adurling
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 01:23 AM |
|
|
Some suggestions please...
Hello all.
I've been scouring the site and reading a bit here and there for some time now - and as a result have come to value all of your opinions.
I'd therefore like to put this to you. A friend of mine started a locost project some 5 or 6 years ago. He built up a chassis by the book and
what with one thing and another the project got put on hold.
Earlier this year we got together and decided to get the thing built. We quickly learned that MK2 escorts have got a bit thin on the ground... so the
back got lopped off and replaced with the chassis design by GTS.
In the mean time we acquired a sierra 1.6 GLS with a type 9 box for the running gear. The engine was shafted - so we stripped it of everything
usefull, then sent it on it's way.
So that's where we're at. The quandry is what donor engine to go for. I've heard good things about the Toyota 4AGE, and GTS do
engine mounts and RAW do a bell housing. All very good - but the Corolla GTi is still fetching good money - I'd be really lucky to find a
rear-end write off.
On the other hand - the Rover K-Series is as common as dirt - but I haven't been able to source a bell housing adaptor and I don't hear
good things about them.
We've managed to convince ourselves the the pintos are a bit too heavy - and besides we are really looking for something that will rev quite
hard and be as forgiving of it as possible.
What other options should we consider? We want something with a bit of poke, and would like to keep the weight down... but then I would like to
avoid bankrupcy / divorce / both. All your comments are much appreciated. Maybe we want it all?
Adam.
[Edited on 23/3/06 by adurling]
|
|
|
|
|
rayward
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 01:53 AM |
|
|
Hi,
a zetec would be a good choice, it will mate up to your type 9,you can run it on carbs and megajolt, or fuel injected using megasquirt.
they can be had very cheap, and are good for 200k miles before needing a rebuild.
you can quite easily get 130bhp from the 1.8, and 150 from the 2.0.
Ray
|
|
|
ed_crouch
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 02:23 AM |
|
|
Yep, I'd agree.
Sheer force of numbers: theres tens of thousands of them about.
I guess the only slight difficulty is the aluminium sump will need chopping. Hardly the end of the world tho.
Ed.
I-iii-iii-iii-ts ME!
Hurrah.
www.wings-and-wheels.net
|
|
|
owelly
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 02:39 AM |
|
|
I'll just say 'bike engine' and then stand back!!! 
Although, if you feel you want to stick with a 'proper motor', don't get into a debate about bike engines! You either want one or
you don't!! IMHO anyway!!
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
|
|
|
donut
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 07:28 AM |
|
|
I would say bike engine too or toyota 4age
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 08:34 AM |
|
|
Starting with K series engines in the form fitted to the Rover 214Sei the 1.4 (14 K16) kicks out 104ps, the 1.6 (16 K16) as fitted to the
200/25/400/45 turns out 116 ps and the 1.8 (18 K16) as fitted to the 200/25/400/45/75 and Freelander 118ps.
To get more than that as it comes from the donor you really have to either get a VVC or a turbo -- which case you get up to 180 ps.
From the above figures you will can easily see the K16 is really limmited by the fact the head and ports were designed for the 1.4 version.
Personally if fitting one to a locost I would stick to 1.4 or 1.6 litre version as the 1.8 is really more at home in a Rover 75.
There is also the complication that the Rover engine management and security systems got more complex as the years went on -- the system fitted to a
Rover 75 intefaces with all the cars subsystems. The easiest base unit to start with if you want to retain the Rover mems ECU is a K16 from a Metro
Gti.
The Zetec 1.8 or 2 litre is also a good choice finding a rare early one will avoid the requirement for a cat test however the Zetec cylinder block is
very closely related to the much less desireable CVH, so building a car with a CVH carb engine getting it through SVA and on the road then changing
for a Zetec the following winter is a good two stage option.
Fitting either a K16 or a Zetec I would recommend going the megasquirt route for ignition and injection.
|
|
|
adurling
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 09:54 AM |
|
|
Thanks guys - this is all good stuff. I think the chassis is past the point of no return with respect to mounting a bike engine... and you're
not the first to suggest it. I will definately consider that the next time around.
I didn't realise the Zetec would bolt straight on to my box - so that's good to know, and the info on the K-Series info is good too. What
about the bell housing for the K-Series. Does anyone know somewhere that does an adaptor plate or something? Or is this a DIY job (I've read a
couple of stories about taking half the housing from the donor, and half the original housing from the sierra, and then welding the two together -
sounds tricky to me).
Are there any other Japanese options? What engine is in the Mitsubishi Colt GTI for example?
Thanks again.
|
|
|
Hellfire
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 01:01 PM |
|
|
If chopping the rear end off to convert to Sierra running gear was no problem, then I can't see why chopping a few mounting brackets in the
engine bay to fit a bike engine would be a problem.
You say you want something lightweight and hard revving, with a bit of poke. Sounds just like a bike engine to me.
Try and get a ride in both a CEC and a BEC before making your final decision......
Phil
PS - Welcome to the nuthouse....
[Edited on 23-3-06 by Hellfire]
|
|
|
scotty g
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 06:59 PM |
|
|
Hi, the 4age engine in the Corrolla GTI is the same one as fitted in the MR2 so there are loads of them around at very reasonable prices. The other
bits needed like a bell housing and fueling system on the other hand are very expensive.
I too considered a k-series as i really like it, its small light high revving and produces good power for its capacity (1.4). I believe the Fisher get
their bell housings from Titan Engineering or something like that, about £170.
In the end i opted for a Zetec, i have a type9 and an MT75 box and both fit straight onto a zetec and i picked a 1.8 up last year for £70 with all the
bits still attached and the full wiring loom and ECU as well.
Cheers.
|
|
|
adurling
|
| posted on 23/3/06 at 08:17 PM |
|
|
Thanks for that - missed the reference to the k-series adaptor.
|
|
|
