Realistic power output figures from holden sixes

[Post Vintage]

Well i'll be picking up the holley 350 and cain manifold tomorrow. The holley hasnt had fuel through it since reconditioning and the manifold is brand new. My 173 red engine has electronic dizzy, electronic fuel pump... going to fit a cooler thermostat and have already fitted massive VR radiator and thermofan and removed the stock engine fan. The car has a basically straight through exhaust which is 2.25" with one decent big walker muffler at the rear, no cat or nothing between it running from the stock exhaust manifold.

I have no idea whats been done to the engine, but I figure its stock. The trimatic gearbox revs out first into second and slips and doesnt change at high revs, but second to third changes hard. It often goes from first to third too when im just cruising slowly, and the kickdown is rooted... probably the cable.

I want to work out what would be the best to do to the engine without overspending. Extractors are top of my list, and if I can find a second hand set then I'll be putting some on asap.

I figure if im going to start doing things like head shaving for compression, lumpier cam, pistons etc its going to be a waste of time, as a 202 would give me 0.5L displacement straight out the box and another 15kw or so... and I want to keep this engine in there because it doesnt blow smoke and there isnt much point changing it right away.

The toyota blowers are crap... they are from a 2L engine and fair enough they do rev higher but I am more of a turbo man than a supercharger man.

The main cost I find in turbo applications is the engine management side of things, and I know low levels of boost 6-8psi can be had with most efi engines without need for upgrading MUCH. I have no idea about how carbed turbo applications work, and what needs to be done to the holley to achieve that.

I figure my job is done with the cooling side of things, and now that I needed a carby and a nice holley 350 has come my way for cheap ($150!) I am prepared to probably drop another $500 on the engine if its REALLY worth it.

Car has 3.9:1 diff ratio, IRS, four wheel disc brakes with twin opposing pistons and handles and drives well enough. Would turbocharging be as simple as:

Turbo - (No idea on size, but figuring the car wont rev over 4500-5000rpm probably a T25 from a silvia with internal gate for cheap) - say $150, can upgrade it later.
BOV - Twin trumpet good cheap n nasty one from ebay like $40
Boost controller, turbotech one - $35
Extractors to turbo pipe - custom make under $50
Then fit the turbo to the rest of the 2.25" exhaust for now.

Im thinking that the engine is 85kw stock, and with holley, extractors and good CAI and cooling should be conservatively putting out well around 110kw++? I have no idea what boost can be run on these engines, but at 8psi+ if I get like 180kW+ Id be happy... that would send me all over the road with the 185/75/R14's I got on there now.

So you got this far... thanks for reading =)

[lxhatch]

Would turbocharging be as simple as:

Turbo - (No idea on size, but figuring the car wont rev over 4500-5000rpm probably a T25 from a silvia with internal gate for cheap) - say $150, can upgrade it later.
BOV - Twin trumpet good cheap n nasty one from ebay like $40
Boost controller, turbotech one - $35
Extractors to turbo pipe - custom make under $50
Then fit the turbo to the rest of the 2.25" exhaust for now.

you would have to work out your fuel, are you going for a blow thru set up or injection or a draw thru set up...............
plus there is other little things like oil and water supply to turbo...

and you exhuast manifold if you cant work a welder very well $50 might not be enough to get that made...........

it seems you hard earned could probly go on another tranny....

I have no idea what boost can be run on these engines, but at 8psi+

for every 2psi of boost in increases your compression by one point,( i think )
so if std it is 8.5:1 having 8psi would make it 10.5:1, so std may not hold up to too much boost.......

anyone feel free to correct me if they know better

[JD]

it seems you hard earned could probly go on another tranny....

i would go fix this first, maybe even shift kit it, you'll be amazed i think what difference it would make.

[Post Vintage]

Yea my mate just got his VQ statesman 5L shift kitted with high stall and the thing is a REALLY hard solid second gear change. Even if you baby it in the wet and kick into second the arse end wants to come around under normal (Decent) throttle, always arse end towards the drivers side.

Bloody commodores (joke)...gotta love em

[DANNY8]

If u have $500 to spend, first thing I'd buy is a new cam, valve springs and lifters. Maybe get the head shaved, but if u want to go forced induction then I wouldn't worry bout it. And yeah, get ur trans fixed.

[Post Vintage]

I have $500 free that I can spend if its worth it, taking into consideration a V8 engine and box will be bought probably next week or the week after and sit in my shed for a month with 750 double pumper and all the crap on it... new cam, springs, lifters, waste of time for me right now.

[quiksilv3r]

So you want to spend $500 on the 173, only to take it out next week and drop in an 8?

If I read that right, save the $500 and put ti towards the 8 when it is in

[Post Vintage]

Ill get the engine next week, but because Ill need a few hundred dollars for a tailshaft, engine mounts and full twin exhaust system... then I might as well keep it out the car, buy all that and work on it slowly... new higher compression pistons etc

However if there are easy mods I can do which doesnt require much work then thats what Im after for now to have some fun... the 173 is boring to drive in a big 1400kg merc. I am picking up and bolting on a holley 350 today though, so that will be a major improvement over the stromberg surely.

[lxhatch]

if you going to go v8 use the cash to get in there and running, much more fun in having that in there....

wouldn't waste money on 173.......

[DANNY8]

lol you want easy mods, but don't want to change cam, lifters and springs....how easier do u want it? That would only be a days work just cruising along sinkin back a carton.

But yeah if ur buying a V8 to put in I'd be spending the money on that.

But if u wanna have fun with ur 173, just buy a manual to put behind it. Auto's are useless in any car if u wanna have fun. Manual all the way.