4AGZE vs 3.8L V6 (VS commodore)

[islandvitara]

guys, i have an 86 SWB sierra - ive found a hilux to strip the diffs off of (wider and more stability), i was going to find and purchase a 4AGZE engine but my housemate has offered me his 3.8L V6 out of his VS Commodore for my engine swap...(the commodore is damaged)


which motor would be the one of choice???

im thinking that its probly wiser to go with what im given but has anyone actually put a 3.8L V6 into a SWB sierra????

is the V6 a better choice over the 4agze?

i can pick up a 4AGZE off a mate for $1200 - its damaged too crashed his corroalla into a tree and messed up the intercooler n pipes n other crap but it runs...just.

if anyone has put the V6 into a sierra let me know because its been given to me if i want it and i'll take it if it can be done or has been done.

if i take the V6 what gearbox do i use?

any help is heaps helpfull
pics too please if yas can

cheers, islandvit

[lay80n]

Bwahahahahahahaha

Seriously, search and use the damn bible.

Layto....

[just cruizin']

anything but the commodore engine, unless you are putting it in a hilux they are a piece of crap

[islandvitara]

my badness i missed the V6 bit in the bible yeah as ive read not a good option...

think im better off with the 4AGZE - needs a lil work to get it runnning properly again but with a $1200 price tag its cheaper than any other 4AGZE motor ive searched for. $1900 plus.

[Goatse.AJ]

Just consider how much $$$ and stuffing around it's gunna cost you to fix the intercooler and any other probs with the crashed donk before parting with your hard-earned. I've seen waaaaay too many "bargains" end up costing more $$$ and time than they were worth.

[GRPABT1]

as long as it's not in need of a re-build and comes with everything including loom that's an alright price. Try and get the gearbox for that price too.

[islandvitara]

4AGZE WINS i just got one off my mate for $1000, engine, gearbox the whole lot for $1000!!!!

[neil_se]

You can get a decent intercooler for $100-$150 anyway and piping is cheap enough.

[troopy94]

i think it depends on what you want to use the zook for i have a vp v6 in a 89 swb that i use for racing in wa.It wasnt an overly hard conversion and it goes very hard but the biggest benifit for the v6 is its cheap to find parts and easy to repair. In my opinion if you want to drive it on the road go with the 4 cylinder

[scottyde]

4AGZE WINS i just got one off my mate for $1000, engine, gearbox the whole lot for $1000!!!!

mine cost 800 and 150 bucks for the gearbox ... so cheap as chips ...

go the 4agze its a compact little motor that has balls ...

im more then half way through putting one into my sierra, been working on it for a few weeks now in arvos, easy and cheap so far ...

done engine mounts
made my own extractors / exhaust
gearbox mount and
moved the transfercase back

a few little things to go before i get chassis sandblasted and gall dipped ;-)

no big hassles yet ...

[zook4fun]

what gear box are you guys running behind these engines? what year model car are they out of? i'm looking for a new engine for my next project and this engine sounds like what i want.

[Gwagensteve]

Do a search, there was an excellent thread on the gearbox choices behind 4Age/GZE motors some time ago.

Steve.

[grimbo]

you do realise that you probably wont be able to drive this or register it in QLD don't you?

[islandvitara]

you do realise that you probably wont be able to drive this or register it in QLD don't you?

why is that?

[grimbo]

well you may then want to check your mods out with the QLD road people, but you've probably done that already and spoken to an engineer about all these proposed plans as well haven't you?

[Highway-Star]

you do realise that you probably wont be able to drive this or register it in QLD don't you?

why is that?

As Gimbo so suttely just said, speak to a QLD Transport engineer. These people are here because people like you (thats how your coming accros anyway) are not really sure what you should be doing to your car (for safe road usage).

Couple of things:
- No engineer with a brain larger than a peanut would certify a 3.8L cast Iron V6 engine in a SWB Vitara. In any state, honestly.
- The 4AGZE might be feasible, though as soon as a supercharger appears, most certifiers will "Run to the Hills".
- You say that the Hilux diffs are "wider and more stability" to quote you exactly. Um, no. IFS will typically make you car more stable, and also are you aware of the actual wheel tracks of a Vitara and a Hilux? People have put Hilux axles under Vitaras and been happy with them, though its not for stability!
- Oh and also, SASing a car in QLD and driving it on road is very painful, very very few manage it (it will cost a fortune).

Don't take this offensivly, I get distressed when someone goes head long into something they are really keen about, and in reality they do not have a clue what they are doing.

Spend a few hours searching the internet on what people have done to their Vitaras to get them to perform as they desire. Not just on Outer's, there are hundreds of online sources of info.

Oh and also, what are you trying to achieve with Vitara, what is wrong with the 1.6L, I think Suzuki G series engines are great little engines, even if they are a bit slow!

[nicbeer]

you do realise that you probably wont be able to drive this or register it in QLD don't you?

why is that?

As Gimbo so suttely just said, speak to a QLD Transport engineer. These people are here because people like you (thats how your coming accros anyway) are not really sure what you should be doing to your car (for safe road usage).

Couple of things:
- No engineer with a brain larger than a peanut would certify a 3.8L cast Iron V6 engine in a SWB Vitara. In any state, honestly.
- The 4AGZE might be feasible, though as soon as a supercharger appears, most certifiers will "Run to the Hills".
- You say that the Hilux diffs are "wider and more stability" to quote you exactly. Um, no. IFS will typically make you car more stable, and also are you aware of the actual wheel tracks of a Vitara and a Hilux? People have put Hilux axles under Vitaras and been happy with them, though its not for stability!
- Oh and also, SASing a car in QLD and driving it on road is very painful, very very few manage it (it will cost a fortune).

Don't take this offensivly, I get distressed when someone goes head long into something they are really keen about, and in reality they do not have a clue what they are doing.

Spend a few hours searching the internet on what people have done to their Vitaras to get them to perform as they desire. Not just on Outer's, there are hundreds of online sources of info.

Oh and also, what are you trying to achieve with Vitara, what is wrong with the 1.6L, I think Suzuki G series engines are great little engines, even if they are a bit slow!

he's talking sierra so hilux diffs are already solid axel so no SAS, etc

[Highway-Star]

he's talking sierra so hilux diffs are already solid axel so no SAS, etc

Oh crap, his name is Vitara, I just assumed.


Still, my other bits are still relevent.

The V6 would be even worse in a Sierra! The axles, OK more feasible legally, though now you got to play with tailshaft stuff.

[islandvitara]

yeah ive scraped the V6, i read the bible and doesnt seem to go down well. so ive picked up a 4AGZE and gearbox for $1000. no offence taken, thanks for the tips

[Dee]

DOT arent as hard/difficult with engine swaps up here as they are down south (well at least they weren't a few years ago anyway). Kind of like the spoa thing, but opposite...

Also, a 4AGZE has a supercharger as standard, so being it a standard engine swap (thats still small/4cyl) I wouldn't think it would be that difficult to pass it with an engineer...?

Also, even though its a sierra (and not vitara, so no SAS etc like stated above), pretty sure even a hilux diff swap would be more troubles with the engineer/department than an engine conversion would be anyway.

[grimbo]

so have you done any research yet because I think you may have just wasted $1000 buying the engine and whatever you've paid for the hilux stuff.

[islandvitara]

hmm..not really, wasnt goig to get the mod plate for the engine, cops wouldnt pick it i guess??

small ordinary suzuki with a 4cylinder supercharged engine...i think it wldnt attract to much attention.. didtn end up getting the hilux stuff just keeping the engine and suzuki diffs. just some wider offset rims.

does it really matter? wats the chance of cops liftnig the hood on a sierra?

[Potter]

What did you do with the hilux stuff?

[lay80n]

hmm..not really, wasnt goig to get the mod plate for the engine, cops wouldnt pick it i guess??

small ordinary suzuki with a 4cylinder supercharged engine...i think it wldnt attract to much attention.. didtn end up getting the hilux stuff just keeping the engine and suzuki diffs. just some wider offset rims.

does it really matter? wats the chance of cops liftnig the hood on a sierra?

A 4AGZE says toyota, so i doubt a cop will miss it if he/she is looking at a sierra. As for the hilux and SPOA, in QLD you will have issues.

Layto....

[Gwagensteve]

hmm..not really, wasnt goig to get the mod plate for the engine, cops wouldnt pick it i guess??

small ordinary suzuki with a 4cylinder supercharged engine...i think it wldnt attract to much attention.. didtn end up getting the hilux stuff just keeping the engine and suzuki diffs. just some wider offset rims.

does it really matter? wats the chance of cops liftnig the hood on a sierra?

Bwahahahaha have you seen a GZE in a sierra engine bay? Oh no, there's no way they're going to notice that

Why wouldn't you mod plate it? all your labour (along with the car) might end up going in the bin if you don't, just because a cop asks you to pop the bonnet. It's not worth the risk. A GZE is a pretty complex conversion, you won't be in a hurry to find another car and do it all again if you get pinged

Steve.

[Highway-Star]

hmm..not really, wasnt goig to get the mod plate for the engine, cops wouldnt pick it i guess??

small ordinary suzuki with a 4cylinder supercharged engine...i think it wldnt attract to much attention.. didtn end up getting the hilux stuff just keeping the engine and suzuki diffs. just some wider offset rims.

does it really matter? wats the chance of cops liftnig the hood on a sierra?

When they hear the supercharger boosting, they'll want to know more! Note to mention a Sierra that can get to 100km/h quicker than a bus (OK slight exageration, but you get me...).

If your gonna do it, do it properly. Wring up the DOT and tell them where you are and ask for the few nearest engineers, they'll give you their numbers. Wring them all up and explain what your looking at doing. Then proceed with the engineer who is most willing to assist you in your conversion, and take on board any advise he/she gives you.

Oh also, they don't bite, especially over the phone.

The 4AGZE is not easy as Steve said, a mate of mine just finished putting a 4AGE in his old corrola (a car very similar to what the engine came from), he spent ages stuffing around with wiring. I saw the photos of his looms, holy cow allot of work. The Sierra has a smaller engine bay, etc etc. My mate backed out of the 4AGZE for his corrolla, due to the complexity in getting it done properlly, and getting it passed.

[chazza]

heya im in the rear end of converting my zook to 4agze and in QLD they are legal but get the backing of a engeneer first! hilux diffs are out too. u are best off going the T50 box out of a sprinter, thery are longer but all u need is a new jack shaft and she squeezs in with just enough room for the radiator. mounts must be created allong with making a new steering shaft with an extra uni joint...not fun. ive got mine running after 1yr altho its not yet complete and is in desprite need of a tune! hope this has helped u make up ur mind
cheers

[Drew]

don't understand why you needed to mess with the steering shaft ???

i have never needed to touch it with gze conversions

[chazza]

ive prob sat mine a little lower than yours o well

[Dozoor]

you do realise that you probably wont be able to drive this or register it in QLD don't you?

why is that?

As Gimbo so suttely just said, speak to a QLD Transport engineer. These people are here because people like you (thats how your coming accros anyway) are not really sure what you should be doing to your car (for safe road usage).

Couple of things:
- No engineer with a brain larger than a peanut would certify a 3.8L cast Iron V6 engine in a SWB Vitara In any state, honestly..
- The 4AGZE might be feasible, though as soon as a supercharger appears, most certifiers will "Run to the Hills".
- You say that the Hilux diffs are "wider and more stability" to quote you exactly. Um, no. IFS will typically make you car more stable, and also are you aware of the actual wheel tracks of a Vitara and a Hilux? People have put Hilux axles under Vitaras and been happy with them, though its not for stability!
- Oh and also, SASing a car in QLD and driving it on road is very painful, very very few manage it (it will cost a fortune).

Don't take this offensivly, I get distressed when someone goes head long into something they are really keen about, and in reality they do not have a clue what they are doing.

Spend a few hours searching the internet on what people have done to their Vitaras to get them to perform as they desire. Not just on Outer's, there are hundreds of online sources of info.

Oh and also, what are you trying to achieve with Vitara, what is wrong with the 1.6L, I think Suzuki G series engines are great little engines, even if they are a bit slow!

Oh Please ---- read the question first , and you can get these types of conversions engineered in other states so it may be a little research of your own is needed.