v6 conversions

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 6:23 am

i'm about to embark on doing a vn v6 auto twin transfers etc into my hilux 84 model.

Any real hassles?
Mark's adapters seem to have all the computer/ electronic crap sorted, but are there others that do this sort of thing?

I have all the adapters and stuff, just the tricky / fidly crap that becomes expensive.

Has anyone out there done it & can they give me more info on the problems associated.
Cheers Chris

Joined: 24 Feb 2003 Location: Melbourne

I'm thinking about doing a V6/8 commo conversion in my bundera, so this might come in handy for me.. plenty of pics and good info please Cool

Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Location: Brisbane, QLD.

hey did you buy the one that was on the forum here ?

Joined: 02 Jun 2003

I've just spent a few weeks on the phone doing the research on a V8 for my 73 series.

The lowest quotes I got were $4000 for adapters, parts and Eng Cert, $1000 - $1200 labour plus the engine.

Some were very unentheusiastic about the whole thing. Some were keen to do an awesome job but at a price.

I've found a guy who deals mainly in performance engines but has done a few 4wd's. He's putting together a comprehensive quote at the moment.

Feel free to PM me if you want specifics on anything I found out. Ie who would be best for what you want to do given budget etc.

Joined: 18 Sep 2003 Location: lost

Are ya going injected or carby? I got some prices off marks adaptors site for my cruiser and with everything came to about 2500. Then you gotta get a motor and box. (prices include auto to transfer adaptor) then all the other little shit that adds up real quick. I am yet to get any definite pricing on motors as yet but I hope to get a decent one from a vs or thereabouts.
The marks adaptors guy said I would prolly be up for about 10G all up but I reckon I could do better. Just depends on the motor you go for really.

(Also rang them, and I would have to say that the guys I spoke to would have to be some of the most helpful in the business. Put up with a lot of questions and seemed enthusiastic about it all.)

Keep us all informed anyho.

Cheers
P.S I will post it in the for sale area too eventually, but I know of a a v6 to hilux adaptor that should be for a good price.

Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Location: GOLD COAST OZ

Not long finished a LN65 d/cab with VP V6 auto YOU ARE IN FOR A LOT OF HAIR PULLING,HEAD BANGIN, FUN.You should be able to drink RUM easyer from the bottle I DID.
All I can say is think hard about it 2 or 3 times over problems.
Things to look for are
Fuel pump location must be low near tank(my ones on top of chassie 1/2 way along tank)
Frount sharft hits auto sump with STD tranzfer
MARKS auto gear leaver mountplate may be built upside down mine took 3 weekends to think of that and reweld it (sticks hit each other in 2nd H4 to L4 dont get better in 1ST)
Still having lock up not working in box (goes to auto box boys again) think it has problem with VSS. Light works on box dont now if it talks to computer.
We had to think hard to find a place for computer, end up where clutch peddel was up high at an angle in a box (chop peddel box in 1/2)
Motor was ezy to do FIDDLY BITS AND ELECTRICS TOOK MOST OF TIME not a week end job.
Only thing we did not get of MARKS was eng/mounts. Mine end up a little higher and to the left just enough room for A/C pump hood just misses P/S pump dozen`t hit under power
All I can say is TAKE YOUR TIME don`t rush it.

Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Location: Brisbane, QLD.

So was it all worth it and what did it end up costing you ??

I am looking at all the engine options at the moment. Once I finish the other 3 engine conversions sitting in my shed I will move onto the Hilux. Hopefully by then I will have made my mind up.

Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 10:56 am

thanks all.

Brad, yes i did / will be getting the gear that was posted on here next weekend. Smile

I'm also picking up a digital camera so i will post pics and info as the conversion goes along.

armsup

Cheers Chris armsup

Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Location: Cairns, (capital of Nth QLD)

I did a 3.8L V6 conversion in my old 85 Hilux myself & cost me approx $3500 including engine. armsup

All done in my home garage ! Cool

If you go for the Marks Adapters kits you can't go wrong.

Still going strong, recently needed the g/box bearings overhaul though.

Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Location: Brisbane, QLD.

Hey Kev, how did you find the Toyota Box ? Did you . have you got a/c and p/s on there ? What year V6 did you use ? What is fuel consumption like ?

So many questions, hope you don't mind.

Cheers,

Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Location: Cairns, (capital of Nth QLD)

I recon the auto box would be beter for the street as the 5 speed is abit torquie off the lights, depends what you are after. The standard 5speed is ok as long as you don't thrash it, as i said the bearings were replased for heavy duty ones as the old ones collapsed after a while. $1200 later ! cussing

Found you have to get used to the extra power when hill climbing/rock crawling, lower t/case gears would be perfect for that.

I bought a series 2 VN engine that had just been rebuilt so it all was quite easy. Stay away from the series 1 VN engines.
VP are popular as the later eco-tech engines need different kits.

Yes you can still have p/steering & a/c. Just need to get Enzed ect to make some hoses from the V6 to the Hilux p/steering box, i didn't have a/c but the compressor & bracket does fit.

Belive it or not but the V6 fuel economy is the same as the 4Y, must be the injection ect. Very Happy

Good luck !

Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Location: Brisbane, QLD.

V6 Holden is looking better and better as an option. I would go Auto if I do it.

The Lux is my daily driver / tow car. I take it out and play every now and again but most of its life is spent on the road..

Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Location: VIC

it cost me around $3000-$4000 for my V8 conversion

alot of tricky converting to be done

defintely use marks4x4

cooling can be a major issue with the bigger engines
not much room in lux engine bay for big radiator, thermo fan was a must for mine
the 308 still heats right up when iddling (not moving). you should have less dramas with a V6 but.

and more power = more carnage armsup

Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Location: Cairns, (capital of Nth QLD)

No cooling probs with mine, i used a 3 core V8 radiator With a 16" craig Davie thermo fan + i lifted the bonnet off the hinges about 20mm to let the air flow through the engine bay.

Eventualy damaged the radiator cores from the thermo bolts through the radiator though. cussing

Also made the exhaust myself, i fitted extractors and welded on the modified cat convertor, then fitted a 2" free flow muffler & then had a 2" pipe dumped out the side. Cool

Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:34 pm

thanks for all your info guys.

I also have the option to run a Microtec computer efi system , hidden from the rta (did i just say that?) Twisted Evil

This may let me get away without running the marks adapters loom adapter, mem cals for the computer speed sensors, immoboliser etc.

See how we go.
armsup

Cheers Chris armsup

Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Location: Cairns, (capital of Nth QLD)

Whats the go with the microtec ?

Is this cheaper than the standard system, reliable ?

Never herd of it !

Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2003 10:44 am

yeah Microtech is just another aftermarket fuel injection company. It is just as reliable as the factory gear, easy to wire up and best thing is is that it's all programable and adjustable.

I figure i'm up for over 1200 in electronic bits from marks to make the factory computer think it's still in a commodore so why not put this system on.

Cheers Chris

Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Location: Cairns, (capital of Nth QLD)

Does that include the engine wiring loom ?
Do you still need a speed sensor ?

It would be a good idea to wire up a diagnostic light to the spare plug on the comp so you can fault find problems yourself, easy to do.

The light flashes a code that can be read against a fault list from a service manual.

Joined: 02 Jun 2003

The guy who is currently putting together the quote for my V8 conversion said the loom for the VN commodore including computer etc is only $200.

I am going from carby to EFI and he says with the full loom, compatibility is not an issue and its easier to pass emission for the Eng Cert.

Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2003 7:06 pm

reading thru the Mark's Adapters web page, it says that i will need:

engine mounting kit MFK130P $215
Tachometer interface MFK950 $125
interface wiring loom MFK648 $385
speed sensor interface kit MFK696 $330
Diagnostic test light MFK1453 $45

total over 1200 bucks!

All this is on top of the computer and factory loom that is comiing with the motor.

I could probably pick up an aftermarket efi computer for under a thousand dollars. I can always get it tuned so it passes emissions testing.

I'll see waht happens anyway. I have to get my other car on the road before i start toying with the hilux again.
Cheers Chris

Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Location: Cairns, (capital of Nth QLD)

You don't need all of that.

You don't have to buy the wiring loom if you can nut out the electrics yourself, personaly i went for it as it saved me pulling my hair out. ($380)

The engine will run without the speed sensor but i found it to be rough so i bought the sensor, basicly the engine needs to know when it de-celerating ($300)

When i bought the engine it came with all electrics, sensors & computer ect, but i can't remember if i changed over the mem-cal. If so they are approx $300.

Don't need the tacho or test light unless wanted.

So you would be up for around 1K for the electrics.

BTW- engine mounts have nothing to do with the efi system. Wink

Joined: 09 Nov 2002 Location: Brisbane

roc70y wrote:

reading thru the Mark's Adapters web page, it says that i will need:

engine mounting kit MFK130P $215
Tachometer interface MFK950 $125
interface wiring loom MFK648 $385
speed sensor interface kit MFK696 $330
Diagnostic test light MFK1453 $45

total over 1200 bucks!

All this is on top of the computer and factory loom that is comiing with the motor.

I could probably pick up an aftermarket efi computer for under a thousand dollars. I can always get it tuned so it passes emissions testing.

I'll see waht happens anyway. I have to get my other car on the road before i start toying with the hilux again.
Cheers Chris

Drawing upon my very basic understanding of engines, you will still need the speed sensor as the hilux box is mechanical and you need and electronic sensor, and the tacho interface as you need this so the comp can "talk" to the hilux tacho. To aleviate this, you could just get an aftermarket tacho. Don't know about the engine mounting kit but that just sounds like engine mounts and things like surge tank and mounts.

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 9:05 am

oh well i'll see (for finacial benefits ) if i can get away with the minimal requirements to make the truck run smooth.

The less electical crap i have on the rig the better.

Cheers Chris

Joined: 07 Nov 2003 Location: Mount Beauty

If anyone is looking for a v6 I have a vp for sale. see for sale section

Ben

Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Location: GOLD COAST OZ

Best fuel we can get is 20lt to 100kms town driving gently.Not happy at all pulling it all out soon puttin old 2.4 diesel back in.Still no lock up,have to look some were else for problem AUTO MAN sez all works ELECT man sez all works but lock up don`t (think it`s got to do with VSS from MARKS)

Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Location: Brisbane, QLD.

Isuzuki wrote:

Best fuel we can get is 20lt to 100kms town driving gently.Not happy at all pulling it all out soon puttin old 2.4 diesel back in.Still no lock up,have to look some were else for problem AUTO MAN sez all works ELECT man sez all works but lock up don`t (think it`s got to do with VSS from MARKS)

mmmm Does this mean you will have a conversion up for sale soon ?? Smile

Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Location: GOLD COAST OZ

Just taken a long trip in the LUX V6 GMH fuel went down to 13LT to 100KM,went up to 130kph still no lock up.Before we left I wired in a foot actived dip switch to lock up before computer in wireing is only way to make it work (make sure it of in traffic)
WE are a little bit happy now.Looks like its comin out after XMAS, money be back up around then.

Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Location: Blackbutt, Queensland

if u ring marks they can tell u how to adjust your vss so that it locks up convertor. i could tell u but might get it wrong