Holden VRII Commodore. Would a VP or a VS engine fit into it?

[nf_vrII]

Hey all, first post.

Heres the story:

Last Wednesday, I bought a '95 VRII Executive for $1500 (although the seller gave me $50 back for petrol so thats $1450...Should mention he did have it listed for $1800). I'm only on my L's so my mates girlfriend drove it for me while my mate was behind us in their VP. Driving the car back to their place (from Nelson Bay to Raymond Terrace): The car was fine it went great.

So then we left to drive the car back to my place (Raymond Terrace to Newcastle). Stopped into a Service Station (Heatherbrae) on the way, still fine up to that point. It was just after we left the Service Station that the car started making a "ticking" sound. The ticking got worse as we drove on.

So the next day, I took it up to the mechanics up the road from me for a pink slip test as my car runs out of rego in about 2 and a half weeks. They reckon the ticking was coming from the "Harmonic Balancer". My mate didn't believe this was the case so he suggested that we take it to the mechanics that they took the VP to for a 2nd opinion.

Monday night: My mates girlfriend drove my VR again while my mate stayed behind us in their VP to go up to their place as I booked my car into their mechanic on Tuesday (yesterday). The ticking got louder as soon as we were on the Highway. We were driving the car at 60 just to be safe and staying in the left lane. The car started losing power and was starting to slow down. Switched the booster on and it didn't really do much. So we found somewhere to pull over and the car stalled as soon as we pulled up. We thought it would be best not to drive it any further and decided to leave it there for the night (as much as I didn't want to, but nothing else we could do about it at that time of night), we disconnected the battery and made sure the car was locked so we headed back up to my mates place in the VP.

Tuesday: Organised a tow truck to tow my car from where it was to the mechanics. $90 later got it to the mechanics. They checked the Harmonic Balancer and that was working fine. Nothing wrong with it. Then they listened to where the ticking was coming from and it was coming from the engine. I've left my car with them for a few days to check it out thoroughly but they stated that the VR would need a new engine.


Now my Question is: Would a VP or a VS engine fit into the VR with no trouble? Just from looking at my mates VP and my VR, the engines look the exact same so I'm guessing they are pretty much the same engine, and while I've had no experience with VS's, I'm guessing that would have the same engine as a VR anyway.

Answers greatly appreciated and I hope I posted in the right part of the forum

Nathan.

[LOWPACK]

yeh fits in easy mate bolts straight to k frame just change wiring harness

[nf_vrII]

yeh fits in easy mate bolts straight to k frame just change wiring harness

Awesome thanks heaps mate!

[ephect]

a little more is needed for the VP engine.. heres a thread with the info, not that long ago Can i fit a VP motor into my VR

With the VS engine, its a different engine and run a different computer, u can use ur VR ecu, u will need the engine loom to go with it. HoZy has done this conversion ecotec to VN.

[nf_vrII]

a little more is needed for the VP engine.. heres a thread with the info, not that long ago Can i fit a VP motor into my VR

With the VS engine, its a different engine and run a different computer, u can use ur VR ecu, u will need the engine loom to go with it. HoZy has done this conversion ecotec to VN.

Thanks for the reply

The VP and VS engines are pretty much only my other choices if I can't find a VR engine (apparently the VR Engines are hard to find?...)

[Chris E]

VR engine isn't difficult to find, if you are going to swap an engine into it from another model I'd go vn-vp rather than vs as vs will be more difficult to swap than vp.

[xstatic]

hey

just ring some wreckers, whoever told you vr engines are hard to find need to stop smoking the green stuff..

if you find the right wrecker they can put it in for your and they are normally cheapier then mechanics...

good luck mate

[nf_vrII]

hey

just ring some wreckers, whoever told you vr engines are hard to find need to stop smoking the green stuff..

if you find the right wrecker they can put it in for your and they are normally cheapier then mechanics...

good luck mate

Yeah I'm pretty sure he said they were hard to find, either that or maybe saying its hard to find one in good condition with low K's. He did mention something with low k's. I wasn't paying much attention I was too pissed off and stressed out with having the car towed and costing $90 and then finding out the car needs a new engine I'll have to ask my mate who was with me, he listened

Anyway I ended up ringing the Commodore Shop and they have reconditioned ones. $495 with 6 months warranty and support or $595 with 2 years warranty and support. Better prices than I was expecting (I was expecting to pay up to the $800-1000 mark)

I will ring a few wreckers and get quotes on how much they can put the engine in for. My mate and I may end up doing it, but I'll ring around just incase that plan fails.

Should be a kickass car once the new engines in (been wanting a Commodore since I was 13!). The mods will come slowly after but the first thing that will be going into the car is a new cd head unit (with iPod/iPhone capability). I'll be looking into NRMA Roadside assistance too

[ephect]

all the best mate, if u do end up doing it urself, we're here to help if u get stuck. my advice, grab a manual, it'll be the best book u buy

[Jezmont]

I cant believe the 1st mechanic said the harm balancer was the issue, and the 2nd said it was fine. It could be more obvious one way or the other! Dodgy.... Anyway, that sux, I had same issue with my VR V6 the engine siezed up after the ticking was getting out of control, the lifters and the cams were stuffed but the engine had done around 350k.

If you want a simple changeover, put the VP engine in as there is not much difference but the VS Ecotec will require you to change a fair bit under the bonnet.

[CommodoreMan]

Anyway I ended up ringing the Commodore Shop and they have reconditioned ones. $495 with 6 months warranty and support or $595 with 2 years warranty and support. Better prices than I was expecting (I was expecting to pay up to the $800-1000 mark)

Man really that's it, mate I must of been smoking something, I thought reco engines cost $2000 or something . Might be a good idea to go with the commodore shop, they sound respectable enough $595 2 year warranty sounds good.

[doyab]

i might be wrong but isnt there some law that doesnt allow you to put engines in older then the original one?

[alex2_s]

Mate also try hytech parts plus in cardiff, they seem to be the better bunch to be honest (and usually better prices anyway). That being said they don't always have older stuff as they really only have low km parts ...

And i agree, the VS conversion probably isn't worth it.

[nf_vrII]

I was just speaking to my mates girlfriend and she has a friend who is looking to sell his VS sedan. The gearbox is stuffed but as my mates girlfriend suggested, take the gearbox out of the VR and put it into the VS. Everything else on the car is fine, the body has a few minor dents though. The car will have to be blueslip checked (my VR will probably end up like that anyway as I don't see me having it fixed within the next 3-4 Months). Then sell the VR without the gearbox and the stuffed engine.

What do you guys reckon? In my opinion it is definitely a cheaper and more affordable option as I found out today to have a mechanic put the engine into the VR its about $800-1000 where as my mate knows how to take the gearbox out of the VR and install it into the VS

Somethin to think about.

[CommodoreMan]

What do you guys reckon? In my opinion it is definitely a cheaper and more affordable option as I found out today to have a mechanic put the engine into the VR its about $800-1000 where as my mate knows how to take the gearbox out of the VR and install it into the VS

is that price with the engine or without.

[TrikkBen]

I highly doubt you need a new engine if it all it was doing was ticking. Get a 3rd opinion...

[nf_vrII]

is that price with the engine or without.

without

I highly doubt you need a new engine if it all it was doing was ticking. Get a 3rd opinion...

The ticking noise was coming from the engine (very loud ticking noise) and the car was losing power while driving it last monday night. My mate and his girlfriend went to pick the car up for me yesterday as I'm leaving the car at their place for a while. My mates girlfriend drove it back (with the mechanics "ok") and she was driving inbetween 40-60 and it was still losing power.

[ephect]

how'd u go sourcing another vr engine? any luck?

[nf_vrII]

how'd u go sourcing another vr engine? any luck?

Yep the Commodore shop sell them for 495 with 6 months warranty and support or for 595 with 2 years warranty and support. I'll be paying $595 with the 2 years warranty just to be on the safe side

[ephect]

yea no probs good price and the warranty u cant beat.

they gonna replace it for u, or will u attempt it? if u have the tools n engine crane, give it a crack, good way to learn

[nf_vrII]

yea no probs good price and the warranty u cant beat.

they gonna replace it for u, or will u attempt it? if u have the tools n engine crane, give it a crack, good way to learn

I'm most likely going to have the mechanics do it, otherwise my mate and I could put it in when he's free to.

[Pickle']

Anyway I ended up ringing the Commodore Shop and they have reconditioned ones. $495 with 6 months warranty and support or $595 with 2 years warranty and support. Better prices than I was expecting (I was expecting to pay up to the $800-1000 mark)

Hey mate i was just wondering i have a vr wagon and my engine has a real bad rattle and occasionally runs on 5 cylinders especially in the mornings but sometimes not.. the mechanic cant find whats wrong with it. so i was just wondering if you would be able to let me know where this commodore shop is it would be a great help as i have been quoted 2700 for a reco engine/

[VP-Matty]

Hey Pickle

The Commodore Shop is in Cardiff which is in the Newcastle area. As Alex mentioned above, maybe Hytech Parts Plus are another option. They are in Cardiff as well.

Cheers, Matt.

[Pickle']

Hey matty just got the message ill give them a call on monday thanks alot for the help.

[zendog78]

Is this price for a short or long motor?
I am in Melbourne, any thoughts on somebody down here?
What do you rekon it would cost to get someone to do the switch for you?
I guess I would need new intake exhaust gaskets. Injectors maybe?