SXI... Huge project

[nath2905]

Awsome project, nice to see something a bit different. and will be nice to see the end result.

matto dates

[DeanK]

Hey,

Has been a fair few months since i've updated the thread so this is what she looked like when we put her back together. The greatest feeling was when i started her up and she did without any hesitation.











She runs perfect now, there were a few small issues before we got her on the road, one was we couldn't get the gear selector in the right position to select all the gears, we had 3rd, 4th and 5th but we eventually got it in. After running her in for 300 miles everything is working fine (touch wood)

Will be updating the thread bit later on as im moving onto bodywork, brakes and suspension.

DK

[scorpiotn1]

Thats great topic you got going here. i like how we have the same engine etc and seem to have similar mind set. At this stage of my life im not up for replaceing the engine with something powerfull, im happy enough with the learning curve of the 1.2 16v. My plan i think was alot like yours, to keep what i have, but to give it a nice overhaul as i know my engine had never had any previous abuse ive had the car since it had around 14,000 miles on it or so, i know it just needs a bita care thats all. My biggest draw back is i dont have a Engine crane, and dont have the time to pull out an engine to leave my self car less. Your end result engine bay looks spotless tho. how much do you think you roughly spent on removing and doing up the engine ?

[Jamie1991]

wow that engine is immaculate! awesome work, hope i can get mine to match your standards

[DeanK]

Thats great topic you got going here. i like how we have the same engine etc and seem to have similar mind set. At this stage of my life im not up for replaceing the engine with something powerfull, im happy enough with the learning curve of the 1.2 16v. My plan i think was alot like yours, to keep what i have, but to give it a nice overhaul as i know my engine had never had any previous abuse ive had the car since it had around 14,000 miles on it or so, i know it just needs a bita care thats all. My biggest draw back is i dont have a Engine crane, and dont have the time to pull out an engine to leave my self car less. Your end result engine bay looks spotless tho. how much do you think you roughly spent on removing and doing up the engine ?

Yeah in the beginning i wanted to attempt to squeeze as much power as possible out of my 1.2, high lift cams, performance exhaust, remap ect. but the money involved to get such little increase of horsepower (as its only a 1.2) was simply incredible. So my mates at the garage convinced me to get it in perfect condition.
This is the list of everything that got done during the overhaul:

- New Head Gasket kit
- New Timing chain
- New Timing running gear + Tensioner
- New Water Pump
- New Oil Pump
- New Front and Rear Crankshaft Oil seals
- New thermostat
- New Auxillery/Serpentine belt
- Engine bay treated for rust and re-sprayed
- New Main Bearing bolts
- New Big end bearing bolts
- Pistons were cleaned and polished
- New Oil
- New Spark Plugs
- New Oil Filter
- New Clutch
- New Clutch release bearing
- Paint, Primer and Lacquer
- Cylinder Head was sent of to be cleaned, Skimmed, Valve seats re-cut, Polished valves, New Valve stem seals ect.

Total cost was around £650-£750

But i doubt your engine will be anything like mine was, if you know that it was looked after properly then you wont' have to spend anything like i did.

If you really wanna go ahead with a re-haul, don't make mistakes like i did, for example make sure you have the money to spend on it as i spend days doing nothing because i was waiting on a gasket, and Try and order parts that you know your'll need (gaskets, themostat, spark plugs) ahead of time so again you ain't held up becuase your waiting of those kind of things.

I do have an engine crane, engine stand if you want to borrow if you go ahead with the re-build. And i'd love to help out as i've been there and if you need things sped up.

DK

[scorpiotn1]

unfortuanly im from Northern Ireland, so thats a bit of an issue.
I was thinking of gathering parts needed + paint. then some spare cash to be on safe side, then hire a Engine crane for the weekend during the spring / summer and book off 2 days also. that way i would have a good amount of time to get the work done.

[DeanK]

Braking System

Since i've been driving Gabby her brakes have been terrible, i don't even recon the Brake Fluid has been changed since it came out the factory. On your own it would be just about safe, but as soon as you get cram your collage mates in, the braking distance is dramatically lengthened and i have already made a mess in my seat three times so i took at look at the brakes,

I found that the front discs have a huge lip, rusted to f**k and contained a few cracks, the pads are okay and the calipers are savable, when it came to the rears... well after some swearing and a trip to A&E i managed to get the drums off, it had such a lip that the Brake Shoes where caught in the drum so every time i tried to pull the drum off, i ended pulling the Shoes along with all the retaining springs with it, so i decided i would replace them, the shoes didn't look too bad so i'll decide whether or not to change them once i get the brakes done.

As i am a huge fan of Handling, I wanted a brake system slightly better than standard but without breaking the bank, as i think these days people can Underestimate the importance of the brake system, i've seen friends wack a 2ltr Redtop in their Corsa and do nothing to the rest of the car... and wonder later on why they ended up through a countryside hedge.

I eventually got all the new parts i wanted, i went for:
- EBC Greenstuff pads.
- EBC standard vented discs.
- Apex Standard Brake Drums
- Goodridge Stainless steel Braided hoses (all round)

And along with
- New Brake caliper piston seals and Dust-covers
- Castrol React Performance Dot 4 Synthetic Brake Fluid









Hopefully these will now be able to stop me... unless i lock up due to Gabby not having ABS ......... I'll have more pictures and comparisments when i come to fitting everything, and i'll try and put up a Thread on the website on how to change these various parts with a ton of pictures if anyone decides to do their car as well.

DK

[actionman1088]

everything looks good mate very pornographic
keep the lovely pictures and updates coming

[scorpiotn1]

did you paint the drums blue after you got them ? seen the 2 blue ones then the shiney metal one below lol

[DeanK]

did you paint the drums blue after you got them ? seen the 2 blue ones then the shiney metal one below lol

Yeah i did, the below one was what it looked out the box when i got them, and then i painted when with some Hammerite.

DK

[Jamie1991]

looking good! how much the brake lines set u back? i got set of them somewhere but i cant seem to find them

[DeanK]

looking good! how much the brake lines set u back? i got set of them somewhere but i cant seem to find them

The Brake lines set me back around 50-60 quid, they cost less than those damn pads lol

DK

[scorpiotn1]

what all did you need to re-do the bottom end of the engine DeanK ??

Oil sump gasket .. but what else is involved ??