After much contemplation I have decided the 2.0 XE is probably the engine for me. I understand this was fitted to 16v Astra GTEs but was it in any other Vauxhalls. Also how much should I budget for a good engine?

Thanks.

scuse my ignorance as we don't have a creature like this in the states but,is the astra a rear wheel drive car? If not, what do you do for a transmission?

David

As far as I understand, You can mate part Vauxhall clutch with part Ford Pinto clutch and bolt it onto a Sierra Type 9 box.

You're pinto/sierra and ours are 2 totally different animals, that is the problem in communication we have....Hard to belive I have trouble speaking "english"

David

Yes the XE did come in other Vauxhalls, from what i remember it was certain versions of the Calibra and possibly Cavalier. Sorry i can't be more specific but I'm sure someone else will know.

As for price you can pick them up on ebay for £200-300 (engine only) and from £400-500+ for an engine complete with car, but don't forget you'll need to add on the cost of carburettors or throttle bodies.

I'm currently building my Indy using a 2L pinto but am already saving for my XE, looks like a fantastic engine, Nigel Dean from Which Kit magazine also said it's his favourite engine of all time so I can't wait to fit one!

Pete

Hey White130D

The Pinto/Sierra isn't all that different from its North America cousins.

The "Pinto" engine is the same 2.3l unit feautured in the rolling flambe“ we call a Pinto here. And for Sierra, substitute Merkur XR4Ti which came with a turbocharged Pinto mill. Also has all the right driveline bits (albeit with drums & open diff) to work with the Sierra accessories available in the LoCost aftermarket.

Cheers, Ted

Much of the confusion comes from the fact that we have two cars, called the Ford Pinto, and the GMC Sierra, that are both very different from the engine called Pinto and car called Sierra in the UK.

The Ford Pinto was famous for exploding at low-speed rear impacts, and there's a rather disturbing story about it here:
http://smallurl.com/?i=14896

The GMC Sierra is a full-size pickup truck...
http://smallurl.com/?i=14895

At first, I didn't know why you were talking about Pinto engines, because the Ford Pinto was built in the 70s... But UK Pinto engines aren't from Ford Pintos at all.

It's a confusing world of sales and marketing we live in.

When I was a kid, our family owned a Ford Pinto, we (as kids) used to ride in the back... Scary!

Xe's were found in astra gte's, cavalier gsi's and calibra's. Beware later cavaliers and calibra's have the ecotec 16v which is not as good a the Xe.

The sierra gearbox and clutch plate can be used, though you'll need an adapter bellhousing to mate the two together. approx £160ish

Engines go on ebay for £200-350. Take your chance! Better if you can see it in a car and hear it running. Also try migweb, a vauxhall owners forum. Also try local scrappies. My local scrappy had a running engine and they wanted £200 for it. I bought one for £150 that needed a rebuild and bought a complete block (in peices ) of ebay for £10.

Ned.

ps also search for previous posts on the subject, all the info is there. Also see my web for info on the engines...

Also found in Astra GSI and Cavalier SRI 16V round about J/K reg

Dreckly,

Yep, astra gsi's, but i've never heard or seen one come out of one as they're so rare and still seem to have hi resale for some bizare reason. I didn't now the sri 16v was an Xe, i thought it was ecotec?!

Ned.

Thanks for your help gents, especially Ned

see "for sale section" - might be of interest................

Nice blatant plug Scotty

Ronin, where in SE England are you?!

Ned.

Maidstone. But I work at London Bridge.

Maidstone?

Well bit of a treck but you could make our monthly Guildford meets if you're interested.

See the Clubs and Events section for details. We meet at Newlands Corner near Guildford 1st Sunday of the month.

Atb,

James

heers James,

Imight give you all a visit.

Ned,

Sorry to be so late in replying.
Recently bought a Cavy SRI 16V on a K plate for her indoors to smoke about in.
Nice red topped Xe sat under the bonnet as standard - strangely enough it's reputed to be quicker/more powerful than the GSI Cavy (different exhaust manifolds methinks). Anyway it saves me having to share my Carlton GSI 24V!!
Cheers.
Ken.

Dont think theres too many sri's about with the XE;s in. Theres plenty of cav GSi's being broken about and early calibra's. Watch out for the porous heads too. Just put a recon on me calibra cos it was porous.

quote:

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Originally posted by James
Maidstone?

Well bit of a treck but you could make our monthly Guildford meets if you're interested.

See the Clubs and Events section for details. We meet at Newlands Corner near Guildford 1st Sunday of the month.

Atb,

James

---

don't let stories of porousity problems put you off. The weakness as I understad is on late GM heads (earlier coscast ones are fine). There is a weakness in the casting between the oilway and water jacket, IIRC between pot 2+3. There are various fixes including sleeving the oilway or welding it up and rerouting the water jacket round the back of the head. The cost of repair is similar to the price of a second hand head and I've only heard of problems on very high milage engines (120,000+). I've only come across it once on a race engine which is rev'd to 8k all day.

Stand to be corrected though

Ned.