Nova Turbo Build!

[Benn]

Tell me this, On XE/LET nova's I always see a T piece at the headder tank for two pipes to enter, which two pipes are these?

Keith

Please please dont have a nasty T piece in the engine bay...

[Rick Draper]

I had a pipe welded on to my bailey header tank. Looks miles better

[KeithRobinson]

I had a pipe welded on to my bailey header tank. Looks miles better

I actually dont think I need two pipes going into my tank. From what I can see on my water pipes there is no need for it.

The turbo water feed comes from the top of the rad, and the return go's back into the header tank.

Few more problems today, but nothing that can't be sorted.

My altenator was a multi-V type, and so I sourced a new 2.0L 8v one from a friend, however i've since discovered this doesnt work right with the belt, so i've removed it this morning. Hopefully I can source a 2.0L 16v one today.

Also, I took my custom hubs apart this morning and had 2mm shaved off the flange, this will correct the previous problem with them not tightening up on the c.v. joint. New bearings are ordered as the existing ones got destroyed when pressing them out.

My oil return pipe and engine mount should be here tomorrow, but i'm back to work and out on a work piss up tomorrow night, so i'll hopefully get back to work on saturday morning to get all that fitted.

Once that's done I can fit my intercooler and radiatior setup, sort the headlights, grill and fit the bumper. The final piece will be the inlet which should be blasted and finished soon.

Keith

[CraigGreen]

Can you not swap the alternator pulleys over Keith?

[KeithRobinson]

Can you not swap the alternator pulleys over Keith?

I dont actually have a 16v Pully to use lol

Keith

[Rick Draper]

What about the water return from the rear of the inlet manifold?

[KeithRobinson]

What about the water return from the rear of the inlet manifold?

I'm still waiting on getting my inlet manifold back from being blasted so I'm still unsure of where everything go's (i'm such a novice)

Keith

[Rick Draper]

You will need either a T piece or another tube welded onto the header tank. I chose the header tank route, looks neater and more factory fit.

[KeithRobinson]

You will need either a T piece or another tube welded onto the header tank. I chose the header tank route, looks neater and more factory fit.

So both the turbo water return, and inlet return both go to the header tank?

I could run the turbo pipe behind the inlet, and T piece into that, and run one hose right round to the header tank, so the T piece is hidden?

Keith

[The Simps]

as rick says its the inlet hose that needs t-piecing in.

I ran my pipe from the inlet down the side of the head and then it loops up into the t-piece. The t-piece and hose from turbo where all under the slam panel.

ref: alternator, the 8v's where v pulley so should still be ok surely?

[The Simps]

Before...




After...

[KeithRobinson]

as rick says its the inlet hose that needs t-piecing in.

I ran my pipe from the inlet down the side of the head and then it loops up into the t-piece. The t-piece and hose from turbo where all under the slam panel.

ref: alternator, the 8v's where v pulley so should still be ok surely?

The 8v altenator sits back from the belt cover, and so the belt trys to reach around the belt cover and catches. I've since been told they are different from the 16v.

I cant run my pipe the same as yours mate because of my intercooler/rad. It sits tight against the slam, there literally is no room at all. I think I'll T it behind the inlet instead.

Edit: Taken from Andy's Nova-turbo.co.uk site. I've the same setup as him -

Keith

[The Simps]

how did andy bishop do his?

[KeithRobinson]

I think he t-pieced it behind the inlet, i'll ask him when he's online.

[DaveB]

Keith; re the alternator. You can remove the 'V' pulley and put spacers behind to move it out if needs be. (I did this on my corsa when the alternator died)

[KeithRobinson]

Sorted now folks! - Got an altenator from a cavalier GSI. Its a little dirty but i'll clean it up and get it fitted tonight. Would these altenators failing be a common thing?

Keith

[andyb]

Yeah mine got a T-piece behind the inlet, pipe come off the inlet where it would go into the header tank on a calibra, i've got the turbo coolant pipe running round the back of the engine bay to the T-piece and then to the header tank, get more coolant in the system too.

[Benn]

Can you not swap the alternator pulleys over Keith?

No the threaded bars are different, i tryed it as i have a 100amp one sitting in my garage.

Comming on keith, just hide the Tpieve some where out of the way..

[CraigGreen]

I swapped my multi V alt pulley to a single V type from God knows what car, just asked for an alt pulley at our parts/scrap place & got handed one that fits....

[Benn]

Oh right, sure i'm mine it wouldnt.. but cool.

[KeithRobinson]

Fitted my new skirts tonight:



I didnt fancy drilling the sills, so the clips are fitted with very strong bonding, My other nova has been like this for nearly 2 years and is still perfect

I somehow lost my turbo manifold nuts, so ordered some yesterday from Autovaux, and they arrived this morning at 9.30am, RESULT!!



Also sourced the correct Altenator from Dod (thanks mate), gave it a quick clean and got it fitted, its still not 100% pretty, but its impossible to see when the inlet / tophat cover is on so i'm not going to worry too much.

And finally I fitted the correct cambelt cover, rocker cover, and then threw the fanbelt on.



Still to do before the start:

- Collect and fit new passanger engine mount
- Fit intercooler and radiator
- Collect and fit inlet manifold and all sensors etc that join to it.

Then i'm good to prime the engine and work on getting it started. I'm going to set a target of next weekend, but hopefully i'll have it sorted before then (Inlet dependent)

Thanks

Keith

[Benn]

Oo thats looking good dude. Nice progess. Hats off to ya.

[seanr28]

what bonding agent did you use to hold the skirts on with? I am having the same issue with My astra, not wanting to rivit the clips on.

[KeithRobinson]

what bonding agent did you use to hold the skirts on with? I am having the same issue with My astra, not wanting to rivit the clips on.

Its some stuff my dad got from work (he works in the railway)

Silkoflex is supposed to be good too?

[elgan]

awesome. whats the story with the inlet manifold?