My Z20LEH conversion thread....

[danBoy]

Well I thought I'd start a new thread for thread for this. Basically I've spent ages looking into various options for power upgrades etc and then looked into the costs and tried to think what was the best option for me. I was then offered a very low mileage Z20LEH block which I couldn't say no too

Right then for those who don't know my car is a 2004 Vectra C Active, it currently has a Z18XE (1.8) with a wide ratio F17 box.

The new engine which I'm currently working on, is being fully rebuilt as I basically want a brand new engine to go into my car. So the plan is my car will be having a fully rebuilt Z20LEH which is an Astra VXR 2.0 Turbo engine, it will have fully uprated internals etc and will be running on a Garrett GT28 60RS turbo and running on stand alone engine management.

Gearbox wise I'm hoping to go for a F40 box with a Quiafe differential fitted to help try and put the power down.......well thats the plan.

Brakes wise I shall replace everything front and rear with a full Vectra VXR set up.

Suspension I will replace everything as well, all new arms, tie rods, track rods, uprated shocks and maybe some different springs but undecided on what I will change to yet.

My exhaust will also have to be ripped out and redone with a larger bore size, so as a quick summary I'll basically be replacing every mechanical part of my car

This is how the car currently looks...









Heres the engine block when I first got it a month ago...









I've built it up a little bit so it kinda looks like an engine lol.







I've already bought new sump gaskets, new sump bolts, sump bung, new head bolts and a steel head gasket.

I'm just waiting on my Forged VXR pistons and I should also have some Forged steel piston rods arriving next week and some APR bolts to bolt them in with. So once all that lot has arrived I can rebuild the block, turn it the correct way up and then start on the head side of things

Thanks for reading so far...will have plenty more updates to come, its just gonna take a little while to do as I'm doing this job properly

[Sean-2.2Direct]

Good work mate keep us posted how are you planning on getting past the canbus?

[danBoy]

Good work mate keep us posted how are you planning on getting past the canbus?

I know of a couple of people who can get round the canbus after a lot of looking into it, I've only got a half canbus car anyway

Should have some more updates very soon, should look like an engine in the next couple of months.

[Sean-2.2Direct]

I know of a couple of people who can get round the canbus after a lot of looking into it, I've only got a half canbus car anyway

Should have some more updates very soon, should look like an engine in the next couple of months.

Also mate im just wondering how will you go about making your car see boost?

If this goes well alot can come from this for the rest of us

[danBoy]

Also mate im just wondering how will you go about making your car see boost?

If this goes well alot can come from this for the rest of us

How do you mean see boost? You'll have to bare with as I'm not mechanically minded as I've been learning as I go along

[Sean-2.2Direct]

How do you mean see boost? You'll have to bare with as I'm not mechanically minded as I've been learning as I go along

when you fit that engine and turbo will you be using your
ecu or the one with the engine?

As if were using your ecu which is designed for a N/A engine it wont detect boost.

Im also looking for ways around that my self I have been reading up on rotrex superchargers and ways around certain things on our cars.

can you PM me mate with what you know about the canbus I could learn a few things from you

[danBoy]

when you fit that engine and turbo will you be using your
ecu or the one with the engine?

As if were using your ecu which is designed for a N/A engine it wont detect boost.

Im also looking for ways around that my self I have been reading up on rotrex superchargers and ways around certain things on our cars.

can you PM me mate with what you know about the canbus I could learn a few things from you

It'll be having stand alone engine management so will have a custom loom, ECU etc. I don't know much about the canbus I just know of a few people who know how to do things with these. I'll ask the chaps I work with who they are as I won't be at that stage till I have all the parts ready to go away with the car next year.

[Sean-2.2Direct]

It'll be having stand alone engine management so will have a custom loom, ECU etc. I don't know much about the canbus I just know of a few people who know how to do things with these. I'll ask the chaps I work with who they are as I won't be at that stage till I have all the parts ready to go away with the car next year.

Sound mate let us know if you find out anything as if this all goes to pakn it could open alot of other paths for people wanting to SC or turbo ing there engines so I wish you the best of luck with this mate keep us updated

[Deztroyer]

so in a nutshell the exterior will look the same - but

the car will have warp speed

may need to order a new bodyshell after it gets stretched from repeated earth orbit re-entry speeds

this is one serious winter project, and i sincerely hope that you pull this one off Dan

i for one will be watching with interest

[danBoy]

Sound mate let us know if you find out anything as if this all goes to pakn it could open alot of other paths for people wanting to SC or turbo ing there engines so I wish you the best of luck with this mate keep us updated

This is one of the reasons for the thread as well, to show you can do things I know once the engine is in and up and running I will look into the possible 4wd route afterwards, but I'm just doing this one step at a time.