Thread: Turbo 202 into series 3. Possible?

How would the rest of the drivetrain cope with the power (not knowing how powerfull the motor actually is.

Originally Posted by Phoenix

How would the rest of the drivetrain cope with the power (not knowing how powerfull the motor actually is.

I'm considering that aspect carefully and plan to address it initially by radically detuning the engine, hopefully enough to lessen the incidence of a failure.

My current drivetrain is all new or reco, so I'm sort of hoping I may be able to get away with it to some extent.

I've been fortunate enough so far to have crossed paths with a couple of Land Rover owners who've beefed up their drivetrains respectably, one with a truck gearbox behind a healthy Hemi, and another who used to use Ford 9 inch diffs in his older series, and both appear to be having, and to have had, reasonable success.

The engine I'm considering is reportedly quite strong, built to take 30 odd psi, and is apparently quite a handful with just 14 psi, so my plan was to fit it with an adjustable boost controller and wind it right down to about 5 psi and see how I fared. If it proved to be a bit too much, I'd just wind it back some more.

While I realise I'm perhaps pushing my luck to even consider this mod, the available engine appears to be quite a bargain, hence my interest.

My ex army series 3 goes quite well as it is with the mods I've already done to date, and there is more in store for my current engine as we speak, namely a Redline Roadmaster manifold and Weber 34 ADM. That's not say I won't go further. Custom made extractors are still on the list, but that 3 inch pipe dropping out of the turbo lessens the need for expensive custom made extractors.

I was going to be replacing the exhaust anyway, as I wish to fit extra fuel tanks(already sourced), so yeah, that aspect is made easier by the turbo, providing the turbo itself clears the firewall.

"If" this turbo engine actually fits inside the engine bay, I wouldn't mind having a crack at it.

I'm one of those people who can't leave things alone I suppose.

im in the process of building a turbo 202 for my EH sedan, the current engine is at least 200FWHP(no turbo) the turbo job will be in excess of 500FWHP

if your going to all that trouble your better off fitting a 250 cross flow (yuck) but it will have a far superiour torque curve than the peaky holden6.

have you looked at the SC14 supercharger kits from the rod shop? this would be a better option than the turbo, and from memeroy they are around 6-7psi?

cheers phil

Originally Posted by discowhite

im in the process of building a turbo 202 for my EH sedan, the current engine is at least 200FWHP(no turbo) the turbo job will be in excess of 500FWHP

if your going to all that trouble your better off fitting a 250 cross flow (yuck) but it will have a far superiour torque curve than the peaky holden6.

have you looked at the SC14 supercharger kits from the rod shop? this would be a better option than the turbo, and from memeroy they are around 6-7psi?

cheers phil

Hi Phil, yes, I've been looking at a blown 202 as well, and was actually on that path when this turbo engine came to light.

As both styles are quite stressful to the existing drivetrain, it went back to cost really.

Basically it's a 9k turbo engine, reportedly bulletproof, which I can get for just over 1/2 price, so yeah, you can see what makes it so appealing.

I've already got my Landy scooting along nicely right now, spins out quite a few people, but a little bit extra from the turbo would be fun.

I was offered those 9 inch diffs a while back, and my mind keeps going back to the truck box behind the Hemi, so while it's all still early days, it could just happen.

While I can imagine a 3 inch pipe sticking outta the PTO hole in the back bumper too, my main concern is still the firewall where the heater mounts up.

No, a Ford engine won't be looked at as it's already engineered to have the Holden engine, and I'm a Holden bloke anyway. My family would disown me if I jumped the fence.

I should add that my real motivation for considering this mod is largely cost based.

My current engine is a red 202 which was simply stock standard until I got my hands on it.

I've since fitted a Bosch HEI ignition, new leads, and Brisk Premium LGS spark plugs which gave it a very nice increase in power and economy, hence my desire to now progress further and add the Weber and Redline manifold, which I already have tucked away, just awaiting fitment. I also plan on fitting Kiker spark plug wires in the near future. I'm looking at soft mounting the carby now, and an engineering firm in WA say they can fabricate a sweet little soft mount for me for less than $200.

Next on the list is a head, probably stage 3 Yella Terra with roller rockers etc, which in itself is a costly item, but it does allow the engine to breath better than any standard head. I have no plans to change the cam at this stage. I just want the engine to breath as well as it can in standard form.

Then comes the exhaust, which isn't as easy as it first appeared due to the narrow chassis, meaning I'd need to look at either a complete custom set of extractors, or try to get an X2/XU1 manifold to fit. Measurements I took a couple of days ago lead me to believe that even then I'll run into difficulties, hence the added appeal of the turbo idea.

I also plan to add a big cylindrical air cleaner box under the bonnet, with home made snorkel and Donaldson precleaner, located above the roofline.

All this stuff adds up in cost, as you can appreciate, so while I'm gradually getting it all happening, up pops the turbo engine and seemingly appears to be a less expensive way to go, perhaps!

To be honest, I've always been a fan of forced induction, and it'd be just comical to cruise around with something like that underneath the old girl.

In 1987 I built up a turbo 186 for a HQ ute with 4 speed. The owner (ex drag racer)would not hear of limiting boost in the interests of longevity and drivability and wanted it to be his daily driver!!!! Chewed up the M20 then an M21, finally ended up with a Muncie. Also lunched a couple of diffs and had a narrowed 63 Chev diff fitted which looks like a Holden diff just bigger. He didn't want any obvious signs of modifications. This thing could lay rubber continously in the first two gears and out accelerate Porsche 911's. The drive line problems were never fully overcome until he decided to remove and sell the turbo engine and fit a Chev. 400 small block. Pressure charging stock engines if a complex and frustrating business with problems and/or modifications at every step of the way from radiator to diff.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

In 1987 I built up a turbo 186 for a HQ ute with 4 speed. The owner (ex drag racer)would not hear of limiting boost in the interests of longevity and drivability and wanted it to be his daily driver!!!! Chewed up the M20 then an M21, finally ended up with a Muncie. Also lunched a couple of diffs and had a narrowed 63 Chev diff fitted which looks like a Holden diff just bigger. He didn't want any obvious signs of modifications. This thing could lay rubber continously in the first two gears and out accelerate Porsche 911's. The drive line problems were never fully overcome until he decided to remove and sell the turbo engine and fit a Chev. 400 small block. Pressure charging stock engines if a complex and frustrating business with problems and/or modifications at every step of the way from radiator to diff.

I'm fairly well aware of all that good stuff, been hotrodding for 25 years or so now. Learned a few lessons along the way.

I once tried(over 20 years ago) an M20 behind a healthy 308 and managed to destroy it in 1 go. Two Trimatics fared no better, so rounded it off with a full manual Turbo 400. Steps and stages sometimes isn't it. That engine is still running consistant 11-12 seconds today in the HQ Statesman we have here.

If I do proceed, I'll be going gently on it.

When I first got my Landy, it appeared to be handling the 202 relatively well, but I do note that since I've begun upgrading the engine components, it is already beginning to stress the drivetrain with a "wind up" phenomenon already becoming evident.

To explain this "wind up" phenomenon is difficult, but anyone who's ever driven a 365 Cummins diesel opened up to a 400, with a Roadranger box will know what "wind up" feels like.

It's difficult to explain.

You may beat everything off the mark, but once you've got to 80KPH you're over the top of the torque curve and at 100KPH you're revving the ring out of it.

So unless you do something about the rest of the drivetrain ratios all you're doing is getting to the next set of traffic lights quicker than everyone else and spending mega-bucks on fuel doing it. IMHO