General Mk2 C20XE Seicento - The Rebuild

[sei16v]

Well ive had a go at stripping down the 20xe... and was suprised with how good the engine is... I think it must have been rebuilt within the last 15k, as there are still hone marks, and not much wear on anything, i can even see the writing on the piston tops.. which is srange for these as they are normally covered in carbon... The only two issues i do have, first being some rust on the first bore, due to the valves being open, and the cracked inlet... after two years, its caused a bit of an issue... Nothing that the machine shop wont be able to sort out... The second issue is the head needs a helicoil of some sort on two of the spark plug threaded bits, again something annoying, yet something which can be sorted out...

All in all, im very pleased with it... I will still be fitting new rings, bearings, gaskets anyhow.. its just nice to know im not in a desperate need for an oversize rebore & piston expense...

Just need to strip down the bottom half of the engine... i remembered id left my breaker bar around a friends house, so there was no chance in getting the bottom pully bolt off...

Also realised this engine is running a nice light weight flywheel and fairly new clutch combo.....

The top half of the engine is in my flat... awaiting delivery of a valve spring compressor, so i can rip it all apart for the machine shop, and then rebuild with new stem seals etc...

Although i was distracted this evening watching my mates dyno run... he's just spent £1300 on a hybrid turbo for his focus st... He got 350ish on the dyno with over 500 torque... not forgetting the epic cloud of smoke from his turbo... not good haha... cheered me up though to be honest, stuff like that normally happens to me!!

 

[ycming]

ouch about the turbo !!! Bad oil seals on the turbo ?

Is he going to ask for some sort of compensations ?

Hurry up and get a shell

Ming

 

[blu73]

that focus sounds awesome!!
Oh and thats a proper mans kitchen, well done

 

[Renrut]

Gutted to hear about that, i was well impressed by it when you were doing it, although i know exactly what you mean about a chore & eating money! You dont realise how much the odd £5 here and there adds up!! Plus like you say, the IVA isnt cheap, although im sure there is a way around that if you declare things over a few months to the dvla... (so not to gain the full amount of points in one go to warrant a check)...

Did you ever get any vids of it running?

It would be pretty difficult to avoid it if pulled because the engine would be in the back - blatantly modified monocoque = IVA or points on the licence. Plus they now ask for evidence on any engine swaps when you change the V5. A few cuts in an inner wing or even discretely moving the bulkhead would probably go unnoticed. I can't really afford to get pulled for something like that and it would likely happen as it was hardly the most discrete transport

There was a couple of vids of it running but nothing more than up the driveway. The links were on the build thread over on the PPC forum.

Besides you could argue its not really a cento anymore if the engine is in the back or its rwd. Anyway stop talking to me and get building I want to see this!

 

[sei16v]

ouch about the turbo !!! Bad oil seals on the turbo ?

Is he going to ask for some sort of compensations ?

Hurry up and get a shell

Ming

Apparently its under a warranty, so hes taking it off and sending it back, however i rekon there will be a clause in it to state it needs fitting by a garage of some sort...

Apparently the seals in the turbo are scrap, and moving about too much, leaking oil into the exhaust, hence the smoke... Bit bad really from a new £1300 unit... Oh well he has more money than sence... It could be worse, it could be one of our cars!!

 

[sei16v]

that focus sounds awesome!!
Oh and thats a proper mans kitchen, well done

Cheers... the mrs dont mind... im the clean one in the relationship... fed up of standing on her GHDs & makeup lol

 

[sei16v]

It would be pretty difficult to avoid it if pulled because the engine would be in the back - blatantly modified monocoque = IVA or points on the licence. Plus they now ask for evidence on any engine swaps when you change the V5. A few cuts in an inner wing or even discretely moving the bulkhead would probably go unnoticed. I can't really afford to get pulled for something like that and it would likely happen as it was hardly the most discrete transport

There was a couple of vids of it running but nothing more than up the driveway. The links were on the build thread over on the PPC forum.

Besides you could argue its not really a cento anymore if the engine is in the back or its rwd. Anyway stop talking to me and get building I want to see this!

Yea i suppose, i bet to change the FWD to RWD would use all them points up in one go... Didnt really think of it like that... The V5 on an engine swap isnt too bad, you could just book it into a back street garage for a check over and a letterheaded piece of paper (aslong as its a gen mot station)... although your conversion was pretty mad from memory!! I get annoyed with the idiots that say... ooh its not a cento cuz of this, this and this... You get around this by stating the make and model thats clearly written on the log book!! Regardless of the engine, its still a fiat (although not sure its a good thing lol)
Il have a look on the PPC forum for it!!

 

[fingers99]

I dunno if you know the answer, but I remember you used an industrial sewing machine to do the trim on that car. Can you remember which type?

 

[sei16v]

I dunno if you know the answer, but I remember you used an industrial sewing machine to do the trim on that car. Can you remember which type?

On mine? If so, and your talking about the naff leatherette crap i had sewn together then it was a heavy duty household one. Can get the name & model if you want... One of them electric ones.

 

[fingers99]

Twould be good. I'm looking at cheapo industrial ones and can't tell one from t'other.

 

[sei16v]

Twould be good. I'm looking at cheapo industrial ones and can't tell one from t'other.

Just trying to find out for you now.. Mrs is texting her mum lol...

 

[fingers99]

Ask her if it'll do leather/alcantara............

 

[sei16v]

Ask her if it'll do leather/alcantara............

Lol she has no idea, but this is the one i used of hers... bare in mind the stuff i used wasnt genuine leather, so would be a bit easier to sew then the real stuff...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POWERFUL-...Collect_SewingMachines_RL&hash=item43ab77befa

Sure the old SINGER type hand ones are built for heavy use... The ones like this... I know you can get wide needles for them, the only down side is thier not electric...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SINGER-SE...Collect_SewingMachines_RL&hash=item3cbf0e15ca

 

[fingers99]

Thanks!

The olde Singer ones are OK, but I hope to have more than 1 car to do, really need something tough (and quicker!). Anticipate visits to A&E with needle through finger..............

 

[sei16v]

Thanks!

The olde Singer ones are OK, but I hope to have more than 1 car to do, really need something tough (and quicker!). Anticipate visits to A&E with needle through finger..............

Haha.. no worries...

And going by your username, you have plenty of fingers to choose from

 

[sei16v]

Well today i thought id have a crack again at the engine... Still looking for a car, but everyone ive spoken to has been a muppet... So still on the prowl haha... IM fed up of talking to kids that have these cars trying to get stupid money for ragged seicentos..

Anyhow here is what ive been upto...

Ive started to smooth back the spark plug cover, as it was manky all over thanks to it being left in the rain since the car came off the road...

I done the usual sand it back, primer & paint... Its dried, however im not happy with the finish so im going to re-key it and give it another coat of green...

Ive also started on the cam cover... This has gone from the dark metallic red to a mix of colours haha.. It is going to be sprayed in a bright orange.. a colour i have used in the past, and it really stands out...

Bit gutted as the price for the primer and two cans came in at over £30, however its been custom mixed so i guess thats why it was soo bloody expensive...

The cambelt cover on the side will be done in the same colour as the spark plug cover... (the green)....

 

[sei16v]

I then got bored with painting... to be honest it stinks, and the weather really aint that great.. so i carried on stripping the engine...

I quoted a large job for next week, so have now lost the storage in my van... so its time to get it all stripped, and the head & block down to the machine shop tomorrow out the van...

Plans for that are a hone... (i can still see hone marks on the bores, however im fitting new rings)... I will also have the head skimmed and two of the 4 plug holes helicoiled... Once thats all been done, both parts will be steam blasted clean meaning i can store the engine indoors...

I made a start on the head... In real life it looks great, the pictures make it look rough as hell... Found a great tool on ebay, which i bought thinking it would be a big pile of poop... A cheapo' valve spring compressor!! Im used to the decent halfords one, however upon popping in halfords to buy one i was put off by the £50 price tag!! Anyway, £20 later on ebay, i ended up with this one... And i honestly prefer it over the dearer one!! Loads more room to get into the collets...

With the head stripped of the valves and the stem seals in the bin, its ready to be machined... There is loads of meat on the head, so il be getting a fair bit removed to get a bit more compression

The bottom end was then ripped apart with the aid of todger... (he held the torch and complained about the cold)... lol....

We looked at the flywheel.. and to be honest i forgot how lightened it was.. I can pick it up with one finger.. Glad that rotates on the passenger side, as i plan to raise the rev limit lol... Safe as you like

Anyways, not much of an update, so i better go and clean the kitchen haha

 

[BlueDan]

Hmm orange and green engine, hopefully it just looks like tic tacs and won't sound like them

 

[arc]

The bottom end was then ripped apart with the aid of todger...

It's a good thing we know who you're on about else that could sound really dodgy!

 

[sei16v]

Hmm orange and green engine, hopefully it just looks like tic tacs and won't sound like them

Lol its a vauxhall engine.. so i cant say it wont sound like tic tacs haha... they have crap tappets!! However ive just spent around £400 online for rebuild bits... so fingers crossed!!

I used these colours in my 2.1 zetec turbo... loved the way it was crude... Really stands out.. especially in a standard car