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RB30e Engine removal help

ian94mt

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Im sure something similar has been asked before but here goes anyway.

I need to remove the rb30e from my vl because its dead at the moment and im replacing it with a 20e for now. disgusting i know. This is the first engine swap i will have done but i am planning to do more so im getting some of the equipment for it. Im getting a 1tonne engine crane hoist, and i was wondering do i need to get an engine load leveler as well? and if i dont NEED to would you still recommend one?

also can somebody show me where to attach the chain to the engine, pics would be appreciated.

this question may sound dumb but i wont be getting an engine stand (to broke) so where do people recommend putting the engine and working on it? should i just quickly weld up some sort of frame to hold it or chuck it on the floor of the garage.

And also how long do you think this swap will take being my first time? can anyone remember their first haha

cheers Ian
 

detox_nath83

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Well the rb30 has 2 mounting points one at the front basically where the top rad hose meets the engine and one at the back right hand side bolted to the head. U can't miss them if u look at it. Don't need an engine leveller just attach ur straps/chains and pull it. If ur putting in a 20 do u have the ecu and engine looms to suit( I don't
Know much about the 20. NZ spec)
Time depends on if your getting help, if your drinking beers and r mechanically minded.
If you need to ask where the engine lift points are. Should you be doing this???
What has happened to the 30 can U fix it in the car?
 

ian94mt

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Im doing mechanical engineering at uni so id say im mechanically minded, just never removed an engine before. Hopefully i can get someone with abit of experience to help out this first time and i should be sweet after.

Im now getting another rb30 to put in and will try fix the other while its out of the car. Hopefully the swap will happen this weekend but if not it will need to wait till like Nov 6 for my uni to finish.

Oh and the old rb30 had a cracked head + blown gasket but it was chemwelded so it could be driven, i was waiting for my overdraft so i could fix it, but it wasnt coming through and i was raping that poor car haha. skids on. Engine died 2 days later overdraft was sussed haha, so i think it can be fixed, but because im doing the work myself i am getting another engine because im hoping to have the car on the road again quicker. This pussy 4 banga fwd primera is not cutting it.
 

Jonah 101

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Me mate and I built a 20DET on a car tyre, but making a frame would work good :). We also got away with leaving the box in the car, just remove the fan and radiator and you then have enough room to play with, take the bonnet off too. We didn't have the head on when we removed the engine so we lifted it off the alternator bracket and put a bolt into the block on the opposite corner.

I can lend a hand if you want, Im in Tauranga though. Bugger I had a RB30 head too.... had some corrosion in one of the water jackets but it was fixable, BUT! I believe there is a Rb30 over here at pick a part. I may be wrong there is two VLs here ones a 20 and I think the other is a 30, should be a good motor. Had a fire in the engine bay so maybe the engine is okay. 30 loom should work on the 20.
 

Scrusy

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cheers for this. ive gotthe exactsame problems atm, but im putting the rb20 turbo in my vl wagon
 

ian94mt

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cheers jonah, help would be much appreciated!

My engine hoist didnt arrive on time so now i have to wait till after my uni exams to do the swap (6/11), but for now im doing the minor thins, getting loom through firewall, remove radiator etc when i find time.

I imagine it would be easier to leave the box in the car to remove the engine, but does it make i harder to put it back in getting it all lined up?

I'm using this as a guide to help me, but my car is non turbo
How to remove/replace an engine and box - calaisturbo.com.au

the first instruction is:
1. De-pressurise the fuel system. Run the engine, and then pull fuse #3 from the fuse rail. The engine should run for a few seconds and then stall. Crank the starter a few times to ensure all pressure is lost from the fuel lines. Turn off the ignition and put the fuse back.

What do i do as my engine is not running at all?

And for the 30e head, ive seen a few at wreckers here in hamilton but im just putting in a new engine first i think and then i will try repair the old one.
 

ian94mt

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Also with the old engine it had a cracked head and blown gasket and had been chemwelded. The night before it broke i ran it out of gas, went back the next day with $10 worth put it in and was driving and it started to almost cut out like it was running out of gas, i put more in and tried to make it home but it would stall and cut out. I could start it drive a little further and it would do the same.

Also when i was at the gas station i noticed all my coolant and chemweld leaked out so i topped it up so i could make it home. When i came back later that day to tow the car after it full died, and the coolant was still full, so it completely leaked out, while the car was off, and after being refilled didnt leak again?

So what im asking here is what do you think is wrong with this motor? was it the cracked head and chemweld letting go? does it sound like my engine seized, because i dont think it did as i could start it and drive abit further.

Been run out of gas a few times so im going to replace fuel filter as well, but could this be fuel pump CAS or what? cheers
 

ian94mt

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Sorry for all the questions, but when i buy my new engine it wount be coming with box but it will come with all dizzy starter moter etc. Will it matter if the engine came from an auto or manual vl? my vl is manual
 

Cheap6

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I imagine it would be easier to leave the box in the car to remove the engine, but does it make i harder to put it back in getting it all lined up?

It's a little bit of juggling to slip the clutch plate splines onto the gearbox input shaft but it's not too bad. You will need to support the front of the transmission. An axle stand with thread height adjustment (as distinct from a moveable pin through holes) works well. Don't allow the weight of the engine to rest on the transmission input shaft either.

As you are using a chain, it helps to put a couple of bolts (with washers and nuts) through the chain links either side of the engine lift hook. That stops the chain from sliding in the hook as the engine is tilted. It's easier to get everything lined up with two people too.

I'm using this as a guide to help me, but my car is non turbo
How to remove/replace an engine and box - calaisturbo.com.au

the first instruction is:
1. De-pressurise the fuel system. Run the engine, and then pull fuse #3 from the fuse rail. The engine should run for a few seconds and then stall. Crank the starter a few times to ensure all pressure is lost from the fuel lines. Turn off the ignition and put the fuse back.

What do i do as my engine is not running at all?

It's not absolutely essential to depressurise the fuel system it's just that it can spray a bit of fuel if you don't. The fuel system will inevitably bleed pressure down over time through internal leaks so if it's been sitting for a month there's probably not much pressure retained anyway. If you want to you can apply a vacuum to the fuel pressure regulator hose that references fuel pressure to the inlet manifold pressure to drop the pressure. Using a medical syringe to apply the vacuum is cheap and easy. Get the biggest one you can find.

The whole engine swap job can be done in a couple of hours. If you haven't done it before it might take closer to double that. There are almost always little things that take up extra time.

You might consider replacing the exhaust manifold studs while the engine is out of the car as they are are known to break.
 

ian94mt

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thanks for all the replys. as said before just doing small jobs till 6 of november so hopefully it will be a case of just undoing a few bolts by then and then taking engine out.

just unplugged the engine loom from inside the car. 3 plugs in ecu and 2 others just behind dash. so now i just need to get it through the firewall. ive seen this elsewhere on the forums but couldnt find it again. How do i get the grommet and loom through the firewall? preferably without breaking the grommet, i remember someone advised breaking it and siliconing it up afterward, or getting a new one, but id rather do it without breaking it. cheers
 
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