V8 or Isuzu for My SIIA Upgrade?

[Davo]

I'm asking because I'm in the middle of upgrading my SIIA to Stage I spec. I've replaced the axles and brakes with the right parts, and have an LT95 about ready to go back together.

However, I made a really big mistake where I bought a used 3.9 ages ago and while it looked okay, when I pulled it apart it turned out to be really stuffed - abused and not put together well in the first place. The big mistake was that I should have checked all this before I needed the engine!

So should I rebuild the thing, complete with top hat liners to avoid that well-known problem, or try to find a Stage I Isuzu and get all of the bits from that?

The V8 will be straightforward to put in, while the diesel needs to have all the adaptors and so on.

The V8 is smoother and not so noisy and won't try to vibrate the car to bits. But the diesel seems to last forever and uses less fuel.

I've already got a V8, while I'd have to magically find a rare Isuzu Stage I that I could get all the necessary bits from. But then, maybe it could be worth it?

And the car wil be used in the middle of nowhere and on long highway trips, so it isn't just a fun weekend thing.

And, no, I'm not putting in a 350 with auto etc. etc. etc. The whole idea was to just upgrade to what the factory did.

Well, there I've gone and confused myself. :p

[Bearman]

Davo,
Go the Suzi way if you can find all the necessary bits. You will be better off in the long run. Also they never get hot and are great on fuel.....Brian

[bushrover]

I'm asking because I'm in the middle of upgrading my SIIA to Stage I spec. I've replaced the axles and brakes with the right parts, and have an LT95 about ready to go back together.

However, I made a really big mistake where I bought a used 3.9 ages ago and while it looked okay, when I pulled it apart it turned out to be really stuffed - abused and not put together well in the first place. The big mistake was that I should have checked all this before I needed the engine!

So should I rebuild the thing, complete with top hat liners to avoid that well-known problem, or try to find a Stage I Isuzu and get all of the bits from that?

The V8 will be straightforward to put in, while the diesel needs to have all the adaptors and so on.

The V8 is smoother and not so noisy and won't try to vibrate the car to bits. But the diesel seems to last forever and uses less fuel.

I've already got a V8, while I'd have to magically find a rare Isuzu Stage I that I could get all the necessary bits from. But then, maybe it could be worth it?

And the car wil be used in the middle of nowhere and on long highway trips, so it isn't just a fun weekend thing.

And, no, I'm not putting in a 350 with auto etc. etc. etc. The whole idea was to just upgrade to what the factory did.

Well, there I've gone and confused myself. :p

Guess what??????? I just advertised a Zenith Engineering Isuzu/Rover adaptor kit and I also know where there is a dead Stage 1 Isuzu tray back I have been trying to get for the last 6 years. The guy that owns it has this fantasy that he will get it going again one day. It has been parked for over 12 years and each time I see it, I break down in tears - much to my wife's disgust. Don't you hate people who allow things to deteriorate to an unrestorable condition due to some false belief that one day they will fix it. It has now been sitting with the injectors out and the fuel pump off for over 2 years.

Rick

[rovercare]

What was wrong with the 3.9? I never thought it would of had an issue, as the previous owner had it rebuilt by a reputable mob and it drove quite well, my humblest apologies:(

[Davo]

Geez, Matt, I wasn't about to drop you in it! No apology needed - it looked great on the outside and the ancillaries were pretty good. But many of the bearings were worn down to the copper on the thrust side, and, unbelievably, some fool assembled it with little nicks on some of the crank journals. So, some bearing shells were deeply scored. Also, the bores weren't that worn but there was a fair bit of scuffing and glazing. Bad assembly, bad driving, and bad maintenance would be my guess. Still worth rebuilding, probably.

But it did make me think about how V8s tend to be a little, ah, delicate, compared to the Isuzu. I've read enough on here from the many lunatics, I mean, fans of the Isuzu to get the idea that while they are heavy, noisy, shaky engines they also last really well and will pull a Landie anywhere.


Don't you hate people who allow things to deteriorate to an unrestorable condition due to some false belief that one day they will fix it.

Don't get me started on that one! Or they think that it's worth a lot and you're just trying to rip them off. (This is where we're at with trying to buy some LRPVs at the moment.)

But this looks like the best way to go - finding a complete vehicle. Somewhere.

[101RRS]

I've replaced the axles and brakes with the right parts, and have an LT95 about ready to go back together.

I assume you have replaced the front axle with something like one out of a stage 1 with CVs.

Garry

[Davo]

Yes, all correct. I actually got a new rear axle and rebuilt the front one with new parts. I also replaced all the brakes with new parts.

Yes, it was pricey. . . but I had the money . . . at the time!

So now I've got an expensive, high-geared 2.25 petrol Landie that accelerates even more slowly than before, (but stops extremely well). It serves me right for not getting the new parts all piled up and ready to go but we don't have a shed and you do tend to fly by the seat of your pants with conversions anyway.

[rovercare]

Geez, Matt, I wasn't about to drop you in it! No apology needed - it looked great on the outside and the ancillaries were pretty good. But many of the bearings were worn down to the copper on the thrust side, and, unbelievably, some fool assembled it with little nicks on some of the crank journals. So, some bearing shells were deeply scored. Also, the bores weren't that worn but there was a fair bit of scuffing and glazing. Bad assembly, bad driving, and bad maintenance would be my guess. Still worth rebuilding, probably.
.

Thats an utter **** off, I hate selling stuff that's not upto scratch, hard when sometime you only have the info from the previous owner:(

Hopefully one day I can help you out again, and make a mends, atleast the 4 pin diff centre hopefully works well:)

[Davo]

But, I thought your 90-year-old nanna had owned it! :D

No, no, that's alright Matt. I would even guess the previous owner couldn't have known about the assembly, and maybe he just drove it a bit hard if he was towing a caravan around Australia, (if I recall that bit correctly).

I might just get a Turner block from England and rebuild it that way.

This is the only way to guarantee a Stage I Isuzu will turn up for sale: totally rebuild the V8 and have it hanging on the hoist ready to be lowered in. Then, suddenly, an Isuzu will appear in town.

Anyway, no, that front diff hasn't exploded yet! :p

[3 Sisters]

Any room for LPG tanks?
Would you consider just running the V8 on LPG and building it accordingly?

[Davo]

Well, that's a good point I'd forgotten about. I could start with carbies and go to injection and LPG later on. None of that stuff is supported too well up here and would take a lot of work to put together but would be very good in the long term.

[BMac]

Davo, Have you considered a td200 or tdi300 out of a wrecked disco/defender? Should bolt straight up AFAIK.

[Davo]

Yes, thanks for that. I have thought about all of that but it's always the same story where you're still left with the weak gearbox. And just to make things worse, these days it's very hard to get decent parts for the IIA boxes.