Brian Deacon Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Can anybody point me in the right direction for information on what additional item's I will need, other than those from the donor car. Thinking of buying an MG ZR with the 160 Trophy engine, low miles, history and running. Question is what will I need to swap this for my 1.6 K series EU2 engine? Seems a good way of going from 135 to 160! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted February 13, 2018 Member Share Posted February 13, 2018 Discussion: "VVC Conversion" Guide: "Adding VVC to an EU3 K Series Engine Wiring Loom"But: How similar are different VVC donor engines? "Seems a good way of going from 135 to 160!" I think you might be about to get suggestions exploring other tuning options...Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilyhands Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 You will need the sump, pickup, baffle, flywheel and clutch. You will need to modify the block for starter clearance, add a spigot bearing and sleeve to the end of the crank and you may need to shorten the gearbox first motion shaft as the nacelle in the end of the crank is shallower on the 1800. You will need a change of engine mounting on the offside to lower the engine to clear the plenum. You will need the engine loom, ECU and 5AS unit. As mentioned above there is a thread that details dovetailing the EU3 loom to the main Caterham loom.E&OEOily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Hi Brian, I've sent you a PM re the wiring. Just one word of caution. I've built up a few VVC 160 engines myself and in doing so I've trawled around looking at a lot of heads and blocks to find good ones to build from. Beware, nearly all of the ones I've looked at from vehicle dismantlers have been completely hammered. Soft, indented heads and liners sunken into softened blocks. Even those which came from "running engines" have been pretty dire to be honest. I've also seen engines that may have been running when removed but have then been stored outdoors and are rusted and corroded internally around the cylinder liners etc. It has often taken me months to find a decent set of castings. The remaining estate of K engines in tintops is generally in a pretty poor condition. I'd be very loathe to just take a VVC 160 or any other K Series from a tintop and stick it straight into a Caterham. I'd be a lot more inclined to buy a bottom end and a head separately so you can see what you are getting and what condition things are in, fix what needs fixing and put them together. More work I know, but in your pride and joy you want it all to be right. Happy to chat if you want to talk. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 @Jonathan: "How similar are different VVC donor engines?"... Provided that you are talking EU3 160 engines, pretty much all identical as far as we are concerned. They have various different configurations of ancillaries like power steering, air conditioning, oil coolers but none of this retained in a Caterham and by the time you've stripped off what we don't use, they're all basically the same. I've think some very early VVC EU3 engines were built without the stronger "160" pistons and without the 160 head modifications and you occasionally find some slight variations like IAT sensors on cylinder number 4 runner rather than combined into the MAP sensor; I think Rover switched to the EU3 configuration slightly before going to the full 160 spec so there are some transition engines which are basically EU3 143s while they used up stock of parts. But the core of any proper VVC 160 should be pretty much the same, no matter what donor it came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Haha me again! One more question for you; how do you use your car? The VVC is a fantastic road car engine IMHO, but not sure it's a great track choice. Loads of torque right across the rev range, lovely to drive, mine will pull uphill at 25mph in fifth and has full torque right up to the rev limiter, but if its mostly for track use you will not be using most of that and the VVC mechanisms I suspect will take a bit of a clobbering hanging off the red line all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Deacon Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Well that has given me something to think on!Thanks for all that advise and knowledge. Car mainly used on road. Maybe it would actually be easier to sell mine and buy another with the 160 engine already installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilyhands Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Further to previous posts, in the last year I have had 5 engines sent here for rebuild/enhancement bought from various ‘reliable’ sources, none were as described WRT to specification, early engines passed off as later higher spec. ones. Engines with massive mileage’s passed off as low mileage. None of these were viable, 3 were completely scrap, the remaining 2 were harvested for useful parts, but were a litany of soft heads and worn out parts, rusted and cracked cylinders, bent valves, rogered cranks etc. Be careful what you buy.... if you can’t inspect the internals, walk away.Oily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Or look to develop your 1.6.Cams, headwork, Emerald and DTH throttle bodies should get you what you want. Probably ££££ to do but a more reliable path than second hand engine, rebuild and conversion.Have a chat with Oily.RegardsIan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Geoff Brown Posted February 14, 2018 Area Representative Share Posted February 14, 2018 Throttle bodies, vernier cams & emerald ECU with a good rolling road set up will give you at least 155bhp. If not a super sport then a different cam may be the other option.Saves all the angst of converting the donor engine.Did it on my last car an EU2 1.6K SS. Price at the time under £3000 from oily hands. Probably over £3000 now but worth every penny as it turned the car in to something with poke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_ASH Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 When I had my last Seven dealt with at Kmaps the guy there told me he had upgraded their ex-Academy 1600K by fitting a VVC head (with the VVC mech removed) and Supersport cams (other cams are available), standard EU3 mems ecu Kmaps mapped. It gave just short of 160hp (from memory) for a minimal outlay as you just need a good (above comments ref used parts noted) VVC head and possibly Ali intake plenum (and maybe the rh lower engine mount). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Deacon Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 Thanks for all the info and messages.Not as easy as I thought it might be, should have known that!Now thinking either upgrade the 1.6 (currently rated at 135) or change the car and buy one with the higher power anyway.Unsure, but an easier decision will be made with all the info you have given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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