1.7 turbo diesel isuzu swap guide for corsa/nova

[macturbo]

Right then, Ive just done another engine conversion on a corsa changing the engine from a 1.7 diesel to a 1.7 turbo diesel. I thought since people keep asking how to do do it and what parts you need I thought I would put a general guide with a couple of pictures to help.

Parts needed: 1.5 turbo diesel front pipe from a corsa if you have a corsa or a 1.5 turbo diesel front pipe from a nova if you have a nova. (The rest of your existing exhaust is the same so no need to swap or alter those bits)
A suitable intercooler
A selection of boost hoses

I would also recommend:
A new timing belt,
Oil
Oil filter
fuel fillter
air fliter
3 piece clutch
You use pretty much everything from the original 1.7 diesel engine including:
Alternator
Starter
Flywheel
Clutch
Gearbox
engine mounts
driveshafts

You need to alter the block casing next to the starter as the turbo diesel engine differs slightly in this area as it had a bigger gearbox bolted to it. (See pics)
The original corsa engine already has this cut out as standard like this,


This picture shows where you need to cut the block to suit.

Basically it needs grinding down flat, something like this,


This is a very necessary mod so the corsa rear gearbox mount and gear linkage clears the box. If you dont do this you cant bolt the rear mount on or be able to select any gears. You need to fit your corsa starter, flywheel, clutch and gearbox which all bolt straight on.

You must also swap the the cavy engine mount for the corsa mount otherwise the engine wont sit right (See pic for the differences)


The bolt holes line up perfect so its just a straight swap

I would recommend that you swap the inlet manifold with that from a corsa or astra turbo diesel as the cavy inlet manifold is much bigger and leaves very little room to be able to access things like the fuel pump and oil filter. Also the corsa and astra manifolds look much better and more modern.

You also retain all of your original water hoses, just swap them over onto the new engine. You do have to shorten the length of small hoses which you will find that go from the oil cooler as the thermostat housing is a slightly different shape but makes no difference otherwise. Also dont forget to swap the alternator over aswell.

Other than that all you really need to do is alter the boost hoses to suit your intercooler. I personally used the cavy intercooler and redirected the hoses to the passenger inner wing just below the headlight and fitted a cone in the corner of the bumper. (see pic)


I will update this soon as I have probably forgotten a couple of very minor things but thats basically it. Its pretty much a straight swap once you have swapped the corsa bits over and grinded the block. If anyone has anything to add feel free to do so. I hold no responsibility for anyone who gets its wrong, im just trying to help people by offering what I found myself when I did my own car.

EDIT: Forgot to mention earlier that you need to fit the smaller corsa diesel oil fliter, not the cavy oil filter as they are bigger and it will foul the starter.

[DutchNovaDiesel]

Nice write-up, any more pics (engine bay, intercooler etc.) ?

[macturbo]

any more pics (engine bay, intercooler etc.)

This is the only other picture I have at the minute.

I have since changed the inlet manifold for an astra manifold when I did the white ring mod to the fuel pump and turned the max fuel screw up. I have added a boost gauge and a bleed valve so she is now running 20 psi of boost. I have also done away with the cat and middle box and I welded a straight through pipe in there place. I have just bought a sierra cosworth intercooler which im going to fit into the front bumper just under the number plate. The only problem I have is that I fitted PAS to the corsa when I fitted the engine so the fluid resivour is now in the way of where I would have put a K&N type air filter and also the PAS pump gets in the way of boost hoses running along that part of the engine bay to my new cooler. Still it gives the saxo vtr boys a run for there money, lol. When Ive got the new cooler fitted im going to fit a new clutch and then get it rolling roaded to see what shes putting out. What do you reckon to maybe an f28 6 speed gearbox conversion Dutchnova? If you can use a standard cavy box why not an f28?

[DutchNovaDiesel]

If you can use a standard cavy box why not an f28?

Because the F16 and F18 use a 200mm clutch with a 24 teeth spline, and the F28 uses a 228mm clutch with a 14 teeth spline.

What do you reckon to maybe an f28 6 speed gearbox conversion Dutchnova?

That would need a custom clutch, or a heavily modified (or custom) flywheel, and ratio wise it's not worth it.
Corsa gear ratios: http://oege.ie.hva.nl/~jelsma02/Over...0Corsa%20B.jpg
Calibra gear ratios:http://i12.tinypic.com/48r46ea.jpg
If you want to reach a higher top speed, an F13WR 3.35 or 3.55 will get you there. (late Corsa B TD...haven't seen one yet)
Or an F16WR 3.55 or F18WR 3.57 if you want to go the conversion route
(all of these will give a higher top speed then the F28 in 6th)

Point of advise: don't try to go for top speed with you're TD, that's when they get hot and that's what kills it
(maybe one run to see what it does, but don't do it on a regular basis)

Just found this: http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2165/10ks9.jpg (portugese corsa)

[Jonathan Scott-]

This is all great stuff. I have a year 2000 Corsa 1.7D and have been thinking of the same conversion. If I buy an Astra 1.7TD of the same vintage would I be able to just swap the engine and box over without mods except the exhaust and maybe the intercooler? Maybe I could cut the down pipes and just swap them over? And would the rad/intercooler from the Astra fit the Corsa?

[Jonathan Scott-]

No thoughts anyone? And is there anyone in the Oxford area who could do it for me if I get the bits?

[macturbo]

Jonathan Scott: Fitting the astra isuzu engine is exactly the same as fitting the cavy or vectra engine, you still need to alter the block slightly and fit your ancillaries etc to the new engine.

Dutchnovadiesel: Here are some more of the pics of my engine bay you asked for the other week.

[biodiesel_corsa]

That's interesting to see what you have done with the intercooler Macturbo- I have 1.5 Isuzu engined corsa and was thinking of doing that! I've even got a 1.7 intercooler standing by, for when I finally get motivated.

[bellersrodders]

did the 17d corsas all come with the isuzu straight derv engine? hoping to get one soon and just want to check before i go looking

thanks

[macturbo]

They do a 1.5, 1.5td and a 1.7 diesel engine for the corsa B.

[bellersrodders]

yeah im looking to know if the 17D's are all isuzu or was a gm lump fitted aswell. hope to have one coming tomorow.

[macturbo]

Heres a couple of pics of the engine bay for you.
If I did another conversion I would use a non turbo manifold so you wpuldnt end up with the 2 top holes in the turbo manifold as shown in the pics.




Sadly as far as im aware the car has been scrapped
I sold it nearly 2 years ago.
Guy I sold it onto had the car painted black aswell.
The enquiry is complete
The vehicle details for P567 LRE are:

Date of Liability 01 12 2009
Date of First Registration 01 08 1996
Year of Manufacture 1996
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1686CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Heavy Oil
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour BLACK
Vehicle Type Approval
Vehicle Excise Duty Rate for vehicle
6 Months Rate £104.50
12 Months Rate £190.00

[bellersrodders]

were did you get the check done mac?
would be nice to know if a few of my old cars are on the road

[macturbo]

DVLA Vehicle Licensing Online | Home
click on vehicle enquires

[bellersrodders]

ive started into striping everything of the 17d corsa engine today so moving forward. will have to take some pics maybe tomorrow and get a project thread on the go.

whats the black plastic box ontop of the inlet on the 17d corsa engine?

[bellersrodders]

if using the corsa 17d alternator do i use the cav td belt or the corsa 17d. do i still use the td powersteering pump

[DutchNovaDiesel]

The small black box is a resonator(or airfilter housing on older models), to reduce intake noises (nova's have a bunch of them).

Belts are the same (12,5x925).

Have you got the two engines next to eachother, at a guess i'd say the ps-pumps are the same.

[bellersrodders]

thanks dutchnova. cant wait to get it finished. will be up at it tomorrow doing some more work so will take pics of the cavy and corsa and get a project thread started

[bellersrodders]

when you have the cone filter on what have you done with the breather pipe? i can see it pointing down behind the head, have you done anything with it or just left it loose?

[macturbo]

You can leave it loose but it might leak a slight amount of oil over time or buy 1 of these for it mate:

CHROME BREATHER / EMMISSION VALVE FILTER - UNIVERSAL on eBay (end time 10-Apr-10 15:56:30 BST)

[astrasaloon]

old thread bump , but did any do this ?

any problems along the way ?

[Turbo Derv]

anyone have luck with this?
I have a 1.7d and a 1.7td engine, need to know a bit more about doing the actual engine change.
Is it all plug and play with the new engine or is there like a new ecu needed?
only parts i need are an intercooler and air filters. I have a load of pics if anyone can help me.

thanks