Help!

[Masonp]

I need some advice please!

I have a 1996 1.4 (not supersport) K-series and love it. I would like to make it go a liitle quicker and am interested in putting in a 1.8 K.

Can anyone advice if a 1.8 will swop straight into the space left by removing a 1.4? Will I need to change anything like the engine mounts, wiring loom, bellhousing, exhaust manifold etc or will it fit and plug into what the car has already?

Also, will a 1.8 VVC fit (again with the same questions as above)

Many thanks

Paul

[casbar]

Give Dave Andrews a call or drop him a mail [e-mail]

Or ask the question on Blatchat,com , I think the answer is yes, you can swap one for the other, but it will have to have a few mods.

[Masonp]

Many thanks Casbar, I will do

I cannot (yet) get onto the Blatchat forum as I haven't got round to joining the 7 owners club, so I shall get that sorted

Thanks again

[ewenm]

Masonp said:

I need some advice please!

I have a 1996 1.4 (not supersport) K-series and love it. I would like to make it go a liitle quicker and am interested in putting in a 1.8 K.

Can anyone advice if a 1.8 will swop straight into the space left by removing a 1.4? Will I need to change anything like the engine mounts, wiring loom, bellhousing, exhaust manifold etc or will it fit and plug into what the car has already?

Also, will a 1.8 VVC fit (again with the same questions as above)

Many thanks

Paul

Earlier this year I swapped out my standard 1.6 K-Series and put in a 1.8VVC. I also went from an EU2 engine to EU3, so had to change the loom. The VVC engine is slightly higher so has different engine mounts to keep it tucked under the bonnet. I'm not sure if a standard 1.8 uses the same mounts as the 1.4. Bellhousing and exhaust manifolds are the same(although I had to grind about 10mm off the end of the gearbox input shaft).

[rubystone]

Stuart Forshaw did it for not a lot of money. But if you are not mechanically minded, nor prepared to sort all of the teething problems yourself, this conversion is probably a waste of money for you in terms of resale....unless you are emotionally attached to the car as MURPH7355 is to his...and then all reason or logic goes out of the window....

[Tango7]

Yep, Stu Forshaw has done this conversion as has Malcolm Hickey (EnglishmaninWales) on BC. I think it can be done fairly inexpensive and offers an excellent performance gain on the little 1400 esp. if you have the 5 speed box which can get bogged down on the gear changes unless you are really pushing on.

You don't need to be a member of the Lotus 7 Club to read Blatchat, search the site or email the posters. A quick search on techtalk shows this thread by TomB who is just in process of converting his 1400 to 1800cc with a post from Stu at the bottom referencing his website and useful information for the upgrade you are considering

[url]www.blatchat.com/T.asp?id=113611[/url]

T.

[murph7355]

For reference, Portland Bill, the SLR wasn't quite out from Caterham when I started down my little journey. And then the fun side of upgraditis took over.

At the moment, it may prove difficult to shift a non-SS 1400K (NB it will sell, but to do so quickly would take an aggressive price), so an upgrade may even make economic sense in this case.

The thing you have to be honest with yourself on, however, is where you will stop?

Simply shoving an 1800 in there won't give you the same sort of car as, for example, an SL is. It'll give you a very different driving experience, and undoubtedly a bit more go (though perhaps not the stellar jump you'd expect). But that driving experience may not improve your love of the car.

Exhaust, LSD, gearbox, suspension, brakes, wheels/tyres....all can make large differences. Perhaps equally large to an extra 400cc...

PS If you're going to fall down the same slippery path that my fat arse has already furrowed, don't get a VVC. Whilst it can undoubtedly be tuned, you'll junk much of what makes them "nice" and probably spend more doing equivalent upgrades.

PPS FWIW, I still love my car (though have been unable to drive it for a while - this should change soon ). And there's something about having a long relationship with one motor. Even if only the headlights, chassis, ali panels and handbrake remain from what I bought over a decade ago

[masonp]

Many thanks all for the benefit of your advice and links etc. the path is becoming a little clearer!!

All I need to do now is find a decent 1.8 K series to begin the upgrade-itis

Saying that though, was out in her on Monday and even though it was bloody freezing, she's MASSIVE fun as is, so must be careful not to loose that!!

Thanks again

[ewenm]

Bit more power from the cold, dense air

[Tango7]

But apparently offset by the dense air having more negative effect on the rest of the car... something to do with it being more difficult for the car to push through despite the engine operating better!

[ewenm]

Mine certainly feels faster in the winter though. Not the most objective measurement, but definitely the most important

[masonp]

Not sure whether she was any faster, maybe just the artic winds blowing in the North East made it feel like I was going faster! That said though, the prat in the Sierra, who had been sat about a foot off my backside going through Gosforth (probably annoyed that I was sticking to the 30mph speed limit like a responsible 7 owner) disappeared quite quickly when we reached the dual carriageway and I vented my frustration with him via my exhaust - that bark/noise is one thing I definitely DO NOT want to mess with if/when I put a bigger lump in!!!

[markelvin]

If you see the need to offload you 1400 engine, I have a certain sprint car sitting here that would make good use of it.