96' Sierra rebuild with 3.8L v6

[11_evl]

I'm sick of reading about people putting this useless lump of shit motor into zooks. I made this mistake 4 yrs ago and regret it to this day. Power is a very small part of what makes a good 4wd. gearing and suspension goes alot further to create an awesome offroad vehicle.

Take the trail craft buggy a few years ago. It was fantastic for that era and it ran a shitty little 1.8L camira motor with a small turbo. Went everywhere with a sensible amount of power.

The V6 commadore motor is a MASSIVE weight to drop into the front end, and you can't imagine the decrease in handling and drivability.

If you have all the parts to do the job, like gearbox, adapters, suitable transfer case, driveshafts, and bigger diffs, not to mention the coolers, radiator, fans etc, and fuel system, then yeah go for it.

But you will blow thousands doing this conversion otherwise for no more usable power than a vitara motor.

JMO
Pete

i have heard the same thing said about putting a hi mount on the front of a suzuki.
i have done it and didnt really notice much of a difference.
if your the sort of person thats chasing the best of the best than it mite not be an ideal conversion, as in your chasing a balanced car, just go for it. it will be fun on the beach anway.

[MightyMouse]

IMHO theres a VERY big difference between putting a winch on a Sierra and putting in a Holden V6.

True each will effect the weight distribution and therefore the vehicles balance but that's about the limit of the comparison.

And there not even a good motor to start with.

[11_evl]

IMHO theres a VERY big difference between putting a winch on a Sierra and putting in a Holden V6.

True each will effect the weight distribution and therefore the vehicles balance but that's about the limit of the comparison.

And there not even a good motor to start with.

true true. i was not saying that putting a hi mount is the same as a v6.
more so ppl have said how extremely bad it is and over kill it is to put a hi mount on, oh all the weight over the front, it will be horrible to drive, bla bla bla..
pretty much the same as the v6 story.
i think it will matter what driving he will be doing as to how it will turn out.
my car has about 10+" of lift it works for me. i drive it accordenly.
he mite spend most of his time cruising the supermarkets and dragging commodores off from lights.
i dont no.
i think a v6 would be good for beach, traveling, towing firewood, speed events.
move the front diff way forward

[Mitchie]

Ok guys I have a set of hilux diff from a lux that my mate and I got for free, pulled them out this weekend (the rest of the lux was full of rust). The v6 still has the turbo 700 gearbox on the back of it we have the radiator and fuel tank from the vn as well the only two major components we don’t have are the t/case and computer (we have the wiring loom).

[google]

with what yous are saying is true you have to set it up right otherwise

it will be over balanced and will want to front flip going down hill and if you wheel stand it to the point of flipping or not it will go over back wards but if it is done right

radiator in the back big thermos and a floor pan chop to make it fit over it all auto and tranfercase and mount the motor all most on the fire wall and push the front diff 8 inchs forward from standard it will almost balance out but if it is tray back it will balance out with a rear mount winch

[11_evl]

with what yous are saying is true you have to set it up right otherwise

it will be over balanced and will want to front flip going down hill and if you wheel stand it to the point of flipping or not it will go over back wards but if it is done right

radiator in the back big thermos and a floor pan chop to make it fit over it all auto and tranfercase and mount the motor all most on the fire wall and push the front diff 8 inchs forward from standard it will almost balance out but if it is tray back it will balance out with a rear mount winch

no i think what ppl are saying is. it is a bad idea to put that much power into a sierra. It really does not need it. and in the v6 case he is not only putting more power but putting alot of extra weight.

[mrRocky]

I guarantee you will be smiling a whole lot more than those zuk drivers with 1.3's telling you it is a bad idea. Burnouts, wheelstands, 1/4 mile times - bring it on

I say more power

personally i would spend the money on aftermarket ecu, low comp pistons, injectors and turbo for the 1.3, but work with what you got

[google]

Thats not a bad idea what you get cheap work with it and it will work out if you persist with it i did with mine and i would not go back to a 1.3 again to much fun with lots of power its cool

[Gutless]

If you really think you need that much power (VN - 125kw 292Nm) why don't you fit the much smaller, much lighter 4AGZE 1.6L supercharged motor? (127kw 200ish Nm and 1/2 the weight!!!)

The 3.8L boat anchor that holden used for decades was actually designed many decades before the VN to run tractors. Its a dinasour of a motor which is outclassed and outperformed by most sub-2.0L jap motors from the past 25 years.

You can tell I hate this conversion

[11_evl]

Hi guys me and a mate were given a vn 3.8L v6 engine with auto box we have been playing with the idea of putting it into a 96 Sierra coil sprung swb and run hilux transfer case and axles. What would everyonew thoughts on this conversion be?

i think thats the reason right there^^^^^^^

from the first post

[droopypete]

Hi guys me and a mate were given a vn 3.8L v6 engine with auto box we have been playing with the idea of putting it into a 96 Sierra coil sprung swb and run hilux transfer case and axles. What would everyonew thoughts on this conversion be?

i think thats the reason right there^^^^^^^

from the first post

good by and good luck
Peter.

[Gutless]

Hi guys me and a mate were given a vn 3.8L v6 engine with auto box we have been playing with the idea of putting it into a 96 Sierra coil sprung swb and run hilux transfer case and axles. What would everyonew thoughts on this conversion be?

i think thats the reason right there^^^^^^^

from the first post

good by and good luck
Peter.

ROFLMAO

Harsh but necessary

[MightyMouse]

The fact that the engine is free ( still more than they are worth....... ) doesn't tip the balance much in its favor when you look at the work required and the likelyhood of not actually improving much except for straight line speed.......

There are lots of small, light and powerful engines around ( Nissan, Toyota, Mazda etc etc ) just begging to be shoehorned into a Sierra whether or not the power can be used.

I've always been partial to Rotary Zooks myself - my PP 13B LJ50 still gives me the odd nightmare 30 odd years from its untimely demise.

Just because it could be done doesn't make it worth doing IMO

[Gwagensteve]

Just because it could be done doesn't make it worth doing IMO

And that's the key point.

It's possible to put almost any motor in any car if you try hard enough. Just because the motor is cheap/free/really powerful/whatever never makes it a better idea.

I'm the first person to think silly ideas are fun to pursue, and, as an example, despite common sense, I still think 660's make cool engines in sierras, but a commodore V6 wasn't a good idea in a commodore, let alone a sierra.

Steve.

[Guy]

The fact that the engine is free ( still more than they are worth....... ) doesn't tip the balance much in its favor when you look at the work required and the likelyhood of not actually improving much except for straight line speed.......

There are lots of small, light and powerful engines around ( Nissan, Toyota, Mazda etc etc ) just begging to be shoehorned into a Sierra whether or not the power can be used.

I've always been partial to Rotary Zooks myself - my PP 13B LJ50 still gives me the odd nightmare 30 odd years from its untimely demise.

Just because it could be done doesn't make it worth doing IMO

mmmm rotazuk

[FC3892]

The one that my brother an i put together with the commo V6 an auto with lux diff's works well... with the new cage an spare (35) the weight is back to a ok level back to front.
It's crawls so easy an has the low down grunt to walk up anything with the lockers. Will run all day an not get hot, not that hard on fuel. what more do u guys want from a motor? we have it setup so it only gets 3/4 power to save the drive line a lil.
Both my old man an brother are machanics an it's easyer for us to do these silly heart swaps.... but there isn't much wrong with a holden v6... sure it's an ols school layout but they go for ever . ide never do it to mine lol

I have built cars for a lil while now from a daily driven 11.2 sec rx7 to the turbo zook. i enjoy haven cars that are different, makes it more fun at the end of the day.

i dont understand why ppl get so worked up about it? lol tho it makes me laugh... so keep it up

Adam

[Gwagensteve]

My 660 has enough gearing to walk up anything with the lockers... so?

The point is that there are many, many better ways of getting 127Kw in a sierra (if that's what one needs) and many better ways of getting a 4 speed auto in a sierra (if that's what one needs)

Steve.

[11_evl]

My 660 has enough gearing to walk up anything with the lockers... so?

The point is that there are many, many better ways of getting 127Kw in a sierra (if that's what one needs) and many better ways of getting a 4 speed auto in a sierra (if that's what one needs)

Steve.

but not as cheap as a free v6.
yes I realise all the asscioated cost will add up to way more and the shed time will be way more.

alot of ppls decisions are based on the inital out lay of a product, wheather it be a diff or axles or in this case motor..

a FREE v6 seems to be better than a $1500 xxx motor than may be better suited.

[flyinwall]

Gwagensteve how much did it cost you to put the 660 in your zook

[Highway-Star]

Do it an see if it works for u i say... if not try something else

Trial and error is a bit crude and expensive...

[FC3892]

Do it an see if it works for u i say... if not try something else

Trial and error is a bit crude and expensive...

why i said each to there own. long as your haven fun with it!!!! drop the 6 in then seen if these sheep builders show u up or not lol

[flyinwall]

Michie, to answer a question no one else has. Get an adaptor from marks and put a hilux case in it, it will match up with your FREE hilux diffs.

i take it no one saw my post

if you use the commodore auto you will have to get an expensive addapter to mount just about any t/case to it but there is a cheaper option and that is to use a asian warner auto from a toyota surf etc.with the t/case already attached and use a bellhousing from a 94 era 3.2 auto rodeo and get a g/box place to modify the torque converter (only a cheap modification) and it will all bolt up but if you want more info pm me and i can give you more details and a phone number of someone i know who has done this modification (he is a gearbox specialist so he knows what he is doing) and he is in Noosa so he is fairly close to you

[Guy]

I locked the thread and cleaned up a couple of non tech related posts ...

Pls keep it on topic ..

[Toecutta]

Just do it, it will be fun to drive, you are not going to put rego on it anyway. Can't wait to see some pics

PS Thanks for the clean up love_mud

[flaxton]

rota zuk is where its at i reacon 6port 13b injected bridge port thats what im gunna put in mine

[mrRocky]

rotories are unreliable, hard on parts and heavy

[flyinwall]

Gwagensteve i wasnt knocking you in any way i did actually want to know how much did it cost you to put the 660 in your zook that is why i asked you

[flyinwall]

http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/sho ... oors+latch

[Gutless]

http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/sho ... oors+latch

There is nothing FREE about that rig

[31zook]

My 660 has enough gearing to walk up anything with the lockers... so?

The point is that there are many, many better ways of getting 127Kw in a sierra (if that's what one needs) and many better ways of getting a 4 speed auto in a sierra (if that's what one needs)

Steve.

correct me if im wrong but i once read that a standard 1.3 on 31s with 6.5s produces close to 500hp in Low 1st... just what i read