92 replies to this topic

[craigb78]

Right guys well as a few of you know i have been on here for a couple of months now so i thought i would share my job list with you guys over the winter what i am going to do. At the moment my VX220 is a stage 2 and this engine will be coming out and getting sold. what im looking for from here at the moment s to start a thread and if you guys can advise me as i go on as to what is a worth while mod and what mods are pointless from experience. So the Plans are: Z20Leh Conversion - Keeping F23 and Selling the M32 Conversion. Stage 2 VXR Turbo - Double Valve Springs to Suit This Lightened and Balanced Flywheel Competition Clutch - Clutch Slave Cylinder at the same time - unsure weather to get some ARP bolts for the clutch and fly ?? Full 3" Exhaust System - Tullet Prehaps. Chargecooler Kit - Pro Alloy Kit Full Remap - Hoping to get power anywhere from 320bhp to 330bhp which i presume is realistic?? Rear Diffuser Coilovers Full Wrap in White. Is it worth my time getting a uprated fuel pump for 320-330bhp or should the standard one be ok? or after spending the amount i am is it stupid cutting corners by not getting a bigger fuel pump? Any Comments Very Much Appreciated and Advise Also. Thanks P.S Will Get Some Pics of The Car Up Soon.

[craigb78]

Quick Piccy:

[2.2_na]

Quick Piccy:

Looks good.

[Duncan VXR]

Your CRAZY not to use the m32! DG

[VXT Tim]

Those power levels are roughly achievable with the LET so why the swop?

[Nev]

Z20Leh Conversion - Keeping F23 and Selling the M32 Conversion.
Stage 2 VXR Turbo - Double Valve Springs to Suit This
Lightened and Balanced Flywheel
Competition Clutch - Clutch Slave Cylinder at the same time - unsure weather to get some ARP bolts for the clutch and fly ??
Full 3" Exhaust System - Tullet Prehaps.
Chargecooler Kit - Pro Alloy Kit
Full Remap - Hoping to get power anywhere from 320bhp to 330bhp which i presume is realistic??
Rear Diffuser
Coilovers
Full Wrap in White.

Is it worth my time getting a uprated fuel pump for 320-330bhp or should the standard one be ok? or after spending the amount i am is it stupid cutting corners by not getting a bigger fuel pump?

In IMHO:

1. F23/M32 - probably better to keep M32 for the extra gear. After 350 BHP it doesnt really matter what gear you are in anyway.
2. You don't need double valve springs until reving beyond 7500 revs, so no point if you are installing a titchy turbo which will run out of puff by 6200 revs. They are expensive BTW.
3. Strong clutch required for sure. Helix or Sachs.
4. No need to change flywheel + bolts really unless u want the lightweight fly.
5. 3" exhaust is important beyond 300 BHP. Bespoke one will be far cheaper than an off the shelf one like Tullet or 2ubular. My exhaust for Eg cost £930 (inc massive race cat and fitting).
6. CC kit is vital. Pro-Alloy is good for approx 350 BHP on track or approx 450 BHP on road.
7. Remap obviously required. Your spec will yield approx 300 BHP.
8. Coilover - useful, though dont under-rate the OEM ones (for road use) if they are in good condition.
9. Dont waste your money on a non-functional wrap or difuser and spend it on the following to get 330 BHP:

1) 3rd part inlet manifold (Klassen or EDS (EDS is cheaper but reportedly as good)). This will gain you approx 20 BHP.
2) Replace top hat (important for flow and cheap).
3) Increase I/D bore of pipework from airbox to turbo to 76mm.
4) Consider replacing the rods after 300 BHP as this is considered the weakest point in the internals.
5) Only need to uprate the OEM fuel pump if it cant cope (which it may well not), but its a nasty long job.
6) Consider a cam regrind for an extra 1mm of lift and a bit more duration. Should yield +5 or 10 BHP at the expense of a bit of low end torque.

If you want more info, take a good long look at my website (link is in my footer/signature) and/or ring me

Good luck,

Nev.

Edited by Nev, 07 September 2011 - 02:43 PM.

[craigb78]

Z20Leh Conversion - Keeping F23 and Selling the M32 Conversion.
Stage 2 VXR Turbo - Double Valve Springs to Suit This
Lightened and Balanced Flywheel
Competition Clutch - Clutch Slave Cylinder at the same time - unsure weather to get some ARP bolts for the clutch and fly ??
Full 3" Exhaust System - Tullet Prehaps.
Chargecooler Kit - Pro Alloy Kit
Full Remap - Hoping to get power anywhere from 320bhp to 330bhp which i presume is realistic??
Rear Diffuser
Coilovers
Full Wrap in White.

Is it worth my time getting a uprated fuel pump for 320-330bhp or should the standard one be ok? or after spending the amount i am is it stupid cutting corners by not getting a bigger fuel pump?

In IMHO:

1. F23/M32 - probably better to keep M32 for the extra gear. After 350 BHP it doesnt really matter what gear you are in anyway.
2. You don't need double valve springs until reving beyond 7500 revs, so no point if you are installing a titchy turbo which will run out of puff by 6200 revs. They are expensive BTW.
3. Strong clutch required for sure. Helix or Sachs.
4. No need to change flywheel + bolts really unless u want the lightweight fly.
5. 3" exhaust is important beyond 300 BHP. Bespoke one will be far cheaper than an off the shelf one like Tullet or 2ubular. My exhaust for Eg cost £930 (inc massive race cat and fitting).
6. CC kit is vital. Pro-Alloy is good for approx 350 BHP on track or approx 450 BHP on road.
7. Remap obviously required. Your spec will yield approx 300 BHP.
8. Coilover - useful, though dont under-rate the OEM ones (for road use) if they are in good condition.
9. Dont waste your money on a non-functional wrap or difuser and spend it on the following to get 330 BHP:

1) 3rd part inlet manifold (Klassen or EDS (EDS is cheaper but reportedly as good)). This will gain you approx 20 BHP.
2) Replace top hat (important for flow and cheap).
3) Increase I/D bore of pipework from airbox to turbo to 76mm.
4) Consider replacing the rods after 300 BHP as this is considered the weakest point in the internals.
5) Only need to uprate the OEM fuel pump if it cant cope (which it may well not), but its a nasty long job.
6) Consider a cam regrind for an extra 1mm of lift and a bit more duration. Should yield +5 or 10 BHP at the expense of a bit of low end torque.

If you want more info, take a good long look at my website (link is in my footer/signature) and/or ring me

Good luck,

Nev.

just to start the wrap will be costing me nothing as i am in the process of starting my own business venture doing wrapping so this will be at no extra cost to me.

with apposed to the M32 i don't really want one as when i had one in a corsa turbo i had all i seemed to do was change gear all the time so don't really like the box rather have a 5 speed IMHO thats down to personal preference i think also a F23 is more readily available if replacement is needed and for a fraction of the cost.

i was considering the inlet manifold but after looking at bo neilsons time attack vxr spec for last season it was somewhere near to the spec i have mentioned there and he was getting roughly 325bhp.

i forgot to put in the spec that i am also going to be getting a set of cams for the car.

with apposed to the engine running 330bhp with standard internals there are alot of people running this power on standard LEH's on VXR owners with no problems at all but i am considering changing them as in the long run i may go for more power but after speaking to a few people i thought going much over 330 is abit pointless in a vx220 that weighs under a tonne and it trys to spin out on me at stage 2 at the moment so anymore and the power just wont be able to put down i feel.

i have got a price for a full 3inch bespoke system which is alot cheaper than a tullet and tubular so going to get that done now instead.

with apposed to the valve springs i have just been reading around on the net and at all the tuners websites I.E regal and they all say that if going with a stage 3 hybrid then the valve springs are essential but if they are not needed im happy to leave them as they are as it will save me alot of money lol.

tophat i was unsure about this but now you have cleared it up i think i am going to get a tophat and to get a larger inlet pipe from the airbox to the turbo.

with apposed to the diffuser i am going to get one as i like the look of them personal opinion i suppose but i like the look of it and for the sake of £230 after spending all this money on other things i want it to look awesome also

i think with alot of things it going to be decided as i go. the car is coming off the road in the next couple of weeks and going in to a shed where it will sit for the whole of winter. then i will tkae the LET out and sell that and keep it without an engine in for a while and build the LEH up in my garage at home.

so a lightened and balanced flywheel is not essential then? does it make alot of difference as i could spend that £200 on something else or put towards an inlet manifold.

thanks craig

[moneyhunster]

what makes the leh engine so much better than the let? cant you just uprate pistons and conrods in the let?

[VXT Tim]

I don't think the engine needs swopping for the mentioned power requirements.

Edited by VXT Tim, 07 September 2011 - 10:30 PM.

[slindborg]

they all say that if going with a stage 3 hybrid then the valve springs are essential but if they are not needed im happy to leave them as they are as it will save me alot of money lol.

They would, tis a good earner with no proof before or after as to weather they were needed
Take anything you read on the lageR site with a bucket of salt and essentially ignore it.

[moneyhunster]

Are all m32 gearboxes the same?

[craigb78]

ok so the valve springs aren't needed then? thats good would save me abit of money then. with apposed to the LEH by them time i have sold my engine and the m32 conversion i am going to be at even money wont have cost me anymore plus the engine has half the miles of my car and to run 320-330 bhp on a standard LET is very risky where as on a LEH it is safe to run also the LEH is a better engine overall as it has the oil squirters for under piston cooling and also doesnt have a balancer shaft. all m32 are the same its just they have different bell housings i believe? to fit the corsa/astra/vectra. as they are all differnt engine sizes ones a 1.6 ones a 2.0 and the other is a 2.8. only downsize to the LEH is that the crank isnt as strong as the LET one but i have a crank here so if i do go and change the rods i may also use the LET crank and end it off to frozen solid to make it stronger again.

[Duncan VXR]

Are all m32 gearboxes the same?

No but they are stronger than F23

[moneyhunster]

So if I wanted a 6 speed box in my vxt I would need one off a 2.0 vaux or are there more variations? I always thought the 6 speed box just had an extra gear? I had a redtop calibra and a turbo and they seemed the same gearing wise (same speed in 5th) just the turbo carried on in 6th?

[craigb78]

Are all m32 gearboxes the same?

No but they are stronger than F23

if i kept the m32 what is needed to get it to fit the vx220? still need the linkages and vxr shafts or?

So if I wanted a 6 speed box in my vxt I would need one off a 2.0 vaux or are there more variations?

I always thought the 6 speed box just had an extra gear? I had a redtop calibra and a turbo and they seemed the same gearing wise (same speed in 5th) just the turbo carried on in 6th?

if you wanted to get a m32 you would need one from a 2.0 one yes as the bell housing is different for the vectra and the corsa. but the internals of the gearbox are all the same as far as i am aware? no they arnt just a 5 speed with another gear as all the gear ratios are differnt on a 6 speed to s 5 speed. the 6 speed has shorter gears than the 5 speed but also i believe the m32 has a longer final drive than the 5 speed as its capable of a higher top speed. someone correct me if im wrong as i aint 100% sure of that

[Nev]

I understand your point on prefering less gears. The wider your powerband and the more torque you produce, the less you need gears. However if the M32 is stronger, this may be a genuine benefit in the long run. However if you install an M32 you will have the added expense of having to swap the drive shafts too (expensive). F23s are very cheap as you correctly point out and very available. I would strongly suggest you either install an after market inlet manifold or make your own - deffo worth the money. It's not hard to design your own and get it fabbed up. You need to swap to sticky tyres if you are having traction problems and possibly check your geo/suspension. This is a very good mod and well worth the money. To proove this, I can plant 500 BHP down in my car fairly happily in 3rd, 4th and 5th gear in the dry with this set up. Regal are trying to sell you something you dont need if they are suggesting valve springs for a car that will just rev to 6200. You only need stronger valve springs if your engine will rev high (ie > 7700 revs) or you have very high lift cams and/or solid lifters. A lightened fly + clutch assembly will only make your engine rev up a titchy bit faster. You wont get any power gains from it obviously.

[Duncan VXR]

astra vxr m32 is what I used and quicker to 100 than the F23 and mine maxed at 168mph GPS, I would convert to solid fly / clutch as the dual mass is heavy and not the strongest if you abuse a lot like I did. Just look at how many F23's are having problems with stg4 cars Also the gearchange itself is a lot nicer than the F23 and better mpg on motorway in 6th You need the box, then either make your own or europa shafts Mounts are diff also Stg 2 VXR turbo ? AET unit? LEH lump will save you a lot of cash and at your power levels the crank is fine Rods are a good safty measure and allow you to push a bit more Std cams fine unless you want to shift the power up the rev range and loose some low down toque for bit more top end fiz but then you need to shim the std springs by 1mm All the other little bits - you WILL need a better pump but should get away with the one cliffe sells DG

[Duncan VXR]

Nev covered a few other points there Inlet manifolds - there is a bit of science there but easy to make as Nev states Happy for you to try one of my mk1 test items DG

[moneyhunster]

astra vxr m32 is what I used and quicker to 100 than the F23 and mine maxed at 168mph GPS


DG

what maxed it out?
is this a different box to the calibra turbo one then?

[Duncan VXR]

astra vxr m32 is what I used and quicker to 100 than the F23 and mine maxed at 168mph GPS


DG

what maxed it out?
is this a different box to the calibra turbo one then?

My vx220 turbo, ran out of revs / power and brave pills - above 150 is not the greatest in a vx

No the M32 is a newer version than the calibra item

DG