Major overhaul

Gday all
Well the old ute has had a tough life. Even tougher in the last 2 years as it has seen some pretty serious off road work. Its finally had enough, blew the front crank seal this arvo. Time for some work on it.

Ive been looking into getting into some very serious wheeling, naturally this needs serious flex. IFS doesnt cut it anymore. Ive looked at newer rigs with live front axle, but I love the D21 shape. So I decided to SAS it.
Started to look for info, decided on using GQ diffs (may have to shorten them) because they are easy to bulletproof and cheap to get bits for.

I have a vn v6 and t700 auto sitting in the shed. Do I use them with a patrol transfer? Or do I turbo/rebuild the Z24 and flip the front diff so the centre lines up on the correct side?

Using the V6/auto setup will be awesome for power and torque. But both need a rebuild. I will also have to buy a patrol transfer to mate to the auto, so that will also cost money.

If going the turbo/rebuild Z24 route, which turbo/manifold setup would work on it? Is there a bolt on manifold? Will the manifold from the 1800cc motor nissan put in the 180sx fit?

I know what I want to do, but it will take a while, as money is tight here. Either way, its gonna end up taking some time.
Suggestions? What would you do?

Mmmmmmm.

I'd use the Patrol transfer.

I wouldn't turbo the Z24. Crap fuel economy, crap power, just crap.

If I was going to go to all that effort I wouldn't waste it on a Commodore V6. I'd put something cooler in.

What would you use? What else will go in there? I already have the V6/auto. Salvaged from a wreck.
will a 253 V8 fit? I have one of those. Dont want to go down the KA24 route, I want something different. Im a power junkie. Roadbikes will do that to ya.

SamboD21 said:

What would you use? What else will go in there? I already have the V6/auto. Salvaged from a wreck.
will a 253 V8 fit? I have one of those. Dont want to go down the KA24 route, I want something different. Im a power junkie. Roadbikes will do that to ya.

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I appreciate you already have the V6 - my first point would be that Commodore V6s are not incredibly valuable so I wouldn't let the fact that you already have one sway your decision about what engine to fit too much, but then again money is an issue for everybody so it may be that that is the best path to take for you, maybe fit a supercharger down the track.

My second point is that I've done one complete engine swap on a D21 and I wouldn't want to do one more than once to chase more power, so I'd want to be happy with the first engine I fit. If you are into big power you might find the V6 reaches its limits pretty quickly.

Some sort of carby V8 converted to straight gas, unless you travel beyond the LPG bowsers.

Cleveland or 308 or something. Depending on budget, you could also go for a 5L EFI Holden V8.

Take a look at what is commonly fitted to Patrols to work out what adaptors for the transfer are available cheaper.

Don't get me wrong, the V6 would be alright, with a supercharger it would be highly capable, but I reckon you'll get itchy feet too quick for all the effort involved.

253 V8 would fit. The D21 engine bay is the same size as the D22 engine bay, so you could fit an LS1. To fit a straight six you'd have to start getting creative with cooling.

Hmm, hi comp 253and auto. Alright, thats got me thinking. I have a gas tank too.

A good (better?) concept for a tough vehicle that looks like a D21 is to fit a D21 body onto a Patrol chassis - when building custom body mounts you have to opportunity to body lift it big time the proper way, and you could squeeze any engine you want under it.

Squint and pretend it's a D21 body:
http://www.navara.asia/diy-modifications-build-ups/2321-navrol-build-up.html

If you have the petrol 2.4l then you can put a SR20det bellhousing directly onto the gearbox and run a Sr20det from a silvia/180sx.

If you get a bellhousing from the older rb20 gearbox's, modify one mount bolt, you can put that on the gearbox and run a rb20/25 or rb25.

for both of these you will need to makeup a rear sump and for the rb25 you will need to put the radiator further forward.

If you get the 3l petrol Navara gearbox you could bolt in a Vg30dett from a 300zx (bitch of a motor to work on, but twin turbo v6). You could also consider the single turbo Vg30det.

if your keen on modifying the bellhousing on the Vg box, weld on the VQ mounts and run a VG30DET. these are cheaper and newer than a Vg30

OOORRRR do that modification to bellhousing and put the VQ40 (270 hp @5600 rpm; 291 ft·lbf (395 N·m) @4000 rpm) then put a turbo on it.

Christian

VH41DE or VH45DE.

Marks adapters do a bellhousing kit to bolt it up to the Patrol gearbox.

There is a bloke on 4wdaction who droped a VH41DE into his R50 Pathfinder and goes very very well.