Hi all,does anyone know how much will it cost to completly overhaul a dohc 16v vauxhall engine ,and the maximum power output, i had one of these years ago and was possibly going to buy one for use on the track,
also will it fit into a newer version of the astra or would you keep it in the older version answers please

cheers lee.

 

for how cheap these are isnt it easier just to buy another enigine, the last time i had my cav turbo engine reconditioned it was £1000, but valver engines can be had for £250

 

the red top engine is always the better spec but suffers from a pourus head if you pick the wrong one

 

the red top you mean the dohc oppose to the black ecotec.

 

early 16 valve engines with the red spark plug cover on the top came as 150bhp as standard,with uprated conrod bolts they would take 190 without batting an eyelid,later ecotek engines were lower output to start off with,had different port shapes amongst other things aimed at economy rather than power....a lot did suffer with coolant problems as they cracked internally where the oil ways where close to the water jacket,turbo heads were much better in this respect,and in fact these were supplied as replacments by vauxhall in warrenty cases

 

bit of twin 45 weber carbs too full rebuild port and polish the head, cams etc will see you at over 240bhp

 

try www.autovaux.co.uk

 

correct....THE kit car engine choice for many a year ..

 

The best person for these engines is Steve Broughton http://www.sbdev.co.uk/

He used to do the works cars 300+bhp from normally aspirated 2 litre!!

What Steve does not know about these engines is not worth knowing!

 

The ecotec is a DOHC engine (i.e. two cams over the valves), its basically a higher compression red top (to put it simplistically)..

The red tops can be picked up for peanuts, your better off finding a rusty old SRI/GSI for a few quid with a decent engine, scrap the car and keep the engine.

 

oh! and dont forget to check if it's got a coscast head too (cosworth) as the vaux ones end up with a hair line crack from an oil gallery to water way-very anoying

 

nice one guy's,
what would be the best car to put this engine into ,ican like you say pick up the engine quite reasonably.

 

The lads at my local club put them in corsa's, nice light shell.... They go like stink!

 

lotus seven replica,very light make an excellent track car.... and normally can find part built kits in the classifieds at a decent price when someone has given up....with a decent 2.0xe fitted would be very rapid

 

Went to look at a vauxhall van the other day was originally a 1.7 td he'd dropped in the dohc 16v motor went like a rocket not for the track though....

 

as said, get a complete rotten cav gsi or astra gte (early ones E 1988?) are more likely to have the early coscast head.
at the mileage most gm heads are at, if it hasn't gone porous by now, chances are it won't!
early coscasts have larger valves and valve guides, and were hand finished, although these are the most sought after and so fetch premium price! late coscasts admittedly won't go porous, but have no power gains over a gm head!
or.....do what ive done, break a calibra turbo and put the powerplant and six speed box in something light, i currently am on my 2nd astra mk3 gsi turbo, but have also had a mk2 gte turbo and others lol, very good fun when they get traction!