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Author: Subject: flipping vosa, jobsworth douchebags.
l0rd

posted on 19/7/10 at 04:57 PM Reply With Quote
would you like to share you engine number with us please??

[Edited on 19/7/10 by l0rd]

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donn006

posted on 19/7/10 at 05:36 PM Reply With Quote
c20xe engine

hi there is 2 tings you can do go back to the mot station ask him to put it thruoch a bet test which it would probably fail then he has to do a full cat test in which he has to put all the vehicle details in which will then ask what year of manuarfacture date ie was it before 1995 which is when they stopped makeing the c20xe ,which will then take you to a standard non cat test which it should pass the second thing you could do is bite the bullit and take the car to a vauxhall based mot centre where they will have all the details and possibly a tester with the know how hope this helps
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scootz

posted on 19/7/10 at 05:47 PM Reply With Quote
Craigs problem is IVA, not MOT Donn.





It's Evolution Baby!

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cd.thomson

posted on 19/7/10 at 08:37 PM Reply With Quote
Hi guys, thanks for all the replies.

The haynes manual specifically states that the C20XE engine was no longer made after 1995. It then goes on to explain about the engine's replacement. Vauxhall produce a letter that states the engine was produced up to 1995. Neither gives proof the engine wasn't produced in Aug/Dec 1995.

I can't fit a cat to my exhaust:



the engine number is 16 108281.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom, I just don't see a way round this one.





Craig

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Liam

posted on 19/7/10 at 09:10 PM Reply With Quote
There's always a way - don't give up hope.

Maybe you could do a gash exhaust with the production car cast manifold and some bodged together producion car pipe from a scrapyard or something that could take a cat? You could use it for MOTs in the future. Wasn't there some outfit set up renting cats for tests - mainly used by BEC boys? Could probably do this in the time/budget.

Why is your moving deadline so critical? Is there no way the car can be stored at your loving parents' or somewhere else whilst you sort ou the paperwork remotely in your own time and do the retest when you're ready? I take it you're not relocating to a Tibetan monastery? If you can accept the deadline being missed and you're therefore not under such time pressure, there are more options open to pursue.

What about getting a dirt cheap banger that could have/does have that engine - even a non running shed, just for it's V5. Then transfer your engine number to that V5 with the DVLA. This at least used to be the way to get what appears on paper as a single donor which helped with age related plates. I remember hearing tales of many 5+ litre Sierras being created (on paper) by people building Cobras . Apparently DVLA were only likely to ask for evidence of the paper engine swap being real if capacity was going down a lot, as this could have been an attempt at tax fraud.

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Volvorsport

posted on 19/7/10 at 10:07 PM Reply With Quote
ive got some old cats/exhaust lying about if you can refit the original exhaust manifold , i see you dont have a cutout tho which could be a problem .

youll also need to be quick , im off to spain next week .

im only in lincoln if you can collect .





www.dbsmotorsport.co.uk
getting dirty under a bus

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l0rd

posted on 20/7/10 at 07:19 AM Reply With Quote
That is the first C20XE that i see starting with 16.

All the ones I have seen starts with 14?

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cd.thomson

posted on 20/7/10 at 07:50 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by l0rd
That is the first C20XE that i see starting with 16.

All the ones I have seen starts with 14?


There were two slight variations of the engine early/late. Mine is a late model, hence "16".

Its still more than unlikely that it was made in the final three months of 95





Craig

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l0rd

posted on 20/7/10 at 08:01 AM Reply With Quote
Ahhh Ok

I am still on it.

Not giving up yet.

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cd.thomson

posted on 20/7/10 at 08:22 AM Reply With Quote
thank you very much for looking into it somewhere l0rd.

everyones comments and suggestions have been very much appreciated.

Oh and Surrey Dave, "softlad" was only a bit of banter, said with a smile rather than a grimace. I was in the process of changing the title when you posted - I was expecting the naughty words to be asterixed out.





Craig

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l0rd

posted on 20/7/10 at 11:08 AM Reply With Quote
I know it might be no helpfull but,

Can't you get a normal exhaust that you can chop, twist it, bend it under the car and then fit a cat and a back box?

Then you can keep it for mots etc...

15 quid for manifold, another 30 for cat and 70 for backbox.

I know, you cannot afford it, but it will be the easiest option?


I am not giving up though yet.

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Liam

posted on 20/7/10 at 12:22 PM Reply With Quote


Been speaking to a friendly Vauxhall Parts Manager on my tintop forum who's kindly sent out some questions to relevant people, but unfortunately he's unable to help. Unfortunately the engine number alone doesn't give him any dates information. He reckons all C20XE's were made before even the end of '94 (even if they were fitted to a car registered later) as the replacement X20XE started production in '94, but that probably wont wash with your IVA numpty.

Looking like you're only option will be to bodge together an exhaust out of scrapper production car bits including a cat. If it unfortunately falls off after the IVA, at least you have something to replace it with .

That or the possibility of obtaining a pre '95 vaux V5 of a model that could have had a C20XE and doing the paper engine swap trick.

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Liam

posted on 20/7/10 at 12:55 PM Reply With Quote
OK here's the plan!

2 litre Cavalier off ebay. No more than £200. Several to choose from - ones even taxed and tested and near me - i could pick it up for you.

Then either get your engine number on its V5, though not sure how long that'd take to come through, or whip it's motor out and into your dax for the IVA. When you're done either swap back or keep it in the dax. If you end up still with a working cav you can flog it for your money back.

Job's a goodun!

[Edited on 20/7/10 by Liam]

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l0rd

posted on 20/7/10 at 01:00 PM Reply With Quote
Liam

What i was looking at

From the engine number, to find the car that was initialy installed at. Then look at the date the car that was registered in UK.

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cd.thomson

posted on 20/7/10 at 01:30 PM Reply With Quote
DVLA require pictures of the engine in the car these days even if there isn't a capacity change. I tried a similar trick with my sierra's V5 to help me get an age related plate and got stopped in my tracks!

Bodging an exhaust is an option but slightly more tricky than it sounds. I can't weld and the car is in a little village at the minute. I'm looking at labour and transport costs on top of buying the bits. Also I think I'd have to chop open the side panel which would be a nightmare to replace afterwards.

I could buy a pre-95 calibra with the redtop fitted and swapping the engine but you're looking at more than £500 for the car and they're getting rare.

I could get the car retested elsewhere as I know its not an issue at most test stations, but I have to pay for a first test fee, £450. Retests are only applicable at the testing station that did the first test.

I'm not trying to be obstructive which I bet is how it sounds. I genuinely want the car finished and drivable, but it's all dead ends!

Suggestions are always welcome though as hopefully someone will recommend something on a whim that solves all these issues!

At the end of the day, I'm not going to do anything too dubious as I know my car meets all the standards set out in the IVA manual, and its just one last (ridiculous) hurdle I have to jump.





Craig

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scudderfish

posted on 20/7/10 at 01:43 PM Reply With Quote
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1994-VAUXHALL-CAVALIER-SRI-GREEN-/290454682074?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43a072b9da#ht_901wt_1137

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1994-VAUXHALL-CAVALIER-GLS-16V-BLUE-/220639992930?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item335f2b1c62#ht_1320wt_1137 />
?

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cd.thomson

posted on 20/7/10 at 01:45 PM Reply With Quote
Cheers mate, but both of those have the ecotec engine not the redtop.

I'd actually have to physically swap my engine into the cav, take pictures then arrange for the V5 to be changed before approaching VOSA again.





Craig

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Liam

posted on 20/7/10 at 01:46 PM Reply With Quote
What's wrong with a cavalier or astra? Loads on Ebay or autotrader for around £200. Plus if you end up keeping the vaux working, you can flog it back when the dust has settled so to speak.

How hard would it be to provide pics of your ebay vaux with a C20XE in it, since it comes with one in the first place! Easy to create a series of photos including an engine hoist, slight lift of the old engine in the vaux, close up of the 'new' engine's number stamp (taken from your dax), maybe even get the engine out of the dax on a hoist for one shot, that appear to show a like for like engine swap. Story being simply a repair of the said vaux.

Or really swap the engines - not such a big job, and dont bother with the paper swap.

Or do the exhaust - is it really a 'nightmare' to fill a hole in a panel later? No, its a small amount of money and/or some work.

You do sound a bit defeatist, but I can barely even imagine the frustration you must be feeling. Chin up though. I'm sure you can call on some help if an engine swap is on the cards.

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Liam

posted on 20/7/10 at 01:50 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
Cheers mate, but both of those have the ecotec engine not the redtop.

I'd actually have to physically swap my engine into the cav, take pictures then arrange for the V5 to be changed before approaching VOSA again.


But if you really swapped the engine, you would have a V5 which matches the engine in your Dax, so no need for a paper engine swap with DVLA. Just get the dax tested with the swapped engine (does it really matter even if it's an ecotec?) with your donor V5 as your proof. Leave it in there or put your original C20 back in the dax in your own time.

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l0rd

posted on 20/7/10 at 01:50 PM Reply With Quote
I meant, you could for the test bend the exhaust under the chassis and probably make it a bit on the oval side.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAUXHALL-CAVALIER-GSI-SRI-RED-TOP-XE-EXHAUST-MANIFOLD-/310233708354?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&ha sh=item483b5eb742

cut both the pipes and reverse manifold, then bend and weld

[Edited on 20/7/10 by l0rd]

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scootz

posted on 20/7/10 at 04:34 PM Reply With Quote
Thinking outside the box...

What about one of the recent Suzuki GSXR exhausts? One inlet AND integral cat.

Budget about £25 for one. There's not a lot of weight in them, so just get a tight link pipe and hang it from your manifold - it'll do for a one-off test!

You might have to do some filling on any of the sharper edges, but who cares... it's cheap and you can keep it for your MOT when the time comes!

eBay Linky

There may be other bike ones out there that suit your needs better, but this is the first that came to mind!








It's Evolution Baby!

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scootz

posted on 20/7/10 at 04:35 PM Reply With Quote
Initial thoughts being to mount it as shown in the pic... on its side and silencer top.





It's Evolution Baby!

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cd.thomson

posted on 20/7/10 at 06:57 PM Reply With Quote
Good idea scootz, my exhaust doesn't lend itself to that option (4 pipes enter the can). Could be a good choice if I make a new exhaust though.

I can't really run the exhaust under the car as I dont have the clearance, but nice thinking l0rd as my side panels are sikaflexed on and can only be removed after all the other body panels are taken off (wings, dash, scuttle) so panel replacement is a fairly big deal.

I could fit an ecotec, but this would require a new manifold for my carbs and a new exhaust as the ports are different. Definitely an option though as my bellhousing etc would still be usable and I'd be able to get a V5.





Craig

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scootz

posted on 20/7/10 at 07:02 PM Reply With Quote
Ah...








It's Evolution Baby!

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Liam

posted on 20/7/10 at 07:23 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
I could fit an ecotec, but this would require a new manifold for my carbs and a new exhaust as the ports are different. Definitely an option though as my bellhousing etc would still be usable and I'd be able to get a V5.


Dont really know my vaux engines - is there any block/bottom end differences between C20XE redtop and the X20XE ecotec? If you were to get a cheap ecotec Cav as available on Ebay, could you fit it in but then stick your C20XE head on so you dont need to change any manifolds? Then you have the engine number on the block corresponding to your shiny new V5. Even if IVA jobsworth notices the C20 head on an X20, that should still be allowed as engine is defined by it's block, but you might be able to avoid that if the black ecotec trim fits on the C20 cover (or the whole rocker cover can be swapped).

Hows about that then?

EDIT: Some googling suggests your C20XE head would go on an X20XE block, but I suppose somewhere like migweb, vvoc, vxon might know better.

[Edited on 20/7/10 by Liam]

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