How much to find and rebuild a 1.9L?

[CoriolisSTORM]

Well guys how about it? I still have an Opel Ascona lying around, and have started my apprenticeship, and am putting about $80+ a week in gas in the Wrangler. I don't want a speed demon or anything, but just want a decent compromise between power and efficiency (leaning more towards efficiency, 80 MPH is probably top speed I need anyway.) Any suggestions? Fuel injected or carbed?

[gtjames]

EFI is more efficiant than carburation. The weber does well, but as far as fuel conservation EFI is better-as a rule of thumb. Does your Ascona have EFI? If it does, I sure wouldn't think about replacing it with a carb. Just my thoughts on the topic. HTH....

[GTJIM]

Originally Posted by CoriolisSTORM Well guys how about it? I still have an Opel Ascona lying around, and have started my apprenticeship, and am putting about $80+ a week in gas in the Wrangler. I don't want a speed demon or anything, but just want a decent compromise between power and efficiency (leaning more towards efficiency, 80 MPH is probably top speed I need anyway.) Any suggestions? Fuel injected or carbed?

Carefully think about a VW diesel - there have been a few threads discussing
that idea - but remember the cost of upgrading the Opel will cost MANY weeks of $80 gas and take YEARS to pay off in fuel savings!
May be a good standard hi-compression 1.9L Opel motor with a well tuned Weber and a five speed Getrag g/box would be more cost effective.
That will go 100 + mph anyway!!

[emircea]

CoriolisSTORM,

I asked some friends the same question regarding a Manta B I own. The answer I got was that any Opel engine, gasoline or diesel, no matter that transversal or longitudinal, will fit on the gearbox, just to pay attention on the flywheel diameter, to find someone to modify the way the engine fits on the body and to adjust the exhaust in case of a transversal engine and someone skilled to wire the EFI to the rest of the car. What I've seen already were Opel Monza/Senator 2l gasoline engines fitted with absolutely no modification on a Manta B. I saw also Senator/Monza 2.4l fitted, but with some body removals in the engine compartment.

Anyway, in ~12 months I intend to procure a 1.8 or 2 liter 16 valves gasoline engine with max. 500$ (second hand, no more than 150.000 km), document and do the swap for my Manta. But this is a hobby for me, I'm interested to gain some extra HP and to have a modern engine. Another 4-500$ will be spent with the mechanics (but this are the prices for Romania).

I wrote all of these to give you an idea of costs and things involved in an engine swap. Maybe I missed something, but I hope the rest helps.

[Opelkurt]

Originally Posted by GTJIM May be a good standard hi-compression 1.9L Opel motor with a well tuned Weber and a five speed Getrag g/box would be more cost effective. That will go 100 + mph anyway!!

I have that exact set-up in my '72 GT. It gets about 38 mpg at about 70 mph, and will cruise comfortably at 90+ mph all day if you want.

I sank about $500 into the rebuild (lotsa new parts and a good balance job, did all my own work otherwise), and about $600 into a Getrag from OGTS. I modified the shift linkage myself to save a few bucks; it's easy if you can weld.

-Kurt

[emircea]

CoriolisSTORM, I find this thread quite silent and I assume nothing else happened until now.

Updates on prices: a decent 2 liter engine complete car (Opel) can be bought from Germany, ~ 150.000 km @ ~800 euro.

As the time passed, my skills slightly improved and now I am able to have the courage and patience to do the swap by myself, that meaning saving the amounts of $ specified for the mechanics. But I have to postpone this, my 1900 engine (19E marked) is almost new (600 km from rebuild, 2 oil & oil filter changes: first after the first 2 hours of running, the second after 500 km) and the car runs surprisingly well... almost as good as the 1,9 liter TDI Skoda of my girlfriend (engine symilar to VW Passat, 1,9 TDI).

The costs for the engine rebuild (new cam shaft, rectified cylinder head, crank shaft and valve seats, new gaskets and oil sealers, new clutch disk, new piston rings, new crankshaft bearings, rectified and rebuild cylinder walls) + the skilled hobbyst mechanic were ~ 500-600 euros.

All this was to give you an idea of costs involved. Due to the lack of resources (mainly $), the engine rebuild and some body work lasted for 1,5 years.

[CoriolisSTORM]

Sorry to drag this back up, thanks for your comments, I forgot I even posted this thread and was just looking through the forums. At this point in the Opel's life, I gotta concentrate mainly on stopping the metal eating monster that has control of it right now. And until I get out of this program I'm in and get a job, I dont really have the money to work on it. Still leaning mostly to VW, but have found a few 1.9Ls laying around. I'm in love with diesels for some odd reason or other, I'm trying to find somebody around here that will let me drive their 1.6 or 1.9 TD and see what I think of the motor before I commit myself to it.

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by CoriolisSTORM Sorry to drag this back up, thanks for your comments, I forgot I even posted this thread and was just looking through the forums. At this point in the Opel's life, I gotta concentrate mainly on stopping the metal eating monster that has control of it right now. And until I get out of this program I'm in and get a job, I dont really have the money to work on it. Still leaning mostly to VW, but have found a few 1.9Ls laying around. I'm in love with diesels for some odd reason or other, I'm trying to find somebody around here that will let me drive their 1.6 or 1.9 TD and see what I think of the motor before I commit myself to it.

If you want to stay with an Opel 1.9, I have a nice running one in a spare Wagon that could use a home. This is one you drop in, put your accessories on and fire it up, and drive it. $150 and it's yours.