Mk3 Cavalier with 16 valve red top

[Teesside Pete]

Hi, I've just joined the forum because I have a question relating to the Mk3 Cav and have been unable to find the answer elsewhere on the net.
I have a vague recollection of there being a short time when all 2 litre Cavaliers were fitted with the 16V red top engine, between the phasing out of the old 8 valve engine and the introduction of the ecotech 16v. I recall reading TopGear magazine back in the day and in the new car stats in the back all the 2 litre Cavs had the same power output, of 150 bhp and the same performance stats. The explanation I have in my head was that the red top couldn't meet new emissions specs coming in so Vauxhall needed to get rid of them. However I'm now thinking I may have just imagined it as I can't find any references to it online. I have read that some of the later SRIs had the Red top fitted and obviously it was fitted to the GSI but have I just made the rest up?

Hoping someone on here can help put me out of my misey and let me know if I am losing my marbles

Not a Cavalier owner by the way. I did learn to drive in one though, a Mk2 1.6L hatchback in Mexico Red.

[Robsey]

There are five 2.0 litre Cavalier Mk3 engines.

20SEH (early 2 litre 8v)- 130bhp
Used on early SRi.
Good umph but a little thirsty compared to NE and XE.

20NE (2 litre 8v) - 116 bhp
Used to transition betwen SEH and cat equipped range. (Not mentioned much with Cavalier).

20XE (2 litre 16v ) - 157 bhp
(Not really mentioned in relation to Cavalier even though it was made as far back as 1987)
Haynes mentions 20XEJ, but I have never heard of or seen one.

C20NE (2 litre 8v with Catalyst) - 112 bhp
(No Specifications or info for C20NE retro-fitted with the LexMaul air-ram system.)
C20NE was mainly used with Non-Sport models, such as CDX and Diplomat upto about 1993.
Gave similar consuption figures to central injected 1.8 economy-biased Rochester Multec set-up.

C20XE (2 litre 16v) - 150 bhp
Used with later SRi and GSi.
A real Jeckyl and Hyde type engine.
When bimbling along, it matched the economy of the C18NZ / C20NE, but with a bit of noisy pedal action, it turned into a beast of an engine. Loud and proud!!

X20XEV (2 litre 16v Ecotec) - 136 bhp.
Replaces the C20NE across the non-sport range, but is based more closely on an emissions friendly XE.
Listed as 1994 onwards.

C20LET (2 litre 16v turbo) - 201 bhp.
Mainly 4x4 turbo - based on Calibra set-up.

[Robsey]

As a follow up - Checking the Vauxhall Technical Info System.

They quote as follows: -
20NE (1989-95)
C20NE (1991-95)

20SEH (1989-93)

20XE (1989)
20XEJ (1990-91)
C20XE (1990-95)

C20LET (1993-95)

X20XEV. (1994-95)

But no other useful blurb beyond my previous post.

[Teesside Pete]

Thanks for the info.

However I thought that the CDX models came with the same engine as the SRI? Or did I just make that up too?

[ilovedmymantas]

The late cdx and sri share the same x20xev - ecotec - engine.
The difference is the gearbox.