L300 4wd repower

[racepics]

Hi all, looking for a bit of advice. I have a 90 L300 4wd with the standard sohc 2L carby engine. ( ok you can stop laughing now )

Its extremely gutless and thirsty so I want to repower with something more....useful?

Searching the interweb brought me here, where I see the 4g63 DOHC is a popular choice. I see they come in wide-block and skinny?-block forms.

My question is, which one should I look for to bolt into the L300 with the least amount of pain?

cheers

chris

[fuel]

I don't think you're going to find anything which is going to be more economical, unless you put in a super sweet diesel engine. The engine has to push around approx 1800kgs of weight which has the aerodynamics of a fridge.

You could find a later model 2.4 16V injected engine to slap in there if you wanted to keep it petrol - they would have better usable torque over a 4G63 DOHC and would probably actually be a bit more economical as it wont have to work so hard, but it's still not going to be economical by any means.

I had a '91 2.5 diesel turbo SWB Delica 7 seater high roof 4x4 van and I would get 400kms out of a 40L tank, regardless if it was open road or around town running - but the extra rego costs, RUC's, extra maintenance costs (ie the sump takes 8L, oil filter is $30) it's not really worth having the diesel version unless you're doing over 20,000kms anually - however if you can fit say the later model 3.2 common rail diesel it would be super sweet on diesel and have heaps of power.

The 4G63 in there at the moment *should* be a wide block as it's a 4x4 model, whereas the 2WD will be narrowblock. This means a Starion engine will bolt to your gearbox, along with the 2.4 8V and 16V L300 engines.

[racepics]

Ok thanks fuel - the fuel consumption of 17mpg would be fine if it had the power to match, it also has hilux wheels which has upped the gearing and made 5th gear pretty much null and void

So fwd gallant/etc engines are out.

There was a starion motor on tardme a week ago, no ecu or loom but..

http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.asp?id=292388628

I see the aussies are fond of putting v6 holdens in them.. hmmmm

'>http://www.v6conversions.com.au/MITSUBISHI%20L300%204X4.htm

[fuel]

don't put a V6 holden in it The Mitsubishi V6 option is far better.

I had 31" MTs on mine which made it a little noisy on the road haha, and the 5th gear was quite high for a diesel anyway with 100km/h being at 3100rpm.

You could use Galant DOHC pistons and head on your block or a Starion block if you really wanted a DOHC engine in there - but it wouldn't be a heap better than the SOHC engine given its power delivery is quite high - the 2.4 16V is far better suited to it.

[racepics]

Ok roger that. Was wondering if the early 3.0L pajero v6 donk and perhaps gbox/transfer case would go in?

Will keep an eye out for 2.4 L300 engines

[Jase]

the holden v6 is a great option fuel is mitsi biased,

the thing is you have a heavy 4wd vehicle that needs torque and cubes to get it moving

a series 2 3.8 v6 is 150 odd kw with a big slug of torque to boot,

they are a simple chain driven pushrod engine which commonly rack up 450-500 thousand k's with ease,

I have owned a 2wd hilux with one in it and driven a 4wd hilux with the same engine (don't kickdown in the wet or sideways you go),

they are small and compact and quite bullet proof and cheap

all qualities mitsi engines tend not to be,

their v6 will rev more have more power but will get its torque higher in the rev range

have a cam belt and fill your engine bay to bursting.

you will likely spend a bit setting up any engine conversion and relevant certification,

however i always look at part availibility and replacement cost

and with swarms of commodores on the road and at the wreckers,

there is no doubt they are a great option.

[lowlancer]

*waits for Phil's rebuttal*

[fuel]

meh it's totally up to the owner what he wants to put in it - I just think it's a bit lame dropping in an old tech harsh rattley GM lump which makes a pathetic amount of kw for the engine capacity when there's a perfectly viable option in the Mitsubishi camp.

[Jase]

GM's an old tech simple reliable lump that doesn't make as much power but throws torque out of bed like a cheap hooker and

frankly cost less with twice the satisfaction,

sounds good to me not many $200 lumps will give you reliability power torque and a full count of tappets after 450 k,

if you want 205kw a couple too many cams alloy heads and rubber belt that'll cry enough after 100 thousand k

go the mitsi?

believe you me a good honest 3.8 will put a big smile on your face and less of a dent in your wallet with less hassles

[racepics]

didnt mean to start a flame war

I agree torque is what it needs. I'm not into 'performance' as such, just want to be able to avoid being passed by fully laden trucks on the hills ( its a tad embarrassing )

I have my doubts the original 5spd box would handle the torque tho. Might have to use the holden auto as well. (tha aussie outfit makes a transfer case adapter for that)

[Jase]

i had a full 1000l pod of water on my old lux with a tandem and two more on that,

for one of my old ladies gardening jobs (had no access to water)

and it pulled along at a 100km real easy with bugger all revs,

with the lux i had real good economy as it was light ,

the mates 4wd lux was slightly cheaper than his ecotec commy

and they both made my old mans cherokee's look like

fat american gluttons

[CaMpylobacter]

the box should handle it fine. there's plenty of guys on here running a shitload more power through stock 4g63 boxes. There's a couple of guys on here running at least 300hp ATW through sigma gearboxes. weak point is the clutch hah.

probably the transfer case will be the worst off part, but if you're not a 4x4 demon with 35" tyres giving it arseholes you'll be fine.

drive cars fitted with the engines you're looking at using and see which has power delivery characteristics that you enjoy. I'd personally go for the holden donk but also have similar opinions as fuel so it'd be a 'pros/cons' list type deal for me for sure.

[fuel]

the cheapest upgrade as far as power/torque, fuel economy and ease of conversion goes would be the 2.4 16V 4G64 engine from a later model L300. They are 100kW standard but could easily be fettled to make 120kW+ and many of the guys in the states simply strap turbos from Evos onto them (the SOHC 16V exhaust manifold shares the same flange pattern as the DOHC evo engines) with the stock compression ratio and get good power results and surprisingly good reliability.

yes the Holden V6 can be picked up for a song, but that's largely offset by the price of this conversion kit to even get it into the L300, that is if he's going to purchase the kit and not custom build something (which may end up costing almost as much as the off the shelf kit). the way I see it, if you're going to go through all the hassle of doing a different engine conversion you may as well get the best motor you could find.

The Mitsubishi V6 would bolt directly in place of the 4cyl using Pajero V6 engine mounts, and you could use the Pajero or Delica L400 V6 gearbox/transfer case complete attached to the engine and at worst you will have to make up a new gearbox mount. Wiring and water line plumbing would be just the same hassle as transplanting the Holden V6 engine into it.

As for reliability, who cares if the Holden V6 would last 450,000kms without needing to be touched. He owns a Mitsubishi, he obviously didn't buy it for its reliability. The Mitsubishi V6 would be no less reliable than the diff, suspension, interior and exterior components the rest of the van has. This "rubber belt" you speak of is a cambelt and 90% of cars on the roads today have them. In the Mitsubishi V6's case they don't need to be changed for 100,000kms, chances are he wont even cover that distance in the time of owning the van.

Also as for power/torque delivery of the quad cam V6, you'll be surprised with its figures.

VN 3.8 is 125kW @ 4800rpm, 292Nm @ 3200rpm

VP 3.8 is 127kW @ 4800rpm, 293Nm @ 3600rpm

VR 3.8 is 130kW @ 4800rpm, 295Nm @ 3200rpm

VS/VT 3.8 is 147kW @ 5200rpm, 304Nm @ 3600rpm

VX/VY 3.8 is 152kW @ 5200rpm, 304Nm @ 3600rpm - this was the last series Commodore to have the 3.8, in 2001-2004.

Pajero 3.5 DOHC 24V is 169kW @ 5500rpm, 324Nm @ 3000rpm - this engine is in the 1993+ Pajeros

So the Pajero motor makes its peak power higher than the 3.8, but makes its peak torque (and more of it) lower in the rev range than the 3.8s. Not to mention the 3.8s redline is 5500rpm so you're ringing out the motor to get the power out of it, while the Pajero 3.5 V6 will keep singing right up to its 7000rpm redline.

I got all my info from http://www.users.on.net/~nweber/commodore/ and http://english.auto.vl.ru/catalog/mitsu ... 3_7/17627/ if you wanted to see for yourself.

[R100]

It depends on how much your will to spend on your 4x4 mitsi.

Whats your budget to spend o modifying your van ?

Whats the van worth at the moment ?

Whats your level of skill in doing an engine swap ?

Do you need a 4WD ?

Do you care if its auto or manual ?

All these factors will help us give you advice on what to do.

Ever thought about selling your van and buying something else ? I will put my hand up and vote nissan serena ! They go hard standard. Cheap too.

[lowlancer]

I've been in an L300 with the SOHC 4G63 that had a bit of headwork, a stock carb with bigger/drilled jets (from memory), cheap extractors and an aftrmarket cam. That thing went pretty damn well it has to be said, and was cheap as heck

[racepics]

Thanks for all the input guys.

The van is used for bush/beach fishing trips/camping etc - its not pretty by any means, and as such is not worth much anyway (are any of them?)

So ultimately I'm just after a cheap boost in power. It does a fair bit of 4wd-ing but I'm not overly cruel to it.

Good thoughts there on both the Mitsi and Holden V6's - chances are I would have to pay someone to put it in as well. I have the experience and know-how ( 22 years as a mechanic back in the day ) but these days I dont have the tools/workshop/access/etc to do it. ( floundering around in an open driveway just doesnt do it for me lol )

All good info though, I'll see what engine/trans combo's I can find locally.

cheers

[fuel]

I would seriously consider a diesel conversion honestly, or sell it and buy a diesel equivalent, rip out the 2.5 and fit a 2.8 + gearbox/transfer from an L400, and sell the 2.5 (they are sometimes worth more than a 2. to offset the cost of buying the 2.8 gear.

[racepics]

I was just looking at that option. Do the 2.8 Delica/L400 4wd vans still have the Hi/Low box? And what are the 2.8 motors like (power/reliability etc)

Might be easier/cheaper to get one of those and just put my big wheels, winch, bars, roofrack and other shit all over it

These ones:

[fuel]

yep honestly the L400 is much more capable than the L300 - you lose a bit of interior room but instead you gain a bit of frontal impact compliance, better engine and transmission options and a disc braked coil sprung rear end which most of them have LSDs or could easily fit LSDs or ARB lockers from Pajeros. They have the same super select 4WD high/low as the same era Pajero. You can get them in 3.0 SOHC 24V V6 while not as powerful as the 3.5 DOHC you still get 136kW and 265Nm.

The diesels come either auto or manual while the petrols (2.4s and V6) are auto only. And like the L300s the L400 comes in both SWB and LWB.

[racepics]

You can get them in 3.0 SOHC 24V V6 .

Nice! - that would be the go.

Gotta love google's image search