Thread: My red engine

Originally posted by Phoenix
I've got a couple of questions here.

1) I wanted to find a workshop manual for the engine, but before I do that I need to know what it is from. It is a Holden, 173 Red, straight six, what is it from?

a whole heap of late 60's thru 70's model holdens hr-hk-hg being the easiest to lay your hands on.

2) It appears to be a low compression version (Meaning to speed of 80 apparently), can this be changed to a high compression somehow?

low compression should be fine on a landy esp if you get hardened valve seats so you can run uleaded without the jungle juice, any holden motor only does 80 in a landie cause they run outa revs, will pull a 60' van tho.

3) The engine is obviously a leaded petrol engine, and on the advice of a friend i changed to using unleaded and flashlube. However with this I got some pinging at medium to high rpm with medium to heavy loads. My petrol station no longer sells Lead Replacement petrol, so I can't use that anymore. Is this pinging something to worry about?

alter your timing accordingly. try retarding the timing a couple of degress at a time till it vanishes. std unleaded is 91 octane where as leaded was 96 from memory, or use hi octane unleaded.

4) Am I able to convert the engine to unleaded, or otherwise, should I just keep using the flashlube?

drop in some hardened valve seats, give it a valve grind, get it shaved 20 thou if you want higher compression and away you go, all done in one.

forget the higher compression unless you want a power increase and just get the valve seats done, holden engines make enough noise as they are.

i have a hi comp 186 in mine and the difference in noise levels between a 4cyl genuine engine and the holden is VERY noticible, but so is the horsepower difference i suppose.

Thanks for the reply, very comprihensive [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

From what you have said there is no point in changing the compression, I like the amount of power that I have, I can't see any reason to need more.

How much am I looking at to get the valve seats done?

Now this is where I show my ignorance mechanically. How difficult is it to change the timing, and how do I do it?

8O :? firstly ,do you know what the distributor is ,if yes ,then loosen the retaining (loosen not remove!!!) bolt sufficient to turn the distributor body,mark the original position (just in case of stuff up! )then turn in small increments ,tighten then check for pinging,failing that find a mate who is a mechanic :roll: :wink: :!:

Originally posted by Phoenix
Thanks for the reply, very comprihensive

From what you have said there is no point in changing the compression, I like the amount of power that I have, I can't see any reason to need more.

How much am I looking at to get the valve seats done?

Now this is where I show my ignorance mechanically. How difficult is it to change the timing, and how do I do it?

nothing is difficult to do if you know how to do it properly [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]

if you have to ask how to alter timing then it is not something you should really be doing if you need the vehicle that day.

many manuals tell you how to check the timing and altering it on a holden is easy as loosening a clamping bolt, rotating the dissy 1/16 of an inch, but you need a timing light, a dwell meter, a wire brush and a dab of white paint to do it properly.

or

get a tune up at the local garage, and tell them that it is pinging under load and fork over 65 or 70 bucks ....

for a treatise on the joys of life in a leadfree fuel world

http://oldholden.com/fxfjclub/technic4.htm

a link that may be of interest

http://www.mrbean.net.au/~rover/choosing.htm

Thanks for the hints, those are two links that i'll bookmark 8)

I think that the timing might be one for the mechanic at the moment, although my old man has all the gear, so maybe i'll corner him about it on the weekend

:roll: if your getting your old man to do the job, dont forget the six pack,for after the job is done,oh and dont forget to help him drink it!!!!!!

I can do better than that, give him one of his own six packs and help him drink it