vr to vn engine swap

[hayzeez]

gday
i got an unregistered complete vr with a low klm motor and stage 2 shift kit box, and my mate has a vn s pack with a motor and box (over 400k) thats about to **** itself
and i was thinking of grabbin a bargain and buyin his car and use my vr as a donor car and swap over everything thats better (front seats, mags, diff? steering rack?)
but minimum the motor and box, i have read around a bit and i know all the hardware is gonna bolt strait in its just the computer and loom thats gotta be customed, how hard / exensive is it gonna be to wire up?
thanks
morce

[shaggerz]

I am assuming that these are both the 3.8 litre. If that is the case, I think that it'll be a straight swap. If both are auto then you won't need to change over the loom or computer either as its the same motor.

Unless there is some subtle yet critical difference between the VN and VR buick that I'm unaware of then it should be a straight swap of the motor.

[fitzy2005]

I am assuming that these are both the 3.8 litre. If that is the case, I think that it'll be a straight swap. If both are auto then you won't need to change over the loom or computer either as its the same motor.

Unless there is some subtle yet critical difference between the VN and VR buick that I'm unaware of then it should be a straight swap of the motor.

you prob will need the computer as the vr auto is electonic, vn is cable, vn series one has quiet a few different things to any series 2 motor

[defa]

what is wrong with the vr..

[shaggerz]

ahh you are quite right... I had completely forgotten about the 4l60E in the VR. Presumably loom would be different then also... so I retract my statement

[cracker]

use the vr computer and looms you would need to join the enigine looms with the vn ones wouldnt be that hard, be quite do able.
apart from that everything will bolt in perfecto

[hayzeez]

yeah one reason im not using the vr is it got yellow stickered and the regos run out another is i love vns, also helping out my mate by buying his car and the BIGGEST one is the vr is a lexcen!!!!! but it did go hard..... also i will have alot of spare parts so if anyones chasing parts for a vr in perth tell us what u want, prices will be very cheap, also it got a vt clubby kit on it minus rear bar and also
a group a bonnet buldge, all cheap

back to the conversion, my mates got a vn wagon ser1 5spd and he put a vp motor in it and he just had to modify the loom a bit, if i were to swap the vr box and motor into my series 1 would it be the same mod to the loom or different.
also will my computer and be a straight plug and play?

[SweetWagon]

yeah one reason im not using the vr is it got yellow stickered and the regos run out another is i love vns, also helping out my mate by buying his car and the BIGGEST one is the vr is a lexcen!!!!! but it did go hard..... also i will have alot of spare parts so if anyones chasing parts for a vr in perth tell us what u want, prices will be very cheap, also it got a vt clubby kit on it minus rear bar and also
a group a bonnet buldge, all cheap

back to the conversion, my mates got a vn wagon ser1 5spd and he put a vp motor in it and he just had to modify the loom a bit, if i were to swap the vr box and motor into my series 1 would it be the same mod to the loom or different.
also will my computer and be a straight plug and play?

you can only use the VR engine, not the auto because its electronic, the vn is not. If you do want to use the VR auto, you need to do a whole loom/ECU swap aswell.

[shaggerz]

that could be a good thing though... upgrade to 4L60E... no mucking about with a kickdown cable

[Burnout_bro]

ive got a vn 5 speed is it just as simple to do that conversion to a manual? coz the g-box's are exactly the same and the vr's put out a bit more power well i know my vr would have wooped the shiz out of my vn manual

[SweetWagon]

ive got a vn 5 speed is it just as simple to do that conversion to a manual? coz the g-box's are exactly the same and the vr's put out a bit more power well i know my vr would have wooped the shiz out of my vn manual

Yep not really a conversion, just straight swap. The VR shouldnt really have anything over the VN, if anything theryre slightly more detuned

[hayzeez]

so will it be hard to just swap the whole loom over? i plan on doin the work all my self plus a few mates, we got all the tools the only hard part i can see is getting all the loom and computer right, anyone hear done a similar swap, are there anysmall things that might be a drama?

[SweetWagon]

well it is a whole engine loom, its not a simple task. the good thing is you should have everything you need. The only prob i can see is the VR *might* run a BCM (body control module) which is connected to the ECU. The vn didnt have a BCM so that might cause problems. You're best to PM Doctor Bob as he is a holden technician and find out for sure what needs to be done

[hayzeez]

thanks vn6pwr, the vr is a 93 series 1 so that might make it a little easier, so with the loom how hard are we talking, auto sparky hard? would the loom be able to come out as one ya reckon?

[SweetWagon]

thanks vn6pwr, the vr is a 93 series 1 so that might make it a little easier, so with the loom how hard are we talking, auto sparky hard? would the loom be able to come out as one ya reckon?

personally i wouldnt know, never done one before, but you should be right to do the wiring, just time consuming. as i said before its best to ask Doctor Bob on the forum ,he will give you a better idea than i can about what exactly needs to be done.

[defa]

when you talk about auto-elec's. just remember if ya took a car to one of those plces fair chance it would be the aprentice doing all the work. have a go yourself. it will all fall into place..

[shaggerz]

if you just swap the motor and use the VN gearbox you won't have to swap the computer or loom... depends how badly you want the box from the VR

[SweetWagon]

if you just swap the motor and use the VN gearbox you won't have to swap the computer or loom... depends how badly you want the box from the VR

this is what i'd suggest as well, its exactly the same box,besides electronic, there is no real adavantage of using it so why change? just get the VN one serviced/reconditioned, might save alot of stuffing around

[hayzeez]

nah the vn one is truly fingered and my vr box has got a stage 2 shify kit in it aswell, yeah i think i will buy it and just drive it untill it dies then drop in the motor and box and as defa said it should all fall into place.
thanks for your help, anyone feel free to add their opinions.
also start tafe tomorow pre apprentice diesel mech should be sweet