Kzn-185 ~ v8

[RebelV8]

Two of you close to me, I'm in Bedlington and just getting ready to replace the head on my 2.4 (would love to convert to V8 but just don't have the money at present)

[DMAudio]

Hey Sean, just spotted this thread and see you're just round the corner from me. I'm over North Shields/Tynemouth area. This is a conversion I'm also looking to do in the future so I'm sure I'll be badgering you for tips n tricks nearer the time

I'll definitely be getting the whole Lexus though....it's always the smallest bits missing that cause the biggest headaches!

[Karma Supra]

Christ I hope so or at that rate I've still got a couple of years left!

[BUSHWHACKER]

Finished it yet?

[SeanH]

I think I'm all sorted for bling, but you can never have too much shine!
Although I will be looking to make this new engine look as good as possible. Which leads me to my next question.......

Is the "4l 32 valve" badge on both cam covers, or only on the one side?
I've not started to strip it back yet, but I want to keep the block as naked as possible. Hiding as much wiring and plumbing as I possibly can. I couldn't help to notice how the engine currently looks ...... very busy!

[blackpoolsparks]

SEAN has moved up North to Newcastle now.

Oh
In that case, theres a chap near you thats on the forum, probably cant help much with the V8 conversion, but he can help with the bling and wax

Hi Scorpion

[SeanH]

I had to get the engine off the trailer parked on the drive, and into the garage (out of the weather). My first problem is the engine was sat on a stack of three wodden pallets, in the middle of a 16' long trailer. Second problem, I don't have an engine hoist/crane.

I used a length of 2x4 to lever the pallets to the back of the trailer, then balanced a ladder up against the house wall, attached a block and tackle to the ladders (can you see where this is going?)

The engine was "unweighted", the pallets were slipped from underneath.
I slid a plastic wheeled dollie under the sump. All thats left to do is gently lower the engine onto the dollie ............... that was when the ladders snapped and dropped the whole thing onto the dollie.

But job done, the lump is now in the garage on a set of wheels ready to be refurbed! Even if my neighbours now know that I'm completely thick. But it was the only way of doing it with what I have.

Does anyone have an engine crane for sale?

[Hilux]

Sean
There's a chap near you, that's done a conversion recently. Although on a 2nd gen.
His name is Danny
and I'll try and find his username on here for you.

SEAN has moved up North to Newcastle now.

[blackpoolsparks]

Sean
There's a chap near you, that's done a conversion recently. Although on a 2nd gen.
His name is Danny
and I'll try and find his username on here for you.

[brian1975]

Sean just take your time with it mate and you`ll get there, read as much as you can, look at as many pic`s as you can from other ppl`s thread`s and see how they overcame things.
They can over complicate things across the pond with the conversion and create a lot of head scratching
Vince was a massive help to me when i went through the swap and without his help i`d be still scratching my head! Thanks again fella!
and if all else fails..........just ask

[gary-r]

hi sean - vince is doing a conversion for me soon and ill be in the newcastle area when its done if you want a look. it will give you an idea where everything goes and how its fitted up. i lived in chirton park near new york for a few years so ive still got friends i visit when im in the area. cheers - gary.

[SeanH]

That's it, rub it in! Lol
I wish I could have you doing it/helping out, but I just couldn't afford to pay you.
Still I've rebuilt a rotary engine, and converted an N/A to supercharged before now, this is kinda like the next step......... (more like a fckng big leap)!

[BUSHWHACKER]

It's not simple, otherwise everyone will be doing it!

I've done 4 conversions now, and each one is slightly different from the last. The engine mounts for one thing, you can't make them beforehand, you need to fit the V8 first, wedge it in position with wood blocks, then make cardboard templates before chopping up and welding some steel.

You need to work out what wiring to keep and what to chop out too.

Then there's the fuel system to sort out, you'll be going from diesel to petrol don't forget, so the tank will need to come out and washed out, and a fuel pump fitted, all the fuel lines cleared out too.

[SeanH]

Well done for spotting that yank thread, you must spend a lot of time googling!
But his thread doesn't seem to go into the kind of detail that I need....
First of all new engine arrives, then the old ones out, then mounts are fabbed, then the engines in, then it's started!
Something tells me it's not going to be that simple!
I need a Haynes manual with a step by step pictorial! Lol

Just as soon as I've got the misses's Tigra working right and MOT'd, I'll be able to get cracking on mine.

[BUSHWHACKER]

...........

so does the 3rd Gen T/case bolt right up to the Lexus box in the same way as the 2nd Gens?
....................

Yes, apparently so. Front and rear props might want lengthening/shortening though, but then the Yanks talked at length about that re; the 2nd gens, but when I fit the V8, the props and shift levers go back on in their original places.
Sitting in the truck you wouldn't know there was a completely different engine under the bonnet. (Unless you stated it up of course)