to thining of the cost of buying another engine when ive got a perfectly good one in my donor. Performance wise I know the CVH isn't as good as the newer engines but i'm happy to stick with it for now.
SO...before I start on it, is there anything I need to be wary of with the above set-up? I've attached a couple of pics...the parts will be getting a good clean up when they're stripped out.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bTEq0UKaR5g/UzlLqz9jc-I/AAAAAAAAADQ/_3EfoMv-MVk/w1127-h845-no/20140331_111438.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFvFtYIj0ME/UzlMyJ5cQCI/AAAAAAAAAD8/RuP3laZrTHA/w1127-h845-no/20140331_113257.jpg

[Edited on 31/3/14 by christim]

I think the limitations on the 1.8 CVH engine is the lack of ways to cheaply increase it's output.

It will certainly be adequate to get you onm the road and then you can do what you like.

It is possible to mix & match CVH & Zetec parts - try a google search for "ZHV" or "zetec head on cvh block"

I bought a Sierra with a CVH for my build, which ran fine from Swindon.

I took the head off when I took the engine out and the bores looked great.

When I dropped the sump to check the bottom end, the story was not good.

Regrind and shells were needed, so it went in the bin and I spent the rebuild money on an
early 95 silvertop. (Rebuilt that but the end result is a better engine) and should
still enable an age related plate.

One problem you will have with the 1.8 CVH is there is a water feed to the inlet manifold next to cylinder 4
and you will not get a manifold to cover it. If you do, you will then have to get a thermostat housing
that fits on the back of the cylinder head for the stat. ( I have one as well a set of cam followers and core plugs if you want )

I suggest you go Zetec before you spend any money on the CVH.

Len.