twin cam donor engine choice- SORTED!

Ford 2.0 or 2.3 DOHC 16v (Scorpio, Galaxy, Escort mk5 RS2000) type-9 will fit with no adaptors, a suitable donor Scorpio can be found for peanuts. Okay tuning is fairly limited, but I'd imagine 140ish bhp in a Riva would be pretty rapid. This what I'd look to do.

Or SR20DE? Loads of N/A S14's get broken or converted in DET power, I'm sure an N/A one could be picked up cheap enough, it's an all alloy engine puts outs 150bhp. Tough as old boots and chain driven too.

the Mazda MX5 1.8 VVT engine works really well in my Datsun. it's taken a bit of fiddleing to get it to run about the best it has ever been and now really pulls like a train. the Mazda 5 speed gearbox as an absolute treat to use. the gearbox is close ratio and the same gap between all 5 gears.

the VVT engine is 147bhp standard and does have the complication of an immobiliser in the system but saying that Alramone got it all working when he originally fitted the engine. i just improved the inlet by porting the runners and modifing the plenum, making a spacer to keep the manifold cool and bypassed the butterfly heating system. i also fitted a larger bore exhaust system.

from research the VVT inlet manifold is the best one to use because it doesn't have the extra butterflys as some of the other Mazda units. they are easy to split apart to modify.

the VVT is also completly variable not just switched from advance to retard at certain rpm. even with light throttle the engine just wants to rev. it's not that easy keeping the to 30 mph speed limit because the throttle needs just the lightest of touches. i often have the keep it in third rather than forth or fifth to keep the speed down.

if you did go the 1.8 VVT route but wanted carbs there is a VVT control unit available . from what i read the inlet cam is retarded at idle, advances as the revs increase then retards again at high rpm.

too expensive. by the time you factor in everything needed to complete the conversion, it would work out pretty pricey.



absolutely no point going for it over a 'normal' zetec though.



as you say, honda lump is awesome but WAAAAAAy to pricey.

the isuzu is making more sense the more i think about it tbh. I'm still nit sure about the power delivery being 'right' though.



again, if it bolts up to a type 9 but donest have much in the way of tuning backup, its pretty pointless fitting it over a zetec.

the SR is a more interesting preposition though, but not something I'm particularly familiar with. might have to research that one.


they do. prices are pretty inflated though due to demand by minor owners. parts are pretty expensive too.they're not a bad engine, but still old tech compared to a lot of the others on offer here. more than anything, it kind of just a bit boring to use that.



thats a nice setup, but i fear initial purchase price may be an issue, and i think there is just a little bit too much electrickery going on there for me. the only reason i considered mx5 power is ive already got a motor. otherwise on paper it falls short of other conversions giving the same or more power for less complication.

I know you've dismissed them and this is a text book Rob suggestion... 318is engine. Cheap, reliable, gearboxes/fly/clutches a plenty, 140bhp. They even come with a factory four branch manifold. The engine from my old silver E30 318is was golden and returned 30mpg no matter how much abuse I gave it. Also you have the choice of front or rear sump depending if you get the engine from an E30 or E36.

If you do reconsider I have a couple of engines/boxes on the floor you can measure up, I'm not trying to flog them as they're not for sale .

Hyabusa engine, hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor, and sone pipe work, twink, sequential gearbox, and would sound the danglies

Yup, they have a family line. There's a list of capacities, powers, codes and applications here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_SOHC

And I'm 99% sure that it'll bolt to the same 'box as the twink, and thus the Lada.

the speedo drive is on the transfer box on the niva

if your planning on doing an engine conversion, try n use an engine with a pressed steel sump so you can modify it to sit round the front diff or be prepared to make a new one from scratch!!

(about to start putting a 1.7td isuzu lump in my niva, got r25-r28 gearbox for £60 which is 2"shorter than my 4 spd box and a similar shape to niva box n all, n it bolts directly to transfer box as well! the only concern i got at the minute is that the gearlever is real close to hi/lo lever but not impractical so i think il leave it as is) oh n the r25r28 has also got a mechanical speedo drive on the box as well so iv got a choice of 2 places to get my speedo reading

What about a Rover k-series? Lots of experience of making them rwd with the Lotus 7 boys. A choice power 'out of the box' of 105, 120 or 140 bhp from the 1.4, 1.6 or 1.8. Or 160 from a vvc.

If you want to know about tuning potential search for "Dave Andrews"... He's MR K-series...

Just to add that an XE to type-9 bellhousing adaptor would allow this engine to fit a type-9 too, although I would imagine even a mildly tuned Saab turbo engine will reduce a type-9 to cheese in little or no time.