2.8 or V6? hmmm.. help!

[GotFlex]

hey guys
just finished my sas off etc, im having crankcase pressure issues still even with the engine breather kit, so im putting it down to excessive blow by? ill do a comp/leak down soon but i want a few opinions,
Do i rebuild the engine? Cost is high.
Buy 2nd hand engine? unknown condition ends up with high cost.
or holden v6 it? high cost intially but would be cheaper in long run? angree/dissagree?

Has any one ever mated a manuel isuzu to a 3.8 commy? both GM?
should be easy? yeah right

any talented engine guys want a perky??

Help is wanted and appreciated!!!

[bigstu]

Probably easiest way would be to use a hilux transfercase and 3.8 v6 auto adaptor think thats what supra lux was
going to do with his mu

[GotFlex]

yea that would be the ticket, but i dont want to build new drivshafts as we just made them!!

[cool__bananas]

ive seen pictures of someone putting a ls1 in his bighorn, you should do that

[GotFlex]

ive seen pictures of someone putting a ls1 in his bighorn, you should do that

Can you get me a link? i got offered a LS2 a few months ago, not cheap though
Who makes custom bellhousings??

[Pedro]

Has any one ever mated a manuel isuzu to a 3.8 commy? both GM?
should be easy? yeah right

any talented engine guys want a perky??

Help is wanted and appreciated!!!

yup, did one swb irmscher to VS v6 auto motor, made flywheel to fit over flexi plate, made a 16mm plate adaptor from motor to existing manual bell housing, had to cut a section out to clear starter motor and blank off old starter hole in bellhousing, motor fitted in over existing steering with the aid of about a 50mm body lift, fully certed and still driving around, did this about 6 yrs ago,
what vehicle are you wanting to repower exactly

pedro

[gimmemud]

There was a supercharged v6 bighorn on trademe last year that someone on here bought
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=10853&p=123585&hilit=bighorn+supercharged#p117795

[GotFlex]

An isuzu mu 1991 it has the diesel 2.8! have you got pics??

[Rotazuk]

You may want to search the net for a web page that said the petrol 2.6 engine they got in the usa had the same bolt partern as the yank v6's and v8's . Was a guy putting in a cadilac v8 in his isuzu many years ago . I guy I work with has one of the 2.6 petrols , they were nz new . Not sure if we got the same engine as the yanks thou , still all gm etc .

Still you know what internet myths are like

Chris

[Pedro]

An isuzu mu 1991 it has the diesel 2.8! have you got pics??

no pics, the vehicle i did was the 2.8 diesel irsmcher, which if i remember are not to different in the drive train department, from memory and bearing in mind this was about 6 yrs ago it cost the guy around $5500 for engine and fitting and cert, i had to fabricate all mounts and adapors to fit in, we used a commodore radiator and fan, the bottom of the motor cleared the steering by about 5mm, we put a bracket in for cert so if the mounts failed the motor could not jam the steering,

if you went for a VS or later motor i would suggest changing the computer to a megasquirt or similar, gets around all securtiy crap and simplifies the wiring hugely.

call me if you are serious about someone fitting it for you
021 2488527

Cheers

Pedro

[GotFlex]

Trust me iv searched all over pirate, 4x4 wire, club isuzu etc, they all seem to be different, and as i have the diesel you hardly see them in the states!

how ever i did read a thread on pirate under isuzu section some of the guys were putting wanted adds for the 2.8 diesels and when i questioned them as to why this choice and would a V8 be better they replied,

Mileage is the big reason.Isuzu builds great diesels;their gassers are not well thought of here. You can tune a diesel to better performance than a stock V-8 with much better economy.

[GotFlex]

Thanks pedro i will call you, id rather keep costs dow by getting an older V6, So i should be looking for the VS Auto 3.8?
I have a toyota axle in there now im not sure if that will affect it?

[Jezza]

Trust me iv searched all over pirate, 4x4 wire, club isuzu etc, they all seem to be different, and as i have the diesel you hardly see them in the states!

how ever i did read a thread on pirate under isuzu section some of the guys were putting wanted adds for the 2.8 diesels and when i questioned them as to why this choice and would a V8 be better they replied,

Mileage is the big reason.Isuzu builds great diesels;their gassers are not well thought of here. You can tune a diesel to better performance than a stock V-8 with much better economy.

They are completely right. when my 3.1 dies I will be putting a 2.8 in it, probably the best/most reliable diesel engine of its time, they aren't that expensive to rebuild and replacement engines are cheap as chips. Isuzu engines breath heavily from factory. I would stay with the 2.8, you can get just as good power and torque out of it and still get great mileage

The Mu engine bay is bloody small so you can't really fit anything long into it unless the radiator is moved to the back.

[Rotazuk]

http://myweb.cableone.net/bcanderson/tr ... aSwap.html

Does not mention the engines anymore than 2.6 and 2.8 . Still if you know someone that could get a bellhousing sent over may not be a bad option .

Chris

[KiwiBacon]

Trust me iv searched all over pirate, 4x4 wire, club isuzu etc, they all seem to be different, and as i have the diesel you hardly see them in the states!

how ever i did read a thread on pirate under isuzu section some of the guys were putting wanted adds for the 2.8 diesels and when i questioned them as to why this choice and would a V8 be better they replied,

Mileage is the big reason.Isuzu builds great diesels;their gassers are not well thought of here. You can tune a diesel to better performance than a stock V-8 with much better economy.

You can get more torque from that 2.8 than you'll get from the commodore V6.
Have you driven yours much offroad or did you buy it and go straight to work changing stuff?

The 2.8 Isuzu they talk about in the US was actually a GM v6 petrol. It won't fit anything here.

[GotFlex]

Have you driven yours much offroad or did you buy it and go straight to work changing stuff?

No i have owned it since jan last year, and have had it offroad quite a bit, but the modification bug bit hard, i always wanted a flexy solid axle truck but all my mates had hiluxs which i didnt reallly like to narrow, not much cab height and all had gay engines, the SAS was ment to be 2k yeah right

So now im committed to this vehicle, it suits me down to the ground, not huge (crusier/saf) not too small, and with hilux running gear pretty strong and different,

Dont get me wrong i do like my 2.8 but i need to be ready and know my choices if it does go bang,

[KiwiBacon]

Dont get me wrong i do like my 2.8 but i need to be ready and know my choices if it does go bang,

Leg out of bed seems to be the only real problem with them. If that happens just pick up another.

I've always wondered if the leg out of bed happens because the rod folds or if the cap comes off. Anyone know?

[GotFlex]

iv done 2 rear main oil seals, sump reseal, Dipstick reseal, engine breather kit, and still have oil leaks!!
Does anyone no why?
Iv talked to heaps on mechanics and ive been told they blow turbos, water/cooling systems are crap, heads dont like being past 3000rmp, you name it, etc

i heard that the $2500 rebulit engines on trade me are shit? anyone know more about these??? would be cool to run one on huge PSi

[KiwiBacon]

iv done 2 rear main oil seals, sump reseal, Dipstick reseal, engine breather kit, and still have oil leaks!!
Does anyone no why?
Iv talked to heaps on mechanics and ive been told they blow turbos, water/cooling systems are crap, heads dont like being past 3000rmp, you name it, etc

i heard that the $2500 rebulit engines on trade me are shit? anyone know more about these??? would be cool to run one on huge PSi

At a guess you've got too much blowby which is pressurising the crankcase. Is it carboned up or glazed from short running?

[GotFlex]

it dose get short run a bit which i try to abvoid,
who has rebuilt one?

[Jezza]

iv done 2 rear main oil seals, sump reseal, Dipstick reseal, engine breather kit, and still have oil leaks!!
Does anyone no why?
Iv talked to heaps on mechanics and ive been told they blow turbos, water/cooling systems are crap, heads dont like being past 3000rmp, you name it, etc

i heard that the $2500 rebulit engines on trade me are shit? anyone know more about these??? would be cool to run one on huge PSi

At a guess you've got too much blowby which is pressurising the crankcase. Is it carboned up or glazed from short running?

The 2.8 turbos are the good ones, the 3.1 turbos are the ones that go bang . The only problem with the cooling systems is the heater hoses are known to blow if they are old. The 2.8 is a revy engine and runs fine over 3000.

[GotFlex]

Got it booked in for a Compresion and leakdown test this weekend, should give me a good indicaton off the near future,
i just got offered a brand new head for $200 so that leaves the quote for the short block from reconditioners.

[mfrsr]

you could try tracking down a certain Holden Jackaroo - LA9000. My old truck. It's certed for a Chev 3.7 V6 on LPG.

Good motor, truck was shit

[GotFlex]

That Jackaroo is on farm rego now, was that bolted to origonal box?

[mfrsr]

yeah. The factory 4-speed box. I'm pretty sure it was a petrol engine before the conversion was done on it (sometime in the 80's)

I never had to pull it apart, although i probably should've - the release bearing squeaked something chronic. As far as i could tell it had a chev bellhousing on it bolted to the isuzu box.

Have you priced up a 3.2 V6 bighorn transplant?

[Jezza]

I've always been told the 3.2 v6 is a bloody good engine (but I think Kaney had issues) But the auto thats used is crap unless you can find a manual.
Just been doing some searching and found a guy on club Isuzu was doing 3.8 commy conversion and managed to make an adapter to bolt a isuzu transfer case onto a TH700R commodore box.

[GotFlex]

Got a link jezza?

Heres something you guys might know, i put an engine breahter kit on my engine 3months ago, i figured if i have excessive blow by it would have a pressure out the dipstick tube? correct?
Well in my case it had a slight vacume, i talked to a mech at work who was worried and told me it shold have a slight pressure as thats what might be causing my rear main to be leaking??

i am beginning to want something small so i can run a 4K, Ive got a Old rwd corolla with a 4k on lpg and i just cant kill it!!