253 into a VK

[Bastian]

Now from my knowledge the VK was never released with the 253?

I have a mate that has one at his place that he ripped out of his VK SLE (originally a 6 cyl) to drop in a 308. Now he purchased the car with the 253 in it already. This motor has just been sitting at his house for the past few years and I can get it off him for only 50 bucks! He just wants it gone and can't find anyone that needs it.

I want to convert my VK to a V8 and even though it won't pack the punch of a 5 litre, the 253 should still give me that tough sound. I've briefly spoken to my mechanic about it and he reckons that I can't use this motor because its too pollutant a motor to meet regulations or something. He reckons the only cars that can have that motor these days are the ones with them already, or the actual car that came out with them. Is this the case or is he wrong? Am I able to put this 253 into my VK? Also if I can do I need an engineers certificate seeing as it should bolt straight in. Mechanic also told me that I wouldn't need an engineers certificate for a VN EFI 5L because they pretty much bolt straight in, just need the wiring loom.

Also seeing as though its only a baby 8 is it absolutely necessary to replace the diff, transmission etc or will the current gear be right to handle it? Will the transmission even bolt together or do I need a V8 trimatic?

Is the 253 an option or am I just wasting my time. I'm not so much after the power of the V8, more the sound!

Thanks in advance!

[SL/ENUT]

Its illegal, cause Vks never had them. The mechanic is right. I dunno if the engineer would pass it.

[VK SL 3800]

You see plenty of VKs with 253s so you could probably get away with it, but yeh technically illegal.

[Darren_L]

^^ as above.
the 253 is barely distinguishable from a 308, particularly if you paint it black like the VK 5L

but if the authorities check the engine number, they will realise it's a pre-VK engine and then you might have some dramas.
308's are cheap these days, if you are going to the trouble of a V8 conversion, may as well spend a few hundred extra and enjoy the extra benefits of the extra cubes.

[DANNY8]

Well just to throw a spanner in the works. My VK is legally rego'd with a 253 in it! When I filled out the paperwork to change it to an 8, I used the number off a spare block I have. Regency got in contact with us and said the number doesn't belong to a 308. I checked the number and yeah he was right, it's a 253 number (turns out the block had been restamped). He said it doesn't matter, but just double check the number and get back to him. A few days later we received the new rego papers in the mail, with the rego changed to V8, and with the 253 engine number listed.

He said if we were putting a 253 in it we wouldn't have to put discs on the back coz they're slow (his exact words lol).

[vkwalks39]

G'day, I had a vk with red 253 in it. I had no trouble with rego. As Darren_L Said" just paint it black". Thats what I did with mine. And just make saw the pollution gear is hook up. Cheers Jason

[Hangman]

Not saying you can't get away with putting it in, but an insurance company would have a field day if you were in an accident.

[Clutchy]

No reason at all you cant run it you just have to have to pollution gear all hooked up and workin that a vk v8 would have so a pollution manifold on it and it will be fine. and no your 6cyl gearbox wont bolt up.and you would have to check with vic roads as to what brakes to run as im not sure if they were different from 8 to 6 on the vk.

[Clutchy]

Not saying you can't get away with putting it in, but an insurance company would have a field day if you were in an accident.

Why do you say that???

[VK SL 3800]

Because technically its illegal so that means instant insurance void. Youll be paying for that Merc or Audi "you didnt see".

[Bastian]

How would the diff hold up. So I'm better off going for the 308? Its just a bloody nightmare trying to find one! The VN/VP EFI are pretty expensive still too. Any ideas where to look specifically? VK 308 is well and good if I could actually find one

[tigervh]

Because technically its illegal so that means instant insurance void. Youll be paying for that Merc or Audi "you didnt see".

It is a commonly held myth that it is illegal to fit a 253 into a VK Commodore. The fact is both the 1983 onward VH blue 253 and the VK black 308 are built to comply with ADR27C. You can fit an older engine to a vehicle so long as it complies with or exceeds the ADR's of the original engine.

I am not familiar with the Victorian regulations for substituting engines in light vehicles but a quick search of the Vicroads website returned this document.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rd...340/0/VSI8.pdf


I'm not going to type out the whole thing, you can look it up yourself. In short you can fit an engine not offered in that model by the manufacturer if the replacement engine is of a similar size, power output and emission standards as the original engine. You don't need engineering certification unless you have to alter the structure of the vehicle or alter engine mountings and gearbox crossmembers.

So there you have it, you can legally register a VK with a 253.

[VK SL 3800]

I'm not going to type out the whole thing, you can look it up yourself. In short you can fit an engine not offered in that model by the manufacturer if the replacement engine is of a similar size, power output and emission standards as the original engine. You don't need engineering certification unless you have to alter the structure of the vehicle or alter engine mountings and gearbox crossmembers.
.

I used that rule in NSW to fit my V6 the the VK without an engineers certificate as in NSW the engine was allowed to be within 15% increase of the largest size available which was obviously a 5L 308. The RTA told me because i hadnt used an aftermarket front end, (ie VP front end exactly same as a VK one) i was allowed to register it without a formal inspection, they didnt care about gearbox crossmembers. As long as all the new engines emissions gear was hooked up your good to go.

[tigervh]

I used that rule in NSW to fit my V6 the the VK without an engineers certificate as in NSW the engine was allowed to be within 15% increase of the largest size available which was obviously a 5L 308. The RTA told me because i hadnt used an aftermarket front end, (ie VP front end exactly same as a VK one) i was allowed to register it without a formal inspection, they didnt care about gearbox crossmembers. As long as all the new engines emissions gear was hooked up your good to go.

Interesting! Did you establish a new registration with blue slip or did you just update the engine details on an existing registration?

[vk.jonno]

I used that rule in NSW to fit my V6 the the VK without an engineers certificate as in NSW the engine was allowed to be within 15% increase of the largest size available which was obviously a 5L 308. The RTA told me because i hadnt used an aftermarket front end, (ie VP front end exactly same as a VK one) i was allowed to register it without a formal inspection, they didnt care about gearbox crossmembers. As long as all the new engines emissions gear was hooked up your good to go.

Does this mean I can put a vp v6 in mine? (:

[Hangman]

Not saying you can't get away with putting it in, but an insurance company would have a field day if you were in an accident.

Why do you say that???

Well apparently you can do it legally, without it being engineered. I didn't know that.

I was more responding to the "paint it black and you'll be right" replies. The colour won't help you when it comes down to it if it's not legal.

[VK SL 3800]

I just had the engine number and capacity changed on the current rego papers, i had to have a blue slip done to confirm the engine No i gave them was the same number on the engine itself. And then the RTA just updated the details on the rego papers, same deal with insurance, just told them the new engine no and capacity and it was all sweet, doesnt cost any more then before to insure. I will get it engineered as soon as i get off my P's however, just to avoid getting a pointless defect or questioned about whether its roadworthy.

And yeh Jono you should be, dunno what vicy laws are like though.

[vk.jonno]

I'll look it up woo

[[ - 5LCOMMY - ]]

$50 for a 253 damnn if you dont want it il take it lol

[Bastian]

lol he just wants it gone. Its been sitting there for about 3 years at his parents house.