VR 5.0L questions

[VS 5.0]

What about the missing 3.4L?

#FridayLife

 

[VS 5.0]

Sometimes the smaller the engine the more fun you have.

My old 1.5L Ecoboost Focus fleet car was so much fun to throw around corners and just rev the absolute nuts off. (that and it wasn't my money if I broke anything)

While it's no rocket, at 1,080 kgs it still moves around OK.

If it had a bit more poke, I'd consider using it more.

 

[Deuce]

1. Bolt on wise a good free flowing exhaust and extractors and a tune will wake it up, but don't expect miracles. These engines are 50 years old and from factory run very low compression for emissions and the fuel quality of the era.

These engines really require engine level modifications to get power, at 8:4:1 compression any bolt on mods will probably yeild you maybe 10-15kw and thats about it, considering they are 165kw at the fly from factory your VE will still likely feel quicker, but god will this sound better.

2. You'll find they are actually incredibly reliable, They'll easily do 400-500,000km well maintained. Make sure you use a good high zinc oil such as HPR30 to protect the flat tappet cam, the biggest mistake with these engines people do is think modern expensive synthetic oils with low zinc is better for these engines.

Flat tappet cams need specific oil or you'll wipe the lobes off the camshaft.


I've got a cammed and heavily modified VR (4 barrel throttle, dual plane intake, decent cam, roller rockers, higher compression heads, big stall, extractors, twin exhaust) and my SV6 is night and day difference in terms of power/speed. The torque is much much better on the V8 though, the SV6 you've got to work harder to go fast.

But I'll always chose the 5L on the weekend if I'm going for a drive, always.

My advice, don't go the 5L for a daily driver, it will complement the SV6 as a nice weekender but they are a 50 year old engine, in a 30 year old car with near non existent single piston brakes and poor suspension......I love my VR, but I wouldn't use it on a day to day basis.

VE SV6's are also great on fuel, a 5L around town won't be.......not by a long shot. Weigh up being prepared to do 15L/100km in traffic at $2.20 per litre. Mine in it's current configuration will do 20L/100km around town in traffic easily on 98 octane fuel, I'd be broke driving to the shops on the regular.

I would drive my VR more if fuel was only $2.20

 

[Anthony .]

I would drive my VR more if fuel was only $2.20

Remember lockdown days when petrol was sub $1

 

[Having A Break]

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[someguy360]

Also, is a 5.0 even P plate legal in NSW?

NSW uses the power to weight calculator to work out if a car is legal for P platers.

165kw on a 1450kg car it should be approved.

Here in SA it would be banned due to 8 cylinders. Yet a P plater would be able to hop in a 400kw naturally aspirated 6 cylinder no problems, go figure.

 

[Having A Break]

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[Having A Break]

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[someguy360]

I guess the other thing for the OP to remember being a P plater is while you are allowed to own and drive one, under P plate laws you aren't allowed to do any performance modifications (aka exhaust, headers etc)

So I guess you've got to weigh up if you want to take the risk of getting caught, or leaving it stock until you are off your P's. (Stock 5L's are very boring, the factory exhaust is near silent).

A cop hearing a V8 with a p plate on it is going to be an easy target.

 

[vc commodore]

My personal opinion is, if you wish to get one and the funds do allow it, buy one and keep the VE until you are off your "P's" Whilst it is sitting, you can do the modifications you wish to do and once you have your opens (which I assume) will be in a year or 2, you can then register it and enjoy driving it.

That will help with the police zoning onto you purely due to the licence status...

So another thing to consider