Vauxhall 16V - How to pass SVA?

[Tiny Tim]

I have bought a number of parts from a crash damaged ’97 HPC including the engine which is a Vauxhall 16V on twin 45 Webers and a 4-1 exhaust. The intention is to build a new HPC Seven by installing these parts into a new Starter Kit, which I will have to put through SVA.

 

The Problem

 

I am having problems proving the age of the engine. Unlike normal Vauxhall engines there is no 20XE xxxx number on the rear left hand bellhousing flange (anybody know why this might be?). The engine is in v.good condition (only 21K miles), has a coil pack instead of a distributor and is currently on an MBE 906 Ignition management unit. I suspect that this is a later engine and my understanding of SVA is that if the engine is later than July ’95 or I cannot prove the engine age the SVA emission test will be against the more stringent limits. I have approached Caterham and given them the original car's details but they say they did not supply this particular engine and cannot give me a letter to confirm it’s age. I am not sure about this as the engine has all the hallmarks of a Caterham including Cam Cover, wet sump, inlet manifold, bellhousing etc. I also thought that all Vauxhall engines on carbs were pre ’93 but apparently this is not strictly true?

 

Solutions?

 

Does anybody have any experience of putting a Vauxhall engine through SVA? Particularly a post ’95 unit.

 

What can I do as a minimum to get this combination through SVA (on emissions and noise)? I would very much like to retain the Webers and the 4-1-exhaust system.

 

Would an upgrade to 3D ignition management system help?

 

Will I have to use a catalytic converter? If so can I fit one with the 4-1 exhaust (and possibly remove it later!) and will it be OK with the Webers?

 

Or will I have to go to injection and catalytic converter. I would probably have considered an upgrade to throttle bodies at some time in the future but have certainly not included for it in the current budget.

 

Any other suggestions to help?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

 

[ChrisC]

I have a post 93 Vauxhall XE on carbs in a 97 built car . I bought the car with this confuguration, and all the numbers matched from the original CC invoice 😬. My car also had an MBE906 ( still in the process of a change after a track day killed it off )

 

I bought the car second hand last year, so I have not had the problem of the SVA, not even sure it was introduced then.

 

I will email you a potentail solution to the engine age problem.

 

Chris..

[Chelspeed]

XE engines changed mid 90's from the original spec to a so called low noise spec. This meant changes to the cam belt tooth profile from round to a sort of rounded square profile. I guess this tooth profile is what makes it quieter. Along with the tooth profile there was a change in idler layout. Early cars had a single central idler on the return leg between the exhaust cam and the crank pulley, later cars had two idlers at the top of the block one on leg of the belt to and from the head. I think this change occured in 93.

 

So if you have the early layout it'll be older than 93. If you have the later arrangment then you'll need different evidence for the age.

 

Totally irrelevant of course, as I couldn't condone fraud of the SVA people, but I converted an old engine to the later design to get the new idler arrangement. If you thought it might be useful you could do the mods the other way....... You need cam pulleys, belt, idler, crank pulley and water pump.

 

Or just get an engine number of an appropriate engine and stamp it onto the flange, they'll read it once for the SVA then nobody will ever read it again you could even grind it off again.

[Big Brother]

Or you could always get hold of a letter stating the engines age.

This could come from a local scrapyard/engine builder (or anyone with a pc and a printer 😬)

 

Just a thought

 

Steve

Se7en-Up!

Less is more!

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!

[EFA]

Tim,

 

What happened to the identity of the original car?? A 97 car (so long as it is not factory built) is more desirable as it will be emissions free at MOT time.

 

Fat Arn

Visit the K2 RUM website

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website here

 

[Tiny Tim]

The original car has been 'written off' and can only be broken for parts. (Category B write off apparently). Therefore I am told I can not re-use the existing chassis number or registration number. I have the complete car at the moment and am dismantling it myself but I have to give the chassis, which is badly twisted, back to the breakers.

 

The only way to get a new chassis number is to buy a Starter kit from Caterham.

[Harry Flatters]

Tim that's not strictly true. If you were able to "buy" the bent chassis from the breaker, you could then take it to Arch Motors who would either repair it OR sell you a new chassis. The most important thing though is that you would have the chassis number.

 

*arrowright*Harry Flatters *arrowright*

AKA Steve Mell of Su77on Se7ens and Joint AO - Surrey