Losh's VR Ute build thread

[losh1971]

Just on fixing the engine I have, I think it's been too problematic and even though I have spent a huge amount of money on it, I think I have to face it that it was a poor choice on my part to keep sinking money into this Buick engine and anything else I spend on it is likely to end in tears.... So I think I have to face it I can take a gamble again and pay for the manifold to come off but then I still have a junky old Buick V6 that likely has something else just waiting to go wrong. I will add I could have had my spare engine recoed for the same amount of money have now spent on the old junker that's in it now.

Edit. I really am wondering if I just keep driving it and wait until it blows.

 

[vc commodore]

I think I have made some poor choices...... When the timing chain problem developed I should have scrapped the engine. I was of the thought that since it had good compression and oil pressure I was in possession of a decent donk. Nothing could be further from the truth. The engine had been stuffed up by a PO and I was the sucker that wasn't to know that it was not worth fixing and should have sourced another engine to play with.
I look back and think I wish I had the money at the time of the chain to pull the heads, because that would have been the last nail, if the head bolts snapped back then. I also kinda wish the mech was thoughtful and could have said "really should find another engine" when he fitted the heads. I don't know enough about cars and had he given his expert opinion I would have said yep get another engine, lets not mess with it. There are garages out there that would have done that and I would have gone a different way. I have now sunk a stupid amount of money into this engine and all I will come away with is a pair of performance heads and maybe decent chain kit. It's been out and back in twice. I should thought about it and never had it repaired the first time.

I have been thinking and I feel I could be wasting another $450 if I go back and have the manifold pulled off, because lets face it, a rattle and shiny bits in oil is gonna be major. Even if it just a bearing that material has probably damaged the cam bearings and that's engine out. I'm thinking he will probably get the manifold off and I will find out I now have to pay for a flatbed to drop it off at my new shed. Or I pay him to slap it back together. If he just pulls the manifold that will be $200 abouts' but then it's a truck or pay him another $250 to put it back together and waste a new $55 gasket set.

Some have said put in a 304 but I'd be in for $8-$9k or more to do that and it's still not HSV.

First step, look at gumtree, facebook for a cheap run around..Surely there would be something half decent around $1,000 that will get you around for 12 months....It doesn't have to be a limo or a show stopper....

From that I would take the ute off the road and fix it properly....You obviously have a choice of 2 engines, so from that, you can have the bottom end build with one of them and wack the heads onto which ever engine you have the bottom end done...Geez, you can even chuck that cam in and/or a charger/turbo....

Body.....You have been on about painting it...Do it yourself whilst it is off the road....You have already done bits and pieces of it...Doing the whole thing isn't hard.....

Then the engine wiring.....It's off the road...You can get it sorted...Money to do it is a case of a bit of penny pinching....But hey, if the car is off the road, the money you would normal spend on chasing problems can now be put away to fix the problems.

And finally....Doing what you want to do with this car never pans out when it's a daily.....Having another car and taking it off the road is the only way to do it properly....

 

[shane_3800]

So tried the magnet but it was too hard to pick up and hard to see anything except oil
I went to the mech and he looked at my oil pan and agreed it's not looking good. He heard the rattle and miss and said neither should be there. He couldn't get me in until Thursday. He is going to start by pulling off the manifold.
I think unless I dodge a bullet it's engine out again because it's bad. Regardless of what material it is I'd say it's probably gone through the can bearings and through the big ends.
I think I will be looking for another engine myself but they are extremely hard to come by.

I've got one. Issue is I have nowhere to take it out of the car.
I want to strip it down to a non roller so I can take all the suspension but I have no where to strip it down. So the car is just sitting whole.

 

[losh1971]

I can get a SH engine for $450, no warranty. I am waiting for him to get back to me as I have a few questions as I don't want to spend $1500 on a SH engine installed and then find it is half worn out.

 

[losh1971]

Shane, even if you could get the engine out, it's still $1000 in ferry fares, plus petrol and tolls to go pick it up.

 

[chrisp]

@losh1971 , sorry to hear about your latest issues. I’ve been reading this thread with admiration of your persistence in keeping your ‘bus’ on the road. I think I would have given up long ago!

A few thoughts...

I think the idea of having some basic alternative transport is a good idea. It would take pressure off you with having to have work done to fit in with your time constraints. It would also allow you to step back and assess what to do without the pressure of the ‘transport’ issue hanging over your head.

I suspect that for most people, cars are just disposable commodities to be used and replaced with something newer and better when it becomes unreliable or expensive to maintain. The service industry will reflect this attitude and probably don’t do major mechanical repairs very often, so the industry slowly looses the skills needed. I think if you want a good job done, you either have to have very deep pockets or learn to do it yourself. I’d be doing the latter.

Sadly, the economics of keeping an old car running isn’t good. A $5,000 car that has had lots of money spent on repairs is still a $5,000 car. A $5,000 car that needs lots of repairs to get it running is worth less than $5,000.

It seems to me that you are quite skilled at doing body work, trim work, and the like on your ‘bus’. I reckon that you should expand your experience to engine building. I’m sure that you’ll pick it up without too much trouble at all.

Finally, hang in there! You have done so much hard work on that ‘bus’ that it would be a shame to see you pack it in over a mechanical issue.

 

[keith reed]

It's always a hard decision to make when spending money on cars. I don't think I have ever got it right. All money spent on cars to keep them on the road is dead money but would a bit more money solve the problem. Personally I don't think it does but then it has never stopped me.
I have three vehicles. Two that go and then there is the money pit. Having a ute is real handy for us. One it keeps the k's down on the VE and then there is the ability to transport stuff around.

 

[gtrboyy]

Were heads shaved much?

Could be pushrods now tad too long.

*Still got vp v6 here & piles of parts here if you can find a way to collect it all but logistically too far away to be worth it + covid bs

 

[losh1971]

Were heads shaved much?

Could be pushrods now tad too long.

*Still got vp v6 here & piles of parts here if you can find a way to collect it all but logistically too far away to be worth it + covid bs

10 thou, that did cross my mind. I don't know if he measured the preload which plenty of people seem to think it's not needed but I believe it's a must. The rattily noise is new so I'd think a cam lobe has a rub.

 

[gtrboyy]

Think v6 are torque down & walk away for factory spec engine.

Old heads used to grind down pressed steel rockers for regrind cams to take out freeplay/noise.

Take enough off the heads or other variables change pushrods could end up longer than required.

Think you're better doing work yourself than relying on others to stuff it up & charge you for the privilege...atleast you'll learn new things!!!