Rally 1.6/1.9 Technical Questions

[Mac Crash 78 1 Cars]

I've decided to install a 1.6 8v engine and gearbox in the rally project car as opposed to the 1.9 as I have a good one available. I know that there is no substitute for CC but we can always source a 1.9 at later date if the 1.6 doesn't give us what we need. I've never ran a 1.6 before but have heard and read good things about their nature to rev freely so hoping for something good when complete.

 

Some questions I have... are the 8v heads the same? we have a stage III, gas flowed head originally from a 1.9 with a Piper 270 camshaft, is this suitable for the 1.6? and anything we should watch out for? having not done any head work on the GTi before.

 

Injectors, yellow 1.9 and black 1.6, we have both available with adjustable fuel pressure regulator, which should we use?

ECU, we have a 1.9 superchipped one (the one that overfuels) and the standard 1.6, again, which should we use?

 

Gearbox... the car is early 89 so I'm thinking it must have came with a later BE3 type box even though it has a BE1 type gear knob,

are the linkages different in length to account for the reverse gear, the box going in will be 1990 BE3, can anyone identify from the

photo which linkages these are or are they all the same? The 205 is still fairly new to me so apologies in advance for what must seem like easy questions to most of you.

 

 

Out of curiousity, how is the shorter stroke achieved? same bore and crank with shorter rod and shorter block?

 

 

[jdt 6]

Hi

Heads are the same although cams are different

The head with a piper 270 is perfect for a 1.6 - just make sure it is known to be good and not worn out / cracked or similar rubbish.

1.6 injectors are blue

Use standard 1.6 ECU and injectors

reverse opposite 5th is BE3, reverse opposite 1st is BE1, BE1 has a lift up for reverse knob and a cable that goes through the bulkhead to the gearbox. The release bearing and operating arm, linkages and clutch petal / cable are different as well. (conventional clevis pin BE1, Plastic hook and loop affair - BE3). Your photo looks like BE3 release cable but BE1 boxes can be converted to BE3 release arm and cable so be careful.

 

Have a search on here - loads of info.

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Gear linkages are the same between be1 & 3.

 

Stroke wise, rod length cannot change stroke. Stroke is dictated by the crank so the 1.6 and 1.9 crank are different.

[Mac Crash 78 1 Cars]

John,

 

Thanks for the info, the head is good, built by this man http://www.mikestewartperformanceengineering.20m.com/index_1.html many years ago and gave our 1.9 8v a 15 second quarter mile, it's been stored ever since, so we will replace the valve stem oil seals and go from there. Thanks also for the details regarding the box types, I think we will just need to see how it goes together for ourselves and amend/change anything that is needed when the engine/gearbox is fitted. The car is 1989 but has the early type gearshift (lift up for reverse over first) - Tom is saying the linkages are the same, so we will figure it out no doubt if needed to.

 

Tom, yip, my brain was telling me the crank must have a shorter radius between the axis and journals to achieve the shorter stroke, it's been a while.