1.4dl swap to 1.7 help!!

[Sam340turbo]

Hi guys I have a 340 1.4dl and its just not got the power for me and would like to put a 1.7 in it!!will it work and how much work is it ?? thanks guys

[Speedy88]

About as much work as it is to fit an F7P or R. May as well do that, you need all the same parts.

If you insist on doing the 1.7 swap, you'll need engine mounts. Everything else - bellhousing etc should come with the engine and will mount up to the prop no problem.

Again, if you're doing that may as well do the F7 swap. You'll also need to change your log book unless you want to be screwed for tax evasion

Ah, and you'll need the 1.7 exhaust. I think the 1.4 is a bit of a pee shooter

[Sam340turbo]

ok thanks mate dont really want to put a f7p in it as the old bill round my way are on it hard and as i cant insure it as a 1.7 i will forget to tell them lol

[Speedy88]

Don't recommend it. Unless you want to lose you licence By all means, if you want to risk it to achieve what is still a fairly slow car, go for it.

[Attack2001]

Your best bet is to find a 1.7, buy it, strip it, swap it, scrap it I was trying to swap a 1700 into mine but i keep running into walls, so i've given up for the moment haha. What you guys forget is that an f7x engine looks alien in the engine bay of a 300, and its obvious it shouldnt be there, however the 1700, looks as doggy and standard as it is wont look out of place in the engine bay so it is do-able

To swap to a 1700 you will need:

1700 engine, clutch, bell housing including rear engine mounts, front engine mounts, downpipe, water hoses, renix (ignition unit) - although the 1400 one will work, the map is wrong so you'll loose power. You may need the exhaust system depending on how your 1400 downpipe is joined to the rest of the system. I've got a 1700 system with my engine and it seems to be the same the 1400 system.

If your doing it to an older 1400 like mine (1984) you will need a later style front cross member with the later style anti-roll bar, and my renix is in a different place so i need a longer coil-to-dizzy lead. You will also need to plumb in the fuel lines which you maybe able to just swap from the 1400 stuff, but i think you'll need to do some cutting and re-routing.

All the sensors on the 1400 can be unplug, and the wires plugged into the 1700 sensors. The carb is in the same place so the original throttle and choke cables can be used.

I think thats it, well, thats as much as i've figured out so far to do my conversion Thomas...............

[Chris_C]

I can't believe the amount of people that even contemplate this. (this might turn into a rant...)

I pay extra every year for the ability to drive a non standard car. Why the hell else shouldn't everyone else. When I was 19, I grumped, but just put up with a 1.4 and found things to allow me to enjoy it without needing the extra power. Power just makes up for lack of anything else, be it skill, cock size, whatever, a good fast driver will be fast on a bloody tricycle.

What annoys me just as much is not researching a subject. I could build a 2.0L 340 that looked no different to a 1.7. With significantly more power. Using standard Volvo parts from the scrappy. Anyone that knows the cars knows how different the push rod lump looks to the OHC however, and if the police are hot on you already why the hell would you try it?

If you can't insure past a 1.4 and want power, you've got the wrong car. K series 1.4's make over 100bhp, way more than a 1.7. Even my slushbox corset would keep up with a GLT if pushed, modern power plants (i.e. not those designed in the 60's) are just better.

[Hell Driver]

Not that I'm suggesting it, cos it's very illegal, but it would be much easier to swap the vin plate, reg plates etc! If the penalty is the same anyway you might as well get fined/locked up with far less work! It's not like its a stolen supercar!

I think you should be very careful what you discuss on the internet...technology and government snooping is moving faster and with more force than ever at the moment. Not that I expect anyone that matters will read this....but I can think of two cases recently where people have been locked up/turned away from countries on what they've said on the web. Anything on here can be accessed by anyone, it's public.

I'd concentrate on getting the most from the 1.4 for now. A Good 1.4 running at it's best is better than a 1.7 implant thats not quite right. Others on here know more than me about what can be done to the 1.4

[Attack2001]

Chris how long ago were you 19? I've just paid out my insurance for my bog standard 1.4 dl, £3000 third party only, not even fire and theft!! Its bloody day light robbery, the insurance companies are putting up the price based on the idiots who keep crashing into people, and the fact they think were all running around in tuned cars and not telling em, so we might as well make there claims true and modify them, as we (new drivers) are paying sh*tloads to these thieves and none of the older generation bat an eye lid...

[frazeb]

quite a lot of hassle for like a very small amount of extra brake. have you fully stripped the car?

[Chris_C]

I wrote a huge reply last night on the phone, and the stupid thing lost it.

Essence of it was...

It's been 8/9 years since I was 19, but prices were still huge then. With the cost of inflation (petrol is now double when I started driving) I paid £1560 TPFT on my first 1.4 300 and I only got it that cheap as it was the grey porridge 9 year old car no one apart from little old ladies drove. Kinda like a 52 plate Jazz or something similar today. I got it as I thought being rwd it'd have potential but no one else was doing anything with them at the time. So, petrol has doubled, so has insurance. They are still the same robbing $£"^% they always have been.

Whilst this was happening, loads of people I knew the same age had Sierra Cosworths, Mk3 scrot RS turbos, R5 GTT's. All in their parents names, all just as illegal and I still thought at the time it's just not on. As I always did things legally, I could afford a 480turbo when I was 21 with 4years NCB, where as others couldn't.

Find the grey porridge car. It looks like the 300 might still be it, but with the amount crashed by teenagers in the last few years?! Unlikely.

FWIW, my 1.4 auto corset is IG14. I pay (now, as an old fart) £800 to insure the damn thing TPFT. It's solely down to car choice and living location.

Thomas, I'm sorry bud but I can't agree it's fine as they are robbing bastards. If you play against the problem, you are one of the tosser's who puts all our premiums up.

On the flip side, most people who do it don't care about the car they drive, if it gets crushed so what. If I hadn't had Fake registered correctly by the DVLA AND my insurance company, when I got driven into (note, not my fault, I was stationary) she'd never be able to go on the road again. You've put huge numbers of hours into your car already. Why would you take that risk?

EDIT: Plus, a 1.7 340 is still slower by a margin than my 1.4 corset as stated above. It's 9bhp gain. If you took a dump before you drove you'd likely get that power to weight difference.

[Sam340turbo]

Guys this is all getting a heated lol i think i must have a very poorly set up 1.4 then because mine is so slow and its hard to get sideways in the wet with 135/13 with 60psi in them and the dry you have more hope getting my dog sideways hahaha and the 1.7 at Norfolk seemed to be fine so something musted be going wrong and i would like to think i can skid a car!Thats why i am looking in to 1.7. So now i dont know what to do lol

[valman]

a 1.4 in the wet is plenty provided its got very low CoG and not much room for the suspension to move. my sideways experience is limited, however on the few early mornings where ive had a chance to "have a go" its all possible, 90% unlikely in the dry but when its slightly damp its more than enough, and if its raining hard outside, you dont even need a welder imo, just boot it - go in fast, try not to understeer. if you dont understeer then youll be fine but these cars seem to have a tendency to do it randomly and you can still link corners now and then.
personally, i think the idea of the 340 being a viable drift car is delusional. just drive a shitter for 3 years and buy an s13 (wish its what i did but i cant keep myself away from volvo)

[Speedy88]

Hmm, you can get a 1.4 sideways with better technique. Hows your rear suspension setup? Stiffer will stop the lurching and "digging in". Bit of clutch kicking will get a 1.4 sideways in the wet, don't just expect it to step out when you press the loud pedal.