Offroad-Express

hey guys im looking for a bit of info as i am looking at converting my 86 ln65 hiluxs motor to something a little more perky as the 3y in it at the moment is pretty tired gutless and not very good for the 4x i like doing, my mate reckoned a 3sge will go well in it and i agree, has anybody done this conversion? i still want to use it as a daily but im a bit stuck on what gearbox and clutch set up etc i will need to keep it 4x4.

any help is appreciated

cheers

Search for Supra conversions

all good now i have sussed out what im going to do

did a VL commodore RB30 conversion on a LN56 a few years ago.

then just brought a twin cam head and loom from a R33 nissan skyline, bolted it on.

wasn't a V8 in town that could catch it.

sounds interesting... any pics of that RB30 conversion? in last 4x4 action was a GU shorty woth an RB30... nicely done too!

wasn't mine, but can try and get hold of the guy,

only down side was the radiator got mounted infront of the radiator supports and a prado grill and lights setup was used as it protruded further forward then the standard hilux grill etc.
(use the 27mm nissan radiator or VL commodore one)

you'll will need to use electric fans as there is no room for the viscous fan on the water pump pulley.

You will need the bonnet from the V6 surf(to clear the nissan intake manifold) (you wont need this if you use a Rb20 or RB25 as the engine block is not as tall.

depending what gear box you want to use, (we used the nissan one) you will need to get a steel 5 ml plate made up that welds to the hilux crossmember and then bolts to the nissan G/B mount as the nissan box is shorter then the hilux one.
about 120mmx90mm

the engine mounts were the RB30's the hilux ones were cut off the chassis as they need to be brought forward around 90 odd mm.

either that or recess the firewall

the nissan yoke and half shaft.(leave these till last)

the VL commodore's outer drive shaft diameter will allow you to slide it inside the Hilux driveshaft(tight fit)

cut the shaft off the VL shaft about 200ml down from the GB yoke and then cut the yoke of the hilux shaft.

put them in there respective places then you can see where you need to weld it.

tack weld it in place then send it to and engineer to get it welded,balanced etc.

as for the chassis side of the engine mounts
we made new one's using similar design to the skyline subframe with two triangular plates either side that run down the side of the chassis.

go here (www.meggala.com) and get the pinout diagram for the nissan loom.

you'll need to find about 5 wires to get it running on the spot.

Positive pink white or grey(depending on what year engine you use)

Switched ignition(orange )you will see these running to the relay on the loom

Fuel pump relay (black with pink stripe)

Temp sender (blue)

Engine speed sender (yellow with green stripe)

Start sequence wire(grey with red stripe) from No1 coil

the loom earths out to the engine intake manifold(2 10 ml bolts)

go and track down the tachometer from a V6 surf and change it out.

as for the speedometer, you cant really determine what to do with it until you know what diff's and tyre sizes you will run.

upgrade your front calipers if you can.

when it went for its cert the only thing we were required to do was bolt a plate to the cross member under the engine

this was to prevent(in the event the engine mounts failed) the motor dropping own onto the steering arms while driving.

If you recess the fire wall you will be able to mount the radiator normally etc.

up to you what way you would want to do it.

further notes of interest.

the nissan box runs a bigger slave cylinder for the clutch then the hilux.

go to a holden dealership and ask for a for the slave cylinder from a 1987 holden berlina 2Litre. (cheaper then nissan but same thing)

(smaller bore size then the standard one = more clutch fork travel)

ensure when positioning you engine in the engine bay you lean it slightly over to the passenger side so the intake manifold clears the master clutch cylinder before making the engine mounts.

Try and get a Non variable valve lift twin cam head from the R32 nissan skyline, however if you have to get a later model ill tell ya how to set that up too.

If you are going 4wding with it at low speeds etc and dont have carpets in your truck make up a heat shield for the header pipes where they merge under the floor as its rather hot even with shoes on(not too hot though).

grab the fuel pump from the VL commodore as it is an inline one and can feed the Rb30 nicely.

if you would like to see how to get the Variable timing on a late twin cam skyline head working on the early Rb30 block go to

www.skylinesaustralia.com

also Gates make the correct belt with 11 extra teeth on it for the timing etc. repco, supercheap partmaster sell them.

i think it is also the same part number as a mazda diesel engine

Failing that, buy a sports car and not a 4wd!
Although it is good fun having a 4wd that whips the arse of most other vehicles, it is basically a waste of time as the chassis dynamics of a heavy arsed vehicle are not suited for boy racer duties.
If on the other hand you want a bloody good petrol repower option for a hilux that performs very well on road and has pretty good numbers for off road, then bang a 3.8 v6 Commodore in it, (later the better ).

That's my opinion any way and as my old truck had 4 repowers of different descriptions, that is the way I would go. In fact I was lining up for the V6 Holden conversion before the 304 deal turned up and it was too good to turn down.

im gonna stay away from the thursty 6 cylinders, iv started putting in a 3sge that im going to supercharge just to be different, and i can turn the power on and off as i please.

lol rokhound, not boy racer, the same reason they stick lexus V8's in hilux's the same reason those mad UAE chaps run there patrols on ethanol and kero to squeeze out 1000 hp fro ma 4.2 inline six.

all to get to the top of a sand dune.