124|TOTAL VAUXHALL

TECH NOTE
In part III of the trilogy, the XE is installed with custom mounts and driveshafts.
XE INTO NOVA: THE FINAL CUT
I
n issues 84 and 86 of Total
Vauxhall, weve covered the
essential prep-work on the Nova
to fit a 2-litre Red Top XE motor.
This month were covering the
installation of the engine with Chris
Astley Motorsport.
Getting an XE into a Nova requires
the fitting of several uprated parts.
For example uprated aftermarket
driveshafts or the 22-spline shafts
from the Nova GTE/GSI must be
used. In both cases, non-Nova inner
CV joints need to be fitted with these
driveshafts to mate to whatever
gearbox you are using.
The Nova GTE/GSI driveshafts
require Cavalier MkII inner CV joints
and standard outers. Uprated
aftermarket driveshafts need to be
fitted with CV joints from the 1.8/2.0
Astra MkII/III, Cavalier MkII/III or
Calibra. In the case of Cavalier and
Calibra 16-valve models with equal
length drive shafts, the offside inner
CV joint cannot be used.
Using the donor car CV joints or
second hand ones helps to save a bit
Words and Photos: Rob Hawkins
PARTS & PRICES
Nova uprated
driveshafts 147.82
New CV joints 40 each
Conversion CV for 22-spline
GTE/GSi shaft 40 each
XE engine mount kit 48.39
Alloy single V narrower
front pulley 83.50
of cash, but make sure the bearings
are in good condition by waggling the
joint and checking for play.
The CV boots on most driveshafts
are secured with plastic cable ties or
metal clip ties, and while plastic tie
wraps are easy to remove and fit, the
metal clips need a special tool. If you
have such a tool and a stock of metal
clips, these should be fitted, as they
are more secure than plastic ties.
The Novas fuel tank may need to
be changed, particularly if you have a
carb model and intend to fit a fuel
injection system. It should also go
without saying that the brakes and
suspension must be uprated to cope
with the additional power from the XE
conversion. The following pages cover
four separate sections on installing
the XE and associated parts.
TOV87.tech 124 15/7/08 17:12:48
TOTAL VAUXHALL|125
Secure an XE driveshaft in a vice
and remove the two clips that
secure one of the CV boots. Use
cutters for metal clips if you
dont have the correct tool. Once
removed, pull back the CV boot
to expose the CV joint.
DRIVESHAFTS
1 2
3 4
5
1
Using a pair of circlip pliers, push apart the tiny
circlip inside the CV joint that secures it to the
driveshaft. Clean any grease away to find this
circlip, part its end and remove the CV joint off
the driveshaft.
Slide new CV boots onto the uprated driveshaft. Pack
the inside of the CV joint with CV boot grease. Part
the circlip , then push or gently hammer (copper
hammer) it onto the end of the uprated driveshaft.
Try to move the CV joint along the driveshaft. If it moves, the circlip is not
sitting in the groove on the driveshaft, so adjust it accordingly. Next, fill the CV
boot with CV grease, slide it over the joint and secure with cable ties.
Slide the driveshafts into the gearbox,
ensuring the inner joint is pushed all the
way in. Pull and push on the end of the
driveshaft to make sure its securely fitted
and cant pull out or be pushed further in.
If youre using a fuel injection system, youll need a
fuel feed and fuel return pipe to fit between the
tank and engine bay. Cut two lengths of 8 mm
diameter copper pipe, which are at least 2.5 m long.
Weve used heating pipe, which is easy to bend.
FUEL TANK AND LINES
TOV87.tech 125 15/7/08 17:13:01
INSTALLING THE XE
126|TOTAL VAUXHALL
TECH NOTE
Feed the ends of the pipe up into the
engine bay on the offside of the
bulkhead. The pipes need to be fed
through the chassis and between the
steering rack and bulkhead. Shape the
pipes so they sit against the bulkhead.
2 3
Before fitting the petrol tank, feed the filler
neck breather pipe through the chassis
where it sits first, then locate the tank. Fit its
securing straps and M8 nuts.
1
The Nova uses a series of clips to secure the pipework to the
car. If these have broken, use p-clips. Wrap 8 mm rubber pipe
around the fuel pipe where its secured by the clips on the
Nova. This will protect the pipework and keep it rattle-free.
2 3
4
The standard crankshaft pulley on the XE is too wide and will foul the Novas inner
wing. Chris Astley stocks a narrower pulley made from alloy, which is also lighter.
Its supplied with a set of new bolts as the old ones are usually damaged.
A special engine mount needs
to be fitted to the engine
block underneath the exhaust
manifold. This is available as
part of a fitting kit from Chris
Astley. The mount is secured
with three 17 mm bolts.
Fit a standard Nova engine mount onto the mount from the last
step. Use the two original 15 mm bolts for the mount and fit them
through the two upper holes in the mount on the engine.
TOV87.tech 126 15/7/08 17:13:14
TOTAL VAUXHALL|127
Before fitting the engine, make sure the engine bay
is clean and painted where required. Fit the radiator,
using a Nova GSi unit with standard mounts. The
radiator sits in mounts at the bottom and has a
couple of rubber blocks with spring clips at the top.
Fully tighten the two 17 mm nuts for the front offside engine
mount. Use the original washer and locking nuts, but if they are
worn, swap them for new ones. To check these dont slacken,
add a dot of paint to the side of the nut and adjacent bodywork.
4 5
Do not fully tighten the gearbox mount bolt, as it will foul the
gearbox. Instead, tighten it until its about to touch the gearbox,
then measure the amount of thread that needs to be cut off.
Remove the bolt and cut this length off the end of the bolt.
7
Raise the car and push the engine underneath. Lower
it over the engine. Secure the engine with a crane,
then manoeuvre it to line up the engine and gearbox
mounts and secure with the relevant nuts and bolts.
8 9
Position a trolley jack under the gearbox and raise it to line up the
rear gearbox mount to where its fitted to the underside of the
Nova. Fit two 15 mm bolts (the original bolts for the gearbox mount)
and fully tighten.
6
Detach each hubs ball joint pinch bolt to manoeuvre the hub
and fit the driveshafts. If youre using non-ABS CVs, fit washers
on the CV side. Tighten the castle nut and retain with a split pin.
TOV87.tech 127 15/7/08 17:13:25
128|TOTAL VAUXHALL
TECH NOTE
From the top of the engine, fit the rubber fuel hoses from the fuel
injection system to the fuel pipes that are routed underneath the car -
see separate steps on how to fit your own fuel pipes.
The standard SFi box can be fitted, but the firewall will need
bending towards the rear of the car to create additional clearance.
Alternatively, a Powercap is the easier solution. Breather pipes
need to be fitted as well.
Fit the XEs coil in the same position as the Novas original coil (nearside
inner wing) with two 10 mm bolts and connect up the relevant wiring. Fit
the engine looms connector plugs to the distributor. Fit the HT leads from
the dizzy to the coil and spark plugs.
Fit a mass air flow meter onto the Powercap or SFi box,
followed by induction pipework and an air filter. There
should be enough space at the front of the engine (in
front of the timing belt cover) to locate an air filter.
12
10 11
Fit the header tank and
connect up all coolant
hoses. We fitted silicone
hoses to our XE motor
in the last issue of Total
Vauxhall. Some hoses,
such as the return pipe
and top radiator feed,
need to be cut and fitted
with a T-junction.
13
Route the wires in the engine bay. Find the wires for the oil
pressure and coolant temperature gauges and connect them
to the sensors on the engine. Connect the speedo and clutch
cables to the gearbox.
14 15
TOV87.tech 128 15/7/08 17:13:35
WIRING
TOTAL VAUXHALL|129
OIL PRESS
SWITCH
DASH
CLOCKS
REVERSE LIGHT
SWITCH OR
OTHER IGN LIVE
Fit an electric cooling fan from a Nova GTE.
This cannot be fitted before fitting the
engine, but fit it with the engine installed.
The distributor must be removed (secured
with two 13 mm bolts) to do this.
CONTACTS
Chris Astley Motorsport
01257 262565
www.chrisastleymotorsport.com
16 17
19
Cut a 45 mm hole in the offside bulkhead to route the ECU loom through to the
cab. Avoid fouling the fuse box when cutting the hole. Mount the ECU near the
fuse box with cable ties. Connect the loom to the ECU and to the battery.
The loom from the engine to the ECU needs to be fed
through to the cabin of the car. Start by cutting a 45 mm
hole in the offside firewall to feed the loom through. Protect
any sharp edges with rubber hose cut down the middle.
18
Connect the following from the car: Thick red - battery. Red/black -
starter. Green/blue - oil pressure switch (A two wire switch will be
needed for the oil pressure gauge to work on the Nova rev counter dash,
and a separate wire run to the clocks, as per the diagram). Blue - temp
sensor. Blue/white - alternator. Remember to connect all earths: One at
alternator, two at cam cover and one at the gearbox.
Connect a pipe between the inlet manifold and servo. The servo
pipe from the Nova 1.6 fits easily and is the correct length. Also,
fit any breather pipes and the pipe for the idle control valve.
FUEL PUMP
E
a
r
t
h
To Rev Counter
EM
L
Choke
Earth this to flash
ECU fault codes
IG
N
L
ive
(n
e
ar D
izzy)
WIRING PLUG/
XE LOOM
TOV87.tech 129 15/7/08 17:13:47