4722 replies to this topic

[Nev]

As a few of you already know, I have spent the last 6 months prepping up for a big power build for 'Nipper'. This project is now officially underway and being blogged here. Unfortunately, because of the issue with amount of picture storage on here, rather than post my updates on here I have decided to build my own blog, as this will be more flexible, offers more features such as spreadsheets and file storage and is more generic and available to the wider community.

The objective of the blog is to try and 'give a bit back' to the community on here (and elsewhere) that have helped me in the past and maybe inspire others to try a bit of modding themselves. Thus, I hope to try and promote the both the car and engine as they are both great pieces of engineering.

I just hope that I have the mental, technical and financial commitment to conclude the project and that I don't crash and burn (metaphorically and literally!)

Pip pip VX chums.

Edited by Nev, 28 November 2009 - 10:35 AM.

[peterg]

Nice write up Nev, just a word of warning prompted by your lastest 'update', don't use a torque wrench to undo the crank cap bolts that's not what they are desinged for, get a 24" breaker bar and use that

[Nev]

thx pete, i should really get a decent solid breaker bar...

[zaff]

Very interesting Nev I will keep and eye on this. Added to favourites

[Crazyfrog (Fab)]

nice draw on this kitchen table good luck btw like the garage

[vocky]

nice blog, don't forget to get the head ported and the inlet manifold port matched my advice... go to halfords and buy a decent socket set

[rcvaughan]

nice blog, don't forget to get the head ported and the inlet manifold port matched

my advice... go to halfords and buy a decent socket set

I got a great set from costco for about £65 and comes with their usual lifetime guarantee! They also sell some pretty nice ratchet spanner sets which are great in small fiddley places like the VX.

Best of luck - added to favorites

I see you have concerns about the front end being so light... I have some of the costomania louvers fitted to my front clam (primerliy for looks but they do serve a purpose. I have never had my car up to the speeds you are concerned about but can say it does definately help when you are heading that way. The air doesn't get 'trapped' under the font clam so much so there is less lift.

Edited by rcvaughan, 28 November 2009 - 11:40 AM.

[JohnTurbo]

Halford professional flex headed ratchet spanners are my best ever tool buy, and as above guaranteed for life i think. Also your "shot peening" looks to me just to be because of the thin wall section in that area of the head casting. - It probably left the factory like that imho.

Edited by JohnTurbo, 28 November 2009 - 11:42 AM.

[Nev]

I do already have quite a decent set of sockets, wrenches, flexible head ratchet spanners and normal spanners etc. But, I have now ordered a 1/2 to 3/8 inch socket converted off eBay for £2 and that will resolve my problem with the rod bolts ;o) Thanks for the positive comments so far... I seem to swing from positive enthusiasm about the project to worried neverousness of how much it's gonna cost and whether the engine will ever run. I am currently of two minds with the selection of hydaulic or solid lifters, does anyone have any useful/practical input on this...? Specifically, I don't think I can cope with re-shimming them evey 10,000 miles so may leave hydraulic lifters in and try not to rev it over 7500 too much, though with a big turbo puffing out limitless CFM it will always be tempting to push the revs higher... decissions decissions....

Edited by Nev, 29 November 2009 - 07:23 AM.

[Zoobeef]

I do already have quite a decent set of sockets, wrenches, flexible head ratchet spanners and normal spanners etc. But, I have now ordered a 1/2 to 3/8 inch socket converted off eBay for £2 and that will resolve my problem with the rod bolts ;o)

Thanks for the positive comments so far... I seem to swing from positive enthusiasm about the project to worried neverousness of how much it's gonna cost and whether the engine will ever run.

I am currently of two minds with the selection of hydaulic or solid lifters, does anyone have any useful/practical input on this...? Specifically, I don't think I can cope with re-shimming them evey 10,000 miles so may leave hydraulic lifters in and try not to rev it over 7500 too much, though with a big turbo puffing out limitless CFM it will always be tempting to push the revs higher... decissions decissions....

Re-shimming them shouldn't be to hard. whip the cam cover off and use a feeler gauge to measure the gaps, make sure you have the details of what shims are already in so you can work out which size new ones are needed. Then put the cam cover back on so you can still drive it which there being ordered. Then when there here, cam belt off, cam shafts off, swap for new then replace it all. New cam belts on there own arnt expensive, just do the whole cam kit every other time or something.

Of course someone jump in if im wrong about all this but cant see anything being too bad

[cnrandall]

Well done on the blog, looking forward to following this project and, having been there, wherever I can offer you help I will do. It's worth noting that I'm running stock hydraulic lifters and valve springs on mine... In fact the whole head, including cams is completely standard. I rev it to 7750rpm in LOTRDC tune (250bhp @ the hubs) and 7500rpm in GT tune (370bhp @ the hubs) and haven't seen any valve float or other problems associated with hydraulic lifters.

[Nev]

Mark, you make reshimming sound nice and easy, I guess I must be a lot lazier than you ;o) This is all pointing to staying with my standard hyraulic lifters then. And also keep the OEM springs (which I have heard from else where are sufficient to 8000 revs). That should help preserve the cam lobes as well as being quite a bit cheaper.

Edited by Nev, 29 November 2009 - 04:57 PM.

[SteveA]

Nothing to add, just good blog. Will be following it with interest

[wrightster]

just a question and no disrespect intended but why do you want that much power for the road?

[cnrandall]

just a question and no disrespect intended but why do you want that much power for the road?

Why wouldn't you? That much power in a well setup VX is VERY fun... like superbike fun!

[wrightster]

fair point and its his car he can do what he wants, i just genuinely wonder if you can use that sort of power on the roads.

[Nev]

Wrightster, I guess getting extra power is not the only reason I am building the engine. The other reasons are: 1: Self satisfaction of stripping an engine, understanding its nuances in detail, selecting which parts to replace/upgrade, fabrication and then having the pride (hopefully!) if it works. 2: The new build will extend the rev range a lot, which is quite a benefit when you only have 5 gears to stir... 3: I love ground up thinking, using first principles (such as basic physics and logic) to analyse and experiment and this is a great project to do such a thing... Having said all that though, its easy to use 300 BHP on the road in my car in the dry. To demonstrate this fact, I can only really wheel spin the car on good tarmac in first gear, once in second gear the car only squirms a bit. This is less wheelspin than an average reps FWD road car, thus implying that my car is underpowered traction-wise in comparisson. I regularily find myself reving up to the full powerband on a dry day, and wanting quite a lot more, particularily on straights and mild curves where I don't really feel pinned to the seat. Anyway, tuning to approx 430 BHP is only a little bit more really, big power 2 Ltr UK cars these days are running round with 500 to 700 BHP and in the States its moderately common to run 1000 to 1500 BHP (out of V8s admittedly), though having said that humble (yet amazing) X20XEVs have been tuned to 1400 BHP on methanol too.

Edited by Nev, 29 November 2009 - 06:45 PM.

[wrightster]

well good luck with it Nev sounds like it will keep you busy for a while (i'm just jealous really - i couldnt build a lego house let a lone an engine!!)

[spuk87]

Nice work, will definitely keep an eye on the blog

[Crabash]

I'm sure you will get lots of satisfaction from doing this. It's been a long time since I had the time or the money to take on anything like this, last time for me was around 17 years ago with my MK1 astra GTE, I loved that car, it used to get so abused regularly reving well beyond the end of the rev counter and it took it for 130k miles before my mates complained of oil on thier windscreens. I took the opertunity to cut out the rusty bits while the engine was out which I hated doing but it got done regardless. When it came to the engine I loved working on it, stripping everything down fitting what I hoped would be better parts to it. After the rebuild I made a big mistake but just about got away with it, being the 1st inj motor I built I neglected the injectors and 1 clogged up, hence I was left with a lovely hole in my freshly ported head, fortunately I was able to get it welded up and all was fine.