Rebuild kits for a turbo grey motor???

jazzar02 · Post by **jazzar02** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 9:15 pm

Today i went to repco and autobarn, asked how much for pistons,conrods ETC....... then they told me that the motor's are so old they don't make those products any more.

surely i thought that they would make rebuild kits.

cause im planning on going turbo for the grey motor, hence im getting a spare motor of theo.

I already got a WRX turbo and mounting bracket and a small intercooler of a VL/R31/R32 skyline. The reason why i am build the motor now is because my local mechanic is having time off work to build his drag car, so i thought il squeeze my motor in aswell.

Also i would have to upgrade the brakes if im going to install a turbo ?

i am planing to do everything myself, apart from getting it bored and honed and acid washed.

For a carby i plan to use one out of a EH or HR holden, the 149 version one.

Also i plan to customise my own exhaust manifold to the turbo, have the turbo sit down low, so i still have good response but no to much spool.

Also lol i plan on making the intake pipe from the intercooler to the carby, pretty long, so it keeps boost down low. So i don't run the risk of boost spike.

also upgrading the fuel pump to a intake walbro 550hp. or one out of a VL turbo.

I know alot of people are probably thinking that it wont work. But im gonna give it a try and see what happens. it would be hard to blow the motor since the turbo is only off a old WRX motor and there a 2L motor.

So does anyone know where to get rebuild kits and how much they would cost ? i would prefer to pay cash. I am located at dayboro 1hr noth of brisbane, so if anyone knows someone close that has kits for sale please let me know
Cheers

Jarrod

Bigbird · Post by **Bigbird** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:16 pm

Hiya Jazzar,

If memory serves correct weren't you the kid having trouble working out what the fractions on the side of your spanners meant just over a week ago?

Before you jump into any single part of this project, it would be a good idea to spend some time planning, not just dreaming about what you would like, but how you are going to manage the steps, the time, and the money to make it happen.

A turboed grey motor would be one of those "left field" setups I would like to see, however it is going to be alot of work, which, in the end will not provide nearly as much "bang for your buck" as you may be happy with. There is simply a limit to how far you can push an up to 60 year old engine block.

These old greys are getting rather pricey to work on as you have found, you can't just get bits anywhere. And even though there may be heaps of turbo "experts" out there...with grey motor experience?

I reckon I have a greater chance of finding 2 unicorns at the bottom of my garden...capiche?

The other thing that concerns me is that you have a bit from a WRX and a bit from something else and plan on getting some other part fabbed up. Do you know for sure that it will all work together?

For all of the running around and dead ends you are going to hit, I reckon for similar money or less you could pick up an RB30 motor out of a VL Commodore, and bolt it up to a decent tranny or box.

The biggest benefit of this is that you know it is going to work, those engines are good for 200,000 k's + with the turbo.

Plus there is no need for you to do any development work on it as Holden and Nissan did it over 20 years ago now. (They pay lots of people lots of money to get it right...what is your budget?) Why re-invent the wheel?

A Turbo Charged and Intercooled grey motor in an FB is a great idea, but I would see if I could simply rebuild that old red motor you got off ebay first and get that running before you start force feeding an engine who's design can be traced back for over a century.

It just wasn't designed for it, whereas you could probably go to any largish Holden wrecker tomorrow and purchase a complete RB30 set up with tranny or box and have it bolted in and wired up by sunset on Sunday.

You putting a turbo on a Grey...Not a bad idea, but one that I would recommend you revisit a little further into your car building career.

Other considerations would be legality...speak to an engineer first regarding the mods.

I know in NSW and Vic a P Plater would not be able to drive that car as it would be considered to have undergone significant modification.

The other real iffy one will be insurance. WHo will cover you, and how much will it cost?

Take your time with it, I know you want to take advantage of an opportunity that has presented itself, but there will be others. Focus on getting the body right, otherwise you can have a turbo engine, airbag suspension, canterlevered and gold plated steering components with nothing to bolt them to.

You got nothing but time kid...use it wisely.

Who said the Rant was dead?

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:59 am

some people have just recently rebuilt grays and they had trouble finding bits and they are expensive when you find them, so maybe they could put there hands up and let you know where they got there parts from

as to the turbo on the grey i think i've seen it done on the internet somewhere, but don't be expecting to give it a hard time too often or even to get huge power gains without spendig considerable money on the bottom end, as the crank in a gray motor and forced induction are just 2 things that will never get allong for any length of time

strogger · Post by **strogger** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:56 am

http://www.fbekholden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9272

try the above thread. It asks the same question.

My pistions and rings cost me $450 (At account prices, so retail i dont know.)

JP Pistons will cast in any size you want - $660 + Rings + GST + Freight

ACL have cast a new batch see ebay - $580 + freight

American Autos in Sydney has everything else at a fair price. (Google them.)

Try Bursons, I spoke to the guys at Geebung and they also knew a bit about greys so could possiable track some bits for you too.

Dont be afraid to ring around.

EKjimmy · Post by **EKjimmy** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:15 am

how many spare blocks, heads and cranks have ya got?
It sounds insane, but how do i know it wouldn't work. It'd be pretty cool if you got it to work although i dunno how long it'd last

Maybe on low boost it'd work for a while, although it'd probably still only just blow the pants off a corolla. But it'd be different

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 4:08 pm

I'd like to see that Jimmy

, the weekest point would be the crank (I think), was speeking to a mate and his mate just had a billet crank made for a supercharged grey, it was only $4000

, but he should have no trouble with the crank breaking, Trev

.

FCCOOL · Post by **FCCOOL** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:30 pm

you should have just supercharged it, power at less rpm will be kinda to a grey.
you could set it up quit cheap.

ek61 · Post by **ek61** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 3:12 pm

im supercharging my grey

been told by a few old skoolers that they were good 4 busting cranks but thats when they were racing revvin the ring out of them on a race track for hours on end at high rpm

just as a normal drive car it will be fine get the bottom end ballanced and keep the boost low

i reccon you would blow a head gasket b4 you busted a crank

give it a go make sure u post a lot of pics

cheers dave

jazzar02 · Post by **jazzar02** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 8:45 pm

Yeah im should be the getting the motor just as soon as i can get mum's car as it has a trailer hitch then over to theos to get the motor, then the work with start, im going to have a crack at doing all the piping and mouting brackets my self. even though im a dodgy welder lol. i can always learn.

Also im only going to roughly run 6psi. maybe a tad more if the crank is up to it. but it's trial and error. it's the only way to find out if it's gonna work.

Bigbird · Post by **Bigbird** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 9:09 pm

I noticed in one of your thread in MY FB/EK you want to be taking this car to your year 12 formal.

How much time & money do you have to put into R&D?

jazzar02 · Post by **jazzar02** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:23 pm

well time, I got every single weekend. Money, so far i think i put away $1100. and i have no what R&D means lol

my70wg · Post by **my70wg** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:48 pm

as a rule....what ever you have as a budget....at least triple it....then you should scrape in

aidan...

EK283 · Post by **EK283** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:03 pm

Mate,
If you can get it to work for less than $5000.00 hats off to ya !
With all this extra power your diff will be like jelly and your gearbox like marsh melow.
Brakes, you wont need them cause without the other stuff turning you wont be going anywhere in a hurry !
Unfortunately these old parts just can't cut it when hotting things up.
Sure they can go hard but not for long, Bigbirds advise is the best.

Will be interesting if it goes ?

Regards Greg

Stygian · Post by **Stygian** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:08 pm

Yeah, Greg has nailed it with the cost...with the 5 grand plus you will eventually blow on just the engine, you could buy a period Norman supercharger that was engineered to operate upon a STOCK grey motor...

Plus, it would look just as cool and would have all the old school guys teary and weak at the knees... and it would be worth heaps more at sale time with a Norman than a WRX turbo or whatever...

But if you are on your "P" plates, then how about ditch the forced induction for a while... just slot in a nice 20/60 cam with resurfaced lifters, head with red motor valves and hardened valve seats, higher compression and keep the stock carb and exhaust. Nice cruising motor that if the cops ask you to pop the bonnet, it looks absolutely Grandpa...

During this time, save up some money, go visit Dave (ek61) and his grey with the red motor Norman on it, and plan...

Andrew

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:44 am

Stygian wrote:Yeah, Greg has nailed it with the cost...with the 5 grand plus you will eventually blow on just the engine, you could buy a period Norman supercharger that was engineered to operate upon a STOCK grey motor...

But if you are on your "P" plates, then how about ditch the forced induction for a while... just slot in a nice 20/60 cam with resurfaced lifters, head with red motor valves and hardened valve seats, higher compression and keep the stock carb and exhaust. Nice cruising motor that if the cops ask you to pop the bonnet, it looks absolutely Grandpa...

And this (if recoed and ballanced) will set you back about $3000 anyway