new member with questions

[gregstar]

G'day Guys and Gals,
I am a new member to this forum and even though I don't own a holden, I do have a 1995 Toyota 4runner with a few Mods.... but The biggest mod Is why I am here.
My 4x4 needs a new heart, and would like advice and Pro's & Cons of using different Holden motors.
5.0 v8
3.8 S/C v6
Carby v8

the conversion kits are no problem to get hold of, the Toyo 5sp Box will hold the power.
The engine will have to be at least 95 model for compliance etc.

Thanks,
Greg

[Victimiza]

personal opinion, go the s/c 6

[gregstar]

Cheers mate, I am leaning towards the S/C as it will be very different to have one in a 4x4.
is there anything in particular i need to look out for ?
is there anything that is unreliable, and breaks all the time ?
cheers

[UNKNOWN]

5.0l..........

[CANYONERO]

ive seen a 308 manual in a hilux, was pretty awesome. he still had the 2.4D badges on it lol. shocked a few people gettin overtaken on the highway thats for sure.

[gregstar]

So what do i need to look out for ?
are some S/C models different and not as good as others ?
do they have inherent problems ?
cheers

[matt'sVS]

My Mate Had A Bewick In His Pathfinder! Ran Mint! Ive Seen 4x4 With 8's In Them And They Just Dont Do As Well As The Turbo 4's Or The Petrol 6's. If You Get A Gd Motor Nufn Really Goes Wrong With It Depends How You Treat It?

[Emackulation]

My Mate Had A Bewick In His Pathfinder! Ran Mint! Ive Seen 4x4 With 8's In Them And They Just Dont Do As Well As The Turbo 4's Or The Petrol 6's. If You Get A Gd Motor Nufn Really Goes Wrong With It Depends How You Treat It?

So youy saying you've seen 4wd's with V8's but they dont go as well as the V6? That dosnt make any sense. The 4 runner has a similar engine to the buick 3.8L and they go alright, but a 5.0L injected V8 would be a heap better. So my pick would be the inj 5L.

[STEALTHY™]

The 5L and the SCV6 are rated at the same power.


Try and steer clear of the carby V8, unless your allowing alot of money for fuel each week. The inj 5L and V6 both will return great economy, yet when you decide to put the foot down, they have the go aswell.


My personal choice, the Charged V6

[Troy711]

My Mate Had A Bewick In His Pathfinder! Ran Mint! Ive Seen 4x4 With 8's In Them And They Just Dont Do As Well As The Turbo 4's Or The Petrol 6's. If You Get A Gd Motor Nufn Really Goes Wrong With It Depends How You Treat It?

quoted for lulz... bewick.. haha

[Wagon_Wheel]

Clearly there is no competition, 304 injected FTW!

[gregstar]

I have decided to go for the SC6 as the torque range would suit offroading better than the V8. also a little bit lighter for the front end, especially as I already have a bar and winch fitted which are real heavy in themselves.

The $$$ being asked vary from supplier and state.
I have come across the motors usually ranging $2200 to $2800 complete with fuel rails ecu etc etc ....all which I need.( usually look on evilbay )
If anyone knows of somewhere in VIC that might be able to supply a good SC6....

Silly question of the day..... are the engine mounts in the same location for the SC6 and the Ecotec 6. ??? ( sorry but gotta ask )

thanks guys

[Tom_1569]

I wouldnt bother with a carby at all.
Really what do you use the car for... work, play, 4wding, extreme 4wding.
The V6 would be alright, but i would never put one in a 4wd but thats caus i like to get serious.
A V8 would be alright, I drove a 305 TPI chev, on a 4wd that had 38.5 inch tyres and boy did they thing boogie, it could do circle work and would go anywhere, and it was missing the front tail shaft (so tehchnically a 2wd).
We were going to put a Gen 3 into a landcruiser, but its to expensive, and you can make similar torque with a worked turbo diesel which is what we chose. Also not much room at all for a gen 3 in a 78 series landcruiser.

[gregstar]

I wouldnt bother with a carby at all.
Really what do you use the car for... work, play, 4wding, extreme 4wding.
The V6 would be alright, but i would never put one in a 4wd but thats caus i like to get serious.
A V8 would be alright, I drove a 305 TPI chev, on a 4wd that had 38.5 inch tyres and boy did they thing boogie, it could do circle work and would go anywhere, and it was missing the front tail shaft (so tehchnically a 2wd).
We were going to put a Gen 3 into a landcruiser, but its to expensive, and you can make similar torque with a worked turbo diesel which is what we chose. Also not much room at all for a gen 3 in a 78 series landcruiser.

It is my daily driver so i want to have a nice ride with power there to overtake etc.
I go away with a 4x4 club, and even though some of the tracks are relativly tame.... other tracks are dead set challenges ( some people have described as extreme )

are the engine mounts in the same place on the SC6 as the ecotec 3.8 ???
cheers

[hakhawk]

It is my daily driver so i want to have a nice ride with power there to overtake etc.
I go away with a 4x4 club, and even though some of the tracks are relativly tame.... other tracks are dead set challenges ( some people have described as extreme )

are the engine mounts in the same place on the SC6 as the ecotec 3.8 ???
cheers

they are bolted to the same place on the blocks, yes.

dont go anything after vt, as they stuck the egr recirculation crap back on them then. which means you've gotta run that. less polution gear you can get away with, the better.

[Tom_1569]

It is my daily driver so i want to have a nice ride with power there to overtake etc.
I go away with a 4x4 club, and even though some of the tracks are relativly tame.... other tracks are dead set challenges ( some people have described as extreme )

are the engine mounts in the same place on the SC6 as the ecotec 3.8 ???
cheers

I would personelly be choosing a Gen 3 if money wasnt a problem. You would be looking at about 10grand though. But the fuel economy on them is excellent as well as alot of power very easily.

Personelly i dont think a V6 will make the torque easy enough for serious 4wding, but a charger just may do that, but then adapters and **** are going to be roughly the same price compared to the Gen 3. Just the engine will be a bit more, about 3grand + may pick one up cheaper though.
Also adapaters are 4grand all up with wiring and ****, everything to put it in, then you just need engineers (well for vic anyway)

[gregstar]

they are bolted to the same place on the blocks, yes.

dont go anything after vt, as they stuck the egr recirculation crap back on them then. which means you've gotta run that. less polution gear you can get away with, the better.

What about the Statesman's, ?
what model should i be looking for ?
With the EGR recircultion gear... whats the go with that ?, does it suck power, or is it just a pain in the bum to hook up ?
With the S/c 6 most run auto's so i was thinking of having a new programmed memcal made up to suit the manual box, and also over ride the BCM... is this possible as I have heard that the S/C 6 ECU does not have a replaceable memcal as such and will need a reprogrammed ECU.... is this right ???
cheers.

If anyone on here has or knows of an engine for sale..... PM me please

cheers

[hakhawk]

sucks power, looks ugly, etc. it recycles exhaust gases back into the intake. thats hot gases into where cold air should go, = not good. good for emissions, thats about it.

statesmans will be the same, upto vt era, which is what wh i think? so anything from vs-vt should be fine.

[Reaper]

No contest - 5.0 fuel injected. Tons of torque low down - great for 4wds.

Reaper

[Jamie_87]

dads mate has a VS 5L in his 80 series, sounds awesome and goes alot better the earlyier 80 series with the old 4.2 Petrol, but my dads 4.5L manual munches him...

in a hilux, id go a v8 or a ford 4L 6...If the BA 4L can power a 2000kg territory im sure it would power a hilux very nicely....

[Cheap6]

What about the Statesman's, ?
what model should i be looking for ?
With the EGR recircultion gear... whats the go with that ?, does it suck power, or is it just a pain in the bum to hook up ?
With the S/c 6 most run auto's so i was thinking of having a new programmed memcal made up to suit the manual box, and also over ride the BCM... is this possible as I have heard that the S/C 6 ECU does not have a replaceable memcal as such and will need a reprogrammed ECU.... is this right ???
cheers.

If anyone on here has or knows of an engine for sale..... PM me please

cheers

The S/C V6 is better in every way than the 304 V8; less weight, similar or more power, better low end, smaller size, which may be important for the conversion and what weight there is can be postioned further rearward. Cost?

For a straight swap a VS Calais (S2) or Statesman may be easier to use wrt the BCM - the PCM won't have to be disconnected from the donor car by someone with a Tech2 and the wiring may be easier because they don't use serial data. Not using the BCM (= paying someone to write it out) may change that and a later model may then be no more difficult.

If it was me, I would save the money for the rewrite and use the earlier (VS)engine with the donor car BCM and keep the anti-theft capability.

Using EGR is no concern (if it's even on the S/C engines - it is VT- NA but don't know for S/C) unless you need to use custom exhaust manifolds for the conversion, where provision would have to be made for it. It isn't active at WOT so doesn't cost any power but helps part load economy. (My VS will be getting EGR from a VT- donor because I think it's worth adding - vs deleting. While there are a few other differences VT power > VS power = EGR makes no difference in that respect.)

[gregstar]

Big thankyou to everyone who has given their advice,
It is going to be way to difficult to have the SC6,
keeping cool in the bush ???
Having it engineered here in VIC

and that leaves no choice but to go the V8
I am thinking of putting up a "build-up" thread, so I can show everyone how it is coming along.
I will also need some parts from various commodores, to adapt to the EFI V8,

VT 5.0 engine - complete
153 tooth GMH V8 flywheel
GMH heavy duty 10" clutch
308 short snout water pump
308 twin vee pulley (harmonic balancer)
308 single vee pulley (water pump)
VN/VP v8 alternator with vee pulley
New distributor
VK/VL metal engine fan
VT sump (for alterations)

Advice on any of the parts listed / brand names etc


cheers