Tuning Fiat 500 with 2.0L Opel OPC engine

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Tuning Fiat 500 with 2.0L Opel OPC engine

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Hi everybody,

I am new on this forum, I work at a tuning company in the Netherlands which specialize in Opel Tuning.

I am working on a project car, which is a normal Fiat 500 from 2008 with 1.2L engine (69bhp). The car will get an engine conversion to boost up power.

The 1.2L engine will be removed, and replaced by something with more (much more) power, and still be able to drive normally with it.

An Z20LEH Opel engine is prepared to go in. This is an 240 bhp 2.0L 16V Turbo OPC engine which you normally find in Astra-H OPC and VXR models. This engine is tuned by the tuning company (I don't know if I may mention the name here) to 300 Bhp.

I thought it would be a nice project to put here on this forum, and update it with some pictures so now and then?

Regards,

Patrick
 
Hi everybody,

I am new on this forum, I work at a tuning company in the Netherlands which specialize in Opel Tuning.

I am working on a project car, which is a normal Fiat 500 from 2008 with 1.2L engine (69bhp). The car will get an engine conversion to boost up power.

The 1.2L engine will be removed, and replaced by something with more (much more) power, and still be able to drive normally with it.

An Z20LEH Opel engine is prepared to go in. This is an 240 bhp 2.0L 16V Turbo OPC engine which you normally find in Astra-H OPC and VXR models. This engine is tuned by the tuning company (I don't know if I may mention the name here) to 300 Bhp.

I thought it would be a nice project to put here on this forum, and update it with some pictures so now and then?

Regards,

Patrick


Will that engine fit in there? What about all the cooling issues as I guess you would need a bigger coolant tank to deal with the bigger engine. And I think that is too much power for a FWD car like the 500. Gearbox?
 
Gearbox: M32 6-speed (original OPC gearbox)
Fitted with Quaife Limited slip differentail for maximum tracktion.
We fit the engine with a switchable boost controller, so we can use less power in low gears.

The engine will be made to fit. We have to make a lot of modifications, but we are not going to modify the 500 chassis or bodywork. (except from strenhtening)

Patrick
 
sounds an awesome project, only issue I see, if it all fits, is that that engine in standard tune is at the max torque spec of the M32 box and as is well known even then they die with alarming frequency, in fact even when fitted to lower power engines!
 
No worries about that.
We have completely revised the gearbox, and upgrated with strenghtened parts.
The gearbox (and clutch kit) can handle 500Nm.

ps. the Gearbox is not exact the same as fitted to a standard OPC engine.
In fact, it is from an 2.0L Turbo Z20LEL, which has a different gearing.

img-2235.jpg


img-2237.jpg


Patrick
 
Subscribed to this thread!!! Love it when people tinker and come up with things like his. Hats off to you Patrick for giving it a go. Can't wait for more updates! All the best with the build. Regards Peter (y)
 
No worries about that.
We have completely revised the gearbox, and upgrated with strenghtened parts.
The gearbox (and clutch kit) can handle 500Nm.

ps. the Gearbox is not exact the same as fitted to a standard OPC engine.
In fact, it is from an 2.0L Turbo Z20LEL, which has a different gearing.


Patrick
Very impressive, should be good then! am looking forward to this esp as I am a bit of a Vauxhall\Opel performance car fan! :)
 
sper.jpg


Limited Slip differential from Quaife.

z20leh-engine-289x235pix.jpg


Z20LEH 2.0L OPC Opel Engine with M32 6-speed gearbox

opel-astra-opc-small.jpg


Original Opel Astra OPC with this engine

old-engine.jpg


Old engine (69Bhp) removed

Regards,

Patrick
 
Why ?
Surely a 1.4 FIRE turbo with a little tweaking would have been far better - that boat anchor will only introduce horrendous understeer to an already humdrum chassis.
 
God knows why the OP continues to update us on his/her project. He/she gets way too many negative comments. WTF is wrong with some of you guys. Why not PM him/her to chat about technical stuff!!
All he/she is doing is sharing their project.
I wait to be flamed by the bully boys.
 
God knows why the OP continues to update us on his/her project. He/she gets way too many negative comments. WTF is wrong with some of you guys. Why not PM him/her to chat about technical stuff!!
All he/she is doing is sharing their project.
I wait to be flamed by the bully boys.

Some of us have a little bit of motorsport experience on this forum - a light front wheel drive car with a heavy engine will understeer badly - the 500 does not have that good a chassis to begin with and the last thing it needs is yet more weight on the front. That is why maxi and I have stated the obvious.. the thing won't handle. The lighter FIRE turbo would have done the trick just as well with fewer issues. Logic and a little knowledge - not bullying.
 
What they say it true as an automotive design engineer it will understear the astra it comes from already has that as a major problem but. Sometimes you got to just go out and make something crazy I'm guessing it's more of a this is what I can do than a serious piece of engineering. Just abit of fun
 
God knows why the OP continues to update us on his/her project. He/she gets way too many negative comments. WTF is wrong with some of you guys. Why not PM him/her to chat about technical stuff!!
All he/she is doing is sharing their project.
I wait to be flamed by the bully boys.
Sorry, i forgot I wasn't allowed to have an opinion, sorry.
 
Yes that is fine. But why not engage with the OP rather than making negative comments. That is what happens when someone new comes along to this forum, they get treated like they know feck all. What do you know about the OP? have you had any discussion? No just negative comments. I just get a bit pissed off sometimes seeing the same old, same old. Been a member for too long I think.
Edit. There definitely is a form of bullying happening here. New members are very quickly disrespected if some of the old school are not happy with a newby post.
It has all been said before by others, just thought it was my time to say it.
 
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Yes that is fine. But why not engage with the OP rather than making negative comments. That is what happens when someone new comes along to this forum, they get treated like they know feck all. What do you know about the OP? have you had any discussion? No just negative comments. I just get a bit pissed off sometimes seeing the same old, same old. Been a member for too long I think.
Edit. There definitely is a form of bullying happening here. New members are very quickly disrespected if some of the old school are not happy with a newby post.
It has all been said before by others, just thought it was my time to say it.

Oh dear... it seems we are very touchy.
 
No Worries, I don't care about that.
The goal is not to build a track car, but I do this pure for the technical part.

I thought it would be nice for some members to see what is technicaly possible.
Everybody can build a 1.4 engine into a car which allready has such an engine from factory. Something else on the forum would be nice, not?
If people do not want us to continue our project here, just let me know, so we can talk about how shiny the new wheel caps are of some car.

Regards,

Patrick
 
I, for one, want to see this thing through to the end (with a video of the final results) Don't worry about the nay sayers they just like to make everyone as grumpy as they are :rolleyes:.
 
Patrick, keep going with updates.

I like to see something different too. I love how Hyabusa engines are put into Smart cars. Sure, its not practical and you have no boot left, but geez they are fun. Or Subaru boxer engines in Beetles, etc etc.

Same as yours. It might handle like a biatch when its done, but lets see if its possible and how big the smile is when you first drive it (y)

If people don't like what you're doing, perhaps just don't read and subscribe to this thread ?
 
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