1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

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Cavalier342
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Cavalier342 »

Image


That's about the only half-decent photo I have left nowadays of my old UFO project. That was only the cabin view, there were a lot more lights in the trunk, glove compartment, under the hood, and in the footwells too. Got pulled over so many times in that car, they just laughed at how many lights there were, never got a ticket or anything. :lol:

Sorry to hi-jack the thread Robsey. :thumb
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China Blue 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier L 18SV
Kings Blue 1992 Vauxhall Cavalier LSi Auto C18NZ
Smoke Grey 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier V6 C25XE

Am I a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? Well that depends on how much I've had to drink...
Mazza
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mazza »

Now that's Super cool in a strange way. I'd love to have seen the car in flesh. What ever happened to it (perhaps another thread...!)

I remember back in the day most of the lads in fords, Honda, toyotas, vw used to have neon lights underneath. .. drove the cops mental ...
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Cavalier342
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Cavalier342 »

Getting in, turning everything on and going to some dark place with no street lights and having bass coming from the trunk was an average night for me in that old car. Great times.. I ended up breaking the car a few years ago, I used to be obsessed with it. All good things come to an end, it's what we all come to realize eventually.
Previous:
China Blue 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier L 18SV
Kings Blue 1992 Vauxhall Cavalier LSi Auto C18NZ
Smoke Grey 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier V6 C25XE

Am I a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? Well that depends on how much I've had to drink...
Mazza
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mazza »

Sadly yes don't we all know... and crazy life starts.. We all have tales to tell....!

But hey hold on to the memories! Great times!
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Cavalier342
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Cavalier342 »

Mazza wrote:Sadly yes don't we all know... and crazy life starts.. We all have tales to tell....!

But hey hold on to the memories! Great times!

Amen to that dude!
Previous:
China Blue 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier L 18SV
Kings Blue 1992 Vauxhall Cavalier LSi Auto C18NZ
Smoke Grey 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier V6 C25XE

Am I a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? Well that depends on how much I've had to drink...
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Sorry to hi-jack the thread Robsey. :thumb
No worries - it is worth it for the photo :cool
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

I am now looking into a bit of an engine bay re-jig.

I have been encouraged for years by Envoy CDX to fit cruise control to my car.
Electrically, for me that is a piece of cake.

It is the location of the control module and integral motor that I have been umming and aahhing over.

Mainly because I have a 3rd Party alarm head and my ABS module already fitted in theback corner of the engine bay.

My theory is to fit the engine bay relay box as found in cars with air con or with the fan wiring upgrade for towing.

From this relay box, I plan to mount the cruise control module and the alarm head.

I could mount either one or both from the bulk head / fire wall I suppose.

Originally, my Meta alarm head was mounted off the bulk head with self tapping screws, but bizarrely the screws and mounting bracket simply corroded and crumbled away.

Either way, I am still thinking of suitable mounting locations.

Returning to the electrics -
After researching an Italian or Spanish website, I have also been able to confirm to myself that a dash light can be wired in.
Don't know why it was only ever an option on the Australian (Holden) Vectra-B and nowhere else.

If I do finally get this fitted, I will write a How 2 for the standard 4 pot engines.
My ECU is a non V6 Vectra-B sourced 1995 / 96 module.

I have all the parts except the connector for the clutch pedal switch, but I am sure I can find something to fit.

7 core caravan / trailer flex and the module itself.

Image

The indicator, high beam stalk with cruise control buttons (I have 3 of these !!), white clutch switch and 4 pin brake switch.

Image

The Wiring Diagram.

Image
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by 3cav3 »

I'd be very interested in the how 2 more than anything for use in average speed check areas.
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

3cav3 wrote:I'd be very interested in the how 2 more than anything for use in average speed check areas.
As soon as I find a location that I am happy with.
I don't really fancy drilling mounting holes through the bulk-head / firewall.
I still have the Total Vauxhall article in pdf format if you pm me your email address.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Well - I have been struggling with having a standard radio and dash panel.

I realised that I was missing the navigation head unit and colour display from a Vectra-C.

So I have been slowly modifying a radio facia panel.
It is about 80% to my liking.
Still plenty of tidying to do before I look at fitting it to my dash.

Image

Image

Apologies for any other lack of forum activity.
I have been repairing my thread images...
There is a lot to do on a 62 page rambling thread. :roll:
done the last 15 pages so far.
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

A bit of an update...

For about a month, the car has been idling at about 500 rpm - at times dropping enough to cut out, but only when the car was at full temperature.
Along with this, hot starts have been a bit hit and miss.
The car always starts, but with insufficient idle revs, cuts out pretty quickly.

Disconnecting the idle control valve electrical connector immediately cures this.

So I have a new valve on order.

A strange observation today was a disconnected vacuum pipe between the carbon cannister blue rigid pipe and the rigid pipe at thr rear of the cam cover housing.
Reconnecting the hoses made totally no difference to the running or willingness of the engine to rev. - how odd.

As you may be aware from a Lord McGrath post, I have also ordered a back box with an SRi style oval exit pipe.
This had arrived at work today, after I left for the day to carry out home visits.

Other purchase items are a new sat nav aerial and a connector for my microphone to UHP4 bluetooth module.
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James McGrath
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by James McGrath »

What RON plug do you have Rob?

Do you have the yellow one which raises the RPM?
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Just a boggo standard black one.

A 91 and 95 Ron plug - set at 95.
Image

I thought the Ron plug set the timing angle to allow for octane rating. 91, 95 ron etc.

I didn't know that the revs could be upped with a ron plug.

Apparently the RON value is the rating of the fuel's ability to be compressed..
You learn something new every day.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by James McGrath »

Yeah have a look here: http://www.topbuzz.co.uk/info/ron_plugs/ron_plugs.htm

Most C20NE engines were fitted with a yellow plug which raises the idle rpm by 100.
Both my CD manual and diplomat are fitted with a yellow plug.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Just ordered one from GPS - a snip at £11 delivered.
:D
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by James McGrath »

Should help smooth out the idle at least. :thumb
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Hopefully.

Strange happening -
I am using work's wifi (NHS) and it blocked your link to TopBuzz.
Apparently the trust perceives it to be a pornography site - ha ha.

Spot the inuendo....
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by James McGrath »

Oh dear.
Maybe I'll add something to our archive section about RON plugs.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Don't worry - NHS trust IT departments claim everything is a porn site or mud wrestling... I think it is some perverse wishfull thinking on "I.T.'s" behalf.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Well my cheap and cheerful exhaust arrived :cool

Image

Image

A bit dented here and there, but it is clearly embossed with the Bosal branding.
:cool

Looks like we will be starting the next phase of the restoration soon.
(Finances permitting).
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Just realised that it says the plug should be set at 91... mine is set as 95, however other than the idle revs, the car pulls like a train with no sign of pinking or anything else.
And I am too tight to pay for super unleaded. Hmm - something to play with next week until my yellow plug arrives.

According to the article -
The C20NE running on unleaded (91) should have infinity ohms, which is an open circuit.

So the desired effect could be achieved by simply removing the Ron plug altogether.

Or am I being daft? :scratch
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by James McGrath »

Pretty sure it should be set to 95.

All unleaded petrol in the UK is 95 octane.
Super unleaded is normally 98 octane but 97 and 99 is available depending on the brand.

It's only in the USA and parts of Europe that you get the poorer quality 91 octane stuff.

The C20NE can't take advantage of super unleaded petrol as there is no RON coding for it unfortunately.
Why they removed this option I'll never know as it was available on the non-cat 20NE.
On a side note, my 20NE CD auto has a brown plug with 98/95 RON coding and I can genuinely feel a difference in performance using super unleaded on the 98 ron setting compared to normal unleaded on the 95 setting.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

This is what I thought until I read the article.
I will have a read on TIS2000 to see what it has to say.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by cavalier1990 »

James McGrath wrote:Pretty sure it should be set to 95.

All unleaded petrol in the UK is 95 octane.
Super unleaded is normally 98 octane but 97 and 99 is available depending on the brand.

It's only in the USA and parts of Europe that you get the poorer quality 91 octane stuff.

The C20NE can't take advantage of super unleaded petrol as there is no RON coding for it unfortunately.
Why they removed this option I'll never know as it was available on the non-cat 20NE.
On a side note, my 20NE CD auto has a brown plug with 98/95 RON coding and I can genuinely feel a difference in performance using super unleaded on the 98 ron setting compared to normal unleaded on the 95 setting.
James, do you find it better MPG or about the same? I know Super U/L is dearer mind you but wondered if it made any difference.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by James McGrath »

cavalier1990 wrote:James, do you find it better MPG or about the same? I know Super U/L is dearer mind you but wondered if it made any difference.
I think it's about the same. But to be honest I don't do enough miles in that car to notice.
It defiantly does feel livelier though.
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