Opel C20NE engine specifications
| Characteristics | Value |
|---|---|
| Production | Kaiserslautern plant |
| Engine make | C20NE, X20SE |
| Years of manufacture | 1986-1999 |
| Cylinder block material | cast iron |
| Power system | injector |
| Type | row |
| Number of cylinders | 4 |
| Valves per cylinder | 2 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 86 |
| Cylinder diameter, mm | 86 |
| Compression ratio | 9.2 (C20NE), 10.0 (X20SE) |
| Engine displacement, cc | 1998 |
| Engine power, hp/rpm | 114/5200, 114/5400 (X20SE) |
| Torque, Nm/rpm | 170/2600, 172/2800 (X20SE) |
| Fuel | 92-95 |
| Environmental regulations | Euro 1 (C20NE), Euro 2 (X20SE) |
| Fuel consumption, l/100 km | (for Opel Vectra A) |
| – city 10.3 | |
| – highway 5.6 | |
| – mixed. 7.1 | |
| Oil consumption, gr./1000 km | to 600 |
| Engine oil | 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40, 5W-50, 10W-40, 10W-60, 15W-40 |
| How much oil in the engine, liters | 4.5 |
| Oil change is carried out, km | 15000 |
| Engine life, thousand kilometers | in practice 300+ |
| Tuning | potential |
| -without loss of resource | |
| The engine was installed | Vauxhall/Opel Astra F, Vauxhall/Opel Calibra, Vauxhall/Opel Frontera, Vauxhall/Opel Kadett, Vauxhall/Opel Omega A/B, Vauxhall/Opel Vectra A, Opel Ascona |
The Kaiserslautern plant produced the C20NE and X20SE engine brands between 1986 and 1999. These four-cylinder units had an in-line configuration and consisted of a cast iron cylinder block with two valves per cylinder.
Specifications of the C20NE engine included a piston stroke of 86 mm, cylinder bore of 86 mm and a compression ratio of 9.2, and the engine displacement was 1998 cubic centimeters. The output of this engine was 114 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and torque was 170 Nm at 2,600 rpm.
The X20SE engine had a compression ratio of 10.0, 114 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 172 Nm of torque at 2,800 rpm.
Environmental regulations were Euro 1 for the C20NE and Euro 2 for the X20SE. Fuel consumption for the Opel Vectra A was 10.3 liters per 100 km in the city, 5.6 liters per 100 km on the highway and 7.1 liters per 100 km in the mixed cycle. Oil consumption did not exceed 600 grams per 1000 km.
Recommended engine oil types included 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40, 5W-50, 10W-40, 10W-60 and 15W-40. The volume of oil in the engine was 4.5 liters, and oil change was recommended every 15000 km.
In practice, the engine life can reach more than 300 thousand kilometers.
The C20NE and X20SE engine was installed in Vauxhall/Opel Astra F, Vauxhall/Opel Calibra, Vauxhall/Opel Frontera, Vauxhall/Opel Kadett, Vauxhall/Opel Omega A/B, Vauxhall/Opel Vectra A, and Opel Ascona.
Troubleshooting and repair of Opel C20NE and X20SE engines
Production of this engine began in August 1986, and the first car equipped with it was Opel Omega A. The cylinder block C20NE is made of cast iron, its height is 216.3 mm. Inside this block is installed crankshaft with a stroke of 86 mm, the diameter of the cylinders is also 86 mm, the height of the pistons – 30.4 mm, and the length of connecting rods – 143 mm. All this provides a displacement of 2 liters.
This block is equipped with a single-shaft head with two valves per cylinder. C20NE camshaft characteristics: phase is 274/275, lift is 6.67/6.67 mm. The inlet valves are 41.8 mm in diameter and the exhaust valves are 36.5 mm in diameter, with a stem diameter of 7 mm.
The timing system here works with the help of a timing belt. Replacement of the timing belt on the C20NE is necessary every 60 thousand kilometers of mileage. If the belt breaks, the motor does not damage the valves.
Adjustment of valves is not required – this motor has hydrocompensators.
The performance of standard injectors is 175 cc. The diameter of the throttle plate is 55 mm.
Based on the C20NE, a 1.8-liter C18NZ with mono injection was also produced, as well as a 16-valve C20XE.
This engine was installed until July 1996, but since 1994 it was supplanted by the X20SE. The difference between this engine and C20NE is the ignition module, detonation sensor, pistons for compression ratio 10, EGR valve, slightly modified distributor, valve cover and control unit Motronic M 1.5.4. As a result of these modifications, the power remained unchanged, but the engine became compliant with Euro-2 environmental standards.
Production of this engine was discontinued in 1999, and it was replaced by the X22SE, Y22SE and Y22XE.
Problems and disadvantages of the C20NE and X20SE engines
Like its 1.8-liter counterpart, the C18NZ, this motor is easy to maintain, reliable and can go a long way without problems. However, you should realize that the C20NE and X20SE engines are very old, and they no longer have any safety margin. It is important to keep an eye on the condition of the cooling system, perform regular engine maintenance, and use only quality oil and gasoline. If these conditions are met, it will serve you for a long time.
Tuning Opel C20NE and X20SE engines
Any modifications to this motor are financially disadvantageous for you, unless you have a free C20XE, then you can flip the piston, head and all the attachments to your C20NE.
You can also modify a C20NE into a 20SEH by installing the camshaft from a 20SEH (with 274/274 phase, 6.67/6.67mm lift), pistons, and ECU. Adding a tuning intake manifold (such as Lexmaul), injectors from a C20XE, a 4-2-1 catalytic converterless exhaust manifold, direct exhaust, and tuning the electronic control system will make the engine run even more efficiently. Porting the cylinder head, as well as using tuned camshafts with 280+ phase and about 12mm of lift will help achieve close to C20XE performance, while keeping costs significantly lower than buying a C20XE.
ENGINE RATING: 4