V8 Conversion - Melbourne

[bogged]

When I was getting quotes, Total 4wd in epping

Total closed the doors over 12 mths ago now :(

Last I heard Rod was working with Sandy, and Brett was talkin of opening a store out west somewhere.

[bru21]

i used a 45 series radiator in my bundy and it keptthe 350 chev cool no worries, never went above 85 in qld. the body needed minor trimming to suit and i made a rhs bracket. too easy really

[slosh]

The two best threads to get you started:

http://www.lextreme.com/1uzfe_variants.html

http://www.lextreme.com/1uzfe_info.html

From the second link (these are $NZ):

Cost
The most important thing I can say about cost is to fully appreciate that the engine is by far the cheap bit – making it fit is what gets expensive. You also need to understand that for the majority of conversion you end up replacing a significant portion of the original vehicle. We work on a simple drive in-drive out conversion of a Hilux costing in the vicinity of $10,000, but it is very easy to spend $14,000 if you start to up spec things.

Effectively there is roughly $5K in bits and $5K in labour – it tends to take Jono 2 very solid weeks to do a conversion. The following table of minimums for a Hilux shows why:

Item
Cost
Remove old engine
$250

Handbrake relocation
$100

Engine complete with AFM, ECU, Igniters etc
$1800

Cam Belt Replacement
$250

Custom Engine/Gearbox Mounts including minor sump modifications plus engine install
$1000

Conversion to manual transmission with billet flywheel and HD clutch (not including gearbox)
$1400

Wiring (Manual Trans)
$1000

New mandrel bent high performance exhaust system (but using Factory Headers)
$1200

Modified Fuel System, Pump and Lines
$500

Cooling System including Fans and heater connection (Existing Radiator)
$500

Oil Filter remote mount
$600

Oil, Oil Filter, Antifreeze, Trans Fluid etc
$200

Drive shaft Modifications
$250

Misc Items (AFM Hose, Air Filter, ISC hose, fittings)
$350

Power Steering Hoses
$250

New Platinum Spark plugs
$120

Accelerator Cable/modifications
$100

Certification
$350

Total
=SUM(ABOVE) $10220


Note that this does not allow for a LSD unless already fitted, brake pad or brake system upgrades, replacement of clutch master or slave cylinder. It also assumes that items such as flexible engine and gearbox mounts are reusable. The exhaust system is custom fabricated from mandrel bends. Even if you do it yourself, you will spend at least $5k on a conversion, maybe more like $6-7k.

[The Fish]

If you plan on playing in water and mudholes. Might pay to do abit of research on the motor.
As at the OBC. Sean Calcino and Luarie (dual cab Lux with lexus 4lt V8). Drowned the motor. Problem was they got water in thru the cams (or something like that). Which are mounted to the front of the motor with 2 holes in each cylinder. I got the impression these may be hard to or unable to be sealed. But it maybe possible to pipe a breather into the intake.

To add to what Turps is saying I was in Laurie and Sean's group at the OBC and they found that water got into the 2 dizzy caps via the pulleys/gears that are mounted to the front end of the cams. The caps are mounted to the front of these and the pulleys/gears are not solid centered but I believe have a 4 way spoke centre and thus have voids in them for water to enter. The water only entered when the cams were submerged as they did the long arvo mud stage without any dramas.

I think they also found the dizzy caps had 2 breathing holes in them that needed to be sealed.

Cheers, Shane.

P.S. Laurie's lux did sound awesome when on song and went very well also

[MissDrew]

Fish, Turps if he only got water in the dizzy`s then its not any differnt to any other motor, they all need things done to seal them up for water crossing of that depth.

Not that I have done water that deep but I haven`t had any problems with my 1uz

[The Fish]

Guts, I wasn't saying it's any better/worse than any other motor just highlighting the area where water does get in. Sean Calcino is very handy under the bonnet of any 4WD and he had prepped Laurie's motor/engine bay as best as he could and still didn't notice this water entry point, that's all

Have you sealed the cam pulleys/gears on yours Guts?

[smokem]

I think ive found a good place to get the conversion done, apparently theyve done about 6 conversions including two hiluxs with 1UZs.. price seemed reasonably, not stupidly cheap or overly expensive and i saw an example of their work, looked very neat! So ill keep everyone posted

cheers

andy