The 1.6-liter Opel Z16XEP or LJ7 engine was produced from 2002 to 2009 in Hungary and was installed on most of the concern’s models of its time, such as Astra, Vectra and Zafira. This power unit had a modified version under its own index Z16XE1.
The Z15 family also includes engines: Z16SE, Z16XE, Z16XER, Z18XE and Z18XER.
The engine was installed on:
- Opel Astra G (T98) in 2002 – 2009; Astra H (A04) in 2004 – 2007;
- Opel Meriva A (X03) in 2005 – 2009;
- Opel Vectra C (Z02) in 2005 – 2008;
- Opel Zafira B (A05) in 2005 – 2007.
Specifications
| Production years | 2002-2009 |
| Displacement, cc | 1598 |
| Fuel system | distributed injection |
| Power output, hp | 105 |
| Torque output, Nm | 150 |
| Cylinder block | cast iron R4 |
| Block head | aluminum 16v |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 79 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 81.5 |
| Compression ratio | 10.5 |
| Features | Twinport |
| Hydraulic lifters | no |
| Timing drive | belt |
| Phase regulator | no |
| Turbocharging | no |
| Recommended engine oil | 5W-30 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 4.5 |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Euro standards | EURO 4 |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Opel Meriva 2007) — city — highway — combined |
8.8 5.5 6.7 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~300 000 |
| Weight, kg | 120 |
Disadvantages of the Z16XEP engine
- Drivers constantly complain about engine traction failures due to failures of the Twinport system;
- A little less often, a clogged EGR valve is to blame for the unstable operation of the power unit;
- The timing belt changes at 150,000 km, but it is better more often, since when it breaks, the valves bend;
- Low resource here also have: ECU unit, thermostat and ignition module;
- There are no hydraulic lifters and every 100 thousand km it is necessary to adjust the valve clearances.
