Brians LET Cabriolet project

[Brian Stirrup]

I was planning on selling the XE one origionaly complete with the valves but minus the cams but as that cost me over £400 as it is a ported and polished Coscast I will use that with the LET. I presume the valves are the same.

I was hoping to sell the Coscast Head compete with valves and followers for the going rate for a coscast head. You have me in a dilema since I need to raise as much money as possible for the rebuild but I cant bring myself to ask the same money for a best friend..

I will be getting Rob to clean it up and remove the broken studs, I sold my last GM one for £150 so I was going to put it on ebay for £200

I dont realy want to sell it without the valves as I dont need them.

[Drizz]

If it's bare mate... then its the same head lol

No as brians XE one has been fettled which = more cost

OK brian no probs, just been offered a complete XE so ill look into that

[vxlgsi]

id stick with a standard head personally

[Brian Stirrup]

Any reason? The XE head I have has been ported and polished, surely that is a good thing?

[vxlgsi]

how many times has it been skimmed?

[Brian Stirrup]

I dont think it has

[vxlgsi]

may aswell use it then if it saves you some cash not having to get another head refreshed.

[Brian Stirrup]

Latest update. Many ideas being absorbed and lots of advice, thanks guys its all appreciated.

I took a few more bits to Robs Yesterday and decided to write a spreadsheet to keep an eye on costs and what I am doing.

This is it.

C20LET Engine Rebuild


Engine Block

Engine Block cleaned and painted
lightly honed
Short block rebuilt with XE Crankshaft, XE Conrods, LET Pistons (Acid cleaned)
New Piston Rings
New Bearing shells
Oil pump cleaned and refurbished

Option 1 Cost as above £

Option 2 with balancing £

Parts

Top Gasket set £
Bottom Gasket set £
Cambelt kit £
Water Pump £


Cylinder Head

No work on XE Coscast head. Just used to check commpresion ratio.
I will clean and service the hydraulic lifters possibly using the LET ones if they look newer.
No stripdown required, possibly cleaned of old oil.
Match the inlet and exhaust ports to manifold (May already be done on this head)

Inlet Cam will be the XE Cam
Exhaust Cam will be the LET cam.

Vernier pully (s) to be sourced.

Price to include above (Excluding service on lifters) and fitting to block and set up with new cambelt. £

Price if no matching of ports required £

Gearbox

Cleaned up. £

(I am willing to come in and help out with cleaning and anything else that will help to keep the cost down.

Additional parts to source.

Intercooler £
Downpipe £
Clutch £
2WD conversion kit £
Drive Belt £
Front engine mount £
Light ally pully £

Additional Work

Parts to clean £

Parts to get shotblasted £

Parts to get painted or powder coated £

[vxlgsi]

your mad, cleaning a refurbing an oil pump brian just get a new new, oil pumps arnt something to be messed with.

[Drizz]

Problem is ben recent 'new' ones have been checked and have been poor qulity, i.e seriously pitted inside. You can get proper rebuild kits, so if the casing of the existing one is good then rebuilding it is a safer option, caompared to the new ones we've seen recently. 2 of which had to be sent back they were that bad!

[Dave GSiT]

your mad, cleaning a refurbing an oil pump brian just get a new new, oil pumps arnt something to be messed with.

As long as the housing is ok its fine. What Brian should do (but I doubt he will) is buy new ring gear etc and rebuild his old one after cleaning, these are the only parts that wear anyway. Its like putting new tyres on a wheel.

When the tyre is bald, replace the wearing part as long as the wheel is fine.

[vxlgsi]

Problem is ben recent 'new' ones have been checked and have been poor qulity, i.e seriously pitted inside. You can get proper rebuild kits, so if the casing of the existing one is good then rebuilding it is a safer option, caompared to the new ones we've seen recently. 2 of which had to be sent back they were that bad!

Are they gnuine vauxhall ones?

[Drizz]

Yes i believe they were fella

[vxlgsi]

Christ!! i know that non oe sometimes are **** but not vaux ones...

[Dave GSiT]

I went through 2/3 before rebuilding my OE ones, Hang on, got some pics some where....

http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/vauxh...let-c20xe.html

[vxlgsi]

ok cheers, im still replacing mine ill just check it before i fit it.. i doubt they have just ignored the problem QC have just failed to do their job.

[Brian Stirrup]

As long as the housing is ok its fine. What Brian should do (but I doubt he will) is buy new ring gear etc and rebuild his old one after cleaning, these are the only parts that wear anyway. Its like putting new tyres on a wheel.

When the tyre is bald, replace the wearing part as long as the wheel is fine.

I have given the old pump to Rob, so I presume he will do what needs doing and replace any worn bits.

I aint as tight as you make out dave, I just want to finish my car this decade... lmao

[Dave GSiT]

I aint as tight as you make out dave, I just want to finish my car this decade... lmao

Short deadline + Corner cutting + Tight budget + NOS = Kabloom! lmao

Not trying to be funny chap, just try and put across to you that this kind of thing can't just be thrown together. Yeah your XE came out fine, but you wren't doing anything out of the ordinary there. Here your talking about modifying the block (on the cheap), changing the cams without using verniers (again, on the cheap!) and then expecting the whole thing to hande a 40% power increase AND some N20....

Ok I might be the butt of a few jokes about how long it's taken.... but it won't blow up due to mechanical failure.....

[vxlgsi]

Short deadline + Corner cutting + Tight budget + NOS = Kabloom! lmao

Not trying to be funny chap, just try and put across to you that this kind of thing can't just be thrown together. Yeah your XE came out fine, but you wren't doing anything out of the ordinary there. Here your talking about modifying the block (on the cheap), changing the cams without using verniers (again, on the cheap!) and then expecting the whole thing to hande a 40% power increase AND some N20....

Ok I might be the butt of a few jokes about how long it's taken.... but it won't blow up due to mechanical failure.....

Im looking after brians vernier pulley situation according to his list above he isnt doing it on the cheap or cutting corners, the only thing i disagree with is the oil pump but thats personal pref.

He has a good xe head, the block is being sorted, new bearings, bolts, rings etc.. a good engine is 75% how its put together and maintained.. using good standard parts is probably the best way to keep the engine safe, its when you start f~cking around with everything trying to make it better that it can go tits up.

Sounds like he is thinking of phase 2 which will be fine....but the nos sounds like a bad idea tbh.

Brain, do a good standard rebuild and enjoy it. and also if your planning on tunning it stick with me on this clutch we spoke about for your xe flywheel as the ball is already rolling.

oh and also ditch the deadline and give your self a sensible one.

[Dave GSiT]

Lmao, no mate, Its Brian's corner cutting in person im referring to, not what has been discussed in this thread. I think im actually going to butt out of it now full stop....

[vxlgsi]

Lmao, no mate, Its Brian's corner cutting in person im referring to, not what has been discussed in this thread. I think im actually going to butt out of it now full stop....

Hey im not being personal bud... what he doing thats wrong then?

[Brian Stirrup]

Short deadline + Corner cutting + Tight budget + NOS = Kabloom! lmao

Not trying to be funny chap, just try and put across to you that this kind of thing can't just be thrown together. Yeah your XE came out fine, but you wren't doing anything out of the ordinary there. Here your talking about modifying the block (on the cheap), changing the cams without using verniers (again, on the cheap!) and then expecting the whole thing to hande a 40% power increase AND some N20....

Ok I might be the butt of a few jokes about how long it's taken.... but it won't blow up due to mechanical failure.....

I appreciate that, and thrown together will not describe this build. And even thought the XE only took a few weeks there were no corners cut that I can remember.

On your points.

I am not modifying the block. Rob recons a light honing just to let the New rings (Note New rings ) would benifit from it and the rods, pistons and crank will be standard.

You will notice above I have mentioned Verniers, Again after listening to advice from Rob, so I will be using them.

Finally my comment about NOS was only light hearted.

Hope this clears it up. And sorry for jokes about your build. I will shut up now.

























Until I finish mine first... lmao lmao

[Brian Stirrup]

Lmao, no mate, Its Brian's corner cutting in person im referring to, not what has been discussed in this thread. I think im actually going to butt out of it now full stop....

Dont do that mate. Your advice and help has been invaluable

[Brian Stirrup]

Im looking after brians vernier pulley situation according to his list above he isnt doing it on the cheap or cutting corners, the only thing i disagree with is the oil pump but thats personal pref.

He has a good xe head, the block is being sorted, new bearings, bolts, rings etc.. a good engine is 75% how its put together and maintained.. using good standard parts is probably the best way to keep the engine safe, its when you start f~cking around with everything trying to make it better that it can go tits up.

Sounds like he is thinking of phase 2 which will be fine....but the nos sounds like a bad idea tbh.

Brain, do a good standard rebuild and enjoy it. and also if your planning on tunning it stick with me on this clutch we spoke about for your xe flywheel as the ball is already rolling.

oh and also ditch the deadline and give your self a sensible one.

Cheers mate. PM replied to and advice on clutch taken on and agreed.

Also I dont think I have a strict deadline. I dont want to miss the Rolling road at the end of April so thats over 3 months. The biggest hold up will be deciding when to take the astra off the road to remove the XE for all the bits I need. Without the Crank I can only really start on the cleaning, painting and sourcing of parts. A reasonable job I suppose.

I recon if I remove the engine in Mid Feb after all the bits are ready I an give Rob an easy Month to do all the work and set a date for Mid March to put it all in the car. That will give me 6 weeks to do the 1000 miles to run the engine in properly.

I dont see that as rushing

Thanks to you as well Ben.

[Drizz]

Brian that deadline is fine, no rushing or corner cutting at all. Infact ive never seen you cut corners, you take far too long to do anything normally! lmao At least your doing it and getting on with it! If you want that XE crank i have here to get you out of trouble just say, then ill have yours back once your ready....
And i reckon yours will be working for a lot longer than other lets will