gu engine conversion.

14098 Views 35 Replies 12 Participants Last post by ZAPPAGU, Jan 6, 2011

GUdavo

Discussion Starter · Jan 5, 2011 (Edited)

gu 5L engine conversion.

hey guys.. have been doing some searches but have come up kinda at the same result which hasnt answered my question.

i am considering a engine conversion for my GU but was going to put a holden 5L engine instead of the LS1/2. and before you ask yes i have looked into both and i have made my decision. the cost of the LS1/2 outweighs the benifits over the 5L as far as im concerned.

i have heard a few people say that you have to use an engine as old if not newer then the car your putting it into.. i havent heard this before and i have seen a GU with a 5L in it but mostly its GQs.

has anyone put a 5L into a GU and if so can you give me an idea of what the end results were and any info that will make my decision easier.

if it helps the GU has a 2.8L and i was going to replace the manual with an auto with the reduction gears in the transfer case.

i have a budget of around $7K and will be able to do pretty much everything myself. (might need a hand with the electrical side.... im a black hander).

also how roughly am i looking at for an engineers cert. i have never had to deal with one before...

cheers

dave

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Stephen16

· #9 · Jan 5, 2011

The 5L isn't a great motor at all, cruddy ignition system, cast iron block so they weigh a **** load, alloy inlet manifold that is very restrictive and causes heat stroke

The ls series engines are much better

The ls engines are much better engines, if your interested in a l98 6 litre for cheap send me a pm

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Stephen16

· #18 · Jan 5, 2011

I have to disagree, the 5Ls leak oil like a seive and are terrible to work on ( ever removed a dizzy from one still in the car), they are heavy and ancient in design, aswell as they don't breathe well and are very expensive to extract power from

Ls1's have far less problems, and are much better designed, im an auto electrician by trade and it's very rare to look under a ls car and see oil from asshole to breakfast time like the 304s do, the ignition system with individual coils is very good, the ecu's are completely tuneable, alloy block and plastic manifold so they weigh about half of a 304, 6 bolt mains on all ls engines, engine internals will handle 550hp no worries

Plus the aftermarket support for the ls's is much better

I have a friend with a stock vt s2 ss with exhaust ran a 13.8

Another friend with a hz kingswood with a ls1 carby turbo setup and a powerglide ( internally standard donk) pushes 490hp and consistently runs low 10s

Not to say the 304's are a crap engine but the ls's are a much better engine

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Stephen16

· #20 · Jan 6, 2011

Injected 304

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Stephen16

· #23 · Jan 6, 2011

heyhey_guess_who said:
A dizzy on a 304?

Yes you read correct, 304 and dizzy

I'll stand by my view, I don't need to argue my point any further then I have, ive worked on plenty of 5Ls and i know they aren't a great design, the ignition system uses a distributor, it's old and dated, individual coil is much more precise and produces a much stronger spark

I was over exaggerating with weight but they are defiantly alot heavier, the 304 manifold is a very restrictive unit, big 90 degree bend after the throttle body, they won't make anywhere near 400hp with the stock manifold, you would be hard pressed to get past 250hp

Mechanics recommend a manifold swap from mild cams and upwards

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Stephen16

· #25 · Jan 6, 2011

Ahh your thinking of the v6 vn-vy with 3 coil packs wasted spark setup

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Stephen16

· #27 · Jan 6, 2011

I've already offered a l98 for 2200 with 34000 which really is the cheapest ls engine he will probably find

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Stephen16

· #29 · Jan 6, 2011

The stroker motors dont make that power at the wheels mate, ever seen one on a Dyno?, that's an over estimated factory figure, a guy I work with spent a bomb on a vs gts with upped compression, forged internals the works and it made 313hp

But that's off topic, the discussion was about 304 Holden engines not 350 Holden stroker motors, ofcourse an engine with bigger displacement will make more power and back to the budget as op isn't gonna fork out for a stroker motor

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Stephen16

· #33 · Jan 6, 2011

That is only half true mate, the engine has to meet emissions standards at the time the car was made, so if your putting for example a 2000 model engine in a 2002 model car and the emissions laws didn't change in that time or it still meets the laws for 2002 it's legal

There is a way around that with running straight LPG also

I have a friend with a s15 Silvia 2002 model with a r33 rb26 engine (1994-1998) and it's legalally engineered

Cheers

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