Just had a thought,

Here's something a lot of blokes don't know.

A 149 red motor can be bored out to 161 cubic inches as I have one in my car that has genuine GMH 40 thou oversize 161 pistons in it ( which equates to 167 cubic inches ) .

Runs great,have done at least 5000 miles so far in it and it was a used engine when I bought it!!

In NSW 149 can be fitted with no mods required so I basically have  a legal, no mod required, 161 fitted.

  I think this is a great idea if blokes can throw up some of the piston/ring combinations that they have used in grey motors for rebore purposes as it will help others  heaps in trying to find a cheaper alternative to the high cost of buying replacement pistons specifically made for grey motor fitment.

The prices of replacement grey pistons is probably the major contributor to the high cost of grey motor rebuilds.

If a cheaper japanese piston can be fitted for say half the cost of a grey specific piston then I'll fit them both for cost and the fact that the jap piston will most likely be a better piston to use anyway.

Alright fellas, FC 427 has already thrown up the "BMW rods will fit grey" secret as a starter so if any of you other blokes have something to tell cough it up!! .

And getting right back to one of utey's original questions "if I bore to 149 what pistons fit"

  Without me actually sitting down and working out using the formula for cylinder  volume size ( pie X radius squared X stroke) ...... from memory some greys can be bored to 149 but I think 149 ends up being about a 100 thou/120 thou oversize piston or thereabouts so you would have to have the grey blocks bores checked to see if the cylinders have sufficient metal in them to be able to take that much oversize rebore.

Dunno if this is of any help but I found an ad in a recent edition of Classic Car magazine ( I think it was that mag   )

Anyway.....

Castle Automotive Enterprises
Pyrenees Hwy ( 7 Main rd ) Castlemaine Vic 3450
ph 03 5472 1442

http://www.caenterprises.com.au

From the ad....


"We have developed a new product called a "Dynogen".This is a Lucas C39-C40 generator converted to an alternator which is rated at 60 amps @ 14.2 volts @ 2000-2500 rpm and will peak at 80 amps.
Physically it looks no different and will be available on a changeover basis"

No mention of price in the magazine ad.

Actually, just had a look on their website via the link above and saw the prices there......... $880 each changeover 

 

Good to see that common sense has had a win...... for today at least 

G'day Craig,

I'm still breathing and have a heartbeat so things are still working    .

I have an LC/LJ sump and EH sump here and from the measurements I did with both, my measurements saw the LC/LJ fitment into early holden front ends as being VERY tight with maybe some panelbeating of the sump being required.I didn't go any further with trying the LC/LJ sump as I found an EH sump in the meantime.

Wonder if anyone else has sucessfully use LC/LJ sumps in early holden??

  I had an inkling that LC/LJ sumps "might" fit but have never had it confirmed.Do they fit in "as is" Craig or is some massaging required??

I did some measurements a while back and from these it appeared the LC/LJ fitment would be tight.

G'day Fc1958,

I love the happy grin on your face in day 1 first pic  .Keep the enthusiasm up along with the progress pics.

Good to see you are doing your bit in saving another one from the ravages of weather and time.

Have fun  .

Cheers.

Can help with some of the questions.

Be aware these prices are BALL PARK figures and are an approximation only and based on "if needed basis" and prices the parts suppliers are charging.

Clutch kit $240
Spigot bush new $20
Machine flywheel $80
Clutch slave cylinder new $150
Brake wheel cylinder assembly new $120 each x 4.
Brake linings reco exchange $60 per wheel x 4.
Light skim machine brake drums $30 each ??
Wheel bearing grease $20
Front wheel bearing kit $80
Rear shackle rubbers new $40
Brake fluid $15.
New brake and/or clutch master cylinders $160 each.
New fuel pump kit $160 including vacuum pump kit.
New carby kit $50.

Full engine gasket kit $150
Water pump new $140
Plugs,points,cap,rotor,condenser $100
Engine oil,gearbox/diff oil $60

I've been out of the mechanical trade for over 20 years now so have no idea what they now charge for labour as I do all my own mechanical work at home.

Other blokes might be able to help out with current labour charges.

Once parts are procured the job would take some days to a week to finish especially if the owner wants the engine pulled out,dismantled and resealed and regasketed.Engine bay respray would be done with engine out.Clutch done with engine out.

Takes a couple of hours to pull out an engine/gearbox depending on what problems are encounterd.Usually takes a little longer to reinstall.

Add the above figures up,add approx labour charges and add about %50 more for other unanticipated required parts and/or extra labour charges.

Some parts are better replaced with new rather than attempt to reco/rekit when available especially if you are paying someone by the hour.

I may have missed some things and some of the prices won't be absolutely right but this is a start I guess.

Other blokes might be able to add some other ideas.

Hope this bit helps.

 

Probably about a hundred different names people call that style of car.

I call it a "boy racer".

Anyway, I like it 

I've never owned an EJ and am happy to be corrected if I'm wrong but as far as I can recall the EJ's had the grey motor 3.89 diff centre as factory fitment.

If this is correct then it would appear that if your EJ is currently fitted with U bolts to hold the tailshaft uni to the pinion yoke and is also fitted with the red motor type rear uni joint then it may have been converted already to a red motor diff centre sometime in its pre history, and if so then in most cases the diff ratio can be found stamped into the steel dust/stone deflector that is press fitted to the pinion yoke in front of the pinion oil seal .

Scrape away any accumulated dirt and rust around this and you should in most cases find the ratio stamped into it.I have however seen some over the years that appear to have been missed being stamped in the factory showing no evidences of ever being stamped at all.

Josh, I'll send you a PM re a bloke that freighted a 149 for me a couple of years ago from Bendigo to mid NSW very cheap.

If you haven't got a TNT account they won't even talk to you about freight.

I know its a long shot but,

As title says,

Looking for a 240 Volt 2 post car hoist.

Anyone know of a workshop closing down?

Machinery sale?

Prefer NSW but could go to VIC or QLD.

All constructive help appreciated.

Cheer.

This is one of the questions that gets asked very frequently in various media where you will get so many varied answers on do's and don'ts and contradictions and disagreements between the answers given that you will probably end up confused after reading it all.

Best bet is to talk to a performance engine centre and tell them what you have on the motor now and on the drivetrain at present with all specs including diff and gearbox ratios and what you want your new dream engine to do and take their advice, it's what they do for a living.

Knowing how much you want to spend also helps.

DON'T just pick a cam and whack it into an engine.Unless its specs suit the engine components you want to use you will most likely be disappointed with it.Same goes with other performance parts.And bigger isn't always better.Betterment has a limit.

Every performance part works in conjunction with other performance parts as a team so to speak and if one of the team isn't playing it's part, the whole team suffers.

Choose an engine upgrade package from those that do it all the time.

Clean the receiving pocket in the control arm to where they are to fit into, making sure all rust,dirt etc is removed.

Spray with WD40 on the end of the rubber and the pocket lip and push the rubber into the pocket.

Sometimes they can be hard to push in but should be able to be knocked in or pressed in with a G clamp or some other improvisation.

Some blokes say don't use WD 40 as it will damage the rubber but they are made to withstand grease and oil to some extent so a bit of WD 40 won't hurt in my eyes.This is how I've done mine and the rubbers never showed any deterioration as a result.

Or you could buy some rubber grease ( or some other recommended rubber lubricant ) and give the end of the rubber and the pocket lip a slight smear to assist in the fitment.

Paul, just a quick reply as I've got to duck out for a few hours.

From my GMH master parts catalogue it lists FE/FC "Shoe and Lining set ( 2 wheels )" as part no 7425357
and same in bonded as 7420573 so I'd guess according to that front and rear are the same as there is no reference to individual numbers for front and rear although there is a reference for primary shoe 7408941 and secondary shoe 7408951 but I'd say these two numbers would be to order these shoes individually if required.

Some here will know for sure whether thats right or not.

Yes and yes .

70 XU1, have sent you a PM re your initial question.

  Yep, what Geoff said. Geoffs explanation is spot on and a better effort than my go at explaining how it all happens   

Had the same problem years ago when converting my FC with standard radiator to a recovery system.

I found,in my case, that the depth of the opening for the cap in the top tank fller neck was deeper than the depth ( or reach ) of the radiator cap from screw up face of the cap to the end seal on the cap so to put it a bit simpler form, the cap end seal,when fitted,was not sealing hard under spring pressure against the seal face of the top tank neck opening.

What was actually happening was the radiator/cooling system wasn't even being pressurised at all and pressure was "leaking" to the outside via the overflow pipe as the end seal was being held just off the seal face in the neck.

From memory the depth of the HR top tank neck isn't as deep as a grey motor one so if you are using the same cap as you had on a HR then the above mentioned problem would happen.The cap end seal would not reach the seal face in the grey top tank neck seal face and would be held about an 1/8th inch os so from the seal face.

Also get a set of vernier calipers and measure to ensure the upper seal of the radiator cap isn't also blocking the overflow pipe opening in the top tank neck when the cap is fitted and that the upper seal is wide enough diameter wise to give effective sealing in the neck as you need a good seal for the vacuum created when the motor cools to draw the coolant back into the tank from the overflow bottle.

You will have to do some measurements with the verniers to get the measurements that you need to match up to a better fitting cap if that is the problem.

Just because a cap will fit in the neck doesn't mean that it will work, you will have to do some measurements to ensure the seals are positioned to effect the overflow on engine run and drawback into the tank on engine cool.

I had my FC in early/mid '80's and from memory the cap I ended up using was a Commodore cap,probably VB,VC,VH ?? ( or maybe WB ) but not 100% on that.Also vague recollection that I had to also modify the locking tabs on the cap as they were too long to engage in the opening for the tab in the filler neck.

This may or may not be your problem but it may help.

Cheers,

Terry.

And also getting back to Franks suggestion above  yes, definately check your hose to overflow pipe connection to ensure it is sealing well and the condition of the radiator overflow hose as well.As ,as Frank said, check that the end of the overflow bottle is held about 1/2 to 1 inch above the bottom of the overflow tank and there is sufficient coolant in there as well.

Check also that the top filler lid in the recovery bottle has a small hole in it and isn't blocked as it needs a hole in it ( small one ) to also effect the filling and drawback of coolant in the bottle.

Recovery systems are lazy!! They would rather suck air than suck water ( its easier to suck air than water ) and if there is a hole anywhere in the overflow circuit or bad connection it will suck air rather than water.

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  PM sent re engine/gearbox 

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