C20XE/C20LET

[rushpuppy]

Is there much difference between the two engines, besides the LET being Turbo, are the blocks the same, the pistons, cams etc? could a XE be converted to a turbo without touching inner'ds?

[Greig Sri]

Not that simple to change an xe to a let. Pistons , cams on the inside of the engine are not the same and extra conections on the block of the let for the oil to the turbo. Thats some of the diffrances, there are more.

Greig

[Squig]

essentially the LET is low comp and the XE is high comp so in order to convert innards must be changed... I believe the cams from an XE can work in a LET (article in TV) but require verniers. So if you intend to build a massive power LET you can use the XE block (modified) as most innards get changed in 250ish+bhp power lumps.

So if your thinking of an FI XE then buy a LET unless your intending silly power where all internals are changed anyway.... see TV's 400bhp nova XE article.

[shox1991]

i am building a c20let myself, as i believe there are quite a few differences so really i would just buy a c20let and convert that

[humbucker]

dont forget the cost too... top spec xe will set you back a few hundred quid; the equivalent let will be upwards of a grand

[Squig]

dont forget the cost too... top spec xe will set you back a few hundred quid; the equivalent let will be upwards of a grand

You can build a 300bhp XE lump fairly easily, if you have the money... 200bhp XE's also are not massively hard and relatively cheap, there is a lot of hardware on offer as these engines are used all over in track cars and rally cars. Anyway I'm sure we could discuss redtop tuning until the sun comes up as the XE is so well catered for.

A few links to engine tuners;

• QED
  SBD

[Gaz]

dont forget the cost too... top spec xe will set you back a few hundred quid; the equivalent let will be upwards of a grand

At work we are building a corsa let, and the bottom end alone is going to be cracking 1k and its not a particularly massive spec. Propper rebuilds are never cheap.....never lol

[Greig Sri]

Propper rebuilds are never cheap.....never lol

Ill 2nd that, Mine cost me over £2000. I stoped counting at £2000 as I didnt want to know the total as it was getting out of hand.

Greig

[humbucker]

Ill 2nd that, Mine cost me over £2000. I stoped counting at £2000 as I didnt want to know the total as it was getting out of hand.

that just your engine?

there is a guy on migweb who just spent five and a half grand on a let off of ebay. yep you can guess what's coming next... cries of 'but that spec should have cost ten' and 'too good to be true'. poor lad is based in malta, cost him 700 in shipping on top of that. robbed. the engine isn't as advertised. sadly he ended the auction early and paid OUTSIDE of ebay too so he's properly stuffed...

back on topic, an alternative to the c20let would be the 2.0 turbo out of a saab. these engines are a lot cheaper and have just as much poke. being a gm unit there are a lot of crossover parts too and with some fettling this will fit under your bonnet nicely.

[Gaz]

I always buy engines with the hope that they are fine but in reality they always need something extra be it a sensor or a rebuild.

The prices of c20lets amaze me, they always go for 1k and never have more than 99k miles on the clock .......
Id treat engine swaps as a risk they should take a weekend but rarely do unless you know the car that they came out of.

[Greig Sri]

Ill 2nd that, Mine cost me over £2000. I stoped counting at £2000 as I didnt want to know the total as it was getting out of hand.

that just your engine?

Aye just on the engine. The costs soon add up, e.g. oil pump £80, rings £60 ,big end shells £50, arp cap bolts £50, getting it all lightned and blanced (inc P&P two ways) £350, clutch kit £150, and so on. I didnt have to pay it all out at once tho. Some things were bought long before I started on the engine.

I did see that about the guy and his £5500 engine on mig, shocking

Greig

[lem0nmonkey]

other than the obvios difference between the 2 ie turbo the oil drain for the return at teh bottom of the block, and the pistons and rods are different, although as far as im aware some late xe engines had the rods from the let, and the cams are different, it would prob cost about the same to convert an xe to buy a good let, however the converted xe would have been rebuilt so would be in better condition than most lets are in,

[shox1991]

i still stick with my previous statement, the LET is meant to be turbo'd and you may be able to get 300BHP out of the XE but just think what you could get out of a good LET, i personaly think you could push 500BHP with a little money maybe more.

[Squig]

for big power LET's check out the brazillian vauxhall scene (not called vauxhall obviously)... nice...

My comment for the day... XE/LET; enough of a rebuild and there is no practical difference, and on the Saab front why use the 2.0 when the 2.3 fits?

Is there much difference between the two engines, besides the LET being Turbo, are the blocks the same, the pistons, cams etc? could a XE be converted to a turbo without touching inner'ds?

Not reliably, nor with big power... question answered.

i still stick with my previous statement, the LET is meant to be turbo'd and you may be able to get 300BHP out of the XE but just think what you could get out of a good LET, i personaly think you could push 500BHP with a little money maybe more.

Yes you can get 500bhp... but why? 350bhp would embarrass a goodly number of supercars. Oh, and you really need to look at the blocks in detail as the differences are quite minor, it's the internals that make the difference, therefore a major rebuild including aftermarket internals could see a XE into forced induction territory and the equal of a comparable LET.

[shox1991]

as you say 350 bhp would eat most cars but at the scene im around most of the cars around me are 450bhp + talking evos, subarus, cosworth rs500's, fiesta turbos which are all modified at least pushing 450-500 bhp i wouldnt want to have to think about what i could embares y not just embaris all that tries to embarres you as the qoute says why only go half way when all the way is just round the corner

personally i stick to the C20LET over the XE
simpke principle uve gotta spend alot ov money getting the xe to the let standard y not just get a let and go from there