'96 NA 1.6 - What are my options?

'96 NA 1.6 - What are my options?

Author
Discussion

rampageturke

Original Poster:

2,622 posts

168 months

Monday 6th December 2021
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Bought my 1.6 NA back in march. I've been happy with it, fun little thing and revs easy. I knew about the difference between the 1.8 and 1.6, well I thought I did. Apparently after '95 (or '94, cant remember) the 1.6 was a bit more down on power again.

I'm hankering for a bit more power, but I'm not sure where to go from here. Is my only route to more power to swap a 1.8 engine+gearbox? But then I would need a diff too I think, as that is weaker on the 1.6?

Is there another option here that isn't a new engine? I'd like a modest bump for now, I'm not looking for super high numbers.

Other info about it: Non-PAS model and no ABS.

Edited by rampageturke on Monday 6th December 14:11

Maccles

69 posts

124 months

Wednesday 8th December 2021
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You wouldn't need to swap the gearbox if swapping the engine, but it's probably not worth the bother of doing an engine swap; you'd be better off selling the car and buying a car that has the 1.8 already. As well as the engine, you'd need the ECU, there might also be differences in the loom depending on which version of the engine you went for.

rampageturke

Original Poster:

2,622 posts

168 months

Thursday 9th December 2021
quotequote all
Thanks for the input. Engine swap would have been the second to last resort, with the last one being sell and buy again (really hate having to go through the process of buying/selling). Looks like swapping a 1.8 or something else is probably the way to go, and maybe a nice project to do.

I'm a bit reluctant to sell anyway, I think I paid an alright price for this car, the sills need addressing but they aren't rotten, came with the hardtop and the rest of the body seems fine. Nice to know the 1.6diff can take about that much power, but I had a quick look and the 1.8 open diffs are cheap as you say (if one ended up being needed), and an engine isn't much more, will check out non-VVT vs VVT also.

I'd like to start tracking this car in the future, so will have to sort out some other niggles first.

edit: other guy deleted his reply for some reason

Edited by rampageturke on Thursday 9th December 13:24


Edited by rampageturke on Monday 13th December 08:13