Best motor

[RUN10W]

Guys, new to building cars and need some advice. I have just brought a 74 galant wagon and would really like a turbo motor in it. Just wondering what motors people recommended as for ease and reliability as a sleeper but with a decent amount of power, not stupid amount of power just a good amount. Thanks for any advice.

[77galantv6]

Keeping it all legal is the hardest part.
If it were me, i would be going lightweight motor as to not affect handling etc.
CA18det 1.8 litre Nissan Turbo motor would be the easiest in turms of room in the engine bay etc
These have been known to make well over 200kw.

For something different, why not go down the Honda path?
K20A from a Honda S2000 would make the little wagon get up a go.
These again will make well up to 200kw in Naturally Aspirated form (i have been passenger in a 265kw version)
and think about pulling 8,000 RPM all day everyday as you go flying past everyone else....

The hard part about these sort of swaps is the pollution measures issues, but that is a different story.

[RUN10W]

Thanks for the reply mate. I guess it's now to sit down and research as much as I can and go from there. Might speak to an engineer also and see where I stand. Thanks again

[75glnt]

Don't forget the dohc 4g63 turbo from the evo! Mighty little engine! Readily available parts, both oem and performance. And best of all.. It's still from the same family

Just grab yourself an evo 3 offcut with loom, and away you go.

Of coarse there's the mods to make it run in a galant, like thermostat relocation, cas, intake manifold, custom exhaust and of coarse the rwd gearbox. But most of that is found at;

http://www.jayracing.com/

And they're rather cheap, considering

[cheaterparts]

how about a 4g61T -- almost bullet proof 1600 TC that is the same lenth as the 4G63 TC just a bit shorter in the block
and comes as std with no balance shafts

[75wagon]

I have just brought a 74 galant wagon and would really like a turbo motor in it.

In NSW working on a wagon weight of 930kgs.
The maximum size motor with a turbo or supercharger in 2300cc's and N/A 2700cc's.

Give this link a read if you want to go with a Mitsubishi motor. Woops put a lot of work into this topic. It's a good read if nothing else.
Bolt in RWD Engine Upgrades

Dave...

[RUN10W]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess the fun bit now is the researching of what is best. Thank you for the last link I shall have a read of that and see what I can work out. Thanks again guys

[77galantv6]

In the end it comes down to whatever comes up.
The only reason mine has a V6 is because a mate crashed his commodore (typical)
And he offered it to me for a great price.

What you need to do is create a "hit list" of engines or cars (that contain said engine)
and then wait till one comes up for a good price.

[RUN10W]

How did you go fitting the v6? All engineered and that? I was always leaning towards the sr20 for the sole purpose of a few upgrades making 300hp at the rears is achievable, but being an alloy motor I'm not so sure these days haha

[77galantv6]

Fitting is snug. As most of the people who have seen my car would say, its very tight.
The hardest part was the new trans tunnel to fit the V6 manual box.
To get the motor in or out, it has to be done from the underside (eg. shell over the top of the motor).


Legality wise, it was done in the mid 2000's and the engineer was very critical of everything so it was a timely process.
alot of checking and calculations involved in allowing it on the road.

The rules have now changed and as such, the conversion cannot be done.
So basiccaly i have the only V6 registered Galant in Australia.
The only issue is now that i cannot let the car run out of rego. If i do, it cant be registered again.


With the SR20 swap, they are a good reliable motor with so many aftermarket parts that make them a good motor.
The only thing i dont like about them is the sound they make - its more like a tractor than a sports car motor....

Also, as pointed out by DVSFIN, i had the initials wrong on the Honda S2000 motor, i should have said F20C not K20A.

[RUN10W]

Yeah I'm starting to lean towards the sr20det i think it might just being an easier option for me to get around the hp I want and having a manual box that can hold it etc

[dvsfin]

it will be a bit more fiddly to fit the SR20 into a galant, you will find that clearing the steering will be a bit of work

[75wagon]

Turbo a 4G52 or 4G54.
They bolt straight in (with no mods) and can have serious power made if the engine work is right.
Shouldn't be too much of a problem for emissions either.

That would be the way I would go if I was going turbo anyway

Dave...

[RUN10W]

Yeah I have been starting to look at the astron 2.6l seems a decent way to go. Finding one is going to be the other thing thanks mate

[RUN10W]

So if I find a 2.6l astron motor in a sigma which is auto I should use that to start a turbo build? Did the sigma come out with different size astron motors or if the motor says astron and its in a sigma with an auto box behind it I'm pretty good to go?

[Rokinfreekapotamus]

Sigma had 1600, 1850, 2L and 2.6L.

look for a later model as its more likely a 2L or 2.6L and look for the engine number, the one you want is 4g54.

If you go for one out of a Magna it is a better motor, will be 2.6L, Most likely fuel injected, but will need a little modification to change it to RWD.
Or look for an earlier model RWD triton, the gearbox in this will be stronger than the rest, not sure if it all lines up though.
you could also try a scorpion

early Mazda B2600 ute or Ford couriers had them too


I think I covered it all, feel free to correct me anyone

[RUN10W]

I was leaning towards the auto 2.6 sigma motor for ease of fitment but putting the injected magna head on it as well. Not sure if I'm heading in the right way or not haha

[Scorpma82]

For "bang for your buck".....The astron motors is the way to go

But if you want to be a lil bit different/creative,
You could always look at Chrysler engines out of cars like the Neon (2L DOHC), Grand Voyager (again DOHC 4cyl....tho im unaware of size)

Stick one of these engine in and you'll have anyone scratching their heads on the engine's orgins once you lift the bonnet
Another advantage is (this one is more of a personal thing), if people can't recognise the sound/looks of an SR20 or 4G63 (for eg), people are more interested in finding out what's been done to the car
(N.B. Incase that people think i'm badmouthing these engines, i'm not.....both engines are extremely common in the aftermarket world for the same reasons)


My 2c worth

[rx22nv]

I'm about to throw in my $1.50 worth to this conversation!

First of all, there are no more capacity to weight limits in NSW. The RTA/RMS no longer can tell engineers what to do as they bear no liability. The enginerers bear the liability now. Some will stick to the old capacity limits but they are no longer required to do this. You should just keep trying all the engineers until they tell you what you want to hear. They may give you a bunch of requirements to adhere to but it is usually just to make sure the car will actually stop and turn.

Don't bother with a CA18, they are very old now, not supported well in the aftermarket compared to the SR20. I have one in my s13 and while it's not too bad, you wouldn't choose one over an SR20.

I have an SR20 and 5 speed mounted in a LB lancer. All that is required is a little cutting of the sump bracing. SR20's can just make it to 300rwkw on an unopened motor. You will have to do the rocker stoppers though. However 300KW motors require an RB25 box conversion which is about $3k not including the clutch.

Evo motors, while I've never had one (I do have a starion powered car though) - are good in stock form but parts are expensive and you really have to put rods and pistons if you want to push them hard. Next issue is the gearbox. You really have to get a supra box of some sort behind it. A mistu box is not going to handle much in my opinon. I know people have had success with them but really, it's always going to be on borrowed time.

A 2.6 is a very cost effective way to go fast. Gearbox is also a problem, as I mentioned before, auto is the way. Doing 300m top gear burnouts is an awesome way to impress your friends.

Throw in a 13b turbo if you want to decimate all though! You'll have to spend more money and know what you are doing but it would be awesome.

[Scorpma82]

For burnouts and Drag racing.....yes, auto is the way to go as it stops the sudden transfer of power/torque down the driveline (which inevitably will break components)

For (circuit) racing purposes/dyno queens or just general motoring, i personally prefer a manual as you have more control in holding/choosing your gearing, requires less HP to drive and (as long as you have more than four gears) have O/D (the main reason why I'm going a manual as im not interested in drag racing or dyno comps).....but that's purely my own opinion and it's a build that suits my interests the most...

[cheaterparts]

Guys, new to building cars and need some advice. I have just brought a 74 galant wagon and would really like a turbo motor in it. Just wondering what motors people recommended as for ease and reliability as a sleeper but with a decent amount of power, not stupid amount of power just a good amount. Thanks for any advice.

what is a decent but not stupid amount of power ?

for a street car a leaf taken out of Karls baby sh!t brown galant for those that remember it

it was a basicly a std 2.6 with std M6 magna head and flat top pistons with a 31/79 cam and some double valve spring
using a std GH turbo exhaust manifold and an early magna fuel injected manifold ( with a the std RWD changes )

running only 6 lb of boost that made 138 Kw atw @ 5800 but had no lag could be driven away from the lights just like a std 2.6
boost cam on very early
even with the std comp that could have had the boost turned up to 10 psi quite easy with at least 170 kw atw and again perfect drivablity

dont try and get to carried away with super high HP if it's your dayly driver
as I said karls galant worked very well with quite good torque every where - a realy sweet street sleeper

[RUN10W]

Thanks guys, I defiantly want to run manual this isn't going to be set up for drags or dyno runs. It won't be daily driven either its more of a Sunday go for cruise etc or a powercruise run and that. I'm leaning towards a ca18 I have a couple of mates with them and I believe if done right can be a really good solid motor.

[rx22nv]

Are they in Datsun 1200's?

Seriously think about the SR20, it's a much better motor in so many ways and will cost virtually the same to do the conversion.

[RUN10W]

Sr's are so over priced though

[rx22nv]

I've seen them for $1500-2000 with Gearbox and ECu. But Yeah, CA's are worthless.

[75glnt]

I'm getting an entire gsr galant with a running dohc 4g63 efi for $500

[RUN10W]

I can get a ca complete ecu loom the lot $500...