terranorob Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hi guys - I have been looking at options for an engine swap - has anyone bolted an SR20DET motor and transmission into a WD21 before? I want to keep 4x4 so the trannie would need to bolt up to the transfer case. I have heaps of access to tools and materials and SR20DET half cuts are fairly common. My TD27T needs injector cleaning, fuel pump etc and even when all that stuff is done it won't come close to the power of some other motor. The four door 4x4 suits me down to the ground but the stocker TD is all no go. I have the three speed / over drive auto and its wearing out so its time to assess other options..... I saw pics of the VH45 but that's too much work to put in..... Would welcome thoughts! Cheers from Oz (Melbourne) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerranoNZ Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hi guys - I have been looking at options for an engine swap - has anyone bolted an SR20DET motor and transmission into a WD21 before? I want to keep 4x4 so the trannie would need to bolt up to the transfer case. I have heaps of access to tools and materials and SR20DET half cuts are fairly common. My TD27T needs injector cleaning, fuel pump etc and even when all that stuff is done it won't come close to the power of some other motor. The four door 4x4 suits me down to the ground but the stocker TD is all no go. I have the three speed / over drive auto and its wearing out so its time to assess other options..... I saw pics of the VH45 but that's too much work to put in..... Would welcome thoughts! Cheers from Oz (Melbourne) VG30 (3L V6) They come out factory so no mods or custom stuff just bolt it in, change wiring and hook up ECU, quite a task really.....Far easier option is to sell it and by a V6 one Commodore 3.8L V6...One guy has done it. Agreed though the Diesels (Even turbo ones) are NAILS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 see your other post rob. ahhhhhh you have an auto.... autos sap power, sorry no easy answer there. theres at least 2 of us here with 3.8 v6's, my conversion auto and the other manual. as stated in the other post, when it comes to a 4wd, torque wins hands down on flat out speed. sr20's are a great motor, no arguments there, but at what rpm is it generating max torque. not nice and low like you need off road in the tough stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 one conversion i think would be a-goer, would be a zd30 from a patrol (its a different setup to the zd30 navaras), i have learnt a lot about why they have a tendency to self destruct, thanks to patrol4x4.com, so a few key mods and i think the zd30 would hammer in a d21. its direct inject and twin cam, with the right mods i reckon it would make the 3.8L look a bit drab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terranorob Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 one conversion i think would be a-goer, would be a zd30 from a patrol (its a different setup to the zd30 navaras), i have learnt a lot about why they have a tendency to self destruct, thanks to patrol4x4.com, so a few key mods and i think the zd30 would hammer in a d21. its direct inject and twin cam, with the right mods i reckon it would make the 3.8L look a bit drab. What's the economy and power like with the 3.8 V6 conversion? A guy has a 5 speed and transfer case for an RB30 out of a Patrol for sale at the moment - could be a good option?? Thoughts? I am in two minds, if I go to the hassle of a conversion with say a V6 motor, then why not go the whole hog with say the all alloy 4L toyota V8 - 1UZ? The thing I like about the commodore is that there are so many of them around that gearboxes and rebuilding motors etc is cheap. I spent years driving European cars and you get burnt mega $$ for parts. Too many options! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 What's the economy and power like with the 3.8 V6 conversion? well as said before it goes like a cut snake & only since owning a diesel 4wd have i been a little dissapointed with the low down grunt. fuel economy was woe-ful (around 20L per 100km give or take 1 or 2L). however i do have 4.88 gear ratios and 31" tyres - so the motor was always reving a bit higher than i would have liked. commo motors like to drink when up in the revs. some nice 35" tyres would probably lower the rpm nicely........ but theres no point doing that until a sas has happened. A guy has a 5 speed and transfer case for an RB30 out of a Patrol for sale at the moment - could be a good option?? Thoughts? this has been talked about in another thread. fitting a straight 6 to the pathy engine bay is no easy feat. - radiator would most likely need to go in the back. rb30 block and rb25 head would be very cool!!! again lots of work...... I am in two minds, if I go to the hassle of a conversion with say a V6 motor, then why not go the whole hog with say the all alloy 4L toyota V8 - 1UZ? The thing I like about the commodore is that there are so many of them around that gearboxes and rebuilding motors etc is cheap. I spent years driving European cars and you get burnt mega $$ for parts. Too many options! well i dont think much of yota what so ever, so anything yota in a nissan is just not on!! that being said an v8 petrol is going to produce a lot of heat. the pathy engine bay is small & even keeping the commo v6 cool proved to be quite a task, for both of us 3.8L d21's actually. so i would think keeping the big yukky yota 8 cool wouldnt be much fun. i still think the td27 is worth the time of day. i know its never going to be crazy in the power stakes but i still think good honest performance can be had with the right mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerranoNZ Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 so anything yota in a nissan is just not on!! Yet a Holden motor is? j/k Funny how the old commodore motor was the same as the Skyline motor from the same era (Staight 6 one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terranorob Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 Yet a Holden motor is? j/kFunny how the old commodore motor was the same as the Skyline motor from the same era (Staight 6 one). Thanks guys - I have some quality food for thought. First things first (today) is my alternator. Second is the exhaust Third is looking at fit my intercooler (in the shed at the mo) Fourth - timing / tuning. Fifth is continuing to sort the manual trans - keeping an eye on this RB30 manual gearbox and transfer case - cause the auto is so crap! Sixth - with the above box and checking out mod's two to four in place, either the RB30 / RB30ET (i think) or spend the money on the TD (inj and pump). Have a great weekend to all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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