GQ Engine Replacement

[challenger]

Gooday.

Our scout group has a 1990 GQ Wagon with a shagged TB4.2 carby motor (petrol only). And it is an automatic.

I would like to start a thread on what would be the best and most cost-effective engine replacement.

We want to achieve:

1. More power
2. Better economy
3. Easy to maintain
4. Cheap spares
5. Easy to get engineered and passed by the (NSW) RTA

Some ideas include:

1. Holden or Chev V8
2. Ford AU injected 6 cylinder

What we want is a tried and true conversion. One that has been done many times before, so that all the bugs have been ironed out.

With the Marks adaptor kits readily available, my guess is that the Holden or Chev V8 is the best overall option. But this is only a guess!

The more experienced forum members may have far better ideas. Just remember the five requirements please.

Look forward to some interesting debate.

And a very happy and safe Christmas to all.

Cheers

Dave

[jessie928]

put the origional motor back in the car, for 500$ you can get a good second hand unit that will last another 400,000km's, no headaches, no mods, just add LPG.

is teh whole motor given up the ghost of is it just the top or bottom end?

Jes

[Bingham]

yes id aggree with the $500 tb42 option then sell it and buy a turbo diesel patrol and i would say you will save heaps and actually have soe resale at the end and not be out of a vehicle for to long....

[challenger]

A standard 2nd hand engine for $500? Where in Sydney can I find one that cheap?

Would also like to hear from the V8 converts - as a long term project.

[blkmav]

Agreed with the rebuild, I had mine rebuilt this year and it's as strong as and will go for another 10 years.

[Daisy]

actually few guys have gotten good results turboing their tb42. and woudl probalby work out to be cheaper than a full v8 conversion.

TOM

[jessie928]

i have a complete bottom end with just under 100,000 km's for 500$ i pinched the head off it for another vehicle, i have the head of the other vehicle, but it has to be welded.

I have converted patrols to V8's, and woudl reccomend it for a " personal recreational vehicle" but not to fiddle around for a scout group as it wil cost you mega dollars in conversion costs.

my advice, just fix the 6 brother.

Jes

[bogged]

Being a scout group, I'm thinking your budget wont be huge, most V8 engine conversions you wont see change out of $5000 and thats doing it all yourself.

I agree with others, standard donk rebuilt with a turbo or supercharger

[krimnl]

why would a scout group want a turbo petrol patrol???

buy a efi tb42 , remove the camshaft and get is reground to get a bit more power , add a aftermarket ecu to run it , set of extractors , even a bit of port matching on the head , most these jobs could be done by members of your scout group final bill under 5k and about twice the power you have now!!!!, no problems with mismatched parts , no modded parts and no 1000 engineers bill

thats my 2 cents worth

[Rainbow Warrior]

Gooday.

Our scout group has a 1990 GQ Wagon with a shagged TB4.2 carby motor (petrol only). And it is an automatic.

I would like to start a thread on what would be the best and most cost-effective engine replacement.

We want to achieve:

1. More power
2. Better economy
3. Easy to maintain
4. Cheap spares
5. Easy to get engineered and passed by the (NSW) RTA

Some ideas include:

1. Holden or Chev V8
2. Ford AU injected 6 cylinder

What we want is a tried and true conversion. One that has been done many times before, so that all the bugs have been ironed out.

With the Marks adaptor kits readily available, my guess is that the Holden or Chev V8 is the best overall option. But this is only a guess!

The more experienced forum members may have far better ideas. Just remember the five requirements please.

Look forward to some interesting debate.

And a very happy and safe Christmas to all.

Cheers

Dave

Well that knocks a Ford AU motor out, never heard of one fitted to a Patrol, so they may not be well proven conversion. Maybe an EFI coversion TB42/TB45 is the go.