In a few months time, I will be taking my 340 off the road for about a year while I go to study elsewhere. I'm going to take this time to work on the engine. The two options really are:

Rebuild the current 1.4
Rebuild a donor 1.7 and swap the engines

I can't really afford a F7P or F7R setup, as the running costs are too expensive, coupled with the increased chance that I break something. And my insurance would probably go up a significant chunk too.
I can't turbo charge anything as it makes the car ineligble for road rallying.

Guys, what are your opinions? Has anyone rebuilt a 1.4 or a 1.7 before? Is there any tuning options available for either of them? Is it even worth doing?

Thanks

Matt

I'd rebuild the 1.4, they're far better engines but I'll have you know f7r's can do 40mpg and f7p's can do 45mpg (chips dependant)

Insurance for a 1.7 swap wont be much different to an F7P/R. Running costs I find a snadge lower on the F7R if anything (a bit more fuel consumption, but only because it's not tuned properly still, you'd obviously have that problem too).

FWIW, I'd get a 1.7 straight unless your's is an immaculate shell. 1.7 is a much nicer engine for rallying than the 1.4, but still leagues away from the F7's

It's looking like all roads lead to the F7R.

The thing is, I don't think I'll have time to do the job. My car will be too far away to just nip back home. With an engine rebuild, I can pay someone else to do it. I don't think that's really an option with the F7R conversion.

Unless someone fancies a job?

Ring Adam... he's been known to undertake such

Chris_C wrote:Ring Adam... he's been known to undertake such

PM'ed

+1 for adam. He will do a proper decent job too. 25k and 1.5 years later mine is still functioning as a daily.

Nice move dude. More power ftw.

WIll this not scupper your rally options?

Thought you had to stay OEM-ish?

Adam knows about the Road Rally section blue book regs, we spent days working out what Fake could and couldn't have

Chris_C wrote:Adam knows about the Road Rally section blue book regs, we spent days working out what Fake could and couldn't have

Even better.

volvosneverdie wrote:

Chris_C wrote:Adam knows about the Road Rally section blue book regs, we spent days working out what Fake could and couldn't have

Even better.

Agreed