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Thread: A Straw Poll re Holden Conversions.

  1. #1
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    A Straw Poll re Holden Conversions.

    OK!

    Who out there is truly happy with their Holden conversions?

    I understand the 4WD limitations of oil & fuel starvation on serious inclines.

    My queries (doubts??) relate instead to mechanical reliabilty and longevity. It seems that the LR/Holden marriage is not a happy one in the long term. I asked a major (but nameless) LR spares supplier did he know anyone who was completley satisfied with his/her Holden conversion and he replied he did not.

    However, to quote the immortal words of working girl Mandi Rice-Davies when told the British Defence Minister had denied having sex with her: "Well, he would say that wouldn't he?"

    MY situation is that I feel spending serious $$ on repairs to go back to the Holden scenario is false economy & I would be better off using the $$ to source LR bits & go back to a 2.25.

    Comments?

  2. #2
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    I had two Series 2As with Holden conversions. One was a hardtop that I used for a lot of off roading, it had a very worn 2.6 Rover engine when I bought it and we put a 202 into it. The road performance was good, only the gearing was a problem, until I fitted 35" tyres. Off road the carby was the only problem on steep climbs, apart from that, I was happy with it.

    My other one was a wagon with a 186 on gas, with a Cabstar gearbox, that I bought set up like that. Apart from the engine being worn out when I got it, it went well and was cheap to run, cheaper than the TDi Defender I replaced it with.

    In between I had another 2A with a 2.6 Rover Six that went ok, but I didn't keep it that long, then the next owner fitted a Holden motor.

    This was in the 80s and 90s when Holden dealers were more likely to carry bits than now. It is many years since they were made, but I suppose even longer since LR made the 2.6.

    Jeff


  3. #3
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    I can say I am honestly and truly happy with my Holden conversion in my LR. I bought the car about 18 months ago with the conversion (series 3 lwb hardtop standard drivetrain and very well executed 186 conversion - if you painted it a different colour you wouldn't know it was non genuine). I converted it to gas about 6 months ago and it has been great. Sits on 80 on the highway and cruises happily all day at about 2600rpm, according to the tacho anyway, I can do 100 but gets noisier. I am about to go to an overdrive to squeeze a little more economy and efficiency out of her but at present the cost of the LPG was recovered in just under 3 months of commuting. I do 450km a week normally and on gas the cost is around $40. Cheaper than our xtrail.

    If I was to criticize anything about the conversion it would be the way the cooling system has been done and the thermal fan setup. This is something I'll be changing in due course thanks to a very nice radiator from a donor car. Also she uses a landrover starter not a holden one which is unusual. I can't comment on offroad ability as I haven't done much. The car is a commuter primarily. Generally I am happy and spares seem to be easy to find and still cheap. New water pump last year at $45 and that has been all.

  4. #4
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    For the first ten years I owned my IIA it had, firstly, a 173 in it when I bought it, which was replaced with a 186 a mate gave me when the 173 died. Both went reasonably well and the 186 served me for most of that decade with no real problems. I had basically no experience of Series Landies when I bought the vehicle in 1991, but along the way I got to drive a few others with their original 2.25 motors (petrol and diesel) and was amazed at how much better they pulled down low and how much more enjoyable they were to drive in the bush than my own vehicle. I know that if somebody is prepared to tinker they could end up with the "perfect" Holden engine for their Landy - and really what works for people really depends upon their own tastes or demands - but once I'd driven Landies with original motors I resolved to turf the Holden motor as soon as I could afford it.

    I put a 2.25 diesel in the vehicle in 2001 and have loved driving the vehicle ever since. It may sound like a joke, given the engine's hardly-high-performance reputation, but the 2.25 transformed my land Rover. Suddenly it was more tractable, less "busy" to drive in tough situations and chugged through feeling very unstressed. It does not have the top-end of the Holden six, but that's fine with me. It's been 100% reliable (knock wood) and much lighter on fuel than the Holden engine was.

    Like I say, which engine is a horses for courses choice: but for me, I enjoy the simplicity of everything being original and straightforward and the vehicle performs well.

    Cheers,

    John

  5. #5
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    Before I put the gas in I toyed with the idea of returning the vehicle to a landrover engine. However the way the silly laws are here in Qld, because the car has been mod plated for the fitting of the holden 6, even if returned to exactly original specs, it would require re-engineering and the fitting of another mod plate (the holden conversion one also needs to remain fitted for the life of the vehicle) so I would essentially have to get it all inspected again and have what would be a standard vehicle but with 2 superfluous mod plates.

  6. #6
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    It depnds what sort of conversion you are talking about. The 186/202 type conversions are now getting a bit dated. Parts are available but getting harder to get. There have been issues with fuel starvation on inclines with carbies but this can be overcome by fitting a decent Holley or similar that does not starve on steep inclines. We did this to my BILs Series 1 that had a 186. I think it was a 350 Holley from memory, maybe a marine version???? There are others and it will also take some playing with jetting. I know we did a bit of hunting to find a suitable carby and we got some advice from a Holley specialist as certain versions were not suitable. It ran fine after that.
    Then there are the V8 conversions and the guys I know that have or have had these have been more than happy. Especially with the availability of parts.
    2011 Discovery 4 TDV6
    2009 DRZ400E Suzuki
    1956 & 1961 P4 Rover (project)
    1976 SS Torana (project - all cash donations or parts accepted)
    2003 WK Holden Statesman
    Departed
    2000 Defender Extreme: Shrek (but only to son)
    84 RR (Gone) 97 Tdi Disco (Gone)
    98 Ducati 900SS Gone & Missed

    Facta Non Verba

  7. #7
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    Most people who have had problems with a Holden conversion have not done the job properly. Most acquired a worn used engine and just stuck it in without rebuild or modification to make it suitable for a radically different application to that for which it was designed.

    The oil pick up and fuel delivery on inclines are easily fixed. Suitable reshaping of the sump and fitting baffles fixes the oil pickup. I always recommend a high volume oil pump. A plastic (petroleum resistant) packing piece to fill excess space in the float bowl fixes the other. An additional electric fuel pump, a fuel pressure regulator, and an excess fuel return line to the tank are also good moves. Talk to a cam grinder about a suitable regrind to extend the comfortable operating range that does not drastically affect low speed performance. Red heads need a good clean out of the ports and maybe removal of the pillar in the middle of the ports and low head Unbrakos in the port floor. A decent exhaust system is a plus. Extractors are not necessary unless you are going to multiple carburettors. Fit a decent free flowing big bore system. I favour the 186S style cast iron headers with two separate 2 1/4" systems all the way to the back. If using a red engine, get the rods and crankshaft from a blue engine. The crankshaft will need minor modification to fit the red block. Any competent recon shop can do this.
    URSUSMAJOR

  8. #8
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    Ye Gods! I forgot about the VicRoads bureauocracy! (sp??)

    Mine was last registered with a 186.

    I wonder if I will have to reverse-engineer it???

    I'd better call them before I jump.

  9. #9
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    I've been very happy with the Holden 202 conversion in my S2a. Even though I have had a gearbox failure, I am completely convinced this was due to poor installation (there were only 5 bolts attaching the bell housing to the adapter plate and 3 of those were several threads loose!) by the previous owner. Mine is on LPG and has the higher ratio diff's to make highway cruising a little more bearable.

    However, I also have a 2.25 genuine engine from my donor car that I plan, one day, to use as a replacement for the 202 Holden engine. I just like the idea of returning the car to more original. I've already removed the power steering and white spoke wheels and wide tyres and put on genuine wheels and tyres. I do wonder whether I'll ever actually make the change though, as it goes well with the Holden on gas. Simply buying another S2a already fitted with a 2.25 would be much simpler and I suspect maybe even cheaper in the long run.

    I'll be watching what you do very carefully.
    Cheers
    JayBo

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnno1969 View Post
    For the first ten years I owned my IIA it had, firstly, a 173 in it when I bought it, which was replaced with a 186 a mate gave me when the 173 died. Both went reasonably well and the 186 served me for most of that decade with no real problems. I had basically no experience of Series Landies when I bought the vehicle in 1991, but along the way I got to drive a few others with their original 2.25 motors (petrol and diesel) and was amazed at how much better they pulled down low and how much more enjoyable they were to drive in the bush than my own vehicle. I know that if somebody is prepared to tinker they could end up with the "perfect" Holden engine for their Landy - and really what works for people really depends upon their own tastes or demands - but once I'd driven Landies with original motors I resolved to turf the Holden motor as soon as I could afford it.

    I put a 2.25 diesel in the vehicle in 2001 and have loved driving the vehicle ever since. It may sound like a joke, given the engine's hardly-high-performance reputation, but the 2.25 transformed my land Rover. Suddenly it was more tractable, less "busy" to drive in tough situations and chugged through feeling very unstressed. It does not have the top-end of the Holden six, but that's fine with me. It's been 100% reliable (knock wood) and much lighter on fuel than the Holden engine was.

    Like I say, which engine is a horses for courses choice: but for me, I enjoy the simplicity of everything being original and straightforward and the vehicle performs well.

    Cheers,

    John
    I find it very hard to believe the above claims of better performance.

    A Land Rover 2.25 petrol engine has 70.5 bhp and 16.5 m/kg of torque and a diesel has 62.0 bhp and 14.2 m/kg of torque. These are Land Rovers own figures quoted in the Land Rover Series III Salesman's Manual.

    A Holden 202 has 135 bhp and 26.77 m/kg of torque in standard trim as fitted to HQ & LJ.

    Your 173 is recorded as 118 bhp and 23.21 m/kg.

    Obviously the Holden is going to be a far better performer.
    URSUSMAJOR

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