This page covers the A14NEL 1.4 turbo, the Small Gasoline Engine block fitted to Vauxhall/Opel. The listing is deliberately narrow: a single reference, JE Pistons forged pistons cut for the 16-valve turbo. On this engine the cast original piston is the first limit once boost pressure climbs; a forged piston carries the thermal and mechanical load without collapsing the ring lands or picking up on the gudgeon pin bore. Fitting one calls for a bore check and a piston clearance set for forged material. No other part family is listed here: the A14NEL selection stops at the piston.
The B14NEH is the late version of the Vauxhall/Opel 1.4 16-valve turbo, taken straight from the A14NEL. One item is listed here, and that is by design: Wossner forged pistons. On this block the question is not stroke but detonation margin: raise the boost pressure, advance the ignition, and the standard piston crown works beyond what its casting allows. A forged piston brings a thicker crown and better hot strength, provided the cold clearance quoted by the maker is respected.
The C16NZ is the Vauxhall/Opel 1.6 eight-valve with single-point injection, a plain block that is built naturally aspirated. Five active references cover three families here. Valve timing is set with the Kent Cams adjustable camshaft pulleys, which let you shift the diagram after head work or a cam change, and with a Kent Cams uprated timing belt. The rotating assembly is backed by ZRP forged rods, shared with the 8 and 16-valve 1.6, and by Wiseco forged pistons cut to C16NZ size. A coherent set for an engine you take up in revs.
The X16XE is the 1.6 sixteen-valve Ecotec, a naturally aspirated engine whose potential is decided at the cylinder head. The five active references on this page follow that logic. The Cometic uprated head gasket, 82mm bore, comes in several thicknesses depending on the variant, 0.76mm among them, which covers a skimmed deck. The Catcams adjustable camshaft pulleys, 46 teeth, sold in pairs, allow each shaft to be timed on its own. A Kent Cams uprated timing belt and ZRP forged rods complete the set. The forged piston listed here comes under several brands depending on the variant.
The Z16LER and Z16LET make up the Vauxhall/Opel 1.6 sixteen-valve turbo, and this page covers the whole block. Sealing rests on the Athena uprated head gasket, 80mm bore and 1.00mm thick, together with ARP main bearing bolts. The rotating assembly brings a ZRP forged crankshaft, ACL big end and main bearings, forged rods in ZRP or Wossner depending on the variant, and forged pistons, one set cut for the 89mm crank. The head takes Supertech valves, springs and cam followers with 3.10 to 3.35mm shims, plus Catcams camshafts. Three Vibra-Technics mounts hold the torque.
The 1.9 8-valve CIH opens Vauxhall/Opel's Cam In Head family: the camshaft sits high in the block, level with the head, and works the valves through short rockers. A sturdy layout, yet the standard valve train and cast pistons cap what the engine will safely rev to. Our range here is deliberately narrow, two parts that lift exactly those two limits. JE PISTONS forged pistons take raised compression and harsh thermal cycling, while the CATCAMS Sport 4600236 camshaft, 272° duration, fits CIH 8V units from 1.6 to 2.4 litres and shifts the power band upwards.
The A20NHT and A20NFT are direct-injection 2.0 16-valve turbo units: boost pressure and the pulling power available from low down load the rotating assembly straight away, so that is where reinforcement starts. ZRP forged con rods are listed for LNF, A20NHT and A20NFT blocks fitted to the Insignia OPC and Astra J VXR, and replace items sized for standard output. They pair with forged pistons covering A20NHT, NFT, LNF and LSJ, whose variants come from several makers, so pick yours at the order stage. A deliberately tight two-part range.
On a C20LET everything comes down to holding pressure. The head gasket goes first: COMETIC at 88mm bore, or ATHENA at 87.5mm in 1.30mm and 1.90mm thicknesses, the thicker one serving to drop the compression ratio before boost is raised. ARP head studs keep the clamp load in place as cylinder pressure climbs. The bottom end follows with ZRP forged con rods, including a 148mm centre-to-centre version, forged pistons for the C20LET and standard-size ACL or KING RACING big end bearings. Up top, SUPERTECH valves and valve springs round the build off.
The C20XE Red Top earned its name through its 16-valve head, and that is where a naturally aspirated build is won. SUPERTECH valves, 34(+1) x 6.96 x 105.00mm inlet and Inconel 30(+1) x 6.95 x 105.00mm exhaust, twin valve springs at 14mm or 14.5mm maximum lift and CATCAMS alloy retainers open the door to higher lift camshafts. KENT CAMS and 42-tooth CATCAMS adjustable pulleys plus a reinforced KENT CAMS belt make timing precise and repeatable. Below: ZRP forged con rods, ARP2000 bolts, standard-size big end and main bearings, ATHENA or COMETIC gaskets and ARP studs.
The LNF belongs to GM's Ecotec generation: a 2.0 16-valve with direct petrol injection and a turbocharger. That combination raises chamber pressure very early in the stroke, and it is the small end and gudgeon pin that absorb the load peaks. Two references cover the build. ZRP forged con rods are listed for LNF, A20NHT and A20NFT blocks and are meant to run with forged pistons. The forged pistons on offer cover LNF, LSJ, A20NHT and NFT; their variants come from more than one maker, so choose according to the compression and the oversize you are aiming for.
The LSJ is the supercharged member of General Motors' 2.0 16v Ecotec family. Unlike the turbocharged units found elsewhere in this range, it is fed by a belt-driven supercharger, so boost is available from low engine speed and the cylinder head sees a permanent thermal load. Two parts answer that here: the COMETIC reinforced head gasket in 87mm bore, which keeps the chamber sealed under pressure, and a set of forged pistons covering the A20NHT, A20NFT, LNF and LSJ codes. A deliberately focused selection, aimed at the top end.
The LTG is General Motors' latest-generation 2.0 turbo with direct injection: an Ecotec block combining high boost pressure, tightly managed electronics and a thermal load concentrated on the piston crown. The range shown here is deliberately narrow, a single reference: a JE PISTONS forged piston set developed for the LTG. Forging brings the mechanical strength that the cast original part no longer provides once load is raised. On this engine the piston sets the ceiling for the whole build, so it is the part you choose first.
The Z20LET is Vauxhall/Opel's 2.0 16v turbo four, a block worked between 87.5mm and 88mm bore depending on the head gasket chosen, and one whose boost pressure climbs quickly once it is tuned. This page covers the rotating assembly and the seal: ZRP forged connecting rods, also offered in a WOSSNER version and in a 148mm centre-to-centre length, ACL tri-metal big end bearings in standard size, forged pistons, ATHENA reinforced head gaskets at 87.5mm bore and 1.90mm thick, COMETIC at 88mm, and SUPERTECH exhaust valves in 29.5mm and 32.5mm head diameter. VIBRA-TECHNICS Sport and Competition mounts complete it.
In 2.0-litre eight-valve form the CIH carries its camshaft in the head, belt driven, so cam timing is the first setting to revisit as soon as the profile changes. This page gathers what that involves: the KENT CAMS adjustable timing pulley for 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 8V engines from 1993 on, the KENT CAMS uprated timing belt, and a 46-tooth CATCAMS adjustable cam pulley listed for the 1.8/2.0 Ecotec. For the rotating assembly, KING RACING tri-metal big end bearings in standard size for the 20SE, 20SEH and 20SER, plus WOSSNER forged pistons for the 2.0 8v.
The Z22SE is the naturally aspirated 2.2 16v Ecotec: with no turbo, the gains come from capacity, breathing and compression ratio. That is exactly what the WISECO forged piston set on this page allows, offered from 86mm to 86.5mm bore and from 8.9:1 to 10:1 compression depending on the variant, so you raise the ratio for normally aspirated use or drop it if boost is planned later. The WISECO reinforced head gasket covers the sealing side. The page also carries VIBRA-TECHNICS Sport and Competition uprated engine mounts.
The 2.4-litre eight-valve is the largest of the CIH four-cylinder units, the biggest capacity this architecture received before moving to the straight six. It gives plenty of torque very low down, and equally a high load per cylinder. As soon as compression or cylinder filling are changed, the cast standard piston becomes the first limit of the block, because it was never sized for that level of stress. We hold a single forged piston reference here for the 2.4 8v CIH, chosen for exactly that reason rather than a list of parts that do not suit it.
Moving from four cylinders to six changes the whole picture within the CIH family. The 2.8-litre twelve-valve lines up six cylinders, with the natural balance and smoothness a straight six brings, but also a longer crankshaft and inertia loads that spread differently. The rotating assembly becomes the thing to watch as soon as revs or load go up. We cover this Vauxhall/Opel block with JE PISTONS forged pistons, made to take combustion pressures the standard part was never asked to handle. One reference, but the one that matters.
The A28NET / Z28NET is the only forced-induction V6 in this Vauxhall/Opel catalogue: six cylinders in vee, twenty-four valves, and boost that pushes combustion pressure far beyond anything a naturally aspirated block of the same capacity ever sees. The same engine appears at SAAB under the code B284R. On the Insignia OPC and the Vectra OPC a build starts with the piston, and we list WOSSNER forged pistons here, sized for the thermal and mechanical load of a hard-worked twin-turbo.
The 3.0-litre twelve-valve closes the CIH line at the top: it is the largest capacity this architecture ever received, six cylinders, two valves per cylinder, and torque available very early. That is also what shapes a build, since cylinder filling and compression ratio become the real variables and the load carried by each piston climbs quickly. The offer here is limited to WOSSNER forged pistons for the 3.0 12v CIH. A well-chosen forged piston lets you raise compression without turning the block into a consumable.
The C30SE is Opel's three-litre 24-valve straight-six, the only naturally aspirated six-cylinder in our OPEL engine range. Twin overhead camshafts, twenty-four valves: it powers the Omega A 3000 24V and forms the base of the Lotus Omega, also badged Lotus Carlton. Torque and revs climb together, and the bottom end feels it as soon as the build moves away from standard. This page is deliberately narrow: it currently carries one active part, the WISECO forged pistons made for the C30SE. Machined from forged blanks, they replace the cast originals and take the combustion pressure of a reworked engine. Need another family for this block? Send us your engine code.
The Astra F replaced the Kadett E in 1991 and stayed in the Vauxhall/Opel line-up until 1998, as a three-door, a saloon and an estate. Engines ran from 1.4 to 2.0, eight or sixteen valves, topped by the GSi 16V with its 150bhp C20XE and by the C20LET turbo. Our selection follows that generation: COMETIC and ATHENA head gaskets, ARP head studs, ACL and KING RACING big end bearings, SUPERTECH valves and valve springs, CATCAMS adjustable cam pulleys and a KENT CAMS timing belt. Two valve references listed here are in fact sized for the Z20LET of the following generation, so check your engine code before ordering.
The Astra G opened the Ecotec era at Vauxhall/Opel. Built from 1998 to 2004 as a three-door, a five-door, a saloon, an estate and a coupé, it replaced the Astra F without carrying over its engines. Petrol units run from the 1.6 16V X16XE to the 2.2 16V, and the range is crowned by the G OPC with its 2.0 Turbo Z20LET, shared with the Zafira OPC and the Speedster Turbo. Our selection follows that generation: COMETIC, ATHENA and WISECO head gaskets, KING RACING big end bearings, SUPERTECH valves, CATCAMS and KENT CAMS adjustable cam pulleys. To that we add the VIBRA-TECHNICS engine mounts, in Sport or Competition stiffness, listed for the Astra G and H 2.0 Turbo.
The Astra H took over from the Astra G in 2004 and stayed in the Vauxhall/Opel line-up until 2010, as a three-door GTC, a five-door, an estate and in OPC form. This is the generation that moved the Astra towards smaller turbocharged petrol units. Our coverage of it is deliberately tight today: a single active reference, the reinforced ATHENA head gasket. It is listed for the 1.6 turbo A16LER/S/T and Z16LER engines, not for every unit fitted to the H bodyshell, so check the code stamped on your block before ordering. We extend the range as stock comes in: tell us what you are looking for.
The Astra J ran from 2009 to 2015 in the Vauxhall/Opel range: five-door hatch, Sports Tourer estate, GTC coupé and, at the top, the OPC with 280bhp. It follows the Astra H and gives way to the Astra K. Our offer on this page is deliberately narrow: a single active reference, the ATHENA uprated head gasket for the 1.6 turbo four, engine codes A16LER, A16LES, A16LET and Z16LER. That is the part you renew as soon as boost pressure goes up, where the standard gasket eventually gives in. Unsure which engine you have? Send us the code and we will confirm.
Shown at Frankfurt in 1989, the Calibra was the Vauxhall/Opel coupé, and with a 0.26 drag coefficient it was the most aerodynamic production car in the world at launch. Built until 1997, it came as a 2.0 8V, as the 16V C20XE and above all as the Turbo 4x4 C20LET, whose 204bhp reached the road through four driven wheels and a six-speed gearbox. Its racing career, up to the 1996 ITC title, did the rest. This page gathers ATHENA and COMETIC head gaskets, ARP head studs, KENT CAMS timing belts and CATCAMS adjustable pulleys, SUPERTECH valves and valve springs, KING RACING big end bearings and forged pistons. Note that two SUPERTECH valves listed here belong to the Z20LET, not the C20.
The first Corsa left the Zaragoza line in 1982 and stayed in the Vauxhall/Opel catalogue until 1993, as a two-box three-door and as the TR saloon, with a facelift in 1990. British buyers knew it as the Nova, and the range topped out with the fuel-injected 1.6 GSi. Our offer for this generation comes down to two references, both from KENT CAMS: an adjustable cam pulley for the 1.4 and 1.6 8V GSi, and an uprated timing belt for the 1.6 built between 1986 and 1991. Two parts, no filler: exactly what you need to re-time the camshaft after head work and keep the belt drive honest.
With the Corsa B, launched in 1993, the small Vauxhall/Opel changed era: rounded bodywork, a four-door in the range and, above all, Ecotec power, including the 1.6 16V X16XE of the GSi. It ran until 2000 before giving way to the Corsa C. Only two parts here, and they aim at that top of the range: the COMETIC uprated head gasket for the 1.6 16V X16XE and X16XEL, offered in several thicknesses by variant, and SUPERTECH solid cam followers, which are listed for the Z16-Z18 series rather than for the X16XE. Check your engine code before ordering those.
The fifth-generation Vauxhall/Opel Corsa ran from 2006 to 2014 in three- and five-door bodies, with a facelift in 2011. It follows the Corsa C and hands over to the Corsa E. The range tops out with the OPC, a 1.6 sixteen-valve turbo rated at 192bhp, lifted to 210bhp on the Nürburgring Edition, alongside the 150bhp GSi. Our selection tracks that family: ZRP forged crankshaft, ZRP or Wossner forged rods, forged pistons, ACL bearings, an ATHENA head gasket, SUPERTECH valves, springs and cam followers, CATCAMS camshafts and the three uprated VIBRA-TECHNICS mounts. Engine codes: Z16LER, Z16LET and A16LER/S/T.
The last car to wear the Kadett name, the Vauxhall/Opel Kadett E arrived in 1984, took the 1985 Car of the Year title and ran until 1991 as a three- and five-door hatch, a saloon, an estate and a convertible. In 1991 Opel dropped the name: its replacement is the Astra F, the badge Britain already used on this car as the Vauxhall Astra Mk2. The GSi 16V and its 150bhp C20XE sit at the top. Our range targets the rotating assembly of those engines: ACL and KING RACING big end bearings for the 2.0 eight-valve 20SE, 20SEH and 20SER as well as the 2.0 sixteen-valve C20XE, ARP2000 rod bolts listed for the 150bhp GSi, and forged pistons for the C20XE.
Opel's executive car, the Omega A replaced the Rekord E in 1986 and ran until 1994 as a saloon and an estate, before the Omega B took over. Car of the Year 1987, sold in Britain as the Vauxhall Carlton, it spanned CIH four-cylinders from 1.8 to 2.0 up to the straight-six, and reached its peak with the Lotus Omega. This page is deliberately short: one live reference, the KING RACING tri-metal big end bearings for the 2.0 eight-valve 20SE, 20SEH and 20SER. For the other engines in this car, use our engine pages: the CIH pages for the four-cylinders, the C30SE page for the 3.0 24-valve. Tell us your engine code if what you need is not listed.
The Vauxhall VX220, sold on the continent as the Opel Speedster, is a two-seat mid-engined roadster built by Lotus at Hethel from 2000 to 2005. Its bonded extruded-aluminium chassis comes straight from the Lotus Elise, which keeps the car under 900kg: that, far more than capacity, is what defines how it drives. Two engines were offered, the naturally aspirated 2.2 sixteen-valve Z22SE and then the 200bhp 2.0 Z20LET Turbo. For those cars this page carries ATHENA and COMETIC uprated head gaskets, SUPERTECH exhaust valves for the Z20LET, and VIBRA-TECHNICS engine mounts in Sport and Competition grades.
