Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

[Harvey]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Biggest OE bar they do is 22mm. I know back in the day Eibach made an ARB for the mk3 but don't know what diameter this was.

[Tom]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

All the phase 2 gsi`s came with a pink 26mm irmscher front antiroll bar

[Harvey]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

That's why I can't find a 26mm on EPC. Will see if I can get hold of one of them, thanks for the info Tom.

[Harvey]

As it’s been an age since I have done anything with the mk3 I thought I better make a start on things this year. We lost the garage the car was stored in the other year so it’s found a new home sitting on our drive under a cover.

I found some as new Eibach springs and Koni adjustables a couple of years ago so they will being going once the engine is sorted.



As I’ll be using the Vectra B intake I found a chap over on MIG who did 70mm TB’s so I purchased one last year. It has the coolant feeds already blanked and filled with liquid metal of some kind. This is because the wall of the TB is less then 1mm think at the water channel and can in some cases rupture and cause coolant to be sucked into the intake, which wouldn’t be good.





After the X30XE was removed from the Omega it was moved to the garage where the car was stored, then moved into my old shed, then into the living room when my shed was replaced and the living room was being sorted and finally to its new home here…



Then in November last year all the ancillaries and heads off and left it until last weekend.



Last weekend I began the clean and final strip down.

Cleaning the piston crown with my old favourite Mr Muscle







The important stamp on the block

[Harvey]

I then removed the f***ing tight crank bolt and oil pump so I could check it over and clean it.

Oil pump removed and gears stripped for cleaning





I was advised I needed to check the 3mm hole that feeds the oil pressure relief valve was not blocked as it can cause over pressurising of the engine and leaks if gunked up. I was fortunate the oil pump was very clean inside, a sign the engine has been looked after in its previous life in the police Omega.



Gears refitted and oiled up ready for the cover plate to be refitted.



That’s the oil pump now checked over and reassembled.



I intended just checking over the mains and leaving the big ends alone but I was that far in I might as well strip the lot and replace. Better to be safe than sorry.

Piston no.1 removed.



Crank journal looks spot on.



The rest of the pistons removed. The shells look OK but I’m going to replace them all anyway as they aren’t very expensive from a local ACL bearing supplier.







I them removed the main bearing bridge/brace and the caps. The rear cap was a pain in the rear to remove but with a bit of persuasion it eventually came off. Then the crank was removed to checking over









All journals are fine with no scoring or pitting.



Next job it to order .25 over size mains and STD big ends, all gasket kits, head bolts, rod bolts, crank bolt and fine someone to polish the heads and check them over as I prefer to have this done professionally then mess them up myself.

[BlackBox]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Has this crank been ground then Harvey?

[DarrenH]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

the crank pins are huuuge !

[Harvey]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Has this crank been ground then Harvey?

I don't believe so as everything looked factory fit when I was disassembling including the mains and bigend bearings. The mains do measure up requiring .25 oversize which I thought was a little strange, I ended up measureing them half a dozen times as I thought it was me going mad. It may of been re-ground but I can't see any signs of it. It's not a Vauxhall recon engine either as it doesn't have the R stamped prior to the engine number. I have a contact who worked at the old Vauxhall Ellesmere Port V6 plant so will ask him if he can shed any light on it. When I've done rebuilding I'm hoping for around 230bhp/230ibft with the 'special' bits I've got for it, more on them when I have some pictures

[BlackBox]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

I suppose it's possible, but couldn't see the police taking the bother? I've had two sets of 0.25 shells on mine now and it's stamped on them?

[Davey J]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Going for tubular manifolds and the dual ram intake?

[RallyMarshal]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Next job it to order .25 over size mains and STD big ends, all gasket kits, head bolts, rod bolts, crank bolt and fine someone to polish the heads and check them over as I prefer to have this done professionally then mess them up myself.

Have a word with Dave Baines to sort the head....

Paul..

[BlackBox]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Phil2 did my head, you'd have to drive it to believe the difference ... can't recommend the chap enough ...!

[Harvey]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Have a word with Dave Baines to sort the head....

Paul..

Can you drop his contact details in PM please and I'll see what he has to say.

Going for tubular manifolds and the dual ram intake?

Already got stainless steel equal length tubular manifolds and downpipes off a friend who broke his 240bhp X30XE Vec B + Piper high torque cams

[Davey J]

Re: Astra mk3 Arctic 1.6 8v to 3.0 24v build

Nice! BTB want something like £1500+ vat for a set. My friend, Pete looked at a set for his SAAB 3.0 Cav.

[Harvey]

Dug the heads out last week and dropped them off at Cylinder Head Developments together with the intake for a fettle and check over. Not having anything wild done just smoothing all casting marks on the intake, exhaust, valve throats and having all valves lapped.

The before pictures







Brand new genuine valve stem oil seals.



Exhaust and inlet prior to being ‘worked’.





Intake system ready for ‘inside’ work. Left the enlarged 70m throttle body attached so this can be matched to the top center plenum. Only 3 nuts to remove it and then Andy at CHD can go mad with his tools.



Also took the X30XE lower bridge so the heads and intake can be matched.



Lifters all cleaned and oiled



Last but not least the tubular manifold and equal length down pipes. They need a good clean, paint and wrap but this won’t be done until the rest of the system has been made as the down pipes may need to be remade as they were off a Vectra B and obviously going on an Astra mk3.