Specialised Engines

[PaulCalf]

Hi all hope you're all managing to stay safe in the madness.

I am taking advantage of my missus being distracted by 24hr childcare to get some improvements done on the engine (have got a '84 Cologne) - at the very least: putting unleaded stage 2 heads on with all supporting gubbins (alloy timings gear, fast road cams etc) to the very most: overboring to 3 or 3.1ltrs. I am describing all this work as 'essential maintence' to the wife ahem (well i suppose the unleaded conversion is sort of essential)

I am considering Specialised in Essex to supply the parts or do all the work - searching the forums I've seen a few very negative stories about them (and some that are positive too I should add) but they are all quite old posts so not that helpful really. Was wondering if anyone had any dealings with them more recently before i make the decision? The other place I have been reco'd is Modus (previously GWE) and obviously Rik Wood comes up a lot too but i'm down south and would prefer somewhere down here if poss and i think they are mainly Essex bods (the engine not the place). Have also spoken to the Tick Bros too.

[Not_Anumber]

Its worth using the search function on here and the other capri forum to see what modifications others have done - and the ones they regard as successful. The chances are that whatever you are thinking of doing has been looked into in detail by several people over the years, some carried out and others rejected. Use the benefit of those who have gone before to guide you.

Received wisdom is the European/UK spec 2.8 Cologne engine is quite expensive to get a sizeable power increase from. The siamesed ports for instance are quite a restrictive factor. That is the reason you will find some have gone the route of the later 2.9 Cologne from the Scorpio including the Cossie BOA/BOB versions.

[PaulCalf]

Great - thanks for the advice. I think I want to keep it to the 'original' stock engine rather than put a totally diff engine in, but then again the overbore is already taking it away from stock so i'm not sure why i'm not considering something totally new like the cossie as you suggest (maybe something irrational/emotional about keeping a cologne in it.... as i do love it I just want a bit more meaningful ooomph).

[Not_Anumber]

I get your point entirely. In which case have you thought about the turbo route. The original Turbo Technics Capri used the standard engine in fact the car was pretty standard otherwise all round.

Recreating one of these would need some creative parts sourcing as there isnt a complete kit of parts on sale new any more but those who have done it will be happy to share their advice.

[PaulCalf]

Yes actually Turbo makes sense doesn't it - Have discounted it so far as I prefer normal aspiration / wanted to avoid the lag etc. But as I said in for a penny in for a pound; if i want to spend the money getting the most bang for buck would make sense. SE can do the Turbo too so that might be a feasible route - will do some more searching

[Jasonmarie]

Young Nick just had his head done and also paul who not on this forum but he has a 2.8i . Yes Tickover have used the company you mention years ago but now use a chap up north who has been doing unleaded and race heads for years . So can voice for Tickover as a 100% job done . They lead in time is 3 months I think .

[Mr B]

Young Nick just had his head done and also paul who not on this forum but he has a 2.8i . Yes Tickover have used the company you mention years ago but now use a chap up north who has been doing unleaded and race heads for years . So can voice for Tickover as a 100% job done . They lead in time is 3 months I think .

Agree with the above, Tick's now use a place up North called the Car clinic who do stroker engines, modified heads etc. and have a very good reputation, perhaps give them a call on 01254 775845

Wayne

[PaulCalf]

Thanks all – really useful and I’ve spent the last couple of days talking to a bunch of places including Vulcan Engineering and Car Clinic as suggested - all top guys with very useful advice.

All this is with me knowing that the Cologne 2.8i is not very tunable for the money – and I’ve seriously considered doing the smartest thing and just putting the 2.9 Cossie in it (there’s one on ebay right now !!) or a Pinto. But the fact is I love my Mk3 Cologne – it pulls right, revs nicely and sounds perfect for me (through non-stock Janspeed pipes) so have realised that if I want a faster car then I just need to buy another Capri with a more tunable engine (!)

THAT SAID – the most interesting thing I found was the possibility of changing the 2.8 to a 3.5 which Car Clinic do – I had various convos with Tickover who install these engines and they rate the conversion highly – as in for the money, the best displacement improvement you can make is the 3.5 vs the 3/3.1. So that would allow me to keep my beloved Cologne while getting A LOT more oomph out of it for quite a chunk of change but worth it if I was going to keep the capri forever (which I might do if I can afford to keep a ‘fun car’ til I’m old and grey). Power chart for 3.5 conversion is here if anyone interested - http://www.cologneengines.com/3.5%20lit ... 0chart.htm

Obviously the other thing is the Turbo – but I’d rather keep NA as I’ve said for now.

So basically I’m back to the original plan – get A LITTLE extra oomph out of it by getting the heads ported/flowed while I have them unleaded plus get the cams done (everyone recommends the V6T21 mild/fast but keep the fibre timing as I wont be going past 6k revs). Vulcan and Car clinic both seem to be able to take my heads and turn them around in 2 weeks

There is also an interesting company - CHD http://www.cylinderheaddevelopments.co.uk/index.html who i found in my research if anyone has ever heard of them?

Suffice it to say I’ve had the most fun in ages researching heads, cams, BOAs etc and talking to blokes about engines for hours – what more do you want from life!? The joy of owning a Capri

[Not_Anumber]

A cam will help make the engine feel a bit more lively, mine has one fitted by the previous owner, but ive lost the note of what it is. The engine still ticks over evenly, is very progressive through the rev range but just has a little bit more pep when it's pushed than as standard.

Id say its only worth doing the taking the heads off if you were going to get other work such as porting and polishing done at the same time, not for the unleaded conversion work on it's own. Unless you are expecting to do very high mileages the time, trouble and cost of sending the heads away for unleaded conversion and nothing else just wouldn't be justifiable. In the worst case scenario if the exhaust valve seats did actually start eroding, then the repair is exactly the same task as the unleaded conversion work would be, exhaust valve seat inserts. Like many on here I just trust to a squirt of fuel additive for every tank of petrol.

[PaulCalf]

Yep definately - the plan is to get the head converted to unleaded and ported at same time. Basically this all started with a compression test which showed uneven and low compression across cylinders (low even accounting for age) and then finding some of the sparks with bit of rust suggesting a gasket leak and a few other signs that the valves/valve guides need looking at. So i thought while taking the head off to check if that's the problem I may as well get them refurbed before i put them back on again.

I use redex everytime i fill up as from research that seems to be the only one that definately works (?!) - but who knows? I think half the power of additives seems to be psychosomatic as everyone has differing views/results (I have read good things on here about Millers but never tried it).