dmulally

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. 

Not a big deal but I recall when doing mine for LVV the certifier wanted a copy of the invoice which I had no dramas with. 

You can take them into Autolign in Parmy and they'll send them off. Otherwise dealing directly with Archers for coils or leaf springs is the way to go. 

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. 

46 minutes ago, Stu said:

These could be an option? https://dcpower.co.nz/product/batteries/starting/vision-hp12-116w/

Ive got one in my 86 is it cranks it over pretty quick!

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! 

1 hour ago, cletus said:

There isn't anything I can find about 4 link brackets, only that part you mentioned about 5mm on a shock mount but that is for a specific way of mounting

 

It's probably like engine mounts, there isn't a spec for what it should be because the design and application is just as important as the material spec 

 

As a rule of thumb though, I'd suggest 3-5mm would be OK for 99% of cert stuff

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. 

36 minutes ago, zep said:

The old cert does not have any pictures, although Clint knows I'm asking this question

I just don't want to end up in a situation where I have to rebuild the main hoop because adding the gussets effectively means the cage is no longer the same as how it was when originally certed.  If that makes sense.

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. 

14 hours ago, zep said:

My current understanding that my because my car is currently certed for its half cage with the old diameter main hoop, I can keep it through the recert for all the other changes I am making to the car (brakes, engine, suspensions, etc.). Is this correct? And can I add some central gussets to the cage without having to recert it?

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. 

4 hours ago, cletus said:

I'll double check on Tuesday when I've got the book in front of me but I'm 99% sure there isn't a minimum size for link brackets

 

 

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 

On 17/04/2022 at 10:12, Thphantum said:

Reverse on a trike?

Nah. Putting a bike engine in a car without a car gearbox. 

Ta. I was going to do the old sandwich between the diff and tailshaft and mount the starter on the diff housing somehow. 

On 26/08/2020 at 12:29, Vintage Grumble said:

Got a nice little unit from a mazda 3, with nice light/simple matching flex plate, niiiiccccceeeee. 

How did you get on with this, @Vintage Grumble?

I need to do something similar. 

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

On 11/04/2022 at 11:12, Thphantum said:

What an adventure that looked like! 

These days a council inspector would be chasing it in a prius demanding the geotech survey be updated from the one submitted last year. 

On 18/08/2021 at 13:14, dmulally said:

Does anyone know if this will work with an Altezza box? 

Edit: Ignore that. It'll be this. 

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. 

2 hours ago, tortron said:

Does it say on the build plate auto? One of my nissans just has the trans part blank and blank on carjam so no one would ever know

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. 

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.