V8 for a Cruiser - Which One

[Hardcorr]

Been having a conversation with a few blokes about V8's in 80 Series Cruisers. How many people have one, and what type/Why?
Did you go Petrol or Diesel V8, if Petrol, is it injected.
The 2UZ is only 4.7l, so why wouldn't a 5.0l Holden V8 be anygood, or is it?


Corry

[MissDrew]

so why wouldn't a 5.0l Holden V8 be anygood

Holden

says it all I think.

Would only go with a Chev or a 2uz in an 80.

[Sic Lux]

388 in a 80 now that'd be half decent. Know a bloke with 350 in a cruiser (dunno which model earlier one) sounds and looks tuff as haven't seen it off road yet can't wait

[Hardcorr]

Yeah, I know a bloke who has put a 350 Chev in one here, but it was still carby, and I'm not interested in going to a carby motor.
Just curious about size more than make, would 304ci be enough? Some say it should be big block only. I guess a 2UZ would be the go.
Pity V8 diesels and second hand 1HD-FTE's are so expensive.
Ooops, it's raining, better go close the shed up.

Cheers
Corry

[chunderlicious]

youll find the 2uz actually put out more power and torque than the 5.0 holden engine. but parts cost more, getting more power out of them is still newish to alot of dyno places and they cost 3 times as much as a 5.0

[Pauwolf]

Mate I have a holden 5l in my 60 series, stage 2 cam and chip, 70mm throttle body, pacemaker extractors, otherwise stock. It has heaps of power, made 200hp at the wheels of my 60, I doubt a 2uz would beat it for power and the holden is strong as, no head gasket problems unlike the uz

just my 2c
Paul

[toyrex]

Holden 304 has 4" bore and 3.050" stroke
Chev 350 4" bore and 3.480 stroke
The longer stroke will give you more bottem end torque
If you want to use a injected Holden V8 fit a 355 stroker kit into it
Check out some importers you should be able to find either throttle body or tune port injected 350 Chev engines

Adrian
avagooday

[crack]

go brunswick diesel or maybe thats the nam e of the company i can tmenba. oh yep go the 6.5l chev thstas it

[hdj105]

If it's a toy, stick with petrol.

I'd look for a Holden EFI 5 litre and see how you go. If you find it's not grunty enough you could recondition it and fit a stroker crank and make it 5.7L (eg. Harrop), different cam, and get the ECU tuned. All dependant on how far you wish to go.

[Hardcorr]

Righto, next question, probably mainly for Paul, but for others that are in the know as well.
What are the Holden 5l's like with water. The car is a toy, so it sees it's fair share of mud and water crossings. It's been sunk twice. This was my reason for staying with the diseasel, but I'm looking for more power now.

Corry

[Cammo30]

Righto, next question, probably mainly for Paul, but for others that are in the know as well.
What are the Holden 5l's like with water. The car is a toy, so it sees it's fair share of mud and water crossings. It's been sunk twice. This was my reason for staying with the diseasel, but I'm looking for more power now.

Corry

Im am at the momment putting a 5Ltr in my 1995 80 series and and was looking at the sensor locations because of water e.g. And have found most are high enough not to cause problems, The main one not to get wet is the dizzy, which is behind inlet and at the back of the block!

Cheers Cammo

[Shadow]

id look at a LS1.

Ive seen a 60 series with one in it and it looks tops and goes like a zirtech.

[Tiny]

know of a couple of 454s one n an 80s the other in a 75s with a 40s body on it, he bough the thing of a bloke who had the chassis galled and conversion all done, lockers ect so body swapped it

[Hardcorr]

Im am at the momment putting a 5Ltr in my 1995 80 series and and was looking at the sensor locations because of water e.g. And have found most are high enough not to cause problems, The main one not to get wet is the dizzy, which is behind inlet and at the back of the block!

Cheers Cammo

Cammo, haven't got any photo's and details on how things are going?

Cheers
Corry

[HG]

Nothing wrong with the Holden V8's at all they make good power out of the box with low down grunt and if tweaked up a bit they can really get going.
There's no head gasket woes, pox low down torque, timing belts to break, hidden starter motors etc to worry about (I've had Soarers and know what I'm on about) .
I've got a 5ltr in my Hilux and it see's a fair bit of river crossings with no worries at all, if you do a good job of sealing the engine bay and the dizzy you will have a fun toy to play with..
A mate in our club has a 350 tpi in his 80 series and that puppy runs under water even when the clutch wouldn't work the Chevy still kept running, stock 350, electronic dizzy and a snorkel ---- very impressive.

[guzzla]

exactly what is tune port injection ?

[hdj105]

Darren,

It may pay to get in contact with Brian @ GPS OZ as he fitted a 5L to his early FJ80 a couple of years back - he may still have the pics hosted somewhere. He had quite a few issues needing to be solved, one revolved around the EFI plumbing IIRC.

Another hurdle for the EFI 5L is that the throttle body faces the passenger side, Cruiser filter is drivers side. Brian's had a the pipe run back towards the firewall, then across to the DS and to filter, about 2 meters (which I guess worked fine but I didn't like it).

[chunderlicious]

all chev and holden engines are good with water. except when they drink it

my commo has been in water upto the top of the wheels and i have a pod filter.... didnt stop just had a big miss when it would drink some water. other than that ran fine till it dried out and went back to normal.

[foodie]

go with whatever you budget says

5L injected holden with some small mods will hammer and still be cheaper than the 2uz.

repair costs favor the holden.

Chev is great as parts are everywhere, but injection will set you back.

What is your aim? 13 sec quarters or just more balls than yer diesel mates ?

[Hardcorr]

What is your aim? 13 sec quarters or just more balls than yer diesel mates ?

Nah, not looking to drag it, enough of our Chronies up here have their turbo petrols for that crap. I'm just looking for some more grunt, and love the sound of a V8.

Thanks Greg, I'll get onto Brian and see what he can tell me. Is that 454 in your Shorty injected, how does it go offroad, do you still have it?

Cheers
Corry

[hdj105]

Thanks Greg, I'll get onto Brian and see what he can tell me. Is that 454 in your Shorty injected, how does it go offroad, do you still have it?

Cheers
Corry

Yep still have it, still not ready to go again quite yet. Short on time and I broke the rear leaf pack last time out (March?), and by the time I got to fix it the thrust bearing had seized :-( Springs are fixed, g/box is out awaiting reassembly.

No it's not injected, runs a big Quaddy. It's a lazy thing to drive, dunno why they put 4 gears in it :-)

[dow50r]

A friend in Sydney had a crete motor (7.4 tpi) fitted to his 80 with a 4 speed auto behind it (t700). That with gas would be powerful, torquey, completely automatic on gas, and fairly economical. Anything that is not straight bolt in is going to cost you big...cost him 14 all up without gas.
Id be looking for a late v8 commodore wreck, pull the motor (5.7) and auto and loom and computers, and polution gear whole, and a conversion kit from marks....and your way infront, as all the tuning has been done. Maybe these motors run coil packs...if so, even better for water.
The 2uz is not much more powerful than a 4.5. again, if you buy a wreck, and get motor/box/computers etc, it will be alot easier and cheaper...
The 2uz wil bolt up to your gearbox with the right bellhousing. the problems will start with wiring it in.