Engine and Gearbox Choice

[perth_ute]

Hello, I have a question or wanting feedback like a vote oh what dirrection to go. I am in Perth and have been declined approval to fit an injected 304 because the rules are if the car weight is less than 1100kg then max engine size is 4 x weight or 3 x forced. So my FE ute is 1075kg thus 4.4 or 3.2. I already have a red 202 but its getting tired and a rebuild is knocking on the door. I want the ute to be street strip or drive to from work on friday and race at the next meet.

Licence with:
1.138
2.186
3.202
4.V6
5.253
6.253 and fit 304 with carby style manifold - not legal
7.RB25 turbo
8.RB30 turbo
9.Skyline GTR
10.Toyota 4.0 V8
11.Toyota 4.3 V8
12.Toyota 4.7 V8

Its hard choice with jap engines as they will be reliable and more power but they are not Holden.

[FCRB26]

253 with 304 injection

I prefer the nissans myself but you cant beat the sound of a V8.

[Rummy]

options 1 to 5 KEEP IT HOLDEN

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

It will all depend on your skills or how deep your pockets are.
An obvious choice would be to keep an eye out for a bargain red/black six to replace the 202, any other option than the red six is going to be lots of work and/or lots of dollars.
If you fit an overdrive gearbox you can use lower gears for quicker takeoffs, which goes some way to compensating for having a smaller motor.
A Toyo V8 would be interesting, at the end of the day they are all just lumps of metal 

[perth_ute]

The cost will be about the same for all combos when including 5 speed gearbox. I have been quoted around 2-3k for all jap conversions in half cut format. Will then need radiator and so other custom parts and rego but really it will be the same. The Skyline gtr is around 6k but when you start modifying for performance it is not so bad. I do like the 304, new 210kw v6, and Lexis 230kw 4.3 v8 but not sure.

Yes the toyo would be interesting with out of the box reliability, easy 250kw tune, no issue, drop it in. It also uses the same holden v8 mounts and it would be road legal with less fuel usage. Maybe also get a 253 and keep as spare? Its not Holden though?

[Ol_Girl_58]

My choice would be for a triple Webered red/blue 202. There's your street and strip combo. Minimal hassle (!) to set up and get registered. You've already got the 202.

Cheers,

Josh

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

but they are not Holden.

The timing lights at the end of the track don't care what motor you have 

[FC427]

Supercharged 202  .......FC427......

[FCRB26]

Im doing the GTR thing and would not recomend it i had the RB30 in it and it would be so much simpler just to turbo that or run a RB25 head on it ATMO
 they go very hard and about the same amount of power as GTR motor.
I just like the look and sound of the RB26 and its something different.

The nissan will walk all over the V8 but its personal prference.

Have a look throught some of the build threads everyones doing one or another.

[Ed]

I'd like to use an SR20DET.

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

I'd like to use an SR20DET.

That would surprise a few people  

[perth_ute]

mate last night was saying to put a LS1 5.7 in and that would be plenty. Yes agree but what happens when the boys in blue open the bonnet and find a different engine. Does anyone know what the fine is in WA and there after?

[GMB-58FC]

253 with 304 injection

I prefer the nissans myself but you cant beat the sound of a V8.

Counting the fluffy as a V8 would get you killed here in Tassie lol

Im doing the GTR thing and would not recomend it i had the RB30 in it and it would be so much simpler just to turbo that or run a RB25 head on it ATMO
 they go very hard and about the same amount of power as GTR motor.
I just like the look and sound of the RB26 and its something different.

The nissan will walk all over the V8 but its personal prference.

Have a look throught some of the build threads everyones doing one or another.

Problem with the RB26 is if ANYTHING goes wrong the cost is so much more and very boring in stock form.  10k+ for a rebuild and being an import you have the hassle of chasing up parts cause you cant just run to Repco on a Sunday arvo.

As for putting a 25 head on a 30 you would be mad to spend the money doing the conversion when you could just turbo/efi the 30 for half the price.

I'd like to use an SR20DET.

In stock form it would be rubbish IMO in an old girl and like the RB26 the cost to rebuild/modify for power starts to get up there.

Personally id be keeping it holden and doing like old girl said, built 202 with all the trimmings or if you want the rumble of an 8 go the path of an LS1

[FCRB26]

As usual threads like this open a can of worms everyone has a opinion

You cannot legally register the LS1 in an earlly holden power to weight he has allready stated they wont let him run a 304.

Whats the cost of a LS1 compared to a nissan RB series engine?

Parts for RB series engines are everywhere.


dont be scared to try something if someone says it cannot be done prove them wrong.

[GMB-58FC]

As usual threads like this open a can of worms everyone has a opinion

You cannot legally register the LS1 in an earlly holden power to weight he has allready stated they wont let him run a 304.

Whats the cost of a LS1 compared to a nissan RB series engine?

Parts for RB series engines are everywhere.


dont be scared to try something if someone says it cannot be done prove them wrong.

Your kidding yourself if you think NEW parts for the RB series engines are everywhere.  Sure there are more stockists now than there were 5years ago but your still paying a premium for most things due to the import costs, thats where the money is made.

A stock RB26/box with ecu & loom that's in good condition with low k's that only requires the minimum to replace (water pump, oil pump, belts etc) is going to set you back 6-10k on a good day.

Compare that to an LS1/box they average 3-5k and I still stand by my original statement that there are more parts/accessories for them than that of an import engine, easier to extract power/torque out of, less involved with initial set up and tuning.

Im not trying to start an argument simply saying that the money you'd spend putting a RB into an earlier holden IMO you'd be better off (and so would your bank account) to build up a 179/186/202 etc unless your dead set on doing something different.

[perth_ute]

welcome to my decision. all points are valid. a 202 std would be cheap but to rebuild with tripples, gbox etc will be 3-5k and basically the same as rb25 which is 2.5k front cut with 5 speed. The rb26 is 6.5k half cut with 5 speed rb25 gbox. Either will be legal. The 304 is 1.5k plus 2k for gbox. The ls1 is 3k plus 1.5k for gbox. I love the sound of the v8 though. Another option is 253 and supra gbox for 2k then 5k build to 310 with fuel injection. This would be legal still a 253. bugger........

[Ed]

if you want to go fast, spend the $$ on a motorbike...

The 253 option would be the most cost effective option, giving you that great v8 sound and feel without breaking the budget.  The conversion is relatively straight forward with parts available anywhere and coupled with a 5 Speed box it would be alot of fun in an FE/FC.  I don't think you would need to stroke to 310 to enjoy it.

I've got a 253 combo and all the parts for a conversion squirrelled away for that reason.
low tech, cheap and cheerful.

Cheers

Ed

[Munster]

I'm running an RB26 twin turbo in an EH. I did this conversion 6 years ago. Parts are easy and accessable. The Japs have all the good stuff nutted out already, you just have to put it in. I love it, it can be so lame my grandmother can drive it and then so lively it wheel spins down half track at the drags.  

[FC427]

Another consideration is a V8 in an FE FC will never handle as good as a six ......FC427.....

[FCRB26]

My half cut off ichi bahn was $4900 complete running HKS intercooler kit HKS adjustable cam gears Ogura clutch ect put a battery in it hooked up a fuel pump sounded great???
39 thousand ks on the clock.

Sold gearbox, clutch, intercooler kit, brakes, other bits and its cost me what a RB25 half cut is worth.

Admitably gearbox owes me a lot of money but that was my choice to kit out a powerglide for it.
Also i will sell computer loom ect as im running a haltech .
i could not get a motor only at the time so i went for a half cut as you have more idea about ks and condition of what the car was like.