64 replies to this topic

[denno]

No point IMO

Just sc it even with the current mileage, change the timing chain and it's good for another x amount of years!

Me and Lee supply and fit stage 2 with all the extras for 3.2k

Great price that is, if you were doing that a few years back i'd have kept my n/a and bit your arm off!

[Nev]

Some of you guys make an engine transplant sound like a weeked of work - it's not ! Loads of extra things that aren't apparent to the novice need re-engineering, like different driveshafts, bigger fuel pumps, new ECU plumbed in, diff MAF, bigger IC, modified engine bay pipework, beefy clutch, heat shielding, bigger exhaust etc etc, the list is almost endless. This is why so many of these projects start but never come to fruition. I think you'd be well advised to stick to a standard Vaux/Saab block myself, unless you get a genuine pro to do the work (which will not be cheep). Courtenays site may say it costs 6.5k for a turbo upgrade for approx 400 BHP, but when I contacted them a year ago the genuine cost with all the ancilliary work was for £13,500. IMO 13.5k is a reasonable cost too considering the amount of work. If you have a small budget I'd stick with the kind offer from the lads of sticking a SC on your existing engine for a mere 3.2k... or be prepared to get a mortgage ! LOL

Edited by Nev, 25 September 2010 - 05:47 PM.

[Bargi]

I have my current Mandarin VX220 N/A up for sale as I fancy a Turbo version or dare I say it an Exige.
I dont fancy the SC conversion due to the car's miles (80k)
Im thinking about a possible Turbo conversion or even something a little frutier - maybe Honda or Audi?
Who fancies a challenge and what are your thoughts.

I would be happy to hand the car over to a worthy mechnical individual for a special conversion.

I love my VX so much and the rare colour, I just want more ooomphhh

A rover V8?
http://www.vx220.org...thing-diffrent/

[The Batman]

Some of you guys make an engine transplant sound like a weeked of work

i have re-read the topic and cant see where people have said anything close to this quite the opposite tbh

[techieboy]

A rover V8?
http://www.vx220.org...thing-diffrent/

Will be interesting to see what power that thing has but imagine it will be significantly less than stage 2 turbo/SC.

[Steve B]

Hey Bob,
Looking at the Toyota Exige not the ropey Rover unit.

I keep looking at the orange wonder and it's a hard act to follow.

Need more power though and there is obviously a cut off point where it's easier and more cost effective to buy something else.
Just looking into a Plan B

An Audi or Honda conversion would be seriously interesting. Really not keen on SC'ing and old engine

Honda coversions are really expensive and hard to do DIY as the "genuine" high quality kits are not sold to indivuals they only come via approved fitters due to liability insurance, as a result the conversions are about £10K

http://hondaelise.com/pricing.htm

[Duncan VXR]

Have you got a maximum budget in mind? Could be worth contacting Liam at MMG Performance (based in Midlands, pretty far from Edinburgh but not sure what you have available up there). Last time I was at MMG he was telling me about an upcoming Audi-Exige project he's doing, could possibly do something similar for you

Wonder where he got that engine from at least it stops me puting it into a car

Conversion is def left alone if you dont have the skills / contacts to do it or it will get expensive!!!! Having done a conversion from scratch in the past when nobody had done one does raise certain issues :S most of them wiring / custom parts

Saying that think it would be a LOT easier 2nd time round - problem is not sure the ka is worth doing it to lol

DG

[siztenboots]

measured up the b204 block yesterday and widthwise and using the exact same OEM gearbox for pass side mount its the same. overall camcover height again measured from a gearbox reference bolt is slightly taller. looking at using the NA inlet manifold to create a good NA engine upto 3000rpm, and side throttle body mounting, its a 2/3 part design so should be reversible. external water pump as its chain driven. Drivers side engine mount I think will be bespoke , plus B204 has a nice torque damper arm. gearbox cable routing same. downpipe and sump to be same. intake pipe for turbo same. turbo outlet to chargecooler same. chargecooler to throttle body check for alternator clearance, but very close to identical. alternator and start motor feed same.

Edited by siztenboots, 27 September 2010 - 08:48 AM.

[N17VES]

Exige Toyota unit - all HP and no torque would be slayed by VXT stage 2 even if tuned to 300hp

Just read this - what a load of rubbish . I guess a stage 2 vx220 turbo is faster than an f1 car too because it has less torque.

An engine conversion will cost you around £6k is you diy everything, but then there is no proven kit to fit a VAG or honda engine to vx220 so eveything would have to be done from scratch. You can't just use the elise kit either as this was developed for the K series engine cars. The first toyota transplant has only just been done and was not straight forward from what I've heard.

IMHO, I would SC your curent vx as it will be far cheaper, otherwise sell and buy something else. If you worried about the mileage, then spend a bit of money on OS pistons and new rods with a top end refresh - then you will end up with 'as new' engine, but with upgraded internal capable of taking 300bhp

[siztenboots]

Exige Toyota unit - all HP and no torque would be slayed by VXT stage 2 even if tuned to 300hp

Just read this - what a load of rubbish . I guess a stage 2 vx220 turbo is faster than an f1 car too because it has less torque.

people so easily forget gearbox ratios for a given rpm, if you have 8500 available then usually you are in a gear lower and thus regain torque at the wheel against the tradeoff at the flywheel. Tuning high torque and high rpm is an expensive thing to do on all of the powertrain.

[The Batman]

Exige Toyota unit - all HP and no torque would be slayed by VXT stage 2 even if tuned to 300hp

Just read this - what a load of rubbish . I guess a stage 2 vx220 turbo is faster than an f1 car too because it has less torque.

people so easily forget gearbox ratios for a given rpm, if you have 8500 available then usually you are in a gear lower and thus regain torque at the wheel against the tradeoff at the flywheel. Tuning high torque and high rpm is an expensive thing to do on all of the powertrain.

dont 300bhp exiges chew through gearboxes though?

[siztenboots]

tribute to the saab b204 , http://www.serioussa...2x4tribute.html

[N17VES]

Exige Toyota unit - all HP and no torque would be slayed by VXT stage 2 even if tuned to 300hp

Just read this - what a load of rubbish . I guess a stage 2 vx220 turbo is faster than an f1 car too because it has less torque.

people so easily forget gearbox ratios for a given rpm, if you have 8500 available then usually you are in a gear lower and thus regain torque at the wheel against the tradeoff at the flywheel. Tuning high torque and high rpm is an expensive thing to do on all of the powertrain.

dont 300bhp exiges chew through gearboxes though?

Std 190bhp na exiges chew through gearboxes Walshy has gone through a few - they are made of cheese.

However mines been okay and it was one of the of the first 300bhp convesion done over 2 years ago now. Could do with a fix for the gearbox though as its stopping me winding the boost up to 330bhp

[speedster]

If I was going for a transplant I would go for a Suzuki Hayabusa engine. The modified Hayabusa powertecengineering.com were manufacturing. A V8 (2 engines mated on a common block) pumping out 380HP with a redline beyond 10k. And it looks so light!

Edited by speedster, 28 September 2010 - 11:37 PM.

[RobNA]

If I was going for a transplant I would go for a Suzuki Hayabusa engine. The modified Hayabusa powertecengineering.com were manufacturing. A V8 (2 engines mated on a common block) pumping out 380HP with a redline beyond 10k. And it looks so light!

Thats what goes in the Radical SR8. Makes a seriously impressive package in there

[siztenboots]

If I was going for a transplant I would go for a Suzuki Hayabusa engine. The modified Hayabusa powertecengineering.com were manufacturing. A V8 (2 engines mated on a common block) pumping out 380HP with a redline beyond 10k. And it looks so light!

Thats what goes in the Radical SR8. Makes a seriously impressive package in there

you won't get change from £10,000 just for the bare block, plus another £5000 for a gearbox for that you don't get a reverse either.

my choice will be to go viking power, around 600bhp

[Zoobeef]

my choice will be to go viking power, around 600bhp

Pretty sure there only about 250bhp, 840nm of torque though

[Mike (Cliffie)]

But I'm quite sure the strain on the engine having an SC conversion is aking for bother?
Would I not need to change cams etc to take the massive increase in power?

I'm happy to break the mould here. I know SC is getting more and more popular but I'm not entirely convinced whacking on a SC onto an old 2.2 is all that sound an idea. Granted with internal mods, possibly yes.

I SC'd mine at 75k and still going strong 10k later.

[Duncan VXR]

Have access to a fully rebuilt 1.9 20v lump, 6 speed box & diff, stand alone etc etc running 468bhp with all the nice bits for a very resonable cost including the working car its in (best 1/4 11.3 fwd) but finding it hard to justify buying knowing I will have no car to drop it inot for a while - just know this would go into a vx without much pain Hate been sensible and watching pennies!!!!!!!!! DG

[siztenboots]

running 468bhp

is that all? a completely bog standard b204 will do over 600