dmulally

Right then. Started first kick. Now to find a gearbox for it.

Right this makes sense. Now to the other questions...

Hi All, Im looking at converting a small block chev to diesel. The only diesels I have played with have been on tractors and that usually consisted of me swearing a lot. I have acquired a 4BE1 from an Isuzu elf (I assume) but was pulled from a range rover. Before I do anything I want to floor test this engine. Can I get a couple of pointers on how to do this safely please? I was going to wedge on wood and hook it up to an engine crane so it doesn't flop over. Questions: 1. Is the fuel line going to the front of the injector pump the inlet and the one at the rear the return? Can I just throw them both into a jerry can? 2. Do I need an electronic lift pump in line or if I put the jerry up higher will that be enough? 3. I have no idea how to turn it off. There is a single wire coming off the injector pump. Is that the on/off switch and should I just put 12v to that for "spark"? 4. Why do I do this to myself? I could retire if it weren't for dumb shit projects. Thanks in advance! I'll film the first attempt to blow it up if anybody wants.

I just did a chev swap on my C20. A 283 for a 350. If you want any detailed measurements in mm just sing out.

I need a new battery for my 4agze. That price looks pretty good. Any dramas with voltage drop if left for a while?

I spent a year looking for one of those engines and one walked into your lap! Very jealous!

Ta. I ended up getting in contact with the certifier and he said pretty much what you did. Being a lightweight 4 cylinder it isn't a problem.

Have you got more stuff to cert anyway? I'd tick it off then. If not borrow some of @yoeddynz hello kitty plush toys and cable tie them to the gussets.

I took my Chev C20 through LVV a year or so ago and things are a little different to when I took my commer through a few years ago. Instead of a plate they have a scanning tag and when they put that into the LVV system it brings up a whole stack of pictures of the build. So the Commer I'm able to do minor mods to (which is what I'd consider gussets to be) but the Chev would be a little too hard. I was going to swap my 700r4 for a 4l80e gearbox but it will be noticable should anybody log in and check closely. As like all these things, it depends on the mood of your WOF guy. If you've got more things to Cert I'd just do what you need to do beforehand so it is included in the pics.

Ta. I can only find specs for shock mounts which is the 5mm. I am rebuilding my suspension arms as an aside. They need to be by tig as they were previously mig welded. There are a couple of corners I cant get to with the tig beneath it so I hope the certifier isnt too precious about a few mig welds on them.

I feel like a real idiot for posting this but I simply cannot find it in the Hobby Car Manual. I am trying to find out the thickness for diff brackets (not the chassis end) for a 5 link rear end (Lotus 7 style). I have 3mm as that's the size of what the Skyline the diff is off originally had. But I can't recall where but I do remember hearing or seeing something about them needing to be 5mm thick. I have scoured chapter 6 of the manual and it is deliberately hiding from me. Although I can find the part about the shock mounts needing to be 5mm

I know I'm parked but how the turn tables!

Turns out it was that after all and I can successfully report back that it all works. For anybody desperately searching the internet that happens to stumble upon this post, the speedo I used was this: https://www.shopsaas.com/saas-speedometer-0-220-kph-3-1-2-in-dash-black-muscle-sg31632 I stuck it in the middle of the dash and it is rather bright.

Nope it doesnt say that. As for pedals I have a manual and an auto pedal assembly and both are bolt in and stock. I'm still going to run it past my WOF guy but without being rude he is as old as I feel so I'm trying to think long term for when he decides to retire. I quite like the essex v6 but after driving an auto version I would worry about falling asleep at the wheel it is so boring.

I popped in to speak to my local WOF guy but he wasn't in today so just wondering if anybody knows the answer to this. I have a rolling chassis of a Scimitar. It was once an auto in a previous life but is now a nothing. The rego is on hold and I'm wondering if when I take it in for a WOF if it is a manual is there any way for them to tell if using all stock components? If I have to go through LVV I might as well do a real engine swap rather than use one of the three essex lumps I have collected.

So woke up this morning and it indeed needed an overnight burp. It took around half a litre to top up and good to go. What a difference it makes. It can now easily sit on 60mph without stinking of burning oil and smoking on cool down. Fixing the oil leak helped too. I'm genuinely shocked at what a difference it makes. Random pic of it with it's bigger brother outside the new shed I need to build for it.

Hmmmm so I took it out for some takeaway. The hoses heading forward used to be joined together and were too hot to touch where it snaked past your leg (oooh errr Vicar!) Now the one going into the aux rad is warm to hot but not scalding like before. The one going back to the engine is cold. Even the outlet pipe is cold to the touch. So either it is cooling better than I ever imagined or there is a blockage in the core or something. I have parked it on a ramp to work any air bubbles back to the radiator overnight.

I was too lazy to wire in the temp gauge first and with a warm weekend coming up I wanted to keep things cool. So I plumbed in the aux cooler and moved the plate low and to the right to not block the cooler and direct air in. Should be good for another 1.3 horsepower.

I went with the Honda engine in the end. The Micra one was sensible, reliable, relatively simple install and good on fuel. All of which are not how I roll.

Naturally the spare pump was missing bits so I made one pump from two. It all runs now. In the meantime a deal is being struck for a new engine which should make it a little more fun when this one finally dies.

Hmmmm... After fixing that loose nut on the fuel pump the fuel pump no longer works. It came with a spare one so I'll go through the dance of swapping that over and fixing the oil leak at the same time. If that doesn't work I'll convert to electric. I'll do anything to avoid actually checking I have fuel in the tank I guess.

I also fitted the Torana heater core and it looks like a good fit. I had to relocate the horn as well as do a bit of massaging with the grinder and hammer for it to fit. I don't have hose clamps so what I might do is wire up the temp gauge for the sat night chippy run and see where it sits then hook up the aux radiator and have a look see.

I contacted the previous owner and he mentioned to check the rear fuel pump nut. Sure enough it was loose as a goose so I tightened it up and will sort out a cork gasket and some rtv to fix that up. Hopefully that will get me by. The fast reply of where to look and the sealant tells a story.

Was down half a litre of radiator fluid today. Brown undies time checking the oil and oil filler cap for any signs of water but thankfully none.