Andrew's '93 NA6 - KL V6 swap

16bit · Postby **16bit** » Wed Jul 03, 2013 4:32 pm

siiiiick.

does that mean most of the work will be done by this weekend?

Beelzeboss · Postby **Beelzeboss** » Wed Jul 03, 2013 5:14 pm

I hope so

The engine is now reassembled and we're starting to work on the diff swap. Tomorrow the engine will go back in and then Friday I'll go searching for a TPS and grind a bit off the intake so it fits and then... It's done!

LiteIsRite · Postby **LiteIsRite** » Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:52 pm

Just finished reading this thread from start to finish (it took two nights) - I'm lost for words. Makes me regret even more that I didn't switch from electrical engineering to mechanical when I had the chance... :cry:

Regardless of how this ends up, kudos for having the guts to even try it. Keep going, especially now that you're so close!

timk · Postby **timk** » Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:49 pm

I haven't contributed to the thread but I have subscribed and I'm always keen to read it when I get the update notifications!

corners · Postby **corners** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 9:01 am

timk wrote:I haven't contributed to the thread but I have subscribed and I'm always keen to read it when I get the update notifications!

Beelzeboss · Postby **Beelzeboss** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:30 pm

LiteIsRite wrote:Just finished reading this thread from start to finish (it took two nights) - I'm lost for words. Makes me regret even more that I didn't switch from electrical engineering to mechanical when I had the chance...

Regardless of how this ends up, kudos for having the guts to even try it. Keep going, especially now that you're so close!

Thanks very much LiteIsRite, I really appreciate your comment

It really is a long read, what with all the changing my mind and redoing mistakes, but it's very nearly finished.

timk wrote:I haven't contributed to the thread but I have subscribed and I'm always keen to read it when I get the update notifications!

Thanks Tim, it's good to hear people are actually reading what I'm typing. Sometimes it just seems like I'm sending it out into nowhere and I'm the only one who's reading it

Well on Wednesday night my mate Bryce came over to help prep the engine for install and to change over the diff.

At about 5pm (started very late) it looked like this

Then we set about the diff and rear brake swap.

Old diff vs. new

Empty subframe

No pics of it installed, unfortunately, but we got it in and bled the rear brakes. By this point it was 1:30am... so we decided that since the engine isn't actually difficult to install now that we've done it a few times, we might as well just install it.

So...

Bryce on the crane

It's in!

The PPF was pushing the gearbox waaay over to the passenger side for some reason so it took a solid 2 hours of busted knuckles and shoving the engine to get it intalled, but it's done!

Does anyone know why the PPF would be moved over with the new diff? I'm thinking maybe if I loosen the bolts at the diff and gearbox they'll align themselves? At the moment the gear lever is about 2" over to the passenger side to give you an idea of the problem.

Veloce · Postby **Veloce** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 5:20 pm

Sweet fit and looks so much space too!
Can't help about the offset.
Another subscribed fan, started early in the build. :beer:

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 5:36 pm

Can't think why the PPF is forcing you over there. I thought both B6 and BP diff housings use the same PPF, Normally you just loosen all bolts at both ends of the PPF, set the gearbox in place vertically, centre the shift lever hole and then tighten it all up. If the gearbox alignment is out by a little bit then there's a bit of a chance of vibration from the propshaft.

Did you know about the gearbox alignment spec?

LiteIsRite · Postby **LiteIsRite** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:08 pm

I know you've got your hands full at the moment getting everything lined up but, when you get a chance, I'd like to know why you settled on 13" wheels - it's not that common, and I'm surprised that the standard NA6 brakes fit, let alone NB8As. Looking forward to seeing them on the car...

Beelzeboss · Postby **Beelzeboss** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 2:05 am

Veloce wrote:Sweet fit and looks so much space too!
Can't help about the offset.
Another subscribed fan, started early in the build.

Thanks Veloce, there really is heaps of room in front and behind the engine. On the sides... not so much, lol

manga_blue wrote:Can't think why the PPF is forcing you over there. I thought both B6 and BP diff housings use the same PPF, Normally you just loosen all bolts at both ends of the PPF, set the gearbox in place vertically, centre the shift lever hole and then tighten it all up. If the gearbox alignment is out by a little bit then there's a bit of a chance of vibration from the propshaft.

Did you know about the gearbox alignment spec?

Thanks Manga. The problem was I didn't loosen the diff side of the PPF when we put the gearbox on. I loosened it all up and retorqued them and it's all good now. Next to no shifter offset

That diagram is very good but I'm not sure how high the crankshaft of the V6 sits in relation to the 4 cyl, so it could be off by quite a lot. If I have any vibration I'll try changing the angle and making a note of it.

LiteIsRite wrote:I know you've got your hands full at the moment getting everything lined up but, when you get a chance, I'd like to know why you settled on 13" wheels - it's not that common, and I'm surprised that the standard NA6 brakes fit, let alone NB8As. Looking forward to seeing them on the car...

Well I chose the 13" wheels because I think they look awesome, they're much lighter than 15" wheels, they're pretty rare, and if I want cheap track tyres I can get a set of slightly used 13" Avon slicks from a formula ford

The good news is the car is completely back together and I bought a new TPS sensor. However, it turned out to be a ground loop in the system which I JUST found tonight, so now I have a spare TPS.
The bad news is the car is still blowing white smoke

The head was perfectly flat, it's a new gasket, new ARP studs... the only things I can think it might be is excess moisture just burning off (only ran the car for ~10 mins), the block is warped, or the 3 month old E85 in the tank has absorbed so much moisture that it's making white smoke yet still running. I think it's unlikely the block is warped because I checked the sealing surface with a straight edge and couldn't see light under it in any orientation... Ideas?

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:42 am

Ideas?

Compression test. Compare all cylinders. Dry and with oil.
CO test in coolant.
Any chance of coolant entry into the inlet manifold rather than the head?

Beelzeboss · Postby **Beelzeboss** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:11 pm

manga_blue wrote:
Ideas?

Compression test. Compare all cylinders. Dry and with oil.
CO test in coolant.
Any chance of coolant entry into the inlet manifold rather than the head?

Thanks Manga, I can't see how coolant would get in via the inlet manifold. I'll do a compression test at some point

For the moment I bought a cheap K8 engine (1.8L V6, externally identical to the 2.5L) which I'm going to throw in and get rego. Since it's within 15% size and power of the original 1.6L engine and I havn't had to modify the car at all to fit it, I don't need to get it engineered. The KL will go in when I have time and have fixed the stupid head gasket issue.

16bit · Postby **16bit** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:57 pm

they are from the old 323's right?

16bit · Postby **16bit** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:58 pm

thats an over square engine, should build a custom flat plane crank and rev its tits off!

vass · Postby **vass** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:09 am

Words of encouragement

After following this for many months all I can say is, I wish my boys had the get up and go in them that you do.

Power to you and your tenacity to start a project like this and see it through. So many times do you see and hear of people who, with the best intentions start something and then abandon them at the first hurdle.

Good on you and thanks for shining a bit of positive light on the youth of today. I hope my children read this and become as inspired by this as much as I have (although there is no chance of that because its not on television or in a computer game LOL!).

All i can say is 'Excellent, excellent, excellent"