My LX Hatchback
#1 _Flamenco_
Posted 05 January 2006 - 05:50 PM
I finally bit the bullet and decided to upgrade the faithful 173 and trimatic!
I purchased (2nd hand) a V6 series I and kit to intall it in the hatch from a member on the previous forums
.
Today ultrabluea9x and I (mainly him!) installed the V6 into the car. I don't have a lot of 'quality' tools so we had to rely on an old scissors jack, a trolley jack that loses pressure, a couple of car stands and the use of an engine crane (kindly borrowed from pipjones of this forum (thanks Phil!).
After swapping over the crossmember and positioning it in with the jacks (not the easiest!) we moved onto the V6 with the T700 hanging off the back. After a lot of slight adjustments the new motor and trans went in reasonably trouble free.
I can't believe how small the V6 looks in the LX's engine bay - almost like a 4 cylinder! I'm sure it'll go better than the 173 though!
I need to run all the hoses, fabricate a gearbox crossmember and do the wiring etc still.
I'll post some pics up in the next few days as my digital camra is out of action at the minute. A big thankyou to ultrabluea9x for helping today - the job was out of my league and everyone else who has helped me so far - there's a fair few of you!
Sean
#2
Posted 05 January 2006 - 05:52 PM
I didn't know Pipjones was in Vic? Anyway, we'll all be waiting on those engine bay photos
#3
Posted 05 January 2006 - 06:00 PM
#4 _Flamenco_
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:17 PM
Today and yesterday I refitted the discs and stub axles (can't get those balljoints done up much before the shaft starts turning with the nut - is there a trick to that or just buy newies?),
routed a few hoses after checking the Vn's and VP's at the wreckers for references.
I welded up a gearbox crossmember today - all up took about 5 hrs, measuring, cutting more steel, welding... It almost sits in the perfect position - just need top move the gearbox a few mm to get the rubber mount lined up.
I found out the V6 I have is a series II so a few improvements and more power available over the series I...
Edited by Flamenco, 07 January 2006 - 06:21 PM.
#5
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:46 PM
#6 _jabba_
Posted 07 January 2006 - 06:49 PM
Damien
#7 _Flamenco_
Posted 08 January 2006 - 12:15 AM
#8 _LX CHAMOIS HATCH_
Posted 08 January 2006 - 03:09 PM
cheers
#9 _jabba_
Posted 08 January 2006 - 08:45 PM
#10 _Sammy_
Posted 13 January 2006 - 02:11 PM
#11 _Flamenco_
Posted 13 January 2006 - 02:58 PM
#12 _Flamenco_
Posted 14 January 2006 - 03:32 PM
The rest of the loom had me stumped so J-Rod kindly came over today and figured out the bulk of the wiring and fixed a few other wiring issues. Thanks J-Rod!
We cranked it over and all seems well, just need to run fuel lines and hook up the fuel pump near the tank & hopefully it should fire into life!
#13 _Loki_
Posted 15 January 2006 - 04:48 PM
#14 _Flamenco_
Posted 18 January 2006 - 05:19 PM
The radiator will be replaced with a bigger one and I'm yet to add a thermo fan...
Here's a pic of the mod I did to take up the slack in the engine belt by adding another idler pulley (below the standard one at the top).
And here's two of the engine in the car...
#15 _[BOTTLEDUP]_
Posted 18 January 2006 - 07:10 PM
Don't forget to convert it to a Commodore style cooling system, the VN/VP V6's run at a much higher operating temp than a lot of other engines, the usual temp is approx 96-99 degrees Celsius.
#16 _Flamenco_
Posted 18 January 2006 - 08:55 PM
I'll get one of the little psi gauges so I know my fuel pressure too.
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