Description
I gave vauxhall £100 to date my engine from the engine number, but I just spoke to Mr Bell at GM and theres no record of my engine. Because there are
no "date markings" on the engine then he thinks it must be reconditioned (it isn't).
What options are left open to me?
I think I could buy a car with a c20xe fitted and swap the engines over, using the new cars V5 as proof of engine age or fit a different engine, like
a pinto. I'm pretty sure both these options are looking like being expensive.
Any ideas are welcome, as always
If you want to stick with pre-cat emmisions I'd think an engine swap has to be the easiest way - so I guess it depends on how easy it is to find
a dated XE...
failing that any pinto or even an x-flow with an engine nuber on it should fit the bill and shouldn't cost much (you might even find one you can
borrow)
do you still have the engine mounts for the pinto that came with the car ?
I've got more odds and sods up here you can borrow (inc a spare 2.0 pinto) but I'm sure some a bit closer can help you out
[Edited on 11/4/2011 by mcerd1]
I have a pre-94 XE that's for sale Craig... not cheap, but it's a good 'un!
QED 420 cams, new water / oil pumps, new timing belt, new idlers, shortened ali sump, and freshly painted / powder coated.
Let me know if it's of any use...
fit a cat? a redtop really should be able to meet the post 95 emissions. all you should need is a publication stating the years it was manufactured
forget about the engine number the model number should be enough to identify it. they stopped making the c20xe in 1994 and carried on making the
c20xev from 1994 up 1999 when it become the c20xer.
[Edited on 11/4/2011 by ashg]
Thought you'd sold your kit, Craig?
I do have the engine mounts, but I've modified the chassis to fit the XE! I could work around that to fit a pinto I'm sure but its all the
extra bits I'd need like induction, exhaust, bellhousing, cooling etc that are concerning me. Thanks for the offer though mate.
Scott, am I right in thinking thats £1.5k? I can't remember exactly. What evidence do you have for the engine age? Cheers.
Ash, I have a cat fitted, it's just a bit small and I have bike carbs fitted. Also post-95 emissions go from 3.5% to something silly like 0.02%
CO! My engine is modified to remove the dizzy so replacing the original induction would be complex. Vauxhall stopped producing the XE two months after
the emissions deadline according to my haynes documentation, so model number isn't good enough for VOSA derby, I asked that originally. I take
the suggestion though, I think I'm going to ring round a few other vosa centres tomorrow and see if they can be a little more flexible
Steve, the buyer ran me round in circles delaying and delaying, so that went out the window. I managed to convince my old man to have one last stab at
it over easter but I've fallen at the first hurdle again! Damn thing, so near yet so far! What evidence did you have of engine age? A V5?
Thanks everyone.
Also if anyone has/knows of a 16v 2.0l vauxhall for sale that was registered pre-95 please let me know, and if I could borrow an XE engine for 3-4
weeks with associated age related paperwork (would pay cash) get in touch!
[Edited on 11/4/11 by cd.thomson]
Why not fit a cat?
I have a cat fitted, its just quite small. A larger cat would require a new exhaust system.
Also I'm running carbs and megajolt, not that standard induction. The engine has been modified to make fitting the original induction
complicated.
The emissions change from 3.5% to 0.02%. Although I'm confident the emissons could be reduced to under 3.5% with my existing cat and a RR session
I doubt I could get it down to 1/100th of that. At the minute its running at about 5% CO once it comes off tickover with a cat fitted.
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
Steve, the buyer ran me round in circles delaying and delaying, so that went out the window. I managed to convince my old man to have one last stab at it over easter but I've fallen at the first hurdle again! Damn thing, so near yet so far! What evidence did you have of engine age? A V5?
[Edited on 11/4/11 by cd.thomson]
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Steve, could you tell me where abouts on your engine this number is printed? I seem to have overlooked this marking. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
Steve, could you tell me where abouts on your engine this number is printed? I seem to have overlooked this marking. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly
I'll have a look in the file and see what docs I have for the engine... pretty sure there was something 'official' looking last time I
had a rake! 
I'd do the bare-engine at £800... or £1100 with the gucci (well Alcon!) 5.5" clutch and flywheel.
Am sure I'd have suggested thos before but have you considered faking the letter?
Or changing the engine number to a more suitable one?
Cheers,
James
How much am I hoping that my engine bears that mark steve!! Keep your fingers crossed for me.
James, faking the letter is definitely the easiest option but I don't want to risk getting caught and the associated fraud issues - I imagine
I'd get myself and the kit blacklisted by VOSA if I started playing silly buggers!
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
How much am I hoping that my engine bears that mark steve!! Keep your fingers crossed for me.
James, faking the letter is definitely the easiest option but I don't want to risk getting caught and the associated fraud issues - I imagine I'd get myself and the kit blacklisted by VOSA if I started playing silly buggers!
my xe engine had a date there as well and mine was a 94 block
[Edited on 12/4/11 by tomgregory2000]
26 06 91
nice one!
can i borrow it for my IVA? 
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
26 06 91
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
26 06 91
Ah but the saga continues, my old man is chucking the towel in and wont fund another new test fee and RR fees. Its a shame but hopefully now I have
everything together to take some of the mystery out of the car buyers might be a bit more interested.
Talk about ups and downs, the world of kit building is the ultimate mixed bag!