Help - 8 or 16 Valve

Robinhood

Hi,

Can anybody advise on how to identify if an engine has 8 or 16 valves?

Thanks.

skiddlydiddly

Without checking the cars specs, theeEasiest way is looking down at the cam cover, an 8v will be much narrower.

marksandsparx

What car is it? and engine size?

Robinhood

It is an Astra dual fuel (unleaded/LPG) 2003. I'm fairly sure now that it is a 16 valve. I think the 8 valbe only came as a van.

Thanks.

Lil306

This isn't a guaranteed way, but just look at the cam cover. You will notice the top one has two rectangular blocks, the bottom only has one. Not a definitive method, but a quick way of checking. Twin Cam (usually 16v), Single Cam (usually 8v)

If it looks like this it's 16v
http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cambs.mgoc/images4/twincam.jpg

If it looks like this it's 8v
http://www.topbuzz.co.uk/mods/2Lconversion/b001.jpg

harveybobbles

A 2003 16v astra will have ECO TECH on the top of the engine I think?

the 8v will look like an old fashioned engine.

16v:



8v:






Correct me if I'm wrong tho.

marksandsparx

They also did 8v duel fuels in hatchback too. if you can get a pic we can tell you for sure

rev_henry

You could give GM/VX a call and ask them, with your reg number they should be able to look it up.

Stigy

Vauxhall stuck 8-valve engines in the Astra Hatchback, saloon and van up until about 2004 as well as 16-valves. As the pics show, the easiest way to tell is that on the 16-valve engine, other than the ecotec cover, the spark plugs will be on top of the engine pointing directly downwards, whereas the 8-valve will have the sparkplugs diagonally at the side of the engine. 99% of all 8-valve engines adopt the layout I mentioned, with the exception of a couple of Mitsubishis and Honda/Rovers etc that are Single Overhead Cam 16-valve lumps, making them slimmer units to most other 16-valvers, which tend to be Double Overhead Cam. Hope that makes sense....

atrixblue.-MFR-.

some cars are pretty hard to tell. especially if its a 16v single over head cam (sohc), the rocker cover may look as if its an 8v as it only has one cam running through the head its small in size.

asbokid

rev_henry wrote: »

You could give GM/VX a call and ask them, with your reg number they should be able to look it up.

To get the engine specification of a car, I apply for an online insurance quote using the registration plate. The insurers' vehicle database returns the full spec as part of the quote process.

You don't need to go right through the quote process, just give "your" personal details and the vehicle registration number, and the quote software retrieves the vehicle details for you to confirm that they are correct.

It seems to work fine except when the car has a private plate or the engine has been swapped, etc..