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V8 conversion query

putrol

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Just got a series 3 vs ute & one day want to convert to a V8 question is what's the easiest conversion to do not chasing hp just like to Cruze around a listen to a V8 rumble
 

losh1971

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Nothing is easy, but a 304 swap will require less work than an LS swap.
 

putrol

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Nothing is easy, but a 304 swap will require less work than an LS swap.
Thanks the less mods the easier the job is there a difference between 308 & 304 mod wise
 

someguy360

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If it's an auto keep it an auto, if it's manual keep it manual thats the easiest way to do the conversion.

You'll need: Tailshaft, kframe, power steering pump, lines, alternator, V8 trans, V8 engine harness and ECU, V8 gauge cluster, radiator, V8 ignition module and coil as a rough start.

It's not a hard conversion I've done it a couple of times now, can be done over a couple of weekends if your handy on the tools it's just getting all the bits you need.

Your best off buying a wrecked V8 car and swapping everything over, if you plan to buy everything you need separately it's going to cost you a lot more and your car will be off the road longer. If you've got another car you can rob all the bolts, brackets, mounts etc you need off it on the fly it makes it way easier. Just remember everything on V8's are getting hard to find now, if your 3/4 of the way through a conversion and you need a certain type of bracket for P/S or alternator etc you can't just run down to supercheap and grab one.

As for 308/304: 304 was around from the VL onwards, in the VN onwards it was EFI, this is what you'll need if you want to stay legal.
308 was in the Kingswoods/1st gen commodores up to the VL.

The summary is though: It's not an unbolt V6 and bolt V8 in kinda job, theres a fair bit that needs to be changed.
 
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losh1971

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308 would not be legal so not really an option for a VS road going vehicle.
 
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harrop.senator

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308 can be legal if running cats and EFI. Mate had a couple dramas registering the motor to his car but after explaining couldn't find a spare 304 block and the machinist supplied a 308 rebuilt motor with EFI heads and all the injection they passed it.
 

someguy360

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308 can be legal if running cats and EFI. Mate had a couple dramas registering the motor to his car but after explaining couldn't find a spare 304 block and the machinist supplied a 308 rebuilt motor with EFI heads and all the injection they passed it.

Must be a WA thing.

In SA and most of the eastern states if you tried to do that the engine number would get flagged right at the start of the process and your application would get put in the bin.

In SA the engine number has to be from that variant of car or newer aka VN-VS VU prefix block, and old mates car being an S3 would need a roller cam prefixed block technically as the emissions we're stricter in the S3, but can't be older even if you retrofit emissions equipment etc.
 
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H

harrop.senator

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Must be a WA thing.

In SA and most of the eastern states if you tried to do that the engine number would get flagged right at the start of the process and your application would get put in the bin.

In SA the engine number has to be from that variant of car or newer aka VN-VS VU prefix block, and old mates car being an S3 would need a roller cam prefixed block technically as the emissions we're stricter in the S3, but can't be older even if you retrofit emissions equipment etc.

His was engineered , maybe because he did an emission test is why it worked?
 
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harrop.senator

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Was unlicensed cammed and stroked didn't have a choice but engineering.
 
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