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Hi Guys,
Just been looking through trying to find a good write up on the conversion if anyone can help. (I did look before putting a post up)
From what Ive heard and picked up its a pretty easy conversion... but this is my first time getting my hands fully dirty on a car. Thought it would be a good project before I become a high school tech teacher!!!
My aim: WB ute, road worthy for every day use, looking rough on outside (rat rod style) and a neat drive train underneath.
Any ways what Ive got:
WB ute with 253 trimatic.
Got a VR 5 litre engine and box coming with extractors, loom, ecu and the full bolt ons.
Got a Nothalane bushings kit to go in and some other bits n pieces.
Currently the petrol tank has a hole and looking for another.
Front clip is off and have cut the exhaust off.
Radiator seems F%$%%#.
Currently thinking to buy the "V6 conversions" kit in mind and using a new "painless wiring" harness and to buy a new sump to fit from CRS.
The diff seems to be stiff as 2 of us cant push the car unless the back is lifted with jack. (Handbrake lever is not working either = could be root cause) not sure what is going on?
Let me know what you think or give some advice would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Michael
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Michael
Conversion is dead easy, you dont need to worry about conversion sumps. Any 253/308 HQ-WB sump and pickup will bolt straight onto the VR 304. Ill send you a list of what is needed to do later. Make sure your email is registered here so I can send it.
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That would be much appreciated!!!!!
Cheers
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Nico.
Some other advice for your project. After much hard learned experience, I recommend not fitting urethane type bushes to the inner front suspension pivots, the noise is awful.
You cant beat the durability of the factory neoprene rubber style bushes in that spot, they typically last many years or 100,000s of km, where the urethane one dont & are squeaky to boot.
Urethane is good stuff & has its place, but its not in suspension pivot bushes.
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Hi guys,
Im in a similar place to Nico was (over 12 months ago), Ive got an 83 WB ute (253 & 4 speed). Ive just got a VT SS with a 5 litre & 5 speed - although I have the whole car available for the conversion (badly damaged panel wise - but all running gear is good to go). Some questions I was wanting to ask:
> Nico - how did it go? Did you have any issues?
> HK1837 - I was wondering if you still had the list of tips you provided to Nico? Might be handy..!
> Any tips on type of fuel pump thatd be appropriate for a 5 ltr?
> With the fuel return line, Ive heard that you can tap into the breather line in the fuel filler pipe - which returns the fuel ok, anyone got any pros / cons to this?
Ive got the sump and pick up sorted from the 253 - but if Ive got a complete car for bits (all usable), would there be much more I need to do the job??
Any advice / tips / checklists would be much appreciated guys..
Cheers, Matt
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If your fuel tank is rusted have a quick look at an AU/BA/BF Falcon ute fuel tank. I saw one out of a car once and it looked to be a very similar size and shape to a HQ-WB commercial tank.
I suppose the tricky bit would be lining the AU filler neck up with the hole in the side of the WB.
Just a thought that might be worth chasing as they are already set up for EFI too.
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Matt
Ive written a spiel on it, and ill send it to you. The VT SS engine will be OK, but the Getrag is no good for a WB. Id try and swap it for a T5 conversion. A friend of mine bought my old WB tonner off me and fitted a 308 and VT Getrag. The floor and tunnel mods were massive, shifter was in the wrong place and Getrag has no speedo cable connection point, plus Hydraulic clutch.
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Thanks a lot guys, much appreciated
Ill consult with my main men (mechanic & wrecker) on the gearbox issue and fuel tank/pump set up. Ill be back....
Cheers, Matt
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Gday guys
I too am also doing this conversion into my 83 WB my problem is the fuel system. As ill be running a 355 will a single external pump be sufficent or should i be running a surge tank setup to keep up demand.
HK1837 I would also greatly appreciate this email.
Cheers
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what fuel pump are you using???
if you use a Bosch 044 external pump, it should be more than enough.
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quote:
Originally posted by BAD WB
As ill be running a 355 will a single external pump be sufficent or should i be running a surge tank setup to keep up demand.
A surge tank is not fitted to gain adequate fuel supply volume. The idea of the surge tank is to ensure that the main pump is always being supplied 100% liquid, with no ingested air in the mix. Without a surge tank, if the tank level is low, the fuel supply will be erratic when cornering, leading to stumbling &/or surge (hence its name). Dr Terry _______________________________________ The best argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter. |
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quote:
Originally posted by BAD WB
Gday guys
I too am also doing this conversion into my 83 WB my problem is the fuel system. As ill be running a 355 will a single external pump be sufficent or should i be running a surge tank setup to keep up demand.
HK1837 I would also greatly appreciate this email.
Cheers
Guys A few more days and you can have it. Just have to add some photos, and refresh my memory on a few bits and pieces. _______________________________________________________ If we all had the same (good) taste, who would buy all the Fords? |
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quote:
Originally posted by HK1837
quote:
Originally posted by BAD WB
Gday guys
I too am also doing this conversion into my 83 WB my problem is the fuel system. As ill be running a 355 will a single external pump be sufficent or should i be running a surge tank setup to keep up demand.
HK1837 I would also greatly appreciate this email.
Cheers
Guys
Hi hk 1837 found your post and would also be very interested in your list of tips. I am putting a 304 efi with a t5 from a vs ute into a HZ one tonner with Stato front clip. Some of the problems I envisage are
1. the gear box is longer than the original m20 I thought about bringing the motor forward by fabricating a pair of offset engine mounts, but i am sure this will cause other problems
2. The wiring harness and Air conditioner
3. The gearbox cross member
3. The BCM and anti theft as I hope to retain the WBsteering colum ingnition and key
any advise would be great thanks tunna Mick
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With the anti-theft, all you need to do is have one of the memcal guys remove what's called "VATS" (Vehicle Anti Theft System) from the memcal (done the same was as they modify the tune on them).
Should cost you all of about $100-150 to have done.
You can then chuck all the BCM & related crap away, and just run the engine off it's own computer. |
Cheers,
Mick
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Thanks Commodorenut i will check it out, sure makes sence that is an simple reprograme
Today I set up the motor and box ( vs 304 and t5) on the chassis using the hq-wb engine mounts the m20 rear engine mount and a gearbox cross member from a turbo 350 WB stato.By shortening the crossmenber to fit and sliding it back from the original bolt holes by 10mm it all seems to fit,the cab is still on the hoist so at this point i am still working on measurements for clearance under the gearbox tunnel. The floor support will need to be cut back by about 60mm .The tail shaft seems to fall in a nice line from box to diff, however I am now unsure if a motor should be put in "level" or doesnt it matter?
eg does the fan need to be the same angle as the radiator (at this point i dont inetend on running a fan other than thermos) how do you know if a engine is set at the right angle
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It's pretty much a given that the front of your engine is at the right height as it's on the original mounts.
For the back I have found that the easiest way is to remove the tail shaft and measure straight up from the centre of the original gearboxes output shaft to the top of the tunnel or with the tailshaft still in its still not overly hard to measure the output shaft centre to top of tunnel or even output shaft cetreline above the cross member.
It's just a matter of getting the new output shaft as close to that height as possible but it's made a little harder but not impossible if the new gearbox is a different length.
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Hi Michael, Just a quick note, I'm pretty sure your sump from the 253 will fit the VR 5 litre, I was told they have the same stud pattern (same block), just that the bulge in the sump is on the opposite end. Might save you a couple of bucks? Good luck! Cheers, Matt
quote:
Originally posted by Nico
Hi Guys,
Just been looking through trying to find a good write up on the conversion if anyone can help. (I did look before putting a post up)
From what Ive heard and picked up its a pretty easy conversion... but this is my first time getting my hands fully dirty on a car. Thought it would be a good project before I become a high school tech teacher!!!
My aim: WB ute, road worthy for every day use, looking rough on outside (rat rod style) and a neat drive train underneath.
Any ways what Ive got:
WB ute with 253 trimatic.
Got a VR 5 litre engine and box coming with extractors, loom, ecu and the full bolt ons.
Got a Nothalane bushings kit to go in and some other bits n pieces.
Currently the petrol tank has a hole and looking for another.
Front clip is off and have cut the exhaust off.
Radiator seems F%$%%#.
Currently thinking to buy the "V6 conversions" kit in mind and using a new "painless wiring" harness and to buy a new sump to fit from CRS.
The diff seems to be stiff as 2 of us cant push the car unless the back is lifted with jack. (Handbrake lever is not working either = could be root cause) not sure what is going on?
Let me know what you think or give some advice would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Michael
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Matt, you are correct - keep the sump & pickup as a matched pair from the 253, and you'll have no probs fitting them to the EFI 5L. |
Cheers,
Mick
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[Guys the sump from the 253 308 bolts straight up no problem,same with the 253/308 engine mounts at this point I need to take about 50mm from the floor crossmember but that is no major drama. A supra 5 speed or something with and adjustable shifter would be ideal but i guess that has its down sides with having to purchase bellhousings,clutch forks etc.
I have looked into disabeling the vats and bcm from the memcal and have been told to cut the pink wire and supply 12v from the ignition, this will tell the computer that alls well.
"One way to know is to give it a go!"
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