15 replies to this topic

[G.T.M.]

I'm thinking of going for the 16XE Vauxhall lump, mainly because an A-Series isunt a cost effective way (and prolly cant do it) to get the performance I want.

Im looking for an engine thats gonner give out 0-60 in 8 seconds or close in standard form
Be very tuneable (so I can build up as I go, and hopefully end up with 0-60 times of less than 6.5)
Reliable
Abit kinder on the ears and the wallet on long journeys (my mini is a daily)
And hopefully possible for under 3k (for the engine conversion its self, later tuneing not inclued)
And will fitt under a standard flipfronted round nose.

What do you guys think? Recon I'v got the rite engine?

Edited by G.T.M., 21 October 2007 - 04:28 PM.

[Sam Walters]

i think you have as your right an a-series isent cost effective to tune however your wrong about what you can achine from it. i know someone has had 237 out of thiers (tom ferton?)

however to be honest it will cost you more to get the 16xe into your mini then it would be to build a a-series (genrally) a 1380 with 100 bhp can be built for a grand.


if i remember correctly vauxhall got lotus to design the inlet for the 16xe, but not for reasons you would initially think of, its because the engine when first developed was too power full in comparison to the 2L version. so they made a restrictive inlet for it.

this benifits you because you can put ITB`s on it or something like r1 carbs on a specially made inlet to get to around the 160bhp area.

but with these engines you blow them up and you can go down to your local scrappy and get another one for a few hundred pounds.


If im talking cobblers anyone, dont be mean

Edited by flyingears2002, 21 October 2007 - 05:46 PM.

[Jammy]

To get 100bhp reliably from an A-series you need to spend big money, and it still won't last as long as the Vaux lump. If you want that sort of power, reliably, and be able to drive it day in day out then you can't really stick with the A-series.

Both myself and Purple Tom found out by first having high powered (100bhp+) A-series engines, and then after they needed to be rebuilt less than 10k miles down the road we decided to convert!

[fatmini]

have a look at mini_kels red top project thats under a standard front end

[G.T.M.]

So X16XE is the way to go, ruffly how much does the conversion cost if you do what work you can your self?

The price of the subframe is stupid tho! Is a DIY one possible are there plans knocking about? I cant beleave the price they put on them, it would still be cheaper to buy the metal your self and get a professinal fabricator to do it! I dare say youd still save about £350

Edited by G.T.M., 22 October 2007 - 03:23 PM.

[smiffy]

just started going into the X16XE conversion myself, after running a fairly high powered a-series (round 100bhp)
picked up the full engine, box, loom and driveshafts etc for £220, although i do know the engines history too, as its just had the head rebuilt n cam belt done, so suspect units can be picked up cheaper.
Will be building our own frame as I cant currently afford to run to the cost of a built one, although i do think the cost of them is justified by the time to develop and build them. Their time costs money!!

[Badger McLetcher]

So X16XE is the way to go, ruffly how much does the conversion cost if you do what work you can your self?

The price of the subframe is stupid tho! Is a DIY one possible are there plans knocking about? I cant beleave the price they put on them, it would still be cheaper to buy the metal your self and get a professinal fabricator to do it! I dare say youd still save about £350

Don't forget labour! I looked at making armour proffesionally a while back- the cost of materials is a fraction of what most charge. However I didn't realise quite how much time it took making it- it's the smae with a subframe. On top of that R&D, you can see how it all adds up!
AFAIK there aint any plans for subframes out, but you'll get plenty of support on the 16v mini forums I'd have thought #
Would have gone for the 16xe myself, but trying to keep the weight similar if not lighter than the A series on my current build

[TimS]

Its an excellent engine, with plenty of potential. As said with Individual throttle bodies 160bhp is easily achievable. As for the subframe, I went for the Allspeed one due to it being extremely well designed using Auto CAD and has been put through stess analysis programs to prove its not going to break. You can fit the XE in with all the standard inlet, someone to ask about this would be Matt from the 16valve mini shop he's built one for his wife. I on the other hand have gone straight for the SDB throttle body kit as it makes it easier to fit in and obviously releases that power. I picked my engine up with less than 15k on the clock for £229 from ebay. I have still changed the cam belt and usual service parts to make sure its in tip top condition for the mini, it even came with the OEM spark plugs still in If you want to have a look at my project then just click my sig.


Tim

[mini_kel]

U can modify the auto subframe to get the XE in,I may do one of these next!

[Jammy]

U can modify the auto subframe to get the XE in,I may do one of these next!

The auto subframe is very similar to a boggo standard manual mini subframe, only something like 8mm wider, I would of thought that an auto subframe would require just as much modification as an normal manual subframe would.

[Grimmy@JHE]

you have just missed out on the bargain of the century. x16xe all singing all dancing for £2000
was good for about 200 hp and sounded the pups at 9000 rpm.
the engine is a very good engine. the heads have a slight raised bit on the inlet and maybe the exhaust too.. but not sure..
these also restrict the air flow. the head was designed by lotus and because it was so good... they put those raised bits in.
(i am told this of a vauxhall mechanic of 14 years)
there are two types of the 1.6 engine... one is about 4-5 horse power better i think.
the bad bit about these engines is that the best tuning company (SBD) are expensive.
another plus about this engine appose to the c20xe is that is lighter which will help with the under steer problems occurred with the c20 conversion.
i think i will do this conversion in the future. please correct me if im wrong....
good luck.

[Sam Walters]

what about getting bogg brothers to make up an inlet manifold and putting r1 carbs on it, so much cheaper then itb`s from sbd. and they are just as good as 45 dcoe webbers

[mini_kel]

what about getting bogg brothers to make up an inlet manifold and putting r1 carbs on it, so much cheaper then itb`s from sbd. and they are just as good as 45 dcoe webbers

I`m going to use R1 carbs on mine,A firm up the road is going to make the inlet for me at alot less than BB are! As they are £200 from them!

[mini_kel]

U can modify the auto subframe to get the XE in,I may do one of these next!

The auto subframe is very similar to a boggo standard manual mini subframe, only something like 8mm wider, I would of thought that an auto subframe would require just as much modification as an normal manual subframe would.

8mm can make all the difference,I only had to move the bulkhead back 5mm to get the rack to fit!!

[TimS]

Grimmy you are right there is the X16XE the C16XE and the X16XEL. The C16XE's are slightly more pwoerful and standard and the dont have an EGR valve to recirculate the exhaust gas for emmisions, though if you are going to use anything other than the standard inlet then this will make no difference anyway. The XEL is just a low compression version and so less power.