What about the 2.3 V6 - is it worth it or is 2.8+ a must?

What about eg Sierra 4x4 - Is the gearbox ok for RWD? (How does the drive get to the front wheels?)

I am using a 2.8 4x4 (so is Liam). The front drive is passed from the transfer box which is attached to the backend of the g/box and it passes a prop forwards up the side of the bell housing. The Sierra has a front diff attached to the off side of the sump and the near side prop passes through the sump (yes, through the sump). If you look at my website you will see pictures of what I had to do to overcome the issues involved.

Moving the front diff forwards, plugging the holes in the sump modifying the front prop.....

Thanks Ewan, thats a good site and looks like an awesome car in the offing. I was only planning to go for RWD so would it convert easily for that - ie can you remove the transfer box bit of the gearbox? The sump mods would be the same or presumbaly just get a new sump.

(I want to put a 2.8 V6 in to replace my pinto/type 9 box and saw a 4x4 avaiable as a MOT'd, taxed runner)

One should only buy a v6 when one can try it out in a running car (which sounds like the case here). This is because of the rebuild costs. If there's the slightest thing wrong with it then I suggest leaving it alone.
Make sure you do a compression test. If you don't already have a tester then buy one, it will be a lot cheaper than having to buy 6 new pistons and pay for a rebore

John

if you are talking of the ford v6 that was fitted to cortinas....I would have to ask why?

As far as I remeber, it makes about 110 - 115 hp. A 2.0 litre pinto does that.

I compromised with a 2.4 later model thats the smaller bro of the 2.9, but thats still 'only' 130hp. The 2.9 and 2.8 are 150hp.

Before you do anything, work out the power to weight ratio of the WHOLE car with your choice of engine and compare.


HP / total car weight = bhp/tonne


atb


steve

Steve - if Geoff's looking at an XR4x4 then it will definately be a 2.8 or 2.9. There were no 2.3 or 2.4 4x4s, although (fyi) the 2.3 V6 WAS fitted to Sierras.

Geoff - general concensus on the 2.3 is it isn't worth the weight penalty over a 2.0 pinto - it weighs as much as a 2.8 and has only marginally more power than the pinto (although it'll be a bit more torquey and sound nicer).

Is this XR4x4 you're looking at a 2.8 or a 2.9? If it's a 2.9 then it has an MT75 4x4 box which wouldn't suit you. I mean you COULD weld up the centre diff and fit the whole thing in, but you'd be better fitting a RWD type 9 to it. If it's a 2.8 then you have a type-9 4x4 box. You can use the front part of this type-9 box and the bellhousing and swap the 4x4 back half for a RWD back half (or so I've been told).

If you want even more power get a 2.8i from a Capri - they made 160bhp in the Capri!

Liam

quote:

---

Originally posted by Liam
Steve - if Geoff's looking at an XR4x4 then it will definately be a 2.8 or 2.9. There were no 2.3 or 2.4 4x4s, although (fyi) the 2.3 V6 WAS fitted to Sierras.

Liam

---

Yeah - says so in my Sierra V6 Haynes manual - even has an exploded view of the 2.3. It's just a carbed 2.8 with less bore and less stroke - pointless.

While we're talking Colognes, how's about this for an interesting website...

The Cologne V6 Engine History

Isn't the Internet amazing...

Liam

Liam, thanks. Its a 2.8 4x4 and I have a type 9 (RWD) box so I was hoping it could work - and its a runner apparently.

On the sump thing though, presumably the FWD sump can be replaced by a std one without holes?

Geoff,

Yeah you can just fit a sump off any RWD 2.8. If you do get the 4x4 and break it, I would be VERY interested in the 4x4 sump assembly and maybe some other front axle gubbins as spares for mine. Also you'll easily sell the rear axle to somebody here with it's LSD and disc brakes, assuming you're not gonna use it. Hell you might even get this done for a profit! How much is the 4x4?

Liam

£400 - and its got alloys too!

Goddamn, this project had turned me into such a car geek! How the hell is it that at 6:30pm on a Friday night I'm still at work, reading someone's site about some blinkin' engine or other and going "Hmmm, that's interesting, I'll bookmark that."


James

its friday(poets day)so GO HOME!

quote:

---

Originally posted by theconrodkid
its friday(poets day)so GO HOME!

---

Sorry about that James. I bookmarked it too

Geoff - well I payed 200 quid for my early C-reg XR4x4. The engine was bit smokey but I knew I wasn't using it so I bought it. Judging by the blokes I bought it off, it was probably stolen that day and/or a cut and shut, but it did come with new rear wheel bearings yet to be fitted and a forged tax disc with 10 months on it!

400 dont seem bad if it runs very well and seems looked after. How much tax is on it that you can refund? Oh go on - you know you want it - and I want the front axle and speedo cable =). Buy it!

You could have my 2.8 for spares if you want.

Liam

[Edited on 25/10/02 by Liam]

Thanks for all the help. Well, I've said I'll have it, pending final inspection etc.

Hang on, if I get your 2.8 I won't need the new one! No, seriously if it goes ahead you can have the FWD bits. Never considered the LSD or rear axle - what are the views on the LSD, a lot of folks seem to go for it.

You can do a quick check of a car by having a go at one of the many on-line insurance quotes that use the reg no - I put it in and at least in came back thinking it was a 4x4. I also did a sort of HPI type check via the net - it comes back with VIN no, eng no, previous keepers etc - might be worth it.

My original sierra donor was like yours, 2ltr 5spd exactly what I wanted and £150. It had steel bracing sticking out of the tyres and holes in the body. The back street dealer said he'd MOT it! I then let on that I wanted it for a kit and went to get a trailer. When I phoned back he said he suddenly wouldn't be available that afternoon. I went straight there to find it up on the ramp having bits taken off it (grotty bits to patch up an even grottier one outside). I took it home to find one of the inner track rod bolts sheared and when I took out the dash I found the join where the front right quarter of a brown car had been welded in to my 3/4 blue one. Glad I didn't drive it home. (I wouldn't have got there anyway, it ran out of petrol between the trailer and my driveway)

Thanks again for the wise words - I'll let you know how it goes.

I didn't take much care when i cut the 2.8 out of my sierra. Got banged around/cables etc cut/injection bits thrown around. But it DID run and would be a source of spare internals and other bits if you really wanted it.

So your car is IRS at the moment is it? Then it probably wouldn't be much work to put the 4x4s LSD in - definately a good idea with the 2.8 I would have thought.

What are the addressed of these websites you mentioned? Sound useful.

Cheers and good luck,

Liam

The xr4/4x4 (2.8) and the 2.8i capri engines are exactley the same spec the reason the capri had more power was because it had a better exhaust system, the xr having a single pipe to the rear.

just a thought....won't a 4x4 take the fun out of this kinda car?

I wonder if they asked that when Subaru went into rallying!!

quote:

---

I wonder if they asked that when Subaru went into rallying!!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Viper
The xr4/4x4 (2.8) and the 2.8i capri engines are exactley the same spec the reason the capri had more power was because it had a better exhaust system, the xr having a single pipe to the rear.

---

quote:

---

just a thought....won't a 4x4 take the fun out of this kinda car?

---

P.S. Have you seen how fast a 4WD car can donut? More of a helicopter you might say. A friend of a friend did this in his 24V cossie engined XR4x4 for something rediculous like 10 or 15 minutes - the power steering fluid boiled and broke his pump. He he.