Other ( non Renault ) Tigra. B204 inbound

[Sparkysparks]

I can't keep my turbo clio thread up to date but let's try another one.

This was given to me very cheaply off a family member. The intention is to use it for the summer then pull it apart and make a 350hp monster!



First things first. Getting an mot on it.

I got it with the mot just run out. Advisories seem to be mostly done.
Having a look over it the list is:
Drivers Headlight mounts broken
Driver fog light smashed
Battery dead
No reverse light
Odd sidelight bulbs
Bonnet catch sticky
Door locks don't work
Handbrake doesn't work
Fuel flap falls out
Did not come with wiper blades
In desperate need of a clean inside and out.
And that's before I've taken it for an mot.

 

[Sparkysparks]

So far. Headlight mounts have been plastic welded/fixed.
Bulbs matched
Wiper blades borrowed off the clio for now (new ones ordered 18 and 20")
Hood mech all re lubed
Battery fitted
Exterior cleaned (sort of)
Fog light ordered
Fuel flap ordered
Reverse light fuse fixed
Bonnet latch lubed
Handbrake adjusted
Door lock has been fiddled and seems to work atm.

 

[Sparkysparks]

Now my first issue. I was going to get the front wheels swapped with the spares for the clio as they have decent tread, but it's got locking wheel nuts.
I stupidly did this

They're spinney ones and now I'm massively stuck on getting it out.
Any idea of what I can do here as I'm sure Mr mot will say it needs a new tyre now I've don't this.

With regards to the b204 engine from the saab. The conversion is the same as a corsa c. That's been done plenty of times. But apparently not on a tigra.
350hp should be easy to achieve with a 3" exhaust system. A decent 19t turbo injectors and a map.
Pretty much all of the bits I need are off the shelf and should be straight forward. (should be)
Cheers

 

[DaveL485]

Stick a long extension in the socket and rag it up and down until it loosens off.

 

[Sparkysparks]

Stick a long extension in the socket and rag it up and down until it loosens off.

I did knock it on quite a bit so I don't know if that'll be enough. I might try the bread or paper cramming trick like doing a blind bearing

 

[Sparkysparks]

Mot went pretty well. Just those 2 front tyres (of course) headlight aim adjusted and washer jet unblocked.
Tyre place up the road will have to weld something in to remove it. It's not budging with all my brute force.

All the advisories are related to all the parts that will be changed when I do the swap, so no problem there tbh.
Let's see how it goes. When it's running I can get back on the clio.

 

[Sparkysparks]

It's arrived!

It's come with literally everything I need that I'm aware of so that should be simple to get that in. When I can.
It's sitting at stage 1 map so will be 270hp. That will be plenty for the tigra. Should give it about 300bhp/ton.
Or I can get the big turbo and injectors. Flash the ECU for stage 3 and it'll see 350+
Hmm.
I think I'll just get it in and running first.
Cheers

 

[Sparkysparks]

A better view

After having a look through it looks like I have the engine. Gbox. ECU and loom. Loom adapter. Cable throttle pedal and cable.
Turbo and downpipe. Intercooler and piping. Oil cooler and hoses. Oil filter housing. Intake top and cover. New boost solenoid. driveshafts. Engine mounts. Header tank. Pretty much everything I think. Might need to upgrade fuel pump but that looks like everything needed.
Cheers

 

[Sparkysparks]

For my to buy list.
Exhaust manifold gasket
A large o ring for the intake hat
A sensor round the back that has a broken plug
Throttle cable holding clip has snapped and will need addressing.
A damn good clean!
Shifter cables and shift mechanism.
A fair amount of hardware missing.
But it honestly looks fairly complete. It's going to be fun!

 

[Adey]

this should be a fun build, looking forward to it

 

[Ian_R]

Is this in the car yet? One thing with the Engines, the Coil Pack on it can be a weak point in causing missfires, they tend to crack on the underside - always get an OE one, as alot of after market ones just cause issues (Used to have a 9-5 Aero Estate a while back, with a Noobtune stage 1. Was rather quick for a big barge.

 

[Sparkysparks]

Is this in the car yet? One thing with the Engines, the Coil Pack on it can be a weak point in causing missfires, they tend to crack on the underside - always get an OE one, as alot of after market ones just cause issues (Used to have a 9-5 Aero Estate a while back, with a Noobtune stage 1. Was rather quick for a big barge.

Not in yet. I'm still gathering bits and pieces.
Just ordered intake and exhaust gaskets. And got some locktite, copper washers, and engine degreaser.
The coil looks good underneath. Thanks for the tip. It is a big expensive looking unit. And it's been painted. Badly. So has the rocker cover.
I did take it off and turned the engine over. Oil flowed so that's good.
I think it needs a cam cover gasket really aswell.
Also got an engine stand and hoist to get on with it.
Cheers

 

[Ian_R]

Also to note, depending on the year i believe, as you look at the engine at the top right at front, there is a metal bung in there, likes to leak - whip the cam cover off, knock it out (The two bolts holding Won't Budge ha ha) a little sealant on new one and knock back in.

Also there is a level sensor on the back of the engine, whip it out and replace while engine is out. It also leaks - I changed it on mine on a ramp and was a right ball ache, can imagine on this it would be even worse.




Also the sensor i mention

 

[Sparkysparks]

Nice one thanks for the heads up.
That first one of the camside was already in my hit list as it looks like it's leaked already.
Any more tips on this I'm all ears

 

[Ian_R]

Not much more, it would have been more related to an actual saab rather than just the engine, do you know what this engine was kicking out? early ones were 230bhp as standard and the later ones 250 - i had the 230 in mine, and as said - there is a guy and company called Noobtune - send of ECU either as a swap service, buy service etc and he will flash it. So mine ran about 250-270 once done, never had it on a roller, so can't comment, but drove brilliant.
As long as you service etc should go a good while, also maybe worth getting the timing done while out? neobrothers do loads of saab stuff, so can normally get anything you need of them.

 

[Sparkysparks]

This one was sold as stage 1 mapped so should be around the 270 mark.
I have heard of noobtune and the neo brothers. This stuff was off saabworx on Facebook. There's a couple of guys that make up the looms. Engine mounts and map the ECUs on there. This was one of them. So it should go in with no real fuss.
Timing is a chain. But I'll be taking the cover off to check the status of the balance shafts anyway. So see what I find.

 

[Ian_R]

This one was sold as stage 1 mapped so should be around the 270 mark.
I have heard of noobtune and the neo brothers. This stuff was off saabworx on Facebook. There's a couple of guys that make up the looms. Engine mounts and map the ECUs on there. This was one of them. So it should go in with no real fuss.
Timing is a chain. But I'll be taking the cover off to check the status of the balance shafts anyway. So see what I find.

Yeah prob the later engine at 250 as standard, yeah it seems Noobtune is the easiest way to get power quickly, Good friend who runs a garage and sorts me out - looked after (loose term) serviced and MOT'd an old GTE Astra with one of these engines in. WHen it ran it went well, but i believe it was a proper bodge job with the shafts and box, and had no end of trouble.

The engines go for good money now, solid, reliable if looked after, and alot of power for not alot of money. I bought my old 9-5 for £400 of a mate, it had been lying in a drive for a few years - he collected it (Breaks cars) i cleaned it up inside, and out (really dirty) put it for an MOT and needed a lower arm, discs and pads cleaned up no issues - surprisingly one of the better cars i've had.

 

[Sparkysparks]

I used to be under the impression that the engines were z20 let's with a Saab cover on them so thought that they were pretty much part of the Opel/saab partnership and we're ready built sleepers. But with the knowledge base growing on all these things, I don't think I'll need to modify or make anything to put it in. So almost a tigra vxr. But not quite

 

[Ian_R]

Yeah GM and saab shared alot, but saab being saab done things their own way - but def alot of folk put these engines in loads of vauxhalls rather than Z20's - I've never dabbled in Vauxhalls so have never really looked in with regards to which swaps are easy etc. But by the sounds of your thread/info - more and more folk are doing it, and with the above company making looms etc, hopefully a relatively straight forward swap.

What kind of look you going for? as in sleeper etc? it will be a right hoot with the engine in there!!

 

[Sparkysparks]

Well if it was my car it'll be slammed on Saab 3 spokes. But it's actually my wife's so she will take some convincing to get it low (something along the lines of there's a reason fast cars are low and have big brakes)
She saw this picture and her eyes lit up.

But the underglow hurt my eyes!