Snowy Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 (edited) Suddenly found this on my drive which I was just going to enjoy as is. Trouble was the head gasket went the second time I used it properly. So I stripped it today. The engine is in fine condition but since I've started taking apart the engine do I stick with the 1800 when I have several 2L ohc engines in the garage? Hmm.... Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Edited September 15, 2017 by Snowy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 I just looked out of my front window to see if suddenly there was a Manta this nice appeared on my drive !! That looks really nice and very original, its difficult to say where to go with this one, the 2.0L ohc engine would certainly liven it up, but the question is how its done, going 2.0L usually means going to injection which actuall involves a lot of work and quite a lot of alterations. The value in Mantas is now originality, but doing the 2.0L work is not irreversible. What i would say is drive it as an 1.8L for a while, in rude health a 1.8L is not so far from a GT/E as a lot of people imagine. BTW, i had a head gasket go on low milage Gold Hatch, about the same thing, coolant had rusted through the fire ring on number 3 cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 15, 2017 Author Share Posted September 15, 2017 (edited) 11 minutes ago, MANTAMAN said: I just looked out of my front window to see if suddenly there was a Manta this nice appeared on my drive !! That looks really nice and very original, its difficult to say where to go with this one, the 2.0L ohc engine would certainly liven it up, but the question is how its done, going 2.0L usually means going to injection which actuall involves a lot of work and quite a lot of alterations. The value in Mantas is now originality, but doing the 2.0L work is not irreversible. What i would say is drive it as an 1.8L for a while, in rude health a 1.8L is not so far from a GT/E as a lot of people imagine. BTW, i had a head gasket go on low milage Gold Hatch, about the same thing, coolant had rusted through the fire ring on number 3 cylinder. I wouldn't convert to injection although that's very simple. I'm thinking of putting the 2l engine in and building it back up to look exactly like the 1800, even run it off a carb. I'm going to look at the difference between the 2l and 1800 cylinder heads tomorrow as I have a few of each lying around. I know I need bigger valves. Problem is I've run out of 1.8 astra gte cylinder heads. Edited September 15, 2017 by Snowy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 4 hours ago, Snowy said: I'm going to look at the difference between the 2l and 1800 cylinder heads tomorrow as I have a few of each lying around. The injection head is a 2.0L, the carb head is 1.8L. but its not possible to put the 1.8L head onto a 2.0L block because the bore size of the 2.0L is bigger. Steve Sutton A.K.A. Sutty had this problem, somehow he got round it but ended up with a carb sticking up through the bonnet, perhaps if you P.M.'d him you would get the answers you need. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 16, 2017 Author Share Posted September 16, 2017 (edited) 6 hours ago, MANTAMAN said: The injection head is a 2.0L, the carb head is 1.8L. but its not possible to put the 1.8L head onto a 2.0L block because the bore size of the 2.0L is bigger. Steve Sutton A.K.A. Sutty had this problem, somehow he got round it but ended up with a carb sticking up through the bonnet, perhaps if you P.M.'d him you would get the answers you need. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Ian I only meant to look at valve size as I know the ports are higher on the 18se, 20ne etc I've happily stuck 1800 heads on 2000 blocks before. But the best starting point is the early 1800e head that I don't have at the moment. Not all the 1800 heads are the same. The last generation 1800 head being the se which shares a lot of the characteristics of the 2000 head Edited September 16, 2017 by Snowy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 (edited) Sorry to hear the headgasket problem mate. The car had done 11 miles in 10 years before you. Keep it 1800. I love mine. Hm mmmmmmm although I have done 2 headgaskets in 3 years Edited September 16, 2017 by Kevin Abbott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 17, 2017 Author Share Posted September 17, 2017 7 hours ago, Kevin Abbott said: Sorry to hear the headgasket problem mate. The car had done 11 miles in 10 years before you. Keep it 1800. I love mine. Hm mmmmmmm although I have done 2 headgaskets in 3 years Oh don't worry about it. These things happen. It's hard to see in the picture but three gasket hadn't blown as such but rotted away. I have my plan now for the engine. I will refurbish the head with 41mm inlet valves and 35mm exhaust which will bring it to gte spec. Then something odd that I've done once before. The block will be removed and fitted with 2l crank, rods but 1800 pistons. This will give 1940cc roughly. So the car keeps it original engine but with a bit more go. Wish me luck. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 On 17/09/2017 at 08:51, Snowy said: The block will be removed and fitted with 2l crank, rods but 1800 pistons. This will give 1940cc roughly. I know the 2.0L capacity is achived in part by a longer throw crank and corresponding shorter rods and i have thought about this myself, but i have never checked the crown hights of 1.8L and 2.0L pistons ( the distance between the the centre line of the small end and the piston face ) these would have to be same or the compression ratio will change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted September 19, 2017 Share Posted September 19, 2017 Will the carb be up to the job of the new engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 19, 2017 Author Share Posted September 19, 2017 4 hours ago, Kevin Abbott said: Will the carb be up to the job of the new engine? Once it's re jetted yes 8 hours ago, MANTAMAN said: I know the 2.0L capacity is achived in part by a longer throw crank and corresponding shorter rods and i have thought about this myself, but i have never checked the crown hights of 1.8L and 2.0L pistons ( the distance between the the centre line of the small end and the piston face ) these would have to be same or the compression ratio will change. You're right I've made it more simple than it sounds but it is doable. Just want to keep the original block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 Your going to encounter a really strange problem if you get this engine running correctly... It'll be too good !! I had a MK 2 Cavalier and i built a 1800cc block and big valve head matted to a 1600cc cam & carrier ( to get the mechanical fuel pump drive ), a replacement Weber carb ontop of a carb manifold, this bolted to the 1800 head and with a little opening of the manifold ports it matched up smoothly. The torque this engine had was unreal, i could drive the Cav by only using 1st, 3rd & 5th gears, i could drive down to 30mph in 5th for a speed limit and then just accelerate afterwards, no need to change down !!, The test reports gave the Miles-per-gallon of a 1600cc MK 2 Cav as 34mpg, mine always did 39-40mpg no matter how i drove it. The emissions were next to nothing at the MOT test and futher reduced by the great mpg, It give me trouble in a strange way, it tore its engine mounts apart, i had to wire lock all the bolts into the block and gearbox, weld on strengthening ribs around the mounting points where it had cracked the chassie rails and add a torque brace front the drivers side turret to the end of the top of the engine, which it broke once. The engine your are proposing to build has a even higher potential for torque by virtue of being very under square, long stroke, small bore, it'll test everything else it is bolted or connected to !! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted October 15, 2017 Author Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) Back together now running very well. Needs a rolling road session to set it up. But unless you've driven a car without one. Thanks to Mr Carlos I have a fuel gauge. They're a pig to get out with the tank fitted. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Edited October 15, 2017 by Snowy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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