Engine Refresh prep

[yogi_b]

So it seems that the rear welsh plugs are starting to go on my VP, so with almost 300,000k's on the clock I figure its time to head to the farm and spend a few days (and a few beers) with the boys and rip the engine and box out and give it a solid once over, replacing seals and everything else to keep it going for a few more years. The idea is to replace the welsh plugs, cooling hoses and taps, as many of the gaskets and seals as possible and give the whole thing a good service.

This is all for a VP V6 Auto.

My question is two pronged, firstly, since we're going to the farm, probably over Easter, we don't want to be short on parts. I've got a good mate at Bursons and another at Ryco who can get me what ever I need so firstly, what parts should I take? My preliminary list is as follows:

Parts
Filters:
- Engine oil
- Transmission Oil
- Air
- Fuel

Degreaser. Lots of degreaser
Throttle body cleaner
WD40
Battery terminals
Coolant hoses, taps and connectors (brass connectors, the plastic ones are ****)
Spark plugs
Welsh plugs (brass)
Engine Mounts

Gaskets and Seals
- Rear Main
- Rocker Cover x2
- Sump
- Trans Sump
- Gasket Goop

Transmission oil 5L
Engine Oil 5L
Coolant Concentrate

Red VHT Paint (Its inevitable)

Silicon for those ####ing tail lights

If I can find one reasonably priced, a new bonnet

Secondly, along the same lines, what tools are needed for the job?
I have:
VP Commy shop manual
Rattle guns, big and small
Drill
Sockets and drivers
Torque wrench
Screwdrivers
Spanners, Imperial and metric
Ratcheting spanners (Metric only)
Pliers
Wire strippers
Crimps
Soldering Iron
Multitool
iPod - Important
Ramps

We have axle stands, a crane and engine stand at the farm too, I'm not 100% what other tools there are but they do a lot of car work there so I'm thinking pretty comprehensive

Need:
Stiff brush for degreasing/cleaning
Wire Brush
Shifters

Any suggestions for parts/tool we should look at, as well as suspect areas that we should look at going over would be much appreciated!

Cheers

Yogi

 

[DJ_Cosmic_Fire]

So it seems that the rear welsh plugs are starting to go on my VP, so with almost 300,000k's on the clock I figure its time to head to the farm and spend a few days (and a few beers) with the boys and rip the engine and box out and give it a solid once over, replacing seals and everything else to keep it going for a few more years. The idea is to replace the welsh plugs, cooling hoses and taps, as many of the gaskets and seals as possible and give the whole thing a good service.

This is all for a VP V6 Auto.

My question is two pronged, firstly, since we're going to the farm, probably over Easter, we don't want to be short on parts. I've got a good mate at Bursons and another at Ryco who can get me what ever I need so firstly, what parts should I take? My preliminary list is as follows:

Parts
Filters:
- Engine oil
- Transmission Oil
- Air
- Fuel

Degreaser. Lots of degreaser
Throttle body cleaner
WD40
Battery terminals
Coolant hoses, taps and connectors (brass connectors, the plastic ones are ****)
Spark plugs
Welsh plugs (brass)
Engine Mounts

Gaskets and Seals
- Rear Main
- Rocker Cover x2
- Sump
- Trans Sump
- Gasket Goop

Transmission oil 5L
Engine Oil 5L
Coolant Concentrate

Red VHT Paint (Its inevitable)

Silicon for those ####ing tail lights

If I can find one reasonably priced, a new bonnet

Secondly, along the same lines, what tools are needed for the job?
I have:
VP Commy shop manual
Rattle guns, big and small
Drill
Sockets and drivers
Torque wrench
Screwdrivers
Spanners, Imperial and metric
Ratcheting spanners (Metric only)
Pliers
Wire strippers
Crimps
Soldering Iron
Multitool
iPod - Important
Ramps

We have axle stands, a crane and engine stand at the farm too, I'm not 100% what other tools there are but they do a lot of car work there so I'm thinking pretty comprehensive

Need:
Stiff brush for degreasing/cleaning
Wire Brush
Shifters

Any suggestions for parts/tool we should look at, as well as suspect areas that we should look at going over would be much appreciated!

Cheers

Yogi

Pretty comprehensive list there mate! Firstly, check my service list here plus some stuff I've done : VP-S FULL SERVICE ITEMS NEEDED & Related Stuff

Maybe add these as well (off the top of my head) so there could be plenty more stuff that could be added (there is a heap of items in my above link "Full Service Items Needed" :-

• Good hydraulic jack
• Transmission mount
• Breaker bar & stillson wrench
• Inlet manifold gasket kit or get the whole lot :- Full Gasket Kit For VP
• Fuel injector o ring & filter service kit :- VP Injector overhaul kit
• Although already mentioned here is a link for the complete VP Coolant/Heater Hose Kit
• Sikaflex instead of silicone
• Heat gun & Heat shrink tubing kit
• Brake Fluid (bleed your brakes) & get Brake Pads?
• High Pressure Fuel hose to suit things like the power steering return line, also do your fuel tank breather lines
• 2mtrs of 0, 2, 4 & 8 gauge power wiring (for securing earth points & you may as well do the big 3 upgrade), plus some 10 12 & 16 gauge spare
• Brand New Alternator, cheap as chips - just shelve the working one for JIC, as there is nothing worse than the heart (Alt) dying without warning! (I keep a working one spare in the boot, easy to replace when out on the road if need be)

If your doing any suspension, get some good coil spring compressors (& all the related parts to suit ie - SuperPro Bushes - check your car before heading out to see what needs replacing), also if you're going that far into the engine as stated, then some valve spring compressors will be needed & you'll need a 3 pronged puller to remover crank shaft pulley. Could renew the water pump & get a Gates Water Pump whilst doing the timing cover seal, plus a new Gates idler pulley bracket & or just the belt kit.

Get a new CAS (crank angle sensor) & research your Gregory's for all the other new sensors needed like the oil pressure sender, coolant temp sensor etc, plus TB related :- MAP, TPS, IAC etc, (you may as well do them all while the engine is out of the bay & all apart)

IMO if you are going this far you can greatly enhance your engine with some of the following :- (don't do them all together, pick one path & follow it)
1) A Stage 3 Cam & Chip pack from Mace & even go as far as a Stroker Kit, which will take your engine from a 3.8ltr to a 4.2ltr - resulting in much more torque among many other benefits. (With the cam & chip pack just mentioned, you can't put Roller Rockers on unless the heads are machined to match - suggestion is Option 4 below for Roller rocker friendly Crow Cam + 1.9:1 HRRR)

This all depends on the budget of course & what path you want to take the car - 2) keep it N/A :- generally folks will stroke & complete cam/head/valve work (more compression), manifold alterations, replace valve stem seals, valve springs, lifters etc

3) if going F/I S/C (Boost) then most will keep motor reasonably stock (less compression) but strengthen all the engine internals including manifold alterations, replace valve stem seals, valve springs, lifters (to cope with additional PSI - especially if over 12psi), driveline, diff rebuild plus transmission (shift kit) plus add a 70mm throttle body along with a higher volume fuel pump, higher psi injectors, cooler rated plugs, plus tune to suit.

4) If on a budget then some 1.9:1 High ratio roller rockers from Mace are a great bang for buck mod, combined with a stage 2, Roller rocker friendly Crow Cam (gains are a plenty, as the engine is able to breath much better, therefore more free revs through the mid range, & much more torque) combine this with a free flowing sports exhaust & a Mace CAI the difference in performance is definitely worth it. Get a Mace Memcal tune to suit all your mods at the end from Steve & you're set for many years to come.

 

[FXST01]

Check your transmission seals whilst motor is out.
New transmission filter.
Change the diff oil.
How are the uni's?
New fuel pump.
Check/clean/replace injectors.

p.s. don't forget your timing chain.

 

[Morton]

Don't forget to ask your Burson mate for PC900-12 rocker cover bolt seals.

Ditto above do the fuel pump GE033. Also do your sensors for better economy and power:

OZA589-E1 twin wire oxy sensoror OZA19-E12 single wire
TPS064 oil pressure switch, they always leak
TTS062 and TCS040 coolant sensors
ATS-003 the air temp sensor everyone forgets about

Engine mounts also if you havent already, so much easier to do now out of car.

 

[yogi_b]

You guys are awesome! Thanks heaps. I have noted down all the additions to the list, now I need to start getting prices =]

Thanks again guys!

 

[hi_ryder]

obviously vp bonnets will be obsolete from holden so your going to have to find a clean second hander... i normally paint strip them, do any filler if necessary, then epoxy 2k coat it.. let it dry, rub and paint

 

[yogi_b]

yeah I have a can of de beers J0164 Alaskan white sitting in the shed... just need to find someone with the facilities to spray 2-pak*. Otherwise find a clean white one and give it a good cut and polish and hope for the best