chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
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aye...thats a likely mod ad.
i have found a project of some guy doing what im looking to do with the bottom end...and it seems its not as easy as it looks...but this guy does have a tendancy to blag on...and on...
http://www.tomstickland.co.uk/astra/mods2/engine/engine.htm#carbs
also he has this pic of the seh/zlet (top/bottom respectively)
it seems the only difference is the top right coolant galley. How hard is it (if neccessary) to get this cut out to have the correct hole?? if i can get away with it then yey...but i dont want to risk overheating by blocking a coolant galley.
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
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ok, it will go straight on...so thats getting ordered tomorrow i think...
working it out with all new bits, water pump, heavy duty bearings, rings, bolts and all that...this is gonna cost the best part of £300.
unsure on whether to ARP the bottom end too, its another £100, but then its well worth it i know...
edit: plus i need an oil pump...
[Edited on 14-06-2009 by chrex]
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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well, over the last week i have been collecting various bits together for the bottom end build.
I have managed to get a block and some pistons and rods from a 20XE. The pistons are the Mahle forged ones so much stronger than the cast later ones. I will get my original crank polished and possibly worked a little, as well as the whole lot getting degreased and then get the bearings ordered, piston rings and ARP's. Then all the gaskets.
Shouldnt take me too long to sort, and i want to have valve springs too for the head for when it all gets taken off again.
No more than a couple of months and we should have some big improvements.
Am also hoping to get some eibach springs too for the front, which should help the handling substantially.
Also got a special suprise on the way...so watch this space! 
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Mobby
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Registered: 31st Dec 07
Location: Leicestershire
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Can you sum this project up for me, last time i looked you were having problems setting the carbs up?
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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lol, how do you mean? whats gone on since then?
Well it wasnt the carbs that were the problem it was the engine. The fuel was wrong above 4k because the cam was standard, so i had a new cam put in. As they were fitting the cam, i was told the bottom end was getting tired too, and im losing about 15-20bhp on the bottom end, as the compression is down due to worn rings.
So now im gonna build up a bottom end, pushing a pretty high compression as 8v's go (10.5-11ish), with all new and heavy duty stuff. should make a huge difference! 
[Edited on 21-06-2009 by chrex]
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ali_corsa
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Registered: 30th Jun 07
Location: Tamworth Drives: Focus st
User status: Offline
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what heavy duty stuff you going to be using chrex? i know they do an uprated headgasket for the 8v's which is meant to be thicker im just trying to find one thats the problem, might be worth doing when i put a cam on it.
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ainsley_brader
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Registered: 24th Mar 02
Location: Tattershall, Lincolnshire
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Just read through, nice little project and i think i remember reading the first page when you started it too!
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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well the bearings are basicly a different metal. i think the ones that i can get are eith holden ones from my the garage that has done all the tuning, or ones from Chris Astley.
the best headgasket is the one oi've put a pic of above...the Zlet one.
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ali_corsa
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Registered: 30th Jun 07
Location: Tamworth Drives: Focus st
User status: Offline
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have you figured away to marry them up so theres no risk of overheating
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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na...it should be ok. chris astley motorsport says its ok to use on the 8v's...
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gazza808
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Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
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i wouldn't use the z20let gasket buddy,
it doesn't work!
get on www.vaux-extreme.com for what works on 8v's they tried using z20let steel gaskets and they kept blowing.
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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ah ok...thanks for the tip!
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chrex
Member
Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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Well, a quick update...and a hint as to what is coming next.
I have just taken delivery of 4 Toyo T1R's inb 195/50R15, bought from ebay for a very, very reasonable price. There will be no more on what is coming...but im sure you can all guess now.
Also, once i have been paid, and paid my road tax for the next 12 months, i will be ordering myself the bottom end end bearings, and maybe the piston rings for the bottom end. As well as giving AB the crank and block for degrease & polishing/honing. Hoping to get as much as possible sorted on it...and maybe try to get the bearings and crank on, with pistons in...then get the oil pump and ARP's the next month. Want i sorted though, the fact i know its currently smoking annoys me, and i want that extra punch. it feels a bit lack lustre again now, so i need it doing.
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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Well, rather big update. I have new wheels...Team Dynamics Pro Race 3's. 
From what i can tell, there are very few of these around at the moment, partly due to them being pretty new most likely. But...i bit the bullet and ordered some. 15x7, et45 and they weigh nothing...i was amazed.
So, this is how they look...
Im at oulton park tomorrow so will get some decent pics then...but these should give a good enough show of what they're like though.
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Adam-D
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Registered: 11th May 02
Location: Cheshire
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there may have been a small fire....
she will live again. hopefully in about 4 hours time
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ali_corsa
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 07
Location: Tamworth Drives: Focus st
User status: Offline
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nice wheels mate, looking good now. have you found a headgasket best to use or you just going to try and modify the let headgaskets.
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marklawton
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Registered: 24th Apr 05
Location: Pensby, Wirral Drives:Golf mk4 GTI
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quote:
Originally posted by Adam-D
there may have been a small fire....
she will live again. hopefully in about 4 hours time
what happened?
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chrex
Member
Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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hey all.
sorry i've been quiet, have been busy and well...something happened yesterday that scared the shit outta me!
I needed to play with the alternator bracket as it was moving quite a bit and i thought it was the bush. So, i threw a load of superflex sealant into the bush and it sured up nicely. However, as i was going about prepping the tools, adam noticed the alternator bracket at the back had twisted, and that one of the bolts had fallen out. I remember exactly where and when this bolt fell out coz i heard it, but put it down to a big stone.
Anyway, i found a bolt to replace the missing one, so as i've got that one in, and i go to tighten the other one that was still in there...this shears.  i now have a sheared bracket bolt right where i cant get a drill or even a dremel in there. Bastard!
So, i put the alternator (pulley down) on the driveshaft to try and sort this. Realising i can get a better angle from below, i jack the car up. All of a sudden there is a cracking noise...and i thought it was the jack not secure on the chassis, so i lower again to re-place it. Next thing theres smoke in the car...
The alternator was shorting on the steering rack, and so the starting/charging loom is on fire (under the carbs) as is the neg terminal on the battery (behind the passenger seat).
Adam is pulling at the alternator, and as i pull at the neg wire, the terminal comes off the battery and kills the connection. (the battery and neg wire still on fire at this point, which i was able to then blow out - only a little flame).
So, adam then towed me home, and we were outside until about 11, when it was too dark to continue, sorting it. Ad made up a new loom, whilst i tidied and checked everything else, and tried to get this stud out the back of the block.
Well, its ok now, running again and for the moment...bodged up. Need to get my new block sorted and built, and in the car asap!
So, i got away with it tbh, as if the fuel lines had caught...or the seat...it could have gotten nasty! Lesson of the day: disconnect the battery!!
Thanks to adam anyways...massive help as always. Vicious repairs were undertaken last night and they were mostly of better quality than what we had done originally...so cheers ad!
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Adam-D
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Registered: 11th May 02
Location: Cheshire
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no probs bud. dont even have to ask.
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Rich H
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Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
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Scary times! Sounds like you got away lightly thought and your already making good progress on fixing it 
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.dean.
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Registered: 21st Sep 07
Location: Hindley, Wigan Drives: Like Its Stolen!
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when having the crank polished, why not atleast have it balanced aswell as the flywheel, so it spins evenly?
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chrex
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Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
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well i have enquired about having it balanced, and they need everything. much of which i dont have available. Pulley, crank, pistons and rods, flywheel and clutch.
i was going to, but i am not getting another fly and clutch just to send off for balancing...
i will have it polished up to get rid of oil markings and cleaned...then get it in.
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GregGsi
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Jan 08
Location: Leigh, Wigan
User status: Offline
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hi pal you still meed sum pistons and rods i have a set of xe 1s 20 pict up
BHP vaux
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chrex
Member
Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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na i managed to get some off mig last month for £30 delivered... mahle ones too, so its all good!
thanks anyways!
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chrex
Member
Registered: 26th Aug 07
Location: Brawdy/Wirral
User status: Offline
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heres some pics of the loom after the incident. There were about 3 wires there...and well, now they are kinda one. plus some plastic...which may hinder conductivity...
yea, and the battery terminal was completely melted off, with the surrounding battery case plastic also melted. Pretty bad tbh!
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